Episode Transcript
Nobody ever did anything great by themself. And what I mean by that is everybody needs a team. And there's a role for every member of the team. Uh, and, uh, in the Bible, there's a guy by the name of Nehemiah. And, uh, Nehemiah was like, um, Okay, you don't, you don't know masonry. You don't know how to, you don't know how to lay brick.
You don't know how to build a wall. Okay, can you cook? All right. All right. You don't know how to cook. All right. Well, we're gonna put you on lookout. All you got to do is shout like, like anybody that gave him an excuse as to anything that they didn't want to do to help repair the walls, I'll find something else for you to do.
And, and my mama was notorious for that because, uh, uh, my mom was one of those mothers that if you. Stay home sick from school. Uh, she would have me cleaning the baseboards, sweeping the floor, mopping, uh, washing dishes, putting them away. And I'm like, Mom, I'm sick. She's like, No, you home. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Welcome back to The Slide. My name is Tavaris Buckle and I'm your host. Today we have the pleasure of having with us Dr. Nahshon Nicks. Um, Dr. Nahshon Nicks is a gentleman, um, that I had the pleasure of first experiencing when attending the Red Alliance for Justice Town Hall. And, just a prolific, young, dynamic leader.
You all are going to be really, um, really treated today by the wisdom of this young man. And I want you to really enjoy yourself. So, without no no Any further ado, we're going to jump straight in into it. Hey, welcome Dr. Nicks. It's an honor to have you here with us today. If you could please normalize the space and share a little bit about yourself with, um, with our, with our viewers, please.
Uh, number one, thank you for this opportunity. Uh, just a little bit about me. Originally from upstate New York, Syracuse, uh, oldest of five children. Uh, uh, the typical, I guess, what you would consider, uh, uh, urban youth story, uh, biological father, uh, in prison, in Attica. Uh, my mom struggled with substance abuse.
Um, my stepfather took our beautiful blended family, uh, from New York to Jacksonville for hope and a future. And uh, I'm glad he made that move. Uh, however, uh, the same drugs in New York are the same drugs everywhere. Uh, my mom passed in 2020 from fentanyl. Uh, I don't say that to solicit sympathy. I say that to say that if we're able to collaborate and partner and really reach our youth, we can counter that horrible addiction.
And, um, uh, I'm a father, uh, I'm a girl dad. Uh, when you're good, you get boys. And, uh, my, uh, my, my, my, uh, wife, uh, Shakira, uh, uh, her and my oldest daughter, their birthday is tomorrow, August 31st. And, um, uh, happy birthday. If my wife is watching and listening and, uh, uh, retired Navy, she's a 22 years. She served our country and shout out to all of our veterans.
And as well as yourself, all those who served our country. And, uh, I have, uh, a small business. I teach youth martial arts and self defense, uh, in the honor of the Navy SEALs, which stands for sea air and land, I developed my own curriculum. Uh, through, uh, my dissertation with New York Theological Seminary entitled SEAL Team, Social, Emotional, and Academic Leadership Through Mentoring and Martial Arts.
Uh, we're the only afterschool and summer program, uh, here in Jacksonville that's actually funded by the city of Jacksonville. So we're really trying to transform our youth, uh, give them some hope, building dignity and decency through determination and discipline. And, um, uh, I also minister the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Uh, my. Theme is Isaiah 117. It says, learn to do what is right. Seek justice and defend the oppressed. And, and uh, if anybody knows anything about me, you can always find me working. Man. I have so many questions for you since, um, your introduction. Cause as you recall, when we met, we met kind of in the work, right?
You were doing a presentation at the red alliance for justice town hall. And I was just really, um, I'm impressed by your, um, command of an articulation of strategy, um, to improve organizations and businesses. That was my initial thought when, um, when I met you, when I came back and I saw you again and realized that you were also, um, running for school board, that it gave me an opportunity to say, you know what, I don't care whatever this guy got going, I'm going to try to help him.
But before, before we jump there, well, I want to go back because coming from, um, you know, that New York environment. And, uh, in transitioning to Jacksonville, Florida, um, New York is a much faster pace. Jacksonville may appear slower, but Jacksonville is pretty fast when you talk about quality of life, lifestyle, and some of those traumas that have, um, uh, have impacted us.
How old were you when you, uh, arrived in Jacksonville and what was that transition like coming from, you know, up north east coast? to Jacksonville, Florida, you know, deep in the south. So, uh, I've done some research, Tavares, and pretty much most of my research always goes back to family dynamics. Whenever you're looking at taking someone from their birthplace or, uh, the place where they grew up, uh, you're going to have some type of culture shot because your norms aren't there.
