No Bad Days: Reclaiming Power Over Our Perceptions and Actions

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Coming up on this episode of the
Healthy, wealthy and Wise Podcast,

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but I mean, there are people who
think their vote does not count.

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But locally, for city council,
for Mayor, you bet vote counts.

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Yes.

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Makes that scale go up or down.

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And for those who don't vote
it, it really is a, it's a

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throw and you've thrown it away.

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Exactly.

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A lot of, 'cause right now, a
lot of people concentrate every

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four years on the presidency.

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Right?

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The local.

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But this is where it starts.

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So if you want.

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Good people, if you will, in
the higher highest office of

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the land and it starts here.

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That's exactly right.

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Just kind of keep going.

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And so that makes me feel good when she
says it, but it also just reminds me.

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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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The content of these podcasts are
designed to equip listeners with timely

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and actionable information that may
help provide the basis for living a

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more healthy, wealthy and wise life.

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This is a special election
edition featuring Laura Franklin,

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who's running for the Baldwin
Park, California city council.

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Let's join their conversation
already in progress.

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And I said many times
with the masterclass.

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Uh, is that, you know, when I talk about
not having any bad days because I figured

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out my day is bad when I say it is, so I
just said, I don't want any more bad case.

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So I just got rid of them.

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And my point is the same thing
is what you were talking about.

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uh, whether you're sitting down
with your arms crossed saying,

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well, why isn't somebody talking
to me as compared to you arriving?

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And then you start talking to
people and, you know, so you do it.

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And I would say you, you, you,
you be the leader, you, you

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be the one who implements it.

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And you'll find that once you
take control, then that fear

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or that anxiety will go away.

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And most of the times
it wasn't you anyway.

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You know, so it's, it's what we control,
but yet sometimes we give up that personal

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power to others, you know, and then we
start getting down on ourselves and, and

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feeling bad and oh, it should have, would
have, could have, and all that stuff.

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And we

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leave because this, this
does not happen the same way.

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Right, right, right.

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And

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it had nothing to do with that.

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Had nothing to do with it.

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And I've certainly learned, I've
learned, uh, um, that if one time

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somebody will say something and I hear
it a certain way, this may be negative.

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But nine times out of 10 or 99 times
out of 100, I heard it the wrong way.

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That was not the way it was intended.

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So now I try to always check
myself and say, wait a second,

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is that what she meant?

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Or is that what he meant?

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And most of the times I'm wrong.

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Or I can come up with a
plausible reason for being wrong.

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Um, and, and, and that's, that's
a good form of stress management.

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stress management.

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Um, you can't control other people.

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I guarantee you, you can,
you can try it all you want.

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That's just been my experience,
but you can control how those

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other people make you feel.

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You can

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control how they make you feel.

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Exactly, exactly, exactly.

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So along with the other question that
I, that I asked, um, being, being

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a minority in a minority, you know,
to some extent, as you run for city

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council, how do you handle that?

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Well, what I have, I guess
basically what we were just talking

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about, um, there is some, I am
carrying some history on my back.

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I do think about that.

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I think about the legacy of my parents,
um, and then what I'm passing down

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to my children and grandchildren.

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Um, it's, it's really hard to answer, but
I just know that I have an obligation.

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Yes.

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Um, to so many people
that may never meet me.

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Yes.

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But if they see that banner, if
they see the history, if they

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Google me, if all these different
things happen, They see that picture

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on the flyer that you sent out.

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My kids, my kids and grandkids
may say, you know, look, my

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mom once did this or whatever.

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Yes.

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It's

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there.

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And I, and I, what I do is I often.

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When I'm walking, I talk a lot out
loud and I say, okay, mom, okay, dad.

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Um, I know y'all wouldn't do
this because my mom and dad were

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not politicians, if you will.

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You know, Uhhuh, again, silent generation.

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They, we didn't discuss politics
around the table or at all.

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Mm-Hmm.

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and, Mm-Hmm.

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. So all we talked about was God,
family and working and painting.

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Mm-Hmm.

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and community.

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Understood.

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And so what I've tried to do is little
by little speak to my own children, as

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well as my grandchildren, just about
some little things, you know, they

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know who's running for president right
now, they know who the president is.

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And we just talk about it just
enough to plant the seeds.

