Showing up as your authentic self with love and honesty with United Playaz Executive Director Rudy Corpuz Jr.

In this episode, host Chris Nguon taps in with United Playaz founder and executive director Rudy Corpuz Jr., who takes listeners on a journey two decades long in violence prevention and youth development work. Rudy is as transparent and honest as they come, lifting up his journey, trials and tribulations along the way stretching from his time growing up in San Francisco, his incarceration, and his eventual path towards building one of the most successful youth and violence prevention organizations that has roots and chapters not only across the country, but now around the world.

Rudy explains how important authenticity is to successful and sustainable work, while centering love and self-healing as pillars towards creating and building strong partnerships not only with youth, but with the institutions that are all part of the community ecosystem. Never one to show intimidation in expressing what needs to be said, this conversation with Brotha Rudy is rich in honest complexity that paints a beautifully pure portrayal of grassroots community work and how healing plays a big part in making it go.

Transcript

Chris Nguon: Hey everyone before we get started today, wanted to give everyone a heads up that this episode does include some explicit language. Sometimes the Flourish family we talk about this work is super passionate and what we do and sometimes we do curse. So if you have young people around just wanted to give you a heads up. Thanks and enjoy the episode! 

Chris Nguon: Peace community. Welcome to another episode of the CARMA Chronicles where we speak to the nation’s leading healing centered practitioners. I’m your host Chris Nguon and today we have the pleasure of speaking to Rudy Corpuz Jr., the executive director of United Playaz, a brilliant and powerful violence prevention and youth serving organization and team of dope brothas and sistas headquartered in the City of San Francisco. Bro. Rudy takes us on his own healing journey through the two-plus decades of his work and how centering love allows the authencity of self of stay true and at the forefront of this healing work. This was a wonderful conversation and I am thrilled to share it with you all. Coming up now.

Chris Nguon: Brother Ru, how we doing? Oh man, you know I can't complain, you know, Chris a should don't nobody listened.

Rudy : Be 30 Min i'm better than half and half the day so.

Chris Nguon: Absolutely well it's a pleasure hell, a pleasure to have you on board big bro i'm really looking forward to this conversation.

Chris Nguon: really looking forward to catching up with you and then really just talking about your healing journey and your healing journey will united place, and you know you right here, out of the city out of San Francisco or frisco, as we say, from the Bay.

Chris Nguon: But you know just just to kick it off just tell the folks a little bit about united place.

Rudy : Sure, oh so first of all man, I just wanted to thank you man peace and blessings and everybody out there listening and brother Chris for giving me this platform and speak, you know. 

Rudy : And so you know i'm honored i'm humbled bro you know and so you're not a player is a violence prevention organization that originated in 1994 from gang buffs and good balance.

Rudy : And you know it was at a high school in San Francisco that was known to be notorious Bible high school during those years, and I just so happened to be working at a Community Center in San Francisco and district 11 there's like.

 Rudy : 1211 1112 districts and Sam Cisco.

 Rudy : And in this particular neighborhood is where I got hired as a game permission counselor to primarily work with Filipino.

 Rudy : A gang banks, and so, when I was hired I looked on a map they told me geographically made you got to find cats in this district 11 area and me being from frisco.

 Rudy : I knew what it was all at look on a map says she they all have Babel high school went up to bow the principle of debt, the time her name is miss mana burden, she was Filipino.

Rudy : Right and me, being an experiment, you know they don't usually like cats up in the school but me being Filipino on her being Philippines she's like we need all the help we can get.

 Rudy : So i'm up there, and a big fight ensued between different nationalities blacks Filipinos, then the samoans a Latinos got involved.

 Rudy : And I was able to navigate with some other adults that were known from the hood and some youth that was about Bo who was in certain programs to get these kids who was in a fight.

Rudy : and sit at a table and talk about what can we do to stop the bottom, because they wanted to sit down.

Rudy : And these are the kids, who was the actual ones in the feet from all different turfs you know different gangs and all it took man with somebody to listen to them.

Rudy : and ask them those simple questions, what do you guys need to help stop the violence at the school camps, not in the hoods on the street, just at the school campus.