Uh, auntie ain't around the corner, grandma ain't around the corner, uh, you know, uh, family members aren't as accessible or available as they once were in your hometown. So I left at the age of nine, uh, um, like I said, my stepfather brought us down south and coming here, uh, it actually gave me an opportunity to bond with him in a different level because we were here, uh, roughly three months before my mom and my younger siblings Transcribed by https: otter.
ai Uh, relocated as well. So we, him and I had a lot of time, uh, bonding and being together because it was different. So, uh, he was being responsible and accountable. And when he didn't have a time to put me in a babysitter or had me go somewhere, I went to work with him. So I was able to see what the grind looks like.
Uh, he was fine. former army. So he was used to getting up five o'clock in the morning and on the weekends, obviously I can't stay with mom. I can't go over auntie in the house. I, I went to work with him on the weekends and he went to work at five o'clock in the morning, which means it kind of instilled a certain level of discipline.
And most people know about the military. They do more before what? Six o'clock. Most people do all day. Most people do all day. Yeah, that's a fact. So, um, um, um, so, and I, and I do believe that we're all just older versions of our younger selves. And, and I think that that was a part of that process and, um, I almost look at it almost biblical because I mean, when you look at the characters in the Bible, most of them were nomadic, uh, they were migrating and, and, and I just happen to believe that Jacksonville is that place with the right leadership.
Partnership and collaboration. It is that beacon of hope to all nations. Yeah. Yeah. And my personal opinion. Yeah. And I'm gonna have to agree with you and I don't want to sound arrogant, but I don't believe that I will be here in Jacksonville if it wasn't something special about this city. I believe that right now that there is a, uh, aligning taking place universally, right?
Spiritually, socially, politically bringing individuals together. In order to prepare for this next wave of endeavor. That's my, that's my, that's my belief. I don't, I've never been a person that has tried to control where I go. Right. I've allowed, um, God, or by whatever, um, um, ideological belief that a person embraces to move me to where I'm supposed to be.
And I just want to be around the people that I'm supposed to be with. When I'm in that space and God navigating me into your presence. So again, it's a, it's a honor to have this opportunity and something that you said, and I think I'm gonna have to really bring you back so that we can really dive deeper into it.
You know, that generational trauma of effect, because you really, um, in your representation right now are dispelling a lot of myths about family dynamics because you know, society would suggest that the society or the family construct should be mother, father, Two children, dog, picket fence, right? You had some different challenges, and even through those challenges now, you're, you're evolving into something that is, um, um, able to be used as an example for our, for our community coming from some of those harsh realities that you shared with us.
So again, I, I thank you for that, which brings us to kind of where you are right now, right? You're a preacher of the word of the gospel. You also, um, um, deal in politics. I had opportunity to listen to one of your, um, interviews. And as you were speaking, I was like, Oh my God, didn't sound like a pastor. How do you feel about this term?
And this is what I was going to ask you, um, in the, in the buildup to this liberation theology, Dr. Jeremiah Wright. And then he studied a guy by the name of Dr. James Cone. Uh, James Cone actually mentored Raphael Warnock, who's now us Senator Warnock. Uh, the only reason why I know that is because, uh, one of my professors.
Uh, went to Morehouse and he was able to bring back the lineage of, , Dr. Martin Luther King, as well as the teachings of Dr. Cone and how they helped shape, uh, the thought process, of Reverend Warnock and, um, when it comes to liberation theology, Albert Clegg, uh, is, is one of my favorites, uh, and, um, and, and, and Um, uh, even from the, the, the first painting of Jesus Christ in the black, but not in the black Madonna, uh, Albert Clegg.
He created his whole theology around liberating black people by using the black Madonna as his basis. He didn't even use the scripture as basis. He used the painting as basis. And the reason why he used the painting as a basis is to help build up the high level of dignity and self determination of the black people that he was serving.
Uh, in Detroit. So when you look at it, right. Uh, if, if the first paintings or the earliest paintings of Christ and his mother were black, he called the name of his church, the church of the black Madonna. So it's a lot of things that, uh, that people use to help liberate people from a poverty stricken lifestyle, a poverty, a mindset, a subculture, a mindset.
And like I said, there's, there's, uh, there's different theologies, uh, to different folks. Uh, for me, what works best is by using biblical application and trying to keep it in this proper context. And for me, I had to go back in and talk about, uh, origins. Uh, looking at a lot of times, uh, I had to look at certain scriptures where in Zephaniah talks about, I call out my true worshipers out of Cush.
