And now the 419 with Gretchen de Bakker might kill them.

And Kevin Mullin one.

Welcome into the 419.

It is a Martin Luther King Junior Day version.

Normally, this would be our Mayor Monday show.

But in honor of the holiday, we're taking a slightly different approach today.

And we'll have a number of guests on to help us celebrate MLK Junior Day.

And, I'm excited you've.

Gretchen, you've sort of curated this whole experience for us today.

We'll see.

We'll see how it works out.

But I'm excited for some of the folks that have agreed to come in and chat with us.

It'll be great.

I'm Kevin Malone alongside.

Gretchen Debacker.

And I tell them.

Matt, you were saying that you had a conversation with one particular local celebrity that, And it wasn't me.

Sure.

That's right.

Yeah.

There's been an influx of, tips and notes, as you probably all expected.

And we're certainly encourage your feedback.

We I don't know that we unilaterally should encourage feedback.

That's encouraging positive feedback.

Okay.

Yeah.

That's right.

Yeah.

Think you can reach us at spd.com?

So.

Feel free to send that in.

So I've got a couple of minutes.

One thing it was probably obvious to you that of the set behind us is being filled with, largely our desks.

The.

Come on.

And bring, tokens of what?

Either what they're talking about or something they're proud of.

So we have this photo wa dropped off to us the other day.

That is, another podcaster in, Guam.

She emailed us and sent us that headshot and asked that, we referred to her sho as a sort of a sister podcast, and it's called What's Going On in Guam, which I think is kind of an exciting take.

It is.

Yeah.

I don't know a lot about Guam, but if you, they have, on available on all the screens.

If you were to put a percentage on what percentage of that story is actually true?

What number would you say.

1 to 2%.

Well, I' not the math person on the show.

Oh.

I am.

But that's right.

Program is a place, and that is a photo.

So that's okay.

I know under ten.

Okay.

But also, we did run into the beloved, sort of matriarch of media Chris Pearson, who gave me some, real solid feedback, about, yes, I was going and I said, you know, we were thrilled to be under, is, certainly is true.

And we're kind of finding our way.

We've had great guests, which is sort of the secret sauce of the show.

It has very little to do with the three of us.

Thank goodness.

And she said, you know, when I was first starting out, one of her mentors said, you know, just be yourself.

The entire time I was thinking, I was like, that's great advice.

If you're Chris Peters, if you're you.

Right.

So maybe that was what she meant.

Is yeah, just be Chris Peters Chris Peterson do.

Maybe she was angling for one of the post jobs that she we needed more.

So it would be.

Yes.

So anyway you could do that.

That's not an angle.

That is if she wants to I mean, any one of us tha she wants to kick out is gone.

And then and then real sort of fundamental, granular advic about talking over each other, just like how you'll find your rhythm.

I was like I don't know that that's true.

We're two years in.

Yeah.

And that's this.

Is the.

Rhythm.

I mean, yeah, I get it.

This is week three with.

But we.

It's only week two.

Oh, is week three.

I thought well, we don't we can't mention the dates and times or anything like that.

And that's wh I do think you should download that Guam podcast.

Talking a little bit about th gross national product of Guam.

I didn't know there was a vacation destination.

There is a Kalahari, too.

So it is again, it's a win win.

The spin off of the well, beloved, Sandusky water park, in, And it's just not too far from here.

So what's going on in Guam?

Oh, my goodness.

All right.

But legitimacy is not a Guam podcaster.

But she is Sue Hague Rogers and kindly helped, work with to design, this incredible set.

We'll talk more about that, I'm sure.

As the show continues.

Maybe not today.

But, we've got, there' certainly more stories to tell, about how this all came together and certainly appreciate the partnership.

We get to do that.

It's the 419 powered by GT, presented by True Wealth Management.

We'll be right back.

Support for the 419 comes from which row?

Wealth management, where we understand that your financial path is personal.

Advisory services are offered through Capital Investment Advisory Services LLC, securities offer through Capital Investment Group member Finra and SIPC.

More information at Retro advisors.com.

The 419, powered by GT is made possible in part by supporters like you.

Thank you.

Introducing the Local Thread, a community news series uniting voices and storytellers from across the region in partnership with La Prensa, the Toledo Free Press, the Sojourner Truth, Toledo Public Schools, and veteran journalist Jerry Anderson.

The Local Thread brings you stories and conversations that connect our community here at weeknights at seven on FM 91, with early access on podcast platforms.

Each morning, the local thread only on GTV.

Welcome back into the 419.

It's a Martin Luther King Junior Day edition of the 419 here, powered by CTE, and we're joined by two incredible guests, one that I know and one that I'm just about to meet.

We have Chris Hanley and Rebecca West, Estelle joining us.

Thank yo so much for being with us here on Martin Luther King Day.

It's a pleasure.

Yeah.

When you take a moment, can you just yourselves tell us a little bit about your background, and then we'll talk about how you guys, know each othe and what brings you here today?

So, as you said, I'm Rebecca West.

Estelle.

I'm a child protective services lawyer.

I am also an ordained Lutheran pastor.

And I'm Chris Hanley.

I've been the pastor of Glenwood Lutheran Church, right next door to the Toledo Museum of Art for, like, almost nine years.

About that.

Yeah.

You started when you were, like 14.

I did, yeah.

You know prodigy.

Yes yes yes yes yes yes.

So they had a lot in common, right?

Yes, yes.

