Transforming Lives with Financial Literacy and Unity: A Multifaceted Look at Money, Mentorship, and Fatherhood

Have you ever wondered how changing the way you think about money could alter the trajectory of your life? This episode features an enlightening conversation with Mr. Perell Bess, a stalwart advocate for financial literacy, sharing his mission to transform lives through the Better Money Habits initiative. Journey with us as we dissect the importance of financial education in breaking generational curses and empowering communities, one person at a time. My own backstory in third-party risk management for a financial institution weaves into our dialogue, highlighting the necessity of compliance and the profound influence of financial literacy at every socioeconomic level.

The vitality of financial wisdom extends beyond personal bank accounts, reaching the heart of non-profits like Shopping Dreams and Larclay's basketball program. These organizations stand as testaments to how understanding money management can amplify communal impact. Throughout this episode, we don't just celebrate Black History Month; we live it daily by reigniting a spirit of unity, essential for the progress of future generations. From the stories shared, glean insights into how fostering this togetherness is crucial, not only within the African American community but for all who seek collective advancement.

Closing with a more intimate note, I share the awe and responsibility embedded in the moments of fatherhood, like choosing my daughter's school and embracing the superpowers within us all. Reflect on the value of family wisdom passed down through generations and the game-changing philosophy of 'each one, reach one.' As we navigate the complex puzzle of fatherhood and personal growth, join us in reaffirming the importance of community mentorship, and discover how embracing uniqueness can lead to profound transformations in both professional and personal spheres.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:02

Welcome. Welcome to another exciting episode of Dad Fathers podcast. Today we do have a remarkable guest with us, mr Perot Bess. He's on a mission to empower individuals and organizations with financial literacy. As usual, please welcome my friend.

Speaker 2: 0:22

Hey, thank you for having me, you know, be lighted. I'm ecstatic, I'm super excited to hopefully reach even one person. I think if I reach one person that is a success for me. So that's you know. I'm just very grateful to even be on this platform.

Speaker 1: 0:43

Oh, thank you, sir, thank you. I truly appreciate you being here and, as you said, you know, even if he's one person is being impacted by it, we are still grateful. So, thank you, sir, thank you, we each one reach one. That's it, exactly, exactly, my friend. So can you talk a little bit about your background, sir, because you do have quite a background and you know, I think it's good to have you you know people for your background to, to, to represent that, so that dads can learn and young kids as well, they can learn. Oh, yeah, I can be that, I want to be, mr Bess, please.

Speaker 3: 1:20

Welcome to Dad Puzzles Everything Dad. If you're questioning yourself about dad functions, duties and life in general, you've come to the right place. Parenthood can be tough. Learning to juggle caring for your baby with your career and also keeping things fresh with your partner can be a struggle, but we're here to make things easier with helpful tips for making the most of your situation. Being a dad may seem like a puzzle, but it's one you can definitely solve. Now here's your host, Dr Suleiman Ijani.

Speaker 2: 1:59

And I'm just here, so I don't get fine. No, but I don't All it was a side. You know I'm going to tell you about trade, no, and, but I'm in corporate. I work for a financial institution where I oversee third party risk from a second line standpoint, making sure that those third parties are not bringing any financial, reputational, operational, legal and so forth risk to the bank. So what we do is what our responsibilities are is to attest but either one, that's what kind of data they have attest that they have all the securities, all the controls in place.

Speaker 2: 2:41

A little sound form For a lot of time when you actually get it is actually firing because I can have, like the bad guy, say, in the corporations, the other vendors, like hey, we can go somewhere else, so we have. You know, just to kind of give people what I do. I've received in this like Apple. I received in this like 18, 19 having to do with the cell phone stuff, right First one down. But I'll receive some of those things because they have a technology component to it. So that's my responsibility. But I had to all the laws with the breaks, making sure that they are adhering to the laws of the rates and policies, not only in the bank and what we create, but also what the cover governments out in the different levels, from federal to state and local, as well as regional, is sold. There's other people like me they see in other regions that I work closely with and we have a lot of, um, courageous and career, you know conversations and we have, uh, just childhood, each other and just having that intellectual curiosity type of conversations.

