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Checkers with Chance, Rhone, Steve and Xavion
224 Plays2 months ago
In this inaugural episode of the Checkers Podcast, join Steve, Chance, Roan, and Xavier as they introduce themselves and the mission behind Checkers. The show kicks off with a lively discussion on walkout songs, setting the tone for an engaging conversation. The episode features a special guest appearance by Chris Jones, 2022 nominee for governor in Arkansas, discussing his upbringing and thoughts on Arkansas politics. Dive into profound reflections from Boy State alumni on their experiences and the significance of brotherhood and leadership. The team closes by outlining the future direction of the podcast. Don't miss this debut episode filled with inspiration and real talk. Make sure to follow, share, and rate us on all major platforms including YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify, and more.
00:00 Introduction and Walkout Songs
00:58 Meet the Hosts
02:24 Podcast Purpose and Personal Motivations
04:23 Topgolf and Fun Anecdotes
05:56 Speech Competitions and School Experiences
10:38 Chris Jones Joins the Conversation
19:36 Childhood Reflections and Inspirations
26:04 Reflecting on Childhood and Activism
28:12 Frustration with Today's Politics
29:40 Memories of Simpler Times
30:36 Impact of Boys State Program
32:29 Personal Stories and Reflections
40:46 The Importance of Representation
42:10 The Power of Vulnerability
44:22 Challenges and Shortcomings of Boys State
47:18 Podcasting and Future Aspirations
55:15 Closing Thoughts and Future Plans
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Transcript
00:00:37
Speaker
I'm definitely rocking with it for sure. What's that? I'm definitely rocking with it. oh but okay hey what's your what's your walkout song you can't take mine now oh man i don't even know so many songs to choose from noah yonder okay y'all be thinking about it i'm going to intro us in y'all as soon as we get done with this let's talk about what your intro song is so y'all can think about it look on your playlist but hey we're checkers And this is the inaugural podcast. And we are in Little Rock, Arkansas, and I'm just going to introduce myself and y'all just tell us why, why you're on the show, why you're here and and y'all and what you want to tell the people what what can they expect from, you know, because so they know who we are. Let's just let let people know who we are. My name is Steve.
00:01:26
Speaker
um I am the granddad of the group. Literally. so um yeah like I just want to to get people connected. I'm all about having platforms where people can tell um their message and find other people and and connect more networks. I'm all about finding people. you know so That's me. I'm Steve.
00:01:55
Speaker
Me? Yes, you're next. Of course he is. ah Hello, my name is Chance. I'm on this podcast because I love hearing myself talk. is Who amongst us? Who amongst us isn't? No, no, no. I saw, you know, I do podcasts a little bit here and there. I saw opportunity to get a podcast going with some of the coolest people I know at the time. So, you know, why not come along? I'm all here for the experience. That's really all I can say. I'm just letting life take me along. Amen. Amen.
00:02:23
Speaker
bri Hey, if it's checkers, that means Ron's going to go next, right? I'm here. I honestly couldn't tell you exactly why I picked up this project, but I think it mainly has to do with my anxiety about the future, to be honest with you. I want to work through what I'm going to think about how my life's gonna work out, I wanna work through this administration, I wanna work through um the political consequences of the last few years, and I wanna work through all of the social and cultural issues that I think um are facing us. And um I guess my motivation is very similar to yours, Steve. I think that bringing people together is what causes liberation. It's what we can build to, to build to freedom.
00:03:09
Speaker
So if y'all are out there listing, trying to figure out who plays what role, y'all just got the intellectual guy. You can probably say it. Definitely. Yeah, bro. And I'm excited about it. I'm also here to um keep people as real as possible and keep people in check. That's real. You know what? That's it. Yeah.
00:03:25
Speaker
ah Well, my name is a really Xavion, but call me Zay. Um, I really, I really helped out with this project because I love podcasts and I love him. I have my voice to be heard out there for people and to basically make a change, even if it's through media or just audio, just want to make a change and probably become a future politician. You know, gotta help change the world somehow. Oh, that's a good reason.
00:03:54
Speaker
That's fire right. I thought of that on the spot y'all They're working. ah He got to go last so he's like three points see how he's to speak He's like, I gotta get the intro three points and hold on his writing is fired that That's why that I love impromptu speaking like I get to hear other people talk for someone. Okay, baby I'm just take that a little bit of that little dab of this American style but it hey i know we got This is we'll tell people what this is about. But before we go, since we're here, right, I got to know how it went at Mount St. Mary. This is so bad. And I was in a meeting that literally just went long. And that was, I wouldn't play golf at, at the, the whatever that place is out there. Top golf.
00:04:38
Speaker
top Yeah, first time I win it was all men's office amazing place to go I have had to have their own donut holes where you can lay put the strawberry Yes, what i had they're so good. Yeah, I'm telling I make my top golf. Yes. Mmm, and you know chicken wings are ordered fire Okay, my bad. I love food. I love food top golf. Please sponsor us
00:05:02
Speaker
Hey, y'all only have to give us money. we We just want to come out there and play. And we'll talk more about top golf, but the next day, Kelly was like, God, I don't know what's wrong with me. My back hurts. And I was like, mine does too. And I thought I'd pound it in some T posts that day, you know, like, no, we'd play golf for like two hours. Oh, what's going on?
00:05:26
Speaker
No, just jump on get a seat. We've already started we we haven't got a song or anything yet for the show So I did what I said my walkout song is gonna be okay, okay Stand up by Bob And so while we're doing the intros and we're about we're gonna talk about they had competition at Mount St. Mary's this Saturday Okay, and we're gonna all talk about what our walkout song would be so you can be thinking about it. All right. All right We want you to introduce yourself. Just tell you why you're here Sure. Okay. So I did four events. Okay. I know now not to do four events, some of them. Okay. So I did informative impromptu oratory and I did duo improv with my boy Chan. So if you first time, right? Right. For the first time. And let me, okay. I'm gonna say duo improv was the best. Even though cause me and Chase got fifth place. Chance ended up pulling one of my shoulder muscles and throwing a chair. No, not throwing. He swung a chair. He knows it knows crazy. He also he also took my shoe off and my sock flew all all over any
00:06:33
Speaker
He did a lot. you know You're not making me seem like a very good person. And it was even crazier. It was on our way back from the tournament. Chance also like sliced the side. Oh my gosh. oh like He was beating me up all weekend, y'all. The trophy is a safety hazard. The trophy had spikes, and we're climbing out the same car, and I accidentally jabbed it into his nose. It got a little messy. guys im far I'm fine, though. I don didn't even know I was bleeding until I just saw it. always He got out, and I was looking at him like, whoa.
