From Factory Floor to City Hall: Laura Franklin's Inspiring Journey of Leadership and Service

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Coming up on this episode of the
Healthy, Wealthy and Wise podcast.

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Because in my campaigning, I have
learned that I've talked to someone

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that is young as 20, as old as 97.

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And oftentimes, um, they don't know
what's going on and how, why did

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we spend so much money on this?

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Welcome to the Healthy, Wealthy,
and Wise podcast with Dr.

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William T.

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Choctaw, MD, JD.

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This podcast will provide you with
tools and actionable information

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you can use to help live a more
healthy, wealthy, and wise life.

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It's powered by the over 50 years
of medical experience of this Yale

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University Medical School trained
surgeon, who is also a Western

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State Law School trained attorney
with executive experience being a.

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Walnut, California, as well as the
current chairman of the nonprofit

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Servants Arms and as president of
Choctaw Medical Group, Incorporated.

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This is the Leadership
Masterclass Edition.

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Already in progress.

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What are the things that we like with our

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healthy, wealth and wise podcast is
that we like to have leaders within the

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community who are doing stuff and they're
doing stuff that we should all know about.

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And, and indeed, a lot of the
things that they're doing impact us.

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And many times can be
examples for us to follow.

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And so we're very delighted to have Ms.

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Laura Franklin with us.

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Um, and this is her first time
being on our Leadership Masterclass,

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Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise podcast.

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So welcome, Laura.

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Thank you.

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Thank you for having me.

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I'm glad to be here.

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We're absolutely delighted to have you
with us today So so laura, why don't you

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tell us a little bit about yourselves
introduce yourself to our audience?

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Well, hello everyone As dr.

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Choctaw said my name is laura franklin.

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And yes, i'm running for city council in
my in my neighborhood and I grew up the

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youngest of nine children, single mom.

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Service to others has
always been in my DNA.

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I just didn't know it.

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Okay.

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That's a good thing.

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By watching my mother and my
grandmother, my aunts, also my uncles

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and my grandfather, you know, people
like that and people in my church.

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And so I just, grew up
with that in my heart.

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And I'm the youngest of nine, as I
said, and I have grandchildren as well.

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I have four grandchildren,

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which

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is really nice.

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And it really is true that as Pastor
McCall used to say, you know, if you'd

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have known they would be this much
fun, you would have had them first.

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I do understand.

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But yeah, I just, you
know, I try to work hard.

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But yeah, I just, I really like serving
other folks, you know, sometimes I do, you

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know, don't serve myself as I should, but

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it

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all comes back full circle when folks
bless you because you've blessed them.

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Yes.

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Yes.

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What goes around comes around.

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Exactly.

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Absolutely.

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So, so tell us about
this Baldwin Park thing.

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You, you decided to run for city council.

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I must admit that if one were to pull a
hundred resumes running for a city council

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probably would not be in the top 20.

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So, so how did you decide to do this?

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That's a great question.

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So doc, I've served as the
only housing commissioner here

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in Baldwin Park Since 2022.

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And this is Ballard Park, California.

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Yes, I'm sorry.

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Because we have an international
audience and I just want to make

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sure they know what ball and park is.

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Okay, go ahead.

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Thank you.

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And so being a housing commissioner,
the reason I got into it because

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I've been working in housing for
Or living in housing, affordable

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housing for about 25 years.

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I raised my kid in affordable housing.

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And so once that position came available,
I was during the pandemic and I really

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wanted to give back to my community.

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Cause that's what I was
raised to do and applied.

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And I just said, you know, and I
did that for two and a half years,

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but housing commissioners really
don't get to do a lot, meaning.

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We do work under housing directors
and at the, I guess you could say at

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the asking of the city council, but
because it's me, I didn't really get,

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I wasn't doing much, but I was pushing
the leaders to, Hey, let's do something.

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Let's recruit.

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And then as you know, as so many
different things happen and not just

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our community, but throughout the
pandemic and since the pandemic.

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I realize I need a better seat
at the table, and I need to be

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part of the decision making.

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And, uh, with Ballman Park, in Ballman
Park, California, our, our brand,

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if you will, that was given to us is
the hub of the San Gabriel Valley.

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And so, and it's my thought that,
well, the hub needs to, the leadership

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of the hub needs to reflect the hub.