Speaker 1: 3:53

Okay, Okay, Awesome, Awesome. I you know and you know notice, you know, you know, you know recently there was an event you had attended, you know, with a BMH. Maybe, like folks that do not know, can you speak a little bit about BMH?

Speaker 2: 4:07

Yeah. So BMH stands for better money habits and what we do is we go into the community to all of the desks at the YMCA, whether that is, uh, at the high schools, churches, uh, any kind of organization there is. If someone gets interested in a little less than coffee, and we look up to them, we let them know that. Hey, we want you to make sure that you understand your money. We'll make sure it can stay credit Right. We'll make sure that you understand investments. We'll make sure that you understand that your money is your money and you should stop your money at all times. You should check it, sign up to sign down and make sure that your money is doing what it's supposed to do. But you also want to make sure that your money is making money while you're sleeping. Don't let the work that are yet, you know, give the talk to you. You know the great doctor itself with that post. We'll make sure that money. So when I go to my app, I just admit I don't need $20 in 10 minutes just talking, right.

Speaker 2: 5:09

So you want to make sure that we are being intentional, you know, proactive, right, and that we are breaking generational curses um, within the black community, not just black community but even in other social economic cost, uh status, uh levels, that we want to make sure that we're breaking those curses, we're breaking that mindset that you have to live, check by check, that you can literally make $50,000 instead of drawing. In half a month, say, somebody, that's $30,000. So we want to make sure that people understand to be disciplined.

Speaker 1: 5:43

Mm-hmm.

Speaker 2: 5:44

Because discipline is one of the key things there and be consistent, right.

Speaker 1: 5:49

Right, awesome. So so, uh, in terms of this most recent uh event that you had with uh, with uh, you know like, you know like with the Kappa Ligas, so we do have, you know, like we might have our kids maybe in high school or middle school, can you share with us so that maybe we can pass on that message to our kids, to you know that you know as well. Just just a little summary of that.

Speaker 2: 6:11

So head luxury in a pleasure, um in the privilege to go talk to the Kappa Ligas, uh, and that is the um mentor and lead of the Kappa Fassah the 30 corporate. Okay, and to be a member of Phi Beta Sigma's attorney, the incorporated. But uh, we are all um doing great, uh work in the community.

Speaker 2: 6:32

Right and so one of my colleagues and good friends asked me and some individuals that come and speak. Right, and what we were doing was talk to these young men and when I say these young men already doing investments, they already have credit cards, they already have checking accounts, savings accounts, high yield investment accounts. But we wanted to have that conversation and make sure that they understand that we need to have money in your tool of savings account. You want the interest rates to be high, but when you're going to buy a house or take it out of some kind of loan, those interest rates to be low, right, so that way that you are paying off dollar for dollar that you're trying to make the money, you want that more money coming in, more so than you can even count it.

Speaker 2: 7:18

So you can bet knowledge if understanding that they also need to have the uh, the different percentages of hey, 30% needs to go to your needs. Hey, the percent needs to go to XYZ. Right, we percent needs to go here. So you need to know where to save your money. You need to know where to pay for your money. He also need to understand the waltz as well. So there's needs.

Speaker 2: 7:47

Right we all need a cell phone, but you need to leave a cell phone.

Speaker 1: 7:51

Right, right right.

Speaker 2: 7:52

They don't need a car, but they need to go to a private entity. And now, right, you know, $2,000 car note right. Do you need that big size house, or is it three to four bedroom house and this house Right right? So just all about looking at things and taking it and have everything within its relative standpoint there.

Speaker 1: 8:14

Okay, okay, that's amazing. And you know, and, and what about that? I think you had spoken with with I think it was a football guys as well. You know, these are more matured. You know, I'm sure that the message is a little different. Well, you know, you know what was the message compared to the to the high schools?

Speaker 2: 8:31

So we talked to the high school kids because somebody was also middle schools, but then we had to talk to University. But look at Charlotte Right walking, and we also now this year are talking to her HBC and just a CCF Okay, they see that she.

Speaker 3: 8:52

There is.