00:07:02
Speaker
It wasn't that bad, y'all. But my other events, I didn't do so well. My informative, I did good. I talked to i talked about why, i thought my question was, why does, wait, why can't black women men love black women? Which is a topic that always been talked about in the black culture. And I just went into depth about it.
00:07:20
Speaker
And I ended up not making it to the semifinals, but it was ah it was a great opportunity for me to speak on the topic. And then my oratory was peer pressure and how parents put too much pressure on a child because your oratory is supposed to be something that's related to you and how you feel about it. I didn't do too well in that one. But and then my other one, what's my other one? Impromptu. I had my topic with Skittles. I choked up on them. I choked up on Skittles. I was so mad. And I was like, is it two minutes?
00:07:48
Speaker
Or three? Oh, it's seven minutes. You have seven minutes. You have to do this. You got to get the thing. Get it together. And your time starts running as soon as you start writing. So how long did you talk and how long did you prepare? I prepared for like two minutes or 30 seconds, exactly. I love this. That's my usual time. It's a routine. And then I talked for at least three to five minutes depending on what the topic is. Because I had it done. I had it all memorized. And then when I walked up there, I got nervous. Because I was thinking about my informative, my oratory. It happens. It happens. Probably.
00:08:16
Speaker
ah but Oh, the good thing that came out of it is that our school got a third-place sweepstakes. Amazing. Me and Chase got fifth place in on dual improv, because we're the GOATs. And you know that third-place sweepstakes, they usually separate them from big and small schools. They didn't this time around. And we're at third place, and considering that Cabot was first, I mean, I would say... And Conway. Mills get pretty decent. They all try hard, so I'm telling you. like They always have 60 to 70 people at each tournament.
00:08:45
Speaker
and that And that's only for the high school. That's not counting on the West or the South. wow The middle school. wow i ah you know i'm my I didn't do as many offenses as Xavier on here. I did too, do an improv with him where I abused him maliciously every round. yeah It was worth it though. We got first place literally in our prelims. Me him got ranked number one. Sweet. yeah It was worth it though. Even though it hurt.
00:09:10
Speaker
The second event that I did was impromptu speaking, which is the main thing that I love doing. First round was snacks. I mean, he got Skittles. I got Takis. Not a Taki lover myself, but I can sure lie that I'm a Taki lover for my speech. Oh, did y'all have to sell the product? Not sell the product, but basically impromptu speeches are made- Anything. You can just talk about it in any way possible. Yeah, basically. And they're made better when you can relate them to yourself. So I have to play up a funny little story about my crazy Taki addiction. And you don't even like them. I hate spices and general. Second round, I don't even remember what the theme was. No, it was fortune cookies. The thing that I got was... focus on your activity and you will see progress. I mean, focus on one thing and you will see progress, which in a time like this for me, where I'm just feeling so overwhelmed by like absolutely everything, that was like the perfect thing for me to get. And finals, I made it to finals, went to preliminaries, semis, and at finals round, the overall topic was spill the tea. And the smaller topic that I got was school gossip. So literally like nothing better than for me.
00:10:20
Speaker
And you know, I made it to the trophy case and I ended up getting first place in a prom to speak. This is our boys nation candidate are represented right now. yeah Now I see it is to speak and you know, you want to introduce yourself? Yeah, Chris Jones.
00:10:40
Speaker
Palm Bluff native, rocket scientist, Morehouse grad, MIT grad, girl dad, husband of 22 years, Black Bluff.
00:10:51
Speaker
And my wife's an ER doc and an Air Force veteran, Howard grad herself. She went to Harvard med school, I went to MIT grad school, and I was the 2022 nominee for governor, first black major party nominee for governor in Arkansas' history. and and And I'm a very good friend of Steve's.
00:11:13
Speaker
And I'll bet you, and I know the answer to this, you've walked up to give a speech and just completely forgot what you were supposed to say. I'm chuckling because literally, so I ran for DNC Vice Chair, Democratic National Committee Vice Chair, and in our first forum,
00:11:33
Speaker
um I completely forgot my opening. And then when I when i was debating Sarah, and yeah ah like I was halfway through my opening and my closing and my mind went blank. So I get it. it out That was on the national stage. know it' ah if a professional is having look it of i know I know I'm good good hands. So why are you here? Why did you want to come join us today? But this is inaugural, so you haven't heard us yet. So there had to be a reason you're like, I'm joining. Well, look, cause trust.
00:12:04
Speaker
Right, I mean, i I trust Steve, and if Steve says this is a place that is gonna be a good space for folks, and and connection. I connected to Roan. I know that you all, if you're doing something, it's gonna be fun. If you're doing something, it's gonna be good. So I wanna be a part of of this. That's why I'm here.
00:12:26
Speaker
And I bet he doesn't even know that he's met me and Debbie out too. Okay, okay, okay. I just said it's gonna be fun. Yeah, yeah, I know. Seeing you guys up there, like, overwhelmed immediately. Like, I go up there and there's like 10 people in front of me. I'm like, okay, let me just real quick shake his hand and get out of his face. It was quick. It was real quick. We'll fix that. So did you ever go to boy state or governor school? Yeah, I did boy state. And here's the funny thing. I was at boy state with Senator Tom Cotton. oh my say so we we have We have a little bit of issues with Tom Cotton. You're not the only one. I was just hating on Tom before this episode started, bro. You're not the only one, man. I think he's right for the picking. What'd you think?