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Right now it does not, it is one sided
and that needs to change and you need, I

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need, I want to be a part of the decision
making also the, the financial, all

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of that to helping the building of it.

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But, um, And that's the better seat.

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So that's why I'm running.

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That's one of the reasons I'm running.

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Okay.

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Okay.

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That makes perfect sense.

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That makes perfect sense.

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I, I, I think many times, and we all
live in cities in one form or another,

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but I, I just think it is laudatory.

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Well, individuals certainly as young
as yourself to say, you know what?

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I want to do more.

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I can do more and to be willing
to walk that talk and actually go

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through the process of going to the
meetings, learning the issues, and then

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deciding what's the best fit for you.

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How large is Baldwin Park, roughly?

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Oh my goodness.

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Population.

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I

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don't know about its homeless mileage
but I could say since I've been

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campaigning, I've learned that there's
over 21, 000 registered residents,

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which I'm sure that number would be
greater if everyone was registered.

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Sure.

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Every adult anyway, you know.

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Got it, got it.

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Okay, okay.

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And so how, what, what is
your process for campaigning?

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What's, what's the mechanism?

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And in case there's a, I don't know,
a 18 year old who's interested in

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running, what advice would you give them?

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Oh

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God.

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Great question.

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Again, get involved slowly.

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Oftentimes, folks want to just
jump head first, not really

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knowing what you're jumping into.

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But if it has nothing to do with what
age or stage you're at physically, you

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need to start off slow because If you're
interested in just volunteering blood

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banks, or when they do city events,
parks and rec, they need volunteers, you

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go there and say, Hey, how can I help?

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And that's how you slowly get
to know how your city moves.

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I mean, libraries, I know a lot
of people don't go to libraries.

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But going to the library and finding out
what do they need, because librarians

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aren't what they used to be as we were
little kids, you know, so definitely

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involved into something really great.

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And that's how you just start getting
more involved with different things

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and you start talking to city leaders.

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Every resident of any community should
be able to go on that website for that

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city or that community and find out who
your leaders are and you can send them

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an email, you know, and some of the, and
their office numbers, all of that stuff

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is there, at least it shouldn't be there
and just start asking those questions.

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Okay, excellent.

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What, what is the, the, roughly the
racial make, make up of Baldwin Park?

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So Baldwin Park is, I haven't checked
in about a year, but at that time

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it was about 75 percent Hispanic,

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11

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percent African American.

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And

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that's percentage,
that's level of study 86.

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So that's 14 percent that's left as
my math is math and that is other.

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So that could be, that's pretty
much Asian mixed races or Caucasian.

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Okay.

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Okay.

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All right.

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And you're African American?

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Yes.

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Okay.

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I'm

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so sorry.

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It's okay.

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It's

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all

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right.

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That's fine.

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What, say, top two or three things do
you want to accomplish as a member of the

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City Council of Baldwin Park, California?

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Great question again, but let me,
before I answer that, I just want

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to say I'm not running because
I'm an African American woman.

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I mean, I think people understand
that because that's too obvious.

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Good point.

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Good point.

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But I guess you'd say my top two
things is really transparency,

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you know, financial transparency.

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Okay.

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Because in my campaigning, I have learned
that I've talked to someone that is young

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as 20, as old as 97, and oftentimes,
um, they don't know what's going on and

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why did we spend so much money on them.

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This, that or the other, and I always try
to encourage them, get involved again, go

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to the city council meeting, the fiscal
transfer, the financial transparency,

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you know, that's a big deal in this city.

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It's a big deal in any city, but
that's one of my main things.

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And then also trying to bridge the gap.

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There is a huge generational gap in
Baldwin Park within the leadership.

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as well as in the city.

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And by that, I mean, just like I said,
I spoke to a 20 year old who is not

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even registered to vote yet, but he's
going to now that I've been at his door

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and talking to him, the 97 year old who
has been there over 50 years and she

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has never met one person in leadership.

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Not saying that anyone is at fault.

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It's just that sometimes your
leadership, depending on their age

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and stage and maturity, they may
only focus on one age group dynamic.

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Like you have a, we do have a young
mayor and this is not accusatory,

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but we do have a young mayor.

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And so he may not.

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Think off that.

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Maybe I do need to reach out to the 90
year olds who actually put the work in

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sure to build a city.

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Yeah, to

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build a city.

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And so it's easy to forget, right?

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Because that's not always in your
circle of people that you visit.

