Latest / DA CREW Podcast / NATIONAL POETRY AWARENESS MONTH _ OPEN MIC SHOWCASE_ LIVE 8PM HOUR _ PATRICE _DAVOICE _ MELANIE

Transcript

NATIONAL POETRY AWARENESS MONTH _ OPEN MIC SHOWCASE_ LIVE 8PM HOUR _ PATRICE _DAVOICE _ MELANIE · DA CREW Podcast

0:00
Y'all know the enemy. He been busy, but he don't get no victory
0:03
here. He don't get no victory. He gets no I tell you,
0:07
mister voy, she's been on the whole night. I tell you she she
0:10
been on the whole night. I'm gonna go on and bring her own up
0:13
in the studio because she's been hanging around all night. She been ready,
0:17
She been ready, y'all. And we have the poorous of the year.
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We have the poet o the year representing as fired artic magazine in the building,
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y'all. She's in the building. She's in the building, y'all.
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I wanna thank everybody that's been hanging out with me tonight, that's been hanging
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on, that's been hanging out, that's been hanging out. I tell you,
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I truly have and Jory what has taken place, and I don't expect
0:40
this hour to be less than what has taken place throughout tonight. So I'm
0:45
gonna move them out the way, because y'all know, I'll get the talking,
0:48
and that's not what it's about. I'm gonna allow these amazing queens,
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these poorouts, to tell us a little bit about themselves. And I'm gonna
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start with Miss Doubleys because y'all, she's been hanging out. She's been hanging
0:59
out with me all night. Go ahead, baby, introduce yourself. Hello,
1:03
everybody. Gratitude for being here, Gratitude for this platform and just a
1:07
network of all this black excellence in the room. I just want to thank
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you guys so much for allowing me to be a part and to share.
1:15
Keep doing what you're doing, Queen, this is amazing and I can see
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why you are the visionary for the Crew podcast. So blessings to you.
1:25
My name is Katre Hughes, aka the Voice, and I bring you greetings
1:30
from Jackson, Mississippi. So I always say I'm a Cali girl with a
1:34
sippy swag. So I was born and raised in Cali, but I am
1:38
a poet. I also am the owner and founder of Artistreets LLC along with
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the co host a co founder, Andre Blau, and we created that platform
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in twenty twenty during COVID when everybody was virtual, everybody was at home,
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so it was a perfect time to launch because it gave the people the vibe
1:59
of being outside while we was inside quarantine. But that platform allowed for us
2:06
to continue to get to know the people in our neighborhood who have evolved into
2:09
artists and started following their dreams and really putting themselves out there using their God
2:15
given gifts. So we've been blessed to also have heard interviews where we could
2:21
sit down and talk with them. Where your feature Hold of Year Melanie Johnson
2:25
has also been featured on our show, heard interviews and singers and just what
2:34
other business that we might come into contact with, people who have small local
2:38
businesses, black owned. We use their products for giveaways on the show.
2:43
So it has allowed us to come around full circle and just be a blessing
2:47
while being blessed at the same time. Wow, that's amazing, and thank
2:53
you for being a boy and for all that you're doing. Wow, thank
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you and thank you us tonight and sharing. Patrice, if you would please
3:04
introduce yourself. So my name is Patrice and I am from Chelsea, South
3:10
Carolina. I am the host of sc book Gals and Friends and it is
3:16
one of the members of the Crew podcast. What else can I say?
3:23
I I am an author. I haven't wrote the full book. I put
3:27
some points as the books, but I got something in the works with a
3:30
friend of mine. We got something coming up. I'm a book reviewer.
3:36
I'm now starting to promote books. So my world is books. My show
3:43
is about bringing authors and readers together and making those connections. Every Saturday night,
3:50
APM, see me tomorrow. Got another show I am. I do
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a review column for Aspiring Office Magazine. I've been working at the library for
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nineteen years. Yeah, I got all kinds of stuff going on over here.
4:12
Wow. Well, thank you for joining us tonight and being a part
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of the showcase. Miss Melanie. Hi everyone. Yeah, I could a
4:23
book about her, but I'm gonna let her. I'm gonna let her do
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that. I'm gonna let her do that. Well, you know I'm not
4:30
good at this part. Angela Queen, thank you for inviting me on.
4:35
I got a chance to meet Angela for the first time when we were all
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part of a monologue, a virtual monologue, and it was amazing to just
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work with you and to be a part of that project and to see your
4:53
spirit come out of you. And that's why I knew that I was in
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the right place when I connected with you on Facebook. And my name is
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Melanie Johnson. They also call me the Voice, but that is my sister,
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right there. Her voice is not only does she have a voice for
5:10
the people, but just to hear her sing, because I don't even think
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that y'all heard of sing yet, but her singing is amazing. But I
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don't know what to say about me. I just do whatever I can to
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help people. I'm an educator, I'm a poet, I'm a photographer,
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I'm a publisher, I'm an author, and anything else I can do to
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help people. I'm a motivational speaker, and I just I allowed God to
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let me use my voice to help people. About five or six years ago,
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I had a cousin who was found murdered and I had come from a
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domestic violence situation and I got out and she didn't. And my aunt told
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me, she said, I think if you would have talked to her,
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then she might still be here. And that day I said, my silence
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can be deadly. So I vowed to tell the Lord that I want to
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use my voice to be the voice of someone who can't speak for themselves,
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because that was me one day. So I try to use every platform I
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can, everything I can do to just get the awareness out there that you
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don't have to be in the situation you in anything that you can name.
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I've been there, suicide, depression, domestic a USSE. I've been there
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and the God brought me through. So I'm like a walking testimony. So
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whenever I can do that, I just praise God and give him the glory
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because I couldn't be here if it wasn't for him. But thank you,
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thank you once again for allowing me to share this platform. Wow. But
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y'all, that was the voice of our twenty twenty four for this of the
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year. So you will definitely be seeing a lot of her throughout Aspiring Author's
7:03
magazine. And she don't know, but I might just put it on the
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spot tonight. But there's a spot on the Crew podcast just waiting for you
7:14
if you if you are willing to take it. It is one month,
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one Friday a night. I don't know if you are obligated on a Friday,
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but it's one Friday a month and it's the second Friday a month that
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you will be able to take over if you want. It's yours. It's
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yours to allow your poetry and your voice to speak as you represent us for
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a poetous of the year. So I've been meaning to email you. But
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oftentimes sometimes I get caught up in stuff and then I say I'm gonna do
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this, and I it'd be two three weeks later, but I'll get to
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it. But I just I couldn't allow this moment to pass without you know,
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the knowledge and that and letting you know that that is available. So
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no pressure, no pressure, no pressure at all, but know that it
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is available for you if you want it. But y'all move on along with
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this. This, of course is open mic night, and this is the
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opportunity for you poets to be able to share your pieces, to be able
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to share what represents you on tonight. So I'm gonna turn it over to
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you guys and allow you to flow how you would like to flow. So
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if you would, after you share your piece, if you want to,
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you know, talk a little bit about your piece, why you wrote that
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piece, and tell a little bit about that piece, you're more than welcome
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to. And look, it may not be like any other open mic competition
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or whatever, open mic showcase or whatever, but it's about y'all and about
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y'all being able to share. So that's just what the flyer said. But
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hey, it's about y'all tonight. It's about your poetry, about your brand
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and your voice. So of course I'm starting with the voice. And if
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you want to sing a little bit, you can. The floor is yours,
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and we go way. It's yours. Huh, thank you, thank
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you so much. So. The first piece I am sharing is called writer,
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and I expelled it as in right wri t E and her. They
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call me a poet, but I say, I'm just a writer. Well
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not just a writer, but you got to write her. I am the
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epitome of all she was and has yet to be, becoming, constantly growing
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and ever knowing that it's in my best interest to be about my father's business
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because he knows the plans that he has for me. So I don't mind
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the dirt on my name, because see, I am the seed planted,
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allowing myself to be deeply rooted in my gifts. I searched for my reflection
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in the mirror and found his image fearfully and wonderfully made, yet still a
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mess. But when I surrendered my all to Christ, my setbacks became winds
10:13
blessed, but not without any stress, because like you, I get tempted
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and sometimes I feel pressed. Yet in him, there's grace extended, so
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I pass test. Of course, Satan gonna try me, because see,
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I've got a calling on my life. That's why I won't settle for the
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friends with benefits hype, because I'll evolved into the Proverbs thirty one prototype wife.
