Nuanced Conversations Podcast
Welcome to Nuanced Conversations Podcast, where we dive deep into the complex and often overlooked aspects of today's most pressing topics. Each week, we bring you thought-provoking discussions with experts, innovators, and everyday people who offer unique perspectives and insights. Whether we're exploring the intricacies of social issues, science, culture, or personal development, our goal is to move beyond the surface and engage in meaningful dialogue that challenges assumptions and expands understanding. Join us as we navigate the gray areas and uncover the richness that lies in nuanced conversations.
Nuanced Conversations Podcast
Transforming Carson: Dr. Jawane Hilton's Vision for the Future
Ever wondered how a challenging upbringing can shape an extraordinary leader? Jawane Hilton from Carson, California, shares his compelling journey from facing adversity in Los Angeles to becoming a pillar of his community. Listen as he opens up about the sacrifices his mother made, pivotal moments that led him to his ministry, and the nurturing environment of Carson that fueled his dedication to public service and real estate. This episode uncovers the deep values instilled in him through his family and how they continue to influence his multifaceted career.
Jawane brings a candid look into the world of local politics, recounting his narrow election victory and the ensuing challenges, including allegations of misconduct. His story is a treasure trove of advice for aspiring politicians, underscoring the importance of integrity and community engagement. We also examine Carson's significant developments, from billion-dollar infrastructure projects to addressing the food desert issue, offering a comprehensive view of the city's transformation and the ongoing efforts to improve residents' lives.
Faith, family, and community take center stage as Dr. Hilton discusses his inspiring plans for affordable housing projects and the influential preachers who shaped his ministry. We explore different Baptist traditions, balancing spiritual and practical aspects of faith, and the importance of supporting smaller churches. Dr. Hilton provides an intimate glimpse into his personal life, touching on mental health, fatherhood, and his real estate business legacy. This episode promises rich narratives and valuable insights, making it a must-listen for anyone passionate about faith, politics, and community leadership.
Hey, greetings everyone. Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Nuance Conversations Podcast. My name is George Hurt. I am a creator and curator of this space. We're here to have another wonderful and in-depth conversation with a brother beloved Don't just say that casually when I use that for our guests and then a great pastor, preacher.
Speaker 1:He holds his status as a elected official in the city of Carson.
Speaker 1:He's a real estate mogul and so many other things, but at his core he is a husband, a father and a leader of God's people, and I'm excited to have him with us on today.
Speaker 1:He wears so many titles that he had to pre-warm me of what title he would like to be today, and so he is Dr Jawan Hilton. He could be Bishop Jawan Hilton, he could be councilman, he could be co-mayor, mayor Proton of Carson, it can be real estate Hilton, mr Hilton there, and I'm glad, in the midst of his tremendously busy schedule between family and church and professional life, that he will sit here and talk to us. We'll get to know a little bit more about him and get his perspective on some of these hot topics that are going on today. Before we do so, we always swear our guests in to make sure that they will have a nuanced conversation here. We don't operate in the black or white, we operate in the intellectual space of gray, and these conversations range from religion, politics, pop culture and social norms. So do you swear to do all those things?
Speaker 2:Swear brother, swear. Yeah, he swear with his left hand, ladies and gentlemen, so that's where we're going today. That's my right hand. Oh, that's your right hand, yeah, that's my right hand. Excuse, I, excuse, I. Hey, bro, how you doing today. Man, man, I'm good. Thanks for the opportunity to come and share on your wonderful podcast.
Speaker 1:Thank you Absolutely. Tell us a little bit about yourself, where you're from, where you're born and your journey into Christianity and, ultimately, ministry.
Speaker 2:Man. I'm born and raised in Carson. I'm 44 years old, Just turned 44, just had a birthday last week.
Speaker 2:I'm excited. My journey. I knew I was called at a young age. My grandmother used to tell me I was going to be a pastor. I started preaching at the age of 18, started pastoring at the age of 27, founded my church called the City on the Hill in Carson, pastored there for 14 years. Then I got called to my current assignment where we merged our churches. I merged my church with Brister Baptist Church, where I currently serve, and I've been serving there for three years. So I've been doing this thing for about 16 years now and incredibly excited about what the Lord is doing and what the Lord is showing me and where he's taking me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely Praise God. Talk a little bit about growing up in Carson. How was Carson then until now? And then the feeling of growing up in a place and now being one of those elected officials of the city and a brand of the city.
Speaker 2:So, man, I actually went to Carson in sixth grade, when I was 11, my mom moved us to Carson. From where, from Los Angeles, we stayed on 111th and Avalon in the hood hood.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:And my mom said, man, she wanted something better for her kids and I'm incredibly grateful. My mom was a single parent. She sacrificed, worked two jobs to get us to Carson. At that moment I did not know what she was doing. She kind of just moved us away and Carson was.
Speaker 2:Carson is one of the cities where black people thrive. It has been said that black people have more income in the city of Carson is we have more income per capita in the community than any other nationality in the community. So Carson has been pretty much a safe haven for African-American people. So as I grew up there and matriculated there, built a lot of friendships there, and now to be leading the city, it is incredible, as I walk through the city, knock on doors I'm knocking on doors of people. People say, oh man, you went to school with my daughter, you went to school with my son. I remember you growing up and it's just a wonderful thing to be able to serve the community in which I grew up in. And you know, carson has a motto Future Unlimited. And I'm definitely living that motto Future Unlimited.
Speaker 1:You said we, how many siblings did you have? And what was that home life like?
Speaker 2:So I have one biological brother, one biological sister, uh one uh biological brother, one biological uh sister. Um, my mother adopted uh three, uh three girls Uh. So I have a total of uh, it's a total of six of us.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Uh, so you know she adopted them, had them since birth. Uh, so my mom was in the business of just helping people out.
Speaker 1:Single mother adopting. I had the same. My mother adopted five younger than me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and they're still around to this day. They're family. I call them my sisters.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:You know we don't make no—we all have the same last name. Yeah, so it's incredible my mom. She showed us the epitome of taking care of your family and she came to Carson as a single mother. Now my mom is she's a real estate mogul, so I'm excited about that.
Speaker 1:So the call into ministry? Where were you serving? How did that? You know, there's one thing to know you've been called to hear grandma say it. But then there's another thing to actually walk it out. Take us through those, those stages.
