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Community Academy of Philadelphia + Basil Joy · AccessCo Leaders Career Conversations

• Vinessa Gingrass: welcome Community Academy of Philadelphia and Basil Joy. Thank you all so much for being here. Basil, Can you go ahead and tell me in one to two sentences what you guys are doing at Goldberg, Goldberg and Maloney and what your role is as partner? ⁓ Basil Joy: Sure, so we're personal injury law firm. We represent people who've been hurt or harmed in variety of different ways. It can be people who were hurt in the course of crime, a lot of crime victims that we represent, or it can be people that were hurt in accidents, car accidents, the types of things that can happen to anyone, anytime. And we help those folks basically put their life back together. when something terrible happens and you have bills, have things you need to take care of, responsibilities, help them navigate that path and help hold people responsible when they are the cause ⁓ of some these things. Vinessa Gingrass: Okay, thank you for the work you're doing. Can you tell us how some of the ways that you hold people responsible? Basil Joy: Sure, so lot of times when something happens, like let's say a car accident for example, the insurance company is really the party that's ⁓ held Anytime something happens where, ⁓ let's say, break an arm, you can't go to there's something in the law called damages. You're entitled to damages because you've lost something. And someone else whoever was responsible for that thing that happened They to pay for those damages ⁓ and ⁓ insurance like when we get into a car ⁓ I know if you guys have your licenses but when you do Anytime you get the wheel you have an insurance policy on that car because we understand that when you get on the road there's risks and things can happen if Vinessa Gingrass: you Basil Joy: If we were to do anything that hurts someone else, we want to make sure that they're taken care of with regard to their medical bills, lost wages, things like that. And so ⁓ an insurance company doesn't pay, or if there's someone who is not willing to take accountability for their actions, that's when you get a lawyer involved to make sure that the insurance company or the person responsible pays for what they did and for what they're responsible for. Vinessa Gingrass: Okay, so mostly civil litigation and then the damages would be financial, you know, recuperation. Okay. And does your previous work as a prosecutor play into what you're doing now? Basil Joy: Exactly. So I mentioned earlier that of this personal injury work that we do, a lot of it is representing crime victims. people have been hurt or harmed, kids who've been hurt and harmed in a lot of different situations. can be organizations who were supposed to responsible for their care and custody, situations where people receive But in those settings, where instead of being helped, are harmed, those the ⁓ people we stand up to protect. And so a lot of situations ⁓ where victims crime may go through the criminal justice system and they have a prosecutor, they have police officers, they have people working on a criminal case, we sort of serve in that capacity in the private sector. We help them put together evidence, build a case. ⁓ on the civil side. So where the criminal justice system goes after the person, wrongful actor, maybe there's jail time, maybe there's something else, we go after either the organizations, the insurance companies, or sometimes the wrongful actor as well, but to get financial compensation for the people who've been harmed. Vinessa Gingrass: Okay, touch on your yesteryears a bit. Tell us ⁓ did you grow up and where are based now? Basil Joy: I grew up in New York, was in Queens, but grew up most of my life in Long Island just outside of the city. And I I was there up I was ⁓ 18, graduated college little after ⁓ the age of Some of these guys went on to college in and ended up here because I went to law school at Villanova ⁓ and I've been in the ever since. Vinessa Gingrass: great, great. tell us, school and high school, were you already thinking about the legal, legality and all that, or were you in sports or big academic? What was keeping you busy? Basil Joy: I guess I wasn't really thinking about it until high school. I was ⁓ interested in playing basketball and I think if I wasn't in school I'd probably be at the park playing ball. I into video games, all those kinds of things as well. School, I was involved in a lot of different activities. But the one that got me... interested law, say there was two things. ⁓ high school, I did Model UN, which really me in debate and how things worked in the world. And I think I had an interest or I kind of believed in the power of words, ⁓ I'll say, because growing as an immigrant ⁓ and ⁓ seeing like parents starting out in this country and and and what that experience is like and what how important communication is and and how that can shape people's lives and I'm the youngest of