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It's the first day of early voting

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in the Texas primaries, and there

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are lots of statewide races for

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consideration.

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Comptroller, Lieutenant Governor,

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Governor, and of course there are a

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lot of eyes and ears on the

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Democratic and Republican races for

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U.S.

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Senator, plus plenty more on the

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ballots in Travis Hayes and

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Williamson Counties too.

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We've got a whole lot more coming up

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on today's show.

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The Austin Signal is a production

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of KUT News, hosted by

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Jerry Kehanoff.

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Plus, the Austin Rays college

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student who was deported while

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trying to visit family last

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Thanksgiving could soon be headed

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back for the US.

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The latest from a judge's order and

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from the attorney representing the

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student. And we mark the start of

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the Lunar New Year by hearing what

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the occasion means to some

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Austinites.

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We have more on those stories and a

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whole lot more coming up on

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today's Austin Signal.

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Howdy out there, thank you for

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tuning in.

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This is Austin Signal.

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You're listening to Community

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Powered Public Radio KUT

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News. I'm your host, Jerry

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Guijano.

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It's Tuesday, February 17th,

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and it's the first day of party

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primary early voting in the Austin

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area and across the state of Texas.

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Now, as a reminder, that means

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you're gonna be choosing to vote in

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either Republican or Democratic

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primaries. This go around.

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And statewide, there are plenty of

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important races that will be on the

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ballot in the next few weeks, and

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again, later this fall.

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Those include governor, lieutenant

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governor, attorney general, and the

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race to represent Texas in the U.S.

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Senate. Austin State Rep James

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Tallarico is running for the

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Democratic nomination against House

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Rep Jasmine

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Crockett of Dallas.

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Meanwhile, incumbent Republican

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Senator John Cornyn is looking to

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hold onto his seat against Attorney

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General Ken Paxton and Wesley

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Hunt.

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Here in Travis County, four

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Democrats are running for the

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Precinct Four Commissioner seat,

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which has been filled for more than

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three decades by Margaret Gomez.

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Gomez is retiring at the end of her

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term. The candidates running to

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replace her include Susana Ledesma

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Woody, who nearly unseated Gomez in

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the primary four years ago.

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Ledesima Woody has served on the Del

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Valle ISD School Board for 15

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years.

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You know, we were just like, what's

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the next step? You know how can we

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really push this needle?

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And you know, it was just run

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for the position, right?

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If you really want to make a

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difference, you know you have to

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scare these politicians that this

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seat is not theirs.

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George Morales was elected and has

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served as Travis County Precinct 4

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constable since 2016.

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He says improving transportation for

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his constituents will be a big deal.

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That's gonna be my main first

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priority is to go in there and say

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how can we fix these roads?

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How can we go get access for the

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people to drive through these roads

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safely?

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Ofelia Maldonado Zapata

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has served in leadership roles in

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education and religious nonprofits

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for more than three decades.

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She doesn't think of herself as a

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politician, more so rather as

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a community organizer.

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Because one thing I learned

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is that, you know, we

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can be angry about the

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injustices that we're living in

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or we can do something about

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it.

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And Gavino Fernandez Jr.

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Rounds out the candidates for the

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precinct for commissioner seat.

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He has a very simple priority,

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keeping his precinct affordable.

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No tax increases.

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No Republicans are running in this

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race, which means whoever wins the

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primary will run unopposed in

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November.

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We have more about this story at

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KUT.org, and we will have more

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about elections in Travis Hayes

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and Williamson counties at Kut.org

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slash Signal, and in the show

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notes for today's podcast.

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Aniopis Beyoza, the college student

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who was detained, then deported by

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immigration authorities last

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Thanksgiving, could soon be on her

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way back to the U.S.

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That's according to a recent court

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order directing the federal

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government to bring her back.

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For more about this update, we are

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speaking with KUT's government

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accountability reporter Andrew

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Weber. Andrew, thanks for being on

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the show. Of course.

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Thanks for having me, Jerry.

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So listeners of the show and

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followers of KUT know that we have

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been following this case for a long

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time. Catch us up, we know

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that Ani-Lopez Belloza was deported

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back in November, what's happened

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since then?

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Right. So since that deportation

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in November, they've gone to

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court a couple of times.

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And last month, attorneys for

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the federal government basically

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admitted that Lopez Belloza

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was wrongfully deported.

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And that was kind of a remarkable

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admission on the part of the federal

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government.

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And, that also started

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a clock. The judge up in

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Massachusetts said the government

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had three weeks to make

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up for that wrongful deportation.

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And the feds, the attorneys for

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the fed's basically waited until the

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last minute to file anything in

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court.

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So last Friday,

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the federal judge up in

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Massachusetts issued another

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order.

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Boston attorney Todd Palmerlow is

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Ani Lopez Beyoza's attorney.

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He's also aggressively a Patriots

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fan. He likens it to football.