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And then what happens with the
younger groups, they either

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don't want to reach up to them.

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The grown and then the older ones
sometimes feel like what the young ones

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don't know what they're doing, but to
bridge that gap is you need to reach out,

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right?

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Be intentional, have events that
circle around the whole community

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instead of eating just a few that,
you know, or your, your demographic

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exactly.

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Uh, and that makes sense because a lot
of times, to your point, uh, we can have

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our own little club or group within the
city that we're most comfortable with.

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Correct.

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Um, and so we cater to them, but yet we,
we're not responsive to the entire city.

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And when you're mayor or a
member of the city council, you

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represent everybody in your city,
whether they voted for you or not.

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Correct.

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So that, that makes perfect sense in terms
of, what types of services would you like

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to see specifically improved in Baltimore?

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You know, I, I have a heart for so
many, but I would say the seniors.

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Okay.

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They're truly the ones who will put
in the sweat equity for the city.

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I mean, there are a few here, but
I would like to see more because

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oftentimes when seniors, Once they
start living alone because the

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families have either moved away, either
out of state or just too far away

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to really

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be there with them, they get lonely.

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You know, I'd like to see some type of
outreach service where you literally

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Reach out to the seniors every quarter.

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So that's something they can expect.

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And they may say, well, that it costs
too much, but do you remember, I don't

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want to give it any advertising, but
there was a system where you could call

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200 people and leave a voice message and
they will go out to 200 phone numbers.

240
00:11:45,610 --> 00:11:52,780
That type of stuff, because most seniors,
depending on the age, a lot of them,

241
00:11:52,790 --> 00:11:56,069
excuse me, not, maybe not most, they
they're not with the digital system.

242
00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:57,569
They're not with the digital stuff.

243
00:11:58,775 --> 00:12:02,945
They are by the old school, either
pick up the phone, um, and some

244
00:12:02,945 --> 00:12:06,424
things in the newspaper, whatever it
is, you know, giving shout outs and

245
00:12:06,424 --> 00:12:08,675
just really checking on our seniors.

246
00:12:09,275 --> 00:12:12,494
Um, and I'm like, again, I'm not
saying that we're doing a bad job.

247
00:12:12,565 --> 00:12:16,084
I would like to see more of
us really being intentional

248
00:12:16,155 --> 00:12:17,825
about checking on our seniors.

249
00:12:17,875 --> 00:12:20,135
And then I'm big on education as well.

250
00:12:20,905 --> 00:12:23,275
I would like to see more
resources available directly

251
00:12:23,275 --> 00:12:25,755
in Balma Park for children.

252
00:12:26,300 --> 00:12:29,165
And youth who are on the spectrum, autism

253
00:12:29,165 --> 00:12:30,079
spectrum,

254
00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:33,250
and there's a, there's not much here.

255
00:12:33,630 --> 00:12:38,699
And unfortunately, a lot of our
children are being diagnosed as

256
00:12:38,719 --> 00:12:39,939
being on the autism spectrum.

257
00:12:39,939 --> 00:12:45,249
And that could be anywhere from nonverbal,
it could be ADHD, ADD, all of that.

258
00:12:45,249 --> 00:12:49,139
And then if you wrap in society's
depression and anxiety that

259
00:12:49,139 --> 00:12:50,649
goes along with all of that.

260
00:12:51,060 --> 00:12:54,800
And teaching them how to do coping skills
and learning how to be self sufficient.

261
00:12:55,250 --> 00:12:56,740
I truly believe that's
something that our kids need.

262
00:12:57,069 --> 00:13:00,000
In terms of the kids that are
on the spectrum, do you have

263
00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:01,870
mainstreaming in Balboa Park?

264
00:13:01,870 --> 00:13:03,409
Yes, we do.

265
00:13:03,410 --> 00:13:05,380
Okay, so they do have the mainstreaming.

266
00:13:05,439 --> 00:13:06,110
Alright, good.

267
00:13:06,529 --> 00:13:09,219
Do you have a senior
center in Balboa Park?

268
00:13:09,220 --> 00:13:10,260
Is there like a place?

269
00:13:10,260 --> 00:13:12,439
Yes, we do have one, yes.

270
00:13:12,510 --> 00:13:13,579
Okay, okay.

271
00:13:13,580 --> 00:13:17,120
It's kind of like, Like we like
to say like church work to 2080.