00:13:20
Speaker
If you're asking me, I saw you look over at me. I look over at you. I think we have some work to do. Yeah. Is the answer. It is time. It's time. But Arkansas is not ready. No. We got to get Arkansas ready. No. Hey, real quick, before we go any further, I want to put you on the spot. I want to know your walk-up song. Okay. So y'all have time and you're going to tell me, and then I'm going to, you're going to go play. I'm playing it and you're going to come out and say, I'm champs and I'm whatever. I don't know. Okay. Okay. I know my, this is one of my favorite song. It's called diamonds and pearls by QK range. Okay.
00:14:05
Speaker
Yes, I'm from the beginning like just from the beginning yes, it's the Buddha I know about Prince. I know about Prince. Oh, yeah. Okay, who who did it QK a green rain like like you Space qk ring like all together r e i g here Oh got it. Got it. Got it. Oh, i'm gonna play explicit. So here we go. I'm gonna play explicit
00:14:56
Speaker
all together. It's all about us. We're having an amazing conversation, because you know why? We're the GOATs. Best people ever. Let's get started, y'all. Oh, wait. that's good. That's good. I like it. I like it. yeah I like it. He had that big white voice. Yeah. And came in there like, mm-hmm. Turn around. Look, for Broadway Joe. Turn around, for real. out to Broadway Joe, y'all.
00:15:19
Speaker
Who's next? I'll be next. I'll be next. So we were listening to Pink Floyd on the way over here. I was really tempted to choose a Pink Floyd song, but I think what I'm actually going to go with is a Gorillaz song. I don't know. Do you know the Gorillaz? No, of course, of course, of course. So there's this one song and it's not, it's not super popular. It's called Opium and it has like a slow buildup, but then when it gets going, I swear it wakes me up on any day, any day, no matter what.
00:15:46
Speaker
I think we all got that type of song on that for real. Okay, are you ready for the walk? You all gotta to talk a second because it didn't just come up. You may want to like skip, I don't know, 15 seconds in. i worry What that? Is it just a build up or is there something crazy in that first 15 seconds?
00:16:28
Speaker
Snap, with that snaps. Okay, who's up? Who's up? Cheers. You might as well. I would say My Walkout Song would be hard to give commentary over, but definitely King Kunta by Kendrick Lamar. Nice, nice. I feel like right now I feel that song more than anything.
00:17:11
Speaker
Nice, nice. All right, so look, that oh man, i got I got several that I would want to walk up on, but I'm gonna tell you one that I was listening to um a lot this past weekend when I was in Maryland running for the the vice chair position, and it's Eminem's not afraid. Yeah, I thought, yeah, yeah, we'll play it then I'll say something about it.
00:17:47
Speaker
it's Chris Jones. And that's what it's about, walking this road together. Look, we're in a moment where we have to take a stand, and we can't be afraid. And that's why I'm here to say, let's walk the road. Let's get it done. All right. A little cock. Now I'm not going to do a walk-up. Well, you know, Chris needs at least get to get the feel. I'll do my walk up. Why not? I have to do something. I was just going to give the mic over to some other people to talk for a little bit. yeah I'll do my quick walk up because I've been, like I said before you got here, I would want to do this, walk up for a long time to something. yeah yeah yeah So at least I got a shot.
00:18:44
Speaker
right
00:19:13
Speaker
All right. So take it away. Checkers. Okay. hey So what are we going to begin with? Let the beginners run. Well, I think that, um, do we want to like, uh, really get to know Chris Jones or do we want to put him in the hot seat? Oh, wait. Whoa. Whoa. We need to get to know Chris Jones. He's like, yeah, I think you're right. I think you're right. All righty. So you say you grew up in Palm Bluff. I did. So how was it like growing up in the bluff area?
00:19:42
Speaker
and it was great. So not only growing up in Pine Bluff, but the window of time I grew up in was a, I think it was a unique window of time where um ah from from a global standpoint, we had dealt with a lot of tensions and issues and and at at least some of the some of the ideas and practices were being put in place, and look nationally as well. So you think about segregation. right you know I was one of the first classes um to enter kindergarten as a mixed class, whites and blacks together, one of the very first ones. so so that And and we you know look, we were Generation X, we were latchkey kids.
00:20:21
Speaker
So ah we had keys, we walked home, we cooked for ourselves, our playgrounds had metal, and you do s slide-down slides, metal, we burned. I was telling my daughter we would get on the bike and meet and ride for hours, and our folks didn't know where we were, and we didn't have cell phones. So it was it was an immense time of freedom,
00:20:43
Speaker
And I got to explore. um It was a time of NASA doing a lot of amazing things and and I love science. and And for me, it was a time of community. I grew up in a big family. My mother was the only child, but her mother was the oldest of 11. And so we spent time in South Arkansas, my dad's family in East Arkansas. I was riding dirt bikes, eating honeysuckle and fighting grasshoppers and fighting off mosquitoes. So all of that in the context of of being able to explore and being able to try new things and ah and a general sense of peace and community. I'm not saying everything was perfect.
00:21:23
Speaker
But it was ah it was a window between where we were, kind of post-civil rights, and where we are, kind of deep magga. Hey, I want to just jump in, because I was going to say something, and maybe at shock value, I don't know, but the whole time you were talking about it, you know what i what was going through my head. And and this has a point.
00:21:44
Speaker
Because I want to talk i want to Zay and the guys about how they felt about their childhood. Because here's the thing, all I could think about when you were saying that is make America great again.
00:21:59
Speaker
yeah
00:22:02
Speaker
And I don't mean it, what makes us represent, ye but that feeling that you're talking about is what people, when when the people are listening to say, to make America great again, they go back to that feeling. no And I'm guessing y'all have a time in your childhood, you feel like that was the good old days. Talk about, I want to hear that. The good old days. oh i don' Oh, good update. I don't know. I think it's when I started high school and when I started to explore things and wanted to do something more with my life than just sports. Because ever since I was growing up, it's just been about sports. Maybe see if I'm going to the NBA or not. This is when I reached high school was when I realized like I live in Arkansas for crying out loud. I'm not going to the league and I'm not and I'm not reaching six foot like three. Yeah. So I just had a reality. I think that's an Arkansas thing. When you think about it, I go to Mills, and Mills doesn't produce any basketball players, don't they? They produce good college football players, but other than that, there's nothing you can do with it. And so I decided to start exploring things. That's why I got into the Bay Theater, all this, everything. I tried to put my hands on everything, and when I did that... And that's when I started to find my love for politics. I wanted to become a politician. I had the set goal to go to college and get a political science degree. And then as I got older throughout high school, I started to love traveling. And I'm like, ooh, I love traveling. I want to become a traveling agent or something, or I want to become a pilot. And then when I went to Ireland and Scotland, that was peak life.
