Message Magazine is the oldest
and most widely circulated
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spiritual journal rooted in
the African-American Community
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Stay tuned to meet its first
female editor and hear her story
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My name is Yvonne Lewis,
and you're watching Urban Report
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Hello and
welcome to Urban Report
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My guest today is
Carmela Monk Crawford
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Message Magazine's
first female editor...
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Welcome to Urban
Report Carmela...
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Thank you... so nice to be here
Yeah... I'm so glad you're here
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I'm glad to be here.
We've talked on the phone
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and I've never had the privilege
of meeting you... and so now
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to put a face with
the voice it's so nice...
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so, thank you for
coming. I'm glad...
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So now, tell us a bit
first of all about who you are
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because you're the
first female editor-in-chief
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of Message
Magazine and a lot of our
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viewers are familiar with
Message... and after today...
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we'll have many more
who will be familiar...
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by the grace of
God... tell us who you are...
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Where did you come
from? Where did I come from...
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that's the hardest question
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for most people,
I think that's easy
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but I'm a third-generation
Seventh-day Adventist
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and I say that because
you grow up in the Church
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and you feel
like you are really...
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you have a home in the Church
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even if you don't
have a geographical home...
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That's true...
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...and so I grew up as a PK
Preacher's Kid and an army brat
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and moved...
attended 11 different schools
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by the time I graduated
from High School and 12th Grade
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so, I'm a product
of the Adventist Church
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and this is my
family and my home
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so, I grew up... like
I said... in the Church
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my father was a
Seventh-day Adventist Chaplain
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in the military and the
Church work as a Pastor and
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Administrator and I say
that because he was also a
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predecessor of
my Message Magazine
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because he was an
editor of Message Magazine
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one a long line of distinguished
and intelligent men
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who are about spreading the
gospel... in this generation
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and here I am... at
the end of the line.
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Yes, look at that...
you're kind of continuing the
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legacy so to
speak of your dad...
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Yes, well and not just my father
it's a long line, you know,
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Message Magazine was
started back in 1898...
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The Gospel Herald
was it's predecessor...
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and James Edson White started...
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and I think it's interesting
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and it's nice to go back... not
just because of history's sake
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but because of the
radical nature of that move then
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was to take the Word
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to people who
did not have the Word
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who did not or may not
have had the educational skills
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to read for themselves...
to provide a complete
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and comprehensive
life-changing message...
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that was about everything
from your diet, your health,
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your education, your
job and vocational skills
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to the very message of the
gospel and God's call and reach
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to people who did
not know about that
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and so there was a
long line, a long lineage,
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it's not just my
father but it goes back
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into the roots of our Faith
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Yes... so let me ask you this
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and we'll come back
to your background...
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because we'll interweave
that... but with Message...
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so, has it morphed into
this magazine that emphasizes
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education, health and lifestyle
or did it start out... that way
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with James Edson White?
Yes, that's the amazing thing
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of it... I think
people look at it,
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this is a unique magazine
in that... you have so many
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products out there on the
Market these days... you know...
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they say, somewhere
between 600-700 new magazines
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on the market every year
of course all of them don't
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make it... we've
been around for 115 years
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but that amazing blend
because... we recognize
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that Jesus walked
there, His was a comprehensive
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gospel... now we need to
let people know that, you know,
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to give the accurate
impression of who the Father was
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and what He wanted for people
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but to help them to
live that life abundantly
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and Message... from
the start... was about that
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and Message
today is about that...
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Abundant living...
The abundant life...
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That's right How
wonderful.. how wonderful...
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it's interesting
because you say that you went to
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eleven schools...
different schools before you
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graduated... High School...
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High School... That's right...
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I thought I was bad... I
went to 4 different High Schools
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but you've trumped
me... so now, how did...
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the people
skills that you learned
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going from school to school,
how are you able to apply that
00:05:08.72\00:05:13.15
to what you do now?
You know that is the trick
00:05:13.19\00:05:16.46
and I think... I
have so much sympathy
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for kids today...
trying to learn to fit in...
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trying to be a part of the group
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and it's so important
today, because the enemies...
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if you can call it like that...
the bullies that you have
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at school... you don't
just leave them at school
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the friends that you have
at school and that environment
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you just don't
leave it at school
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you take it home as
part of your life...
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I can imagine how my
life would be different
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if I grew up
now... but definitely...
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you go from school to
school and place to place
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you get to learn people and you
get to know different cultures
00:05:46.89\00:05:50.78
not just your
culture everybody's culture
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and you get to
know where people are
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and I have to
say... that is one...