three so I like I watched and absorbed by learning I always found the communication is is a superpower and language is is the way that you You know yield that so really got to use it for the first time model you went and started working on just the skill of public speaking and all of that. I did a little bit of it through things at church that I'd get involved with. But I started getting interested specifically in the law when I did a summer program in high school around the age of you guys, or probably in 10th grade actually, where I went to Fordham Law during a summer and spent two weeks just doing a law program with a of other high school kids and we practiced putting on evidence and like a mock trial kind of case and was the first time I applied you know what I was starting to get interested in and speaking communicating into the law and I enjoyed it there and kind of follow that as a through line. ⁓ Vinessa Gingrass: Great, yeah, so you kind of solidified that interest and carried it all the way through pretty early on. And I love that piece about the power of language and communication. I'm a rhetorician myself, so yeah, every word matters. everything we believe is based on the words that we hear and so all of our connections as well. thank you for highlighting that. ⁓ Yeah, and so that Model UN and that debate skill from high school you're bringing with you to work every day as a partner at Goldberg, Goldberg & Maloney, correct? Basil Joy: Absolutely. Yep, absolutely. And I will say though that it's never, you know, at least for me, it wasn't just a direct line knowing that from high school I was absolutely going to be a lawyer or nothing else. it's just one of those things I think over the course of your life, you make a lot of different decisions based on what interests you. And, know, there periods in college where I wasn't sure and I kind of thought I gravitated toward business and some other things. But towards end of college, I realized that some of those other business things that I studied didn't really speak to me as much. And I really decided I wanted to try law school and see if it was something I wanted to do. it wasn't until I tried trial advocacy again in law school ⁓ I kind of dug that old niche and that spark that I had ⁓ of trial work. And then that's kind of what brought me to doing what I am today. Vinessa Gingrass: Okay, well I love to hear it that you know that revival of some of those early interests are still driving you today and that's we're doing here at AccessCo Leaders is kind of highlighting how those interests can can guide you and push you ⁓ something that you love for a long time. So let's turn it over to the students. Alvin let's hear from you first. What question did you have for Basil? Alvin: How do you prepare for big trials? Basil Joy: well ⁓ a lot of different aspects trial preparation, but I'd say that the basic thing you start with is depending on the case, what do you have to prove and ⁓ what the ⁓ that proves what need in particular case. So ⁓ in a legal everything can be broken down, if it's ⁓ criminal or if it's civil, typically it's the elements the particular offense or the particular claim that you're trying to make out. And so ⁓ that's a formula. I need x, ⁓ y, But the difference between math and a court of law is you're not plugging numbers in necessarily. You're plugging in evidence. And so what are all the pieces of evidence that I have to make out claims? That comes in the form of testimony. So you're preparing ⁓ the of testimony by talking to all the witnesses of the case. You do depositions in the civil side to figure out what they saw, what they remember, what they know. You're asking questions to get as much information you can about the place. And when you get closer to trial, you're reviewing all those things to make sure you take all the most important pieces and you can present them at trial well. Whether that be through pictures, through videos, other forms of media as well, in addition to the people who are speaking and taking the stand. In addition to that, a lot of times on the civil side, you have experts. So people who may not have ⁓ what happened may be an actual factual witness, but because of their knowledge, they can give you opinions that are really important, like medical witnesses or damages witnesses who can talk about what a certain type of injury might cost someone over their lifetime. Someone who is no longer able to work because they suffered a really, really bad injury. Well, an economist can tell you what's that gonna cost this person over the course of their life because they can't go back to work. So these are all the types of things that you prepare by either talking to the witnesses, getting reports, you put all these things together because ⁓ it comes time for trial, you want to make sure that when there's a jury in the box, they're going to hear, they're going to see all the evidence that they need to meet every element of the claim or the crime Vinessa Gingrass: Okay. It's