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Yes, weapons still may form, but they'll never prosper. And even
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when I fall short of His glory, it doesn't change who I am.
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Daughter. There's no need to physically fight. This is a spiritual thing.
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So I learned to slay those giants from my knees, praying. Friends may
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leave, but grace and mercy will follow me. So I encourage myself and
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choose to believe the better days are coming. I let go of the doubts
11:01
and step into my calling, so I can see myself there before my timing
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faith walking. Now, I meditate from a place of gratitude, adjusting my
11:09
crown as many times as it takes to soften my attitude. And because I
11:13
understood the assignment, I know it all works together for my good. Call
11:16
it divine alignment. So when my own strength is failing, I know the
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gods are still prevailing. So I lean not into my own understanding, but
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I cling to His word that says, touch not my anointed, and do
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my servant no harm. I can rest on his promises without ever seeing his
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plans, because I trust God's heart even when I can't see his hands.
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And so that piece was just a reflection of everything that I am, everything
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I was, and everything I've yet to become, so acknowledging the growth,
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giving myself credit, extending compassion to myself, and the same grace that God
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has already given me. Because it's a journey. It is a journey.
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Faith walk is not easy, right. It's not straight and narrow. We
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refer to it as such, the straight and narrow way, But it's not
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straight and narrow. There are some cricket paths, there are some detours,
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there are some roadblocks where God says, no, not this way, this
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way, And then you find yourself having those real challenges of questioning your faith
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and questioning your belief and questioning everything you were taught and raise and asking where
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is God in all of this? And so I chose to write because that's
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what I am. A writer, and I am the writer, which means
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everything is for my own good right, everything that's happening in my life is
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not happening to me, It's happening for me. So I had to shift
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my perspective so that I could change the narrative and take ownership of it and
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find the power within it. Right, because in all struggles there's also strength.
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And see, I would have never known that. I would have never
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seen that if I hadn't had those setbacks, if I hadn't had that what
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you call it slingshot experience where I'm pulled back so many steps ahead and I'm
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yet so many steps far back, But it's really just a slingshot experience,
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right, So I can launch forward and move forward and project further along than
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I was. If I got so distracted on where I was and how long
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I had been there, I would have never made it to where I am
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right now, nor would I be focused on where I'm going. I had
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to trust that no matter where I am right God is there, and no
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matter where I'm headed, He's already there. Right. My father used to
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say, God rest his soul, don't worry about tomorrow. God is already
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there. And so it's just the comfort in knowing that our gifts are purpose
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for a purpose, and that we have this thing called divine alignment. So
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meeting people and networking with them is not just for the awe of it,
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all right, and like oh you do this and you do this. No,
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no, no, And so we can come together in alignment, in
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agreement, right, and still be about our father's business. Yeah. And
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so that's why I extend the utmost gratitude for you and just seeing how it's
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all connected because I recognize the faces even on this platform. I'm grateful to
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Mike again, my brother, who put me on and just introduced me to
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Angela and then I didn't even know Melanie had already knew it. Just the
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Lord was already working, he was already working. And so I'm just grateful,
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and I hope that our platforms continue to give people the opportunity, like
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you said, to use their voices, because our voices matter, and the
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things that we write about, like I write from experience. I write from
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things that I've been through or going through because that's somebody's truth. Well,
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but I thank God for the ability to not look like what I've been through
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and I'm able to write it in a way that it resonates with people to
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show proof. Right, the Bible says to test or to taste and see
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that the Lord is good. Right, So that test that you're trying the
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Lord and testing him at his word to see right, if he's going to
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show you, show himself approved and show you approved that, yes, if
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you follow and study me, I'll show you better than I told you who
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you were in me, who you were in me? Yeah, And so
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I wasn't always this way. I can tell you that from just being honest.
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I wasn't always this way. Music was my first love, singing,
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and I thought that's where I had to stay in order to keep it safe.
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And then the Lord showed me like, nah, you're a writer,
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you're a teacher, and you're going to teach these young people how to use
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their voice and speak their truth and walk in their purpose. And so I'm
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here now really owning that space and being open to people who allow me to
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share that space with them. And I've been blessed as far the Lord don't
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disappoint. Wow. Wow, Wow, that's amazing, Like that is so
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amazing. Like I'm in tears over here, but I'm gonna move on because
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what you just said, like this is what I say all the time.
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And Patresea I saw over there doing all her emotions. I saw her because
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what everything that you said, baby, And I say this all the time.
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You know this world is yet so big but so small because you know,
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God know what we need, when we needed, how we needed,
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and when we gonna need it. And He's already aligned it. He said
16:56
it in jared by twenty nine and then eleven he declared it in his word,
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he said, he said, I got a plan for you. He
17:02
said, to prosper us, not to harm us, for to have good
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health, hope in a future. He declared that. So guess what,
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he declared that it has to come to pass. It's us God, we
17:14
have to align with that that he had already ordained for us, because it's
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already out there, just like you say, just like your daddy used to
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tell you, he's already in tomorrow. Because guess what tomorrow is gonna get
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here. You always gonna be in the now, baby, You always gonna
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be in the now. So you're gonna have to deal with now. Don't
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worry about tomorrow like you're there to say, because it's gonna take care of
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itself. He already promised us that in the word anyway, he told us
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that. But yeah, God works in mysterious ways. He don't work in
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mysterious ways. It may seem like mysterious ways to us, and it may
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seem like, you know, it's just far fetched or whatever the case may
17:45
be. But he's always working. And yeah, he do that, like
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he would bring people together because he know what's needed for just that time.
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You know, people voted for these individuals to be Melanie was voted in,
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so people saw something in her. They they saw something in her and for
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her to be here. You know a lot of people will say that I
18:14
had something to do with it, but no I didn't. People voted,
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They saw it. I mean they saw the thousands of people that voted for
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this young lady and and was sharing her stuff and and and and there.