00:23:33
Speaker
I know know that's crazy to say, but it was just crazy to see how different yeah Europe is from America. And I'm like, wow, ain't no taxes? Oh, that was beautiful.
00:23:47
Speaker
but but i will But one thing I would say about this year in general, like part of my childhood was meeting you like during the MWCP convention. Even though I never had like a genuine conversation like back to forth and forth, it made me really inspired to really like try to be a politician and do what you did. And then having to go to Boys State and Governor's School and having amazing connections in France yeah and like see what politics politics is all about was like really amazing. and like I really want to learn from you and yeah a lot and just everything about it. So that's what's up. That's what's up. Amen. I know we all have something else to say, but I want to jump in here because talking about learning and I'm inspired by what you're saying today, but I got to call Ron out. Ron is a senior at Little Rock Central. Yeah. And he sat right next to me in the cap. I'm going to get emotional.
00:24:36
Speaker
in the capitol today and testified before our state house committee and it ain't his first time today. and And we were not on the side that was popular in the room. yeah And he got up to tell them why not to pass the bill that they passed. And like he did it last year. yeah And I'm going to turn the mic over to Ro, because I want Roan to tell us about how he felt about today. But last year, Senator English just came down on him when he was testifying. This was in Central. And it went viral.
00:25:14
Speaker
Talk about that. with And it went viral and it like, it started you down the journey, you know? and And today it was just exactly the opposite. And it made me feel like, no, that's what it should have been. yeah And shout out, even though we completely disagree politically, Rose stopped and said, I disagree with you.
00:25:42
Speaker
But I commend you. And he didn't like when I was 18, I wouldn't even know this stuff was going on, but she was testifying before the house. So I need to just, that's my big shout out to Rone for standing up, stepping up.
00:25:58
Speaker
And i hey, y'all are testifying before this thing. So we're going to find the bill that impacts you all the most. And i want you on there's a lot of bills that impact. I'll be honest with you after reading what Trump been doing in our own governor and stuff. I'm just seeing like this word is not going in the right direction that it's supposed to be.
00:26:16
Speaker
So I'll keep things as transparent as possible. I cannot exactly remember a great time in my childhood. I've had a pretty troubled um I Mean relatively I've been economically well off to be honest with you my family's upper middle class We haven't had many economic struggles, but in other respects I've had troubles in my childhood and and what I will say is getting involved with Causes and being able to actually observe the change that you're creating even if it's minuscule even if it doesn't compare to the larger changes that are taking place in our society that disturb all of us, it still feels good to know that you can make some sort of impact on other people. And I will say that um two years ago, getting in front of Senator Jane English and being shut down and and pushing back against her anyway,
00:27:07
Speaker
ah with my fellow students and and getting viral for it was a really big moment for me in a lot of different ways. It showed me um some higher purpose that I didn't have before. it It kind of showed me because I had already known that politics was going to be a higher purpose. I had already known that I was interested in creating change. I had already known that I was going to dedicate some part of my life to to trying to make the world a better place, but i had no I hadn't really seen the results of it yet. And when I got the opportunity to speak in front of um the Senate and speak in front of what became like millions of people, I was able to see that my action can cause um change. It can create.
00:27:53
Speaker
um Large shifts in how people view different things and I think that um I was just one of many different parts of the movement against the learns act and ah Being able to say that makes me feel um Like I have a higher sense of purpose and it was definitely a big moment for me
00:28:12
Speaker
um Today, you know, like I'm gonna struggle to not um use any swear words here. i'm I'm quite frustrated with what happened today. um Quite frankly, I think that a lot of the people in that room were not presenting themselves with the utmost dignity. I think a lot of them um are not genuine people. I don't think that they're faithful to themselves, their beliefs, or their people. And um quite frankly, I'm i'm quite appalled that um that those bills passed and that the Attorney General now has the ability to declare um the constitutionality of legislation coming from the people.
00:28:51
Speaker
I think that it is a massive step backwards. And I think that um it is very foreboding for the future of of our country and for the future of our state. Yes, I totally agree. to You know, the only real thing that was going through my head when um so um when Representative Rose um told me that it was commendable that I was in that room is I felt a little bit relieved that um they weren't that he was not angry with me because I worry about people in positions of power being angry with ah me or anyone else involved with the cause, you know?
00:29:27
Speaker
um At least there is some, so like, some veil of civility still left in our legislature with some people. I won't say all but some. Yeah, I would definitely say, like, looking at what we have now ah with everything going on, I do love thinking back to when I was a lot more woefully ignorant. I'll be honest. You know, thank God that I'm educated now, especially looking around. ah You know, thank God I'm one of the few. But, you know, a moment in my childhood,
00:29:55
Speaker
ah definitely just every morning ah this is like right when I was starting to get homeschooled elementary school I grew up in Memphis and when once middle school came I was like moving school I mean before middle school came I was moving to schools like every year my parents were moving so often because my mom was a teacher and my dad was a hustler so you know the our our class changed very often depending on if we were having good days or if we were having bad days but a simpler time that I think back to very often is just in the mornings where I would walk my brother to school we were just talking I'd have like little tech and Roddy rich just blasting on my phone back to back and I just wasn't thinking about anything like
00:30:38
Speaker
That was a good time for me, back when I could just sit down and play Skylanders all day with my cousin. like That was those extremely, you know ah like a very happy time for me. But ah more recently, you know I would definitely say a very defining moment in my upbringing has been the boys' day program.
00:30:55
Speaker
ah you know going there and being able to garner the respect and admiration of people my age and being able to lead a way of thinking, like much like my guy Ron over here, was amazing. like I remember going up and giving a speech and making some jokes here and there, and I really just loved trying to brighten up a room. But I remember after dudes were coming up to me my age, maybe a little like few months older, asking, hey, how do you talk like that?