And then I'm like, well, where's Cush? Well, Cush is in Africa. And then it talks about out of Egypt. I call it my son and everybody knows Egypt, but where's Egypt? Egypt is in Africa. So then you mean to tell me that, you know, we look at the gospel from being a Eurocentric book, however, the author of the first five books.
Was an African we call him Moses. So like I said, so it's a lot of different things We start looking at liberation is really being able to connect with what you hold and you value or you consider to be sacred So, um, I don't believe in oppression My objective is to break it down and everywhere it shows his head But I do understand why people use certain texts to help build people up up, uh, and help them build some form of self value.
Uh, my thing is, is that I would like to be able to serve all nations, but at the same time, making sure that people who have been marginalized don't get forgotten about. And, uh, those are the things that I fight for. Like people say that Harriet Tubman is the black Moses. Well, I only know Moses to be black.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, come on, you know, but, but, but anyways, those are some of the things that, uh, that, that I would push for. And then I think, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, Reverend Al Sharpton said it best. He said that if you think the first, uh, Black man to be qualified to be president is President Barack Obama. He said that, uh, God has been making intelligent black folks for a very long time, you know?
Yeah. And it's unfortunate because present day reality, we find ourselves in a situation where, you know, individuals are marginalized based on economics or based on, you know, education or, you know, based on even our religious beliefs. We use that to kind of, Oppress one another if you would, but in other countries, um, social status, economic status has nothing to do with education.
Right. Right. So, so because I'm poor, it don't mean I'm going to be dumb. Right. But here in America, it would seem as though, um, our economic condition is linked to our level of understanding our educational attainment. That's not true. Right. And, and, and I really believe. That if we put a greater focus on the cultivation of the minds of our children, regardless of economic status, that we could close the gap with maybe even some of those, um, um, larger industrial countries.
So, so how do we use, um, the weapons at our disposal? What are those weapons? Because here's the thing, and if you could address this for me, alright? We really don't know what we're fighting against and what we have to fight with. Right? We have to be able to clearly identify what is the enemy, right?
Because we live in a time now where, you know, racism, classism, sexism, you see, they're running us down the rabbit hole of these isms. Is that where we should be focusing? Right? What, what, what is the real fight? What are the weapons that we should be refining or using in order to be able to be successful?
And when I say a fight, I ain't talking about, you know, black people against white people. I'm saying in this fight against, um, trying to have a good life, right? What are, what are, what, what is the enemy? What are the tools that I have at my disposal? Uh, right now, uh, one of the things that I think that we have to fight is, uh, sobriety and vigilance.
Uh, there are so many people that have missed the mark, uh, due to some form of, uh, intoxication. And then, uh, when you're, when you're looking at sobriety, uh, one of my, uh, uh, affirmations that I share with our youth is sobriety sustains success. And we have so many people that have fallen asleep at the wheel because they weren't sober.
They weren't vigilant. And, and, uh, basically when you look at sustainment, that also ties into succession planning. And, uh, I will go into like, uh, values. And shared accountability. I don't ever believe that a child is destructive just because their parents were destructive. There are a whole bunch of other contributing factors outside of just parents.
So, uh, I believe there's a role for everyone. Now, there are no invalids. Everybody has a role to play. Everybody has a part to do. And I think another thing is, is that we have been affirming people in roles, but they don't want the responsibility that goes with that role. And then when you start looking at economics, uh, I believe that competency will also lead to compensation.
Uh, we have people who want to get paid, but they don't want to work. Come on, man. Uh, and I was listening to Pharrell in, um, in like one of those reels. Uh, or shorts and he said, uh, everybody thinks that the harvest is easy. He said, no. Sowing seeds is easy. Reaping a harvest is labor is labor is very labor intensive.
And, and, uh, and if you want to catch that season, that means you got to be in shape, you got to be ready. Uh, you got to have a team. Uh, another thing is antisocial behaviors. Uh, I think that that's something that's a big hindrance, especially when it comes to certain, uh, urban communities and black folks, like nobody ever did anything great by themselves.
And what I mean by that is everybody needs a team and there's a role for every member of the team. Uh, and, uh, in the Bible, it's a guy by the name of Nehemiah and, uh, Nehemiah was like, um, Okay. You don't, you don't know masonry. You don't know how to, you don't know how to lay brick. You don't know how to build a wall.
