Dr.Stance Breaking Generational Pain: Foster Youth Triumph Stories w/ LME Tunechi & Tee-Tee
This episode of "Turning Hustle Into Legacy" is a heartfelt dive into the raw experiences of two incredible young voices who emerged from the foster care system. We kick things off with LME Tunechi, a former foster youth and rapper, who shares his journey of turning pain into purpose through creativity and hustle. Alongside him is Tee-Tee, a current foster youth who is bravely finding her voice and identity while navigating the complexities of her past. Dr. Audra Stance, our passionate host, guides this emotional conversation as they explore the hidden traumas that foster youth carry into adulthood. Together, they discuss how sharing their stories can break cycles, build legacies, and inspire future generations. It’s a powerful reminder that vulnerability is strength, and healing is possible. If you've faced trauma or are looking for hope, this episode is a must-listen!
Transcript
Foreign.
Speaker A:Thank y' all for tuning in.
Speaker A:This is Dr. Stance, where we're turning our hustle into legacies.
Speaker A:And I'm so excited about today.
Speaker A:I got one of my favorite people in the world, Ms. Titi.
Speaker A:One of my first trouble foster youth that drove me nuts.
Speaker A:I'm joking a little bit.
Speaker A:My favorite, actually.
Speaker A:You know what?
Speaker A:You know why she's my favorite?
Speaker A:And am I your favorite?
Speaker B:Yeah, you my favorite.
Speaker A:Show them what you did, please, on your arm.
Speaker A:It's the most special thing I think anyone's ever done for me in the world.
Speaker A:Show that Cameron.
Speaker A:She got me tatted on her.
Speaker A:And what did you tell me when you did that?
Speaker A:I can cry thinking about it.
Speaker B:Don't hate me, but I smoke too much weed.
Speaker B:What did I say?
Speaker B:I know.
Speaker B:I got.
Speaker A:I love that on camera.
Speaker A:Mercy, Lord and mercy.
Speaker A:You said you couldn't wait to get your mom tattooed.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:And that just touched my heart, y'.
Speaker A:All.
Speaker A:So this kid was with me in my home.
Speaker A:We lived together.
Speaker A:She drove me nuts.
Speaker A:But by far, I've learned so much from her, and she's literally my daughter, period.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:And then I have my guy, Tonchi.
Speaker C:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:Tunchi.
Speaker A:L. V. Tonchi.
Speaker A:Tonchi.
Speaker B:Tunchi.
Speaker A:Excited to have him.
Speaker A:And honestly, he was a former foster youth, and I thought this.
Speaker A:This podcast show, or live stream, whatever y' all want to call it, would be a good thing.
Speaker A:One, because we have one currently in the system and one that's a former.
Speaker A:And then me that came from the lifestyle that almost was one.
Speaker A:So I think we can all relate.
Speaker A:I got a copy of my book for y'.
Speaker A:All.
Speaker A:Cause I definitely want y' all to have.
Speaker A:I would love my story so y' all can understand me and where I come from.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker A:Um.
Speaker A:Cause I think one thing we all got in coming.
Speaker A:We all from the streets, right?
Speaker A:And, you know, even me, Titi, you know, we talked about it, her being in the streets.
Speaker A:When I met you, I picked her up from a Trek house, period.
Speaker A:And I was so intrigued by that and probably way more than, you know, excited to pick your ass up.
Speaker A:Because I was like, this is gonna be my protege right now, for real.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:And I know we come from the same similar backgrounds from being in the streets, turning tricks and getting money.
Speaker A:I think that was the number one thing I loved about you.
Speaker A:Because let me tell you something, Baby D. This is a different level.
Speaker A:Baby D. Little cook.
Speaker A:And I mean cook.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker A:She get down in the kitchen.
Speaker A:I don't Even have to cook.
Speaker A:When she lived with.
Speaker A:She cooked, she cleaned, she could do your nails.
Speaker A:She'll rob a stove.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker A:No, literally.
Speaker A:Okay, we'll talk about this.
Speaker A:We'll talk about that.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:She went to.
Speaker A:And then just beautiful.
Speaker A:Naturally beautiful.
Speaker A:In and out.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker A:So for me, this kid right here.
Speaker A:You changed my life.
Speaker A:You say I changed your life, but you've made me.
Speaker A:Oh, God, don't make me cry.
Speaker A:But you made me a better person, a better parent, a better foster parent, a better big titi, big auntie, whatever.
Speaker A:You call me mom.
Speaker A:You helped me be a better parent.
Speaker A:Facts.
Speaker A:And I.
Speaker A:The things that even you come to my house.
Speaker A:I gotta tell this story.
Speaker A:When rob the God stove, police knocked in my door every three days for this.
Speaker A:They knew her by name.
Speaker A:Hey, it's TT Here.
Speaker A:Yeah, give us a minute.
Speaker A:And what you do this time?
Speaker A:Oh, no, Ma.
Speaker A:Just rob the store real quick.
Speaker A:I said, oh, okay, well, let's just go to jail, and then I'll get you out.
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:Am I not lying?
Speaker B:Literally, Amen.
Speaker B:No, for real.
Speaker A:And I never.
Speaker B:So sad.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:I think that was the hardest thing for me, seeing you in jail.
Speaker A:Cause when I went in, I was tough.
Speaker A:I'm like, nah, this will sit in jail.
Speaker A:Like, she needs to learn her lesson.
Speaker A:And then me seeing you in handcuffs coming out of there with your head down, I'm like, release her now.
Speaker B:No, for real.
Speaker A:It me up so bad mentally that I was like, oh, my God.
Speaker A:I didn't like how you were confined to the jailhouse movement, meaning under.
Speaker A:Like, what is it?
Speaker A:Like, control.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:You feel me?
Speaker A:Like, you instantly came out with your head down.
Speaker A:Like, they had these kids poised to be a certain way.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Under man's law.
Speaker C:I didn't like that me up.
Speaker A:And it was like, you know what?
Speaker A:I got another way I can work with her.
Speaker A:Put her on ankle monitor.
Speaker A:That way she can't go nowhere.
Speaker A:Boom.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:And she hated it.
Speaker A:She hated.
Speaker A:Just understand the house.
Speaker C:She hated.
Speaker A:She hated it.
Speaker A:But I will say I think you've come so far, especially on your journey, your story and where you come from.
Speaker A:You are special.
Speaker A:And I always tell you gonna be somebody.
Speaker A:For a fact, y', all, I promise y'.
Speaker B:All.
Speaker A:I don't know if it's five years, 10 years, whatever.
Speaker A:You gonna be somebody.
Speaker A:I'm telling you, a girl can sing, rap, cook, clean, and rob a store.
Speaker A:I'm not even lying.
Speaker A:I never seen nothing like it in my life.
Speaker A:This is facts.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:And still be smiling.
Speaker A:She crazy as all right, so I got my beautiful Titi and then my tunchi.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:I want you to introduce yourself.
Speaker C:I go by the name of Ella.
Speaker C:Me Tunchy.
Speaker C:I'm from Columbus, Ohio.
Speaker C:I reside in Oakland, California, now, period.
Speaker C:I'm a music artist.
Speaker A:I love it.
Speaker C:I'm a business owner.
Speaker A:Love it.
Speaker C:I own a cleaning business.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker C:I'm a father.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker C:And shoot, I'm God's child.
Speaker C:I'm a foster kid.