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I just want to be obedient, and that is to allow these platforms just
18:30
like this, to allow people to know that they have a voice, and
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that you don't have to be in no way. No, you won't have
18:37
to be no particular way to show up. All you got to do is
18:41
show up. Because he said over there, I ain't no Bible scholar.
18:44
Now, don't get me confused. I don't know a lot of I know
18:47
a little bit. I just know a little bit experienced from what I know
18:49
been through. But he say, somewhere over there in Incodus, he say,
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if you just be willing, if you open your mouth, he said
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he would give you. He will tell you what to say. He's fad
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for you. You'll get the time talking. Then you it'll be your your
19:00
sound coming out. But it's all him. But you just got to be
19:04
willing. But see, some of us, we won't move. Opportunity prevails,
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but we won't move. Is always an excuse. But he don't have
19:12
no excuse. Excuse us for that competent. If you're not incompetent, you
19:17
don't need to be trying to come up with nothing. Let me move on,
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lock the way. I don't wanna take up your time, because this
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is about y'all. Because I'm telling you, some people need to hear that.
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Somebody needed to hear that baby, that that what you just that that
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word that you just spoke through that poem. Somebody needed to hear that tonight.
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So thank you for being obedient, thank you for reaching out, Thank
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you for allowing God to use you and to bring that for within you.
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For trees you're up, baby, you next. It's mainly to get ready,
19:49
get ready. Wow. Wow, that's that's wow. So I'm not
20:00
a writer, and my writings start because of paint. You can tell me
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three years ago that my world was the best thing ever. You can tell
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me that. You can tell me I was on this natural high. But
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lo and behold, it was just a facade that someone pulled over me.
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So I was going through a real it's real dark places. And so my
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poem is called d I d A Diva, And this poem was really a
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conversation with myself, like okay, you gotta find yourself. You don't,
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you can't stay in this pain. Okay. So it says, hey girl,
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where have you been? I'm so glad I'm able to see you again.
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You are lost for a moment, so understandable what everything going on.
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But look at you now, d I b A is all I can say.
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Skin is clear, your smile is bright. I see you and the
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Father finally had that long conversation you've been avoiding. But look at you now,
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d iv A is all I can say. You finally see what the
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Father has place you. Yes, I understand you have. It was a
21:17
lot to go through. But always remember the Father had you trust and believe
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he saw every frown, he saw every tear, and on the other to
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whisper in your ear that I'm here. Plenty of times you would not listen,
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didn't think he was near. But look at you now, d iv
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A is all I can say, walking a power that he is placing you,
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walking past the hurting pain and finding new love in yourself for yourself.
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D iv A is all I can say. I wrote that poem one night
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when I was I was at a wall. I had placed my heart in
22:00
a relationship, been through so much with it, just the habit gone.
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And when I say gone, I mean just like that. But it it's
22:14
funny because God is that person to put me in so many terms where I
22:22
am right now to say, you know what, check you got this,
22:26
I got you. So what you're worrying about. You've been had all this
22:30
in you, but you're helping somebody else out and I had to bring it
22:34
out in you also so an she could tell you me doing this right here
22:41
was never happening. And I remember when she came to me and I was
22:45
like, uh h, I ain't trying to do talk to who on a
22:49
computer. No, I ain't trying to hear that, but just me listening
22:53
and listening to God and say, you know what, I can't. I'm
22:56
tired, I'm hurt. This is I've known this person for all these years
23:03
growing up, and now I'm here empty handed because I don't give it all
23:07
the way. And he filled my cup up, y'all. And when I
23:11
say philled, he overfilled it. This past week, I was in a
23:18
room with a bunch of African American Liburians. Y'all me little on me.
23:26
I'm a specialist. I'm not. I don't even have a degree. But
23:30
I'm sitting. When he said He's gonna make a seat at the table for
23:33
you, he made that seat, He created the whole table. I had
23:40
to call Angela. I did what was the voicemail I did or some voice
23:44
sex that I sent Angela. I was like, I can't believe this.
23:47
Like I went through this and he knew what he was doing. He said,
23:51
I got to toughen you up. He a little too soft and you
23:55
a little bit too timid. So now I look forward to these Saturday nights.
23:57
I look forward to these conversations with God. Be like okay, God,
24:00
we were gonna talk about today, you know, And to see my
24:06
daughter look at me and say, Mommy, I'm proud of you. This
24:10
is the same little girl who saw the tears that I cried when I was
24:14
going through my divorce. And it's like three years and now I'm here.
24:19
You knew what you were doing. You knew exactly what you were doing.
24:25
You know exactly what you've been doing. So I sit here and I tell
24:30
him keep on. So I see his blessings upon my kids, upon my
24:40
job, upon my son, like we were walking in blessings. And I
24:48
told God, please don't ever take me from here. If you're gonna make
24:51
me uncomfortable, make it easy, which I knew you were gonna make it
24:52
easy. But come on, let me enjoy this for a little while before
24:56
that next you know, storem come along, because they're gonna come. They
25:00
was going to come, y'all as God as our witness, the storms are
25:03
going to come. But I asked her, come man, let me enjoy
25:04
this for a little while. This this this fews good. Let me let
25:08
me buff up my man, and then you can bring the next one and
25:11
then we can slay it together. But where I am right now. It's
25:15
so beautiful. And I thank God because he knew what he was doing.
25:19
So yeah, all right, I'm stopped getting emotions because y'all about to cry.
25:26
Wow, and and and I just have to say something. Because this
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young lady about a year about two years ago, I begged her to write
25:38
a poem. Like I had to like force her. I literally had to
25:45
force, like she skipped on me, y'all. And she's enjoying the book,
25:52
but she skipped on me in the middle book, y'all. So she's
25:53
not in the middle book, so she skipped out on me. So I
25:57
literally had to out of her comfort zone. See, that's how I tell
26:03
people. Don't come around me and and let me see that you got something,
26:08
because he don't get don't you don't gave me to to see past all
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that that that that fleshy stuff that you got going on. He don't gave
26:19
me an hoe to see past that because I ain't seeing that. I'm seeing
26:22
what's on the I'm seeing them gifts, them them gifts. Is that he
26:26
said he don't give us, y'all. He he said he gave he gave
26:30
us gifts, y'all. He gave us gifts and talents, and guess what
26:37
he gave them to us to use. He ain't gave them to us to
26:41
sit on. He gave him to us the to walk around with with,
26:47
with our shoulders stuck, our chests stuck out, and and and and to
26:51
be looking down on folks anyone gave it to us, y'all. He gave
26:53
it to us to to help uplift somebody, and and and to share his
26:59
goodness, y'all, because guess what that that you've been through, guess what
27:03
somebody else went through it too. They got over there, they overcame.