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He says attorneys for the government

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didn't offer a solution to the

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deportation and they basically gave

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up any standing.

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So that kind of forced

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the judge's hand to

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rule in Lippis Beos's favor.

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It basically responded with

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really no offer to do anything to

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resolve the case.

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It effectively punted the ball.

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And now the judge has basically put

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it in the end zone for us.

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So we're very happy to see this

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result and hopefully they facilitate

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a return on.

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Very quickly.

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Okay, so let's follow the football

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analogy. You get the punt right and

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then you get the setup and you're

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gonna start.

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And then you have to do something

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with the ball once you've gotten it.

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So what happens next?

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We know there's a deadline, but

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what does Lopez Belloza's attorney,

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Todd Palmerlo, expect to?

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Happen next.

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He's basically,

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it's kind of a wait and see

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approach.

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They punted the ball, sure.

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But the government

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has to respond.

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Otherwise, they'll be held in

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contempt of court.

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And because of that delay earlier,

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the federal judge basically wants

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progress reports on all of

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this. So there's a two week deadline

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in which they have to

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basically get Ani Lopez-Pellosa

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back into the US.

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February 27th is the deadline.

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Todd Pomerlow, the attorney said

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he's trying to work to get this,

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to have this process be as smooth as

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possible.

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Because Ani Lopez Belloza was,

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you know, she was ignorant of it,

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but she did not have legal status.

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Neither did her mother.

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They fled Honduras when

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she was a kid,

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and she was under the impression,

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as was her mom, that she was here

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legally. So, Palmerlo

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is trying to find ways

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to get them legal status.

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Her and mom were basically

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wrongfully informed that

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there was nothing wrong with their

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situation.

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That's why they lived their lives

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out in the open for so many years,

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completely blindsided.

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But we have a green card application

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pending on behalf of Ani and her

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folks.

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So some things have changed and

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she's been deported because we've

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been looking at every stone

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to unturned to see what we can do to

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make it right for her because we

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don't want her coming back on the

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same posture that she left on.

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So, Palmerlo has gotten a lot of

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help from a bunch of different

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attorneys who have come onto the

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case while that green card

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is being processed.

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But whatever they do is dependent on

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what the attorneys for the

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federal government do.

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Whatever they do, whatever they

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file. And that deadline for

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the sort of progress reports that I

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mentioned earlier is tomorrow.

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So hopefully by Thursday we'll have

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a clearer sense of what they're

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going to do, what the plan is

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going forward. But again, the

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deadline to get her back into the

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country is.

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On or before February 27th.

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Okay, that is Andrew Weber.

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He is KUT's government

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accountability reporter.

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You can find more of his work and

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updates on this case at KUT.org,

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and we will continue to bring you

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those updates right here on Austin

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Signal. Andrew, thank you very much.

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Yes, sir. Thank you, Jerry.

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The Reverend Jesse Jackson died

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today at the age of 84.

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Jackson was a civil rights leader, a

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minister, and a politician who was

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a protege of Martin Luther King Jr.

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In 1984, when Jackson

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was candidate for president, he

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spoke with John L.

286
00:08:36,890 --> 00:08:37,668
Hanson Jr.

287
00:08:37,669 --> 00:08:40,308
For his show in Black America.

288
00:08:40,309 --> 00:08:42,189
And even though it was more than 40

289
00:08:42,190 --> 00:08:44,289
years ago, some issues like

290
00:08:44,290 --> 00:08:46,329
equal protection under the law and

291
00:08:46,330 --> 00:08:48,329
forced policy decisions

292
00:08:48,330 --> 00:08:50,489
were as important then as they are

293
00:08:50,490 --> 00:08:51,490
right now.

294
00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:53,839
I would think that the present

295
00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:55,999
policy of

296
00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,319
gunboat diplomacy,

297
00:08:58,320 --> 00:08:59,559
big stick diplomacy,

298
00:09:01,260 --> 00:09:03,299
manifest destiny, nuclear

299
00:09:03,300 --> 00:09:05,339
threat, and choosing

300
00:09:05,340 --> 00:09:08,139
deployment over negotiations is

301
00:09:08,140 --> 00:09:09,999
a way of progressively isolating

302
00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,119
America from the world community

303
00:09:12,120 --> 00:09:14,139
and making the world a

304
00:09:14,140 --> 00:09:15,699
more dangerous place in which to

305
00:09:15,700 --> 00:09:17,659
live. I think a

306
00:09:17,660 --> 00:09:18,660
sense of

307
00:09:20,430 --> 00:09:22,249
mutual respect

308
00:09:22,250 --> 00:09:24,469
and reciprocity and

309
00:09:24,470 --> 00:09:26,329
human rights and democratic

310
00:09:26,330 --> 00:09:28,749
principles must be the guiding line

311
00:09:28,750 --> 00:09:30,709
of that determines how we

312
00:09:30,710 --> 00:09:33,549
engage in foreign policy for example

313
00:09:33,550 --> 00:09:35,689
latin america's not our back door

314
00:09:35,690 --> 00:09:37,549
it's next door

315
00:09:37,550 --> 00:09:39,689
they are our neighbors indeed latin

316
00:09:39,690 --> 00:09:42,129
american's are our good neighbors in

317
00:09:42,130 --> 00:09:44,189
foundation to engage in an attempt

318
00:09:44,190 --> 00:09:46,769
to over to overthrow of

319
00:09:46,770 --> 00:09:48,269
the government of Nicaragua and

320
00:09:48,270 --> 00:09:49,949
violated sovereignty.