Speaker C:You know, I really was raised by my heart, my.
Speaker C:My mind, the man upstairs.
Speaker C:And just followed the path to, you know, where I'm at today.
Speaker C:So, yeah, I'm here.
Speaker A:And how was foster care?
Speaker A:And I'll ask you to Titi, like, how did you get in foster care?
Speaker A:Like, where did it come from?
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:So basically it started super young.
Speaker C:I got put into the Franklin County Children's Services, Columbus, Ohio.
Speaker C:I was basically put into the system at 9.
Speaker C:Really basically through like, truancy in school, a few cases of like welts on my sister's legs, and, you know, getting whooping.
Speaker C:Just real discipline stuff.
Speaker C:I grew up in a real loving home, but mom was just a big drug dealer.
Speaker C:So we had.
Speaker C:We were in bad environments, you know what I'm saying?
Speaker C:And at 8, I got shot in the leg by a stray bullet.
Speaker C:My sister's boyfriend, they was just teenager.
Speaker C:He was 15, you know what I mean?
Speaker C:I was 8.
Speaker C:I witnessed him do something in the alley through the window, and he murdered somebody.
Speaker C:I saw it in the alley at nine years old.
Speaker C:And then I saw him coming to the house.
Speaker C:So I kind of got scared and just like, you know, like, I ain't see nothing.
Speaker C:And he came directly to the room I was in, but he was trying not to, like, let me see the gun.
Speaker C:So he decided to walk on the bed to go put the gun away.
Speaker C:But the gun went off again.
Speaker C:I don't know if it's.
Speaker C:Cause it was hot or whatever, but it hit me in my leg.
Speaker A:And at nine.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:So to avoid, you know, to avoid foster care, we didn't go to the hospital.
Speaker C:We did like home care, self care on my leg.
Speaker C:I didn't go to school for a minute.
Speaker C:So that built the case a little bit more.
Speaker C:And then mom got pregnant again.
Speaker C:And when it was time to have the baby, there was drugs in the baby system.
Speaker C:So they were like, okay, let's go get these kids.
Speaker C:You know what I mean?
Speaker C:So they got us like out of nowhere, honestly.
Speaker C:Yeah, but just.
Speaker C:But mom was a great woman.
Speaker C:She passed away at 20, 22, but great woman, strong she used to prepare us for it in a way.
Speaker C:Like, When I was 5 and 6, we used to lay in the bed, watch movies, and she used to be like, what you would do if them white people come and get y'?
Speaker B:All?
Speaker C:You know, like, test us, you know?
Speaker C:And we used to tell her, make jokes, what we would do and all that.
Speaker C:High do that.
Speaker C:And, like, throughout my journey in foster care, I used to remember mom telling me, like, asking us those questions.
Speaker C:And I knew she felt the energy coming toward, you know, but, yeah, mom, that's my.
Speaker C:That's my goat.
Speaker C:That's my queen.
Speaker C:Like, she already put everything in me.
Speaker C:I needed to beat the system.
Speaker C:And then when I got through it at 21, I graduated.
Speaker A:Did you go through any transitional housing programs and stuff like that?
Speaker C:Yeah, so we went through.
Speaker C:We went through three homes.
Speaker C:It was me and my two younger sisters.
Speaker A:Oh, so they didn't break y' all up.
Speaker B:That's what's up.
Speaker C:They kept us together, you know what I mean?
Speaker C:And my little.
Speaker C:My middle sister, she was like six at the time, but by the time she got, like, 10, she used to tell them, like, I'm gonna kill myself if y' all take me for my sister and brother.
Speaker C:Like, you know, so she used to really, like, he's like, oh, we ain't gonna play with this little group right here.
Speaker C:Feel me?
Speaker C:We gonna really so keep them together.
Speaker C:At 16, 17, just for my younger sisters, I allowed a Caucasian family to adopt us.
Speaker C:And they really.
Speaker C:It was really for me to stay based for high school football.
Speaker C:I turned out to be a great football player, so I had college opportunities, you know what I mean?
Speaker C:So I was kind of too old for adoption, but my sisters needed placement, and they promised me, like, make sure you get through high school.
Speaker C:We gonna get you to that football field and college, you know, Mr. White family.
Speaker C:That's what you did, you know?
Speaker C:So I really just, like, put my faith in him and I let em adopt us and stuff, change my last name, you know, all that stuff.
Speaker C:So my real name is Shaquille Trayvon Stewart.
Speaker A:But do you still talk to them?
Speaker C:Every once in a while, you know what I mean?
Speaker C:We had our little bumps in the road.
Speaker A:That's fine.
Speaker C:You know, ways they treated my sister when I was.
Speaker C:You know, stuff like that, you know, So I engage with them.
Speaker C:But I'm really so used to being free and solo through the system that this how I'm living my grown life, too.
Speaker C:But I'm gonna build my own tree, you know what I mean?
Speaker A:But you Building it.
Speaker C:Yeah, I'm building.
Speaker C:I got my daughters now, you know, I got beautiful baby mother, my best friend, for real, you know, and then that's where the village start right there.
Speaker C:And I'm just engaging and building people a new TT you know, finding people in this world that can really, like, embrace me, but allow me to, like, be a gift to them, you know what I mean?
Speaker A:Well, you definitely a gift to us.
Speaker A:The day I met you, I met you on the podcast and you came to me and you was like, dang.
Speaker A:I think me saying about the foster care stuff, it just intrigued you.
Speaker A:And once you told me you were a former foster youth, I wound up doing some research on you.
Speaker A:And I said, okay, this little youngster, a hella following, you know, he be moving.
Speaker A:I seen your page.
Speaker A:You rapping, and it's hella people.
Speaker A:They love you.
Speaker C:Yeah, we like, okay, this little somebody
Speaker A:I call Ms. J, she's like, yeah, he's somebody.
Speaker A:I said, okay, well, we need him immediately.
Speaker A:I need to get him on.
Speaker A:I'm extremely proud of you.
Speaker A:And like, hopefully TT you can see.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:You know, y' all connect and, you know, for sure.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:And see how even though you was in the system, you can still make it out and be successful.
Speaker A:Cause you successfully got his own business.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:You took that pain and made it into something.
Speaker C:And that's one thing.
Speaker C:That's one thing.
Speaker C:Like, I'm glad I met her now, too, because as a foster kid, I feel like I was advanced mentally.
Speaker C:So I could see how they was manipulating kids, giving them too much medicine, locking us in our rooms, making us knock on the doors to go pee.
Speaker C:Little weird, you know what I mean?
Speaker C:And I really didn't let it break me, though.
Speaker C:But I saw how I broke my foster.
Speaker C:Like, the foster kids around me, we used to go to, like, respite.
Speaker A:Respite care.
Speaker C:You know, respite care.
Speaker C:And they had treat us hella different.
Speaker C:Like, dog is crazy.
Speaker B:For real.
Speaker C:Like, hot dog with no ketchup on it.
Speaker C:But then cut our hot dog up with the bread.
Speaker C:And then they kids had the fries and the chips and, you know, just treat you differently.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:And a lot of people I was around through the system, it broke them.
Speaker C:They went crazy.
Speaker C:They didn't let it.
Speaker C:And I was a kid too, so I couldn't really, like, say nothing.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Or, you know, groom them in a way.
Speaker C:Let them know, like, we gotta make it to 18 for real.