really about ⁓ the evidence have, not necessarily the story that you've been it's about what you can prove. ⁓ Basil Joy: Yeah, I will say though, a lot of times when you have that evidence, it is the story at the end of the day that you can tell with that evidence. that is what we do as lawyers. ⁓ the difference between anything that you can ⁓ put on a chart versus the story that you tell that connects ⁓ with jurors, that connects with the people involved. Every client that we serve, have a story. And we're using the evidence to tell their story. And we're putting the case together in a way that best tells their story. Because that what they're there to decide is whether what happened was right or wrong, and what is it worth in this person's life. And ⁓ at end of the day, it really is a story that you have to tell them. Vinessa Gingrass: All right. Well, yeah, we'll get more into storytelling, along the communication and the power of words. ⁓ But let's turn over to Luis. I'm sure he's got a follow up question after all that information. What do you have for Basil, Luis Luis Almonte: I was wondering about your law school experience and also how you prepared for the LSAT. Basil Joy: ⁓ I'd say that the LSAT was Fortunately, I just bought of those books and kind went through a bunch of practice tests until I felt like I was ready. I felt like I was always a decent test taker, so that really wasn't the harder part for me. I will say law school from... from a step up from college was just a big change in how I needed to prepare, how I needed to study. So I'd say for me, was more of a challenge just to get acclimated to the new kind of learning in law school. Because even, mean, the strength that I had as a test taker that might have applied in college, it was completely different type of learning in law school. wasn't like read a textbook and then take this test. We had to really read and analyze cases, show up in class, be able to discuss and debate changes and facts, and lot more writing, ⁓ lot more just breaking down dense information. So those things were difficult. But ⁓ will say that what school does well is it teaches you how to think like a lawyer. And those were all important things because you have to be able to break down a lot of dense information. You have to be able to draw connections change your argument depending on the facts. ⁓ I the part that was difficult is because that's the part that's training your brain in a new way. And it ⁓ all hardship it really does help you think better and clearer ⁓ and ⁓ make lot of friends along the way. ⁓ In that regard, I'll always look back fondly at law school too. Vinessa Gingrass: All right, so really training that analytical, critical thinking muscle in a whole new way. Luis, did you have a follow-up question as it relates to what we were just talking about, law school and that, or did he share enough for you? Luis Almonte: You mentioned you made friends, ⁓ How does that you your now life? Basil Joy: Yeah, mean, so friends and connections, everyone you meet, I think, in your life is connected to in some way. ⁓ until further down the road, you'll never realize what that means. ⁓ I the friends that you make in life and school are, frankly, to me, ⁓ I like some of the most important relationships in your life. And that's regardless if it touches on your career path or not. They might just touch on your life and that's more important, frankly. But in law school specifically and anywhere else you go, you never know where people have shared interests who end up trying to make a difference in the world and sometimes in different ways than you. There ways you can help each other. And when you meet like-minded people who want to do good things in the world, I think those are always ⁓ valuable ⁓ to have in your life because you can work with them to to do good things together. Vinessa Gingrass: Yeah, the power of networking and how that can continue to inspire you and revive you as you're going into your career, making decisions about it or making decisions about changes in your career. Basil Joy: Absolutely. Vinessa Gingrass: Manie, let's hear from you. What did you have? Manie: So based off of your website, it says that you worked with abuse and physical abuse victims. What you say was your most difficult case? Basil Joy: So. There's certain things that I can't talk about because the nature of what we do sometimes when a case resolves or settles, agreements in place that you can't talk about the specifics of it. But I will say that one case that stands out to me was one involving a woman who ⁓ sexually abused in a situation where a company allowed it to happen. There was a situation where a company was involved in promoting the services of an individual was allowed to be left ⁓ alone with her a room and ⁓ she was assaulted. it came to my attention that This had happened to people before. there was no reason that this company should have continued to ⁓ and profit off of the services of this person. This had a very