Rudy : And uh you know I mean Chris all the kids came up with all the House the solutions that's how you know up started and then from there, they was like man this shit is working, can we a.

Rudy : name of the clubs and all right, I gave the power to the people, which I want a name and they came up with the name united players PL a y Z and.

Rudy : You know you had to get low players, you have 14 the players club, so we kept it that way PL a, why is it not a player and bone 27 years later, but we worldwide.

Chris Nguon: worldwide and break that down a little bit for me, when you say worldwide some of the countries that yahweh and so you serious when you say worldwide y'all really were why.

Rudy : A look here man I don't know how you can get in on this.

Chris Nguon: Is podcast but you.

Rudy : fucking what a play a man.

Rudy : A pandemic play you didn't get i'm saying we are able to reach our program right with the grace of God in the Philippines, we got a chapter in a book.

Rudy : So you know that's all the other side of the world man and uh we're very you know blessed that God has put it in a place where we can serve people in the province.

Chris Nguon: Absolutely so even just in that five minutes you really just broke down some of the city dynamics, you know when a lot of people from outside, look at San Francisco they see.

Chris Nguon: A portion of Sam Cisco from the newspapers from the movies and whatnot and the city has gone through a lot of changes but.

 Chris Nguon: What is it about the city as a frisco resident what essence about culture about frisco is really remain the same to you all these years later that folks might not know it still exists in frisco.

Rudy : The hustle.

Chris Nguon: mm hmm.

Rudy : I mean that's a hustle in frisco man.

Rudy : that's you know.

Rudy : that's tenacious I mean we have cats here man who are real hustle then they come from a generation that I come from, you know, I was born in the 70s.

Rudy : There going i'm saying, and you know even to this day man with the new cat these new cast there's a lot of cats man who ain't got that same energy being got the you know the least.

Rudy : But in briscoe they're still cast man that you know still got that swag who got that hustle who will man make $1 out of 15 cent and during man crisis and pandemics, we still know how to survive and take care of our people and.

Chris Nguon: Absolutely, how is this year, plus year and four months about the pandemic How has it been for yourself your organization, have you seen things evolve how have you seen you know just the resiliency of the people really come up to the forefront.

Rudy : You run off asked me that last night uh we air a premiere video that was never been shown right in public.

Rudy : In my neighborhood that was made by Filipino cat named Harvey less up he got what five people during the pandemic and a crisis right.

Rudy : And filmed him and he followed him and he put the film together and it came to like a 30 minute video and they showed a yesterday permitted yesterday.

Rudy : And it really showed the magnitude of what we did during the pandemic how we activate you know we talking about organizations man densely see it.

Rudy : But we was able to put it, the White flags during this crisis and come together.

Rudy : unite together in solidarity under one umbrella little krista make sure we took them all the essential needs.

Rudy : That the kids all the way in between, to the seniors needed for them to survive, I mean basic, fundamental things like toilet paper water.

Rudy : You know bags of food rice peanut butter bread bananas, all the shit that they need to survive because everybody can come up the House.

Rudy : And so people man who was about frontline soldiers boots to the ground 10 toes to the flow came out when a lot of people was scared.

Rudy : And will rightfully so because you know, this is something that never happened occurred in the whole world and ship when i'll shut down.

Rudy : But you have people man who jumped in front and was willing to risk a life bro the risk they like to dive other people, because they care and to me that's the ultimate sacrifice you didn't understand Jesus did that be, but we wait did debbie poe he set the bar.

Chris Nguon: on it and I guess that really goes back to you know yamato united players model, not a player slogan takes to WHO.

Chris Nguon: Where that came from.

Rudy : The movie was called to do make the video that's what it's called player is called it takes the the status.

Rudy : They named it yet.

Rudy : On the news yesterday and this morning yeah, and I mean, and it was a good turnout.

Rudy : And all men, the impact that we actually made you really don't realize the impact, you make until you really watch it.

Chris Nguon: yeah

Rudy : I watched it last night minute she touched my heart, I was, I was very, very happy that we was able.

Rudy : To do this.

Chris Nguon: work where can the listeners find a film is it out, yet what are the plans, about being able to make it public and accessible to folks because it sounded really powerful.