And how have you two become connected?

In your pastoral work.

So we got connected when, Rebecca and her husband Rodney wandered into Glenwood.

Different church, looking for a church and a few years later, she was ordained at Glenwood.

I got to preach at that ordination.

And then when, we began the, restart of the Martin Luther King celebration at Glenwood.

We've been working on that ever since.

So we've done four.

We did four Martin Luther King celebrations together.

Yeah.

So for people that don't know, Glenwood, seems like everyone describes it this way, but it's the the church that's right next door to the Toledo Music Museum of Art.

I'm in Rose Street.

So it's sort of uniquely situated, both next to the Museum of Art, but also close to serve the old West End community and and other other neighborhoods, of course.

But can you talk a little bit about the congregation and your setting there at Glenwood?

It is a fantastic place to do ministry.

And one of the things, being located where we are, we have the gift and the challenge of being a multiracial congregation, and we're always trying to figure out how to do that.

Well.

Yeah.

Yeah.

No small task, right?

And that adjacent to ou neighborhood, that we live in.

So it's really important.

Day to day, you know or month to month, year to year.

There's a steering committee that I think would certainly be going to.

But how has all this been going?

There was it's been running for four years.

But you're how much do you two interact?

You must lean on one another for direction and support.

It's probably not, intuitive to the congregation because both of you are certainly leaders, but you do lean on each other as well.

I would assume What is that interaction like?

How are you each other's supporters?

Confidants?

It's a bit of a support group.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Talk about.

That.

Yeah, absolutely.

Chris and I have been working together.

For quite some time on racial justice matters and, on, we actually drafted a racial, statement for, for racial equity, for Glenwood Lutheran Church that was adopted by the congregation because that was something that was really important, important to us and to ou community and and to the church.

And so, we've been working together for quite some time.

And so when, Chris decided that we're going to start, we're going to restart the Martin Luther King, celebration, faith based celebration.

You know, it made perfect sense for us to do that together.

And so we, we do provid a lot of support to each other.

I would imagine.

And it just really complicated.

And to some degree, certainly I'm sure, with some regularity, uncomfortable subject matter.

Right?

I mean, what is that?

Check and balances seems like a flippant way to describe it, but what are those conversations started like?

Is this a phone call to say this is something that's bothering me?

Or how do I describe this?

Or how do we listen?

You walk into the church one day with your husband.

I'm sure the trust didn't start with the first handshake.

Or maybe it did.

How did that relationship develop?

We are in relatively untrusting times.

Those are my words.

No one else's.

So you two might seem like a unlikely pairing in the game of Guess Who?

But that's not the case.

And that's what you prescribed your lives to make different.

So as our case study on today's show, how did trust start and how do you keep it up?

Yeah.

I certainly see that.

That's something that I nee to earn as, like, a white person who is trying to do racial justice work.

It's.

A television show.

They know your wife?

Yeah.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Good reminder.

Yeah.

Yeah.

It's not a podcast.

But, you know, the the onus is on me to be a trustworthy person, in that work.

So I'd be.

I'd be curious how you answered that.

Well, Chris ha has shown himself to be an ally.

To the African-American community.

And, he puts a lot of trust in me, which, I appreciate.

And, we spent a lot of time talking, and you said, how does it how did the, how do we communicate or we lean on each other?

Well, Chris is a master of text messages.

So, so Chris will Chris will send me lots of text message and, and we'll connect and we'll spend some time talking and, and Chris is he's very, he's very good at, accepting feedback.

And you know.

It's also not easy to.

Do.

Not easy to do.

But I. Gretchen accepts no fee.

No.

I don't request it.

And so as a. Result, I'm really comfortable.

Coming up to him and talking to him about things that are bothering me and.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And we we can really kind of talk through those.

Things when we think about the, the MLK celebration at Glenwood Lutheran.

Kind of the early days of this.

Right.

I got to believe when you're trying to do something like this, yo know, it's not one time, right?

So you're doing it year after year.

What was the what was the second year conversation about?

Right.

So I get the kind of the th the need the honest to start it.

But I'm curiou that conversation around, well, how do we do this?

And, you know, I hate to sa the word keep it fresh, right?

But to some extent, like how do we do it and still keep it relevant and keep it connected to you know, both the, the teachings and what's important, to Doctor Martin Luther King but also the world at the time.

Yeah.

From my perspective, that conversation centered around the word dream.

That, like, when we restarted it, it was like, together we can be the dream.

And that's not true for, gosh, what year was that?

2021.

Yeah.

And, the conversation that next year, was just like the the word dream was more contested.

And especially as we were getting ready, I think we still included.

The next year was about, voting and the importance of of voting.

Your vote is your voice.

But we still, we still included dream in the theme.

But we found, a the conversations went on, that, that word dream just wasn't working for our whole community in the same way, because it felt like we were farther from it.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And we really wanted to focus on Doctor King as being more than just a dreamer.

That he was someone who really, advocated and he really pushed for equal rights equity.

And so we wanted to talk about him as more of an activist.

You're not just not just someone who's dreaming.

I mean, of course he's doing right.

Someone who's doing.

And so that's why, we wanted to kind of get past that, that dream theme.

And so now our theme this year is where do we go from here?

Yeah.

I mean, we really need to talk about what we're going to d from this point forward because, you know, we know what the dream is.

We know what the goal is.

But we really want to talk about where we go from here.

It's a difficult question to answer.