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But not only that, there's another
African American lady I was talking to

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last week, and she told me, she said,
I'm so glad that you're doing this.

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She said, we tried 30 years ago,

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30 years ago,

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some momentum in the community.

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And they told us how they were
treated and just different things.

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And again, you know, the, the heaviness
that comes with that, I'm standing on.

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And the shoulders tell
everybody I can think of.

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She said, I don't know what you
need me to do, but I will do it.

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Just you need to be in there.

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Are there was her words.

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And I said, all I can do
is what I'm doing now.

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your help and you spread the word
and getting folks out there to vote.

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That's how it happens locally
because locally each vote does count.

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Yes.

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I

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mean, it counts in the broad thing
too, in the national as well, but I

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mean, there are people who think their
vote does not count, but locally for

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city council, for mayor vote counts,

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it

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makes that scale go up or down.

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And for those who don't vote.

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It really is a, it's a
throw, you've thrown it away.

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Cause right now, a lot of
people concentrate every four

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years on the presidency local,
but this is where it starts.

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So if you want good people, if you
will, in the higher, highest office

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of the land, then it starts here.

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That's exactly right.

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Just kind of keep going.

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And so that makes me feel good when
she says it, but it also just reminds

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me, I'm carrying all those folks.

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On my back right now, you know,
little by little, and I don't mind it.

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That's the thing.

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And I'm not complaining because
I don't mind being that person.

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Cause like I said, initially I'm
like, why did you start this?

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Like you could have just kept working
nine to five and then retired someday.

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But I, I saw the need and it.

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I was still saying, why me?

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Why not me?

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Right?

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Because again, somebody's watching
somebody's child, somebody's grandchild,

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somebody's spouse, my age, younger,
or even older is watching me and

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the pride that wells up in the older
ones because they've been trying

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for 30 years to get something done.

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Um, it just makes me feel good.

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So I'm happy to do it.

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And I do it again, you know, like
I said, it doesn't work out the way

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we'd like right now I try again in
two years That's the direction I need

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to be in but in between time I got
plenty of time to make some more moves

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That's exactly right.

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Somebody once said if it
is to be it's up to me.

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If not me who if not now when

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yeah

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Um, and I think that that's
what this in my opinion.

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That's what distinguishes leaders from
others You know, everybody's not a

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leader You Uh, but those who are know it.

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Um, and the reason why you jumped
out there and were bold enough

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to put your picture on the flyer

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and are thinking about your kids and
your grandkids, I call that legacy.

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Yeah, that's

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what legacy is.

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Um, and trust me, you know, one
of those kids, a grandkids or

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neighbor or whoever said, you
know, I, I remember, I remember Ms.

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Franklin, you know, and she did this
and she did that because I can remember

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people in my community or my school
or whatever, teachers and others who I

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looked up to who I still think about,
you know, who, who passed on, but who,

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who had a positive influence over me.

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And some of them maybe knew about it.

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Some of them may have
never known about it.

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But, but it helped me nevertheless.

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And I think that that's what you're
doing directly and indirectly, uh,

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to those that, um, uh, that, that
experience you as you go through this.

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Um, what would you say
is the hardest thing?

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You mentioned about the whole
lot of asking people for money

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and that's always the hard part.

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That was always very difficult for me.

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Um, and, uh, what, what else have
you sort of had to struggle with?

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I would say, that's a great question too.

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I would say convincing people that
I can do what I say I'm going to do.

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Okay.

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When they scan that QR code and it
directs you to my, um, website, all the

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things, when I even read it, sometimes
I'm like, wow, I did all that stuff,

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but just convincing folks, because
again, the landscape of leadership has

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been what it's been for 35, 40 years.

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So to convince them that little old
me, regardless of my race and gender

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can Add to what's been done already,
you know, and you know, how we

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say, and sometimes in church, well,
that's the way we've always done it.

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If that's the way you've always
done it, you'll get the results

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that you've always gotten.

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That's true.

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I honestly know for a fact that
ballpark is ready for new results.

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They're ready for new avenues, creativity.

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Um, and what I bring to the table and, you
know, The knowledge of what I have with

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women's health, uh, student resources,
elder care, education, parenting,

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all that stuff that I can and more,
but they just like I think sometimes

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because we're as humans were visual.