321
00:09:49,950 --> 00:09:51,809
Is illegal, but it's also

322
00:09:51,810 --> 00:09:54,449
unethical and it is short-sighted

323
00:09:54,450 --> 00:09:55,989
and it's identifying with the wrong

324
00:09:55,990 --> 00:09:56,809
side of history.

325
00:09:56,810 --> 00:09:59,049
After all, it was our investment

326
00:09:59,050 --> 00:10:00,989
in and cooperation with Somoza

327
00:10:00,990 --> 00:10:02,649
across the years that created the

328
00:10:02,650 --> 00:10:05,369
tyranny there in the first place.

329
00:10:05,370 --> 00:10:07,619
For our nation to embrace

330
00:10:07,620 --> 00:10:09,759
the tyrannies of El Salvador

331
00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:11,609
is to be identifying with wrong

332
00:10:11,610 --> 00:10:13,229
side history.

333
00:10:13,230 --> 00:10:15,549
Our nation loses its

334
00:10:15,550 --> 00:10:18,129
credibility, its moral authority,

335
00:10:18,130 --> 00:10:19,130
It's legitimacy.

336
00:10:20,590 --> 00:10:22,549
Will invade and occupy a nation the

337
00:10:22,550 --> 00:10:24,549
size of Grenada and then

338
00:10:24,550 --> 00:10:25,989
log out the American press that the

339
00:10:25,990 --> 00:10:27,109
people might not have adequate

340
00:10:27,110 --> 00:10:28,110
information.

341
00:10:28,980 --> 00:10:32,079
That was the Reverend Jesse Jackson.

342
00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:33,379
You can hear In Black America

343
00:10:33,380 --> 00:10:35,339
tonight at 10 o'clock in its regular

344
00:10:35,340 --> 00:10:36,779
spot, and you can hear a special

345
00:10:36,780 --> 00:10:38,839
rebroadcast of this 1984

346
00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:40,819
show with Reverend Jesse Jackson

347
00:10:40,820 --> 00:10:42,059
at 10.30.

348
00:10:42,060 --> 00:10:44,639
That's on KUT News 90.5

349
00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:46,799
on the KUT app and online

350
00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:48,739
at KUT.org

351
00:10:48,740 --> 00:10:50,679
10.32 tonight.

352
00:10:50,680 --> 00:10:52,179
We have more Austin Signal coming up

353
00:10:52,180 --> 00:10:54,120
for you after this break.

354
00:11:00,330 --> 00:11:01,929
This is Austin Signal, thanks for

355
00:11:01,930 --> 00:11:03,289
being with us today.

356
00:11:03,290 --> 00:11:05,229
It's the start of the Lunar

357
00:11:05,230 --> 00:11:07,129
New Year today and KUT's

358
00:11:07,130 --> 00:11:08,869
photojournalist Patricia Lim has

359
00:11:08,870 --> 00:11:10,489
some great photos from a celebration

360
00:11:10,490 --> 00:11:12,309
that she recently went to up

361
00:11:12,310 --> 00:11:14,409
at kut.org.

362
00:11:14,410 --> 00:11:15,949
Couple years ago she met up with the

363
00:11:15,950 --> 00:11:17,549
Summit Lion and Dragon dance team

364
00:11:17,550 --> 00:11:18,969
based out of Summit Elementary

365
00:11:18,970 --> 00:11:20,729
School in Northwest Austin.

366
00:11:20,730 --> 00:11:21,909
Today we're gonna hear from students

367
00:11:21,910 --> 00:11:23,769
and dance team members Chloe Pham

368
00:11:23,770 --> 00:11:25,909
and Story Palifox and the team's

369
00:11:25,910 --> 00:11:27,399
leader Derek Galban.

370
00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:29,379
But first, here's Thai Chuan, better

371
00:11:29,380 --> 00:11:31,219
known as Mr. T,

372
00:11:31,220 --> 00:11:32,539
a Vietnamese dual-language

373
00:11:32,540 --> 00:11:33,599
interventionist at Summit

374
00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:35,459
Elementary, who coordinates the

375
00:11:35,460 --> 00:11:37,279
Summit Lion and Dragon dance

376
00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:38,280
team.