Speaker 2: 8:54

And you know, to talk about the easy shoulder, their coach is actually a retired hedge fund manager. Because their coach is very well-do, right, he was very good to have a meal on the conversations. Because you know you're looking for validation, you talking to your senior, but you're saying it is you know Right, because I mean you got a hedge fund guy. That's right. I mean you never. He has decided to not become a football coach, right, you know he's made money. We're all trying to get to where he's at Right. Those football players, you know they're gonna tell you know they're about to graduate. So they want to make sure that, hey, how am I supposed to invest? Am I, by thoughts, right money into Uh, a cd or I used it well, one week. We can't sell products and not a, you know, certified Uh financial, uh advisor. But what I can tell you is there's a lot of different tools out there that you can shop around. But what I can do from a high level standpoint is that that's when you're looking at things.

Speaker 2: 10:03

You want to make sure that you do all your research you want to put this institution or this through the sign of tether is seen was. It is going to benefit you Both in a short term and a long term. And so those football players, they, they also bid the um, the money game. So one of the games. We break them all out into groups and then it's. We give them Different options. They, they have to buy a car. They have to buy Uh uh oh. Are they gonna rent? They have options, but we give them what they make them up, okay, the after they Do that you know. Oh well, at the end we have this amount of money and we have a. We have a last minute shocker to what we call life happens Right. So now the left is happening. Now you got student loans, now you got this car, now you got car repair.

Speaker 1: 11:01

So now you got this mortgage going on. What's going on, all right.

Speaker 2: 11:05

That is what the money that they have left over right now Did you, did you budget? They have proper amount of money and live. The right way Is to have enough money to do works one do, or are you all cash strats Right? Because you wanted to have the big house you wanted after brand new car you wanted. Now, every day you want to. So the book is it? You know, teaming about concept tickets and so everything. I would say nothing, everything is perspective for, and look at it from this standpoint. But, uh, they enjoy it. I mean, these guys really enjoy it and we hope to have some of them even at our, at our company.

Speaker 1: 11:43

Oh, that's beautiful. And then also I saw, like you know, I think you had worked with you. You know, like we are with united wave, the financial empowerment. You know, like you are, empowerment series. This is almost uh, it's almost like you know. You know it's the more education, because it's a six weeks thing. Can you talk about it?

Speaker 2: 12:00

Yeah, so this is something that never, um, I volunteered in a way in not that I've changed the stuff that they have right. But they bring in community partners that have created nonprofit organizations that are impacting the community. Wow, nice.

Speaker 1: 12:21

But what it?

Speaker 2: 12:22

what it the purpose of this whole program was to teach them how to better manage their finances as an enterprise. So we needed and you know we were partnered with different nonprofit organizations to kind of be their mentor.

Speaker 1: 12:41

Okay.

Speaker 2: 12:41

And all of these organizations are doing phenomenal work. We got one that's called Shopping Dreams. I'll tell you to look that up and she is doing phenomenal work. Her name is Angelica Crawford, okay, and her work is to get the kids. She is a I think she might be a world chapter. I know she's in chat. Welcome, she's being recognized Nice.

Speaker 2: 13:06

But she's not the only one that the young man he's doing, his name is Larclay. He's doing a program of basketball, just not just basketball, but this is one of the programs. Right, Another person that is sending kids off to college. She got another one that we just carried at a young age. This is now subtle. So from mental health I'm at Joe, and so forth all the way until you turn 21 to help you. So if you lose your parent at 10, now she has the resources to make sure that you're equipped to steal.

Speaker 2: 13:40

Keep going.

Speaker 3: 13:41

So when I see these organizations.

Speaker 2: 13:44

They boots on the ground.

Speaker 1: 13:46

And they're both nonprofits, they're all nonprofits, all nonprofits, all nonprofits and they're doing amazing work.

Speaker 2: 13:52

It makes you, even though I know I'm in your back when you hear it. I had nothing to say. No, it's definitely one of their core work, but what we want to do is make sure that they understand their finances.

Speaker 2: 14:05

Mm hmm, understand, hey, there's Grace out there, obviously. Hey, you need to be able to do this. Like, first, let's pay your bills Right Now, let's see where you at Right Now, let's see what we can do before you make more hires and value bills, I mean, because all time is this just the part of time Like, what is your passion, you know, is this something that you really want to make an impact, you know, in the community, using this actual organization? You know you're not doing this to become rich. But are we doing like, what was your purpose? Right, because people have a mindset like, well, do this profit, make it these, you know, $3 grants. It's about something I've come to know. You can't approach that way. Right Approach for this nonprofit is to make it impact, absolutely so if you somehow do become successful from your organization, it should be having a stance in that intentional.