difficult life ⁓ already. lot things she was dealing with already. And this was the last thing that she needed. It was not clearest ⁓ to make out a... ⁓ perspective. So I had to think a little creatively and building the case and there was some evidence that ready available, but had to really dig to find it. But when we did, she was so appreciative ⁓ that we for her and ⁓ the result were able to get for her. I felt like changed life ⁓ and The impact that you ⁓ make for people in their lives like that is something that always with you, always sticks with me. Vinessa Gingrass: Great question, Manie, and thank you, Basil, for speaking so professionally and candidly. It really speaks to the power of your work change people's lives, and it's really inspiring to hear. Can you speak a little bit to the weight of that advocacy, being that advocate, how to be a good one, and how you with how that sits with you? Basil Joy: Sure. It'll tie in kind of to two of the things we were talking about before, and that's evidence and story. I think those are the two things you're kind of dealing with always as an advocate. And evidence, I'll even, I can broaden it, because even outside of the law, you just call it the truth, right? It's, evidence is a way that you prove what's true. And I think when you're an advocate, you're trying to find out what's true and you're telling that truth, you're telling that story to help get other people there. In the law, they actually say ⁓ the jury at the end of a trial delivers what's called a verdict. And in Latin, verdi, actually means to speak the truth. So at the end of every case, what you're trying to do is to convince the jury what the truth is so when they come back and give a verdict, they're speaking what the truth of that matter is. so as an advocate, that's your job is to do that is to find the truth and to speak it to tell that story so that everyone around you can understand and see and understand what the truth is as well. And you really apply that to any aspect of life, no matter what advocating for, whether you're in a courtroom. whether in your day-to-day life, industry you're in, life generally, you're advocating. so that's a skill that you can take with you wherever you go. Vinessa Gingrass: All right, thank you. Alvin, what did you have next? Alvin: ⁓ What's it like to stand in a courtroom and speak in front of a judge? Basil Joy: I think it's one of the most fun things I get to do. And that's kind of why I ended up here. I'll say the beginning, ⁓ it was that was wracking. ⁓ And to this I'll always feel nerves when I speak in a courtroom, really when I speak in public generally. I think the whole process of learning speak publicly was not just because I was just so naturally good at it. It was because it was just a skill ⁓ that I wanted to and it was learning to use ⁓ the nerves as kind energy focus rather than fear ⁓ that helped me this. But I still feel that nervous energy coursing through me every time ⁓ I'm in a speaking in of a judge. speaking in front of a jury. But I've kind of trained my brain to feel that energy and it makes me feel alive excited and focused ⁓ rather just fearful. So ⁓ a bit of framing, I'd say, is what makes it go that way. Vinessa Gingrass: thanks for speaking to that. How you describe it as your passion and your calling, but ⁓ it still makes you nervous and scared. And that's almost like those butterflies are exciting and using those for fuel to even be better and continue to practice and grow in what you're doing. So good question, Alvin. Basil Joy: Yeah, I had an attorney once who told me that day you don't get nervous before court, you hang it up because it means you don't care enough. ⁓ And tend think that's the case as well because it's that same energy that makes you prepare, that makes you want to do the best job possible. And that's what makes you focus when everything's going on around the courtroom. You lock in that energy focuses you. Vinessa Gingrass: Well, yeah, as our students, you know, start to think about what they're going to do. good to know that you don't have to run away from that fear. You can use it as excitement and fuel to grow. Yeah. All Luis, we're back to you. Basil Joy: Lean into it. Luis Almonte: What types of cases do you handle the most often? Basil Joy: So the two categories that I mentioned, the crime victim cases and then general personal injury. But general personal injury does have a lot of subcategories, right? So there's people who get hurt in car accidents, people who might trip, fall somewhere, have serious injuries, dog bites, things like that. I'd say the things that I handle the most of ⁓ one, crime victim cases. So like the physical sexual abuse. and two, the car accident cases as a subset of personal injury. But such variety. There's a lot of other things that can come up, but I'd say those are the two major ones that up the most. Vinessa Gingrass: All right, Luis, did you have a follow up or that covers it for you? Luis Almonte: does your stomach handle