272
00:13:17,590 --> 00:13:17,890
Right.

273
00:13:18,190 --> 00:13:19,450
And that's, so that's what I'm saying.

274
00:13:19,450 --> 00:13:23,400
There, there are a lot of seniors here
in Bowen Park, but when we have senior

275
00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:28,479
events, there can be a decent amount,
but it definitely does not reflect

276
00:13:28,900 --> 00:13:30,310
the percentage that we have here.

277
00:13:30,630 --> 00:13:34,750
Okay, okay, because I know a number of
communities do that going back to your

278
00:13:34,750 --> 00:13:39,940
original comments about keeping the scenes
engaged or having something for them to do

279
00:13:40,270 --> 00:13:44,889
Because as you mentioned many times they
don't have or may not have their family

280
00:13:44,900 --> 00:13:51,165
around them and there's no question that
with all the Stresses in that age range,

281
00:13:51,395 --> 00:13:56,435
it's easy to get depressed and alone
and, and on and on and on type of thing.

282
00:13:56,435 --> 00:13:58,214
And feel forgotten, too.

283
00:13:58,214 --> 00:14:02,145
I was, during the pandemic, I
was a caregiver, just because

284
00:14:02,145 --> 00:14:03,255
I didn't like being home.

285
00:14:03,615 --> 00:14:04,275
Uh huh, understood.

286
00:14:04,415 --> 00:14:07,005
And one of my clients
actually, well, former clients,

287
00:14:07,114 --> 00:14:08,465
actually lives in Bowen Park.

288
00:14:08,465 --> 00:14:10,205
And that's how I found out.

289
00:14:10,725 --> 00:14:13,704
The 97 year old that I spoke
of, that's how I found out

290
00:14:14,015 --> 00:14:15,355
about her feeling forgotten.

291
00:14:15,545 --> 00:14:17,785
No one would bring her food boxes.

292
00:14:18,305 --> 00:14:22,314
No, you know, her family was,
again, because of her age,

293
00:14:23,255 --> 00:14:24,574
family had to be real careful.

294
00:14:24,574 --> 00:14:28,055
And she had one daughter and one
son who lived really far away.

295
00:14:28,454 --> 00:14:30,824
And so I called in the food bank.

296
00:14:31,214 --> 00:14:34,875
Not the one that our local church
serves, but I called another food

297
00:14:34,895 --> 00:14:38,655
bank to find out if they could drop
off a box and I would sign off on it.

298
00:14:38,675 --> 00:14:40,035
So she would have food.

299
00:14:40,834 --> 00:14:43,714
And they said they couldn't
bring it because she had to make

300
00:14:43,714 --> 00:14:46,965
the phone call and then she had
to come in and fill out forms.

301
00:14:48,004 --> 00:14:49,515
So she doesn't drive, which

302
00:14:49,595 --> 00:14:52,345
is impractical as many
times for a 97 year old.

303
00:14:52,405 --> 00:14:53,145
Exactly.

304
00:14:53,545 --> 00:14:56,695
So anyways, I did, we did
find a way to get her food.

305
00:14:57,145 --> 00:15:01,015
from another source, but this particular
source was within our community, and

306
00:15:01,015 --> 00:15:04,565
that's why I was like we need to really
be intentional not to forget them.

307
00:15:04,615 --> 00:15:05,045
Sure.

308
00:15:05,245 --> 00:15:05,645
So.

309
00:15:06,584 --> 00:15:10,955
And, and elder care is certainly an
important area, uh, as are others,

310
00:15:11,235 --> 00:15:14,704
uh, but with all the baby boomers
certainly entering that whole elder

311
00:15:14,704 --> 00:15:18,855
care area, and, and, and I'm a part
of those baby boomers, and we're

312
00:15:18,855 --> 00:15:23,745
supposed to be the largest generation
post World War II to enter this stage.

313
00:15:23,905 --> 00:15:25,025
There's a lot of need.

314
00:15:25,084 --> 00:15:27,175
There's definitely a lot
of need, and certainly.

315
00:15:27,235 --> 00:15:29,475
than than before.

316
00:15:29,905 --> 00:15:35,305
But what are the reactions of others,
your friends, colleagues, family to when

317
00:15:35,305 --> 00:15:39,865
they find out that you're running for
a political office or a city council?

318
00:15:39,985 --> 00:15:41,375
And you know, it's been mixed.