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So we may look at somebody but I
remember the kid that never got picked.

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And kickball and football and baseball
because he was too scrawny and I mean, he

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can't do nothing, but that's the very one
that you need to squeeze in those little

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spaces to get through and make it happen.

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And so I think convincing Ballin
Park residents that I, yeah, I

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may be that skinny little squeaky
kid, but I can get it done.

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I can get it done.

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And trying to convince them just by seeing
me without sitting down, like you said,

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maybe having that coffee clutch moment.

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Mm hmm.

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How do, that's what I've been trying
to do, convince them, of course,

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only on paper, mostly, because, of
course, I can't talk to all of them.

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Right.

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I, I would love to, you know, that's,
that's been the hardest part, I think,

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really, just trying to convince them
that, you know, I'm the real deal.

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And I think you are convincing them
that you're the real deal, and, and

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I think one of the advantages of what
you're doing in, in leadership, as

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a type of leadership, is that others
are watching, and that's a good thing.

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I say, you want them to watch you,
you, you want them to watch you.

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And however up or down it
goes, uh, it, it continues.

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You know, I, I use the term no
retreat, no surrender , you know?

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Yeah.

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It's gotta be tough and yeah.

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And you sort of lock and load, you know,
and, and, and you get ready for anything.

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But, but, but your focus and it's
just gonna go forward no matter what.

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Yeah.

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Um, and you've shown that, you know,
and you've shown that and they call that

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courage, you know, it's not easy to do.

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The easiest thing to do is to come
up with an excuse not to do it.

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Right.

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You

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know, and then you'll prove yourself
right, but nothing will get done.

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But, but you, you did the opposite.

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00:11:36,665 --> 00:11:38,185
You said, no, I can do this.

235
00:11:38,584 --> 00:11:42,275
And you prayed about it and did all the
things that you feel appropriate to do.

236
00:11:42,505 --> 00:11:46,064
And here you are on your second
Healthy, Wealthy and Wise podcast,

237
00:11:46,535 --> 00:11:51,694
talking about, talking about your
experience as a political leader.

238
00:11:51,775 --> 00:11:53,405
Yeah, you know,

239
00:11:53,415 --> 00:11:55,725
already you've got some
major achievements there.

240
00:11:59,935 --> 00:12:04,884
I read the main out, but you
know, I know before we go, I do

241
00:12:04,885 --> 00:12:06,555
want to definitely encourage one.

242
00:12:06,605 --> 00:12:11,004
Another thing I'm sorry that we learned is
a lot of young people, even at this level,

243
00:12:11,015 --> 00:12:14,974
feel like their vote doesn't count, but I
do want to encourage them to vote local.

244
00:12:15,074 --> 00:12:15,395
Yes.

245
00:12:15,665 --> 00:12:15,964
Yes.

246
00:12:16,004 --> 00:12:19,854
Don't get caught up in the, the, the
nationals so much that you forget

247
00:12:19,854 --> 00:12:23,844
about, I should say the little people,
the local level, because this is

248
00:12:23,844 --> 00:12:27,564
where it starts and all the props,
you know, things like that, read them.

249
00:12:27,964 --> 00:12:29,995
Don't just let that booklet sit there.

250
00:12:30,014 --> 00:12:32,104
They print these things out for a reason.

251
00:12:32,295 --> 00:12:32,755
Yes.

252
00:12:32,844 --> 00:12:35,045
And you get on television
and you'll get lost.

253
00:12:35,064 --> 00:12:38,444
Yes means no and no means yes and
then no means no and then yes.

254
00:12:38,474 --> 00:12:38,694
Exactly.

255
00:12:39,350 --> 00:12:41,840
Yes, but you know, sit
down and talk about it.

256
00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:45,750
This is the time to do it because
I know they said this is the most

257
00:12:45,750 --> 00:12:47,090
important election of our lives.

258
00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:48,740
Every election is important.

259
00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:49,520
Exactly.

260
00:12:49,609 --> 00:12:51,600
Because it's going to
affect the next generation.

261
00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:57,050
So if younger folks, you know, the
18 to 30s that are really struggling.

262
00:12:57,864 --> 00:12:59,685
But should I vote or should I not vote?