27:07
He had, he hung on the crowd for us, y'all. What he
27:11
bore in his hands, this God hands for us, so that, y'all,
27:18
we can have the right to not even have to go through half of
27:21
the stuff that we put upon ourselves. Yeah, a lot of this stuff
27:25
we put upon ourselves. When we have the power. He's given us the
27:29
power. So you better know that breath that he breathed into you Genesis two
27:33
and seven. Yeah, right there, when he said down, Yeah,
27:37
he brings that into you. That's that's right. You didn't need no,
27:41
you didn't need no along to wake up this morning. You didn't need nobody
27:44
to come tap you and wake you up. He did that. He did
27:47
that, and just as he woke you up this morning, because he extended
27:49
that grace, in that mercy, that that talent that you got, that
27:53
thing that you sitting down on, because see somebody out there, and I'm
27:56
gonna have to say that somebody out there that was supposed to be on him
28:00
tonight because they had books, they had stuff that God has put in them
28:07
that they were supposed to share, and this was supposed to be in the
28:08
platform, but you chose not to. Why you sitting on you ain't sitting
28:14
on me, baby, You sitting on the one that created you, the
28:17
one that put it in you. That's why I keep we better stop picking
28:21
and choosing because what somebody don't say, You better find out if that's what
28:26
you're supposed to be for yourself and stop worrying about the next person. I'm
28:33
telling y'all, y'all, I'd better get that. But y'all, I'm gonna
28:36
move on out the way because y'all know I'll go somewhere else. Like I
28:38
don't know what it be, but it just gets on me sometime and I
28:42
don't know, y'all, but I'm gonna move on out the way because this
28:47
this next one, y'all. Y'all think that first one, y'all, That
28:51
that that that that woke you up. I'm telling you, y'all shook some.
28:56
I just imagine what the next round gonna be. But this one right
28:59
here, y'all, I can just imagine. I can just imagine, because
29:03
y'all, she said we was in a monologue together. We were. We
29:08
did a monologue together, a virtual monologue, a play. Y'all. I
29:12
don't have to call this lady name. I don't have to be mean to
29:17
this lady. I don't have the own, y'all. I don't, y'all.
29:21
I don't have to be mean to her part of that play. I
29:23
didn't want to do it like I used to be, Like, is you
29:27
okay? I got, y'all. I had to her. I had to
29:33
call her name. But y'all tell you Terita too. Chareda had to too.
29:41
So I ain't by myself, y'all. She had to do it.
29:45
Chareda had to do it too. But y'all did it in love. We
29:48
did it other people. We did it other people that hey, it happens.
29:53
But because it happens, look at her now, Look at her now,
29:57
because y'all, y'all, don't under said that a lot of stuff that
30:00
that that that that we prayed in this monologue, y'all, it happened in
30:06
our lives. Indeed, y'all, this this, this happened going through this
30:11
like okay, as we were training and and and and practicing for this play,
30:18
I lost my cousin and that thing my soul, y'all because it was
30:25
unexpressive that it was something, and that just shook me. It's my part
30:32
of the play was about my our sister Cheryl. Her part of the play
30:38
was about getting a diagnosis. She was gonna get diagnosed with cancer of the
30:45
leader. But yet, y'all, she ended up getting diagnosed with breast cancer.
30:52
In real life. Every trial and tribulation we endured in that monologue,
30:56
y'all, happened in our lives. Yes, but yet we did. But
31:03
yet we are, yeah, we are yet. Yeah. See, everything
31:10
happened for a reason. God bring us all together for a reason because he
31:12
knew we were gonna need to pull on each other and we were gonna need
31:15
to share these stories with somebody else. Because what we overcome by hearing the
31:19
testimony. And if you don't share it, how can somebody here? Ay
31:23
man, let me move on anyway, Melanie, up your turn now,
31:33
cuter. You know I'm a crier. So if y'all see me wiping tears,
31:36
y'all, Yeah, y'all already know this poem. I wrote it because
31:45
it's based on my experience being a domestic abuse survivor, and I wanted to
31:52
share it live on Caterras platform once, but I had another a prior previous
31:59
and game, so I recorded it. But I wanted to do this one
32:04
tonight because it embodies would a woman like me had to go through. And
32:08
I wanted others to know that they're not alone in this plight. And it's
32:13
entitled the Light in Darkness, Let there be Light. That's what I was
32:20
waiting for, hoping for. I could take no more darkness. I lost
32:25
my fight, I lost my sight. No, I was not all right.
32:31
I wanted it to end, no longer to pretend that I was just
32:36
fine. I wanted to breathe again, not just shallow deep. I could
32:47
not keep sucking wind. I wanted to just sleep without weeping. Yet these
32:53
thoughts were seeping into my mind. But why couldn't the light just creep in
33:00
and show me there was hope before I felt like I couldn't hope anymore.
33:05
Weight I see a door, but I'm stuck to this floor in a paralyzed
33:15
state, paralyzed by the fear, paralyzed by the pain, paralyzed by the
33:20
unknown. But what would I gain from leaving this life? Wait through the
33:27
door. I see a light in the deep darkness. It shine so bright
33:31
I can't let go. I fight in spite of the fact that my own
33:37
actions put me here, regurgitating pills that could have ended me, and act
33:43
so severe for a wish to just disappear of what turned out to be a
33:47
mere catalyst for the rebirth of me. A woman previously bound, who fought
33:52
to be free, who laid all the pain aside to experience what she could
33:58
not see, a light of unknown opportunity, no longer afraid to live and
34:06
unafraid to die, now confidently able to search for her while all because she
34:10
desired to endure the pain. Influenced by her mentor and supporters, a healthy
34:15
mindset she did obtain and vow to remain faithful to the one who loved her
34:21
truth, the one she barely knew. But through this light she began to
34:28
view as powerful, knowledgeable, and courageous too because she made it through what
34:36
many couldn't do, and strives every day to begin anew with love, kindness,
34:43
and a clear sense of who she is to be a woman who loves
34:47
herself, a woman who loves life and vows to live it unapologetically. Thank
34:55
you now. That piece I wrote from the pain of being a domestic abuse
35:08
survivor, and I was remembering the last time, not the only time,
35:15
but the last time I attempted to take my life by taking pills, and
35:24
it was I wasn't supposed to be here. It was only me there in
35:30
that house with a dog, and I laid there. And I planned it
35:36
that way because at the time my husband wasn't supposed to show up for about
35:39
three days later. So I planned it that way. But God had a
35:45
different plan. So I wanted this forem to remind people others out there who
35:53
are thinking the same thing. Our plan is not our God's plan. His
35:59
way is not our way. Sometimes life can look so bad and you can
36:05
say I'm never gonna get out of this, and you feel like you can't
36:08
have you don't have anyone you can talk to. Reach out. Don't be
36:15
afraid to talk. It is not your fault. Don't blame yourself for the
36:20
situation you're in. Because my thing was I kept hearing in my head.
36:24
You made your bed hard, you kind of lay in it. God said,
36:29
no, bring it to me, Come to me. I got you,
36:32
and he put people in my life that had me. And you're looking
36:37
at a person that couldn't look themselves in the mirror about eight years ago.
36:42
But God has saw a fit now that not only can I look at myself
36:45
in the mirror. I've written books, I've written poetry, I've been on
36:54
podcasts, and I'm actually using my voice and to help build others up because
37:01
there was a time when I needed someone to build me up. And we
37:07
have a habit of keeping silent because we don't want people to think bad of
37:10
us. Nobody's gonna think bad of you. Reach out. Don't suffer in
37:16
silence. You cannot do this alone. God sent us here as testaments for
37:22
each other. So speak. Let your voice be heard, because you don't
37:29
know who needs to hear what you have to say. And I'm gonna stop
37:34
because I'm crying out. I try to do my makeup, but it's gonna
37:37
be gone by the end of the night. But I just I thank everybody.