Speaker 2:I served at a church in Compton under the leadership of Pastor Johnny Withers at the time, who's now Bishop Johnny Withers. I served him for seven years and I received my call there. He licensed me to preach, ordained me as an ordained elder, ordained me as an ordained elder and I had mentors, such as Dr Johnny V Baylor, who recognized gifting in me. And one day he pulled me to the side and he said, man, you need to develop that gift, Go to school. And therefore I went to school, tried to develop my gift. I went to go get my Master's of Divinity from Azusa Pacific University. I did my doctoral work at Payne Theological Seminary. So I wanted to sharpen my gift, sharpen my skills. So I served in ministry and I served there and just sharpened my gift until God called me to pastor.
Speaker 1:And what was the journey into starting founding your own, your own work, like?
Speaker 2:I mean, start my own work. It was, it was tough. A church planting is a tough, lonely journey. Anybody who you have to be called to church plant cause you sacrifice your, your family, you sacrifice your resources, you sacrifice your time. I mean, you know, there's days when I came and nobody was in the building. There's days when I came where people showed up. There's days when I came when it was just me and my wife and my family. I started with seven and there was days where I would, you know seven would show up and there's days when just us would show up. There's days where you know you'd be like well, what am I here for? But you know, knowing that God had called me, knowing that God had pushed me, just kept me going and kept me moving. So you know, church planting is not for the faint at heart. So for all those pastors who you know thinking about starting to work, make sure that God has really called you, equipped you to do the work.
Speaker 1:So I guess you're bivocational as well at the same time.
Speaker 2:I would venture to say I'm about tri-vocational, in these early stages though, as well. At the same time, I would venture to say I'm about tri-vocational, yeah, in these early stages, though, yeah, yeah, I've always—.
Speaker 1:So what was work during those stages?
Speaker 2:Work for me. I worked for a nonprofit called Center for Community and Family Services and I was their government affairs director and what I did was Center for Community and Family Services. They pay for quality child care for people who could not afford it in the South Bay. Most people in Los Angeles are familiar with Crystal Stairs. We were the Crystal Stairs in the South Bay and I was the government affairs liaison and I interacted with the legislative people to make sure that bills were passed, to make sure that people, that we would have funding, to make sure that people's needs were met. So I was able to do that and, thank the Lord. I had a boss who believed in God, who was a church woman, and she said she felt like her calling was to help me, uh, get my church off the ground, so she would allow me to do church work while I was at work. Uh, she, uh, she was just amazing. She was incredible and, uh, the Lord allowed me to work on that job and sustain me uh, me while the church could not sustain me.
Speaker 1:How long were you there?
Speaker 2:I was at that job about seven years and then I'll never forget. It was Friday the 13th January, the 13th 2012. Friday the 13th January, 13th 2012. They shut down. I'll never forget. That was Friday the 13th, for real.
Speaker 2:We went to work and they walked us in a conference room and they said, hey, we don't have any more money. This is a nonprofit. We don't have any more money. And, by the way and I know I had probably about 200 hours, like I had sick time, I had vacation time and, by the way, we can't pay you. We can't pay you what we owe you. We don't have your vacation time, we don't have anything like that. We don't even have your last check.
Speaker 2:And, man, I remember like going like dang, what am I going to do? But that was my season of trusting God and believing God and I didn't look back. Most of the people, all of all of my other employees, was like man, we're going to sue, we're going to call OSHA on them. I never did any of that. And a couple of weeks later, man, they, they, they paid us. They paid us and I'll never forget, as they were liquidating assets, they had to give stuff to nonprofits. And that same lady blessed the church with a church van, she blessed the church with chairs, she blessed the church with all the stuff that we needed, because I did not file anything, uh, or, or try to make a mockery of her because, uh, of, of, of their misfortune.
Speaker 1:Yeah, wow, what. What was the next position there from there?
Speaker 2:Um well, the next position from there, uh, I kind of just went through a season of just kind of like trusting God. I just pastored, and then I decided to run for city council.
Speaker 1:What year was this?
Speaker 2:This was by that time, this was 2015.
Speaker 1:So those three years you kind of was just freelancing and pastoring.
Speaker 2:Three years freelancing, pastoring, just kind of like trusting God. I did a little odd jobs here and there, just trusting God. And in those three years, in 2015, I decided to run for city council. The seat came up and I said, well, I'm gonna run for city council. And that running for city council at the time city council didn't pay much money, it gave me health benefits, but I recognize that health benefits was king, it was important and as a church planner I didn't have any, so those were the important things to me.
Speaker 1:So you won, I won. What was the process as it relates to deciding and having a conversation with the wife and then campaigning, and then take us through the night where you actually filled the office?
Speaker 2:So there was two elections, there was a seat that was vacated, so the first time I lost, uh, it was a march election. Uh, the first time I lost, but I came in third. Uh, that march election, I don't, I don't think I what made you think, hey, hey, I can do this.
Speaker 1:What was like? What was? You worked at a nonprofit. You were a pastor. You grew up in the city.
Speaker 2:I just something in me that I've always been fascinated how the church and community went hand in hand, how, when the civil rights movement was birthed, it was birthed out of the church. The church was the mechanism and the movement and the centerpiece of the civil rights movement. So you can't have church without community. So that was my thing and I always thought that they played a vital role with each other. So I thought to say, hey, if anybody can do it, I can. So the first time I decided to run, I lost, but I didn't think I was going to win. The first time I did it for name ID and I knew that the other election was coming up two months later. So that was a strategy. That was a strategy. But I did so well. People were impressed and they began to coalesce around me and people say, oh man, this guy, he does have potential.
Speaker 1:Why did you have two elections in one same year?
Speaker 2:One was the same year, so two people were up at this one time and then one, mike Gibson, who ran for state assembly. He went and ran for state assembly in the middle of his term, so it was an unexpired term of his seat that was available. So they had to have a special election for his seat instead of the regular election. That was March, that was in June.
Speaker 1:March. What was March about March?
Speaker 2:was the regular election.
Speaker 1:March was a regular election. You ran regular election. March was a regular election. You ran an election. One of the winners, Mike Gibson, gets another position.
Speaker 2:No, in that particular election they had not. He ran in March for state assembly. Got you, he was already a city councilman.
Speaker 1:He was already a city councilman, so that office opened up.
Speaker 2:That office opened up. That office opened up so he had to be. They had to call his election a special election.
Speaker 1:For June.
Speaker 2:For June, and how did you do on that? One, a June, is when I won, okay, and I won by 18 votes. Oh, wow, I won by 18 votes.
Speaker 1:So you were. They probably took weeks for them to.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it took a minute for them to count them. Yeah, it took a minute for them to count them.
Speaker 1:So what was the feeling after winning? I know excitement, but I'm sure there was a few.