00:31:22
Speaker
or like, what are your opinions on this? Like people were actually looking at me to find out, hey, how did you become who you are? And that was a very awesome time for me. And that was when like, That was when I really decided, bro, I really want to try to be a part of pushing something. You know, when we went to that convention, that ah we met Graphet and don cp Dr. Jones. I mean, me and Xavier, we're in a very similar type of mindset. When Dr. Jones, you know, no disrespect, Jamie Scott, I saw you up there too, got my love. But when Dr. Jones came out, we were talking, I'm gonna be honest, me and my guy, Xavier, we were cheese and we were tapping on each other like, oh my gosh, that like that's Chris Jones, you know what I mean? In the flesh, in the blood.
00:32:03
Speaker
But yeah, I would definitely say those moments are what means something to me. Those moments are what I look back on as what I hope to be able to match going forward in my life. So it's interesting. um um I'm glad you jumped in, because because I was just about to say that that was one side of the coin. you know And the and that that the other side of the coin, which again, I'm glad you you jumped in, because it was great to hear you all's perspective, um is that in the 80s, cities were being ravaged by drugs.
00:32:41
Speaker
um and In the 80s, kids were getting kidnapped. And one of my close friends, we were in um and ah Glee Club practice on Friday. Monday, she wasn't there. And she has not been found since. Please, Chandra Hall.
00:32:58
Speaker
And I lost a number of family members to my closest cousin and aunt to a drunk driver. um And it's interesting, I had a conversation with somebody a while ago um talking about the good old days and talking about gun control. And I was like, ah, there was a time when you could have a gun in the back of your pickup truck and it was no big deal, we rode in the school.
00:33:22
Speaker
I didn't say anything then, because we were partying. But what I remember in that era when I was a kid and guns in the back of pickup trucks was my grandfather, who had a third grade education and was an 18-wheeler truck driver, um we were in his pickup truck, and all of a sudden we heard and felt things being thrown at us.
00:33:45
Speaker
and folks were yelling the N word at us, and I'm looking at him like, what you gonna do, Popo? And without saying anything, as they drove, sped past, he pointed to the back of their truck.
00:33:58
Speaker
and there was a shotgun in the back window. So that's what I remember about shotguns in the back, and it's a very, to your point, it's a very different memory. So when we talk about Make America Great Again, it is important to understand that a lot of people have the good side of their memory, but we also have to remind them that there's another side of that coin always. Well, especially, and my point was, and thank you, well taken everybody, my point is,
00:34:26
Speaker
everybody can associate to a degree. I mean, some people like, I, I, with you, Ron, I had great parts of my childhood. I was 10 years before you. I, I remember being in like fourth grade and my dad brought this box home that we could, we could literally put a bowl of corn in and take it out. And it was crazy. Imagine never seeing a microwave before. And I ate a bunch of corn. Like I would never eat corn. Like,
00:34:54
Speaker
So yeah, but every generation, I mean, the sixties, there's a lot of people that go back to, Oh, that was the good old days. And I'm telling you, there's a large segment of the population, right? That was getting beaten with bats. Yep. Yep. Yes. It's relative, but he is tapped into a feeling. Yep. And the reality is we make America what America is and as long as we keep having this division and this hate we got to find ways to come together, you know some most But I want to say something go throw it back to y'all because I had another topic I want to hear about because I'm bitter I'm gonna just make keep it real. I was freaking in high school. I was
00:35:41
Speaker
like you guys, i I did every club, I was in band, I was in choir, I played football and I was the class president, like all of the things. I didn't even get nominated for boys state. And we had great, I mean, our class was awesome, but I was just like, oh, come on like I was hurt or governor school. I wasn't nominated for either. And I was like crushed, but All four of y'all were at Boys' Day. So will y'all just give me five minutes of what I missed? Talk about like, because I got to go. Chris invited me this year. I got to go to the one y'all were at and listen to him speak and experience. I was in the room with y'all with the energy. C.V. Carvell. C.V. Carvell. C.V. Carvell. No, no, no quads around here. No, CV. I love it. Who's the governor? Zavion. Colton. Colton. You know what's crazy? I had the pleasure to interview the past governor of Clay and the new governor for this year's juniors, Colton. Nice. And having the pleasure to interview them both was like an opportunity, which really made me go into the journalism field, too, because I love podcasting. I have a podcast of my own.
00:36:59
Speaker
Little shout out to myself. yeah what yeah oh oh Find Spotify. I have a podcast at xConvo. It's gonna have my name. Nice. and but I'd love to get on your show at some point, man. Let's do it. Yes. Oh, that'd be amazing. It'd be a great opportunity. Let's do it. Okay. Oh, back to boy state. Oh.
00:37:21
Speaker
It was both governors right, but both governors I had the pleasure of meeting them over there both were just chill down-to-earth guys who just really cared about politics and really wanted to make a change no matter how hard or difficult is going to be I'm like Yo, I want to be a I want to like it made me like there's so many things I want to do in the world And it's just like you have to choose one or like a few one thing I do want to be I want to be a politician a journalist a podcaster an influencer like I want to be all of that and Yeah, but mainly politicians and journalists because like those are like two of my passions and that's what I'm really going to college for it too. Nice. Go Bears. You see it. Nice. Nice. Nice. You know, respect to both of you guys, I know, you know, once you spend time in a county, you've developed that kind of kinship, you know, you want to rep them everywhere. But I do want to remind you both that Sanders County did get county of the year. Let's not let's just sit here and look at the undisputed facts. OK, Sanders County did get county of the year. Big Sanders, um even though I'm not very fond of the person that we represented. But, you know, it is what it is.
