Okay, live. Hi everybody Sharice Davids here representative for the third district in Kansas and thank much for taking the time to join us today. I am with my and and Congressman Emmanuel Cleburne. He's right on the side of the state line and is a true leader in our community in. Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus and I appreciate you being depending on you with you depending on who's saying hi to you. Congressman It's a Red. thank you so much for joining us today. I'm I really appreciate it. so the first thing I wanna do actually is just kind of start off by. the would call pain and the heartbreak that millions of people across across the country right are feeling and also the outrage over killing of George Floyd. Briana Taylor Ahmad Aubrey and frankly the countless other black people in this country who have died Because injustice and and brutality and you know, I think I always have felt as one of my biggest responsibilities a representative for the community that I represent is to and to me. to me. That means to people who who are the affected by injustices whether that's in Kansas or across the country and listening to our faith leaders listening to. The leaders across the board and certainly Congressman Cleaver, consider you to be a leader is so well respected by so many people and I need I in some ways. I don't feel like I need to to tell folks about how amazing you are because cuz so many people already know but I do wanna say that I appreciate your leadership and your voice and today I. And hoping for us to talk about some of the recent events and things that have been happening in the Kansas City, Metro area and of across the country and also where we think we go from here and I was hoping to kind of start off with asking you a a and then if there are other things that you jump in about but I don't for folks who are watching right now. I think that people. Interested to know that you serve both the mayor Kansas City and you are now the congressman represents Kansas City, Missouri, and I think it would be a really impactful here. from your perspective how things have shifted in the Kansas City area areas that our community made progress on issues of Justice and equity and then areas where you know, there's still so much more to do well. Thank you so much and thank you thank you for the invitation to here and I I I want the people people of of of of treats know that you know you got fabulous member of Congress. I am not objective. I will confess publicly. I'm I'm not as it as it relates relates to coming to to her. so I'm I'm I apologize for being and in any way objective what I would like to. I will I was sworn in as mayor 1991. At the time, I was first African-American to serve as mayor and I I was fortunate enough to serve for eight years as mayor and pastor what at that time was at largest african-american. you know that this congregation in the in the state and in the Midwest and I I did so not because of anything that was talented enough to. I had some amazing people around me, musicians, but serving as mayor of Kens in 1990, - two I woke up one morning and out that the jury had found the police not guilty on the King beating that was on television. Everybody could see the beating not unlike what seen with the George Floyd, but the police were found not guilty and right out all over the United States. People were killed a and here in Kansas City I'll never forget it. I was in the in the the office on 20 floor of City Hall by the Kansas City. that's has happened recently as a a tallest the city Hall in country and so I had a panoramic view of Kansas City, but I a phone call from a Councilwoman Cole who and said you better get out here to brush Creek. right now. we're gonna have a problem and so my security. We have some reservations about me going but they they put me in the car and they drove me and we ask the police not to to come around. They're about 500 people ready to March on the plaza and I knew knew that was be a bad thing. It was going to create chaos and so I I I you we were able to turn the people around that in March, but a lot of things things happen at night, we were able put most of it to rest So our country. Is for for the 300 years we've been the edge of of conflict and we're again. Although we we probably have just wasn't as visible in the in in the in time as as it is now and so as we get into the discussion, I could, you know, talk much more about what just and why I think it happened what we can conceive to do to try to reduce the likelihood that it will happen again. I think that's actually one of the things that I that I is your your perspective that you bring is view point of been both mayor so a local elected much of policy does take take place also a federal official where of of course we have you know policy making power over a number of things. How do you think that that work with our local electeds to. Bring about meaningful reform and implement of those policies that might actually helpful. Yes. you know when you think about the the the disruption that has taken place in Kansas City. we're really in between state involvement federal government and of course municipal involvement and. We are in a rare situation and because we're the police Department in the United States that is by the state. The governor appoints the the police board, hires the police chief and and so there's an effort every now and then and then one just launched again to remove Kansas from the the police from the state control. we put was placed on a state control because most people around the country probably don't know this, but we were the. most mobb control city in the United States after Chicago, Kansas City the the Las Vegas and if you look at for those who look the