37:42
I want to say this. I think everybody who voted for me because
37:45
I never and you'll see my article in the April edition. The first words
37:53
of my article is I'm not a poet, because that's what I told C.
37:58
T. Miller, who told me I was a poet and who pushed
38:01
me to write some poetry. I told him, I said, I'm not
38:04
a poet. He said, you just don't know what yet, Yes you
38:07
are. So I just like to thank him, Katery, all of you
38:12
guys for pushing me, supporting me, voting, everybody who voted for me.
38:15
Thank you because I asked God to put me in situations that I normally
38:20
wouldn't be in so that I can help somebody else. And if my poetry
38:22
can help somebody, God knows, I'm going to share it. So thank
38:25
you guys so much. Wow, Nelly, I I just have to chime
38:32
in right here because I remember when you said that we inspire you, and
38:38
I remember when I did my poem broken records still spin, and you turned
38:44
around and wrote broken Mirrors Still reflect and I was just in awe. I
38:49
said, look at this poet that says she not a poet, my god
38:52
today. Yes, I was so inspired by that a journal and I need
39:01
you to let right there everybody knows I am knowing pull out my phone and
39:07
taking pictures of books. Got you girl, And this is actually a journal.
39:13
It has portray in it, but it has pages for you to write.
39:15
But I was so inspired by her, her peace, broken records still
39:20
spinning, and it just resonated with me. And I thought about those broken
39:24
records and I felt broken at the time. So I was like, you
39:27
know what, I can't even look at my own image because it's broken,
39:30
But you know what, those broken images show the full version of me.
39:34
I just can't focus on those so pieces. So that's why I wrote that
39:37
piece. And yeah, I was gonna remind you of that. Thank you
39:40
for bringing it to my rememory. Wow Wow, that's that's that's that's amazing.
39:47
Like I'm just sitting here listening to all of y'all just different pieces and
39:53
just like wow, wow wow. Because a lot a lot of time,
40:09
like I got a three book series over here, silently hurting inside. Hurt
40:13
no more, you know, because we hurt inside and we hold it in
40:19
and we think that nobody else is going through what we're going through. But
40:24
I, like you, I refuse to hurt in silence anymore. I refuse
40:30
to be embarrassed by the things that I had to go through to make me
40:38
who I am today. Like I need to go through that domestic violence,
40:43
so I couldn't tell nobody about my experience because somebody's going through just what I
40:47
went through. But if I not going through it, I couldn't tell nobody.
40:52
I couldn't tell nobody how I tried to end my life. If I
40:55
not going through suicide, I wouldn't have been able to tap into the other
41:00
twenty people that wrote in that suicide awareness book. If I had not been
41:05
able, if I had not experienced these things. You know, we sometime
41:08
we go through these experiences and we think that it's it's always the enemy.
41:15
Hum, it's always the enemy at us. But sometimes God got to allow
41:20
us to go through these things to build that character that we say we got
41:23
or we won't. He had to allow us to go through these things.
41:28
But guess what he said, he will never he was not gonna leave us
41:31
no safe. So guess what while we're going through and he write that with
41:35
us. Look at them footprints in the sand all them time when you thought
41:39
you was alone, you only saw when you only saw one set of footprints,
41:44
Guess what the other one? Guess who footprints they was? They wouln't
41:47
yours because you wouldn't carry yourself. Humh. I'm telling you he always know
41:55
what we need and how we needed, and he will always send the right
41:59
person. See, no, you may not thought that that you you you
42:02
you you are a I say, a word smith, a words person,
42:08
because you may not. You may not have the rhyme, you may not
42:13
have the flow, because I'm telling you I'm not I'm not a I used
42:15
to say I'm not a poet, but I guess I am a poet.
42:16
I got poetry, y'all, so I'm a poet. And I said,
42:22
now I'm a poet. Yeah, no, I say something m I'm a
42:25
poet. I may not rhyme like you. I may not have that flow.
42:30
I ain't no spoken word artists, I can tell. I ain't feinn
42:31
allowed about that. I ain't even the step out there in that water,
42:35
because that water is another hole. You got to be ready for that I'm
42:38
talking about. You got to be on your p's and q's, and I
42:40
tell you got to be a special person for that because you got to be
42:44
able to feel that in order to fort to flow away by she was doing
42:46
when she first come on here, showing out, But I know she was
42:50
just being hus She wasn't showing out. She was just being hull. But
42:52
that's what I say showing out because she was on point with it, you
42:57
know what I'm saying. And she just showed up and he showed out.
43:00
Huh. So it is what it is. But you got to be in
43:02
a special place for that. But for you guys to just allow God to
43:08
use words to speak and be that voice. I thank y'all for that,
43:15
because y'all could have chose to do any other thing like she said she did
43:19
music. She could have chose to put that in some lyrics and put it
43:22
in a song, but she decided to put it in poetry for that person
43:28
that may not that may not you know, listen to music, or that
43:32
person that that need this, because them these are these greater works that he
43:37
talks about that that's what y'all are doing, and y'all allow those gifts to
43:43
come for so I thank y'all. And and those pieces like I'm gonna need
43:46
the I'm gonna need some copies. So I don't know what y'all wanna have
43:51
to do to get me some of that. If they in books, then
43:53
I guess I'm just gonna have to buy the book. But I need to.
43:57
I need some of those pieces. I got Diva, I already got
44:00
that, but I need that first piece you spoke. We finished fit some
44:04
more, so y'all get ready, but some of these pieces. I need
44:07
some of these pieces, y'all, because not only did I want to hear
44:09
them to hear tonight, I want to be able to share them, like
44:12
I can put them in on the block, I can put them in that
44:15
in that magazine, like I don't mind sharing. And that's one thing you
44:20
gonna know, I don't mind sharing, y'all. Ready, y'all, ready,
44:23
y'all all ready, we ain't gonna do no commercial. We ain't got
44:27
I'm a commercial, y'all. So if you wait for a commercial, they
44:30
your commercial. We ain't got no more commercials. I want to hear you.
44:32
I want to hear the words. So we're gonna go back up here
44:35
to the boys, and we about to let her spit y'all about y'all be
44:38
ready, come on, come on, come on, all right, so
44:51
let's share another piece. But before I do, I'm gonna give you a
44:54
little snippet of music, y'all. Don't put me out there, all right,
45:10
Darling nahlove you. I think the world of you. I'm nothing with
45:21
that, do you. Yes, You're everything to me, Darling nah love
45:30
you, and every day with you it's more beautyautiful, beauty, beautiful,
45:44
beauty, beautiful, beautiful. We stood at a distance, with even greater
45:54
distance between us than we could explain. Seems all that we know now is
46:00
resistance and pain. I mean, we sacrifice and expected to gain. We
46:04
took turns casting the blame and still struggle to let the past remain the past,
46:08
feeling the pressure of will we last and never having the courage to ask,
46:13
what's it gonna take? Becau See, you and I have made so
46:15
many mistakes and compromised on things that we never thought we would. And I
46:21
dreaded being more than your girlfriend, because by the time I'm your wife,
46:23
I best be understood from moments to memories, while life makes a fool of
46:30
you and me. But like splattered paint, we were to find the beauty
46:32
and the chaos. But I knew, no matter how I pictured us,
46:37
you would never frame it. You'd wait until it's too late, unlet someone
46:40
else claim it. See, we've conquered battles together and still managed to find
46:45
ourselves at war. Both of us want out, but no one walks away.