319
00:15:41,544 --> 00:15:43,034
The reactions have been mixed.

320
00:15:43,074 --> 00:15:44,684
Most of them are encouraging.

321
00:15:44,944 --> 00:15:46,085
There are some that are.

322
00:15:46,810 --> 00:15:48,750
There are some that
want to know, like, why?

323
00:15:48,750 --> 00:15:49,420
What

324
00:15:49,420 --> 00:15:50,240
are you doing?

325
00:15:50,990 --> 00:15:52,050
What are you running for?

326
00:15:52,500 --> 00:15:56,090
And I hadn't decided to run
until February of this year.

327
00:15:56,660 --> 00:15:59,500
And I got that, if not you, then who?

328
00:16:00,140 --> 00:16:00,339
Right, if

329
00:16:00,539 --> 00:16:03,629
not now, when?

330
00:16:03,629 --> 00:16:05,199
What did he say to Ruth?

331
00:16:05,549 --> 00:16:06,709
Such a time as this.

332
00:16:06,739 --> 00:16:12,600
All of that kept Just resonating with me
everywhere, and then I've had some that

333
00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:16,460
were really excited and very encouraging
about you're the perfect person.

334
00:16:16,700 --> 00:16:19,170
Oh, they need to have you on
there, you know, but I won't

335
00:16:19,170 --> 00:16:20,619
park would be so fortunate.

336
00:16:21,150 --> 00:16:23,239
So I take it all though.

337
00:16:23,239 --> 00:16:24,640
I take the good with the bad.

338
00:16:24,649 --> 00:16:25,109
Yes.

339
00:16:25,210 --> 00:16:28,090
And I just pray over it
and let it do what it do.

340
00:16:28,090 --> 00:16:28,480
I don't.

341
00:16:29,030 --> 00:16:31,680
It's like with anything, you
know, when I was a teenager.

342
00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:33,720
I used to work in a factory.

343
00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:35,450
I'm also a former factory worker.

344
00:16:35,730 --> 00:16:36,890
That was my first job.

345
00:16:36,890 --> 00:16:41,779
And, excuse me, I remember we worked,
me and my mom and my sister and

346
00:16:41,780 --> 00:16:43,180
brother worked in this place together.

347
00:16:43,740 --> 00:16:47,549
And I started off again at the basic
job, but I wanted to do more because

348
00:16:47,549 --> 00:16:49,390
I've always liked challenging stuff.

349
00:16:49,610 --> 00:16:49,770
Right.

350
00:16:50,095 --> 00:16:53,255
And so there was a time
where I got to bid for a job.

351
00:16:53,285 --> 00:16:56,695
You know, they put the listing up
when a new job posting comes up

352
00:16:57,125 --> 00:17:00,545
and you put your name on the list
and you get it by seniority, right?

353
00:17:00,995 --> 00:17:02,645
They'll train you for
whatever it is you need.

354
00:17:03,005 --> 00:17:08,575
And I remember when I won that bid, I
would be running a hot aluminum press.

355
00:17:08,635 --> 00:17:11,615
And it's like, Play doh is
basically like a giant play doh

356
00:17:11,615 --> 00:17:13,284
machine except it's hot aluminum.

357
00:17:13,484 --> 00:17:13,665
Right.

358
00:17:13,994 --> 00:17:18,204
And from the end to the
beginning, it's probably 150 feet.

359
00:17:18,244 --> 00:17:22,614
This machine, these tables, and I have
to, with both my hands, guide this,

360
00:17:22,635 --> 00:17:24,404
cut this with a torch, the whole nine.

361
00:17:24,874 --> 00:17:30,124
And I remember they had bets on me that I
would not make it past the first 90 days.

362
00:17:30,195 --> 00:17:30,475
Really?

363
00:17:30,745 --> 00:17:31,945
And of course I did.

364
00:17:32,225 --> 00:17:32,604
Right.

365
00:17:32,774 --> 00:17:37,810
And I became the first female
Operator in that company, in

366
00:17:37,810 --> 00:17:38,800
the history of that company.

367
00:17:39,590 --> 00:17:40,120
And I remember

368
00:17:40,120 --> 00:17:41,320
my mom coming over.

369
00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:44,720
Cause like I said, she worked in the
same place and she was on her break and

370
00:17:44,730 --> 00:17:47,900
she came over, she's looking across at
me and I'm cutting while she's talking,

371
00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:50,779
this hot aluminum is keep coming.