263
00:12:59,685 --> 00:13:00,944
And then who should I vote for?

264
00:13:00,944 --> 00:13:04,444
Because again, a lot of people are
not talking about it, but I encourage

265
00:13:04,444 --> 00:13:07,725
them to get in, have those, have
their own coffee clutch moments within

266
00:13:07,805 --> 00:13:09,274
one another, within your groups.

267
00:13:09,495 --> 00:13:09,715
Yes.

268
00:13:10,015 --> 00:13:14,634
That's these props, no matter what side
you're on, the props are the props.

269
00:13:14,854 --> 00:13:15,264
Right.

270
00:13:15,324 --> 00:13:18,135
You need to read them and know
who you, Google these folks,

271
00:13:18,185 --> 00:13:20,015
look it up, read the fine print.

272
00:13:20,555 --> 00:13:23,895
Um, because it's gonna, again, we get
four more years before it happens again.

273
00:13:24,055 --> 00:13:26,494
And then, you know, I'd rather vote.

274
00:13:26,810 --> 00:13:30,680
It doesn't go the way I want it, then it
go the way I don't want it because I, and

275
00:13:30,680 --> 00:13:32,180
then say, oh man, I should have voted.

276
00:13:32,590 --> 00:13:32,829
You know?

277
00:13:32,834 --> 00:13:33,145
Exactly.

278
00:13:33,255 --> 00:13:33,745
Exactly.

279
00:13:34,329 --> 00:13:35,439
You exercise that, right?

280
00:13:35,439 --> 00:13:40,599
Like you said, many folks have, excuse
me, died, fought, and I'm not, not just

281
00:13:40,599 --> 00:13:42,310
the ones that famous that we know about.

282
00:13:42,310 --> 00:13:45,390
We'll just say our grandparents,
our parents fought.

283
00:13:45,390 --> 00:13:45,480
Yes.

284
00:13:46,079 --> 00:13:49,050
You know, my dad was 96 when
he died, so I know he faked.

285
00:13:49,050 --> 00:13:49,050
Wow.

286
00:13:49,560 --> 00:13:50,170
A lot of stuff.

287
00:13:50,219 --> 00:13:51,510
Uh, voter suppression.

288
00:13:52,010 --> 00:13:52,480
Yes.

289
00:13:53,260 --> 00:13:57,859
So, and he was, I mean, an eighth grade
education, so I, but I know again, he

290
00:13:57,859 --> 00:14:01,550
exercised his right as soon as he got
it and he did it every chance he got.

291
00:14:01,550 --> 00:14:02,100
Exactly.

292
00:14:02,170 --> 00:14:02,840
Exactly.

293
00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:03,920
It is unfair to them.

294
00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:06,179
Like I said, going back to what
I'm carrying on my back, it is

295
00:14:06,179 --> 00:14:10,040
unfair for us to have gotten this
far and then we throw it away.

296
00:14:10,395 --> 00:14:11,535
Exactly, exactly.

297
00:14:11,905 --> 00:14:16,555
Or we let it fall to the side because
of whatever you're carrying around, so.

298
00:14:17,075 --> 00:14:20,724
And in a democracy, the power is
really with the people, and that

299
00:14:20,724 --> 00:14:22,544
power is expressed by the vote.

300
00:14:22,875 --> 00:14:27,895
That's why people are trying so hard
to keep you from voting or make it

301
00:14:27,895 --> 00:14:31,745
difficult for you to vote and all
that, because they recognize the power,

302
00:14:32,005 --> 00:14:34,155
and that's the beauty of a democracy.

303
00:14:34,850 --> 00:14:40,010
That is, it's the individual people,
individual, uh, person, um, and

304
00:14:40,010 --> 00:14:43,790
that you can choose, um, you know,
up or down on a particular issue.

305
00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:46,820
One of the things that I do in
terms of the propositions you, you

306
00:14:46,820 --> 00:14:50,089
were talking about that somebody
asked me just recently about this.

307
00:14:50,100 --> 00:14:52,779
So, you know, there's so many different
propositions and how do I know?

308
00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:57,680
One of the things I recommend, uh, that
I've done, um, is that if there's a

309
00:14:57,680 --> 00:14:59,780
certain newspaper paper that I like.