Rudy : yeah I think.

Rudy : they're going to use that video to get into sundance festival.

Rudy : Beautiful right.

Rudy : And I believe it's going to be put on air somehow some way but it's called it takes to see the song KGB you link right now, I think, because they was able to come down there and in film some of it, and I think they got the whole actual 30 minutes.

Chris Nguon: Oh, and that's what so what would definitely be shared out on oriented so when you say it takes to her to save to the panel where Dan model come from because anytime that you just saying.

Chris Nguon: It someday you embody.

Chris Nguon: You know where did I really come from.

Rudy : So you're not born and raised in other and.

Rudy : There was a big.

Rudy : crisis that happened in Louisiana the Katrina thing that happened right like 2005 whatnot.

Rudy : And so you know we got a chapter in the bronx in the south bronx in New York, and so the chapter in New York.

Rudy : And frisco came together to go out there to help build the houses after the crisis, and so, when I went out there was somebody kids briscoe and it kids from an adult some New York.

Rudy : We was out there and I was looking at the devastation that happened in New Orleans and I was talking to the people on the ground, like damn man will really happen so they will share with me, though, right.

Rudy : Like everything man got washed away, but was saved a lot of people like with the drug dealers that don't fans, you know the gangsters, who was there left.

Rudy : And so what you mean they said, nobody can a man, the mayor to income, the governor the motherfucker and nobody came to help us, but the people who they usually count out.

Rudy : There was making things that could vote for hires right, it was helping people man survive like you know a lot of them Dudes who was drug addict used to be.

Rudy : You know, they just so happen to become drug addict and they knew how to you know, save people, and so I was sitting here thinking about damn all you needed was water, and we in 2005 at the time.

Rudy : And y'all just asked about basic, essential things like water and American right, and so, when I was at the airport man, I was just you know sitting there.

Rudy : thinking and it's deep shit and then a hidden it takes the hood say to it takes two people to save two people bro.

Rudy : You know didn't nobody come, but the people who was there and so that's what a model was born, you know for our model, it takes to say, does it could be fraud to that, though, Chris he was straight play is not know haters on our shirts that's what it said.

Chris Nguon: The kids came home and then.

Rudy : yeah and then it transform to takes the hood sainthood, which is a known fact.

Chris Nguon: Absolutely and you've embodied at and you've seen that come to the forefront for a lot of you.

Chris Nguon: You know.

Rudy : Save with the takes a player to save a player.

Chris Nguon: So what you're talking about really is relationships right you talking about getting on the ground, knowing sharing experiences and whatnot and what I really appreciate about up about united players is 

Chris Nguon: You know there's a concept there's a ideology within our work that folks from outside.

Chris Nguon: Come to neighborhood is like West oakland like neighborhoods in frisco and brooklyn and everywhere come with some type of expertise, but what you and your organization your people have embodied is.

Chris Nguon: The strength of the neighborhood is right there it just needs to be empowered and put in positions to do their thing and that's what I really appreciate so.

Chris Nguon: You know I think you know how do you navigate that because you really unapologetic about who you are brewed is going to be rudy 100% of the time.

Chris Nguon: Right yo your team your your employees or staff member young young people you encourage them to be exactly who they are, yet you have managed now to navigate.

Chris Nguon: Different spaces navigate spaces, where politicians and funders and whatnot you know how do you say your authentic self and these spaces.

You know.

Rudy : I get that question asked a lot and.

Rudy : You know, one of the best cartoons man when I was young, I used to watch was pop out of safe men pop bye bye bye used to say I am what I am and I am what I am and that's all I am.

Rudy : And that's what I do man, all I could do is be me, you know and ask God man for the grace and the blessings to put me in a position to make sure man, I do what I do and so.

Rudy : i'm a hustler man and the movie the way I moved his spirit, a look.

Rudy : And I think that's what you know, is the key to a lot of relationships is showing love and respect.

Rudy : Because a lot of people sometimes we don't want to build these bridges with that cool people's they just want to meet somebody that's cool too.

Rudy : And, just like in the hood, on the other side there's a lot of fucked up people who are haters and so.