Speaker 2:It was a bunch of controversies centered around the 18 votes. At the time, the city clerk was. We felt like he was doing some stuff with the ballots. He moved the ballots in the middle of the night, changed the combination to the safe in the middle of the night and we were trying to figure out what he was doing. The city clerk at that time had someone else in the race that he was endorsing and the city clerk is supposed to be fair and impartial, so we felt like something was going on, something nefarious was going on. But at the end of the day I pulled out. I won, won by 18 votes, and ever since then I've been winning by large margins.
Speaker 1:How often do you have to run?
Speaker 2:Every four years. Every four years.
Speaker 1:So I'm up in November. How often do you have to?
Speaker 2:run Every four years. Every four years, no-transcript. I think you get most stuff done on the local level. You get to interact with the people on the local level. I would love to one day be county supervisor Carson or LA Well, carson is a part of the unincorporated part of Los Angeles. County would be a part of the second district supervisor district. So that would be a long term goal, but that will be definitely after mayor.
Speaker 1:The journey into Brister. Thank you for sharing that. It'll be helpful to a lot of people that's watching that may have those same aspirations. Before we go into your journey into your current assignment as pastor, what advice would you have to somebody out there that may be watching this? Some young person, some older person, middle-aged person, that doesn't matter, that wants to get into politics? Have heard the you know the banter about what it takes and what it does not take, and also some of the slimy, shady aspects of it. What would your advice be to some person out there about that?
Speaker 2:I would say start, start, local, start on a commission. Go to your city council meetings, get involved. All commissions are appointed by city council. Go and just be available to your council person. Let them know that you're available to serve. That's how I got involved. I started on the Human Relations Commission as a young person and I just got involved that way. And then, for someone who would love to get involved in politics, never take anything personal Uh, just always. Uh, somebody's always watching. Uh. Make sure you just always operate with your hands up Uh, because you know some people don't have the best intentions. Just make sure, even though your heart is pure, everybody around you may not have a pure heart.
Speaker 2:Uh and um you can please some of the people some of the time, but you can't please all the people all the time. And you can please some of the people some of the time, but you can't please all the people all the time and just know at the end of the day, if you make the right decision and your heart is pure, you rest in that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's great advice. What does a city councilman do? What do you do?
Speaker 2:Well, we work on behalf of the people. We create local laws. We make sure your infrastructure in your city, make sure your streets are paved, make sure your parks are clean. We handle local policy at the local level. So if there's some things that's wrong locally, we handle it. Your local law enforcement, we handle it. So those things, the things that you handle locally, you can't get on the phone and call the president, but you can get on the phone and call me. You can't get on the phone and call the governor, but you can get on the phone and call me If you have local issues in your community. Those local things we handle. We legislate on behalf of the people locally.
Speaker 1:What is the intimate grind of that for you on a? What does that look like on a weekly basis? Just summarization, as that's meetings is that how do you know what the people needs are and how do you bring projects to fruition as a counselor?
Speaker 2:As a councilman, I'm always on. I mean, it don't matter where I'm at. I was in the, uh, I was in Kaiser one night when my baby's sick I guess she got her mask on. Somebody walked up to me like, hey, councilman, I want to ask you, I'm like man, don't you see me with my baby? They asked me a question.
Speaker 2:But I'm always on, uh, always trying to meet the needs of the people, um, and and people, just, they just want to be heard, uh, just want to be served. Uh, I think, as a councilman, you have to always be approachable and accessible. And uh, people just tag me on Facebook asking questions. Just, they want to just see their growth, they want to see vibrance, uh, in their community, uh, and they want to see in my district alone, uh, we have $8 billion worth of infrastructure coming in.
Speaker 2:These are new developments homes, malls, a new development called the Country Mark, which is going to be a 13-acre park with about 10 restaurants, a dog park, all of these things that's going to make Carson one of the premier cities. Carson is one of the last cities in the South Bay that actually has land to develop 157 acres to be exact. We're about to build over 100 new rooftops in our community of homes, of market rate housing. What do you mean? 100 rooftops Houses, okay, Houses, condos, single family residence apartments. We're on our way to build a whole slew of homes in our community housing crisis in California. We can say that we're hitting our numbers in Carson by providing market rate housing, affordable housing, targeted housing, whether it be veterans, seniors, artists we're doing all of the work by providing houses.
Speaker 2:We have houses dedicated to artists. So you rap, you sing, you write, you paint we have housing dedicated for those people who are in those fields. So, instead of calling it low-income houses, quote-unquote, we call it artist housing, because we don't want the stigma of saying, oh, they got to be low income to come. No, we want people who have an artiste background to be able to come to our community or have middle income housing or workforce housing.
Speaker 1:What are some of the challenges in Carson that you want to kind of fix and address?
Speaker 2:One of the challenges in the district that I serve is that we are in a food desert, that we don't have a quality grocery store. I happen to represent District 1, highly populated with African-Americans, highly populated by people who have the income to support it, but we don't have a quality grocery store within the circumference of the area. Anytime you have to drive 10 minutes to get a gallon of milk, you are in a food desert and we are bombarded by discount stores such as the 99 cent store Well, they've gone out of business now the Dollar Tree. So we are pushing hard to get a quality grocery store in our community and it has been said that we didn't have enough rooftops back in the days. However, since all of these rooftops are coming now, we believe we have enough rooftops in order for a quality grocery store to come in our community now.
Speaker 2:But how's crime there? Crime is low. How's crime there? Crime is low. We, unlike some areas, we don't tout defund the police. We have a—we're a contract city, so we contract the LA County sheriffs. Our contract is fully funded with the sheriffs and we don't mind increasing our contract with the sheriffs. We believe in public safety at its best. We want our residents to feel safe. You know, just like any other city, we have crime, but we want to nip our crime in the bud.
Speaker 1:What's your party affiliation?
Speaker 2:I'm nonpartisan, I'm a Democrat, you're a Democrat, I'm a. Democrat, but our council is nonpartisan.
Speaker 1:And what does that?
Speaker 2:mean? That means that you know we serve everybody.
Speaker 1:Got you Philosophically, but on your ballot.
Speaker 2:On my ballot designation. I'm a Democrat.
Speaker 1:What is your thoughts on the Democratic Party as we come close to the election and as you see how things are shaping up?
Speaker 2:I think the way that the Democratic Party is arguing at this present moment, we're in trouble as a party. I think we need to coalesce behind who we have. The Republican Party has 34—the their nominee has 34 felonies and no one has asked him to step aside. And they're asking Biden to step aside because you know he's a little slow, he can't move as fast and they're willing to skip over a black woman and ask somebody else to get in the race. And I feel like if they skip over this black woman, they're going to really insult black people.