310
00:14:59,950 --> 00:15:03,790
You know, you know, whether liberal or
conservative, but what, but I like it.

311
00:15:04,060 --> 00:15:09,370
Uh, most of the times newspapers will,
uh, and give endorsements of propositions.

312
00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:13,030
Um, and you're right,
uh, many propositions are

313
00:15:13,030 --> 00:15:14,860
purposely written confusingly.

314
00:15:14,980 --> 00:15:15,070
Mm-Hmm.

315
00:15:15,310 --> 00:15:16,930
, you know, to make you think you're voting.

316
00:15:16,930 --> 00:15:17,410
Yes.

317
00:15:17,410 --> 00:15:19,600
Well, you're really voting
no and that sort of thing.

318
00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:24,670
So one of the things that I've relied
upon, uh, is to go to the local paper

319
00:15:24,670 --> 00:15:28,210
that I use, you know, be it, uh, you
know, New York Times or whatever.

320
00:15:28,650 --> 00:15:33,589
Uh, on and or in in the city,
whatever that local paper is and

321
00:15:33,589 --> 00:15:35,180
see what their endorsement is.

322
00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:36,630
The editorial endorsement.

323
00:15:36,630 --> 00:15:39,680
I realize that there have been
some little controversy about

324
00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:43,579
presidential endorsements and all
that, but but most of the times, most

325
00:15:43,579 --> 00:15:45,360
papers will endorse a proposition.

326
00:15:45,479 --> 00:15:47,239
Most of the times, I think.

327
00:15:47,469 --> 00:15:50,829
Um, and, and a lot of times, you
know, because a lot of the words

328
00:15:50,829 --> 00:15:54,079
and the terms, maybe terms of art,
people may not understand them.

329
00:15:54,359 --> 00:15:59,010
I have found that helpful, um, for
myself, uh, you know, when I, cause I

330
00:15:59,260 --> 00:16:04,089
don't stay upon certain areas all the
time, but it sort of explains it to me.

331
00:16:04,090 --> 00:16:07,069
And one of the things that I, that we
were taught in law school, that most

332
00:16:07,069 --> 00:16:10,920
newspapers are written, and I forget the
exact thing, but it's for individuals

333
00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:12,650
with like a fourth grade education, it's.

334
00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:17,170
Purposely written for you to
understand, you know, supposedly,

335
00:16:17,170 --> 00:16:20,430
and I don't know whether that's still
true, but I found that very helpful.

336
00:16:20,430 --> 00:16:24,989
And so I, I usually recommend
that to people, um, um, um, uh,

337
00:16:24,989 --> 00:16:27,999
if they aren't sure, but cause
some, some places have like 10

338
00:16:28,010 --> 00:16:29,790
different propositions or whatever.

339
00:16:30,089 --> 00:16:32,430
And sometimes you just don't want
to read through all that stuff.

340
00:16:32,430 --> 00:16:35,869
But even if you read it, you
don't understand it because

341
00:16:35,869 --> 00:16:37,430
of those terms of art.

342
00:16:38,100 --> 00:16:38,350
Part

343
00:16:38,350 --> 00:16:41,690
of that is because a lot of those
things are written by attorneys.

344
00:16:42,195 --> 00:16:47,655
And I remember in law school, there was
this whole big thing about plain English,

345
00:16:47,945 --> 00:16:51,585
uh, you know, and many times attorneys
purposely don't write pairing in English

346
00:16:51,585 --> 00:16:56,805
because they want you to need an attorney
to read it, to interpret it, you know.

347
00:16:57,310 --> 00:17:01,780
So, so there's a reason for that,
but we even had a class in law

348
00:17:01,780 --> 00:17:05,670
school about plain English because
it could be such a problem, but I

349
00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:07,010
don't think it's going to go away.

350
00:17:07,010 --> 00:17:09,829
You know, that's the way things
are going to be written, uh, and

351
00:17:09,829 --> 00:17:13,930
they're purposely written in a
confusing way, um, uh, to make it

352
00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:16,009
more difficult for you to understand.

353
00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:22,440
Um, and, um, uh, but, but I think, I
think, um, uh, it's, it's important for

354
00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:24,330
folks to vote and that's the bottom line.

355
00:17:24,860 --> 00:17:26,159
The vote is the bottom line.