Speaker C:This is why we really here, to make it to 18.
Speaker C:And then we got our.
Speaker C:We in control.
Speaker C:You feel me?
Speaker C:But if they break us by 18, once we hit 18, the world gonna eat us up, you know?
Speaker C:But I feel like now I got that voice, I can speak up.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:And when I hit on 18, I said, you know what?
Speaker C:The foster care was a blessing to me because it got me out of the bad environment.
Speaker C:I probably would have got shot again.
Speaker C:Something happened to me.
Speaker C:I got my bachelor's degree, so I ain't wanna go back to the environment where my, you know, my biological family raised me with a bachelor's degree.
Speaker A:That's dope.
Speaker C:And just embracing it.
Speaker C:Just.
Speaker C:I ain't have a vengeance against them.
Speaker C:He just gave me a little swag and cockiness.
Speaker C:Like, you know what?
Speaker C:Like, look what y' all built.
Speaker C:You feel me?
Speaker C:Like, y' all thought y' all was gonna break me, but look what y' all built.
Speaker C:And now sometimes they be like, where you from?
Speaker C:I just say, Franklin County Children's Services.
Speaker C:That's where I'm from.
Speaker C:You feel me?
Speaker C:Then, shoot.
Speaker C:That's how we going.
Speaker C:But I'm blessed.
Speaker C:So, yeah, we're here now.
Speaker A:You guys are inspirations.
Speaker A:Like, people don't really understand the foster care system.
Speaker A:And, like, you know, they always be like, well, they up.
Speaker A:I can kind of relate to that.
Speaker A:Well, she up.
Speaker A:But people don't understand you not having a home.
Speaker A:That's normal.
Speaker A:Growing up in with a mother, a father, even just a simple grandmother, that is traumatizing.
Speaker A:Like, and I think people don't understand why when you're exposed to things at a young age.
Speaker A:Like, me too.
Speaker A:Like, this is probably why I became a.
Speaker A:Because I was exposed to sex young.
Speaker A:My mother in bed, having sex with.
Speaker A:And I'm five, and I know what the.
Speaker A:Is going on, but they saying they exercising.
Speaker A:And, you know, now I'm like, well, let me go exercise.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:But not knowing, you know, these.
Speaker A:I think parents, even me being a parent, you know, we have to understand as parents, like, you guys are watching us.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:And I think, like, I got a lot of behaviors from my mother.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:Even though my mom gave her, you know, gave her all rest in peace, you know, Roxy.
Speaker A:Lieutenant Roxy, because she died 21.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker A:So she gave it her all.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:But I think, too, what we have to realize, our parents got trauma too.
Speaker C:Got you.
Speaker A:You know what I'm saying?
Speaker A:My mother was molested and went through all this by family members.
Speaker A:And so, of course, she's over sexual Right.
Speaker C:Y.
Speaker A:So now that comes down to her kids.
Speaker A:So it's called a generational curse.
Speaker C:Gotcha.
Speaker A:And it's a lot of that that's going on.
Speaker A:And people, they just quick to judge you, but they don't know your story.
Speaker C:I feel you.
Speaker A:They have no idea what the you, you know, go through.
Speaker A:Like, for me, growing up, I had anger issues.
Speaker A:I was a fighter in and out of jail.
Speaker A:And tt probably know I got anger, you know, like just blow up, go 0 to 100.
Speaker A:You know, she's firsthand witnessed me acting in the house with her and blowing up on them because they doing dumb.
Speaker A:And it's because I'm fighting grown men at six years old with my mother getting her whooped.
Speaker C:Gotcha.
Speaker A:So of course that trauma follows me, right?
Speaker A:Which is all in my book from hoe to CEO.
Speaker A:But I'm just saying, like, it literally follows you, the trauma.
Speaker A:And so right now I'm in therapy, like, because I'm really trying to learn how to control my emotions.
Speaker C:Gotcha.
Speaker A:You know, and I talk to you about that sometimes too.
Speaker A:So let's ask you, Titi, how did you get in foster care, if you don't mind speaking about with your cute self?
Speaker A:And thank you, Tunchy.
Speaker A:I got you telling me Tunchy.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B:That was a beautiful story.
Speaker A:It was.
Speaker C:I appreciate you.
Speaker A:This kid, you tickled me.
Speaker B:That was this crazy for real.
Speaker B:Oh,
Speaker A:how old were you when you first got in the system?
Speaker B:Well, I've been in and out.
Speaker B:This is why I found out I was in and out the system, because I read my court report not that long ago.
Speaker B:I was in and out the system like four times before I was 12 and stayed in the system all the way until now.
Speaker C:Oh, wow.
Speaker B:But I didn't even know that, like, my parents, like lost this heck of times because they kept finding my mom with drugs in her system and stuff or it's like DV or something.
Speaker A:So domestic violence.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So basically my dad beat up my mom.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:So reason why we first up went to foster care was my dad beat up my mom and he used to put his hands on her a lot and stuff.
Speaker B:And my mom ran out through the back that night and she went to the hospital.
Speaker B:And when she left, you know, my dad, like took the anger out on me, you know, put his hands on me and stuff.
Speaker B:And after when she went to the.
Speaker B:After when she went to the hospital, right.
Speaker B:They like, so what happened?
Speaker B:And stuff.
Speaker B:She tell them what happened.
Speaker B:They call the police.
Speaker B:The police come in the morning to come get us.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:Well, really, they came to arrest him.
Speaker B:They didn't come to get us.
Speaker B:That's really.
Speaker B:They came to arrest him.
Speaker B:And they dropped my mama off right before.
Speaker B:You know, I'm gonna just get that.
Speaker B:So basically, long story short, so after that, my mom come.
Speaker B:She there, and I'm basically doing everything and stuff.
Speaker B:And, like, she not really doing much and stuff.
Speaker B:And then the next day go by, in.
Speaker B:In that day, we need to, like, laundry soap or something.
Speaker B:So I'm like, we should go to Walmart and go get some laundry.
Speaker B:So we should walk, go to Walmart.
Speaker B:And she kept taking so long.
Speaker B:I'm like, why did she take so long?
Speaker B:Like, I'm just getting the kids dressed by myself and everything.
Speaker B:And then I know you hear them knocks on the door.
Speaker B:I'm like, what the.
Speaker B:Who is that?
Speaker A:That feeling.
Speaker C:I feel it right now.
Speaker B:For real.
Speaker B:That feeling.
Speaker B:Don't go away.
Speaker B:Remember that.
Speaker A:That's.
Speaker A:That is deep.
Speaker B:And after that, once I knew that was cps, I'm like, we had a German shepherd, so I grabbed a German shepherd because we always used to train him to attack.
Speaker B:We do a little training and stuff, and he gonna attack when I say attack.
Speaker B:So I grab like, the.
Speaker B:The taser and stuff, and I gave my little brother the pepper spray.
Speaker B:And I'm like, they not taking this.
Speaker B:Like, we finna spray that.
Speaker B:Yes, we gonna get this dog to attack him.
Speaker B:But long story short, they had called the police and then make me calm down and then put us in the car, took us off.
Speaker B:Once they took us, my mom, like, just went off and did her own thing.
Speaker B:She always put, like, a dude before us and stuff.
Speaker B:She was always that type of person.
Speaker B:I'm white and black.
Speaker B:My dad black, my mom white.
Speaker B:And, yeah, she always put a dude before us and stuff.