Speaker 2:Some people I was in a slight debate this morning with someone saying that they're not going to vote for Kamala if Biden step out. How do you know that? Why are we programmed to figure out? Feel like we won't vote for our own people? It's the same with Barack Obama. No one felt like they would vote for Barack Obama, but we turned out. Black people are going to turn out by margins. Have these lawsuits coming up in communities, where they go to communities and file lawsuits because they say that certain demographics or certain ethnicities are not getting elected and then they go to these communities and file lawsuits because black people vote in high margins everywhere. This is why they're trying to stifle our vote in places like Atlanta and stifle our vote in places like Alabama because we vote in high margins.
Speaker 1:But you do see the legitimacy of the concern of Biden.
Speaker 2:I see that he has. He's ailing a little bit. I see that he's doing that. However, we have went with him this far. We can't change now. I think if they were going to change, they should have changed way before. They should have changed. We're too close in the game. November is right around the corner. They can't change now. He's out there. The only person I can see who could win this election right now if they would choose to put somebody in the race who could win this election right now is Michelle Obama.
Speaker 1:Gotcha Pastoring. You are now the pastor of the Bristol Memorial Baptist Church in Compton, California. Tell us about that journey.
Speaker 2:Man, bristol has been an incredible blessing to me, has been an incredible blessing to me. I have deemed it the church where amazing things, the place where amazing things happen. Today, matter of fact, three years ago today, it was my first service at the Bristol Baptist Church. I got a call from my pastor I can't remember. He called me and he said son, my pastor is Pastor Larry Weaver of the Adelton Baptist Church. He called me and said, son, are you open for an opportunity? I said well, dad, if you calling it must be good. And he said by the way, when you come, bring your resume with you.
Speaker 2:I hadn't dust off a resume in a long time, george, because I haven't applied for a church, because I started a church, you know. And when I, you know, dusted off and when I came, came to this meeting and the meeting went just like this. He sat down with the chairman, my former chairman of my deacon board, deacon Miller, and his wife and me, and he just went like this. He said you need them and they need you. That's how the meeting went. I gave him my resume and we talked a little bit small talk. They said we're gonna look over and we'll get back with you. Then they interviewed me. They said we're going to look over and we'll get back with you. Then they interviewed me. They interviewed my wife. They were interviewing other pastors. Is that normal to interview a person's wife? You know, that was the first I heard. I'd never interviewed for a church before.
Speaker 2:I'd never interviewed for a church before. But you know, never interviewed for a church before. But you know my pastor always say a good wife can either. A wife can either do one or two things she can make a church or break a church. So they interviewed her and they extended the call to me and May 23rd they called me, said hey, hey, man, we want you to be our pastor.
Speaker 1:uh, so, uh, that may 23rd, what year 2021 2021, 2021.
Speaker 2:Uh.
Speaker 2:So at that time I was still pastoring city on the hill. Uh. So that sunday, uh, I got everybody to the City on the Hill. I put on social media hey, I got a major announcement. We're not streaming today Come. So everybody like, oh, what are you going to say? What are you going to say? So I told them. I said, hey, you know, god has given us a unique opportunity and I really feel the call of God. I said I want y'all to go with me. I said, but if y'all to go with me, I said, but if y'all don't go, I'm going anyway. Right, I'm going anyway. I said I've had other opportunities, but I've always looked back. I said I feel like this is the one and one of my members in the back, I call her a church bouncer. She's unique. She stood up and was like Pastor, if you say it, if you said it, we're going. And everybody just got up and started clapping.
Speaker 2:And that week the deacon had already gave me the keys to the church, but the church had been closed during the pandemic and they hadn't opened up at all. So I asked all the people there. I said y'all want to go see it? And man, we caravaned over there and they was excited. The crazy thing is that we had just got the building, city on the Hill had just got the building. We had just dumped a whole bunch of money in this new building, we had just signed a lease in a new warehouse and all this stuff we stuck in a lease man. I mean, we had just dumped a whole lot of money in this building and I'm like God, what you know, like what, what are you doing? But I heard the voice of God say go man. And you know, brewster was it was. It was an old, old church, super super old church pews. They hadn't, they hadn't done no, building Building wise.
Speaker 1:it was older facility. It was older facility.
Speaker 2:A bunch of deferred maintenance. So you know wasn't what we were used to, but I saw the vision. I saw I felt like God was going to do something there. And then on our, on our first Sunday service, we asked the people to partner with us. And then in August, while we were still outside, because we were still in the middle of a pandemic, while we were still outside, I purposed in my heart to try to start doing work on the building. So we underwent a renovation project and we had church outside until October 10th and then we went into a newly renovated building.
Speaker 1:When we walked in, what are some of the things that you're praising God about that you've been able to do in your three years?
Speaker 2:there. One of the things that I praise God about is that we have been able to renovate the whole sanctuary, renovate the bathrooms. One of the things I praise God about last year we baptized 101 people. Praise God, 101 people. That has been incredible to be able to say that for a church that had not baptized anybody in years, to be able to baptize 101. I know some churches who haven't baptized 101 people in their history.
Speaker 2:For us to be able to do that on a monthly basis. We have an outreach where we give out about $70,000 worth of goods a month through our partnership with World Vision. Wow, we have been able to give out food on a monthly basis. Right now we partner with Cal State University. We have our Algebra Institute. So now we have about 30 to 40 kids on campus from grades six through ninth grade where we have our Algebra Institute where we help them pull up our kids in math, because African-American and Latino kids are struggling in math. So we have a math program that is going on right now on our campus for the summer to help our kids come up in math. We have a full a summer food program. So we are, we have put a spark on the corner of Greenleaf and Long Beach Boulevard. That was not there three years ago.
Speaker 1:Wow, what are some of the things that you're looking to do, both immediate and long term?
Speaker 2:Immediate and long term. Man, we're looking to build some housing, some affordable housing, an affordable housing complex right across the street at 1510, 1512 Long Beach Boulevard. We have entered in negotiations for an empty piece of property that has laid blighted for the last 20 years, uh, and we have literally come down to the last mile of negotiation, uh, with the owner and the owner has accepted our proposal. Uh and uh, we have entered into terms where we're about to enter escrow, have entered into terms where we're about to enter escrow. So we are believing God for the funding and the partnership with the local developer to build housing that Brister would own and that we would be able to have and be able to house those in our community and be able to be an answer for those people who are struggling.
Speaker 1:Preaching. What are some of the preachers that you listen to that have shaped your preaching, and how do you try to marry the preaching moment to all the things that you're trying to do in the corporate life of your church?