godfather, I look at it twice a year. But if you look at the godfather, they reference to Kansas City and the casinos and so we've mob wars here in 1985. it was bloody but when I. the police was still under a a state control because the state and the local leaders felt like the mouth a strong hold on Kansas City that if if the state didn't control, the mob will probably take all the police Department. Remember Floyd came to Kansas City and shot. I think three g-man were called in Fbi agents said. Look at Union station and Never arrested they they stayed in cancer for a week and they were not arrested until they made their way into Tennessee. so we had a bad reputation. at one point it was the city was by Tom Pender, Gass, who was not part of the he was a controller and a person. so a big issue in Kansas City right now, I reminded some people today that Joyce Floyd would be dead even if it had been even if he had been in Kansas City controlled by the state. so. The issues involved requires think the number one making sure that the manual prohibits some of the tech techniques that the police choking or putting their knees on neck, and it goes all the way back to slavery that it was this thing in slavery at unconsciously moves all through the centuries, but African-Americans did not experience pain like. That there was characteristics possessed by people of color that that prevented them from suffering like others. So people feel like you know I can do this African Americans that's not gonna hurt him or her as badly. mean that's a three 300 year tradition that has not gone away way. you know nobody would dare utter that probably today but. If you look at what happened, the police officer who had who had knee on Floyd's, hand in his pocket, kinda relaxed even when when he begged life. it's like you know, look we got you're you're faking. You're not hurting and so but and so I created outrage. but if you peel back the outrage, you will pain and the pain is that after three. Years the that old Boogie man called race comes out of its grave and haunt us us again and it keeps coming It's been coming out regularly 1865 when slaves were at in in terms of federal government free and the Emancipation Proclamation actually free slaves, but it was a declaration long awaited by. Americans and so we this problem now and I have never seen it like this and look I I grew up in an era of of Jim Crow down in Texas and then I ended up working working in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference Doctor Organization working I was a kid running this great famous and and and learning about the and Justice and nonviolent protest and I've never seen it like where there, there's been disruption all over the country and you know I think this has been exacerbated by politicians who for whatever reason avoided trying to bring people together and heal. I don't care if it's Republican or Democrat every President every person that I've seen during the time like this, at least try. Bring together, so we're in a bad right now, but we'll be able to come out. we're not gonna stop. I'm gonna hang here for another decade. We'll come out of it. Yeah well and I think that one of the things that I've I've seen is a lot of the conversation kind of it almost kinda splatters like it's gonna start and then things kind of quiet. Down and and right now it looks as it looks as though there are some real conversations that are getting started from from my perspective, but I don't you if you agree with that I think that the conversations are gonna hard and it's it's gonna be it's gonna be hard for for I appreciate you sharing the Idea when you past the the that there's there's there's a there. it's it's I I think there's a lot of deep wounds haven't seen healed you know in the long history that we've got in this country and. I think that that actually raises another that I was thinking about and I know you and I have had few conversations of course and in this week or about racial injustice and what's going on Kansas City area for sure, but we also have had lots of conversations about the pandemic and the disproportionate impacts we're seeing on black communities and other communities of color and That impacts on the transmission but also in the outcomes and people are surviving or not surviving this and I'm you know I guess I wonder if your perspective what role you think that and a lot of lot of ways stacking on top of what's going on with the Corona virus? you know how does that interplay in your mind with what we're? With folks who are really out out speak against the injustices that are really at at the top most folks minds right now well, we've had a confluence of bad stuff. like we've never had think about this. We've over 100000 to die of this virus called we've we we we a Corona virus infected economy as a result we've got. Unemployment at depression levels levels 30 million people unemployment. we've got a situation where the GDP probably popping out at whopping one half percent and then you add on to that. the the unrest all over the country. the only thing we don't have yet the on the locust and The frogs that hit Egypt and so good morning. The cicadas are coming year, but those are not the Los. No. No no but we we have this confluence and that is hit and just this right now. we have teenagers all over the country who go home every day to their parents. they go and walk inside after they've been out playing who. Unemployed. So I mean got 30 million people who've applied for unemployment benefits and so you You got this unemployed parents unemployed kids no money in the household. The kids don't have jobs that they can get because where they can earn money for school clothing. I mean it's a bad situation and I think unless we have