377
00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:45,039
The Lunar New Year is

378
00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:47,099
a huge festival where

379
00:11:47,100 --> 00:11:49,319
people come together with

380
00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:51,279
joy, with happiness and they

381
00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:53,139
just pretty much want to start a

382
00:11:53,140 --> 00:11:54,580
brand new new year.

383
00:11:56,730 --> 00:11:58,329
Lion Dance performances happen

384
00:11:58,330 --> 00:12:00,069
during Lunar New Year, and it's a

385
00:12:00,070 --> 00:12:01,909
time where a lot of my family

386
00:12:01,910 --> 00:12:03,369
and my friends from out of town come

387
00:12:03,370 --> 00:12:04,370
in here.

388
00:12:05,610 --> 00:12:06,949
A week or two before New Year's, we

389
00:12:06,950 --> 00:12:07,869
usually just clean up the whole

390
00:12:07,870 --> 00:12:08,419
house.

391
00:12:08,420 --> 00:12:10,039
You can't clean it after, because

392
00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:11,019
it's not good.

393
00:12:11,020 --> 00:12:12,519
It's bad luck.

394
00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:14,539
They will want to get rid of all the

395
00:12:14,540 --> 00:12:16,359
bad things that happened last year

396
00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:18,359
and hope for the best for the

397
00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:19,360
following years.

398
00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:22,559
The red envelope is the lucky

399
00:12:22,560 --> 00:12:24,399
envelope in Vietnamese language.

400
00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:25,579
It's called bali si.

401
00:12:25,580 --> 00:12:27,539
The lions come to the stores or to

402
00:12:27,540 --> 00:12:29,599
the venues, and we bless the area.

403
00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:31,879
And so in return, the owners,

404
00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:33,299
the audience, they can also give

405
00:12:33,300 --> 00:12:34,300
donations to it.

406
00:12:37,330 --> 00:12:39,349
When I was in the lion, it felt

407
00:12:39,350 --> 00:12:40,909
kind of like surreal, and I felt

408
00:12:40,910 --> 00:12:43,049
like I belonged there.

409
00:12:43,050 --> 00:12:44,549
I grew up outside of the Asian

410
00:12:44,550 --> 00:12:46,329
community. Now I actually feel

411
00:12:46,330 --> 00:12:48,189
connected with them, and it

412
00:12:48,190 --> 00:12:49,190
feels really good.

413
00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:53,619
We are considered the pioneer

414
00:12:53,620 --> 00:12:54,899
of the Vietnamese dual-language

415
00:12:54,900 --> 00:12:56,639
program for the state of Texas.

416
00:12:56,640 --> 00:12:58,639
We have extracurricular activities

417
00:12:58,640 --> 00:12:59,889
after school.

418
00:12:59,890 --> 00:13:01,489
We have to do the stands and it's

419
00:13:01,490 --> 00:13:03,949
really painful on

420
00:13:03,950 --> 00:13:04,950
our legs.

421
00:13:06,050 --> 00:13:07,110
Push the heads.

422
00:13:12,180 --> 00:13:14,519
It's got a whole stance.

423
00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:16,459
Not many people like it,

424
00:13:16,460 --> 00:13:18,589
but I don't mind it that much.

425
00:13:18,590 --> 00:13:19,590
That's a lot of work.

426
00:13:23,790 --> 00:13:25,609
When I was in sixth grade,

427
00:13:25,610 --> 00:13:26,769
a few of my buddies, they were

428
00:13:26,770 --> 00:13:27,629
already doing it.

429
00:13:27,630 --> 00:13:29,709
So they invited me and ever since

430
00:13:29,710 --> 00:13:31,189
then, I've just stuck around.

431
00:13:31,190 --> 00:13:33,049
I'm not Vietnamese, but I grew up

432
00:13:33,050 --> 00:13:34,969
around the culture my whole life.

433
00:13:34,970 --> 00:13:36,229
Now I'm at the point where I'm just

434
00:13:36,230 --> 00:13:37,729
trying to give back as much as I

435
00:13:37,730 --> 00:13:39,469
can. Let's see how much it's helped

436
00:13:39,470 --> 00:13:40,449
me.

437
00:13:40,450 --> 00:13:41,869
Back in the day, it was majority

438
00:13:41,870 --> 00:13:43,769
Vietnamese, but now it's

439
00:13:43,770 --> 00:13:45,639
expanded a lot to every culture.

440
00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:47,699
If you provide these cultural

441
00:13:47,700 --> 00:13:49,959
opportunities, they become more

442
00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:52,119
respectful of the culture and

443
00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:54,139
it also gives them a chance to have

444
00:13:54,140 --> 00:13:55,140
self-identity.

445
00:13:58,850 --> 00:14:01,109
It helps keep tradition alive,

446
00:14:01,110 --> 00:14:02,469
it helps keep culture alive, but

447
00:14:02,470 --> 00:14:04,409
also educates young

448
00:14:04,410 --> 00:14:06,209
people who have an ethnic

449
00:14:06,210 --> 00:14:08,329
background, either from Asia or

450
00:14:08,330 --> 00:14:09,859
from any other country.