Speaker 2:Well, some of the major preachers that I listen to. I listen to pastors like George Hurd. George Hurd is one of my favorite pastors. Y'all. He's one of my favorite pastors. I love Ralph West. He was actually one of our preaching professors at Payne. One of our preaching mentors Paul Borden, of course, joseph Walker. I like Reginald Sharp as well.
Speaker 2:I try to marry my preaching moment with trying to make everything biblical and practical at the same time, knowing that after I delve into the text to give us some application that we may be able to walk in, that may be relevant, that we can apply it as we leave from the sanctuary to apply to our everyday life. Leave from the sanctuary to apply to our everyday life that we don't be so super spiritual that we miss our moments, we miss our opportunities. What does that mean? No man, you know me and George often have this debate about Pentecostal Baptist and you know and I have a Pentecostal background but I'm not so always talking in tongues every day that I'm so, so holy that I miss reality, that I miss what's going on. You know some people talking in tongues and can't come out of the spirit and conduct business. You can't pay bills in tongues. You can't conduct business, you know, by just praying about it all the time.
Speaker 1:So you're preaching you don't ignore the more charismatic, mystical aspect of it but at the same time, you're trying to bridge it with practical steps towards what we're trying to do as a church and what you're trying to get people to evolve in or sometimes devolve from in their lifestyle and their walk before god, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. I don't make it so mystical that you know some people, just they elevate one above the other, you know like, oh, you know, it's just all, it's all this, it's all that, you know. But I think that everything has its place and you know, we can't have one without the other.
Speaker 1:Well, we could tell that you are a politician and you been media trained and this is not your first time in spaces like this. You've been very calculated in in in your in your answers and we appreciate that it's been very helpful. However, I don't know if you're going to be able to do that here, but it may be, so this will be great. Thus dealing with nuanced conversations, you are one of the few people that I know to have affiliation with Full Gospel and a bishop and at the same time, have a working, healthy relationship with the Southern Baptist Convention, and I'm sure you're probably Pastor Juwan there, or Juwan, or you know maybe in some formal meetings, dr Hilton, where you can go polo and you know jeans like you're just today in those spaces where, in full gospel, you may have on you know jeans like you're just today in those spaces wearing full gospel, you may have on you know the whole robe and vanilla and all that comes with that.
Speaker 2:Talk to us about that? I think it was. I heard this story one time about EV Hill. He was able to go in any circle. This is true. I think Kenneth Omer told the story. I was at a preaching conference and Kenneth Omer told the story. He was riding with EV Hill one day and EV Hill was preaching at this convention. Then he took him over to a four-square convention and then he took him over to an evangelical convention and he just was taking him everywhere and he was like watch this, watch this, watch this, and I want to be able to be one, to be able to go in and out of every circle and to be able to be embraced in every circle, if you will.
Speaker 1:That's good, you know.
Speaker 2:EB. I just want to love everybody. I just want to love everybody. Yeah, I just want to love everybody.
Speaker 1:Comparative analysis, though, between the two Pros cons of one versus the other, because you're intimately in both spaces.
Speaker 2:So what would you say um being able to look at that well, you know um and in, in in the southern, in the southern baptist space, they don't embrace women in ministry in the full gospel space, they embrace women in ministry uh so let's go slow with that for a minute Now.
Speaker 1:Full Gospel was started by Bishop Paul Morton, and it was started with 12 men.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Right, I mean you understand. I'm trying to say the tension there. You say embrace women in ministry. How does full gospel embrace women in ministry?
Speaker 2:Well, now they affirm bishops.
Speaker 1:How long ago has that been?
Speaker 2:I mean, I think they affirm From day one.
Speaker 2:Not from day one. I don't think they affirm women bishops day one, but at least 10 to 15 years, I believe. But I think they always affirmed women pastors. So I don't know that they might have always affirmed women, so don't quote me on it. They might have always affirmed women bishops. They just might not have made any Gotcha, because I mean, for the longest they had women bishops preaching, like Bishop Iona Locke and stuff. They've always had, you know, women there. So I don't know exactly, maybe they didn't have any in their denomination or their fellowship or their reformation, but they've always affirmed women. You know their whole thing was giving Baptists the right to choose. But I'm from the thing you know Baptists is. You know we get to keep our own autonomy, you know. So my argument is just let's just keep the main thing the main thing. Let's not just argue over this or argue over that. If it's about Jesus, let's keep it there.
Speaker 1:What are you? Because I stopped you. You were making the distinction that one embraces women in ministry, the other one, the other one doesn't, the other one does not. So which one would you? I know the answer, but just to be clear, which one is the pro for one and which one is the con for the other?
Speaker 2:That's the pro for full gospel. The con for Southern Baptist is they do not.
Speaker 1:Now give me a con for the full gospel. For the full gospel comparatively to a pro in the same way for Southern Baptist in your mind, who are pro in the same way for Southern Baptist in your mind.
Speaker 2:You're trying to get me to try. I think Southern Baptist has a wealth of resources. In these three years that I've been Southern Baptist, the resources that have been poured into me, poured into my family and I was just having this conversation with one of the bishops in full gospel the resources that have been poured into me have been second to none and I'm incredibly grateful for them and have made me rethink where I'm supposed to be literally. So that's a pro the wealth of resources, the educational resources, the foundation, church planting resources, church planting resources, financial resources, retirement resources, health resources. Church planting resources, financial resources, retirement resources, health resources.
Speaker 1:Mentorship.
Speaker 2:Mentorship Preaching resources.
Speaker 1:That's a lot of resources.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:It seems like to me and I've not been obviously not a member of Full Gospel and I've not been obviously not a member of Full Gospel it seems like with Full Gospel, comparatively to also National Baptist Convention, which I am a part of that there is this perception or reality that you are to give to them to make that flourish, whereas it seems as if from your statements and my experience from others that are deeply, we're duly aligned but we're not as deeply connected as you are for a lot of reasons that they are, they get, they're giving on how to help you become better in your individual pastorate, whereas full gospel, national Baptist Convention, those that are more black-structured, are about giving to it to make it more robust in its presentation. Is that a fair assessment?
Speaker 2:I would say that's a fair assessment and that was my conversation with with a person in leadership that was making me rethink where I should be. I've wrestled with where I should be in these last three years. I make no bones about it that I've wrestled with where I should be in these last three years. I make no bones about it that I've wrestled. Hey, should I steal? Should I just plant myself over here? Should I just plant myself in one place? Or should I be like EV Hill and go out in this circle and that circle but in this circle on? On anniversaries They've sent me cards On anniversaries. They've sent me stuff saying oh man, take, take your wife out here, take your wife out, southern Baptist, southern Baptist. They sent my kids Christmas gifts, mm-hmm. I've never got nothing from any of the other stuff that I've been a part of.