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I enjoy meeting people,
I not only enjoy talking
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about myself but I enjoy finding
about what other people are into
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what their interests
are, that has always helped me
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to keep my mind
and my perspective open
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so, at what point did
you realize that you wanted
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to go into
Publishing? Ah... as a child...
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I wanted to be a writer...
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and that was...
that pre-dated even
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my father's calling...
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and my father used to say to
me "Oh, well he heard that I was
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messing around" he
says, "Well, you know
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I always wanted to be a writer
I always wanted to do that. "
00:06:32.37\00:06:34.78
More than anything,
I think I am a product
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just like many
people in this generation
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we grew up hearing,
and grew up studying...
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and know that the
Lord is coming soon...
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and we wanted to...
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want to use our
gifts and our talents
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and our experience
to do whatever we can...
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to tell people... to
do whatever we can...
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to glorify God... and I think...
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what we are seeing now
is part of that movement...
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and it shows up in
so many different ways
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and I always wanted
to do what I could do
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to spread the gospel
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that was a little
non-traditional at that point
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thinking of it at that point...
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but that's what I wanted,
but along the way, you know
00:07:19.02\00:07:21.41
the Lord had me take a kind
of a zig zag criss-cross journey
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it wasn't just Publishing,
it wasn't just Newspaper,
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Magazine... I left
and went into Law...
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I practiced Law
for 12 or 13 years
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I'm still a
licensed attorney Oh...
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...and you know, the Lord
has His way of preparing us
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in a way that He wants...
And how interesting that... you
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I always talk on
this program about
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the Plan...
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the Divine Plan that God
has for us and... you know
00:07:50.83\00:07:54.61
many times we might take
another path... but we end up
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where He wants us to be...
and while we were out there...
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taking that other path...
we got skills that we could
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apply to the Divine Plan...
because it's all part of the
00:08:07.86\00:08:11.87
Divine Plan... so, you
were an attorney for...
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What kind of attorney
were you? Well, when I left
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Message Magazine back in
the 90s I wanted to go to school
00:08:17.45\00:08:23.57
to learn how to
advocate for children...
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Hmmm... ...
which off of the bat...
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does not sound like
it makes any money...
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and it does
not... off the bat...
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you know... I wanted
to advocate for children
00:08:34.39\00:08:37.28
you know, I remember a
story, I was so frustrated
00:08:37.31\00:08:39.62
at that point, because I
was an editor for Message
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in Hagerstown,
Maryland... a small town...
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and we were joking about
being in the country environment
00:08:45.45\00:08:47.69
and talking to
that urban audience
00:08:47.72\00:08:49.64
but that's where I was.
I was reading a story in
00:08:49.67\00:08:52.08
Time Magazine... beautiful...
beautifully written piece
00:08:52.12\00:08:56.26
by this reporter who was talking
about the plight of children
00:08:56.30\00:09:00.44
in many of our cities
today, and he had this story
00:09:00.47\00:09:03.88
of this child who was on
the swing set in the playground
00:09:03.92\00:09:07.22
just there...
everybody was crowded...
00:09:07.26\00:09:09.51
people playing...
running and everything
00:09:09.54\00:09:11.72
the cops were getting
ready to you know... start to...
00:09:11.76\00:09:14.87
like they say on the
street "trying to swoop in"
00:09:14.90\00:09:16.70
and upon seeing
that... there were older kids
00:09:16.74\00:09:21.60
on the playground.. teenagers...
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who had drugs on them...
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stuffed them in this child's
pocket... because he was young
00:09:25.39\00:09:28.77
he was under-age...
he was sitting there...
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on the swing... he
didn't know what was going on
00:09:30.30\00:09:32.80
people ran... they
left... for whatever reason,
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this child got picked
up and taken in, collared,
00:09:36.36\00:09:39.81
for, you know, for
having drugs on him...
00:09:39.85\00:09:42.53
and the writer's point that day
is, you know... just remember,
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or just think of
what would happen...
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if on that day there
was not someone there
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to state his case...
someone there who was not tired
00:09:52.36\00:09:55.57
not jaded by the
system... not willing to say,
00:09:55.61\00:09:59.37
"Oh, this is what happened,
this is what these types of
00:09:59.41\00:10:02.09
children do" or "You
can't believe their story"
00:10:02.13\00:10:04.61
"You can't know
what's happening to them. "
00:10:04.64\00:10:07.09
What would happen to that child
00:10:07.13\00:10:09.36
had there not been
somebody to stand in for them?