00:38:16
Speaker
oh So I would say Boys' Day for me was super awesome because of the leadership discussions we would have every night. yeah yeah oh yeah those would deep If you're unaware, every night before bed, everybody in your county, we would gather up and we would just get in a round circle and we would have a conversation about something that's relevant. And I think the biggest one for me, and I think Zavion too, because he wrote an oratory about this topic, was should men cry I mean something so simple oh yeah but it was just a conversation about you know men's mental health in a dude full I mean in a room full of dudes everybody was expressing themselves like giving their stories out there in a safe space which I like I feel like out here you wouldn't get something like that yeah and you know it was so nice like you know
00:39:05
Speaker
no names but a few guys they had to step out cry on their own and you know what other guys would leave the room to go hug and comfort them and that was awesome like that's something that i don't see like as an 18 year old i've only seen my father cry once in my entire life And I know, you know, like I said earlier, my father was a hustler. And even now he's just trying to get through life the best he can. I know that he's struggling. And I've only seen him feel comfortable enough to cry one time. And that was when my grandfather passed.
00:39:40
Speaker
So, you know, being in a space where, you know, it was just that raw that, you know, like it felt like a real family in a week's time. I felt like I developed friends that were rivaling the friendships that I hadd built over my entire high school career. No doubt. You know, it was something insane. There is one more thing that I feel like boys, they dig in me, but it seems like you want to say something. great Well, yeah, I want to come back to you. I just want to say what you do now will influence the rest of your life because I had the pleasure of being on the inner circle. Chris invited me on the inner circle of his governor's campaign. What was it? Was it 9.50 at night? What time was it? We met every night. When it was what? When we were running, you know, the nighttime, it was like 10 o'clock or 10 10. It was like, we met every night at like 10 10 on yeah zoom. We all got on there. yeah but And it was the same type of thing. It was that.
00:40:34
Speaker
the release valve, and we were all in it together, and I wonder where you got that, you know? That's true, yeah, exactly, exactly. It goes all the way back, man. Absolutely. ah The second thing that Boy State, you know, really made me happy for, which I also do want to say just on the topic ah previously, I did cry at Boy State like three times, around when it was about to end, because I was like, whoa, I'm not going to get this again at all. Yeah, yeah. but ah The second thing ah was after I went to Boys State, it was when I went to Boys Nation in Washington. And something I was so proud of, made me very prideful in the state of Arkansas, ah especially, again like I'm not even in a native, you know I was raised in Memphis, Tennessee. So, you know my pride in Arkansas isn't from birth. We were the only state of the 50, I mean, 49, Hawaii doesn't have a Boys State program for some reason, they're missing out. But that brought two black representatives
00:41:30
Speaker
as senators. Wow. Me and another student, Xavier and Sims from Pine Bluff High School. Nice. Nice. Were the only state that picked two black men as their senators. And when we got there out of the hundred people that were there, guess how many black people there were? I mean, but like one, two. There was eight of us um out of a hundred. Yeah. Yeah. so Yeah. Yeah.
00:41:53
Speaker
arkansas Right, exactly, exactly. Now that's how you make it make me playful, man. Yeah, let's make that a reality. So um what i'm goingnna um I think um it's undeniable that Boys' State has these really profound and deep impacts on everybody who goes there. um I'm going to give probably my most nuanced position on Boys' State because to be honest with you, there was a lot about the program that I did not enjoy, but then there were parts of the program that genuinely um surprised me a lot and taught me a lot about um people. um I think the biggest thing, at least for me, um was watching the kind of brothership form over the course of one week. It was only one week that we were there, and I feel like there was this brotherhood that formed by, like, day two. And I know, Qualls County is the county I was in. I don't i can't speak to the counselors of ah other counties, but I can tell you that the counselors that we had
00:42:52
Speaker
especially the main counselor. um I can't remember what the name what the title is, but you know what I'm talking about. Senior counselor. Senior counselor, yeah. The counselors were excellent at opening up and getting people to open up. um Those leadership discussions were some of the most um sensitive and meaningful discussions that I've ever seen shared in between gentlemen.
00:43:15
Speaker
um Men have a hard time opening up. I have a hard time opening up. I have a hard time crying. And when we were talking about the crying discussion, it was maybe the most ah vulnerable ah that I've ever seen a discussion between purely men. um um i won't Out of respect for everybody in the room ah at that time, I won't get into the details of everything that was discussed, but you heard stories from people who had never told their stories before.
00:43:41
Speaker
you would have heard experiences that you really couldn't imagine or think of or comprehend by just looking at somebody. And um the tears that fell down the faces of every person in that room were real. And I know that they're real because they're repressed every other moment of the day. um I mean, you had a gentleman who walked in there um agreeing that men shouldn't cry, that men should provide, that men should be always the protector and never the the emotional, empathetic side of things. And those were the same men who later cried in the leadership meeting. Right. And I mean, how could you not, you know, most of the time?
00:44:26
Speaker
Alternatively, I will say, as far as the actual program goes, as far as like the political side of it goes, I think that there's a lot of shortcomings. I mean, we only had like 30 second speeches, it was very frustrating to know that like, you really couldn't get your message out there. No matter how charismatic you were, because number one, the sound systems were messed up. And then number two, we only had like 30 seconds, 60 seconds max, if you were running for and you were sleep deprived to Helen Beck as well. Exactly, exactly. Justice for Ganesh, justice for Ganesh in all his speeches, man. That's what I'm saying. Justice for Ganesh? Yeah, justice for him. I know Ganesh very well. Well, not very well, but I follow him on Instagram and with the governor's school as well.
00:45:06
Speaker
Yeah, me and Ganesh spent a whole month together in the same floor and everything at Governor's school. Oh, man. That was the time. It's so funny he says that, because Ganesh is literally the guy that I beat to get one of my positions. Oh, that's funny. No, he did actually amazing, though. Justice for Ganesh is a monster in the debate room.
00:45:23
Speaker
I had to debate against him one time. I never felt so unconfident. i believe I'm sorry. We're going to have to add a note. We need Ganesh here. Oh, no, absolutely. We need Ganesh here. Ganesh would love to. He's very charismatic as well, too. And he loves like getting into like bills and like, man, he's a he's a dog. I'm telling y'all. Different student Congress when he was in the at the Capitol. Straight dog and everybody like he knew he exactly what he was talking about. The bills got his points all the way out of there. I'm like,
00:45:50
Speaker
Have y'all ever watched the movie Judas and the Black Messiah? I think it's on my watch list. I love Lakeith Stanfield so much. You really should watch it. It's one of my favorite movies. But um Ganesh, the way he spoke, he perfectly immolated um ah Fred Hampton and the way that he spoke and the way ah the Black Panther leaders would normally speak about different issues.