Speaker 1:From full gospel.
Speaker 2:We're here now. I don't want to make an illusion.
Speaker 1:I would make the same testimony as raised the National Baptist Convention I feel like. To me, though, National Baptist Convention is at is an easy target, and it's as if the flaws there because of the history I mean full gospel is a pseudo split of it. People act as if that's not true in other black Baptist conventions, so that I'm just trying to be honest in that assessment, because, yeah, so I may go to the convention for two days and have 20 offerings of as relates to me and then when we go there, it's none.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, not like that, and I'm sensitive to the racial component of it and how that is built.
Speaker 2:I'm sensitive to that too.
Speaker 1:Still, that's a large gap, even when you factor in that component and the opportunities that's out there for larger bodies like that. And we see a few conferences kind of filling that gap in and I'm talking Black Baptist in general terms such as EK Bailey, IC3, personal biases I'm affiliated with both, but then you also see that I'm affiliated with both, but then you also see that Maybe you know some others that kind of turn in that corner in that way where you know you pay your, your fee to go there but you get in the classes, you get in the resources is not 10 offerings, is not you know um. You know 17 armor bearers for the people coming in. You you can stand up afterwards and speak and well, those are, that's capital as well. Those are you know um. So I I wanted to have a fair conversation about that as it relates to that, because I know we've had that conversation and it would be disingenuous for not to approach it. But that's not bashing it, I don't think, because there's a lot of factors.
Speaker 2:It is what it is. It's an honest assessment. It's an honest assessment. And then when you, when you come from that and then you see, you see like, oh man, it opens your eyes to say, wow, this is what I've been missing. Or there's a whole structure that's operating that I knew nothing about. How could that be fixed? I think it's for us to be willing to take notes, for us to take constructive criticism and not feel like we're bashing it, like if we go to people in leadership for people to hear it, and it's not a bash. It's to say how can or don't say, well, we don't have as many resources as they do? Okay, I get that. How can or don't say, well, we don't have as many resources as they do? Okay, I get that.
Speaker 1:And this would be fair. We have the Taylor suits. Yeah, we have the the. You know I'm as guilty as anybody else. We have the Ferragamas, we have the Gucci's, we have the Louis Vuittons, we have the Benz's, we have the Bentley's. Some of the people that's coming are driving private jets. It becomes.
Speaker 1:You know, republicans have trickle-down politics. You know the economy, the trickle-down economy, and it's like everything is kind of going vertical from an upward standpoint to those that are on top and it is not the same level investment into the 90% of churches are led by pastors that are. 90% of the churches are in one, two or three of these categories. Well, one or two of these categories Small size or middle or bivocational pastor. And we do understand that most bivocational pastors, probably 99%, are not bivocational because they don't have anything else to do.
Speaker 1:And this is, hey, I want to be by vocational. The church is not able, uh, not financially able or financially willing. Um, to make that pastor full time Able is a teaching moment for those who are able but won't do it. But those who don't do it, you would hope that being affiliated with these larger bodies would open up opportunities to assist, but not just with that component but Sunday school or discipleship programs, if you want to call it that, evangelism programs, mission opportunities, foreign mission projects, all the stuff that you and I strive to do individually. The motivation is, if I'm going to be connected and take time away from my church and give offerings, that it should enhance that.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And then baiting me with the chance of if you do that, then you could be this president, then you could be this president, this auxiliary head, this keynote speaker and most of us have mature paths shaping our ministry definition and success and matrix of success, metrics of success around those type of things.
Speaker 2:I agree, man. I mean, I don't know what I think they've hid behind the excuse of we don't have it or we can't be like them, but they can. Like you said, they have all the resources at their fingertips as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I remember during the pandemic. Yeah, I mean, I remember during the pandemic. Yeah, I mean you've been transparent. During the pandemic, our president of National Baptist Convention came on to a moderator event. It was online, like everything was during that time and I was doing interviews and I was trying to get them online. I'm sure other people were wanting to hear kind of how the national body was going to provide leadership, and I remember the person that was introducing him.
Speaker 1:He didn't say it was kind of like rebuking people for saying this and he made this statement which I always thought was the antithesis of a convention. And then the large body says don't ask what your convention can do for you. Ask what you can do for your convention. And I'm just like I thought that was the very opposite of me in this that we were to ask you know, the singular mission and definition and reason for the existence that I found to have been the most helpful or clarient or purposeful is that doing collectively what we cannot do individually.
Speaker 1:That seems like with all the sexism, racism, social elitism that is a part of SBC. That's one thing that I wish we could foster in our environment, and I know it would take time, because building Google wasn't built overnight from an economic standpoint. Amazon wasn't built overnight, apple Meta, on and on and on. But at least we can see the wheels turning towards that, because that's what a lot of us are trying to do in our local church environment, even to model it. So I don't feel I don't know about you. I don't have any passion of bringing my members or leaders to those type of spaces, because much of what is being modeled there is what I'm not trying to duplicate or is not enhancing what I am trying to do in local church where I'm at.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm only taking my people this season, the people that god has allowed me to steward, allow me to pass. I'm only taking them to places that are going to benefit us and that's not going to bleed us dry, that's going to help us. So I'm only going to things that's going to help our church and help us grow. Uh, but we've withdrawn from all those places that's not going to do that. So that's why I said I'm really assessing these things that that's not going to help us grow.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're getting older. Now You're no longer the son to many, no longer the son to many or, in figurative terms, you're now becoming the big brother father to others just as much. What are some of the things that you would like to and try to pour into younger preachers? Would like to and try to pour into younger preachers, younger pastors, to assist them, kind of learning from what you have been able to take in intellectually and spiritually and socially in your journey in ministry and life.
Speaker 2:Well, I want to. I want to help other church planters. That's my hope. I see these younger pastors who are trying to plant churches. I want them to reach out to me. I want to help pastors who are trying to merge churches. I think I have a formula. I think the Lord has gifted me with a grace to do it and that's what I believe the Lord has called me to do and to help them and try to help them, not bogart their way into making them feel like they got to take over real quick. And this is why some pastors haven't got a great opportunity right now, because they feel like they got to take over overnight or strong arm the people.
Speaker 2:You have to do all of that. Let God give you the church. And once God does that, I think you'll be all right. So I think that's where God has me right now.
Speaker 1:What are some things specifically, though, given that, that you would want to say to them?