congressional. We can resolve issues right now we have this, you know this confluence and one of the one of the things we absolutely must do I think is began to pass legislation that mitigate some of issues or at least you know, make make things life bit easier we are able to get some legislation passed, I I can reduce some of the some of the problems but there's some. Cannot be reduced money I cannot be eliminated by passing a piece of legislation. we've we've had a bad past. on issue race. We can't legislate away and we made mistakes when we in the past now to era is human but to forget is cuckoo and I think we we forget what has happened and then start making new mistakes we we look like I mean so rest world like we're crazy. I mean the world's democracy is looking as as if it's falling was interviewed on an MSNBC this past Saturday morning and Alec Whitt who who interviewed me that the host of the show, said to me that she had had just been speaking to one of her friends who lives in a European country And she sets. Alex at the her friends said. Well, the people over here really feel sorry for you, people people that United States and we're the most powerful nation in the on the planet. we the technological and military superiority over the rest of the world and the world's number one economy. The dollar is the International Monetary the nomination and so people are feeling sorry for us. It shows that how how we are looking around the country and frankly to many of us it looks at. Right here if you're living in the in the country and so there has to be some leadership. why I'm so glad you you've been elected. the the there's a need for leadership right now like we've never had before and that is people who will stand up and speak the truth all at the same same respecting that that truth has entered into a lot of people and and and so we're gonna have you know. A compassion with who are struggling who really would like to be a good a good person doesn't wanna racial and then there are those who who who are and will it. I mean there's no circumstances of course, no. racist. I've never used the N word and I've you know I have like family and friends and and you know that's not. Of of of not being racist, but but that's you know, sure people can convince themselves of that. And then once I convinced that than anything else they do obviously is not racist because they you know they were declared they don't use the N word and so we've got a lot of work to do in this country. I'm not ready to give up in in the country a young teenager. I did. Earlier today and a young woman, I feel sorry for her, she was just saying I just don't think this is gonna get any better and I and I I told her that if that that had been the attitude of doctor King and others we wouldn't even be where where we if if Barack Obama had said alright and we can't get further. we wouldn't have been any further so we we can't allow ourselves to and and timid right now. this is when. needs people who are visionary and can see beyond race and you know people of have always had to build time in this country. It's not gonna stop right but this this could be considered the great awakening for this country. when people say we're not, I'm not gonna go back. Let me it's been turn back you know I spoke to a group down in the plaza last Sunday, maybe 5000 people. Only I mean this was I out to speak. I almost started because for first time in my life in a situation like that, the majority of the crowd was White, probably 55, maybe 60 percent and the rest were black and Brown people and I walked out and looked at it and said to the people black and White and Brown sitting on the ground cuz they were all sitting around. nobody was throwing bottles. Breaking anything and I thought to young White America is saying. Look we're tired this and this we don't see this as a problem problem for black people. This is a problem for country and and then I spoke yesterday at a an event Saint Augustine Episcopal Church outside, of course, where people can practice social distance and our baby in a couple of people out there and it was the majority of White and and so I. Started to getting to watch TV and I advice people who watching us right now to watch what's going on the streets all over the country that it's it's a it's a diverse group people. In cases. It's like the population the largest White so there is there is there are signs. There is a a movement to change and it ought to be exciting to everybody who loves this country. Yeah. I appreciate that. I mean I think that You know when you were were sharing what it was like when you down to down to the plaza on Sunday cuz we spoke after that and I you I asked you about it and and and you shared those of optimism for change and you know, I think that you're touching on the last thing that I hoping for us to talk about which is like where we go from here. you know I think I mentioned this at beginning here is that I've always thought you know. I didn't realize until I was running for office. How often I would would and I I think because it got close me as a question. do you wanna be a voice for this? This is like different and communities and and I it just really struck me how often we hear saying, Oh, I wanna be a voice for the that community and and not that's not my job as an elected official. My job is to listen because the community. Talking about have voice, they just have been ignored so long different groups of people been ignored for so long and I think when you you talk about the anger the frustration, it's like imagining so many people waving their arms and saying something is wrong. This is okay. You know, folks are have been shouting from the rooftops. things like I can't or things like I'd I. Are expressing