So forgive me, but how do you get the pulse?

How do you measure success from year to year?

How do you take the temperature over not only your congregation, but sort of your messaging?

Is there a there's a good old reaction.

I think probably some degree you can tell that resonates.

But how do you measure success?

Oh, yeah.

It is.

You go back to Christian country text message to sort of emoji gu or a lot of our grammar errors.

We can we can make this a criticism.

Yeah.

For me it's a it's a year long conversation.

Just always.

Or a career long.

Career long.

Yeah, I truly.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Always entering a conversation with this kind of being curious about, like, where folks are at, and, are the things that we're talking about like, what's truly essential, or are we getting caught u in something that's more noise?

So whether that's at the black height or whether that's, conversation with someone after church or in the parking lot.

I'm just always trying to listen.

Yeah.

For that kind of feedback, whether it's from the Martin Luther King celebration or other things that we're doing in the neighborhood.

At the risk of this bein a really trite question, right.

How much of of the planning that goes into, you know, celebrations every year for this or about today and how much it really is about kind of creating a plan for the year?

It's really kind of creating not just a plan for the year, but a plan from, you know, that day forward.

We want to really focus on making an impact in the community.

And we really want to focus on taking Doctor King's work further.

We don't want to just stay in that moment.

I mean, it's nice to say in that moment, it's a wonderful celebration.

People enjoy it.

It's, you know, bu we want to take it beyond that.

And that's why when we were real careful about how we pick our themes, because our goal is to take the conversation beyond that celebration.

Is intimidating.

This is never.

Do you ever feel like this is I mean, you were following, certainly without argument, one of the greatest leaders in the sentiment in the history of time.

So, it's really no imposter syndrome, but sometimes do you get anxiou because you want this to land?

It's not just a job, right?

This is a calling.

Yes.

So can you talk to me a little bit about the human beings that you are?

And like, boy I'm carrying a real torch here.

Is that ever.

Do you ever have.

So imposter syndrome to some degree or.

So in the, in the ministry, we say, you know, God doesn't call the equipped.

God equips the called.

Yeah.

And so, I'm not intimidated because I. I truly believe that I'm doing what God has called me to do.

So I'm not following in anyone's footsteps.

I'm just doing what God is calling me to do.

And you felt that way.

Did you wake up one day since you're a little girl?

Felt this way.

What does the.

When did you.

When did you get this sort of higher messaging?

I think it happened gradually.

It's not like I woke up one day, but I think it just kind of happened gradually.

It's like Go said, do this, and I did this.

And then God said, okay, now do this.

You know.

So it's it' kind of it was kind of gradual.

Chris.

Yeah.

For, I, I wis I had that sort of confidence.

I'm always wondering, like, sure.

Is, am I doing this?

Because it's, you know, because it' truly like that call of justice pulling me towards something or am I doing it because I know I think it's the right thing to do.

I think that's always.

It's a puzzle to me.

And so that kind of that constant questioning, and just, being suspicious of that side of me.

That both of those avenues make you both effective.

People need.

Combined.

People need to to see confidence to be led.

And also there needs to be an approachability of we're human beings.

And there is a vulnerability here that I'm going to share with you.

So we've just met, but I can tell, there's an effective, mechanism.

Certainly one of the outward representations of Martin Luther King that is literally on the walls of Glenwood Lutheran Church, and that is the beautiful MLK mural.

That' a recent addition to the church.

Can you talk a little bit about, the origin of that?

And, Rebecca, you paint that all by yourself, right?

That's that's a. That's what you told me before the show.

I wish I had that.

Yes, you do it.

So that is a project that, a dear friend from improv Janet cost, approached me about, and had read the book Change Sings that features a mural.

Change sings by Amanda Gorman, illustrated by Lauren Long, and it features a mural of Doctor King.

And John had attended the Martin Luther King celebration the year before.

And, there was a blank wall, on the back of Glenwood Lutheran Church, where our gym is.

And John was just like, thi mural needs to go on this wall.

And enlisted the help of our friend Dean Davis.

Just an amazing, amazing muralist.

And, Barbara Tartaglia, poor, helped with fundraising.

And together, this team, got, with tons o support from the community and, and donors got the change wall, on the back of Glenwood.

It's a beautiful representation.

And I noticed you have to your right there, a gift that you brought us, which we demand.

Yeah.

Tribute.

Yeah.

Let's start with what.

Rebecca.

Brooks.

Yeah, yeah.

We worked together.

This is the joint gift.

Yeah.

So this is that we're taking.

So we brought the gift together.

We'll put this on our shelves.

So we're so excited.

So thank you.

Change things.

The mural is, This paints it right in there.

Incredible.

So if you do nothing else, today on Martin Luther King Day, you can go by Glenwood Lutheran and take a look at that beautiful, beautiful mural.

And talk me through the schedule for, for today.

What, what are people, you know, opportunities for people to engage with you in your program?

What does that look like?

So our program is, on Sunday.

So I plan to go to the art museum today and to to celebrate with them.

You ca hear Doctor Stinnett, lecture.

And my husband and I will be there as well.

Yeah.

Great.

Wonderful.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much.

Thank you for having.

Us on your time.

Thank you for the kind gift.

We're excite to add that to the shelves and, be a, year long, kind of reminder of of the work that you guys are doing in the community.

So thank you very much.

When we come back, we will continue the conversation and be joined by Toledo firefighter Nate Hicks.