Speaker 2:I would just say, man, just engage in prayer, read as much as you can, be careful who you listen to, be careful who you let mentor you and make sure you have you some people that you can talk to, make sure you have you some people that you can talk to. And friendship is very important. Some friends you will have for seasons and then some friends you won't have after your season change. And that's what I could tell you.
Speaker 1:Three books.
Speaker 2:You'll give them the read. And why, um, it's a book, uh, that I'm reading, that I read when I merged the church called better together. I can't tell you exactly who. Uh, oh yeah, I got that book. Who wrote it? Um, and uh, um, it's another book called Pride and Humility. And then I always read a book called Celebration of Discipline. I kind of read that Richard Foster. Yeah, I read that on the regular just to always try to refresh my mind. I read that probably like once a year.
Speaker 1:How do you manage your mental health?
Speaker 2:Man try to take vacations. Got to talk to somebody when I was in the seminary. They told me pastors need a therapist. I ain't got one. You don't have a therapist. I ain't got one. I need to get one though I need to get one. I promise I need to get one. But take vacations. I try to have an open line of communication with my wife. I talk to my friends. I thank God for George Hurt. I talk to him. Thank God for a few friends that I can share with. But just got to be you know and pray man, just don't take nothing personal. Yeah, can't take nothing personal.
Speaker 1:How long have you been married? How did you meet your wife?
Speaker 2:I met my wife in high school. Oh wow, I met my wife in high school. Man, We've been married now for 15 years. We'll be celebrating 15 years on August 30th. So you got married at 19?.
Speaker 1:Or 24? 27. 27. I got you and you got married at 27 and you have Three kids, three daughters. Three daughters. You're what they call a girl dad. A girl dad, yeah, tell me about that journey.
Speaker 2:I'm a girl dad.
Speaker 2:What does that mean I got all girls? That's what they mean. Yeah, so, uh, I really uh, so I'm a dad of four. My first daughter died at birth, uh, and she died, uh, while we were planting our first church. Um man, and that was, that was crazy. She died as we were going into our new church building. We were angry with God. Literally, god has a major sense of humor. We had lost a little faith, a little bit. But the following year, on Father's Day weekend, the Lord restores our faith. He gives us Reagan on Father's Day weekend. A couple years later, on my wife's birthday weekend, he gives us Riley. So that's why we got Reagan Grace. She's our grace baby. We got got Reagan Grace she's our Grace baby. We got Riley Faith she's our Faith baby. And then we got our pandemic baby, that's Ryan Hope. So Ryan Hope is our pandemic baby. She was born in COVID. I wasn't able to be in the hospital room when she was born.
Speaker 2:I had to watch her by FaceTime be born.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, I'm a girl, dad man, they give me a run for my money, george, yeah, they give me a run for my money. I got four wives. I say because every time I walk out the house they're like where are you going, where are you going? Even my four-year-old would be like where are you going, daddy? Where?
Speaker 1:are you going? So yeah, you do a great job as I watch you and navigate that. Thank you, man. So yeah, Are you done.
Speaker 2:I'm done, I'm done, I'm super done, brother, I'm super done.
Speaker 1:What are some of the things that you think about as it relates to raising three young ladies in this current climate that we're in?
Speaker 2:Man. I want to leave a legacy for them. I want to show them what a good man is all about. There's a lot of riff-raffs all year. Before I came, I saw on social media this guy running from the cops. He had his baby's mom in the car and had the baby in there and she's like pull over, pull over, pull over, pull over. And then he in a traffic chase with his baby in the car and his baby mom in the car and I just want my children to know like I want to be able to do so much for them that they don't have to think that a man's going to do it.
Speaker 2:I want to set them up and our real estate business is named Hilton and Daughters, so I pray that I'm able to pass them on a successful real estate business, you know, when they get older, I pray that I'm able to pass them on a book of business, of investments, of stuff that we've done and set them up for a lifetime.
Speaker 1:Wow, that's major. What advice would you give to a young pastor as least managing his home in light of ministry?
Speaker 2:take care of your house. Those people are temporary church. They'll turn on you they'll turn on you they'll turn on you, man.
Speaker 2:Really, they'll turn on you. At the end of the day, yeah, your family is important. Do as much as you can with your family. Go to every game. You know my kids are playing sports now. Man, I I try to be at all their games. I'm not missing that game. I tell the people I gotta go to my kids game. I tell the people I gotta go to my kids game. I gotta do this, I gotta do that. I try to make sure that they're a priority and I try to make them a priority. And they know that it's a very rare event that I miss something of theirs because I have to do something for the church, because at the end of the day, your children are gonna remember that and never put the church over your children, over your family. The church is Jesus' bride and he'll take care of his church if you take care of your family. So your family is more important than all of it.
Speaker 1:How did you get to that point? Is that something you always knew? Is that something you struggled with? Is that something your wife had to put your coat on?
Speaker 2:I think I struggled with it in the beginning because you know, sometimes you'd be thinking like oh man, you know I got to do this at the church. I got to do this at the church and then you want to put your. You know you want to make your family second. How to do this at the church? And then you want to make your family second. But you can't sacrifice your family on the altar of ministry because, like I said, at the end of the day these people will turn on you, these people. They'll say they love you today, but they'll talk about you and, at the end of the day, who nurse your wounds when you go home? Your family. And you got to make sure that, at the end of the day, you take care of your family. They'll be there. They're going to be there when nobody else there.
Speaker 2:Remember, I talked about those seven people that came to church. Them was my family. Those were my wife and kids. I could count on them to be there. So I got to make sure I steward my own house well, you know. So I think that's important. What did you learn about fatherhood?
Speaker 1:and being a husband and all that man.
Speaker 2:I learned that like trial and error. Trial and error, okay, because I didn't grow up with my dad, I think.
Speaker 1:Did he just pass, or was he just not present? He just not went there, gotcha?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think what I learned about fatherhood. I was trying to be everything that I ever wanted in a dad. I was trying to make sure that my kids didn't want, didn't lack, what I wanted.
Speaker 1:Tell me more about that journey, though, because you know you're planning this church. You're married to your high school sweetheart. That's a major benefit, but then you know you go through loss, as it relates to your first journey into fatherhood, journey into fatherhood. And now you're. You find yourself with daughter, daughter, daughter, and this is all new space. So you know what is it? Besides the intuitive aspect of not wanting, wanting to be what you missed, were there other things that you were intentional about as it relates to your development in that area?
Speaker 2:No, I just, man, I mean as, as a boy, you long for a relationship with your father. I don't care how old you are. I think, every think, every child, every boy wants a relationship with their dad. So for me to have these girls girls love their dad and for me to have these children, they mean the world to me and I'm going to try to be their world.