451
00:14:09,860 --> 00:14:12,159
I feel a lot of other people

452
00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:14,219
aren't as lucky as me to be able to

453
00:14:14,220 --> 00:14:15,639
do line knits and feel like really

454
00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:17,399
connected to their culture.

455
00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:18,859
So I think it's a really big honor

456
00:14:18,860 --> 00:14:19,920
for me to do this.

457
00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:32,259
Those were the voices of

458
00:14:32,260 --> 00:14:34,519
Thai Chuan, aka Mr. T,

459
00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:35,839
a Vietnamese dual-language

460
00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:37,599
interventionist at Summit Elementary

461
00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:39,499
who coordinates the Summit Lion and

462
00:14:39,500 --> 00:14:41,719
Dragon dance team, as well as

463
00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:43,139
students and dance team members

464
00:14:43,140 --> 00:14:45,439
Chloe Pham and Story Palafox,

465
00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:47,960
and dance-team leader Derek Gauban.

466
00:14:49,020 --> 00:14:51,059
Mental health is essential for

467
00:14:51,060 --> 00:14:51,899
all of us.

468
00:14:51,900 --> 00:14:53,559
For creatives especially, mental

469
00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:55,359
health can shape everything from

470
00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:57,269
inspiration to burnout.

471
00:14:57,270 --> 00:14:59,369
But one legendary music pioneer

472
00:14:59,370 --> 00:15:01,089
and certified peer specialist is

473
00:15:01,090 --> 00:15:02,769
putting a special focus on the

474
00:15:02,770 --> 00:15:04,609
well-being of creatives.

475
00:15:04,610 --> 00:15:06,049
He has a live podcast taping

476
00:15:06,050 --> 00:15:07,869
tomorrow night at 6 p.m.

477
00:15:07,870 --> 00:15:09,809
At DAWA HQ, hosted by

478
00:15:09,810 --> 00:15:11,189
Jonathan Chaka Mahone, called

479
00:15:11,190 --> 00:15:13,289
Clarity is Sublime, Mental

480
00:15:13,290 --> 00:15:15,469
Health in a World Gone Mad.

481
00:15:15,470 --> 00:15:17,409
Host Miles Bloxton spoke with

482
00:15:17,410 --> 00:15:18,209
Bevis M.

483
00:15:18,210 --> 00:15:19,469
Griffin about this.

484
00:15:20,710 --> 00:15:22,249
You've worked as a musician for

485
00:15:22,250 --> 00:15:23,029
decades.

486
00:15:23,030 --> 00:15:24,729
How has that experience in the

487
00:15:24,730 --> 00:15:26,349
industry shaped the way you think

488
00:15:26,350 --> 00:15:28,219
about mental health today?

489
00:15:28,220 --> 00:15:30,159
Oh my goodness, it touches, it

490
00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:31,779
checks so many boxes when I think

491
00:15:31,780 --> 00:15:33,899
back historically in the

492
00:15:33,900 --> 00:15:35,659
arc of my career, because I

493
00:15:35,660 --> 00:15:37,379
basically started my career at the

494
00:15:37,380 --> 00:15:39,319
tender age of 18 in

495
00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:42,159
Austin, Texas, back in 1972.

496
00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:43,919
So when you see those little bumper

497
00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:45,299
stickers that say, Keep Austin

498
00:15:45,300 --> 00:15:46,300
Weird,

499
00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:48,219
we're the people that were making

500
00:15:48,220 --> 00:15:50,659
Austin Weird in 1972,

501
00:15:50,660 --> 00:15:52,459
okay? And the reason that I say that

502
00:15:52,460 --> 00:15:54,199
is because at that point in time,

503
00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:56,469
drug use was fairly prolific

504
00:15:56,470 --> 00:15:58,489
in the youth community

505
00:15:58,490 --> 00:16:00,329
at large because no one had

506
00:16:00,330 --> 00:16:02,429
exposure to the ramifications of

507
00:16:02,430 --> 00:16:04,309
long-term exposure to

508
00:16:04,310 --> 00:16:06,149
recreational drug use.

509
00:16:06,150 --> 00:16:08,089
So I actually kind of fell into

510
00:16:08,090 --> 00:16:10,449
the deep end of the pool, you know,

511
00:16:10,450 --> 00:16:12,549
very naive, but

512
00:16:12,550 --> 00:16:14,289
in a situation where so many of my

513
00:16:14,290 --> 00:16:15,929
peers were older and more

514
00:16:15,930 --> 00:16:17,769
experienced, it was just a natural

515
00:16:17,770 --> 00:16:19,569
case of in Rome, do as the Romans

516
00:16:19,570 --> 00:16:21,469
do, and you get in where you fit in

517
00:16:21,470 --> 00:16:22,470
and you go with the flow.