Speaker B:So she wasn't really concerned about us when we got in the system.
Speaker B:So after we in the system, we would have went back home, but, like, all right, so we would have went back home.
Speaker A:Keep in mind, you help y' all helping others.
Speaker A:I know this is probably the hardest thing to do, to tell your story, but to be honest, it's a healing process.
Speaker B:It is.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:It took me a long time to tell the world I was a ho.
Speaker A:Yeah, I'm talking about real.
Speaker A:On the track, bush Street, Frisco, 10 toes.
Speaker A:You know, Real.
Speaker A:It's hard to tell that story.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:So just know that I honor you guys and love and appreciate y' all for sharing your story, because it's not easy to tell this story, but people need to hear it because y' all changing lives.
Speaker A:No, this is facts.
Speaker A:Because there's so many youth that are.
Speaker A:Went through what y' all went through, and ain't nobody here to talk to them about it.
Speaker A:Ain't nobody here to hear their story and really give a.
Speaker A:You get what I'm saying?
Speaker A:So I just.
Speaker A:I honor and I praise y'.
Speaker B:All.
Speaker A:Cause I know it's hard.
Speaker A:When you said that knock on the door, that hit a button with you, I had that same knock on the door.
Speaker A:I just was fortunate for my grandmother to be on the other side, but I would have been in the same situation.
Speaker A:You know what I'm saying?
Speaker A:So I honor you for coming on, because I know your story, and I know it's not the easiest to talk about, but I will say it's good
Speaker B:to talk about it sometimes.
Speaker A:That's what I be saying.
Speaker A:That's why I wanted to do this, because you need to let that out.
Speaker A:And you a man.
Speaker A:You a real man for crying and.
Speaker A:And letting the world know that that hurt.
Speaker A:Do you know.
Speaker A:And just not having parents.
Speaker A:You don't make me cry.
Speaker A:But just not having parents is.
Speaker A:It's hard that, you know, even losing my mom, like, you know, my head, I got this makeup on.
Speaker B:I'm trying to hold it back.
Speaker A:You know, it's just.
Speaker A:It's not easy.
Speaker A:And I don't want you to feel pressure to talk about, you know, because it's your get deep.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah.
Speaker B:It's okay.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:I can talk about it.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Because, you know, when we was on the news, me and her was on the news.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Thank you, mama.
Speaker A:I stepped up quick.
Speaker A:I was her voice.
Speaker A:You know, it's.
Speaker A:I'll let you tell it, but I just want you to know, like, I want you to feel comfortable.
Speaker A:Like, you tell what you want to tell.
Speaker A:That's why I gave y' all that platform.
Speaker A:I'm not telling y' all story.
Speaker A:This your story and your time to tell people and to help others.
Speaker A:Because you wouldn't believe.
Speaker A:Y' all know I do the transitional housing.
Speaker A:I be.
Speaker A:I get them stories all the time.
Speaker A:All the time.
Speaker B:All the time.
Speaker A:It blows me the F back.
Speaker A:You can't make this up.
Speaker A:This is real life.
Speaker A:So I want you to tell your story.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:Because you are a success story.
Speaker B:I am.
Speaker B:I didn't let it break me at all.
Speaker A:And I always tell you that God chooses certain people to have tough lives because, like I told you, you're going to Be that voice or person to help other people that went through what you're doing.
Speaker A:Because some people don't heal from that.
Speaker B:They don't.
Speaker A:And you are healed more than what you know.
Speaker B:Yeah, I am.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:You think he's a little.
Speaker A:But you.
Speaker B:You.
Speaker A:You.
Speaker A:I don't know if I could have went through it.
Speaker A:You get what I'm saying?
Speaker A:But tell them, you know.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:I know it's hard.
Speaker B:So basically, what happened was my mama.
Speaker B:She wasn't there.
Speaker B:You feel me?
Speaker B:I already said that.
Speaker B:She wasn't there.
Speaker B:She choose the man over us.
Speaker B:There's things that you got to do to get your kids back when you go to the system.
Speaker B:You got to take drug testing and stuff.
Speaker B:If you was involved in that type of activity when you got took, which they did, they had methamphetamines and stuff.
Speaker B:So, yeah, I do drug testing.
Speaker B:You got to do parenting classes.
Speaker B:There was DV in house.
Speaker B:So you got to do the.
Speaker B:The mess.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Yeah, you got to do them classes and do visits with your kids.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:So my mama didn't do none of that.
Speaker B:She didn't show up to anything.
Speaker B:She just disappeared on us, and then.
Speaker B:Yeah, she just disappeared on us, and then my.
Speaker B:My dad, like, he would.
Speaker B:He would do that stuff, like.
Speaker B:And this is what's gonna make it up.
Speaker B:That's why I'm saying this part, because my dad would do all that.
Speaker B:My dad would go to all the parenting classes.
Speaker B:My dad would do everything.
Speaker B:Like, my dad was my best friend at a point in time.
Speaker B:Like, for me, he didn't do them things to me.
Speaker B:Like, for me, he treated me how you supposed to treat me at first.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Pudding.
Speaker B:So basically, long story short.
Speaker B:Basically, long story short, I. I felt uncomfortable because one day was at the visits, you know, like I said, my dad was going to visit.
Speaker B:He was doing everything he was supposed to do.
Speaker B:He was gonna get us back.
Speaker B:Like, he was this close to getting us back.
Speaker B:But I feel very uncomfortable because one day we was out to visit.
Speaker B:I have two little sisters, and I got four brothers.
Speaker B:They all.
Speaker B:My little brothers.
Speaker B:And then we've got the same mom and dad.
Speaker B:And I got one older sister.
Speaker B:She in the game and stuff.
Speaker B:She just lost, like, and the same thing happened to her.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:But she didn't get out of it.
Speaker B:Like, she got sucked in, and she.
Speaker B:A prime example, literally.
Speaker B:But long story short, you talking about
Speaker A:the whole game, right?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Like, she.
Speaker B:She in the game, like, and she.
Speaker B:And she let it break her.
Speaker B:Like, she looks bad.
Speaker B:She looks so bad.
Speaker B:My Sister got.
Speaker B:She was working on a track and she got hit by a car and she broke her ribs and she lost all her teeth and everything.
Speaker B:She young.
Speaker B:Like she don't.
Speaker B:She not the same.
Speaker B:No.
Speaker B:This probably was like three years ago, but she like, she up now.
Speaker B:Not.
Speaker B:And she just looks so skinny.
Speaker B:She looks so dead.
Speaker B:Like, it just looks so sad.
Speaker B:You can see what it would do towards the person when you don't take control of it and don't let it take control of you.
Speaker B:You know what I'm saying?
Speaker B:So, basically, long story short, my dad put my little sister on his lap and she was calling him daddy.
Speaker B:And it made me feel uncomfortable because I was thinking my dad gonna do it to her because he had like.
Speaker B:So then that's when I'm like, okay, I'm gonna go tell.
Speaker B:So I told her he, you know, he was touching on me and stuff and sexually assaulted me.
Speaker B:Molesting me, Raping.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:My biological father, my dad.
Speaker B:And he black too, so.
Speaker B:And I ain't even trying to say it like that.
Speaker B:Cause most of the time when you think of stuff like that, you be like, you feel me?
Speaker B:That's the another race or something.
Speaker B:Feel me?
Speaker B:Like the Mexicans or something like that.