00:46:13
Speaker
I think because Ganesh, a lot of what Ganesh spoke about ah a boy state was corruption. Of course, we couldn't really dive deep into political subjects. I think most people didn't even write speeches about political stuff. I mean, you you guys remember the one speech the guy gave about money and he ended it by jiggling his stomach.
00:46:28
Speaker
i know but nu know take take It was so hard, but I was so angry because there was a guy the guy that he was running against Lily He had five Benjamins, bro No, he had five different types of dollar and his whole gimmick was yet. He gets to the money I think his name is Benjamin's he his name was Ben Benjamin's That's why it was his thing and for every dollar he had he had a pun on The president that was on and he would throw it out to the crowd and the gimmick was so fired and he lost That sounds like a governor's election. That part, that part, that part. One of the best times, because I did my speech, I talked about Latinas. If you don't vote for me, you're not voting for Latinas. Oh, that's horrible.
00:47:17
Speaker
i um let let let let me Let me throw mine out real quick and I'm gonna have to go be a girl dad and get my girls from um from school to practice because I appreciate all you saying and I totally agree. um that The theme that comes to mind for me from boys state is that it does two things but um and that are that I think are unique and that have been foundational for my life. One, it takes a ah group of strangers to the edge of a 40 foot deep pool and and has you jump in the deep end together. Sinkers will. Yeah, definitely. Together.
00:47:54
Speaker
Sounds like super summer. Yeah. I went to Washington. I was a counselor at super summer. There you go. so And it's the same. Same thing. Yeah. And and and and you know you you have to work together to survive. Right. um There's no shallow in leading up to it. You just go right to it. You dive right in. And and I think the other thing is is um it's a helicopter ride. And by that, I mean airplanes have runways to take off. Helicopters go straight up.
00:48:24
Speaker
and And you go straight up. you don't There's no runway. You just you just fly. and And it helped me to learn to do that, to to learn to be in a space with people who are different and jump right in, which requires trust. And it and it helped me to to fly immediately without having to need three, four, five intermediate steps. No, it's a hard task, like running for governor. Go for it.
00:48:51
Speaker
I don't wait. I plan on doing that one day. I'm telling you, like when I reached 35, we're like having the like political power we're in certain parts of Arkansas. I'm going to run for governor one day. Oh, there we go. Do it. So um this is a plug and it's an invitation only, but everybody at the table has got an invite and we're having a leaders can summit on Saturday. And this isn't a workshop.
00:49:18
Speaker
And I don't want to let the cat out of the bag. Kelly has been doing trainings and stuff from all tell to Verizon to where she's at. And she was like, told me this is one of the best training she's ah ever put together. And we're going to attempt to do what you're talking about with grown people in a six hour period. Boom.
00:49:40
Speaker
We're about to do an experiential pull people together, align for missions, and figure out how we're going to network and make it bigger. Love it. And we're going to do it together on Saturday. So I hope all of y'all can be there because it's going to be money. Chris, thanks for being here. We'll do it again.
00:49:59
Speaker
Are we saying bye now? Well, for me, I got to go. I'm going from school for that before I get drunk. Oh, for sure. Dr. Jones, we will have you here again. Yes, we will. Yes. Let's do it. Let's do it. It was definitely an honor to speak to you and get to know about your past and how it made you the person you are today.
00:50:15
Speaker
Yeah. we said You know, uh, happy black history month. We got a modern day black icon on the box. Appreciate it, man. I would like to invite you back and it's not a topic I'll talk on. This is a checkers part of it. I want to be in the room to talk, to hear about black women love.
00:50:33
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. Let's do it. I do want to hear that perspective. I know we can't right now. Well, let me just me just end with this on that note. but First, thank you. Thank you for having the space and allowing me into the space. And and two, I'll leave with this. ah it i I believe in many ways it is a misnomer.
00:50:52
Speaker
that um that that black men don't take care of their kids at an intimate level and that black men and women don't have a very close ah love relationship. and Because I know countless black couples that are deeply in love and and where they both share the load in whatever way is appropriate for them. ah So I want to leave that and say that because I am living it and have lived it for 22 years.
00:51:18
Speaker
older than all three of us. It is always a pleasure interacting with you, Dr. Jones. And these questions I have for you here, I'm bringing them back next time. Bring them back, bring them back. All right, we'll catch you. Thanks. You go there now, Rone.
00:51:35
Speaker
ah so Hey, let's tell me what you're thinking. How do you feel? That's a pretty good start for a podcast, right? I don't even know what to think. It was amazing. Like I always wanted to interview Chris Jones for like the past year, actually, and actually to have at least a question or two to ask him and just speak to him and like have a genuine conversation along with people that I can trust and I also care about.
00:52:01
Speaker
really is life changing. It's just really a blast. And I really can't wait to do it again. and like And hopefully in the future, have all my personal podcasts where I can like goof off, have a little chit chat with film and just get some and get some more goofy side. not Yeah.
00:52:17
Speaker
Yeah, I kind of got a mirror was a on saying like I was saying before. I mean first time we saw Chris Jones in the flesh was amazing when he was up on stage talking about breaking the barriers between the older generation and the younger generation. That's so literally what we have going on right here.
00:52:32
Speaker
You know, that speech that he gave about breaking that old young barrier or whatever is when the three of us met. Oh, yeah, that's true. And we all made it a commitment to do exactly the other. And we have stayed in contact. We worked together. We dreamed of this. We put it together to this moment right now. Like, I mean, I guess in a way you could say that, you know, he takes a little a little bit of credit for, you know, what we have right going on right now.
00:52:59
Speaker
So let's what's your thoughts around him? I'm very excited to have him on again. I'm very pleased with the discussion that we had. I was prepared today to grill Dr. Jones about a lot of different political issues, not because I have anything against them. I actually really love Dr. Jones. And I think the work he does is amazing. And his persistence is is truly inspiring. But um i I am skeptical of the direction of the Democratic Party. And I think it is very promising that we have a candidate who's so directly involved with causes such as Dr. Jones, a candidate who's not afraid of speaking at local events around petition causes even though he's not running for anything, even though he doesn't really stand to benefit that much from it. um i think I think he's a a very um respectable man.