It's the 419 powered by MGT.

We'll be right back to me.

Community means connecting to others.

What will it really take to bring peace to Toledo's neighborhoods?

I love it here.

Yeah, we're a community.

Committed to education.

Discove new ideas, dive into exciting.

Subjects, and engage with the world around you.

It's all chapters in a book.

I would send them personally a t shirt.

Crim doesn't pay in the old West End.

Pass it on.

That's how we.

Cleaned up the neighborhood.

Brings back memorie that you don't think are there.

You know, D.C.

public media invites you to get out and play day.

The people of Toledo have really become family.

You know, they walk in and it was just like.

Hey, it's so good to see you.

Hello there, and.

Welcome to a public media town.

Hall meeting.

The where you come to watch, listen and learn.

I love PBS kids.

Welcome back in to the 419.

It's a Martin Luther King Junior Day edition.

The 419 just wrapped up a conversation with Chris Hanley and Rebecca West.

Estelle.

We're joined now by Toledo firefighter Nate Hicks.

Welcome.

Thank you.

Nate thanks for being with us today.

Just off a plane.

Just off a train.

I know that we you drove.

Oh, boy.

I drove from Georgia to be with us today.

Indeed But also to go to work, right?

I did schedule work, and then I called off.

Oh, okay.

We can edit that out for air purposes.

But, yeah, it' on a little horse.

Nate.

Yeah.

So it's all good.

We'll end with the weather.

Yeah.

The drive was 20 hours 18 hours, 12 hours, ten hours.

All right, buddy, and I know that you.

How how did you just go straight through?

Just power through?

Or did you?

Pretty much.

Okay, you're going to be, performing a bit later.

So I'm always curious about this.

As somebod who is as talented as you are, what do you listen to when you're driving?

Do you sing in the car?

Sometimes I sing in the car when I need to stay awake.

Sometimes I just take the music wash over me.

We have lots of different vibes.

Yeah.

Any given moment, you can get any different things.

So at a date, just for Gretchen's purposes, what tape do you listen to when you're.

Well typically the B-side of Marvin.

No, I'm just kidding.

Yeah I don't even have a tape player.

Yeah, sure.

So you, our transplant from Georgia.

Do you still have family that lives there?

Indeed.

And how did you tell us a little bit about that?

How did you become a firefighter in the city of Toledo?

Well, bor and raised in Atlanta, Georgia.

That is where my father is from.

So my grandmother still currently lives there.

My aunt's a couple of, my aunts, uncles, cousins.

So, I went back.

Yeah, I went back specifically for a visit for family.

This time around, about 16 going on 17 years ago, my family came up to Toledo.

From Georgia, where we stayed in, three bedroom house.

I have nine siblings or eight siblings.

By the way Where do you fall on the line?

I am the third oldest.

Okay.

Okay, so my family came upon hard times.

We were homeless for a little while, and, we had family support up here from my mom's side of the family.

Who is your least favorit sibling?

And what is their name?

Well, I've been waiting for this moment.

All right.

Just to deliver this message.

I have a sign.

A letter I'd.

Like to read.

There's actually an answe to that question.

When you guys.

It's actually not, I love them all equally.

They all get on my nerves equally.

You can tell us after the names for sure.

Okay.

So you said, you know, grew up in a three bedroom house, here in Toledo.

With my grandparents, by the way.

And the cousin and her daughter.

So it was a tight one.

Bathroom.

Okay, great.

Yeah.

So you're starting your days early to get time.

So what's the breakdown?

Boys?

Girls?

Siblings?

So there are four boys and five girls.

Okay Where'd you go to high school?

Toledo.

Early college.

High school.

Played football with, Sky High School.

All right.

Firefighting.

Always community oriented.

Talk to m about sort of your upbringing.

You are keeping us safe.

Was that a natural progression?

Something that was in your blood.

How did you get from crowded house to fighting fire?

I went to school for social work.

In the middle.

Well, the very beginning of my college career, I realized I wanted to do music for a living.

So I wanted to immediately drop out.

However, I was blessed with good peopl in my corner who allowed me to, or encouraged me to power through it.

So I did.

I finishe the degree at Defiance College.

From there.

I've held various positions, various jobs.

The most recent one before firefighting was a bus driver with Tata.

So it's.

Wow All across the board.

Certainly.

Yeah.

And ended up, running into somebody whil I was getting my Tada uniform.

He was getting his firefighter uniform and encouraged me to apply for Toledo Fire.

Best decision I ever made.

So the musical component of it which will be getting to again, where's your gift come from?

Are yo the Lone Ranger that can sing?

Or that's a crowded bathroo with everyone singing or talent?

Most of us sing okay.

I believe it was really encouraged and witnessed by us children.

Seeing my father sing.

Okay.

And then a couple of us took it and ran with it.

My little sister was on the last season of The Voice.

Okay.

Oh, wow.

And this is her name.

So if you guys watched The Voice and you're familiar with her.

Check her out.

Beautiful.

We should have had her on this.

Yeah, yeah.

Next time.

Yeah.

That's right.

Next.

Big brother first.

That's right.

Yeah.

That's right.

Yeah, yeah.

That's right.

That's the firefighters.

Always the first one in.

First.

First one in.

Yeah.

So the process to become a firefighter is complex and lengthy.

So are you still working at Tata when you're beginning like your conditioning and training and stuff?

No.

No.

Well, once I got the call that I was accepted.