00:10:09.40\00:10:12.34
and that story
changed my life...
00:10:12.37\00:10:14.20
it made me want to leave my desk
00:10:14.23\00:10:15.99
in the quietude and the
solitude of being there...
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tucked away in a safe
environment and get out there
00:10:19.19\00:10:22.75
and help... many people
most of all... for children
00:10:22.79\00:10:27.02
and I went into Juvenile
Law, I practiced Criminal Law
00:10:27.05\00:10:31.25
I defended both children
and adults before the courts
00:10:31.28\00:10:35.68
who were there
on criminal charges,
00:10:35.72\00:10:37.54
How interesting is
that! So, you read an article
00:10:37.57\00:10:42.07
that literally changed your life
It literally changed my life.
00:10:42.11\00:10:45.58
It took you from one focus
00:10:45.62\00:10:48.17
to another...
00:10:48.21\00:10:49.56
That's right...
That is tremendous...
00:10:49.60\00:10:52.25
that is tremendous... How
did you... once you decided
00:10:52.29\00:10:57.44
made that decision to leave...
how long of a process was that?
00:10:57.48\00:11:02.08
Well, you know, I left...
I had to apply to law school
00:11:02.11\00:11:05.15
got to get
in... go to school and
00:11:05.18\00:11:07.07
take the Bar and all that
sort of thing, so you know
00:11:07.11\00:11:10.38
about two or three
years three years obviously...
00:11:10.41\00:11:12.93
three or four years
before I could practice
00:11:12.96\00:11:15.55
and I went and I
started practicing
00:11:15.59\00:11:17.36
and advocating for
children, particularly children
00:11:17.39\00:11:20.69
at that point who were
said to be abused or neglected
00:11:20.73\00:11:25.25
I did some work in
school, educational neglect,
00:11:25.28\00:11:28.97
it was very interesting,
I had a story... a case once
00:11:29.00\00:11:32.21
sometimes, I go back and forth
in the middle of the story OK
00:11:32.24\00:11:34.78
Yeah, yeah... I had
a case once in which
00:11:34.81\00:11:37.03
a little boy was
not going to school...
00:11:37.07\00:11:39.61
and they were
trying to figure out why
00:11:39.64\00:11:42.12
was he not going to school...
a lot of times you go in...
00:11:42.15\00:11:45.44
I know that in your background
that you're going to the home
00:11:45.47\00:11:48.72
and you see what's
happening in the home
00:11:48.76\00:11:50.40
Hmmmmmm... ...
and at that point,
00:11:50.43\00:11:51.74
you cannot write somebody
off, because you realize
00:11:51.77\00:11:54.47
I didn't have to
play those kinds of cards
00:11:54.50\00:11:56.40
I had better cards to play,
or my context was different
00:11:56.44\00:12:01.17
than this... and so
you are going to a home
00:12:01.21\00:12:03.24
and you see what's
happening, and this little boy
00:12:03.28\00:12:05.31
we tried to figure out
why is it that he did not
00:12:05.34\00:12:07.55
want to go to school, he
didn't want to go to school
00:12:07.59\00:12:10.86
because when he left
when he left from his mother
00:12:10.89\00:12:14.13
his mother would be
beaten by his father,
00:12:14.16\00:12:17.62
Oh... ... and for him,
00:12:17.66\00:12:19.39
in his little mind,
as long as he was there
00:12:19.43\00:12:22.21
he could protect
her... and so he would miss
00:12:22.25\00:12:24.99
as much school
under whatever threat
00:12:25.03\00:12:27.56
of suspension
and detention he had
00:12:27.59\00:12:30.05
he would miss as much
as he could to be there
00:12:30.09\00:12:33.17
to protect his mother...
but until somebody looked at
00:12:33.21\00:12:36.77
what was
happening... Yes... yes...