372
00:17:50,820 --> 00:17:51,839
You can't stop it.

373
00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:54,139
And she just said, my baby.

374
00:17:54,589 --> 00:17:56,060
And I said, mama, I'm okay.

375
00:17:56,425 --> 00:17:56,845
Uh huh.

376
00:17:56,925 --> 00:17:57,765
I'm okay.

377
00:17:57,835 --> 00:17:58,995
And she said, okay.

378
00:17:59,565 --> 00:18:01,395
And then she went on
back to her department.

379
00:18:01,395 --> 00:18:06,355
I kept running my, my aluminum when
we were done, I went over there to

380
00:18:06,355 --> 00:18:11,284
see her and I gave her a hug because
she was afraid for me more than, well,

381
00:18:11,284 --> 00:18:14,684
maybe she's, you know, cause she's
a woman and I took her down again.

382
00:18:14,685 --> 00:18:19,385
She's of a different generation,
but once I, once I did that, she

383
00:18:19,385 --> 00:18:22,014
never told me again that there
was nothing I could not do.

384
00:18:22,015 --> 00:18:25,575
Same thing with even city council now.

385
00:18:26,149 --> 00:18:27,889
Um, I know I can do it.

386
00:18:28,250 --> 00:18:28,700
Sure.

387
00:18:28,790 --> 00:18:29,659
I know that I can do it.

388
00:18:29,659 --> 00:18:30,470
I have no doubts.

389
00:18:30,470 --> 00:18:34,700
That's why when, even if some are
just kind of scared for me and

390
00:18:34,700 --> 00:18:36,860
then why at this age, why so late?

391
00:18:36,860 --> 00:18:41,000
You know, this is things you wanna start
doing when you're 25, 30 . I said, but no,

392
00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:42,889
everybody has a calling for something to

393
00:18:42,950 --> 00:18:43,370
That's right.

394
00:18:43,580 --> 00:18:46,040
Maybe it was supposed to happen
a while ago, I don't know.

395
00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:46,639
Right.

396
00:18:46,790 --> 00:18:48,409
But the, what the time is now.

397
00:18:48,415 --> 00:18:48,715
Right.

398
00:18:48,815 --> 00:18:49,915
It is what it is right

399
00:18:49,935 --> 00:18:50,360
now, so.

400
00:18:50,360 --> 00:18:50,960
Exactly.

401
00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:51,920
And I accept that

402
00:18:52,300 --> 00:18:52,659
so.

403
00:18:53,470 --> 00:18:57,460
I always think about this quote by Gandhi,
which says be the change you want to

404
00:18:57,460 --> 00:19:02,350
see in the world, you know If there's if
there's something that you think Should

405
00:19:02,360 --> 00:19:07,019
be in the world and to improve things
you do that Instead of looking around

406
00:19:07,020 --> 00:19:09,000
to see else who else is going to do it

407
00:19:09,020 --> 00:19:12,250
And that's how I used to be and some
things I still get like that depending

408
00:19:12,250 --> 00:19:17,375
on what this Because I do know some
of my limits but you know, it's It

409
00:19:17,375 --> 00:19:20,195
doesn't make sense for me to sit
around, you know, and as they say,

410
00:19:20,195 --> 00:19:23,515
representation matters really does.

411
00:19:23,585 --> 00:19:27,315
And I'm not necessarily saying for some
little girl who may see, but yeah, it

412
00:19:27,315 --> 00:19:28,835
could be a full of the girl, little boy.

413
00:19:29,084 --> 00:19:32,155
It could be for anybody to say,
well, shoot, if she can do it at

414
00:19:32,355 --> 00:19:37,495
the stage she's in, I can surely
do it at 20, 25, 30 or whatever.

415
00:19:37,715 --> 00:19:40,345
And as you know, and now,
you know, a lot of my health

416
00:19:40,345 --> 00:19:41,735
history and different things and

417
00:19:41,815 --> 00:19:42,245
Mm hmm.

418
00:19:42,415 --> 00:19:42,805
Mm hmm.

419
00:19:43,425 --> 00:19:44,195
Yes, time.

420
00:19:48,404 --> 00:19:53,185
What would you say is the most
difficult part of campaigning for

421
00:19:53,185 --> 00:19:54,554
a city council involved in parking?