Okay. Can you cook? All right. All right. You don't know how to cook. All right, well, we're gonna put you on lookout. All you gotta do is shout. Like, like anybody that gave him an excuse as to anything that they didn't want to do to help repair the walls, I'll find something else for you to do. And, and my mama was notorious for that because, uh, uh, my mom was one of those mothers that if you stay home sick from school, uh, She would have me cleaning the baseboards, sweeping the floor, mopping, uh, washing dishes, putting them away.
And I'm like, mom, I'm sick. She's like, no, you home. You home. Yeah. You home. You don't want to do no work. Yeah. Go to school. Yeah. Like, if you don't want to do this work. You need to go to school and do that work, but you ain't finna get no day off just because you home, right? So, uh, and I'm not saying that for all parents, cause that may be considered abuse in certain states, but, uh, but that's the mindset that, um, I adopted even into adulthood, you know, like, okay, well, I can't do that.
Well, what can't I do? And I think that we fall short. We're doing research. Uh, we haven't done our due diligence and, uh, doing those hard conversations, those courageous conversations. I feel like we leave a lot of stuff unsaid and undocumented. And, uh, I think every family needs a historian, somebody that can tell the story.
Tell me about big mama. Tell me about big daddy. Tell me about the struggle. Tell me about the great migration. How do we end up in New York? How do we end up in Mississippi? How do we end up in California? How do we end up in Chicago? Like does retracking those, uh, those steps and bread to understand that you come from a very resilient people?
Yeah, man, that's, that's so interesting, you know, and one thing I want to say before we, before we transition from this point is I like that you said, um, sobriety, sustained success. I like that. I think that's profound. And I would like for every individual who has the opportunity to, um, you know, catch this podcast to realize that you can also be drunk off power, right?
So, so, so those individuals that are gatekeeping that are, that are elders that are ahead, right? It is time for you to realize that. That you, you have been drunk, right? You have been drunk off your own ideas, and now it's a time for us to grow together so that we can come up with collective solutions for the problems that we face as a community.
You have not been endowed with all of the ability to make decisions about what impacts our community. I don't care that you went to sleep last night and you said God told you that, right? It could be very well that God that told you that was your inner God that you have been following all of these years leading us down this path of despair.
So now we're at a point where we must come together, identify those individuals who had an ability to go forward for us as leaders to represent us on a larger scale. And it's going to take the experience of those who have gone before us, right? We can't undermine that. We can't, we can't underwrite that and we can't marginalize it.
We need those examples. However, the fight that you're preparing for and that we're preparing for in order to do justice by our community, you ain't never seen it. You ain't never seen it, elder. So, so, so when you got young people that have a desire to do a thing, you mentor them, you love them, you encourage them, you support them, you back them.
And then you send them out there to go get their lashes because it's going to be a fight and you're going to get beat up because when it's labor, it's time to do labor. I got a friend that's a elder over there at, um, new life. Assembly Tabernacle and we were talking about the seasons because you know you reap in a season and you sow in the season But the season for reaping is called dew season, right?
But there are three do's, right? Well, it ain't just one do, right? It's do D O, do D U E, and do D E W. Now we in Florida The majority of us ain't waterin our grass, but that morning dew, D E W, right? It provides the The minerals and the nutrients that the grass need in order to be able to grow and flourish in abundance.
That's due season. Right. Then there is, there is DUE season right there, there, there, there is. Due season when a bill comes due, DUE is due. Right? It's time for us to be able to receive our benefit. It is due, but the season that we in right now, we're in do season, do season. Right? And I think that Kamala Harris, and I'm not very big into politics, um, but I think that Kamala Harris mama said it best when she said, do something.
I think that that was profound. So, so now for you, sir, you just came through, uh, um, uh, a school board campaign. Why the school board? Why was it important to you? And, and what would you like to see for the youth, the 128, 000 children that, that, that, that are here in Jacksonville, Florida? All right. Uh, number one, um, I don't believe in doing anything without seeking, uh, prayer, and guidance.
Uh, it was also a thought out decision. Uh, I do believe in consulting, uh, with my team to see if I have their support. Um, my family, make sure I have their support and then looking at data to see if this is actually winnable and, uh, based on those three things, that's how I move forward, uh, through prayer, um, through council and then through the data, is this possible, um, uh, why that seat, uh, to be honest with you, uh, it's not something that I just, oh man, I can't wait to be the next school board It was like a mandate to say, hold on.