46:50
Both of us are fed up, and yet we find reasons to stay.
46:52
Hmm. These issues are so deeply rooted, causing you and I to
46:59
constantly stay into it. You're right, I'm wrong, I'm right, you're
47:02
wrong, they right, We wrong, they wrong, and we right.
47:06
Hence, while we fluss and fight and try to balance our lives between opinions,
47:10
truths, and lies, change came like a thief in a night,
47:15
stealing our hearts with fabricated dreams, allowing us to see that things are not
47:19
always as it seems. But we believed it made each other feel invincible to
47:23
it and became the depenovy of what we thought we needed. Imagine that you
47:30
and I putting our love on the map, giving it a location so much
47:34
that we trusted each other's navigation without ever questioning the direction of this relationship.
47:38
Be could see we both know how to set sell, but we lacked the
47:42
understanding of how to anchor it. So now we just a float and to
47:46
our closest friends and family, we a joke, unstable and unhappy, frustrated
47:52
and disappointed. But we made the executive decision to move forward. I mean,
47:55
we acted on it with plans of being together forever, without a blueprint
48:01
for the hearing now dilemma. So that piece I always start off with that
48:12
song, which is an original song that I wrote, but it's just a
48:14
snippet of it's not the whole thing, but it's just saying I love you,
48:19
and I feel like I'm nothing without you, and every day with you
48:22
is more beautiful, right, learning and growing together. And that's usually how
48:25
it starts, right, that infatuation pades, that puppy love. But then
48:30
we get into the think of it, as these young folks say, into
48:34
the think of it, and it starts wilding, and you start to question,
48:38
what are we doing? What is this? Who are you? Who
48:43
sent you? Right? Because it shouldn't be this complicated, and love isn't
48:49
complicated and love defined by the word of God show enough and complicated. It's
48:55
unconditional, right, it's unapologetic, it's it's in good and bad times,
49:00
right, it's without ego. It bears all things right. But a lot
49:07
of us aren't in relationships with people that equate to that. We settle.
49:14
We settle because I saw a quote that said, you settle for people,
49:22
places, and things because you think that's what you deserve. Hm, because
49:29
you think that's what you deserve. So because we don't know we deserve better,
49:32
we don't even realize we settle them. I'm gonna let y'all let that
49:37
marinate. That's a whole nother word, but it was so profound to me,
49:43
and it made sense, because, yeah, we are what we attract.
49:46
And so if I'm attracting hurt people, broken people, it's because there's
49:51
still some part of me that's unhealed. There's still some part of me that
49:53
I'm still growing through or haven't even acknowledged, right, And so when somebody
49:59
triggered you, they bring it out of you, and now you wonder why
50:01
you're flustered and why you keep having problems because there is two unhealed people trying
50:06
to be together instead of two unhealed people trying to heal and love and be
50:12
loved by the ultimate love, which is God. So I used to say
50:16
that you know, it's okay to be broken, and it is because you
50:20
have pieces that fit, but you also have to be mindful. There are
50:22
some people who are broken and they're okay with being broken and staying broken because
50:25
they like to cut and they cut deeply. And so when it comes to
50:30
relationships, we're not asking the right questions. We're not asking what are your
50:35
intentions? Right? And we're just allowing people to be in our lives and
50:38
take up space. We're not praying with discernment and asking God is this purpose?
50:44
Is this person meant to be in my life? Is this my person?
50:47
Or do I have somebody else's person? Right? And so when I
50:52
wrote that dilemma, I was very symbolic about how we find the beauty the
51:00
chaos, or how we you know, try to reason with ourselves and say,
51:04
oh, I don't know a couple that doesn't argue, or I don't
51:07
know a couple that's not having problems or yes, but I also say I
51:13
should be worth the heaven and hell that I come with it should not be
51:17
this season of drought, this season of struggle, this season of looking and
51:24
wondering where is God's favor and wondering if I'm still a part of his will
51:29
now that you are here. Yeah, So I feel like that really is
51:35
why a lot of our relationships don't work. It's because number one, we
51:38
don't love ourselves. Number two, we don't know who God is, which
51:43
is the ultimate love. And number three, we settle for anything that we
51:45
think is love because we don't know that we're settling and that we deserve better.
51:51
And that's a problem. So therefore, the title of the poem is
51:53
called dilemma. The dilemma that I love that. Yes you can't sing if
52:01
you can, And I love that poem like like I'm telling the people,
52:07
like y'all, y'all getting a snibbet because I know that this is just a
52:12
snibbet of what these amazing people can can bring to the table, Like we
52:17
just you're just hearing the snibbet. You ain't even getting the whole effect.
52:22
Like, come on, y'all got to go follow them. I've been I've
52:27
been sharing it. How they can follow you? Tell them one more time
52:30
because I want. On Facebook, family, you can buy me as COATORI
52:37
U's just my name. You can also find artist Streets l C on Facebook.
52:43
On Instagram you can find artist Streets and it is spelled A R T
52:46
I capital s t R e E t Z. And then on Instagram you
52:52
can find me the Voice d A V O I C E p Q And
52:58
that's my uh name on Instagram, but on Facebook it's just COTOA Hughes.
53:04
But artist Streets is on both Facebook and Instagram. And so when we have
53:07
our herd interviews with different artists, poets, singers, rappers, storytellers and
53:12
people who own small businesses, you'll be able to see it stream live,
53:16
just like you're doing here on YouTube stream yard and all that. Wow,
53:22
that's cool. I like that. I'm gonna have to make sure I follow
53:24
you guys to if I'm not following y'all, following you guys. I want
53:30
to thank you for about tonight. Patricia's you ready, you ready? You
53:35
ready? You ready? You ready? You up next, y'all, it's
53:37
almost over, It's almost over. I don't want to let y'all go.
53:40
I don't want to let y'all go, but I know y'all gotta go.
53:43
I know y'all gotta go. I know y'all got other stuff to do,
53:45
but I truly truly appreciate y'all stopping by and sharing with me tonight. I
53:51
don't want this to be over, but I know Patrica yea who knowing this
53:59
company is just oh wow. Okay, So if you really know me and
54:06
then you follow me, you know I love erotical books. Okay, he
54:13
ain't through with me yet, he understands. So this one I actually wrote
54:16
for a friend of mine. Like I said, I'm not a poet,
54:22
I'm not an author. So okay, it's called for one night, For
54:30
one night, I want to be in your arms. You're holding me tight,
54:36
never letting me go through the night. For one night. All my
54:39
dreams are peaceful because of you holding me in your arms just like you do
54:45
for one night. Your lips so so much more sweeter. Tonight. I
54:51
wish I can last forever, longer than last night. It's something about tonight,
54:59
you holding me in your arms like you do that one night is now
55:05
just about to night. When we first met, I never knew I would
55:08
feel this way. As I look into your loving eyes, I see love
55:14
and the love that I hope would never die. You hold me in your
55:17
arms with a warm embrace for one night that turned into to night, and
55:23
your arms is the only place I want to be. But for that,
55:29
I don't want that to be to night. I want that to be forever,
55:34
to be with the one that I love, which is you, holding
55:36
me in the arms just like you do tonight for one night and forever.