Rudy : I ended up man i'm able God has blessed me with the gift to unite people who are like minded that care and love that can really help out and connect with that man and you said it, though, who could brain.

Rudy : Right comdex they've been had did life sentences i'm talking about killers man in the same room man is these Dudes man who was supervisors right.

Rudy : or Nancy Pelosi in and they're all in a room and hugging chopping it up and kicking because it's the spirit of love that brings people together and people who don't resonate with their love they fall out, you know God exposes them, and so you know, Chris man is.

Rudy : i'm just so thankful man that it's working and and that's why I move with man, I just want to Fuck with people, men, and I know man real for real I sharp design, you know work with people man that I noticed willing to build for the Community and the People because it's not about us.

Chris Nguon: And you've always been transparent with your story, you know, and I think you've been doing this work 27 years have you always been transparent.

Chris Nguon: With you know telling you've been very honest about your time you've spent in the pan, by have you trying to get folks together on the street or was that evolution and they've been worse, how did you get to that place to be much more transparent about you know your story in this way.

Rudy : yeah well, I think, I think.

Rudy : You know it's a.

Chris Nguon: You know how they say.

Rudy : The definition of suffering.

Rudy : Is experience I can't be who I am if I don't share who i'm expecting you know what I mean i'm an expert I wouldn't know convict I didn't do no long term for me to get it and understand you think i'm saying, but I understand man pain on a stand, you know.

Rudy : How to make sure you be kind and get back to the people in the company, because I wasn't always that.

Rudy : You know I never been no gangster homie I never been no but I didn't gangsta shit do my life.

Rudy : But I learned in my parents taught me man and the family and muscle around is taught me how to love people.

Rudy : And to be kind to people it doesn't matter what nationality you come from you know nationality, you are what background you come from you know, like what's that saying you judge a person by.

Rudy : But not the colored a scam but the content of character, the more King said it right that's how I was raised.

Rudy : And so my experiences in life that i've been through I don't want the hot rocks bag that barefoot they.

Rudy : You know I mean a bit through the gridiron I ain't got time to be out there, trying to impress nobody in a certain way I just got to be me and boo me man show love to people.

Rudy : You know, to me, and so yesterday, let me give a shout out to my homeboy man lining Morse right i'm in line in the sand quitting the early 90s, he just got home and been home 13 days as the day and he was gone for 44 years.

Rudy : And I brought him with me yesterday today that even I was talking to you about.

Rudy : You know a lot of people who showed up camp in the Community we're in that Community also behind the walls and when they was there, they didn't know a lot of them didn't know landing was home when they saw matt you should see.

Rudy : How much hope.

Rudy : That was brought to the people when they seen it was man amazing to see a brother man, you know that you never thought you'd Come on, is out in population giving back to the Community and search I gave us flowers yesterday man at the 44 years man he got some flowers yesterday.

Rudy : You know, to me.

Chris Nguon: it's the little things.

Rudy : Like I say yesterday man I don't receive flowers, I give flops.

Chris Nguon: Yes, and Cindy Yes indeed, and spreading that healing work that sprinting I learned that you're talking about right.

Rudy : villains baby.

Chris Nguon: Absolutely, have you seen you know there's love work that you're talking about this healing work how have you seen it evolve over the years how have things stayed the same in the 27 plus years that you've been doing this How has it evolved what the young people now.

Rudy : will love conquers all to me, and you know a lot of people who has been involved in our organization, I say you know, like was 7030 when I mean by that.

Rudy : And we work with 10 kids we probably lose three kids to you know, to the system or probably to you know, violence, but the other seven men, going to be successful, and so, when I see.

Rudy : kids who was in our program now working with us now, because you know I got people who was with us now working with.

Rudy : To me man so straight w baby, and I mean I mean by that is a win situation, because they're able to be successful in your journey in life and to give back.

Rudy : And they get you know our mindset has changed, and like I always say, one of the most dangerous things to me as a grown ass man with a little kids mind.

Rudy : And so, seeing these young people who was in our organization grow up.

Rudy : To be mature and successful and to give back to the Community man, those are the love things or somebody that calls me man and I ain't heard oh you forgot about them a really man, I just want to say man, thank you.