Are we really aware of what's at stake? Um, and, uh, getting to know my constituents, uh, throughout the district that I was running to represent, uh, and making them aware of the issues. Uh, I had people that I was knocking on their doors and they thought that they were looking to close 30 public schools throughout the state of Florida.
We hired a consultant to look at closing 30 public schools in Jacksonville. And anybody who knows anything about history, uh, when you start closing public schools, that's a slippery slope. That's a methodology of convenience. That is not a methodology of critical thinking. And anyone who's ever owned a business, whenever you hit a financial shortfall, do you just shut down the business or do you seek out strategic partners?
Do you seek out collaboration? Do you seek out additional funding sources? Do you, so like, these are the type of things that, that I will be looking for subject matter experts, uh, federal grants or federal opportunities, uh, seeing how we can leverage underutilized space. Like, those are the things that I was looking to bring to the table.
Uh, another thing is, I always said, it's not magic, it's management. Uh, one of the biggest things to Vars is that, um, this city pertaining to public schools has not received a PICO dollar, which is like a capital improvement plan in almost a decade. Uh, uh, meaning that the only way you get PICO dollars is if you build a new school, right?
So if you don't build new schools, you lose them or you lose the money. Jacksonville has the oldest public schools in the entire state of Florida. Orlando has the newest schools in the state of Florida. Every 25 years, this is what they do. They take the football field. They build a school on top of the football field while the old school is still in existence.
And then once the new school has been erected, then they take the old school and turn it into the parking lot. So, even though this may be new for you, this ain't new for Jacksonville. This was done in 1995 off of Lone Star Road with Arlington Middle School. Why that process has not been duplicated, I can't speak to that.
But those are the things that I was running for is to see how we can keep our schools open. Another thing is child safety. You can't teach over trauma. Number three was, uh, top teacher retention. Uh, uh, I know schools and children that have permanent subs and temporary teachers. And there's no way that you can build.
Sustainability like that. Uh, Jacksonville, when you look at our children, our children, only a third of our babies are reading on grade level in third and fourth grade. That's that's enough. So if a child can't read, they can't lead, you know what I mean? So like this is not Something that's complex. This is something that just needs attention and in a case in point, I had a headlight that was out one time and And, um, and I was getting one of the members of the church to look at it.
And I said, do I need to run over here to, um, to the auto parts store to buy a new headlight? They said, nah, pastor, you don't need a new headlight. It just needed a new little bit of attention. So I don't, I don't, I don't feel like we've been paying attention and managing the resources that we properly have.
Uh, I mean, especially when you looking at duplicating services, uh, people who have been awarded contracts, but haven't fulfilled them, but they have a first right to refusal, which means they're getting automatically renewed, but I don't have nothing to show for it. Yeah. So. Uh, these are the type of things that I was running on to help improve our public schools and making sure our children get a high quality, high standard public education.
And, and I will say this, you inspired me, right? I'm, I'm, I'm not an individual that generally, um, participates. And the political process, not that I have any, any problem with it, but as a member of the United States military, right. Um, party affiliation don't exist in my life, right. Because if the, if the president is a Republican, we got to do what the person say, if the president is a Democrat, we have to do what the person, um, suggests.
So, so in hearing you, I was compelled to support. That initiative based on what I could see the outcome being. I'm from Miami, Florida. I dropped out of high school. Right. So, so education for me, um, I kind of, I'm of one of those mind frames where, um, I can't fathom learning from an individual who oppressed me, right?
That's, that's me. That's at the heart of me. That's me being vulnerable with you. I can't fathom learning for, from an individual that oppressed me. I can't see the wisdom in why you will want me to learn when formerly it was illegal. So those are the things that kind of populate a belief system for me.
It might be even be an iceberg belief, um, um, for me. Um, however, it didn't stop my desire to learn, right? So, um, Like you say, if you can read, you can lead. So I've always been a reader, right? And, and through that, um, reading, um, it allowed me to join the military, you know, and have some, um, degrees of success in my, in my military career, because education is, is a process.
What I think we need to understand is that the system is not a system that will yield a result unless we have the appropriate people shepherding that system. The system and where we can control what we can control as a population is who we grant the ability to shepherd the process. But if we don't inform ourselves, and let's go for all you pundits that talks that politics and don't do the research, right?
Because they'll beat you up, vote, vote, vote, vote, vote. But you don't know anything about the candidates. Because if you knew something about the candidates, you go and look at the list and you make selections based on who's on the list, not based on party affiliation. Because just because a person Um, um, suggest that they are connected to this political party.