00:12:36.80\00:12:38.75
...beyond the
surface of what was happening
00:12:38.78\00:12:40.72
beyond what was said,
you know, to be his problem
00:12:40.76\00:12:44.77
then... that's only how we
can look and address the problem
00:12:44.80\00:12:49.65
What a great point that
is, you know, not just looking
00:12:49.68\00:12:54.73
at the surface issue,
at the manifest issue,
00:12:54.76\00:12:57.50
but looking at the latent issue,
what is underneath all that
00:12:57.54\00:13:01.32
what's behind all
that... so many times,
00:13:01.35\00:13:03.57
you and I were talking
just prior to the taping
00:13:03.61\00:13:06.28
about the context, so many times
00:13:06.31\00:13:09.00
we use statistics
without the context
00:13:09.04\00:13:11.97
That's correct... And
so it just takes things
00:13:12.00\00:13:14.98
to a different
place... but God put you in that
00:13:15.02\00:13:17.96
position... to go
beneath the surface
00:13:18.00\00:13:21.26
and to be an advocate,
and to help the least of these
00:13:21.29\00:13:24.64
Absolutely... ...
those who couldn't
00:13:24.67\00:13:26.12
help themselves. I
like how you put that...
00:13:26.15\00:13:27.70
"the least of these"
because this is an extension
00:13:27.74\00:13:30.03
of our work... as Christians...
00:13:30.07\00:13:31.78
this is an extension of
our work as people who believe
00:13:31.82\00:13:36.99
in justice and the active
and transforming love of Christ
00:13:37.02\00:13:42.16
Hmmmm... hmmmm...
We have to be in there
00:13:42.20\00:13:43.49
we have to help
people, it's disturbing to see
00:13:43.53\00:13:46.21
the statistics
that you would see
00:13:46.24\00:13:48.12
I was telling you, I was
looking at that, you know,
00:13:48.15\00:13:51.07
the statistics of
African-American men in prison
00:13:51.11\00:13:54.00
having worked in the
criminal justice system
00:13:54.04\00:13:56.83
it is important to
me... to advocate to people
00:13:56.86\00:14:02.21
across the
board... Hmmm... hmmmm...
00:14:02.25\00:14:03.71
the need to recognize
your Constitutional Rights
00:14:03.74\00:14:07.76
and want to see
those Constitutional Rights
00:14:07.79\00:14:10.47
enforced across
the board fairly...
00:14:10.51\00:14:13.78
when it is unfairly applied...
when we're looking the other way
00:14:13.82\00:14:20.35
when the police
stop our children
00:14:20.38\00:14:22.53
when we look at the other way,
when children... many of whom...
00:14:22.57\00:14:26.91
are colored... in the classroom
and you have zero tolerance
00:14:26.95\00:14:30.83
policies... when these policies
affect children of color
00:14:30.87\00:14:34.35
in a different
way we cannot sit back
00:14:34.39\00:14:37.91
and say, "That's them... "
00:14:37.94\00:14:39.91
This is what they do... we
have to be active advocates
00:14:39.95\00:14:45.95
and God calls us to do that,
and that's what I want to do.
00:14:45.98\00:14:50.14
That's tremendous, that
is absolutely tremendous
00:14:50.17\00:14:55.16
really because so often
we can get our nice jobs
00:14:55.20\00:15:00.23
and we can forget...
those who are really struggling
00:15:00.26\00:15:05.25
really have situations
misapplied... is the word
00:15:05.29\00:15:11.91
and so to go back and to
say, "You know what, I've got to
00:15:11.94\00:15:16.73
reach back and I've got
to help... because I want
00:15:16.76\00:15:20.05
things to be fair. "
It's not about giving
00:15:20.09\00:15:22.56
inner-city kids an
advantage over anybody else,
00:15:22.59\00:15:27.34
it's just leveling
the playing field...
00:15:27.38\00:15:29.22
that's what we're trying to
do. Or giving somebody a shot,
00:15:29.26\00:15:32.33
giving somebody a
chance... Yes... yes...
00:15:32.37\00:15:34.83
I was talking to someone
else, they were asking me
00:15:34.87\00:15:40.20
about my work as a
criminal defense attorney
00:15:40.24\00:15:44.23
and they were asking me about...
you're going in to advocate
00:15:44.26\00:15:48.39
for people... I'm
not advocating as much
00:15:48.43\00:15:50.84
for the person... as I am
for fairness in the system
00:15:50.87\00:15:53.55
Hmmmmm... ... and
for our children and
00:15:53.58\00:15:57.54
for many communities...
not just African-American
00:15:57.58\00:16:00.50
Communities...
communities in which
00:16:00.53\00:16:02.57
people do not
have a lot of money...
00:16:02.61\00:16:04.58
their educational
resources are very limited...
00:16:04.62\00:16:08.94
Yes... ...
educational opportunities
00:16:08.98\00:16:11.55
are very limited...
yet... we have so many things
00:16:11.59\00:16:15.14
that we can offer in a
community in which there are
00:16:15.18\00:16:18.28
limited opportunities...
you and I were talking about
00:16:18.32\00:16:22.48
the background where you
know about the health message
00:16:22.51\00:16:26.59
just something as simple as
that can change the community.