Speaker 2:I know what it's like to want a relationship with your father and not to have one. So I'm going to try to make it to everything, man. I drop them off, I pick them up, I'm there and I just try to invest the time that I can, because all that I ever wanted was a relationship with my father. That's all that I ever wanted. And you know, I had people around, I have father figures in my life. I had people who came and, you know, tried, you know, tried to be that, but nothing like your own. Tried to be that, but nothing like your, your own. So, um, I just that's. This is just something that I chose to do, uh, just be there for my children.
Speaker 1:And you would say at its core that's, that's probably the summation of it Just be there, yeah.
Speaker 2:Be there, make sure I'm there. Of it, just be there. Yeah, be there. Make sure I'm there. Make sure I'm always present for them. That's one of my why my children Make sure I get up and make sure they see me present.
Speaker 1:As a councilman in the district of where you serve um the plights that may come um that may be part of the construct of the city, ie the school system you spoke about. You know violence being very low in Carson. How do you navigate that? As it relates to being a dad and maybe seeing something that say, hey, this needs to be fixed so that my children are in a better space, to be fixed so that my children are in a better space, how do you navigate that as being sensitive to the fact that there are some inherent advantages that your kids have? That may skew your responsibilities, even sometimes in church, but as a council person, does that question make sense?
Speaker 2:So I think I get some advantages because I kind of get to look at test scores. I kind of get to look at you know, I know the great schools, I know that you know. So a couple of weeks ago we had a smoke shop pop up across the street from my daughter's school and it masked itself as a candy store and I found out it was a smoke shop. You know, a guy came to the council meeting and he basically blasted it as a smoke shop and I did my due diligence and we figured out it didn't have a license and stuff like that. So I made it my business to make sure they got shut down.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, you, you know I'm gonna, I'm gonna, yeah, you have advantages. But how do you, how do you create empathy for children that don't have a dad, that may be at a school in in carson, that a smoke shop disguises a candy shop, comes up, but their dad is not the councilman? They're not. He's not Bishop Dr Hilton. So how do you, you know, navigate and create that level of sensitivity to the fact across the board, not just on those issues, but just in general? Does that, does that make sense?
Speaker 2:I try to help anybody. I try to give them the same access that I have. Uh, if someone needs help, I try to help them uh, yeah, I'm not framing my question right, my apologies.
Speaker 1:parentally, like, how do you instill into your kids the mindset of how blessed they are, for lack of better terms, the advantages that they have to maintain a certain level of stability socially in the spaces that they find themselves in?
Speaker 2:I try to tell my kids I reiterate to my kids every day how blessed they are and let them know like, hey, you have advantages that other people don't have. Don't boast in those advantages. Please remain humble of those advantages that you have. You know, sometimes they'd be wanting to flex like you know who my daddy is. I was like please don't do that. You know, remain humble. If there's something that I could help you with or help your friends with, let me know. But I always try to have my children to be sensitive to their friends and sensitive to what they're going through.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And never put it up in their face of who their father is.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's great, we'll get you out of here. Thank you for your time. Appreciate it. Looking forward to other ventures and conversations not just in this space, about much of what you talked about. What do you do to have fun? Let your hair down, relax. What's?
Speaker 2:a way to get some retrieve. Hang out with George Hurt yeah, that'll get you a lot of retrieve. Hang out with George Hurt yeah, that'll get you a lot of retrieve.
Speaker 1:Hang out with George Hurt. Yeah, that'll get you a lot of retrieve.
Speaker 2:Sitting around talking about church all day. Yeah, that's very relaxing.
Speaker 1:Yes, my lord, yeah, Hang out with George Hurt. That's it. That's all you got for the people Movies, sports.
Speaker 2:Movies, sports. You know season tickets a holder to you know the Chargers, oh really, yeah. Like to you know, go out and eat. Shop a little shop. Oh yeah, we got money you can do stuff like that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, a little shop, you know, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:Travel a little bit, you know.
Speaker 1:Where are some places you haven't been that you want to go?
Speaker 2:I mean, I want to go to, like Dubai, I would love to go to, you know, dubai, fiji, some of those places you hang out, george.
Speaker 1:I have not been to Fiji. You can buy once. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Some of those places you hang out.
Speaker 1:It's not really so. You really haven't even kind of planted that out in your mind. What about your wife? What does she keep pulling at you to take her to?
Speaker 2:Oh man, I got to take her somewhere. Our anniversary's coming up, so I got to take her somewhere nice.
Speaker 1:Yeah, maybe take her to Fiji or Dubai.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:That might be a good idea.
Speaker 2:You never know, yeah, never know, never know, never know. I need to borrow some of your points.
Speaker 1:My points. You're the man with all the points and all the benefits. You're the name dropper. If you were ever in jam Sidney, carson, drop that name and just see what happens as it relates to it. Tell people where they can find you, tell people where the church is, service times and even if people are watching in Carson, maybe a way to contact if they have concerns about things around there.
Speaker 2:Cool. You can find me on social media Instagram, jawan Hilton just the name. Facebook, jawan Hilton, bristol Baptist Church. We, jawan Hilton, barista Baptist Church. We're located at 1531 South Long Beach Boulevard. Currently our service time Sunday school is 9 am, morning worship is at 1030. Starting September 15th we will be at 8 am and 11 am, with Bible study at 930 am. So we'll be going to two services in September. You can catch us on BristerBCorg. If you have any councilmen, any Carson concerns, you can catch me at City Hall. That number is 310-830-7600. Or you can hit me on my cell, 310-740-9363. I'm approachable and accessible. Peace and blessings.
Speaker 1:Campaign is in November, november 5th. Why should?
Speaker 2:people vote for you. Hey, listen, we have $8 billion worth of infrastructure alone coming into District 1. When I started in Carson, we had $20 million in our general fund account. As of today, we have $229 million in our general fund account. It is unprecedented for a city to have that much in reserves, and we have instituted a $32 million street pavement program. Your streets are being paved, your community is looking great. Carson is on the cusp of being the jewel of the South Bay and I need your support to make sure that we continue to keep it going.
Speaker 1:Man, that's great man. I want to move to Carson man. Get it. Do the people have access to this reserve or can you?
Speaker 1:just go in and just pull up. That'd be cool man. You just go in there like, hey, I'm down 80 bucks, go on to the Carson City Reverse. Hey, listen. Thank you for joining us and tuning in. Be on the lookout for our next episode and support our guests today and various means and mechanisms that have been presented to you, to you via this podcast. My name is George Hurt, I am the creator and curator of this space, and we thank you for sharing with us, and God bless you. Goodbye, peace.