Mind you, I had already quit Tata.

Okay.

It was just time to go.

Right.

Yeah.

Once I got that call I mean, I was already training because I knew it was what I wanted to do.

And then once we started the academy, it was just straight to the books and to the.

Day one in saying this is the right decision, or was there was there moments where you're like, what did I get myself into?

Day one, I knew it was the right decision, and somewhere along the way I was like, am I sure?

And yeah.

I was like every decision I've ever made.

Is the plan to go on and get like your EMT and your other certifications.

So I'm already an EMT.

Great.

I'm looking to start paramedic school soon.

And so you left this home with all of these kids and decided to live with a bunch of men and women at the firehouse.

You just.

You need to be in a group environment.

I suppose.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Do you have a specialty that you cook or do anything?

At what station are you up?

I actually completed my last tour of my second rotation for my probationary year at station 16.

Okay.

25 was my first, and I'm headed to six on the east.

Six and east side.

Okay, that's that's not a new one.

Doesn't feel nice.

They went.

Yeah.

Got my own room in there.

That's good.

2025 is our, old orchard.

Okay.

Right.

Yep.

Yeah.

You're right.

You're literally a block from.

From my house.

My kids lives.

Swinging.

Swinging by there.

And, you know, when the weather' nice, bakes, make some cookies and take them down there to the fire.

We appreciate it.

Yeah.

So one of the reasons we wanted to have you on the show today, Nate.

You know, our our mutual friend Karen Maloney, who's the, director, executive director of the Human Relations Commission at the City of Pluto, of which you are an employee, but you're participating in the, Human Relations Commission MLK day celebration that is today.

And people can watch that online today at 10:00, on all the city Toledo' social media channels on BCN and and they can also watch it live at the Toledo Museum of Art today.

So we've, a live playing of it.

We've talked earlier this week about with folks from Toledo Museum of Art about how they're open today, especially for MLK day.

But you are going to be singing, Lift Every Voice and sing at, that prerecorded event.

And so we asked you to come here, if you don't mind, to sing a portion of that song, in celebration on our show.

I'm curiou where that conversation started.

Right.

Like, how did how did you how did.

They know you?

How?

I believe it was because I'v been singing the National anthem at a, variety of events for Toledo Fire.

And even for today.

So my face, my name has been out there within the city of Toledo for a few years now, so, I'm almost positive it came from one of those events.

Is there a venue that you that I mean, one.

Do you enjoy singing the national anthem?

It's a good time.

It's a good time.

It allows me to slow down, know music.

I also play instruments.

It's just me and my voice, and it's fun.

So the national is like, from a from a vocal.

Very difficult.

Extremely.

Spans, a couple of ranges.

I remember the advice when I was kind of younger was that we say low and slow, right?

You guys start low and you guys start slow.

Because if you're if you start too high, it's just over.

Right.

It's goes way up.

What's the what's the venue that you haven't you haven't sung the national anthem and yet that you want to.

Martin Stadium.

Let's start there.

A fifth, third field.

All right all right, well, we go a little.

We'll make it out.

That'll be great.

Love it.

All right, so then, involved with Martin Luther King Junior day celebration here for the city of Toledo.

What does that mean to you?

To be a part of it?

Is an honor.

To follow in his footsteps.

Growing up, all you hear i Martin Luther King had a dream.

I also have a dream.

And when I look at today's climate, I want to know what I can personally do to, first and foremost, not add to the issues that are going on.

And then second, how can I progress things and and help create unity?

So, one of my sayings is love.

That's what I'm choosing today because it is a choice.

You have to choose love.

So, when I think about MLK, I think about love.

Beautiful.

Good segue.

And.

Yeah, let's have you do, a couple a section of Lift Every Voice and sing.

Okay.

Lift every voice and sing until earth and heaven ring, ring with the harmony of liberty.

Let our rejoicing rise high.

Has a listening sky.

Let it resound loud has the rolling sea.

Sing.

So full of faith.

That the dark past has taught us.

Sing.

So full of the hope.

That the present has brought us.

Facing the rising sun of our new day be gone.

Let us march on until victory is won.

Beautiful.

I guess that was okay.

Yeah.

Thank.

All right, Matt, now to something that.

Yeah, I, obviously we did a little bit of a mic check beforehand.

We've not met.

And it is, That was wonderful.

Yeah Thank you for sharing that gift.

Tend to to your point, it's really a much higher calling.

Sure that there is a challenge being an African-American, to make sure that you're following in the footsteps or playing your role in it.

You have two gifts.

One, you're clearly a kind soul.

So thank you for sharing that for our community, not just keeping us safe, but you've got a voice, literally.

And it made our morning better.

Definitely better.

So let's appreciate it.

And so we hope you get t celebrate you and our community.

As long as we can.

We got you from Georgi and we want to keep.

Absolutely.

Yeah, that'd be great.

Incredible.

Thank you.

What is what is that song?

I mean, obviously there is some emotion there.

And you can you can you know, hear it and feel it in your voice.

What does that song mean to you?

Everything that the words say, I mean, I've faced trials and tribulations in my own personal life, so I can imagine, what my grandmother and her parents and their parents felt going through act of oppression.

So, it just it's a song of encouragement to continue moving forward and to rise above the challenge that we face on a daily basis.

That's a beautiful sentiment.

Say you've got a dream.

What's what's your dream?

I have a dream.

I dream to use my gift to change the world.