like, cause I imagine you have to see the pictures of the accidents. How does your stomach handle those images? Basil Joy: handles them fine. the of the accidents, a lot of times aren't as Sometimes the medical records will have things a little bit more graphic, or if I have clients send me the pictures from the hospital afterwards things like that. I think I've gotten to it. When I was at the DA's office as a prosecutor before this, I would see a lot more. you know, lot more gruesome evidence if have shootings and homicides and things like that. I've been to an autopsy before as a prosecutor after a shooting. So I've kind of stood next to the medical examiner while they're opening someone's skull and opening their rib cage and taking bullets out of their rib cage. You know, so I was standing right next to him. that, those kinds of experiences. I think make everything else that you're seeing in photograph pretty easy. I've been to a homicide scene the victim is still there and as we're conducting the investigation. So these are all things that I think they're not easy to see, but you realize the gravity of why you're there. And again, for me, it's like, ⁓ you, right? There's a reason you're there. You're doing certain things. And that takes energy from you that might otherwise be, you know, uncomfortable, scary, whatever, but I'm focusing on like, is the job I'm here for? And think that clarifies ⁓ purpose and every hard thing easier, simpler at least. Vinessa Gingrass: Yeah, using that as the fuel for justice, I'm sure. Thank you for graphic details. It really puts things into perspective. ⁓ And Luis know, kind of highlighting you today because you want to pursue this profession. So Alvin and Manie, forgive me, but we are coming over to you, Manie. What did you have Manie: Have you ever dealt with any parental or any kind of family abuse victims? Basil Joy: So not from, in like a case that I've handled ⁓ ⁓ lot of times family laws, it's own entire world separate from what I do. And those types things often take into consideration what needs to be when there's abuse in the household because there's a whole slew of other things that need to happen. Sometimes a change in the relationships. or where people live altogether. I have dealt with cases where people have had abused in their past ⁓ or abused by people that should have cared for them. And ⁓ those ⁓ ⁓ sorts different impacts on the person, impacts on the case, and really how they and deal with everything. ⁓ are issues that we deal with in our cases, but necessarily as often the case itself. Vinessa Gingrass: All right, Manie, Did you have a follow up question? Manie: Do you often keep in touch with your client after the case? Vinessa Gingrass: Whoop, school bell, sorry about that. ⁓ Basil Joy: No, no problem at I I do. I leave it up to ⁓ my depending on their comfort level. So there's some of them that do still text me on holidays and I'll text them back. I'll chat with them. There's something I think about. I've got ⁓ a wall little and notes and ⁓ things like that them in front of me on my desk. ⁓ I... I think about them frequently. But it ⁓ nice to from them from time to time as they do different things in their life and move especially when you remember kind of the hard things that they went through. It's always some of the best of the job when you get to help people start a new chapter ⁓ and then you get see how far those chapters go. Vinessa Gingrass: Hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, thank you. work you're doing again. Alvin, we're back to you. What's your next question? Alvin: What is something that inspires you to continue working? Basil Joy: I'd say that the thing most top of mind for me right now is I have a three year old, well she's about to turn three in April, so a little over a month. And one of the things that we get to do in our job is, know, we're, we're helping people every day, but I don't know, a bigger picture, ⁓ are some cases where we actually get to argue the law and what the law should be. And we get to hold companies accountable for conduct ⁓ is or for practices that are wrong and, things that think should change in the world. And so. Because of just where I'm at in my life right now, I feel like she's a motivating factor for me because I often will think about tech companies and the way we do business and the way big companies do business. I think about what the world is today and what the world's going to be like. it motivates me to try to think about in my cases, what is the way the world should be and what is the world we should work to create? And that motivates me. Vinessa Gingrass: Okay, so what would you say is a problem that you're trying to solve or working to solve to leave a better place for your daughter? Basil Joy: So of the things I've reading about, thinking about a lot is tech social media. ⁓ big social trials going on right now in another part of the country. These are the types ⁓ of claims and that ⁓ like looking into now. And it all depends