00:16:26.62\00:16:30.37
I had the opportunity to
be in California and interview
00:16:30.41\00:16:33.88
a man by the name of Ron
Finley when you get a chance
00:16:33.91\00:16:37.31
you can look him up on Google
and look at his talk on Ted Talk
00:16:37.35\00:16:41.39
this man... they call
him the guerilla gardener
00:16:41.43\00:16:44.80
and he has... in his
little home beautiful bungalow
00:16:44.84\00:16:49.73
in South Central Los
Angeles and it's surrounded by a
00:16:49.76\00:16:54.62
cement block fence all
around with barbed wire
00:16:54.66\00:17:00.20
looked like a terrorist den...
a hideout... a compound...
00:17:00.23\00:17:05.16
you know, and when
you go inside the compound
00:17:05.19\00:17:08.85
you realize this man is in there
and he has a nectarine tree
00:17:08.88\00:17:14.07
growing out of a bucket...
00:17:14.10\00:17:16.11
the median along the
street and the sidewalk there
00:17:16.14\00:17:20.16
that belongs to the city,
that he is responsible for
00:17:20.19\00:17:24.04
maintaining... he's taken...
he's planted strawberries,
00:17:24.07\00:17:27.89
Swiss chard, greens and
00:17:27.92\00:17:30.21
he has a banana tree
00:17:30.25\00:17:32.47
and he calls himself
00:17:32.51\00:17:33.68
the guerilla gardner he says,
"You know I'm OK with that term"
00:17:33.71\00:17:36.36
He says, "You know, it's funny
that they would call me that. "
00:17:36.39\00:17:39.01
He says, "You look around
in our community right now
00:17:39.04\00:17:42.17
and there are stores and medical
supply places where they have
00:17:42.20\00:17:47.82
scooters and wheelchairs,
places for you to administer
00:17:47.85\00:17:51.55
and attend to your
diabetes and your blood sugar,
00:17:51.58\00:17:54.35
places where you
have to get your glasses
00:17:54.39\00:17:56.69
and places where you have
to get everything that you can
00:17:56.72\00:18:00.07
to take care of your
health after the fact...
00:18:00.11\00:18:02.60
he says, "You know, the
fast-food restaurants that sell
00:18:02.63\00:18:05.53
food that clogs your
arteries and veins... "
00:18:05.56\00:18:08.25
he says, "It kills more people
than any other terrorist act
00:18:08.29\00:18:12.15
in the United
States right now" he says,
00:18:12.19\00:18:14.69
"They are the terrorists"
00:18:14.72\00:18:16.14
they are the
terrorists... Hmmmmm... Wow!
00:18:16.18\00:18:18.72
he says, "If you want to
do something in your community
00:18:18.75\00:18:20.78
you grow some
food in a bucket...
00:18:20.81\00:18:23.69
do something, grow your
own fresh food, your herbs,
00:18:23.72\00:18:28.43
your garden, your window...
00:18:28.47\00:18:31.85
window place where you can put
00:18:31.89\00:18:35.63
flower pots with your salad
materials... do something...
00:18:35.66\00:18:39.05
a little something...
everything to emancipate
00:18:39.09\00:18:44.19
yourself from the
prevalence of poor health,
00:18:44.23\00:18:48.09
lack of
opportunity, lack of education,
00:18:48.13\00:18:51.42
all that... do a little
thing and we can share that
00:18:51.45\00:18:55.49
with other
people... it's not a lot...
00:18:55.53\00:18:58.56
Yeah... that's tremendous...
that's tremendous...
00:18:58.59\00:19:01.60
but I'm so impressed
with that whole idea of taking
00:19:01.64\00:19:06.01
where you are... and making
the most of where you are...
00:19:06.04\00:19:09.50
and actually...
doing things that can
00:19:09.53\00:19:11.94
impact your life profoundly
00:19:11.97\00:19:14.15
if you don't have your
health, you don't have anything,
00:19:14.18\00:19:17.49
and we are, as African-Americans
we are chronically...
00:19:17.53\00:19:20.93
we have chronic diseases,
we're the forerunners for
00:19:20.96\00:19:24.32
chronic
diseases... so if we can eat...
00:19:24.36\00:19:26.42
we have a health
message as Adventists...