55:42
I feel like now my dream has come true. So I do like to
55:49
get a saucy and I am hoping that I can truly feel this love that
55:57
I have. That I do feel that God has love out there for me
56:02
even after what I went through. But the love that God is showing me
56:06
right now is just way more than anything else I can get. So I'm
56:10
waiting patiently, but that dream will come true. So that's it. How
56:22
can they follow you and support you? Oh? So on Facebook, I
56:29
am Patrese Grumble that's Pat and Rice and my last name Grumble g R,
56:35
I M B A L L and everything on other platforms is sc book ye
56:43
there too, So I am sc book yall A four three and my group
56:50
is sc book Yalls and friends. So follow us on TikTok, Instagram,
56:55
Twitter, Yes, we're still on Twitter. What's the last name in grumble?
57:00
She r I M B A L L Instagram, Facebook, Twitter,
57:09
YouTube. If you want to get your book review, come on over here.
57:15
And also I will see everybody in either charcen or Columbia when we get
57:21
a spot for AA l AC. So that's me. But thank you for
57:30
sharing, thank you for sharing and being transparent, because I tell y'all,
57:32
I had to push her. She didn't. She didn't, she didn't think
57:36
she had anything to share. But I knew that, you know, her
57:38
journey and the things that she had been going through, that she needed to
57:44
share. You know, she needed to let somebody know that in spite of
57:47
me going through I'm pressing, I'm still showing up. I'm still doing you
57:52
know what He's purposed me to do. You know, maybe I've had a
57:55
set back, maybe I've had a let down, maybe I've had a disappointment,
58:00
but I can't allow that to stop me. Because see, sometimes we
58:02
allow things to stop us in the track, in our track, and then
58:07
we never recover from that. We keep making excuses and it just go year
58:12
after year after year, and then we wake up one day, and then
58:15
we wonder how we got there, how we got there, and then we
58:19
fighting to get out, and then sometimes we can find our way, and
58:22
sometimes they don't find their way. But I definitely thank her for stepping out
58:30
the box. I'm gonna move on out the way because Melanie got to share
58:32
another piece before we go. I can't leave without hearing another piece for Melanie.
58:38
Thank you, Thank you. Now. This last PAS going to do.
58:43
It's a little lengthy, but one of my students asked me to share
58:45
it. And when a student asked me something to do something, I try
58:49
to be obedient. This one. It's entitled I Am. A name is
58:53
more than a label. It describes the character of you, the emotions you
58:59
feel, the thoughts you have, even the things you do. There's an
59:01
importance placed on that title, making it vital that you don't sit around idle,
59:07
but instead do those things that make you proud to say up on your
59:09
arrival, I am Harriet. Harriet Tubman conducted of the Underground Railroad. Born
59:17
a slave, I risked my life to escape and thirteen missions and help others
59:23
find their freedom along the way. Thirteen missions I helped to save and not
59:28
one life was lost on either one. But saving slaves was not where I
59:31
was done. I worked for the Union Army, from cook to nurse to
59:37
spy, and I wouldn't change any of it. Why because my name represents
59:42
the strength of a woman's sacrifice, and that's why I'm glad to say I
59:47
am sojourner, sojourner truth abolitionists and women's rights activists. I was slavery born,
59:55
but that I did not stay, though my owner would try to have
59:59
it the other away. I endured harsh treatment and trading from several of them,
1:00:04
until when I fell in love with the love of my life. They
1:00:07
tried to condemn us, beating him and keeping us apart, and with a
1:00:12
broken heart, I escaped with my daughter, Having my son taken from me.
1:00:19
I helped to lead others to become free, traveling the underground railroad,
1:00:22
helping them find places to go. But I didn't stop there. Oh No.
1:00:28
I was the first black woman to win a case against the white man.
1:00:31
Yes, I sued to get my son back and hold him in my
1:00:36
hands, but that victory was not mine alone. Because my name is now
1:00:39
well known before, I am Rosa Rosa parts civil rights activists. Early in
1:00:49
life I created garments with my hands, but later I became known for taking
1:00:52
a stand against the corruptness of this land, segregating the world in black and
1:00:58
white, indicating to be righteol had to be light or you would suffer,
1:01:01
even without breaking the law. Unless they saw an opportunity to change it,
1:01:07
rearrange it, like moving the colored signs on the bus, trying to make
1:01:10
them superior to us. Until one day I refused. You see, I
1:01:15
had heard on the news of the acquittal of the murderers of m Ma Attill,
1:01:19
and on this day I was determined I will not move from my rightful
1:01:23
place just to make room for their race. Yes, I was tired of
1:01:28
all the mistreatment, and it shone on my face. This brave act started
1:01:31
a movement. With the Montgomery Boycott, we marched for the improvement of the
1:01:37
treatment of all. And no I wasn't the first to answer the call,
1:01:42
but together we stood and united we'd fall. So I vowed to never quit.
1:01:46
And I'm glad that on that day I decided to sit, because I
1:01:52
forever will say I am Michelle Michelle Obama for First Lady of the United States,
1:02:00
coming from Chicago's South Side. I learned early not to let my situation
1:02:06
devalue my pride. My parents worked hard to provide for me the kind of
1:02:09
education which allowed me to think freely, working hard despite meager beginnings meaning opposition
1:02:15
that I wouldn't let alt of my position know. I was on a mission
1:02:20
to educate myself and not let this brilliant mind set on a shelf. I
1:02:23
worked hard to achieve the highest of honors in high school, college, and
1:02:28
even beyond. I did not sit back and wait to respond. I went
1:02:31
after what I wanted. Along with Barack and the city streets, we pounded
1:02:36
working for the betterment of the community. I did not know the opportunity that
1:02:40
would lie ahead. Nevertheless, I continued without dread to serve the people,
1:02:45
showing those along the way that they could achieve their dreams. No matter what
1:02:50
others might say, don't give up. Persevere to the end, because one
1:02:54
day you'll win on the world's biggest stage. Your life is remarkable. You
1:03:00
can compete, no matter the color, religion, or age. I had
1:03:04
no idea the title that would await First Lady of the United States. Yes,
1:03:10
I am Harriet, I am sojourner I am Rosa, I am Michelle,
1:03:20
I am you. Yes, you, just like those before, you
1:03:25
have the ability to you can make a difference that can change someone's course.
1:03:30
Your strength and determination are formidable forces. The life sacrifice before you were there
1:03:36
to reinforce that you can be what you want to be. Live your life
1:03:40
unapologetically free, blaze the trail for others to see themselves in you, so
1:03:45
they too can know what it's like to say hello, ma'am. Allow me
1:03:52
to introduce myself. I am thank you, and I want to know when
1:03:59
you're gonna make that to the children's book. I'm gonna go ahead and do
1:04:01
this. Wow, I'm like visualizing the pinges as you're I'm gonna need you
1:04:05
go ahead and make that in children's book. Okay, I got you?