Speaker 1: 15:04

Mm. Hmm, right, right, you know, as you do good, you get benefits along the way. That's, that's beautiful, yes.

Speaker 2: 15:10

That's very true.

Speaker 1: 15:11

Yes, sir, and you know, you know, this month, I know it's the end of it. Almost, here we're uh it's never the end.

Speaker 2: 15:18

I celebrate 365, 365 to the link year.

Speaker 1: 15:22

Thank you, my friend. You know, this is actually everything. You know, you know. Whether it's Mother's Day, you know. You know, like black history month, I mean this for me. I always tell my wife and in my family they know, what time it is Is this is a year round thing. So you know, you know. You know we don't have to pretend, but anyways, this being the month that the world focuses on it, can you share a little bit, uh, you know, like a particular message to men of you know, you know of African American, you know, you know heritage, so that just to for them to be, to be empowered.

Speaker 2: 15:56

Yeah, I think it is a very simple message. Right, it's a very simple message. We have to get back to a new thought or simple word. Ask Milatifu, said you, you in I T Y, right, right, and I know that you know you want to make sure that your kids and your wife are good. I want to make sure that my kid and my wife in my brother. I want to make sure that he and his wife are good Right.

Speaker 2: 16:27

And listen, all right, but we can go for black. You can go if you, if you want to first of all say, I'll try to think of it you want to go far in life, you go together, right, all right. And so the only way that we can go far in life is that we need to have that image. We need to come back and really all as a unified people, right.

Speaker 2: 16:55

We're not going to agree on everything. Right, we're not going to talk about how it was to all agree on everything, but I also want to make sure that we have the same idea of what we try to get out of there.

Speaker 1: 17:06

Absolutely. You have the bigger picture.

Speaker 2: 17:08

Yes, my friend, big picture, right. So my. A lot of times people worry about the quick gratification Mm. Hmm. But I said we got to play the long game. Right, we're going to play the two 30 year game, but we can't be sufficient since, like for me, I work hard for my daughter.

Speaker 1: 17:26

Right.

Speaker 2: 17:26

Right, Because I know I'm gonna be okay.

Speaker 2: 17:29

but I'm gonna make sure that she is super okay, right, at the end of the day, right, because she didn't ask to be here, we chose to have her. Um, and so for me, for you from my brother, for sister, for for my aunt's, uncle's cousin, forever, we have to get away from the selfish aspect. But why me, I Ain't you, you about the next generation that we need a set for Right, and I think that once we get to that point Pretty, you'd be surprised how quick we do will also be able to enjoy Different surrounding, because we are all working in use and we're all working together, right? Oh, from that standpoint, I think that that would be the message is like let's cut, all of us, cut through the noise, you're right, and let's get to get out here. If, if I'm African-American, you know in a part of the sentence of slaves, which I know I am or if, if my whole boy comes from.

Speaker 1: 18:33

God's and he'll oh Jamaica or something, because at the end of day, when they see you, they see you right.

Speaker 2: 18:41

Yeah, because if I look at you, okay, I hear you. Right, he's from he's. He's from another country.

Speaker 1: 18:48

Right right.

Speaker 2: 18:49

Let me see my brother right. Mm-hmm. Yeah, some of the same plaits. We still have some of the same straws right, and so I think that for us, well, we still need to know our history. Mm-hmm. Also, make sure that we tell our story, because we don't tell our story. Mm-hmm as a man of color, is gonna be the same. Yeah, or it will. None of this lead.

Speaker 2: 19:15

Right, so you have to make sure that we tell our story. But also the people that look like I said have not, you know, experienced the plight of being Chun black in America or well, or in the system of enslavement. In Sniffing on that, I've said only cause is nation keys. Know the history so they can understand where a lot of African Americans have come from no most of us don't want, and I say every, every, every ethnic to every ethnic group, in every race, has ladies Mm-hmm. I think that's the right it's given.