I dream to touch the heart o every man, woman, boy and girl.

I dream to sing and let it ring until life is fulfilled.

But a guitar to fight the battle.

When all these demons do is make me feel on.

Pure and unsure of my own direction.

I've always walked this narrow path and I don't know where it's headed.

I'm always tripping on something.

I better watch where I'm step.

And it's been a long and rocky road.

And I'm just trying to keep it steady.

But my heart is getting heavy And my mind is getting restless.

Because I'm tired of dreaming and waking up.

Wrestling for my life to make sense.

For once.

It's hard to explain, but if I put it in a rhyme, it might make sense over agai until it clicks and then I win.

Until then, I simply do the best that I can to keep on dreaming a dream.

I live my life as the man and try to stick to the plan.

When life has all of the plans.

And everything that's around me is ruled by this in my hand.

Man, does it ever end.

I got this monkey on my bac that's closer than my friends.

I got to try to make it out with everything within.

Now I have to make it out with everything within.

All in this life of sin.

I didn't realize, all right?

So I didn't.

You're obviously a poet as well.

Phenomenal writer.

Thank you for you.

Actually, my.

Question you.

Did ask the perfectly right college.

I. Yeah, I read it.

Unbelievable.

You can find ou more about Nate on his socials at Text Music and at Nate Hicks music.com.

I think people should be reaching out to you.

I'll be around.

You.

Write your own music?

Yes.

What instruments do you play?

I play piano, guitar, bass guitar.

First instrument was the saxophone.

Okay, I'm terrible at it now.

Yeah, yeah.

When did you start with your music lessons?

And how did you learn?

Self-taught, really?

When I was a kid, my godmother had a piano at the house, so we would sit there and finger pick, from their piano and my high school.

Same thing Just kind of learning as I went.

My granddad gifted me a guita before he passed, so, I became.

I bought my first guitar, going into college, and it collected dust until I becam a substitute teacher for Toledo.

Then I would take it around with me to keep myself and the kids call.

So, how where do you find new new music or inspiration?

Where do you explore?

It just depends.

Sometimes lif inspires me to ride the street.

I mean, yeah, yeah, but seriously, what is your pipeline?

Inspiration.

Musically, it comes in so many different forms.

I might hear something.

Yesterday we had the microwave running and there was a particular pitch and now we're harmonizing with the microwaves.

Yeah, that might turn into something.

Yeah.

Gretchen' a conspiracy theorist, so she's, weary of microwaves.

Okay, that makes sense.

Yeah, yeah.

That definitely makes.

Yeah.

So, also, I just want to remind people that we've been talking to Nat Hicks is a Toledo firefighter.

Amazing singer, poet, talent.

Wonderful.

But, the HRC City of Toled MLK day celebration is streaming today at 10:00 on all Cit of Toledo social media channels.

You can watch on BCN, and you can also go t the Toledo Museum of Art today.

And, take some listen to it live.

Take something.

Yeah.

So don't do that.

Yeah.

No.

Nate, thank you so much for spending the time with us sharing your incredible voice, your incredibl talent and passion.

Thank you.

And thank you for your service.

Right.

I mean, as a as a firefighter, you are quite literally th first the first one in the room.

And you do that willingly to keep us safe.

So thank you for doing that.

Still, in fairness, the arsonist sometimes is the first one in the room.

Well, okay, that's your last one.

That's right.

Yeah.

This is what.

This is why I don't do riddles with Matt.

Yes.

I mean.

Always win at them.

All right?

It's the.

It's the 419.

It's a Martin Luther King Jr Day edition.

Thanks today for joining us.

When we come back, we will talk with Darlene Sweeney, New Bern, from the NAACP.

We'll be right back here.

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Welcome back into the 419.

It is a Martin Luther King Da Junior edition here of the 419.

We are joined now by Darlene Sweeney, New Bern and Verna.

Cheers.

And what are you goin to perform for us this morning?

Absolutely nothing.

I I've even even if you could have prepared something I don't know that I would want to follow Nate Hicks.

I. I do not know very talented.

So, Darlene, you are the president of the local NAACP here in Toledo?

Yes.

Let's talk a little bit.

Yeah, but to that point, you and I have been friends for quite some time.

We have.

And, sorry.

It.

Okay.

And it I have a historically referred to, this is the NAACP, right?

Which obviously is an institutio that I'm, proud to be a part of.

But there has not been a new change, but I have not been using that correctly.

Correct me.

You are indeed correct.

You have not been.

Using this right correctly.

If you refer to the NAACP as the NAACP, that was changed a couple of years ago by our national NAACP.

And the reason for that particular change is because each letter the n the a, a CP, it has meaning, and we want to capture the full essence in the meeting of the NAACP.

So we no longer say in NAACP.

I realize people are still going through that change but we have it all settled here.

Yes.

Good.

Excellent.

Thank you for explaining that and for to tell us.

Introduce yourself.

What, what how are you connected to, the NAACP and the work here that's happening on Martin Luther King Day?

Sure.

Hi.

I'm verna.

Cheers.

And I'm the special events chair for, all the special events for the NAACP.

And there's a very special even and MLK event that you all are putting on today at 10:00 at Macedonia Baptist Church, if I'm not mistaken.

That's correct.

Can you tell us a little bit about it?

Oh, absolutely.

And I'm excited about it.

Extremely excited about it.