356
00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:26,990
Yeah.

357
00:17:26,990 --> 00:17:27,859
Thank you for that.

358
00:17:27,890 --> 00:17:29,170
Because I was taking notes.

359
00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:32,150
Um, I did not know that I used
to, you know, I used to read

360
00:17:32,150 --> 00:17:33,620
the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

361
00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:34,010
Yep.

362
00:17:34,100 --> 00:17:34,660
So did I.

363
00:17:34,700 --> 00:17:34,800
At

364
00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:36,010
least three times a week.

365
00:17:36,389 --> 00:17:36,759
Uh huh.

366
00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:41,960
And, um, randomly just trying to be
like the, the higher ups, I would

367
00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:44,219
get a New York Times newspaper.

368
00:17:44,430 --> 00:17:46,009
Again, it was so much stuff.

369
00:17:46,060 --> 00:17:48,690
I couldn't understand it all, but
I would just pick certain sections.

370
00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:49,190
Yes.

371
00:17:49,260 --> 00:17:50,590
And just read because I like to read.

372
00:17:50,590 --> 00:17:53,290
And then my mother would be like, why
are you reading the New York Times?

373
00:17:53,290 --> 00:17:54,080
I'm like, I don't know.

374
00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:55,230
I just feel like I need to read it.

375
00:17:55,550 --> 00:17:59,850
But again, Like you said, um, just
looking into the, in the editorial

376
00:17:59,850 --> 00:18:02,990
endorsements, um, definitely will check
that out and share that information.

377
00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:03,990
Yeah.

378
00:18:03,990 --> 00:18:08,110
And, and you can pick up a lot of good
information from your basic local paper.

379
00:18:08,150 --> 00:18:11,780
And I, I've done that ever
since I was in high school.

380
00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:18,370
Um, now I must admit I, I, you
know, post COVID, I stopped picking

381
00:18:18,370 --> 00:18:20,470
up the paper paper type thing.

382
00:18:20,470 --> 00:18:23,080
And so I read it on my phone,
but, but I still read it though.

383
00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:24,820
I mean, cause I want that perspective.

384
00:18:25,020 --> 00:18:25,230
Yeah.

385
00:18:25,260 --> 00:18:27,389
Um, uh, knowledge is power.

386
00:18:27,389 --> 00:18:28,950
Yes, knowledge is power.

387
00:18:28,950 --> 00:18:31,590
And so the more you know, the
more you understand, and then

388
00:18:31,590 --> 00:18:33,389
you can make informed decisions.

389
00:18:33,540 --> 00:18:36,990
Mm-Hmm, , uh, or try to make informed
decisions about things that, uh,

390
00:18:37,020 --> 00:18:39,090
that, uh, you feel are important.

391
00:18:39,540 --> 00:18:44,070
Let, let me, let me ask you, uh, another,
uh, uh, question before we let you go.

392
00:18:44,460 --> 00:18:51,190
Why do you think, um, why do you
think Christian should vote man?

393
00:18:54,580 --> 00:18:54,719
This is a

394
00:18:55,449 --> 00:18:56,050
masterclass now.

395
00:18:57,209 --> 00:18:57,649
You know what,

396
00:18:57,709 --> 00:18:58,219
I,

397
00:19:00,679 --> 00:19:03,870
if, okay, if you take the label off.

398
00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:05,629
Okay, okay.

399
00:19:05,980 --> 00:19:06,889
We should just vote.

400
00:19:07,229 --> 00:19:08,239
Okay, all right.

401
00:19:08,519 --> 00:19:08,840
But

402
00:19:08,969 --> 00:19:12,459
Christians, okay, but now put the
label back on because it's our

403
00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:15,949
right and it's our duty to do so
as a Christian or non Christian.

404
00:19:16,070 --> 00:19:16,459
Okay.

405
00:19:17,110 --> 00:19:20,470
But I think Christians should,
Christians should vote.

406
00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:28,010
Because we have been called to
represent Christ in our decision making.

407
00:19:28,370 --> 00:19:28,860
Okay.

408
00:19:28,919 --> 00:19:32,770
Like, it doesn't matter red,
blue, green, yellow, white,

409
00:19:33,189 --> 00:19:35,139
whatever party you may be with.