Speaker B:I ain't even trying to be like that.
Speaker B:I'm just saying, like, that's what you really.
Speaker A:This your story.
Speaker B:Feel me?
Speaker B:That's what I think, you know.
Speaker B:But to consider it was my own dad.
Speaker B:He wasn't like a weirdo.
Speaker B:You feel me?
Speaker B:There's some.
Speaker B:There's weirdos in all type of races, you know me.
Speaker B:But he wasn't a weirdo.
Speaker B:Like he was like.
Speaker B:He seemed like a regular dude.
Speaker B:That's the part that was scary because he was intelligent, he said all the right things.
Speaker B:He was very manipulative too.
Speaker B:Like he knew how to talk to people and he just.
Speaker B:And he was from Richmond and stuff and like he just.
Speaker B:He knew hella people and stuff.
Speaker B:And he seemed like he wasn't a weirdo.
Speaker B:Like, you know what I mean?
Speaker B:But he was a weirdo.
Speaker B:He touched my older sister and stuff and everything.
Speaker B:So I felt like it was just going to be.
Speaker B:Keep going down.
Speaker B:Like touched my little sister, my old sister left.
Speaker B:He touched me.
Speaker B:When I leave, he gonna touch my little sister.
Speaker B:It might not be today and it might not be tomorrow.
Speaker B:May not be a year from now, but he gonna touch her eventually.
Speaker B:So I made that sacrifice and I told and they had.
Speaker A:Good for you.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B:Yeah, I was very scared too, because after that they took everybody from me.
Speaker B:Like, I mean they, they took everybody from.
Speaker B:Everybody was just going after that.
Speaker B:My little brothers and sister just spread apart.
Speaker B:Like my little brothers was together.
Speaker B:Some of them was together.
Speaker B:My other one, my little brother David, he right under me.
Speaker B:He.
Speaker B:He like on my dad's side about everything.
Speaker B:Like, my brother's a weirdo.
Speaker B:For real.
Speaker B:Like real weirdo.
Speaker B:Like, he, he on my dad's side.
Speaker B:He be like.
Speaker B:He told me something like if he had a model for a daughter, he would her too.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:Which is some crazy to say.
Speaker C:I feel you though.
Speaker B:And like, well, he traumatized.
Speaker B:It is, it is traumatized.
Speaker B:But we a year, not even a year and a half a year and like two months apart.
Speaker B:Like we not that far apart.
Speaker B:You feel me?
Speaker B:And at once upon time I was up in the mind too he my head up too.
Speaker B:I didn't know what was right and wrong and I didn't know what a family is.
Speaker B:And I was, I was too.
Speaker B:But I learned how to be better.
Speaker B:I learned in the world.
Speaker B:I had to go through stuff and sometimes I up.
Speaker B:But I learned what is right and what is wrong.
Speaker B:I learned with somebody.
Speaker B:Somebody supposed to treat you how.
Speaker B:Somebody not supposed to treat you.
Speaker B:I learned how you're supposed to raise a child, how you're not supposed to raise a child.
Speaker A:You know, I always.
Speaker A:I ain't never met nobody like her.
Speaker A:Like, especially going through what she went through.
Speaker A:Like this is real life.
Speaker A:Yeah, you did.
Speaker C:You split apart and broke up, but you saved.
Speaker B:Literally.
Speaker B:That's what I'll be saying.
Speaker B:Literally.
Speaker B:They don't.
Speaker B:I don't know if they see it like that.
Speaker B:And then that stuff apart because I don't get to see him or nothing.
Speaker B:My two little sisters are in Texas.
Speaker B:They adopted my three little brothers.
Speaker B:My little brother birthday is tomorrow.
Speaker B:I don't even know how old he's going to turn.
Speaker B:It's been so long.
Speaker B:Like, I missed him so much.
Speaker B:I don't get to see him.
Speaker B:And they right down the street.
Speaker B:I live in Vallejo, they live in Richmond.
Speaker B:Like they right down the street from everything.
Speaker B:But everybody don't with me because my mama's like, she be very mean to me.
Speaker B:She says very rude things to me.
Speaker B:Like she had put a gun out on me when I was younger and was like, you my husband.
Speaker B:Like I got touched on.
Speaker B:You supposed to protect me.
Speaker B:You my mommy supposed to protect me.
Speaker B:You didn't protect me.
Speaker B:You're not supposed to say no crazy like that and pull a gun out on me.
Speaker B:Like she didn't did me.
Speaker B:Hella crazy.
Speaker B:Just said so many crazy things like.
Speaker B:And we just, we don't with it, but when we get into it, she'll say something crazy and I say something crazy back.
Speaker B:Cause you're not finished talking to me like that.
Speaker B:You know, you was never there for you to even say anything to me, especially nothing like that.
Speaker B:So basically when I say my stuff back, she'll go and tell the whole family.
Speaker B:And then now everybody don't me, they say I'm a disrespectful child, but I'm not disrespectful.
Speaker B:You shouldn't do that to me.
Speaker B:You shouldn't treat me like that.
Speaker B:God says that you shouldn't.
Speaker B:You shouldn't disrespect your parents and stuff.
Speaker B:And you know, you should honor thy mother and father.
Speaker B:Yeah, you supposed to honor thy mother and father.
Speaker B:But your parents are supposed to provoke your children, you know.
Speaker B:Y' all get what I'm trying to say?
Speaker B:You feel me?
Speaker A:No facts.
Speaker B:Not supposed to do that to them.
Speaker B:So it goes a two way street.
Speaker B:I can respect you.
Speaker B:And the thing is, I be crying about it to this day.
Speaker B:Like, I just made a song about it the other day because it was hurting my feelings and stuff.
Speaker B:Like, she just left me, you know, like, even when I was in your house.
Speaker B:And that's why I loved you so much.
Speaker B:Well, not why, but I loved you more reasons.
Speaker B:More than just that reason.
Speaker B:But that was one reason why I love you so much.
Speaker B:Because my mama, when I get on phone, her, she talking about I'm not her responsibility no more.
Speaker B:I'm 17, I'm in the system.
Speaker B:You haven't been there since I was 12.
Speaker B:Like, you know what I mean?
Speaker B:And you, you took the steps to give me.
Speaker B:You feel me?
Speaker B:And you saved me.
Speaker B:Like, for real.
Speaker B:Like, I wanted to get out, but I didn't know how to get out.
Speaker B:I know what to do.
Speaker B:Like, I had nobody to follow.
Speaker B:And like, I was like scared because, you know, like, I don't have anything for me.
Speaker B:And money is all I got.
Speaker B:Anything.
Speaker B:Like me, a tablet, phone, like, that's like, that's all I got.
Speaker B:For real.
Speaker B:That's why I care about my stuff so much.
Speaker A:But I know, I noticed all foster kids do.
Speaker B:For real.
Speaker A:Like, I know.
Speaker A:Remember when I psychological.
Speaker A:It's definitely a psychological thing.
Speaker A:And I remember when you came, you had five cats in the house.
Speaker A:She had five cats in the house.
Speaker A:And I let you keep them all because I knew your attachment and I knew all your you had.
Speaker A:I put you in your Own room.
Speaker A:Like, I, you know, I did extra special stuff, but I had five kids in the house that were fosters, so I used to play hide and treat her special, you know, doing little stuff for her.
Speaker A:Cause her, she just was unique.