Rudy : for helping me and navigate me on my life now i'm out of here man stand in Florida I got me a family, I graduated from college i'm a technician now I don't think men automated minute out and Fuck with Joe.

Rudy : And so thank you and i'm seeing my head going, who is this guy again, but you know we get I get them calls.

Rudy : and told to me man that's that love row that we give that sometimes we go unnoticed, and it has worked.

Chris Nguon: yeah absolutely tempo tempo you already mentioned brooklyn and Philippines Florida, I mean really spread your.

Rudy : one.

Chris Nguon: The bronx the bronx the bronx.

Rudy : shout out to the bronx brooklyn.

Chris Nguon: brooklyn but motor bras to a always for everywhere, this work this love work.

Chris Nguon: Is healing work right, and I think you know recently with up and rudy and flourish agenda you were part of executive coaching cohort.

Chris Nguon: Through DC why, if we have a lot of other executive directors of CEOs in the city.

Chris Nguon: It was a great experience and it was really great being in community with you and all the executive directors, so I think, as you put on your Executive Director hat.

Chris Nguon: What are some of your models and your strategies, about how you spread your love, how you spread your healing because really what you're talking about is it's a lot of inner work right and it's a lot of.

Chris Nguon: understanding and appreciating who you are as a player as a hustler as a loved one, you know as an executive director overseeing organization that you created as now worldwide.

Chris Nguon: On a systems level, how do you and, what is your intention, and how are your intentions about spreading what you do.

Chris Nguon: well.

Rudy : I mean, I mean you know it.

Rudy : it's not complex I like to keep this simple you know what I mean, and I think you know I lead by example.

Rudy : By showing people man respect godless manual a half stone coast smoked out midget i'ma show you look.

Rudy : You know what I mean and and I think that carries along along the way, because even a question that you asked me earlier about building relationships.

Rudy : You know, and again to survive when I was selling dope dod you knew that you had to know how to network.

Rudy : You know I wasn't gonna take somebody's money mentors because they was on the other side of the fence hey.

Rudy : You gotta learn how to build relationships to survive and again you infiltrate but you don't assimilate.

Rudy : And that's what I learned man surviving in the game without was locked up or in Annapolis, you know that's a term and us in one of those are the workbooks.

Rudy : You know you've been like the most people read those 48 pounds lost all these books, you know and and don't forget the iceberg SLIM books.

Rudy : The Donald Cohen books, you know I mean, as long as some players shift and so man Those are the things that you leverage in life, but you got to be authentic when you do it just in the person who you with.

Rudy : Like just being around you Chris I know you man before the pandemic start watching how you get down and with to move you didn't know, I was extract and ship from you, all I gotta do is put it in me, you know I mean the good to seeing you man i'm gonna kidnap because it's good.

Rudy : And i'm just gonna do it a me and because it works, you know you have a very humble approach.

Rudy : But I know you can fly a warrior you a beast I know you Is there going i'm saying, and so I what I do is I surround myself with good people extracting good out of them and put it in me and I can't go wrong if you see me doing you and me.

Chris Nguon: Right right.

Rudy : Absolutely makes sense 100% and I appreciate those words dude I really do mean alive bro I think.

Chris Nguon: You know, there was kind of bounce back off that a little bit because a lot of folks listening to this podcast or folks were more interested in healing work or just maybe just jumping in.

Chris Nguon: What is your advice to them in terms of building that relationship which you already talked about being authentic but also your advice will work where young people in 2021 our young people really showing up in 2021 that you think folks maybe just jumping into this game need to know.

Rudy : Right oh i'm so one you know dealing with a lot of you.

Rudy : Saying Fuck with nobody to speak.

Rudy : They notice, you know top you're going to say what he started meeting with you it's like animals manual your energy and your vibration, people would know.

Rudy : Right, especially Luke is I work with a lot of young kids and I think it's about you healing yourself it's about you, being in touch with you and you ain't got to be 100% like.

Rudy : All positive or all healthy you got to be at least man at 20 to be working with people but it's about you taking care of you loving you healing yourself and learning, you know.