Speaker 1: 19:52

That's the snow, yeah mm-hmm.

Speaker 2: 19:53

But at the same time, the ones that are not lesion, we still say x, y, z, we're not standing because no, want to work in Senate. Ain't this the right test to do, mm-hmm? You said, just do right, just give it, just give it, not just do. But I think the message really see, I know it sounds simple, but Unfortunately you probably experience. You probably experience.

Speaker 1: 20:18

Oh, please, I, yes, I, it's really sad, but what you say, it really hits the point. So I don't go deep into that. But, however, you see many opportunities where people can help each other, but they do not because they have those differences, whether they're from Africa, from one country, or they're from here. And if they treat you as not from here, yeah, that's really is really sad. But then also, this is you know, I think also like your point about worrying about the next generation so that we forget our trouble. That's beautiful because people can be, they can look at that big picture, you know, or we can even worry about each other as well. You know, not the side in the next generation. We're, we're the same generation. I just want, oh, my friend best is doing really well there. Let me support him, for instance.

Speaker 1: 21:10

You know, now that we're, we're in the social media, we have to be as as open minded as we can. Look at, the forest is a club. She, she, right, I Love it. He's doing amazing. You know, after the cat William, you know, interview is been doing amazing. But we have other folks in other backgrounds, like Joe Rogan and all these other guys. They've been doing these numbers all this time, you know. But they don't go at each other to put each other down. But we think, like you know, let me get my. That's embarrassing.

Speaker 2: 21:45

There's cleanest space at the table right want to be successful. Hmm and if you're on a stage, we can be able to do your stage for everybody to be, and we put the spotlight on you when.

Speaker 3: 21:58

Right.

Speaker 2: 22:00

You know I feel watching club she, she and Shannon sharp, you, I've always been a fan of him, of his, even when he was a football player. Right as largest love is his Confidence, but I love how he always back it up to yes, he's actually his work ethic is.

Speaker 1: 22:19

I love it.

Speaker 2: 22:20

Yes, work, that that is done, mashed right and he just, he just the machine right. So, yeah, we need to take that being judged by it.

Speaker 1: 22:35

So but anyways, that's beautiful, my friend. Thank you so much for that message. Now, no, normally, normally we had a tradition here at that puzzles where we I try to create a question to the next father, you know. So what kind of question would you have to the next dad on the podcast?

Speaker 2: 22:53

So this is something that I asked my mid tease a lot.

Speaker 3: 22:56

This is something.

Speaker 2: 22:56

actually, I've asked my new tours what is, what are your superpowers? Okay, how have you used them to Invesh in your profession, your personal life?

Speaker 1: 23:13

Hmm, okay.

Speaker 2: 23:16

Okay.

Speaker 3: 23:18

That's not superpowers.

Speaker 2: 23:20

That's your know help lessons that dad has given us gifts, right? Well, a lot of people are looking at somebody else's gift in trying to actually use that person's gift and Diccates with fellin wonder why I'm not feeling because that's a gift. That's not your superpower, Just you have to figure out what your superpower is, because guys are giving us that gift of Calamity as well as the gift of the superpower that we're good at.

Speaker 2: 23:47

I'm reading that work with people. I'm agreed at finding a common being. More right we have in common with. Why nothing right? I don't need a stranger by what I was saying about my name here, in my, in the shawls, the mayor mayor, there you go, I.

Speaker 2: 24:07

Know that is low people, but right, know me well, I would really have a conversation with you. I try to know fine, that thing that we all can communicate is so right, but for me it's my superpower is I'm loyal. My superpower is I know I have a gift of gab, but it's gonna be intentional. With my gift of God, I Am one of those. Normally you're gonna see a smile on my face, right, they bad day. We all have bad days, you're right. You're gonna see normally not out of ten times to smile on my face. I'm a hard worker, I am, I'm Committed, right. A lot of my friends are telling you that my word is my plan if I can review something.

Speaker 2: 24:56

right, that's it, I'm gonna do it consistent right. So those are my system pound and that and I shot up fly them Mm-hmm first as well as in my professional life.

Speaker 1: 25:09

Oh, that's, that's beautiful, and I think I Will definitely post that question. I think you need to look at the situation. What are they good at? What's the superpower? Then you can go from there, right.