Speaker A:And her story was a little bit more in depth than the other youth.
Speaker A:Not to say that they trauma didn't matter, but her, you just was.
Speaker A:You remind me of me, you know, like you was a mini me.
Speaker A:I remember when I got the call from Contra Costa county and I was like, ooh, I don't know if I could do this one.
Speaker A:She might take me out the gang.
Speaker A:And then you called and we hit it off on.
Speaker A:We was crying on the phone the first day I met you.
Speaker A:We were literally crying.
Speaker A:Her story, my story just was a connection that I felt like, oh, my God, I gotta save this kid.
Speaker A:And I remember she was scared to come to me.
Speaker A:Yeah, I was the first time they called and we had a cute little interview and she was so scared.
Speaker A:And I called him like, well, you gonna come?
Speaker A:She was like, nah, she didn't answer the phone.
Speaker A:Answer the phone.
Speaker B:I didn't.
Speaker A:Made her a room special.
Speaker A:I'm excited for her to come.
Speaker A:And then she didn't come.
Speaker A:I didn't hear from you.
Speaker A:And next thing I know, I was like, she ain't ready.
Speaker A:She's not ready to get out the game.
Speaker A:So I can't get her because I ain't gonna be able to save her yet.
Speaker A:And then she called me that, I think the second time, and that's when I was like, she ready.
Speaker A:She ready to get out the game.
Speaker A:And that's when I took her in open arms.
Speaker A:And we've been rocking ever since.
Speaker B:I think you.
Speaker A:I retired last year, June 15th.
Speaker A:I think it was close to your birthday.
Speaker B:Yeah, I think it's like almost two years now.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Actually.
Speaker A:Yep.
Speaker A:It is almost two years.
Speaker B:Yep.
Speaker A:Because Ms. J, I was 17 or 19 though.
Speaker A:Yep.
Speaker A:Oh, my God.
Speaker A:Yeah, it was two years, man.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:It's so crazy, but you know, I love you so much.
Speaker B:I love you too.
Speaker A:I mean, your story is just.
Speaker A:I promise you, I promise you, promise you, you've helped.
Speaker A:Both of y' all have helped or will help so many people because of y' all telling y' all stories.
Speaker A:It's so many people that went through what you guys went through and struggle with mental health.
Speaker B:Got you.
Speaker A:And we all struggle with this.
Speaker A:But I feel like you guys are close to normaly from what you guys been through than a lot of others.
Speaker A:If that makes Sense, you know, Cuz we house a lot of kids and shout out to be with L. Foster.
Speaker A:We house a lot and.
Speaker A:And I see a lot of kids that, you know, went through what you guys went through and they not functional.
Speaker B:Gotcha.
Speaker A:Y' all high level like y'.
Speaker A:All.
Speaker A:And like, especially you.
Speaker A:Cause I personally know you.
Speaker A:I've been following you.
Speaker A:You definitely got your own business taking care of, helping the community.
Speaker A:You know, you out here showing your name and you got a good name, by the way.
Speaker A:And you, Titi, just coming so far, you know, I don't think I would be able to survive going through what you went through.
Speaker A:And to see how you just like I say, Baby D in the building.
Speaker A:I've never met nobody like you in my life.
Speaker A:I thought I was different and special.
Speaker A:No, you extra special.
Speaker A:And I mean that from the.
Speaker A:But you had me over here crying for did my makeup.
Speaker B:No, you look good.
Speaker B:It's cool.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Thank you so much.
Speaker A:We do boom, boom, boom.
Speaker A:I don't.
Speaker A:I hate following trends.
Speaker A:Like everybody that clocking T shirts.
Speaker B:If he's stuck in my head.
Speaker A:I hate it.
Speaker B:It be hard when you get to scrolling and stuff.
Speaker B:It's like a mind game.
Speaker A:But anyway.
Speaker A:But I know that both y' all is special as.
Speaker A:And I definitely got something for both of you guys.
Speaker A:I think you guys deserve.
Speaker A:If I can give y' all the world, I swear to God I would.
Speaker A:I will give y' all everything I got just because I think you guys are just so.
Speaker A:Y' all just.
Speaker A:You guys are more powerful than what you know to come on here.
Speaker A:And this gonna be all on social media, whatever.
Speaker A:And to tell y' all story, for you to cry on tv, that.
Speaker A:That needs to be seen.
Speaker B:Men.
Speaker A:Men don't.
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:A real man gonna cry and show them tears, you know what?
Speaker A:And period.
Speaker A:A young lady is going to tell her a story about being molested by her dad and mama ain't.
Speaker A:Ain't having her back.
Speaker A:And you know, me being a in the streets, me picking you up from a trick house.
Speaker A:You have no idea.
Speaker A:I couldn't wait to get your ass.
Speaker B:Nah, I know.
Speaker A:I said I got to say this.
Speaker A:This is in my mind.
Speaker A:I got to say this fact like, this is in my mind.
Speaker A:I'm going to say this.
Speaker A:I'm going to save her.
Speaker A:And I'm just proud of y'.
Speaker B:All.
Speaker A:I'm just so freaking proud of y'.
Speaker C:All.
Speaker A:Like, so I want to give y' all some gifts.
Speaker A:Give it to them.
Speaker A:I'm just so proud y'.
Speaker A:All one got TT on it and one got.
Speaker A:Oh, y', all.
Speaker A:I think I put both tts.
Speaker A:Did I?
Speaker A:That's TT okay.
Speaker B:I'm excited.
Speaker A:Me, too.
Speaker B:I haven't had a gift of sewing this one mine.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And that one touching.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:I want y' all to open it because to me, you guys deserve the best.
Speaker A:And y' all always know I give luxury gifts.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:So I want you to put it on.
Speaker A:I want you to put me on.
Speaker A:I want y' all to.
Speaker B:Wait a minute.
Speaker B:Y' all.
Speaker B:Wait a minute.
Speaker B:Oh, my God.
Speaker A:Yeah, I want y' all to have.
Speaker A:You know, I already know.
Speaker A:You know, I love me some Versace.
Speaker C:That's amazing.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:I ain't never had nothing like this,
Speaker A:and that's why I do it.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker C:They give us some for school.
Speaker C:All the kids out of good shoes from pay, man.
Speaker C:This is.
Speaker B:This make up for all that.
Speaker C:My mama pull all the foster care.
Speaker C:Hey, like a no caseworker never put nothing.
Speaker C:Like.
Speaker A:Oh, they don't.
Speaker C:You're so amazing.
Speaker A:For real, you know, y' all amazing.
Speaker A:Like, for real.
Speaker B:Look at so much.
Speaker C:We about to take some pictures.
Speaker A:Hey, when we do get us, put them on and we take a picture.
Speaker A:I should have got mine, too, and put mine on with y', all, but
Speaker B:I can't wait to take a shower when I get I.
Speaker A:And that's what I want y' all to do.
Speaker A:You.
Speaker A:You lay in luxury, cuz y' all deserve that, too.
Speaker A:And I already know both of y' all is going to have that.
Speaker A:Y rich, mentally, okay financially.
Speaker A:Wealth is coming y way.
Speaker B:Thank you, Mama.
Speaker A:I love y' all so much.
Speaker B:Oh, my God.
Speaker A:Y' all make me feel so special.
Speaker C:Like, that's so special.
Speaker A:I love that y' all love it.