Rudy : How to keep yourself healthy and keep yourself good because it shows you know what I mean it really shows when you are.

Rudy : able to take care of you and that's one thing I was able to do is learn about my culture my his Filipino bro.

Rudy : No, I mean, but I grew up on a lot of blacks, but when I was locked up, I couldn't be around or the Philippines, I mean all the blacks you know what I mean.

Rudy : And so I learned my coach I learned my history, I learned to love myself, you know not only I was a drug dealer, but I can have my best customer.

Rudy : And I was a drug addict like you know Robin Mofaz drug addict top of care, and so I learned to love me.

Rudy : And I learned to understand, who I was and separate they grow man from the kiddie table and just started being authentic who I was and then, when you are just who you are you'll attract the real and the kids know that they know who the Fuck we're not going to say.

Chris Nguon: 100% for real now that learning process, as you say you learn to learn, who you are, that that happened before you got behind the walls, when you were behind the walls after you got back over here where was that process really started for you as you really look back and reflect on it.

Rudy : So, so a live a little bit worse I learned my culture my people when I was incarcerated right because you know they start teaching me gang but it mainly came well i'm getting involved and self health classes.

Rudy : know I mean a certified addiction counselor I started learning about that I learned about anger issues about anger classes, I started learning about.

Rudy : Know things that build me to be me and learn and understood who my culture my people was, I mean if you find out man as Filipinos we was kings and Queens way back in the days.

Chris Nguon: Yes, and then.

Rudy : Eric you grow up man, they only get your last book, but like 1341 or two lines or three lines of who you are.

Rudy : And so, when I was growing up in America, I didn't learn Latin i'm going to high school.

Rudy : or elementary middle school and high school or who I was because they never taught us that.

Rudy : You know what I mean, and so I had an identity crisis.

Rudy : Until I first was locked up men over the north county in the jail i'll send them do started capital.

Rudy : Asians and i'm laughing and they still say what you laughing at you a dog eat it too I said now you got me fucked up homie.

Rudy : I wanted him.

Rudy : And we had to fight.

Rudy : You know I mean, so you know, I have to learn, who I was by people who was up in here like yo bro you know, let me start educating your teacher about your history and culture, because nobody taught me that school.

Chris Nguon: Absolutely and.

Rudy : The Philippine without you know.

Chris Nguon: yeah.

Rudy : I speak ebonics.

Chris Nguon: Yes, indeedy yes.

Chris Nguon: Yes indeed, and you know what's a trip is you didn't learn about Filipino culture in San Francisco when there's Hello Filipino that's how systemic christianity's.

Rudy : I live in I live in a community that has 100 year history is the Philippines guam grew up in the south, the market that's where i'm at now.

Chris Nguon: yeah right.

Rudy : I mean, and I didn't learn how to love my people because I didn't love myself nodding know nothing about how you gonna love your people if you don't know nothing about it.

Rudy : And my mom and dad raised me, the best way they could but they taught us, men, how to survive.

Rudy : on the streets, because we have to come up the House and, like I said, you know this.

Rudy : I got a big family right a lot of us was raised man, we just go down to the Center down around a common Kenny kip you got to go home, we had to go school on our own.

Rudy : Right I don't I mean we were self taught.

Rudy : A lot of survival stuff but and then my mom at home, she made two meals she made American meal and a Filipino me and it wasn't like my mom and dad didn't want us to learn about our culture or history, they was just too busy trying to work and so by themselves.

Chris Nguon: yeah that's real that's real that's a lot of deep knowledge being bro well, I really appreciate.

Rudy : check this out, you want to hit some money so so so I ended up going to city college, I went to a program second chance program the lps when I got out right.

Rudy : The dude there's name, who ran it was bill chin and then the guys who work there was Tony Guan and finish up on, and they Filipino those to do.

Rudy : And so they put me in Filipino classes at colleges Sam Cisco city college right.

Rudy : Where there's ethnic studies classes, that was first started in state at state college and Sam Cisco.

Rudy : Right.

Rudy : The first one to ever in this country.

Rudy : shall speak right now.

Rudy : Right, as we speak, right now, they're downstairs in my building talking about the real history of how it started the guys, who was really there.