518
00:16:23,790 --> 00:16:25,629
So one thing led to another,

519
00:16:25,630 --> 00:16:27,289
and over the course of five, six

520
00:16:27,290 --> 00:16:29,289
years, I had ascended

521
00:16:29,290 --> 00:16:31,209
to the point to where I was a

522
00:16:31,210 --> 00:16:32,949
professional musician looking to

523
00:16:32,950 --> 00:16:34,989
extend my career into a more

524
00:16:34,990 --> 00:16:36,869
national platform.

525
00:16:36,870 --> 00:16:38,829
And so I relocated to New York City

526
00:16:38,830 --> 00:16:40,709
in 1982,

527
00:16:40,710 --> 00:16:42,889
because at that time, Austin was

528
00:16:42,890 --> 00:16:45,369
not established as a musical

529
00:16:45,370 --> 00:16:47,289
powerhouse the way that

530
00:16:47,290 --> 00:16:49,329
it has been in the last 20

531
00:16:49,330 --> 00:16:51,069
years since South by Southwest,

532
00:16:51,070 --> 00:16:52,649
right? At that time, Austin.

533
00:16:52,650 --> 00:16:54,849
Was much more colloquial.

534
00:16:54,850 --> 00:16:56,689
The quality of musicianship was very

535
00:16:56,690 --> 00:16:57,509
high.

536
00:16:57,510 --> 00:16:59,989
And so that really elevated

537
00:16:59,990 --> 00:17:01,609
my skill set, so to speak.

538
00:17:01,610 --> 00:17:03,409
But as far as taking that next step

539
00:17:03,410 --> 00:17:05,328
to getting a national

540
00:17:05,329 --> 00:17:07,169
record deal, so to speak, there

541
00:17:07,170 --> 00:17:08,949
were no major labels in Texas.

542
00:17:08,950 --> 00:17:10,848
So I had to make a

543
00:17:10,849 --> 00:17:12,328
pivot to either New York, Los

544
00:17:12,329 --> 00:17:14,249
Angeles, or even London, for

545
00:17:14,250 --> 00:17:16,149
that matter. And so I got

546
00:17:16,150 --> 00:17:17,729
an invitation to come to New York

547
00:17:17,730 --> 00:17:19,629
and pursued that from that

548
00:17:19,630 --> 00:17:21,348
standpoint. Having said that...

549
00:17:22,790 --> 00:17:24,549
That literally coincided with the

550
00:17:24,550 --> 00:17:26,449
crack epidemic by the time that

551
00:17:26,450 --> 00:17:27,730
I moved to New York City.

552
00:17:29,130 --> 00:17:30,269
And personally, I never had any

553
00:17:30,270 --> 00:17:32,509
exposure in

554
00:17:32,510 --> 00:17:34,589
engaging in crack per se.

555
00:17:34,590 --> 00:17:36,629
But what I could attest

556
00:17:36,630 --> 00:17:38,849
to was that the degree of

557
00:17:38,850 --> 00:17:40,829
recreational drug use had

558
00:17:40,830 --> 00:17:42,669
proliferated the industry to such

559
00:17:42,670 --> 00:17:43,929
a point to where it was completely

560
00:17:43,930 --> 00:17:45,389
normalized, right?

561
00:17:45,390 --> 00:17:47,409
So I'm here to tell you,

562
00:17:47,410 --> 00:17:49,289
you know, I

563
00:17:49,290 --> 00:17:51,439
had a lot of exposure at a very...

564
00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:52,859
Tender age.

565
00:17:52,860 --> 00:17:54,619
And so having gone through all of

566
00:17:54,620 --> 00:17:57,319
those experiences as

567
00:17:57,320 --> 00:17:59,259
a mature adult, once

568
00:17:59,260 --> 00:18:01,299
I kind of turned the page at

569
00:18:01,300 --> 00:18:03,199
the age of 40, so to speak, I really

570
00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:04,679
wanted to start thinking of myself

571
00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:06,519
as a, mature individual,

572
00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:08,239
you know, with the future, right?

573
00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:10,099
And I wasn't so precarious

574
00:18:10,100 --> 00:18:11,919
to be so nihilistic living

575
00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,059
on the edge, so, to speak.

576
00:18:14,060 --> 00:18:15,499
Right? And that literally set me on

577
00:18:15,500 --> 00:18:16,979
my path to sobriety.

578
00:18:16,980 --> 00:18:19,100
Then I just embraced that,

579
00:18:20,120 --> 00:18:20,979
you I'll see you in the next one.
That's

580
00:18:20,980 --> 00:18:22,879
literally the platform that

581
00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:24,499
I stand on today.