410
00:19:35,579 --> 00:19:35,929
Right.

411
00:19:37,089 --> 00:19:40,160
We, we are the ones who are supposed
to be leading the country, if you

412
00:19:40,169 --> 00:19:42,100
will, in, in how we do what we do.

413
00:19:42,100 --> 00:19:42,310
And.

414
00:19:42,550 --> 00:19:42,690
Okay.

415
00:19:43,090 --> 00:19:46,410
And I met, uh, just real quick, I
met a man, he was a minister while

416
00:19:46,410 --> 00:19:47,850
I was out doing my campaigning.

417
00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:50,850
And he said, you know what, I
don't get caught up in anything.

418
00:19:51,370 --> 00:19:52,780
He said, just pray.

419
00:19:53,215 --> 00:19:53,985
And then I vote.

420
00:19:54,955 --> 00:19:59,835
He said, God will sort out whatever
it is on paper or in his divine way.

421
00:20:00,605 --> 00:20:04,635
But as Christians, I do believe
that we are called to vote because

422
00:20:04,635 --> 00:20:06,295
it's our obligation is our duty.

423
00:20:06,635 --> 00:20:06,845
And we

424
00:20:07,274 --> 00:20:08,004
accept the tone.

425
00:20:08,394 --> 00:20:11,054
And I don't, I know I'll probably
get some, some pushback on that.

426
00:20:12,439 --> 00:20:15,260
But I do feel obligated as
a Christian to do my best.

427
00:20:15,570 --> 00:20:15,990
Yes.

428
00:20:15,990 --> 00:20:19,600
And when it comes to leadership, and we're
supposed to pray for our leaders anyway.

429
00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:20,399
Yes.

430
00:20:20,580 --> 00:20:21,889
And it talks about that in scripture.

431
00:20:21,889 --> 00:20:23,649
I don't remember the scripture,
but I know it's in there.

432
00:20:24,120 --> 00:20:28,639
And, um, when we do that,
it's almost like to train up a

433
00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:30,789
child in the way he should go.

434
00:20:30,900 --> 00:20:32,670
And when he's old, he
will not depart from it.

435
00:20:32,670 --> 00:20:36,140
Like we're training our children,
our Christian children and

436
00:20:36,150 --> 00:20:41,039
grandchildren and so on and so on,
that this is what we're called to do.

437
00:20:41,610 --> 00:20:42,070
Yes.

438
00:20:43,185 --> 00:20:43,534
I don't know.

439
00:20:45,774 --> 00:20:46,935
I agree with you.

440
00:20:46,935 --> 00:20:48,104
I agree with you.

441
00:20:49,675 --> 00:20:53,245
Well, before we let you go, Jess, do you
have any questions before we let Laura go?

442
00:20:53,645 --> 00:20:54,654
Um, go

443
00:20:55,434 --> 00:20:55,734
ahead.

444
00:20:55,925 --> 00:20:56,455
No, you're fine.

445
00:20:56,465 --> 00:20:56,855
You're fine.

446
00:20:57,145 --> 00:21:02,474
I was just going to say that, uh, uh,
Sister Laura, you are an inspiring

447
00:21:02,475 --> 00:21:04,874
person and an inspiring candidate.

448
00:21:05,605 --> 00:21:08,285
Uh, and, and I mean that.

449
00:21:08,764 --> 00:21:15,785
Um, And I would, I would encourage
you to continue to focus on those

450
00:21:15,785 --> 00:21:18,335
solutions, uh, for the people.

451
00:21:18,955 --> 00:21:24,724
Uh, this remains an opportunity,
you know, to be impactful on a

452
00:21:24,724 --> 00:21:27,155
number of different levels there
in a number of different areas.

453
00:21:27,899 --> 00:21:33,010
And to continue to learn from
the past, uh, because it, and it

454
00:21:33,010 --> 00:21:38,810
can provide a roadmap, um, to the
future that, that builds on the

455
00:21:38,810 --> 00:21:45,129
lessons learned from the past and,
uh, the community and engagement.

456
00:21:45,710 --> 00:21:53,750
Uh, that's key and you display and
you show and have a actual passion.