Speaker 2: 25:20

Yeah, and I do agree in bound a flip sign. I'm not like going away from what I read with, but right, I Know why didn't do it though. They do it because if you're in your, if you're doctor, if you're in the turning right here in those fields, those fields will give you love and above average.

Speaker 3: 25:41

Security they know if all you're secure right.

Speaker 2: 25:45

Actually, if you try to be a musical artist or if you try to play basketball, mm-hmm. If you try to football, baseball, soccer or any other sports, right. Only a handful of people are in that gifted to play at such a high level that I love Ron. Jansall, michael Jordan or right under or a MSMF or Shannon shark or again sentence, but we ain't hearing. Or a very bonds or a key Right, I see, or Kelly Billy.

Speaker 1: 26:17

No man yeah at those levels.

Speaker 2: 26:21

They had to stand out above the field. Mm-hmm, All that I mean. Right, that's it out above the field. I could say Bonds, but if you know, you know I see Joe. Right, I stay Lebron.

Speaker 1: 26:37

Diego or something you know. Yeah, I'm gonna do another those guys yeah.

Speaker 2: 26:42

It's you know. You know, you've made it me. You get to just a person calling you by one name.

Speaker 1: 26:50

Mm-hmm, oh yeah, oh, because it's that popular.

Speaker 2: 26:57

yes, let's say, kb you started.

Speaker 1: 27:04

Right.

Speaker 2: 27:05

I think most people gonna pick a step carry.

Speaker 1: 27:07

That's it, yeah, yeah, yeah, no other side, which one?

Speaker 2: 27:16

Like you know. Kelly mm-hmm, he's the field degree, sir. Clear Period.

Speaker 1: 27:23

Can't forget the tic-tac. Absolutely yes, yes.

Speaker 2: 27:31

My friends, so that don't be my question for you to ask the next yes, or a guest Right, you know, or even Authority there as as a question. Hey, let's just see the power.

Speaker 1: 27:44

Right, that's it.

Speaker 2: 27:48

Think about it.

Speaker 1: 27:48

Mm-hmm. Yeah, right, right, my friend, thank you so much. And also like, for instance, if you go to you know, I'm gonna jump a little bit about your family now Like with your yeah, you know, you know what are the moment that made you think like, wow, this is, this is my fatherhood moment, right here, with, in terms of you, with your, with your, you know, like at home, you're like you know what, you know, this thing you know, because there's so many moments of fuel, but what particular moment stands out?

Speaker 2: 28:16

I have a couple the first one is the delivery of my daughter. We didn't have a normal delivery. All I could we need to hospital was in all all driving. The wife Was in the backseat. So my wife delivered our daughter. Mm-hmm, I didn't know what the jitter was at that time. Mm-hmm that was the first moment, right. The second moment now is now going to do the process of Selecting schools for a better king of our right in ump, just so now it's like whoa, oh, it's good.

Speaker 2: 28:57

Oh yeah, right, right, father in moment, mm-hmm my daughter's very witty Mm-hmm For both of you, my life were very quick with the look at plans right right like prime example. Quick is that with that Unfortunate leftist on the weather right now she's off. In another part of the house is a my daughter with her as a check on Stairs before we after my daughter to school. Mm-hmm, my daughter's like daddy, why you upstairs? I'm like cuz this is my house. Mm-hmm, she's like no, daddy, this is our house.

Speaker 1: 29:31

Oh man oh.

Speaker 2: 29:35

Yeah, so so I could get the like wow, yeah, he was wacky, saw a bear, crazy son baby. That's like baby, here you're so looking, you know go to school. So I told you get you don't talk. You said daddy, Hmm, let's practice on patience. That's my brain after the saddle of sock on the where oh man, oh See, those moments is beautiful, right? It's so right, let me know, and, and it's just a beautiful thing.

Speaker 2: 30:05

Yeah so I should. I can't imagine anybody that won't stop learning kids that it doesn't it. I can't, I can't go right around it, no, I think.

Speaker 1: 30:15

Right.