Under the leadership of, Darlene Sweeney, New Bern, we are now, going to, have history in regards to Detroit branch with the Reverend Doctor Wendell Anthony.

This coming down and going to service us on today.

We are so excited about it because it has never happened before.

Pastor Window has been the NAACP president of the Detroit branch for over 28 years.

Yes.

And he's never been here in regards to NAACP before.

So we are excited about that because it's never happened before.

Why have you done this to yourself?

I've been planning and organizing.

All this stuff.

Oh, I love this.

You do?

Oh, absolutely.

Particularly wanted to do because.

It's get our people together.

Yes, ma'am.

Everybody.

And we get to do one purpose and that's make it an example and example for these young people.

And this is a free event free register.

You can do not.

At oh not at all.

You can just show up and then you're going to even get a token when you leave.

All right.

Yeah.

So you are a native Toledo and you and I have.

Absolutely been here all my life.

All my family has to.

We're about in the city.

Right there on Canton and State Street.

My mother was born actually in the house right there in Canton station.

Oh my gosh.

Yeah.

And how long have you been involved with Darlene and.

Well, Darlene and I have known each other over 50 years, so we definitely I know that outside.

Oh.

I know I don't care.

That's all.

It's all the.

That's right.

We did.

It.

Yes, yes.

Leave it.

It I love it.

Yes, we have been we have bee friends for a long, long time.

And when she decided to run for presidency, I decided to help her in that area.

And she has been doing a wonderful job and we are all excited abou all the things that she's doing.

Darlene, we talked to her about kind of why she wante to put herself into that kind of lion's den.

Of all the event planning, all the details with that, talk to me about your call to be the president of the NAACP.

That's, you know, that's I mean, that is a we talked about it, kind of before the segment started.

That is a full time job, but this is a volunteer position.

It is a volunteer position to 24 seven.

And you take it or the weight of all the citizens here in Toledo and surrounding area, and sometime I get calls outside of the Toledo or even in different states.

But it was a natural progression for me as I was over the Ohio Civil Rights Commission to work for the Civil Rights Commission, 33 years in that capacity idea of fight for equality in employment and housing and public accommodation.

So this was really a natural progression.

I could go all the way back to high school where there was some kind of some type of issue.

In fact, Verna was there.

I had to make sure that I had something to say about it, to stand up for people, to fight for the people.

So is really, really deeply rooted.

I come from a family where there I have six brothers and sisters, and even within the family structure, I had something to say with.

Indeed, there was, something happened with a brother or a sister.

And so I've always, I don't know, I my mom used to say she thin I was just born, born this way.

I'm interested always in that.

And please don't be offended.

Oh.

How do you talk over Gretchen?

She's sponsored by Mucinex.

So if your both of your leadership, or your passion to be part of community comes from your parents, comes from your siblings, is wired into your DNA, what are both of your stories in that way?

Because you could have taken easier tests.

You could be into gardening and put your phones down.

But that isn't the way you've looked at community in your lives.

How or what made you want to be part of your community in this way?

Well you know, fierce urgency of now is what our thing is and Mission impossible.

So when you grow up under, we went to scout high school, and, one of the things that we value in Scott High School is family.

And, one and being on one accord.

So in doing that, you have to, work in the community in orde to let them know how that works.

Sure.

And so that's what Darlene and I look at it when we're talking about helping the community, getting out there in community and getting our hands dirty.

Right.

And and that's what we've been doing.

And people need to see that to trust you.

Absolutely.

And know that you're going to show up.

Absolutely.

And do what you can't.

Just ask others.

Absolutely.

You have to do it yourself.

But I've never been delusional at all about the treatment that I have personally received in society, even growing up there.

Differential treatment.

I can remember back in 1980 when I first got married and we were out looking for houses, how they neighborhoods did not want us in the in those neighborhoods because of, our race.

I can remember where we sought stuff like house insurers, where we would get letter saying, I kid is sure you because of the neighborhood that you live in, I could remember, I could take you all the way back to the days of even where there was a restaurant here with Denise.

Restaurant where you had to stand on the outside and they would take orders, your orders as African-Americans, before they'd let you in.

I could tell you stories over and over and over that I personally experienced.

I wasn't as much a fighter then, but I felt the effects of what occurred.

And I figured if I ever positioned myself to do something about it, to just use common language in the vernacular, it's on and pop it.

Sure.

Just a quick follow up, obviously.

What?

And we are not strangers to one another, but in terms of showing up and in Martin Luther King Day and every other day watching the three of us do better to be allies, to show up.

In my opinion, just what you're doing because your platform is important.

And so just keep using you platform and bringing people on and to and letting them tell their story.

Because people are goin through some things in this city and in this nation.

That's one of the things that we're going to hea from our national board member, Doctor Anthony, when he comes, he's going to tell us not only about our national, but right across the road up there in Detroit, what's happening and is all the same.

I think your point, too, is what made this isn't we're not in the 50s and 60s.

We're talking about today as well today.

Well, Darlene, the same question for you.

And we will take, whatever the answer is, as you, I hope, interest in this, but what what is your expectations of someone who calls you, a friend, which I do.

What do you need from me?

How can I do better?

I think Verna did say it best.

You are always there supporting.

And I can tell you, this young man right here is very supportiv of the initiatives of the NAACP.

You're doing the right thing.

And for apps like this, help get the word out.

Everyone can be a NAACP.