fear for to be able to walk down the Street and not be and to to know that that we have so many elected officials for a long period of time in this country that they have not been listening to folks and believing the reality that people are sharing their experience of what happens what happens when they walk outside their House. I think that I. That is no, we're not there yet I think it's great we you know, we have a a a a more diverse Congress that we've had before I can't tell you how excited I am to be able to serve alongside you. It's it's something I I truly cherish but it's it really is just that it's just a step. We still have so much work to do and you know I think for right now, the biggest. That I have is is just you know, to continue to listen and learn and sort of thing. I don't know if there are things you wanna share with me or share with everybody who's listening what other things we should be thinking about going forward. Well. one of things is I know a lot of of people look they look at what's on at the demonstrations and at the marches and I see some people looting doing a lot things. I want people to understand, don't that's what we should be calling. Names these are thugs and so so forth when anarchists infiltrate a peaceful patriotic You know protest they can do such things that it would cause the protesters to take on the image of of Beast you know I want people to understand as a member of Security. we we go to and we find out things and and I can tell you right now. one of the things that's going on and don't it's not it's it's it's not classified. we've got people who are anarchists go in life to disrupt the United States and whether it was Ferguson or Baltimore, they always show up and in the aftermath Ferguson Ichat Danielle Lacey US Attorney and the Attorney General and the mayor of Saint Louis and others met at the federal Courthouse in downtown Saint Louis and we were told because the Justice Department. Flying over Ferguson that they identified the anarchist, some of whom would come from Chicago, California and they were there to be to to to to disrupt things and people need also know that when they look Facebook and a lot of media, the Iranians the the Arabians the to maybe a lesser degree the Chinese are all. To social media and I hope that hope that I further disrupt country to the that's what they would love see and they know that the only way they they can do. is to get us to fight each other to to to society internally and we've been doing a pretty good job for the last 10 but in reality we've been doing a long long that the reason I'm saying this is every black man's name is George every black. His name George and know there's there's a Doctor King loved to that was he would always try to ask a guy Jesse Douglass Reverend Jesse L. Douglass, who had a golden voice and Doctor King always say to him sing song for me Jesse and Reverend Douglass, dass with sing a song called I told God it. Right to name and and so I love it it too. because you every man every black man's name is George but I think God is saying it's right for us to change our name to get behind this that when when when we all are or individuals and one of the the ways it for every human being every member of our society every citizen of the United States to understand that they contribute to a nation that that we can be better than this. We are not condemned to be a. at with one another we we can get get this if I can tell that this this man older man was walking through neighborhood and he notices that over at the ballpark look he's baseball so he goes over to the Park and there's a little boy in the dug out. he walks to the kid and and he says, how are you doing? said. Yes, the girl. I'm doing this. a good sir man looks up and sees the scoreboard. 18. Nothing nothing. He says to the little and I feel really bad about what you your team is going through and it's kinda hard to to be behind 18 and in the the, he said. Why aren't you a little discouraged right now, boy said. Oh, no sir. I'm not not discouraged at all. you see. we haven't even come to bed yet I think that that little boy had level of hope that Americans must have that the people of goodwill have come to bed yet the the. Wanna change America haven't come to yet who would like to erase dividing line? not come to come to yet, but also have the hope that all of the people people of goodwill come to that and change is going to come. The nation is is going to change come and I think that that's the overwhelming majority Americans want things to change for the better and we can. I think that's right. I appreciate that I I'm definitely. glad that we got the chance to have this have this conversation. I wish we could keep talking for hour. hour. You probably have a of stuff to do also, but I hope we we can this again soon and I look forward to being able to see you in again. I guess we'll I'll go back next week. I think for new legislation, we're going to see okay related to some new issues but know and we'll be headed back to DC together. probably three weeks. I guess yeah a couple of weeks well, thank you so much for for taking the time to do this with me today and thank you for your leadership your leadership your mentorship and I hope you have a a rest of your night. I want my wife is telling me stuff to do. okay. So what I said. And and then also just really quick. I just wanna say thank you to all the folks have been course our front line workers and you know all of the all of the folks who are keeping us Fed and delivering things to us and and then also appreciate the people who are there exercising their first Amendment rights to assemble and and first Amendment rights to free speech. Thank you. Congressman God bless you. I'll see you soon.