00:19:26.45\00:19:28.63
if we know about
this and we share it
00:19:28.66\00:19:30.77
that's one of the things
that I've always loved about
00:19:30.80\00:19:32.82
Message Magazine... by the way
00:19:32.86\00:19:34.52
because of the
commitment to those
00:19:34.55\00:19:36.53
those dynamite recipes in there
00:19:36.56\00:19:38.47
the commitment to health...
tell our viewers about Message
00:19:38.51\00:19:42.88
What is the goal
of your magazine?
00:19:42.92\00:19:45.68
the mission... Well,
the goal has always been
00:19:45.72\00:19:49.11
that Message would
be a tool in the hand
00:19:49.15\00:19:52.57
of someone to
share their faith...
00:19:52.60\00:19:55.88
Message is evangelistic, OK...
00:19:55.91\00:19:59.12
...and it does not
speak... we're trying not to
00:19:59.16\00:20:02.88
speak to the Christian per
se as much as a person who is
00:20:02.92\00:20:07.89
looking for something...
a person who needs a way out
00:20:07.92\00:20:12.86
and a key and a way to
find something different...
00:20:12.89\00:20:16.93
a different truth,
a different reality,
00:20:16.97\00:20:20.36
and to that end...
the recipes do give us
00:20:20.39\00:20:23.71
another option... no
it's not about firing up
00:20:23.75\00:20:27.19
the barbeque... the thing is...
00:20:27.22\00:20:29.33
something that you
do traditionally...
00:20:29.36\00:20:30.96
but, as we learned in one of our
00:20:31.00\00:20:33.56
recent issues, just
the fact that you're
00:20:33.59\00:20:36.17
barbequing the meat...
the fat... and the charcoal
00:20:36.20\00:20:39.29
and the fire and the
high amounts... as you know
00:20:39.32\00:20:42.76
the high temperatures...
causes carcinogens
00:20:42.80\00:20:47.52
to go to your body and
to create a problem for you
00:20:47.56\00:20:52.16
and this will
create further problems...
00:20:52.19\00:20:55.04
and so... just little things
like changing the way you eat
00:20:55.08\00:20:58.84
protecting that body
vessel so that the Lord can say
00:20:58.88\00:21:03.29
something to you and use
you in a different way...
00:21:03.32\00:21:05.99
Message has
always been about that...
00:21:06.03\00:21:08.55
we do intend and
we do in every issue
00:21:08.59\00:21:11.04
provide a glimpse or a
slice of the life of Jesus
00:21:11.08\00:21:16.69
while He walked on this earth...
00:21:16.73\00:21:17.97
to find out... what
it was that He wanted
00:21:18.00\00:21:21.70
to share with us... Yes...
00:21:21.74\00:21:23.52
What does it mean to Pray?
00:21:23.55\00:21:25.27
Our most recent
issue has an article called
00:21:25.30\00:21:28.56
"Power of a Praying
Christ" which in and of itself
00:21:28.60\00:21:33.51
that just had me...
stopping for a moment...
00:21:33.54\00:21:35.95
you have the
whole string of books
00:21:35.99\00:21:37.63
The Power of a
Praying Mother, Wife...
00:21:37.67\00:21:39.74
Yes... yes... yes...
just to think that Christ
00:21:39.77\00:21:43.17
Himself is praying
for you... What is that?
00:21:43.21\00:21:46.54
What kind of power is
that? Who else could you need
00:21:46.57\00:21:49.34
to ever pray for you? Exactly...
00:21:49.38\00:21:51.13
So we do, you know, everything
from... here in this life
00:21:51.42\00:21:55.04
to the eternal implications
and we want to share with people
00:21:55.07\00:21:58.65
but more... we want people
to share with their friends
00:21:58.69\00:22:01.85
and their
family... It's wonderful...
00:22:01.88\00:22:05.38
How affordable
is Message Magazine?
00:22:05.42\00:22:08.85
That's an interesting
question because I like
00:22:08.88\00:22:12.59
the flip side of it...
What is it worth to you?
00:22:12.63\00:22:16.74
Come on... come on...
that's it... that's it...
00:22:16.78\00:22:19.70
What is it worth
to you to see somebody
00:22:19.74\00:22:21.36
that you know in the Kingdom...
00:22:21.40\00:22:22.82
Hmmmm... hmmmm...
What is it worth to you?
00:22:22.85\00:22:25.83
Hmmmm... hmmmm... You
know, I could spend...