Chris Nguon: Maybe a right.

Rudy : They him a bit downstairs doing an interview bro.

Rudy : I think the first people started with some I think it was like black student Union atheists.

Rudy : They all downstairs right now, my feeling I just met somebody on the charm it up.

Chris Nguon: Their world liberation shout out to SF state Dr jenn right and all the good people are.

Chris Nguon: razor real well as we wrap up you know I want to appreciate your time, but really last question, you know it's really interesting I was catching a video.

Chris Nguon: Of a fundraiser that y'all did the other day, I think it was in the press room down down, they were pow and whatnot mayor Brie was their former mayor Willie Brown.

Chris Nguon: I think you've been able to be your authentic self but still again like I said, be around politicians or whatnot and there's a lot of stigma about engaging in systems, you know who right like there's a lot of stigma around you know talking to the folks talking to politicians or police.

Chris Nguon: Police but you've been able to bridge those relationships, you know i'm just give me some context about that and you've been able to make it work, but still stay your your authentic self you know and that's that's a model that I think is really powerful which I do.

Rudy : Right and and you know, a whole all politicians were the utah mother fucking President United States of.

Chris Nguon: America.

Rudy : Or you just a cat working in the Community doing this work, how hold you accountable.

Rudy : Because you working for me, you did what i'm saying, and I want to make sure man i'm able to build bridges not walls, with people who really care.

Rudy : and honest stand to gain understand man, you know you know politicians, the way the wrote a play the police, they play, but I play my role.

Rudy : Like I said man you infiltrate but you don't assimilate you do going to send you hold these folks accountable and you can catch more bees with honey than you can with vinegar.

Rudy : You didn't know saying you gotta know how to be smart and navigate the game to survive we've been doing this for 27 years people like madea you be able to do because it's built on right.

Rudy : On networking right probably your Tyson and time management.

Rudy : These are things minute unnecessary in the game for you to survive it any world unless you have a king.

Rudy : And a lot of standards men and I teach this to the key is how to survive in the real world, because you got land mines, you know people say man here you work with the police doing a gun buybacks look i'm a survivor of gun violence.

Rudy : i'm not against the second amendment, but I understand men senseless gun violence, I noticed, you know people getting shot mentally ill.

Rudy : Domestic violence suicide, you know people man who said borge going at each other and a shooting the wrong targets.

Rudy : Those are the guns i'm talking about, but why are you building with the police well should I ain't got the license to get the guns off the streets that one I don't I get off the streets, maybe the gun ma say your life.

Rudy : And so I need the police for that part to help me destroyed him guns because we'd be scrolling would I even get the money to do to go I get that from the dispensary stores from this neighborhood they nobody else was trying to get bread.

Rudy : You know, are you building relationships with the weed people man he's worked with Keith come on man that herb man is medicine long as you don't abuse it.

Rudy : Do your history know you'll do your research, you know what I mean, and I think outside the box, I never gonna sell my people out of my community, the people man who sometimes criticize.

Rudy : They just scared to take that still because they know real hustlers they want to criticize and i'm going in the same direction you're going to put the same go don't hate on me should hate the game, you know what I mean.

Rudy : And so we get that but I continue to use that and we need people like that, though.

Rudy : To continue to view us to energize us to keep pushing me like a pregnant woman know Chris for me I got time to be tourism and mental you know we got lots to say.

Chris Nguon: Yes indeed, yes indeed 100% well brother row I appreciate your time, as always ready to chop it up for hours on hours but it already sounds like you got young people there you got thanks do people to see.

Rudy : hey maybe we could get some gumbo downstairs may not fluff whatever flavor you put in an apartment is going to come out real good.

Rudy : With Leah.

Chris Nguon: know so.

Rudy : Get you know, Chris you know I mean on real.

Rudy : You know and i'm new to the game i'm still learning.

Rudy : And you know if if i'm making mistakes I correct them and I learned from.

Rudy : You know what I mean I don't know everything, but I do know man.

Rudy : The spirit of love everything that I move on that comes from the spirit of love. 

Chris Nguon: right on well, I appreciate it bro bro Thank you so much.