Speaker 1: 30:18

Those are the public moments and I don't know is truly a blessing of Extracting cost of a girl that nice, nice awesome and they know, we know we have spoken here with a guest that she wrote a book, cogurd dad, and you know she's, she's, she's also busy, she wrote all those moments and she actually interview, that's like yourself and and she kind of share all that into a book and she's, you know, in in in my episodes as well. Yes, sir, you know this is very beautiful and Because I notice I there was a little bit of time there, we did not speak about your dad, I'm gonna squeeze in that one last question about your dad. First, you know what's, we know what. You know what are the, the, the phone, you know, like the, you know, but the memories that you like, oh yeah, this is really. I miss that for this, you know.

Speaker 2: 31:13

Well, you know, I'm very unique oh listen, raised by dad, was raised by my grandmother on my mom's side of my grandfather and my grandmother on my dad's side. Okay, I was being school. My mom's mom did right summer times with my my dad. But me and my dad built a relationship as we like I older and now, although I've a team, I've been to my dad every day now. So I didn't have to probably your race With my dad, but I went.

Speaker 2: 31:45

You'll crochet up about my father now is that my dad is never sure cool. You can. You think that's beautiful? Oh, he's always. He's always provided the good about the ugly, the pretty Right. Every situation is never shadow away from his mistakes. I mean thinking of that nature. So that's one of things that I've appreciated. Right About that relationship is that and you know that he's going to Give it to me Raw is right, absolutely, way to say it. So the look that it will be, the memory that that I have, that I appreciate for that. That went now from my grandfather who raised me. One of the things that's always stuck out to me is he would probably have played spades. Okay, okay, okay, okay. So you can all play space. It kind of bring back a fond memory Because you know they were in church else one, the actual pastimes that he didn't mind doing, yeah, thanks so much for really sharing that.

Speaker 1: 32:56

I truly appreciate that and I really hope that folks will find this is inspiring and Definitely is a practical wisdom from from the whole, for you know the differential literacy background To, to, to your education background, to your relationship with your family, my friend, and also the message To that to the folks you know like, especially men. You know about unity. You know that's that's, that's beautiful. You know we appreciate that.

Speaker 2: 33:23

You in I T why? Yes, sir, that's, that's it, and you know time to create it. I you know, but I think that tolerate by village, it's what made me right, white young, right as a black man, right. That's then right, friend, as Not like a turn right black corporate America employee. Right, tom, as a mid-tm, and it has a mentor right, absolutely, we have to embrace, we don't shy away from it, right, and we're no, no, no, run away from the challenge right. Run for it.

Speaker 1: 34:07

That's it. That's it. Thanks so much, mr Mayor. Mr Mayor, I believe we, I believe we're gonna be, our presence in Atlanta is gonna be huge because of none other than you, my friend. So I really look forward to working with you together, going forward, you know. You know, as we say, this is a marathon, so we need to make an impact going forward, you know, one person a week, you know one person a month in a lifetime. We really want to keep moving up, you know. Put, you know, pushing that forward, you know each one reach one.

Speaker 1: 34:38

That's it, my friend. So thank you again. So how can folks reach you, my friend?

Speaker 2: 34:43

I wasn't the only. There's stuff for all. I think it might be my middle name row the best. All right, I'll put this name here, right here you can find me. Absolutely, I'll share that. I'm pretty quick to respond.

Speaker 1: 34:57

Absolutely. Thank you so much for really doing this today. And so so, please, folks, stay tuned to that puzzle that come log in there, sign up for for the future Newsletters and also, you know, check out this episode and many other episodes that we have so you can learn about, about fatherhood, and we have a couple of things in store. So I, you know, stay tuned, because you know we have some, some coaching, some courses coming up, so it's gonna be just amazing, it's gonna be all the puzzles in your life my friend right there on dad puzzles. Thank you so much. Thank you for Thank you for tuning in, thank you, thank you.

Speaker 3: 35:36

Welcome to dad puzzles everything, dad. If you're questioning yourself about dad functions, duties and life in general, you've come to the right place. Parenthood can be tough. Learning to juggle caring for your baby with your career and also keeping things fresh with your partner can be a struggle, but we're here to make things easier with helpful tips for making the most of your situation. Being a dad may seem like a puzzle, but it's one you can definitely solve now. Here's your host, dr Suleiman Ejani.