582
00:18:24,500 --> 00:18:26,319
How did you decide to

583
00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:28,259
pivot from being a musician

584
00:18:28,260 --> 00:18:30,219
to then being a manager, and

585
00:18:30,220 --> 00:18:32,239
now you're on the board of

586
00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:34,199
Sims Foundation, which is all

587
00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:35,559
about mental health and supporting

588
00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:37,849
artists in the Austin area?

589
00:18:37,850 --> 00:18:40,469
I literally had a moment of clarity

590
00:18:40,470 --> 00:18:42,209
while I was performing in a club,

591
00:18:42,210 --> 00:18:43,409
thinking like, where do you wanna be

592
00:18:43,410 --> 00:18:44,369
in five years?

593
00:18:44,370 --> 00:18:46,329
And the voice answered, I don't

594
00:18:46,330 --> 00:18:47,849
wanna be chasing these gigs around

595
00:18:47,850 --> 00:18:49,949
town, you know?

596
00:18:49,950 --> 00:18:51,589
I wanna be a position where I'm

597
00:18:51,590 --> 00:18:53,349
actually, you now, opening some

598
00:18:53,350 --> 00:18:55,369
doors of possibility for other

599
00:18:55,370 --> 00:18:57,589
people, maybe as a mentor.

600
00:18:57,590 --> 00:18:59,549
I was fortunate that by the time

601
00:18:59,550 --> 00:19:01,869
I made that pivot,

602
00:19:01,870 --> 00:19:03,289
one of the first acts that I started

603
00:19:03,290 --> 00:19:05,109
working with was the band Death

604
00:19:05,110 --> 00:19:07,089
out of Detroit that had a very...

605
00:19:08,170 --> 00:19:10,189
Powerful backstory and a

606
00:19:10,190 --> 00:19:11,949
documentary called A Band Called

607
00:19:11,950 --> 00:19:13,189
Death.

608
00:19:13,190 --> 00:19:15,169
And so that kind of

609
00:19:15,170 --> 00:19:16,729
put me in the arena of national

610
00:19:16,730 --> 00:19:17,749
exposure.

611
00:19:17,750 --> 00:19:18,909
And then from that I went on to

612
00:19:18,910 --> 00:19:20,409
manage the band Living Color who

613
00:19:20,410 --> 00:19:22,329
were friends of

614
00:19:22,330 --> 00:19:24,129
mine from my early days in New York

615
00:19:24,130 --> 00:19:25,189
City.

616
00:19:25,190 --> 00:19:27,249
And then the rest is history,

617
00:19:27,250 --> 00:19:28,409
as they say.

618
00:19:28,410 --> 00:19:30,269
Once I'd gotten to that echelon,

619
00:19:30,270 --> 00:19:31,869
things just started opening up and

620
00:19:31,870 --> 00:19:32,319
rolling.

621
00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:33,879
Right. And so it seems like a very

622
00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:35,239
natural evolution for you.

623
00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:37,659
So when did you decide to step into

624
00:19:37,660 --> 00:19:39,099
the mental health space?

625
00:19:40,390 --> 00:19:41,609
During the pandemic, I really

626
00:19:41,610 --> 00:19:43,209
started thinking along the lines of

627
00:19:43,210 --> 00:19:44,589
education, right?

628
00:19:44,590 --> 00:19:48,069
I wanted to develop a

629
00:19:48,070 --> 00:19:51,109
curriculum of education to kind of

630
00:19:51,110 --> 00:19:53,049
bring to focus the influence of

631
00:19:53,050 --> 00:19:55,129
black popular culture on

632
00:19:55,130 --> 00:19:57,169
pop culture writ large.

633
00:19:57,170 --> 00:19:59,009
So I started collaborating with

634
00:19:59,010 --> 00:20:00,010
the School of Rock.

635
00:20:01,010 --> 00:20:02,529
And along that line,

636
00:20:03,670 --> 00:20:05,919
I started having some...

637
00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:07,499
Deep conversations with my younger

638
00:20:07,500 --> 00:20:09,399
sister, who passed away a few years

639
00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:11,319
ago, but she was a very savvy

640
00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:13,559
executive in

641
00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:15,479
Los Angeles, and she and I

642
00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:17,239
started thinking about the idea of

643
00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:19,979
me getting into my autobiography,

644
00:20:19,980 --> 00:20:21,479
right, in earnest.

645
00:20:22,540 --> 00:20:24,559
And going, tracing back through the

646
00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:26,439
stages of my early development,

647
00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:28,359
I realized that I had actually been

648
00:20:28,360 --> 00:20:30,079
exposed to a lot of heavy childhood

649
00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:32,179
trauma, you know,

650
00:20:32,180 --> 00:20:33,709
and...