Speaker B:Like, I love it.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker A:I want y' all to take a picture and send it to me.
Speaker C:Put us over.
Speaker B:For real.
Speaker A:I want to holler.
Speaker B:No, for real, man.
Speaker B:Anything I got nice like that, I had to take from somebody, and I don't think I got no.
Speaker A:Let me tell you something.
Speaker A:Literally, she had a tech for somebody.
Speaker A:I think you got me a Louis Vuitton.
Speaker A:She got me a Chanel bag.
Speaker A:But now you got your own.
Speaker B:No, for real.
Speaker B:I didn't take from nobody.
Speaker A:You didn't have to take from nobody.
Speaker A:Real mob.
Speaker A:This is real mob.
Speaker B:Clap the two.
Speaker C:That's a beautiful.
Speaker B:I love you, Mama.
Speaker A:I love y', all, too, both of y'.
Speaker A:All.
Speaker A:And I appreciate you, too.
Speaker A:Thank y'.
Speaker B:All.
Speaker A:And now, anything y' all want to close out and say, like, you know, to the people, what would y' all tell former and current foster youth right now?
Speaker A:Where should they look?
Speaker A:Look at the camera right there.
Speaker A:I want you to tell them.
Speaker C:Me personally, I think to the current farce of youth, you're in control.
Speaker C:So time don't really exist, especially in our shoes.
Speaker C:Don't really put time on nothing.
Speaker C:Don't really think too much.
Speaker C:Just stay in control.
Speaker C:And school.
Speaker C:School is important.
Speaker C:School was my.
Speaker C:Sometimes I didn't want to be in the house I was in, but that little eight hours at school, that, like, let me, like, be me.
Speaker C:It let me, like, own myself and really, like, show my character who I was.
Speaker C:And then we'd go back to that, you know, that tunnel for a few hours.
Speaker C:But I embraced school.
Speaker C:And throughout embracing school, it got me this far.
Speaker C:And so just hang your hat on school.
Speaker C:Get through school.
Speaker C:It's gonna lead you there.
Speaker C:You go.
Speaker C:Meet great people, great teachers.
Speaker C:And I just want to cry again.
Speaker A:It's okay.
Speaker C:You in control.
Speaker C:Don't never forget that.
Speaker C:And I wish I could have told the kids there when I was a kid.
Speaker A:You still can, though.
Speaker A:You still can.
Speaker A:You come to my program anytime and speak to all the youth.
Speaker A:And you got a new friend.
Speaker A:This your baby sister.
Speaker A:Take care of her, you feel me?
Speaker A:Please, no, on my heart.
Speaker A:She need all the support.
Speaker A:And that's to all y', all, like, you know what I mean?
Speaker A:I love y' all both so much.
Speaker A:And I really do want you to come back, like, to my program and speak to the kids, come to our events.
Speaker A:You know, like, even with the young ladies, they need a young guy that's a good man.
Speaker C:Yes, ma'.
Speaker A:Am.
Speaker A:You know, I want to teach them etiquette.
Speaker A:You come and be with our young girls, open the doors for them, pull out their chairs.
Speaker A:What they deserve.
Speaker A:These young girls don't know how to be treated by no real man.
Speaker C:Got you.
Speaker A:And you are.
Speaker A:You're beyond a real man.
Speaker A:Thank you, cuz.
Speaker A:You sit here and you show your tears.
Speaker A:You your genuine self and you telling your story.
Speaker A:Not doing that from the town period.
Speaker A:They fake as everything's from the ground.
Speaker A:You are the most genuine man I didn't met besides y', all Percy and all, y' all the most genuine people I've ever like, literally sat and had in the same room with and had a conversation with.
Speaker A:Thank you.
Speaker A:So I appreciate your energy.
Speaker A:And I feel like God put me in both y' all life and y' all in My life for this reason today.
Speaker A:And I hope we go viral.
Speaker A:I hope that this give you more ammo for your rapping career.
Speaker A:TT Rap too.
Speaker A:Put her on a song.
Speaker C:I got you.
Speaker A:She know she's extremely.
Speaker B:I want to show you what my song after this.
Speaker B:Yeah,
Speaker A:y' all locked out.
Speaker A:Exchange numbers.
Speaker A:That's your brother, your sister.
Speaker A:And this is the main reason why I want to.
Speaker A:Every month I'm doing a foster youth.
Speaker A:Every single month, I want a foster youth on here.
Speaker A:And even if I can get a former.
Speaker A:So, like, when I get them, you could come and you can.
Speaker A:You.
Speaker A:You are literally a former foster youth.
Speaker A:And how old are you?
Speaker C:Well, I'm 30 now, so.
Speaker B:Really?
Speaker C:Yes, ma'.
Speaker A:Am.
Speaker A:Oh, God.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So you.
Speaker A:You've been alpha.
Speaker A:You've been out a minute, almost a
Speaker C:decade, and look at.
Speaker A:Look where you at.
Speaker A:So I'm just proud of you.
Speaker A:And what would you tell the people, Ms. TT?
Speaker A:Well, current Foster.
Speaker A:You.
Speaker A:What would you tell them?
Speaker B:Yeah, piggybacking off what he said, like, it ain't no time.
Speaker B:Like, I had to really learn that because I always felt like I was gonna run out of time and stuff.
Speaker B:Like, I need to do things fast.
Speaker B:I need to complete this so fast.
Speaker B:I need to get everything done so fast.
Speaker B:Because, like, I just wanted to save everybody for real.
Speaker B:I wanted to get my together so I could try to go back and get my brothers and sisters for that was really my end goal.
Speaker B:Even when I was like 13 and stuff.
Speaker B:Even when I was in the game, you know what I mean?
Speaker B:Like, even though the way I got in shouldn't have been the way I got in, like with the group homes and the people, like, how they did me.
Speaker B:But once I got in, I was like, this is my plan.
Speaker B:I'm gonna try to get some money, try to get right.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:I'm gonna try to go get my brothers and sisters when I turn 18.
Speaker B:And I'm gonna be good and we're gonna be good and.
Speaker B:But it didn't end up working like that.
Speaker B:Everything fell apart.
Speaker A:No, it didn't fall apart.
Speaker A:Like, it's this.
Speaker A:That was your story.
Speaker A:Like, you know, I respect all.
Speaker B:Yeah, Amen.
Speaker A:You already know I love all me personally, because I rather you get paid than to sit around and do nothing and bust it open.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:So for me personally, that's why I was so eager to get you, because I was like, oh, I gotta get her your mentality.
Speaker A:Even when she has a trick pull up to the house.
Speaker A:I couldn't even.
Speaker C:What can I say?
Speaker A:Helping her he doing what he's supposed to do.
Speaker A:Your movement and the way you work.
Speaker A:I'm.
Speaker A:I'm telling you, I've never met nobody.
Speaker A:She's a mini me.
Speaker A:I got too many me's.
Speaker A:The other one over there, like you are a mini Dr. Stan and I.
Speaker A:What was the number one thing he said that I always tell you?
Speaker A:He just said it right now.
Speaker A:I'll be on your about it all.
Speaker B:My delivery.
Speaker B:No, school.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah, school.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah, that was.
Speaker B:Yeah, that was.
Speaker C:Duh, duh.
Speaker A:I stay on you about that.
Speaker A:Here you go.
Speaker A:A prime example.
Speaker A:He got out, got his bachelor's degree.
Speaker A:I always teach.