Don't mean they have your best interest at heart. It's some individuals that have a political belief, but they're good people, right? And so we, we got to be able to determine what that looks like for us and stop just being blindly led in directions, um, based on emotion. And for me, when I had an opportunity to hear you, I said, and when I had an opportunity to listen to you, I said, this is a person that I wouldn't mind shepherding a process that will help cultivate the minds of our children.
So for those individuals that, um, are, are listening, we'll have an opportunity to listen, do your research, find out about the character of the individuals that you're going to select to put into positions of authority. And I like the way that you Um, kind of stated it when you were talking about the government.
You say he has authority, um, but he also has a response. But could you share that, that, that, that anecdote or that idea, um, about authority? I look at it from three perspectives. Number one is influence. Number two is power. Number three is authority, uh, influence. Uh, this podcast is, is a way to influence people.
Hopefully we are motivating some folks. Uh, hopefully there's something bouncing on the inside. Like, Oh, I got something I can do. I got something I want to, uh, commit to. I got something I can contribute. Right. Uh, that's influence, uh, entertainers influence, right? The power is always in the people. The problem is, is that when the people haven't been properly organized, they can't mobilize, but the power is always in the people.
Then when you look at authority or authority, meaning those who are authorized to do stuff that you can't do, even though you got power, you don't have necessarily the authority, meaning you have people, but you don't have a representative, a representative. That can sign off on bills, legislation, and policy policies that reflect your views and values.
And, uh, for example, uh, if, um, if somebody gave me a check and they signed it, I can cash it, but if they gave me a check without a signature on it, I'm not authorized to sign somebody else's name. And that's what you do with your elected officials. You give them the authority to sign off on resources.
Either with your permission or without your permission, but that's why you vote because you're, you're voting to get the best represent representative pertaining to your views and your values. Yeah, thank you. Thank you, Dr. Nicks. Thank you for providing context for that idea. And for us, as we move forward in this journey, we're moving forward together.
Um, it makes sense for us to kind of like challenge each other's ideas. Right. Well, that's where we at right now. We're in the, we're in the influential spaces. We bring this, um, recording to a close. Um, um, but we not sitting here with all of the power, all of the authority, all of the wisdom. I ain't, I ain't no one special challenge me, right?
Work and push me, bring the best out of me. If, if, if a concept is shared, and it's a concept that you disagree with, disagree with it. Push us into a place where we can have those spirited conversations that will lead to change, evolution, and growth for our progeny. That's what it's about right now. You know, if you're 47, 48, 49 years old and you're still trying to bring that old thing back, man, grow up.
You know what I'm saying? I ain't saying don't have some fun. I'm saying grow up, right? It's things that matter now. We have inherited, um, enormous responsibilities. We are charged with Correcting, um, generational flaws in order to be able to create an environment for our children to be able to exist in peace.
And I think that's important. Shout out to Northeast Florida. Had opportunity to participate in a voluntary event with them today. Shout out to that girl, Joanne Foster from Black Voices United, who also said exactly what you said. We are not outnumbered. We're out organized. And it's important that in this era of time that we do those things that are going to allow us To be able to galvanize our efforts in order to be able to create environments that our Children will be able to live and flourish in.
so much for your time with us today. As we close, would you like to share or any parting thoughts, please? Yes, please follow me on all social media platforms. At Nishan Knicks, at Nishan Knicks, hashtag, you can get it too. Uh, and that's the Bible verse that I use pertaining to hashtag. You can get it to John 10, 10.
It says the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, but I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly. And as you stated earlier, it has nothing to do with your social status, the pedigree of what family you came in. Uh, I honestly believe that there's a high quality of life. Not when we die and go to heaven, but while we're still here on earth, that Is entitled to every human being and hashtag you can get it to.
Yeah, I like that. I I'm, I'm loving this brother and I hope y'all love him too. Um, but don't, but don't love him empty, right? Love him enough to do the research, find out what type of man he is, look into his character, and then throw some support behind this young man. We have to identify and develop those individuals who will represent us.
See, I think our problem is, is we so shook with the term leadership because I don't want to leave me. Right. That ain't what it's about. This is our representative. He going to speak our words. That's our voice in the room at the table, the same table. Everybody want to be at, but don't want to do any of the development that's necessary in order to sit at that man and make some sense.
You just want to be in there. Cause you're just nosy as hell. Right. And that ain't what we do on the slide. Y'all already know, right? Hey, we ride, we glide, we slide. Right. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for spending this time with us. And we look forward to seeing you again next week. Peace.