00:22:25.86\00:22:28.77
I could take a few subscriptions
00:22:28.80\00:22:31.15
and see to it that
the people that I know
00:22:31.18\00:22:35.20
who maybe incarcerated
00:22:35.24\00:22:36.62
or people who come
from a family background
00:22:36.65\00:22:39.10
in which they
haven't been shown Christ...
00:22:39.14\00:22:41.84
or... the Christ
that they've been shown
00:22:41.87\00:22:44.53
is one that is
not full of grace...
00:22:44.57\00:22:47.43
Hmmmmm... hmmmmm .. one
who is not forgiving them
00:22:47.47\00:22:50.61
one who is exacting...
how much is it worth to you
00:22:50.64\00:22:53.75
to let somebody know that?
I've been telling the story
00:22:53.79\00:22:56.63
everywhere... I
went down with my family
00:22:56.67\00:22:59.41
because this is the
first year where we were local
00:22:59.44\00:23:02.79
to Washington... so
we went down to see the
00:23:02.83\00:23:04.90
the inauguration... I
put my kids and my husband
00:23:04.93\00:23:07.96
and I took our three
children and we got on the metro
00:23:07.99\00:23:11.62
so my son... my middle
son loves riding the trains...
00:23:11.65\00:23:14.57
he loves trains...
coming back from the
00:23:14.60\00:23:16.51
inauguration...
it was so crowded...
00:23:16.54\00:23:18.37
people everywhere...
and we were trying to get on
00:23:18.41\00:23:22.24
the train... to go
home... and the train pulled up
00:23:22.28\00:23:26.07
and people came
out... they are sauntering...
00:23:26.50\00:23:28.80
you know... you only
have that certain window
00:23:28.83\00:23:31.13
before they... the
chime happens and the door
00:23:31.16\00:23:33.42
closes... and it's gone...
Shuts... right... right...
00:23:33.46\00:23:34.61
and so I'm trying to
get my children in there
00:23:34.65\00:23:37.12
so we're watching...
we're standing there patiently
00:23:37.16\00:23:38.95
while people saunter
off and at that moment
00:23:38.99\00:23:41.55
I saw that the
door... next to us...
00:23:41.59\00:23:43.43
not the one that
we were in front of...
00:23:43.47\00:23:45.27
that one opened
up... and so I said,
00:23:45.31\00:23:47.27
"Quick, let's go over
there... " I didn't stop to see
00:23:47.31\00:23:50.07
who is behind me... I
said, "Come on, let's go"
00:23:50.10\00:23:52.53
so we moved over... I
had my little son by hand
00:23:52.56\00:23:54.57
my daughter followed me
and my other son and my husband
00:23:54.60\00:23:57.06
were back there... I
didn't worry about him...
00:23:57.09\00:23:59.63
he's a grown man...
so... we got on the train
00:23:59.66\00:24:02.76
and I turned around and
there... I had my son...
00:24:02.79\00:24:05.83
my daughter... the
doors closed on her backpack
00:24:05.87\00:24:08.88
and I pulled her
in... and there's my son
00:24:09.53\00:24:12.15
with his hands in
the door "Mom, mom... "
00:24:12.18\00:24:14.77
and he...
immediately I was panicked
00:24:14.81\00:24:17.19
everybody on
the train just froze
00:24:17.22\00:24:19.53
because his hands
were stuck in the door...
00:24:19.56\00:24:22.20
and all I could see
or all I could envision
00:24:22.24\00:24:24.81
was that something would
happen and he would be dragged
00:24:24.85\00:24:27.80
Yes... ... and
so, I pushed him off
00:24:27.84\00:24:29.39
of there... and I went over
to the other door and I looked
00:24:29.43\00:24:32.30
out... and I said, you
know, "Dad, go with dad... "
00:24:32.33\00:24:35.16
I thought that my husband
got on maybe he had got on
00:24:35.19\00:24:37.98
a car behind
us... but I looked out
00:24:38.02\00:24:40.90
my husband was standing there
00:24:40.94\00:24:42.21
with my child... you know...
we have numerous children...
00:24:42.24\00:24:47.18
so, thank God for
that, but what sunk into me
00:24:47.21\00:24:52.56
was that it's my responsibility
to make sure... they're there
00:24:52.60\00:24:57.65
I'm the mother, I got
to get them on the train
00:24:57.68\00:24:59.91
am I OK with
leaving any of my children
00:24:59.95\00:25:04.99
even in the train station...
leaving them behind...