Speaker C:And the school ain't about like the grades or getting A's and B's, just period.
Speaker C:Being in an environment where you ain't gotta think.
Speaker C:They could think for you.
Speaker C:They'll get you through your classes.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:And you could just build yourself.
Speaker C:You know what I mean?
Speaker C:And then even if you get out of school, you failed out.
Speaker C:It just give you a time to process.
Speaker C:Like, it ain't just foster care out here.
Speaker C:It's hella kids who doing this and that and their parents is like, you get to learn people.
Speaker C:So it's kind of like training you.
Speaker C:So when time do start.
Speaker C:And I know I said I'm 30, but from 9 to 21, I lost that.
Speaker C:It wasn't no life.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker C:So like, that's really a like 12 years where I could say, like, I'm 18 again, for real.
Speaker C:You feel me?
Speaker C:And then like, I feel like me, mentally, physically, everything.
Speaker C:He preserved me.
Speaker C:So you feel me?
Speaker C:So my life just started at 18, for real.
Speaker C:So to be 100, I might be 12.
Speaker B:For real, you feel me?
Speaker C:No, for real don't really matter to me.
Speaker C:It's just the fact that I got through it and now it happened.
Speaker C:But now I got to start again.
Speaker C:You feel me?
Speaker C:And I embrace my new name.
Speaker C:I embrace my last name, all that shit.
Speaker C:And yeah, like, I know it was a reason y' all dope facts.
Speaker C:Thank you.
Speaker A:What y' all think if we.
Speaker A:We pretty much done now?
Speaker A:You can cut the camera, but like, ain't this.
Speaker A:Ain't this powerful, though?
Speaker A:This some right here, right?
Speaker A:Yeah, this is real.
Speaker A:This is exactly why I wanted to do this.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker A:Like you had me up here crying.
Speaker A:I wasn't supposed to be crying.
Speaker C:Versace.
Speaker B:I know, right?
Speaker A:Like, it's serious and people don't understand.
Speaker A:Like these kids, kids, I get emotional still, but they go through so much weight on their back.
Speaker A:Like this is our future.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And can you imagine just growing up going through that trauma?
Speaker A:That's why my PhD is in trauma informed.
Speaker A:You see what I'm saying?
Speaker A:In psychology.
Speaker B:That's what I want to do.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:You need you to.
Speaker D:10 years that I cried or that I teared up outside of my wife and my kids.
Speaker A:It's serious, the story.
Speaker C:Like, thank you, brother.
Speaker D:Like, I'm from Philly, so I can
Speaker A:relate a little bit.
Speaker C:Yes, sir.
Speaker D:But not to some of the depth of what you guys spoke on.
Speaker D:But I see it.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker D:Where I've seen it.
Speaker D:So to.
Speaker D:To be in a room with someone that's 17 has so much potential.
Speaker A:You see?
Speaker A:Don't you see the star on her 17 telling you to know the game, the world?
Speaker D:Like, because you already have.
Speaker D:That smarts.
Speaker C:Other stuff to come easy, you know what I'm saying?
Speaker D:Like, for you to be a living testament.
Speaker C:Yes, sir.
Speaker A:You know, I mean, for.
Speaker D:For her to see an example of a young black man.
Speaker A:Yes, sir.
Speaker D:You know, I mean, like, this is real.
Speaker B:This is real.
Speaker B:This real.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker A:Thank you.
Speaker D:I salute you.
Speaker A:Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker A:And I salute y' all for being in the space and Percy for help building.
Speaker B:Thank you, all of y'.
Speaker B:All.
Speaker A:Like, this is just.
Speaker A:I want to kumbay, y'.
Speaker D:All.
Speaker C:What?
Speaker A:I got Versace roll for everybody.
Speaker B:Record that.
Speaker A:Percy, I'm serious.
Speaker D:Talking about school and being in that environment, like, that's the power of community.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker D:The real success out of the school is not the degree.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker D:You know, I mean, it's the opportunity to network.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker D:You know what I'm saying?
Speaker D:So as you build your network, you know, I mean, now you have additional resources.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker D:So now when you go to the studio or he's in the studio, he's like, man, I need somebody.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker D:So that's where.
Speaker B:Amen.
Speaker A:I love it.
Speaker A:And we all, like.
Speaker A:You know, I feel like we're all a part of the same culture.
Speaker A:This is just a different generation.
Speaker A:It's generational.
Speaker A:Like, I'm 40.
Speaker A:Wait, am I 43 or 43?
Speaker A:And then, you know, she 19.
Speaker A:And then it's generational.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:And this is literally our.
Speaker A:But it breaks my heart and saddens me to see what our future is dealing with.
Speaker A:And it's because of my generation.
Speaker A:This is my generation that's done y' all up, you know?
Speaker A:And it's just so.
Speaker A:It just.
Speaker A:That's why it takes people like me, Ms. J, Y', all.
Speaker A:And y' all to tell the story for people that.
Speaker A:Ms. J, this lady worked for me for the first year for free.
Speaker A:She believed in the vision.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:You can't make them like her.
Speaker B:That's a real one.
Speaker A:No, a real.
Speaker A:You can't make them like her, but she helps.
Speaker C:She believe in you a lot.
Speaker A:Yeah, she do.
Speaker A:She's right.
Speaker A:She's at my beck and thought every time.
Speaker A:My God.
Speaker A:I made this lady.
Speaker B:My God, mama.
Speaker A:But we need people like her and me and y' all that believe in the vision to help y'.
Speaker B:All.
Speaker A:So it could be a better place.
Speaker A:If we pour into them, then our grandkids and kids is gone.
Speaker A:You know what I'm saying?
Speaker A:It just create greatness.
Speaker B:This is a.
Speaker A:This is a movement.
Speaker C:I'm with you.
Speaker A:Facts.
Speaker D: MLK: Speaker B:I like that.
Speaker A:This is serious.
Speaker A:And this is why I think God put this vision and made me build it so fast.
Speaker A:Two weeks, I met Seeing Percy, and the next thing you know, I'm like this.
Speaker A:I'm finna build this.
Speaker A:I'm finna create this for a space, for just a safe space for my people to come.
Speaker A:I really don't think y' all understand your stories, how it really helps people see you got strangers in tears.
Speaker A:You understand what I'm saying?
Speaker A:Like this.
Speaker A:You don't like.
Speaker A:It's so much courage.
Speaker A:You guys are the, like, courageous people I've ever met in my life.
Speaker C:Yes, ma'.
Speaker B:Am.
Speaker A:Facts to come on.
Speaker A:This ain't national tv, but we gonna be on some.
Speaker B:We gonna go, boy.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Like, man.
Speaker A:And to tell this, I pray to God that people look out.
Speaker A:Which camera?
Speaker A:I'm just everywhere.
Speaker A:I'm like this.
Speaker A:This one.
Speaker A:I pray that people see them and they give and donate and not even just money.
Speaker A:We want to time love, you know, that is priceless.
Speaker A:You know what I'm saying?
Speaker A:So, like, this connection, I really hope y' all rock with it.
Speaker A:You know what I'm saying?
Speaker A:You know, you forever got me, like, I'm.
Speaker A:Yeah, I'm always there.
Speaker A:So at the end of the day, you know?
Speaker A:I guess game over.
Speaker B:Yeah, we did it.
Speaker A:Clock the T. All right, it's over.