422
00:19:54,724 --> 00:19:58,995
What would you say is the easiest part
about campaigning for a city council?

423
00:19:59,374 --> 00:20:00,544
Or most enjoyable?

424
00:20:01,524 --> 00:20:06,115
So I would say the hardest part
is my method is grassroots, right?

425
00:20:06,125 --> 00:20:07,165
So door to

426
00:20:07,165 --> 00:20:07,554
door,

427
00:20:08,155 --> 00:20:13,244
the door to door, because there's a lot
of walking, there's not a lot of financial

428
00:20:13,244 --> 00:20:18,744
assistance in grassroots, but it's not
so, I believe that my efforts will be

429
00:20:18,744 --> 00:20:22,284
rewarded in some kind of way and all
that other stuff will be taken care of.

430
00:20:22,730 --> 00:20:22,760
Okay.

431
00:20:22,770 --> 00:20:23,629
And so far it has been.

432
00:20:23,630 --> 00:20:24,629
Okay.

433
00:20:24,629 --> 00:20:26,149
And, uh, so that's what I like.

434
00:20:26,290 --> 00:20:30,270
That's, I mean, that's the hardest part
of the campaigning and, you know, getting

435
00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:34,680
the root, getting the folks together and
hitting different places in Baldwin Park.

436
00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:37,649
And some of us are walking, some
of us are riding, but nonetheless,

437
00:20:37,689 --> 00:20:41,409
it's every weekend we're, you
know, hitting the ground running.

438
00:20:41,679 --> 00:20:46,190
But the easiest part, I think
for me, and my favorite part is

439
00:20:46,190 --> 00:20:47,530
really just talking to the people.

440
00:20:47,530 --> 00:20:47,570
Yeah.

441
00:20:47,755 --> 00:20:48,205
Okay.

442
00:20:48,345 --> 00:20:49,885
It's, it's interesting.

443
00:20:49,935 --> 00:20:54,455
The conversations that I've had about
the leadership and just the city itself,

444
00:20:54,595 --> 00:20:59,105
what people, some people want, what they
don't want, but you know, that's politics.

445
00:20:59,105 --> 00:21:00,064
That's politics anywhere.

446
00:21:00,065 --> 00:21:03,254
Not just because of city council,
that's work politics, that's

447
00:21:03,855 --> 00:21:07,535
household politics, that's everywhere.

448
00:21:08,075 --> 00:21:11,935
But it's just nice to talk to them and
they've appreciated that I'm actually

449
00:21:11,985 --> 00:21:13,185
out and about in the neighborhood.

450
00:21:13,365 --> 00:21:16,505
Again, going back to what I
said before, a lot of them don't

451
00:21:16,525 --> 00:21:18,104
know who the leadership is.

452
00:21:18,695 --> 00:21:21,665
And it's interesting, I, as you were
talking, I hear people, some people

453
00:21:21,704 --> 00:21:24,724
say, Oh, you know, I don't, I don't,
I don't get into that politics stuff.

454
00:21:24,725 --> 00:21:25,904
I just leave this stuff.

455
00:21:26,385 --> 00:21:27,955
People is politics.

456
00:21:28,245 --> 00:21:31,665
I mean, that, you know, if, if, if
you're around people that there's some

457
00:21:31,675 --> 00:21:36,635
political aspect to that, you know,
however large or small, but it's basically

458
00:21:36,635 --> 00:21:40,755
dealing with people's Sort of lack of
interest and what their needs are, what

459
00:21:40,755 --> 00:21:45,135
their wants are, and how that interacts
with your needs and your interests and

460
00:21:45,135 --> 00:21:46,725
what, what you are trying to get done.

461
00:21:47,145 --> 00:21:50,295
And, and that's basically what leaders
do, you know, leaders don't wait

462
00:21:50,475 --> 00:21:51,915
for somebody else to do it for them.

463
00:21:51,915 --> 00:21:53,475
They just get out and do it themselves.

464
00:21:53,475 --> 00:21:53,895
Yeah.

465
00:21:53,900 --> 00:21:59,175
And, and running for local elected
official position is difficult.

466
00:21:59,175 --> 00:22:02,445
It's challenging because they
tend to be closed systems, you

467
00:22:02,445 --> 00:22:05,415
know, everybody knows everybody
else, at least at certain levels.