651
00:20:33,710 --> 00:20:35,269
I won't go into the details here,

652
00:20:35,270 --> 00:20:37,489
but what I can say was that my

653
00:20:37,490 --> 00:20:39,449
personal journey informed

654
00:20:39,450 --> 00:20:41,449
me of how

655
00:20:41,450 --> 00:20:43,529
traumatized I had been and why

656
00:20:43,530 --> 00:20:45,669
I had such a proclivity

657
00:20:45,670 --> 00:20:47,489
to kind of escape into

658
00:20:47,490 --> 00:20:49,309
the land of, let's say, drugs

659
00:20:49,310 --> 00:20:52,189
and alcohol as self-medications,

660
00:20:52,190 --> 00:20:53,749
so to speak.

661
00:20:53,750 --> 00:20:56,229
I also was probably

662
00:20:56,230 --> 00:20:59,349
trying to

663
00:20:59,350 --> 00:21:01,209
address an underlying

664
00:21:01,210 --> 00:21:03,309
sense of chronic depression.

665
00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:06,179
For all intents and purposes.

666
00:21:06,180 --> 00:21:08,119
So that really kind of

667
00:21:08,120 --> 00:21:10,279
illuminated my intrigue, right?

668
00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:12,099
And I happened to meet a

669
00:21:12,100 --> 00:21:14,339
lady that told me about peer support

670
00:21:14,340 --> 00:21:16,919
as a means of

671
00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:18,779
participating in a mental health

672
00:21:18,780 --> 00:21:20,699
field that

673
00:21:20,700 --> 00:21:22,939
didn't require like the same rigors

674
00:21:22,940 --> 00:21:24,919
of being a qualified mental

675
00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:26,459
health professional that would need

676
00:21:26,460 --> 00:21:28,459
a bachelor's degree, so to speak.

677
00:21:28,460 --> 00:21:30,939
The criteria was lived experience,

678
00:21:30,940 --> 00:21:33,599
which I had an ocean of.

679
00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:35,739
And so once I pursued

680
00:21:35,740 --> 00:21:38,179
the criteria for the

681
00:21:38,180 --> 00:21:40,379
certifications, that really

682
00:21:40,380 --> 00:21:41,899
kind of lit my fire, right?

683
00:21:41,900 --> 00:21:44,019
Because I could understand how just

684
00:21:44,020 --> 00:21:46,079
expressing a sense of identity and

685
00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:47,619
empathy with individuals that are

686
00:21:47,620 --> 00:21:49,559
going through challenges that you

687
00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:51,599
yourself have endured is

688
00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:52,799
very powerful.

689
00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:53,779
You know what I'm saying?

690
00:21:53,780 --> 00:21:55,719
And I wanted to participate in a way

691
00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:57,659
to use the platform that I had

692
00:21:57,660 --> 00:22:00,419
acquired culturally,

693
00:22:00,420 --> 00:22:02,499
right, to pour back

694
00:22:02,500 --> 00:22:03,859
to younger.

695
00:22:03,860 --> 00:22:05,719
Aspiring musicians and let them know

696
00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:07,119
that, first of all, you have

697
00:22:07,120 --> 00:22:09,019
everything that you need to be

698
00:22:09,020 --> 00:22:10,939
successful. You don't need like an

699
00:22:10,940 --> 00:22:12,839
extracurricular activity

700
00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:14,819
to bolster your

701
00:22:14,820 --> 00:22:15,599
talent.

702
00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:18,599
As a matter of fact, those external

703
00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:20,599
influences can actually

704
00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:22,539
be debilitating to

705
00:22:22,540 --> 00:22:23,579
your best self.

706
00:22:23,580 --> 00:22:24,579
You know what I'm saying?

707
00:22:24,580 --> 00:22:27,659
So I'm just saying it's

708
00:22:27,660 --> 00:22:29,759
so important for me to let

709
00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:31,839
young individuals know that

710
00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:33,559
your Talent is a gift.

711
00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:34,560
From most high.

712
00:22:35,550 --> 00:22:37,409
That was music pioneer Bevis M.

713
00:22:37,410 --> 00:22:38,669
Griffin speaking with host Miles

714
00:22:38,670 --> 00:22:40,289
Bloxson. The live taping of the

715
00:22:40,290 --> 00:22:42,689
podcast, Clarity is Sublime,

716
00:22:42,690 --> 00:22:44,189
Mental Health in a World Gone Mad,

717
00:22:44,190 --> 00:22:46,189
hosted by Jonathan Chaka Mahone.

718
00:22:46,190 --> 00:22:47,789
It's happening tomorrow night at 6

719
00:22:47,790 --> 00:22:49,209
p.m. We'll have a link to more

720
00:22:49,210 --> 00:22:51,749
information at kut.org

721
00:22:51,750 --> 00:22:52,929
slash signal.

722
00:22:52,930 --> 00:22:54,429
That's it for today's show.

723
00:22:54,430 --> 00:22:55,989
I'm your host, Jerry Quijano.

724
00:22:55,990 --> 00:22:58,109
We will be back with you tomorrow.

725
00:22:58,110 --> 00:22:59,110
Have a great day.