00:53:46
Speaker
So I'm glad you didn't get to the part about the questions, because it did organically go how I hoped it would go. I'm glad it didn't get to the political questions. We can at some point with them, and I think we should, but I want this room to be more like it was. It wasn't about Chris. Chris just happened to be the person in the room with us. This show is about us, y'all. This is about us talking to the world, right and and we'll invite people to come be a part of what we do. We get to own this, and I like the the real conversation. I want to know
00:54:22
Speaker
Who the people come are like who they really are not who what their stump speech is or yeah we were talking about this earlier with the representatives that we were speaking with and House earlier when we were testifying against the two House bills that we did testify against you do tend to see people When you see them in real life and you see their mannerisms and you feed off of their energy and they feed off your energy you get to know exactly who they are on um a I don't want to say spiritual level, but guttural. Yeah guttural level. Yeah, and of course you don't It's not like you can just tell whenever anyone's lying and you can read anyone's expressions It's not really like that but you get to get a feel of what their essence as a person is When you interact with them in in a very personal sense, and I think you really don't get that on on and the internet and television
00:55:15
Speaker
I just want to talk a second about how what we want out of this show. This is our first show. um How do we want it to look? What can the people expect? And let's just take a few minutes and share um because what I think I like the idea of having somebody as a guest and then letting them leave. And then we can talk about it.
00:55:35
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, in like, and ro is saying keep it real. Like, not that I would not say it to Chris's face, but I don't want to waste the time analyzing a conversation while we have somebody here. You know, I want to, I think we break it down and we can do the first part of the show with whoever our guest is. If they stay with us the whole time, well, we'll just record the analysis next time and we'll put them together. Oh, yeah. this is that's my yeah But we don't have to not throw that out. What do y'all think? What do y'all want to do? I think that's a nice idea that we can use oh personally. I like talking to people really, oh boy personally oh oh yeah they but get the podcast started like we did today and then they just come on in like, oh, like Family Feud. yeah We need to use that music sound bite, I feel like. Oh, I can put it on the board and if like, as someone said,
00:56:28
Speaker
yeah that That sounds us like Elvis through don right and then they just come down here introduce some themselves with their What do they do for our occupation and that and why are they here on the podcast and do we just dive deep into it? Like I think that should be I think that's a good strategy to use and then it after their once they leave for the short time or appear that they're here on the podcast we like we do a communal review on it and then we i I like that. I like that idea a lot. I mean, preferably in the future, I would like to talk to people for longer than an hour. But I understand Chris Jones is a very busy man. So it makes sense that it was only an hour. But I seriously do like the idea. and and And even outside of just Chris Jones, you know, after you know, last time we got to talk, you know, we were all pretty eager to get in the same room together and do the years so I think some of that also contributed to I mean, we're growing closer and closer by
00:57:22
Speaker
the conversation. I mean, that's kind of like the point of all of this. After all, you know, I've gotten to know you, Rome, much better than last time we got to talk. And I've known Grapp for, you know, a few months now. But I mean, I'm still getting to learn stuff. And it's awesome.
00:57:38
Speaker
For those of you who don't know, um me and Chance and Xavion have not known each other up until the point where we've started recording this podcast. And our interactions have been very limited. I'm very excited to work with you guys in the future. Last time ah we were in the car together, we spoke about things that you guys cannot know about. Tell me how have 12,000 followers. You're not good enough to hear the riddles. I want to say something with everybody. Like, yeah, so this is my biggest secret. I dropped out of college.
00:58:08
Speaker
Yeah, I'm not really a politician. you I'm just a dude. In my mom's basement. I made it all up. I'm George Santos. Yeah, it's all a mask. I would have got a wiggle fit from your meddling kids. I never forgot to say said it wrong. I love Scooby Doo, y'all. Bro, dream asking for 100 million subscribers before he showed his face. Yeah, bro. Yeah. Just take off the tick off the mask.
00:58:33
Speaker
Well, and I hope like as we start building this, I like the idea of doing it weekly. Like i weekly I don't think we want to do it more often than that. Uh, but I think it, I think the more you do get to know each other and the more you get to flow and we, we haven't even figured out our nonverbal cues to say, Hey, shut the hell up. I want to say something. and Um, but all that will come. Well, and well well maybe you have it. I've been kicking Xavier out onto the table. That's my accident.
00:59:01
Speaker
He thought you were trying to play pussies with him. No, no, we can just go to tech. Okay, out for like five minutes. Yeah. Playing, playing, playing. No, tech. Oh man. So anyway, I like the format. um I will i'm go to try to figure out something with our, maybe we just do one of our walkout songs, a different one every time. or before Oh yeah, different. Each person has a chance to do the intro each episode. Like one episode chance does a website. I do it. And Rowan does it.
00:59:30
Speaker
Okay, who's doing it next next week? Let's just somebody step up. Dibs! Oh, I was doing it, but he did say dibs first, but I wouldn't mind. Zadion, you're the walk-up, and it needs to be like a half minute oh oh to a minute. I got that, I got that. and And introduce the show, who you are, who we are, what the flow's like, what to expect.
00:59:55
Speaker
And then we'll just pull that that music down. Yeah, i'm so ready now My bad, I was thinking oh Wait, am I doing an outro?
01:00:07
Speaker
Oh, let's do an outro. No, you're doing the intro. So we're going to, we're going to, um, put chance on the spot. Is your outro the same song as your intro? Everything's gone. That's the, that's the point. Yeah. We'll just keep it going to be all right. do you mean Right. Ooh. And that actually, all right. Is a good one. mike It's just Kendrick Lamar song anyways. All right. Is a good song. I'm telling you my bad. This is becoming of about ideas. Like myth, low, like we'll be cooking.
01:00:35
Speaker
i think well I like this part. So here we go. Here we go what checkers is supposed to be is for a little bit of company in that fight that is life So, you know, I just want to thank all of you for letting us take the time to invade your eardrums You know hope you've had as fun of a time as we have here. Thank you for coming on to the checkers podcast Yo Bang bang see y'all next week definitely All right hu