00:25:05.03\00:25:08.32
Am I OK with that? and
I believe that the Lord
00:25:08.36\00:25:11.68
helped me go through
that as an Object Lesson
00:25:11.71\00:25:14.97
as a Christian... I'm busy
about my own task... my own life
00:25:15.00\00:25:20.49
my own ministry... not
taking the time to make sure
00:25:20.52\00:25:25.18
I'm bringing
somebody along... Hmmmm...
00:25:25.21\00:25:27.83
Am I OK with the
people in my circle
00:25:27.87\00:25:31.92
and in my life that
I'm not bringing along...
00:25:31.96\00:25:35.59
is it OK with
me... that my hairdresser
00:25:35.63\00:25:38.70
a woman that I spend
so much time telling my
00:25:38.74\00:25:41.97
deepest secrets to... am I OK
that she doesn't know the Lord
00:25:42.01\00:25:46.92
or she doesn't know
that He's coming back soon...
00:25:46.95\00:25:49.56
Come on... You know...
00:25:49.59\00:25:50.67
Yes... We've got
to get to that point
00:25:50.71\00:25:53.11
where we're not OK with
our own busy lifestyle...
00:25:53.14\00:25:57.14
Yes... We're not
OK with the things
00:25:57.17\00:25:59.70
as status quo...
driving blindly... in this life
00:25:59.74\00:26:04.33
thinking that, you know,
it's all about me and my family
00:26:04.37\00:26:07.36
and that's what
we're trying to do...
00:26:07.40\00:26:09.28
just bring it
back... full circle...
00:26:09.31\00:26:11.13
I want to make sure
that people know that...
00:26:11.16\00:26:14.00
That's
wonderful... Don't leave them...
00:26:14.03\00:26:16.80
Don't leave them behind...
Don't leave them behind...
00:26:16.84\00:26:20.06
That's wonderful... because
that's what it's all about
00:26:20.09\00:26:24.08
as Christians because
God's given us entrusted us
00:26:24.11\00:26:28.07
with this
plan... that we can share
00:26:28.10\00:26:30.75
and how better to do
it than through media
00:26:30.78\00:26:35.33
whether it's the printed
word or television or radio
00:26:35.37\00:26:38.36
all that... God has given
us these tools... to use...
00:26:38.39\00:26:41.20
and I love what you said about
someone that's incarcerated...
00:26:41.23\00:26:45.38
there's so many young men...
that would love to get some mail
00:26:45.41\00:26:49.52
let's make the mail count...
00:26:49.56\00:26:51.48
That's right...
... count for Jesus...
00:26:51.51\00:26:53.90
let's make it count for Jesus...
00:26:53.93\00:26:55.48
We had an interesting
situation in our office...
00:26:55.52\00:26:59.94
in the last 2 or 3
weeks... which we had...
00:26:59.97\00:27:02.65
a man that was
incarcerated write us...
00:27:02.68\00:27:05.50
He said, "I
appreciate Message Magazine
00:27:05.53\00:27:08.05
I share it with
the people around me
00:27:08.08\00:27:10.93
it has done a lot
to keep my spirits up
00:27:10.96\00:27:13.74
and to assure me that
there is something better
00:27:13.77\00:27:16.40
for me in this life... "
he said, "I sure would like
00:27:16.43\00:27:19.67
to know who is sending
me Message Magazine... "
00:27:19.70\00:27:22.26
and we wondered...
"You know... well...
00:27:22.29\00:27:24.43
do we need to let him...
you know... so we looked around
00:27:24.47\00:27:27.18
and we tried to figure out
00:27:27.22\00:27:28.26
we went back to the records...
before we could even write him
00:27:28.29\00:27:31.82
it was his
mother... it was his mother...
00:27:31.86\00:27:35.47
and she called us
up... coincidently and said,
00:27:35.50\00:27:39.79
"Yes, I'm sending
my son Message Magazine
00:27:39.82\00:27:42.50
I didn't know, he didn't know,
00:27:42.53\00:27:43.97
but I'm glad it's
working for him. "
00:27:44.00\00:27:46.23
How better to end than
that... Thank you so much
00:27:46.26\00:27:49.00
for being with us...
What a blessing you are...
00:27:49.04\00:27:51.75
and thank you so
much for tuning in...
00:27:51.78\00:27:54.09
We love you... tune in next time
00:27:54.13\00:27:56.26
you know... it just
wouldn't be the same
00:27:56.30\00:27:58.52
without you.
00:27:58.55\00:28:00.51