on, you just you get the right factual scenario. Sometimes when you're at the edge of the law where a lot of things are changing and there's laws that have really helped certain established players or industries or companies throughout time, you need the right set of facts before you can really change things. And you're starting to see this thing now in tech and certain types of companies around abuse ⁓ they're not getting the same shields and protections or the abilities to bury things like they used to. So certain cases where I've been able to work on that which have been great but I'm also interested in finding more cases that we can really turn the tides a little more. ⁓ And I'm just excited to see that there's other lawyers all around the country that are starting to think the same thing. And slowly see change happen when jurors start to agree with you and public policy shifts. Vinessa Gingrass: Okay, well yeah, we're gonna go ahead and get to know Alvin a little bit more and this really ties into some of his interests. So Alvin, I'll be interested to hear what you think about what Basil just shared, but Basil, so you know, Alvin is in 11th grade and really enjoys gaming, scripting and game design as well as some of his interests that he's considering pursuing. Alvin: ⁓ I wanted to ask ⁓ if you guys use social media in your job at all? Basil Joy: We do, yeah, it's one of those things that's almost ⁓ business it becomes ⁓ necessity in some forms. It's ⁓ ingrained all of our life, personal life, business life, all that type of things. And that's why I think ⁓ it's important we address the good and bad of it. When... ⁓ ⁓ When social media can harm people and their mental health, can affect kids, can empower people who sometimes shouldn't be connected to kids or shouldn't be connected to vulnerable people and it empowers them to do that. So those are all bad things it can do. at the same time, it can connect people. It can help you find things that you enjoy, you connect with. It'll keep you in touch with your friends and family all over the world. So there's so many good things about it, but like everything else in the world, and I think why the law exists is that you understand that there's good things and there are bad things. And a is gonna profit because it's in business and it's adding value the world, great. But if there are risks that it's creating that are harming the world, it also needs to address that or pay for it. So, ⁓ know, I don't want to get on that high social media horse because your question very narrow. But yes, we do use social media and I think it's like a big important part of the business world today. Vinessa Gingrass: Okay, well yeah, thank you for showing that kind of the two sides how it's necessary but also how it plays into your justice work. So Alvin, tell ⁓ Basil little bit more about what you're planning to do after you graduate or how you're starting to prepare for that and maybe he can give you some advice on those next steps. Alvin: I'm planning on ⁓ trying ⁓ do something with scripting so I'm looking up lot of ⁓ like courses and ⁓ video stuff like that to learn how to do that kind of stuff. Basil Joy: That's great. That's great. think that's ⁓ an important thing. We about tech and ⁓ the that's coming, the world that's ahead. And coding, scripting, you're literally going to be building it. You're building world that we interact with in the future. And it's language, too. So it of connects with what we were talking about. It's taking language and building with it. Because someone mentioned you liked video games before. I'll say too, I always don't have enough time to play anymore, but I used to love video games and that world is something that always interests me and it's just getting bigger and bigger. Which is why I always think like those companies that even in gaming, you're meeting so many strangers online and that has its own like whole other thing to it that we all have to be mindful of. But people like you, Alvin, who might be writing the code and controlling how those worlds are created and how people interact, you might have a really important role in thinking about that and thinking about what the ramifications of what you write and what you code is. And that's really cool. Vinessa Gingrass: Right. tips you can share with him? Anything you've learned about gaming or tech that he should keep in mind as he starts to pursue this career? Basil Joy: I'd say just a general thing because at that age and I think throughout no matter what you do even if you want to pivot from gaming, if you think you're into it, try to find a way to apply it. Meet people who do it and try to get a role, an internship, something that gets you to start working on it so you actually feel what it feels like. to work on it. Whether you decide you want to do that for rest of your life or not, doesn't matter as much as it does that you do the thing and you learn whatever you can from it. Because maybe you love it and you can just keep doing it and ⁓ just started getting great at a young age. Or you learn whatever you can from it and then you can apply it to the next thing. And the people that you meet, the experiences that you have, you take them with you. whatever the next adventure is. Vinessa Gingrass: Right, great advice, thank you. Let's move over to Luis. Luis is thinking about going to law school. So Luis, do you wanna share a little bit more? He is in the 11th grade and then Basil will have you jump in. Luis Almonte: So this summer I'm hoping to get an internship at Mesa Associates. It's downtown. And hopefully get a recommendation letter to University of Chicago. And then from there graduate and then go into law school. Basil Joy: That's great, that's great. And it sounds like you're already kind of going down the path, what I mentioned, trying to get some experience somewhere in the door, get a recommendation letter, get some connections, because those are the people that are gonna help you. That sounds awesome. Vinessa Gingrass: Are there any other ways he should be preparing or anything he should know before getting into this internship to make sure to do? What's some other advice you can give him you've already done kind of a lot of things he wants to do? Basil Joy: Yeah, I'd say law is one of those, is an interesting area because there's not a specific thing you need to do before you go to law school. You can have any major you want. You can study whatever you want. You can be interested in whatever. So, look specifically in the law, I think getting an internship, meeting folks who are attorneys, that's all great, but you just find out what interests you. I'd say use that uses time to really have read a lot, write a lot, and as varied as you can be in ⁓ areas. When in college, things like philosophy, politics, literature, people ⁓ that do majors, you might see a lot in law school because you actually do get to practice a lot of reading and writing. but maybe you like something else. I'd say just building the skill of reading, writing, talking. It doesn't matter how you do it. Just practice those three things and it'll take you far. Vinessa Gingrass: All right. Luis, is there a certain area of law you're already thinking about, or did you have a follow-up question with what Basil just shared? Luis Almonte: ⁓ I was wondering, does your job clash with your outside of work? Basil Joy: I wouldn't say clashes. I'd say that part of whatever professional deals with is managing all the stress and expectations of work because if doing something to help people, you're doing something important. And if you're working within the court system, you're working on deadlines ⁓ and working with people who on the other side who have the opposite goals as you sometimes. So really it's just managing all that stuff. can't always leave work in the office with a type job like this because work will live in your head. So it's just a matter of developing ⁓ to with ⁓ and really the self-control and discipline to sometimes be able to disconnect when you can. ⁓ Other than that, I think it ends up being important that you enjoy what you do, or at least that you feel like a purpose in what you do. Because otherwise, it becomes really hard to justify the moments when things might feel out of balance. Life is like riding a bike, I heard it said, it's like, the only way to do it is to keep moving, because otherwise you're just gonna kinda tip over, right? You're never fully in balance unless you just keep moving. And that's how it feels sometimes when you're in the professional world and when you're working, right? At any given moment, you might not have complete balance, but you keep moving. ⁓ as a whole, you're gonna maintain your balance. Vinessa Gingrass: I love that analogy and yeah, just finding a way one foot in front of the other and keeping at the forefront the work that you're doing and how you're giving back to get you to take that one step that might be harder at time. So, Manie, let's hear from you. So, know, Basil, Mani is a senior ⁓ and she to be a business owner and she's very interested in cosmetology. Manny, do you want to speak to that a little bit more? Manie: So after I graduate, I plan on attending Cosmetology school this upcoming fall. After I graduate from Cosmetology school, I do want to go into actual college to get a degree so I can be an entrepreneur and start my own salon. Basil Joy: That's great. Vinessa Gingrass: So what advice can you share? As a partner, you're somewhat running the business over there as well. What advice can you share with Manie on running a business or as she steps into business school? Basil Joy: Yeah, so first I'll just say I love that you're trying to get this skill that you want to build first and then you want to be an entrepreneur. That's really what it comes down to at the end of the day because you're starting with... What are you offering people? What's the service? the thing that you want to give people? And if you are good at that and if you love that, then ⁓ business will follow in a sense because people are going to want that from you when you're good at it, when you care about it. There's another layer to it ⁓ that I'm as I work in the business and more. that you don't really learn as much in school or when you're young. It's just like the business building aspect that might involve marketing or it might involve, you talked about social media earlier, might involve all these things that, all right, now that you know you have something off of the world, how do you the world know about it? And so there's that aspect of it that... every entrepreneur needs to learn, but it's kind of related to what we talked about earlier with the connections that you make, the people that you know, the people that you serve end up being sometimes the best people to speak for you because you've done a great job for them and they're going to go out and tell everyone that they know about you. So once have that skill, And once you start work, the entrepreneurship has already begun. And then just a matter of scaling ⁓ the number people that can see what you do, know what you do, and going from there. Vinessa Gingrass: Awesome. Manie, what did you think of that advice or did you have a follow-up question? Manie: definitely say that I'll take all ⁓ he has said into consideration because it is going to take me a little bit to get back on my feet after cosmetology school since I have to pay some of that tuition. But do think me taking the little baby steps before jumping to the big top of the pyramid will definitely help me out. Basil Joy: Yeah, that's all life is. It's a series of baby steps that sometimes looking back you don't even realize ⁓ small they were. There's no jumping to the top of the pyramid as I've discovered it at least. Vinessa Gingrass: I like that you're already envisioning the top of the pyramid, Manie, because that's the first step to making it happen. Basil Joy: Absolutely, absolutely. Vinessa Gingrass: I was just thinking too about how storytelling is kind of going to be a big part of each of these different industries. Alvin, when you're creating these games, Manie, as you're meeting and talking to your business people and sharing your story, and then Luis and your legal profession. Basil, is there anything else you wanted to share about the power of and how you are successful within it? Basil Joy: just say that ⁓ an important thing ⁓ all of you guys ⁓ you begin this kind of journey in lives. Figure out what it is you want to do and what your place is in the world to know where came from and advocate for to where you want to go. ⁓ And even when it unclear, it's okay. It's like that vision of what the top of the pyramid looks like. You keep that in mind and don't be ashamed if it changes for you. You can always be honest with yourself and advocate for yourself in a world that I think often tries to make you like everyone else. But you remember where from and what it is that you want to bring to the world, it's a lot easier to be who you are and ⁓ speak truth to Vinessa Gingrass: I love it. love it. All right, Alvin, what did you, what resonated with you or what did you pick up from, ⁓ Basil Joy here today? Alvin: I learned more about how trial attorneys work and I learned some things that I didn't know about the job and how it actually worked. And he gave me some advice on how I should pursue my career. Vinessa Gingrass: Okay, great, Luis, what about you? What did you pick up? Alvin: Luis, what about you? Luis Almonte: picked up that there's gonna be times where I struggle, but I have to keep pushing to to the goal that I want to be at. Vinessa Gingrass: Okay, you ready to do that? Luis Almonte: Yeah. Vinessa Gingrass: Okay, we can't wait. We're here. what did you pick up from Basil today? Manie: I picked up that your work and your home life don't always need a clash, as well as it takes baby steps to get to the top. Vinessa Gingrass: All right, the top of the pyramid. Knower, how was it having Basil on here to speak with your students today? Cyrus Knower He/him: And I thought was very interesting to hear what Basil had to say. And I think anybody who's got a Teddy Roosevelt quote on as well has to be, you know, thinking the right way. ⁓ So, really impressed that. Vinessa Gingrass: All right, thank you, Mr. Knower So Basil, we're in our final few minutes. Any piece of advice or wisdom you'd like to share with our students from Community Academy of Philadelphia? Basil Joy: Thank you. just say keep doing what you're doing. Life is a lot of asking questions and trying find answers. ⁓ And that's you today. And I think if you have the curiosity to think and ⁓ the to ask ⁓ you go through life, then going to be great. Vinessa Gingrass: that website for ⁓ Goldberg, Goldberg and Maloney? Basil Joy: It is www.goldbergmaloney.com. Vinessa Gingrass: Well, thank you so much, partner at Goldberg, Goldberg and Maloney, Basil Joy. And thank you to my student co-hosts, Alvin, Luis and You're listening to AccessCo Leaders. see you next time.