468
00:22:05,745 --> 00:22:07,815
And so you are trying to break into that.

469
00:22:07,815 --> 00:22:09,724
So we can't, we can't do that.

470
00:22:09,724 --> 00:22:10,270
Uh huh.

471
00:22:10,270 --> 00:22:13,543
And many times for a number of
individuals on average it takes

472
00:22:13,543 --> 00:22:15,180
two or three times running for

473
00:22:15,180 --> 00:22:15,453
the

474
00:22:15,453 --> 00:22:15,998
same position.

475
00:22:15,998 --> 00:22:19,818
But each time you get better and
you get better and you get better

476
00:22:19,818 --> 00:22:21,454
and then voila, you pop through.

477
00:22:21,454 --> 00:22:24,655
So I, I, I think that's, I
think that's, that's terrific.

478
00:22:25,114 --> 00:22:28,815
So if, in terms of individuals
who are listening to you

479
00:22:28,855 --> 00:22:30,905
now, how can they help you?

480
00:22:31,305 --> 00:22:34,385
Well, I'm a praying woman, so
prayer, that's always a good, that's

481
00:22:34,445 --> 00:22:36,485
always a something that can be used.

482
00:22:36,935 --> 00:22:39,735
Donations, if they're able to donate.

483
00:22:39,795 --> 00:22:41,715
And where would they send the donations?

484
00:22:42,395 --> 00:22:43,504
Oh, they can send it,

485
00:22:43,745 --> 00:22:44,345
I don't know,

486
00:22:44,635 --> 00:22:46,755
they can, I was trying

487
00:22:46,755 --> 00:22:49,354
to remember the donations.

488
00:22:49,354 --> 00:22:50,654
They can

489
00:22:50,654 --> 00:22:51,304
send

490
00:22:51,304 --> 00:22:54,305
it via Zelle at L A U R A.

491
00:22:54,699 --> 00:22:59,280
A N N Franklin 919 at gmail.

492
00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:04,879
com and just make sure to put on the line
before you send it campaign donation.

493
00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:05,570
Okay.

494
00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:07,080
Why don't you give us that again?

495
00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:07,570
Okay.

496
00:23:07,570 --> 00:23:08,459
And I know it's pretty long.

497
00:23:08,460 --> 00:23:09,829
That's

498
00:23:09,829 --> 00:23:09,909
okay.

499
00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:15,840
You can send them any
donations to L A U R A.

500
00:23:16,455 --> 00:23:24,435
A N N Franklin, F R A
N K L I N 919 at gmail.

501
00:23:24,645 --> 00:23:25,065
com.

502
00:23:25,545 --> 00:23:28,984
Laura Anne Franklin 919 at gmail.

503
00:23:28,984 --> 00:23:29,324
com.

504
00:23:29,475 --> 00:23:29,774
Okay,

505
00:23:29,774 --> 00:23:29,794
at

506
00:23:30,515 --> 00:23:30,715
gmail.

507
00:23:30,774 --> 00:23:31,084
com.

508
00:23:31,135 --> 00:23:32,645
Okay, good, good, good.

509
00:23:33,120 --> 00:23:36,250
Thank you for listening to the Healthy,
Wealthy, and Wise podcast with Dr.

510
00:23:36,250 --> 00:23:36,830
William T.

511
00:23:36,830 --> 00:23:38,770
Choctaw, MD, JD.

512
00:23:39,350 --> 00:23:43,120
You can listen again to this and
any of the previous episodes.

513
00:23:43,380 --> 00:23:48,139
Leave a comment or pose questions
to the doctor by going to www.

514
00:23:48,220 --> 00:23:48,970
thwwp.

515
00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:51,250
com.

516
00:23:51,630 --> 00:23:52,249
That's www.

517
00:23:55,120 --> 00:23:55,370
thwwp.

518
00:23:55,390 --> 00:23:56,930
com and you've got it.

519
00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:00,570
It's also available wherever
you get your podcasts.

520
00:24:01,470 --> 00:24:04,260
Be sure to follow, like,
share, and subscribe.

521
00:24:04,260 --> 00:24:08,200
If you haven't already, then tune in
for the next episode of the healthy,

522
00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:10,100
wealthy, and wise podcast with Dr.

523
00:24:10,100 --> 00:24:10,640
William T.

524
00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:16,410
Choctaw, MD, JD, a production of
change makers communications, LLC.