457
00:21:54,360 --> 00:21:59,750
For the community that you would be
serving and that you are part of,

458
00:21:59,750 --> 00:22:03,969
and I think that that's an asset
to you, and it will always be.

459
00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:11,189
And so with that all said, what
would be your closing argument

460
00:22:11,189 --> 00:22:17,170
to you, to your constituents,
um, as far as voting for you?

461
00:22:17,245 --> 00:22:18,944
Hmm.

462
00:22:21,985 --> 00:22:24,144
A vote for me is a vote
for positive change.

463
00:22:24,925 --> 00:22:25,355
Okay.

464
00:22:25,595 --> 00:22:31,604
A vote for me is, um, is voting for
forward thinking, forward moving,

465
00:22:32,035 --> 00:22:36,544
creativity, new vision, new energy.

466
00:22:37,654 --> 00:22:39,754
I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm here for it all.

467
00:22:40,825 --> 00:22:41,405
Okay.

468
00:22:41,535 --> 00:22:42,025
Okay.

469
00:22:42,094 --> 00:22:42,604
Okay.

470
00:22:43,264 --> 00:22:44,335
I think that's great.

471
00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:46,310
I think that's great.

472
00:22:47,220 --> 00:22:50,970
We really appreciate you sharing
your very precious time with us.

473
00:22:50,970 --> 00:22:54,910
I know you're a very, very busy
person and you run up and run

474
00:22:54,990 --> 00:22:58,659
up and down those streets and
knocking on doors and everything.

475
00:22:58,830 --> 00:23:02,269
And we certainly recognize that this
is the weekend before the election,

476
00:23:02,500 --> 00:23:04,409
so it's an important weekend for you.

477
00:23:04,410 --> 00:23:08,520
But so much for taking time out
and sharing your thoughts and

478
00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:10,679
your words of wisdom for us.

479
00:23:10,679 --> 00:23:12,479
Yeah, this has been great.

480
00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:13,500
This has been great.

481
00:23:13,710 --> 00:23:14,400
I appreciate it.

482
00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:15,420
Thank y'all so much.

483
00:23:15,690 --> 00:23:16,110
Okay.

484
00:23:16,110 --> 00:23:17,610
And you have a wonderful day.

485
00:23:17,910 --> 00:23:18,240
Thank you.

486
00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:18,690
You too.

487
00:23:18,900 --> 00:23:19,260
Alright.

488
00:23:19,260 --> 00:23:20,010
God bless.

489
00:23:21,090 --> 00:23:21,600
Bye-Bye.

490
00:23:22,340 --> 00:23:25,429
You've been listening to the Healthy,
wealthy and Wise podcast with Dr.

491
00:23:25,429 --> 00:23:31,360
William t Choctaw, MD jd, A special
election edition featuring Laura A.

492
00:23:31,360 --> 00:23:35,149
Franklin, a candidate for the Baldwin
Park, California City Council.

493
00:23:35,449 --> 00:23:39,020
One of four candidates in a
race for three available seats.

494
00:23:39,379 --> 00:23:43,341
Go to www.lffourbp.com.

495
00:23:43,999 --> 00:23:50,899
For more information, that's
www.lfthenumberfourbp.com.

496
00:23:51,649 --> 00:23:56,810
There's still so much work to do,
so remember that you do matter

497
00:23:56,929 --> 00:23:59,540
and your vote is your voice.

498
00:23:59,780 --> 00:24:01,319
So vote for Laura A.

499
00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:04,639
Franklin for the Baldwin
Park, California City Council.

500
00:24:05,110 --> 00:24:09,370
She'll put in the work and
she'll also get the work done.

501
00:24:10,220 --> 00:24:12,919
Thank you for listening to
this special election edition

502
00:24:12,919 --> 00:24:14,120
of the Healthy Wealthy, and.

503
00:24:14,300 --> 00:24:16,205
I's podcast with Dr.

504
00:24:16,205 --> 00:24:19,010
William t Choctaw, MDJD.

505
00:24:19,730 --> 00:24:30,080
Be sure to check out this and over 130
wide ranging podcast episodes@www.twp.com.

506
00:24:30,490 --> 00:24:36,280
That's at www.thwwp.com and you've got it.

507
00:24:36,949 --> 00:24:41,659
This has been a production of
Change Makers Communications, LLC.