1:04:09
Yes, yes, yes, yes, Oh my god, yeah, thank
1:04:14
you? Wow. Everybody loving it? Well, Melanie? How can people
1:04:24
reach out and support the things that you're doing and stay connected with you?
1:04:30
All my links are on link tree, this linked l I n K t
1:04:33
R dot E E slash Melanie Johnson, but on Facebook you can follow me
1:04:40
using my name Melanie Johnson and on I G I'm at Melanie Johnson speaks.
1:04:47
I do have other books that I wanted to show. This is my poetry
1:04:51
book. It's on Amazon. It's called Flavor of Melanie. And uh,
1:04:57
it's my first poetry book. I'm working on the second one now, so
1:05:00
I'm trying to put it where you can get the picture. There you go.
1:05:03
And the first book I ever wrote was entitled Womanly Wisdom, but they
1:05:09
couldn't tell me. Now, this is my book about my life as a
1:05:13
domestic abuse survivor. So just follow me on I g Facebook, connect with
1:05:20
me, look for me on linked Tree, I'm on I'm on TikTok,
1:05:24
but I'm just getting started on that platform. But thank you so much for
1:05:29
this opportunity, and thank you queens for sharing your poetry because it was a
1:05:34
beautiful night, all of them. I've been I've been listening all night and
1:05:38
they were all beautiful. Yeah. I tell you I have truly, truly
1:05:43
been blessed to be in the midst of all of the queens that have come
1:05:47
forth on tonight. I tell you I wouldn't have it any other way.
1:05:50
And everybody being able to share how they share, and and and not being
1:05:58
feeling bad about how they and what they sharing just being that boy. It's
1:06:03
very important to be a voice. And I'm grateful for poetry because I never
1:06:11
thought I was a poet, never thought I was a writer, because you're
1:06:14
talking about a little country girl from Loveland, South Carolina, places people never
1:06:18
heard of. One way in and one way out. Never thought I would
1:06:21
be a podcast and never thought I would be on another network. Never thought
1:06:27
I would be done none of this. Four years I've been podcasting. I
1:06:32
celebrate four years on the w b n N next month. I was the
1:06:38
first host to hit twenty seven million over there, So y'all gotta come check
1:06:42
me out. May first, y'all, I was gonna be my next show.
1:06:45
May first, I will have matter of fact, this young lady is
1:06:50
going to join us here on Duck Crew Podcast as a hold. Her name
1:06:56
is Simone Williams. You she's gonna be joining us as a host, but
1:07:01
she's gonna be one of my guests on May first. She's gonna be stopping
1:07:08
by. We're talking about purpose, y'all know I talk about purpose everything.
1:07:11
Purpose is what I'm about. I want to hear about your purpose and what
1:07:15
you're doing in this world, and we're gonna share it to over twenty seven
1:07:18
million people, y'all. I'm going for twenty eight for the next show,
1:07:26
So y'all. That mean y'all got to come and support me so I can
1:07:29
get that next work, y'all. I was the first host. Like I'm
1:07:31
over there with my I'm like, thank you God, you did it.
1:07:34
I showed up. You told me to go, so I went, and
1:07:36
you did it for me twenty seven million. I was the first host on
1:07:41
a network. The network has been in existence for thirteen years, and I've
1:07:45
only been over there four years. Y'all. Look at the Lord four years.
1:07:49
I am truly when you just humble yourself and just align to what God
1:07:58
is telling you, even when you don't understand and when you don't see it,
1:08:02
if you would just be obedient because you ain't always gonna be able to
1:08:06
trace him and you ain't always gonna be able to see it, but you
1:08:10
got the whole fast that his word is true and that it's not gonna return
1:08:15
to him void. And I'm telling you I stepped out, and I believe
1:08:17
that because I'm telling you I would have been stealing that box over there,
1:08:20
and we wouldn't be back here tonight, y'all. But I left out on
1:08:24
faith. And last year he saw fit in November to allow me to get
1:08:30
inducted into the International Internet Radio Hall of Fame for broadcasting. I was named
1:08:38
the Host of the Year, and y'all out were that proudly because my peers,
1:08:44
those that work amongst me, those that are a part, and it's
1:08:47
twenty one of us over there, y'all, but I of twenty one host.
1:08:53
They thought me worthy. Me men, somebody that don't press one all
1:08:58
the time and get on that top. But I be listening. They chose
1:09:02
me, they over that sheet cheat. Yeah, they chose me as Host
1:09:10
of the Year. So I try to show up and I try to use
1:09:14
those things that he's given me. So when he dropped this in my spirit,
1:09:16
I said, you know what I said, Lord, you send those
1:09:19
that that that need to be showcased on tonight and you allow them to show
1:09:24
up. And I tell you, I have truly been blessed on tonight,
1:09:27
and I know that everybody that has tuned in have been blessed. So I
1:09:30
just want to thank y'all. It is nine o three and I'm gonna end
1:09:35
this tonight because I have had y'all on and some of y'all been y'all.
1:09:40
Some of y'all been riding the whole night. I'm talking aout. Y'all been
1:09:42
on since six o'clock, and I appreciate y'all. I appreciate y'all, and
1:09:45
I just want y'all to share these queens out, share their their links.
1:09:51
And if y'all would if I missed a link, if I didn't post something,
1:09:56
if y'all would go in this thread later on and post house, people
1:10:00
can connect with y'all. That's what I want to do. I want people
1:10:02
to be able to connect with y'all, and I want everybody that was on
1:10:05
here tonight to know if there's anything that I can do to assist you on
1:10:10
your journey as an author, poet, business owner, whatever it is.
1:10:13
If I can run a video on our podcast, if I can put an
1:10:17
ad in the magazine, whatever I can do to help showcase your brand and
1:10:23
to help people know who you are. Y'all, just reach out. You
1:10:26
know, it ain't about money. It is about us doing with our part
1:10:30
in the kingdom and the kingdom somebody out there need to somebody out there need
1:10:34
to hear and see what you got going on again. Y'all. I thank
1:10:39
y'all. I love y'all. Anything y'all want to say before we close out,
1:10:45
I just want to say again thank you for this opportunity, thank those
1:10:47
who voted for me for a part of the year. And I just asked
1:10:51
that y'all continue to pray for each and every one of us, that we
1:10:55
continue to work the will that God has for us in our lives. Amen.
1:10:59
Amen, Amen, anything Patrica, Hey, I'll see you guys tomorrow
1:11:02
night eight o'clock here with a new author. Were just gonna chit chat it
1:11:06
out. Amen. Amen. But I definitely want to thank all those that
1:11:12
have tuned in tonight all the comments. Y'all got to go check that thread
1:11:16
out because y'all have had some great comments. Some people have been coming.
1:11:20
They appreciate y'all just as I do. And I thank each and every listener
1:11:26
that has tuned in, that has watched, and those that's gonna hear this
1:11:29
as a replay. I hope that you have been blessed by something that you
1:11:31
have heard. Go over support these amazing queens because they are definitely doing what
1:11:38
they are called to do. Y'all have a great night, and please make
1:11:42
sure you are supporting the Crew podcasts. Y'all have a good night. Good
1:11:45
night, you night.