Please know that you are talked about joining the largest and the oldest, the baddest and the boldest, the most loved, the most hated, the most feared, the most revered, the most cussed and discuss civil rights organization in America.

I love it, I love it.

As you think about today's celebration of Doctor Martin Luther King Jr Day, what do you hope people tak away from from from your event?

And what do you hope people take away from the day as a whole?

I hope that people wouldn't take away from our even that the struggle is still real.

You can't remake complacent complacent, complicit, complicit in this.

You must complicit in this chair.

You must understand that yo have to get out there and fight.

We want to leave with hope.

Rise up, or the belief that you can still achieve the American Dream even in 2026.

Join the fight.

Speak up.

We want to raise the consciousness of the people who come that, hey, we are still working toward what America.

That's fair and equitable.

So pardon me please.

Like she was saying, we're going to get the, a view from even our national board because he is o the national board of directors, so he would know exactly how, in the way he would want us to go.

And he's going to be able to tell his people today.

So the other thing is to, I think the atmosphere, you know, when when you think about Martin Luther King the atmosphere was the church.

And so that that itself is going to make a difference even with our young people, old people as well.

The other thing is with the with with the, with the different, activities that are going on in today's society with our young people.

I think some, some, some news activities will come out today.

So there's going to be a if you miss it, you're going to miss it because it's going to be an event that's going to be historical, and you're going to want to be a part.

What what areas of hope do you have when you talk to people who think about the time the Martin Luther King was alive and working and being an activist, that that was a bad time in our country.

And then they look now and they think it's worse, or that it's more hopeless, or that it can't be solved or that it's never going to work, that what we're trying to achieve isn't possible.

What what, what, what signs do you have?

What pieces of hope can you share with the audience that that makes you spend 24 hours, seven days a week on this work still?

Well.

The hope when we talk about the hope, we look at the area of education.

We look in the areas of economic empowerment.

We look at a fair and jus criminal criminal system here.

These are all things that we can work.

What's important to the people, where we live, where we work and where we play.

Those are the three main areas that we are trying to tell them or it is our goal rise up, or the belief that where you live where you work, where you play will be something you can be proud of and it will be just every day, run of the mil routine, America's life for you.

And I got to believe, you know, looking at, you know, storie and individuals like Nate Hicks.

Right.

Give a great example.

And so this if left to its own, this would be just one day of celebration.

Tell me what every day is like.

How can someone participate in a more meaningful way in the NAACP?

You know, beings are win.

How can they show up?

Talk to me about a full calendar year, not just one day.

Everyone is welcome to join.

It is not a limited membership.

Usually the NAACP.

We meet every thir Tuesday of the month at 5 p.m.

at the African American Legacy Project.

Build.

So we encourage everyone to join.

The more people join as I refer to them as warriors, the more powerful we become.

We don't feel okay.

Day is just one day, right?

But during these meetings, we do it for people of the change is not only in or what's happening in our local community, but was happening at our video level.

Stuff to watch out for.

What areas do we need to help?

Do we need to help with some kind of food.

Right calls for?

Do we.

Be?

Yes.

Different calls for action.

That's a great way of puttin the different calls for action.

The NAACP, we want to be a part of these types of types of things.

And then we have different categories that they can, a group, if, committee work, committee work, that they can, they can join.

We have especially vids of course with she this yea we'll talk about a little more.

We have our economic development.

We have legal redress.

Who's going to address the legal areas that need of be address criminal political.

We're coming close to the end of our time.

If people are interested in more information, where would the where would they go to find it.

On our website?

It, was always wef that it ACP that or or gues would just Google your Facebook.

But just real.

Quick I want to talk to you.

The next big event is going to be somewhere the 16th at Frederick Douglass Center is a prayer breakfast.

We'll have all types of vendors there.

Doctor Willie McArthur is going to be our speaker and we're excited about that.

So, thank you so much.

We appreciate you being with us today.

When we come back, we'll wrap up this Martin Luther King Jr Day edition of the 419.

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As we close out this Martin Luther King Jr Day edition.

Gretchen, we know we don't.

We don't say this, ofte or ever, but, let's jump today.

Thank you.

I apologize to the audience for my coughing fit.

So it's that time of year where, you know, at any given moment in a week, we could go from 60 degrees to 25 degrees in the same day.

That's right.

And so as that happens, you know, you know.

That's exactly the experience too, with the guests.

It started off with the three of us bozos, and then, just.

Went up from.

Are almost always outshined, by our guests.

But certainly an important topic today, for our celebration of real meaning, but bringing on the host of people we did, who are doing great work.

I'm super proud of, their connectivity.

And there's so much to do today.

Yeah, with your family, with your kids and our, our new school today.

Everything from the Toledo Museum of Art to the.

And peace event at Macedonia at noon.

I mean, it's just something to get.

And I love that the the conversation with with Chris and Rebecca.

About, you know, how this is, you know, yes, they're planning for a day, but really, it's about building a community and what that looks like.

And obviously the NAACP is doing that, as well as this is not just a one time thing right there as, as, as Darlene had said, it's it's 20 four seven, 365, responsibility.

And so it's it's incredible and we appreciate and spend the time.

Of course.

Nate Hicks, what a beautiful voice and and sharing that talent with us.

Absolutely incredible.

We appreciate it.

If you missed any portion of this show, you can catch it three different ways.

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Of course, you can find us online.org/the 419.

Thank you so much for joining us.

When we come back tomorrow we will be joined by Marcy Kaptur.

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