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Lets Talk About It
At "Let's Talk About It," we invite guests who are change agents and heroes from our community to share their lived experiences and reflect on the milestone moments that have either propelled or diverted them. What sets us apart? We anchor our conversations in two foundational pillars of the Black community: books and music. Through this unique lens, we capture, entertain, and inform our audience, creating a rich tapestry of stories and insights that resonate and inspire.
Lets Talk About It
Empowering Youth Through Storytelling and Music
How do personal stories and a passion for music bridge the gap between generations and cultures? We welcome Zion Givens, co-founder of Up To It, who shares his insights on Black excellence and the transformative power of music. As we take a closer look at the Democratic National Convention and Michelle Obama's impactful speech, Zion reflects on how the music of J. Cole and iconic R&B albums have influenced his life and identity. Our conversation explores how cultural elements like music can shape personal and community connections, with Zion reminiscing about the artists who have left a mark on him.
Zion's journey into behavioral and mental health is deeply personal, inspired by his father's work in the nonprofit sector. A defining moment came during a keynote presentation in Arizona, where his vulnerability opened up a powerful dialogue with young people. This episode emphasizes the critical need for encouraging vulnerability and seeking help, especially among young boys and men facing mental health challenges. Zion's story highlights the role of personal storytelling in mental health advocacy, showing that sharing our struggles can resonate with others and foster a supportive community.
We also tackle the challenge of bridging the generational gap in mental health support, particularly through workplace initiatives like Employee Assistance Programs. By collaborating with organizations such as Healthy Workplaces Arizona, we can better support the youth and the adults who care for them. Drawing parallels between life's transformative moments and musical bridges, Zion shares how J. Cole's "Windowpane" offers comfort and motivation. Together, we reflect on the cultural challenges of mental health awareness in Black and Mexican communities and the importance of empowering youth through storytelling and meaningful work.
Welcome to let's Talk About it, the podcast where we shine a light on the change agents and everyday heroes who shape our communities. Here we dive deep into the lived experiences of our guests, exploring the milestone moments that have either propelled them forward or changed their paths. We anchor every conversation in two foundational pillars of the Black community books and music. Through this unique lens, we capture, entertain and inform, weaving a rich tapestry of stories and insights that resonate, inspire and spark meaningful dialogue. Join our host, tj Lowry and Shatima Grisham as they engage with thought leaders and community change agents to uncover the rich tapestry of experiences that shape our lives. Get ready for insightful discussions, unfiltered perspectives and the celebration of Black excellence. Let's talk about it. Of Black Excellence let's talk about it.
Speaker 2:Hey everyone, Welcome to let's Talk About it the podcast. I'm your girl, TJ, here, and I'm so excited to get into today's podcast. Before we jump into the conversation, though, I want to introduce you to my co-host, Shatima. Let's talk about it, Shatima. How you doing, girl, I'm good.
Speaker 3:Thanks, CJ, for the intro. How are you?
Speaker 2:I'm pretty good. I'm pretty good. I'm excited to be here.
Speaker 3:Absolutely. We have a wonderful guest coming up, so excited to get into that.
Speaker 2:But before we do, I know that we are HR professionals and it's taboo and we've been preconditioned not to talk politics.
Speaker 3:Did you get a chance to?
Speaker 2:talk, watch the DNC. The last few days it has been a party right Like. We've never seen a DNC like this.
Speaker 3:No, the turnip has been great.
Speaker 2:And I'm so excited for it yeah, what was one? Of your favorite highlights.
Speaker 3:You know I love Auntie Michelle so she's forever my first lady. So she was a mic drop for sure she was.
Speaker 2:Well, I think she is going to go viral. We're going to try to figure out how to bring her back in the White House because she was reading people.
Speaker 3:Absolutely. I've made it really hard to get up and go to my black job the next day.
Speaker 2:I know right. Well, who are you inviting or introducing us to to join us on our podcast today?
Speaker 3:Who are you introducing us to yeah, absolutely, so we are lucky to have Mr Zion Givens. Welcome to the let's Talk About it podcast.
Speaker 4:Thank you. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2:Awesome. Welcome back, Zion. We're excited to get into part two with you.
Speaker 4:Let's do it.
Speaker 3:All right. Well, zion is the co-founder and presenter of Up To it, which is an organization that works with youth, families and organizations to help them connect, communicate and thrive. Prior to Up To it, he worked at a local nonprofit called Not my Kid and he was the youth prevention team lead there. He is also a native to Arizona, from Tucson, bear down, Bear down, so it is great to have you here again with us.
Speaker 4:Thanks for having me again. I'm super excited.
Speaker 2:Good, good. Well, Zion, I think you know this already, but as HR practitioners we do like icebreakers, just to kind of warm up the room, get us into the combo. So we've got a cute little icebreaker here called Talk To Me. So we're going to ask you a question. Just think and tell us the first thing that comes to mind.
Speaker 3:All right.
Speaker 2:So this time around, tell me your favorite hip hop artist.
Speaker 4:J Cole.
Speaker 2:Oh no hesitation no hesitation. Is it the lyrics? It's the lyrics.
Speaker 4:It's the humility, it's the intellectual. I love the guy that's my man A hundred percent.
Speaker 3:I was nervous for him this summer though.
Speaker 4:When I came for him, I was nervous for him. This summer, though, when you know it came for him, I was nervous. I was so happy that he bowed out. He was that bad.
Speaker 2:He was smart, right, very smart.
Speaker 4:Kendrick was like yo, hey, kendrick was like yo hey, you might want to sit this one out.
Speaker 2:He did he did. Exactly Love it.
Speaker 3:What about your favorite hip-hop music video? Oh, exactly.
Speaker 4:Love it. What about your favorite hip-hop music video? Oh, music video Dang. You know what I'm going to go? Kiss, kiss, t-pain Chris Brown. Okay, that was a fun music video, that was good, it's funny.
Speaker 2:You went back because I feel like we grew up watching videos. So, and 106 and Park, do the kids have video shows?
Speaker 4:now Not anymore, not like they used to Remember the box that was good, the 106th and Park was my thing Every Friday. I was always tuning into Terrence Howard 6 foot, 7 foot was like my little Wayne was going viral.
Speaker 2:Remember, mr Bow Wow was Mr 106th and Park. He was 100% they don't have a video show.
Speaker 4:They have no more.
Speaker 3:Just have to stream it.
Speaker 4:Yeah, we gotta stream it YouTube.
Speaker 2:They are. Tell us your favorite R&B album of all time.
Speaker 4:R&B album of all time. I love this conversation, oh my God. Now I can rattle off some, but I think I'm gonna go. I might throw it back here. That's a tough question.
Speaker 2:You almost have to with R&B.
Speaker 4:You do. I mean, they don't make R&B like they used to. No more, it's all pop, right, ooh, r&b. See, now you got me Over here tripping and stumbling. It would be Usher for me which one, which album? I don't care. See now you got me over here tripping and stumbling, and it would be Usher for me which one I'm telling you the older.
Speaker 3:You know, I might, I might go a little bit more modern, then I might go Bruno Mars Anderson.
Speaker 4:So that was a yeah that was such a great album it was. So what was that Soak Sonic? Yeah, love that one.
Speaker 3:What about a pop song that you always get to dance in?
Speaker 4:A pop song that always gets me dancing. I'm going to go Doja Cat and Gucci Mane. I don't know if you heard that song before. It was big. During the pandemic, me and my sister were like, riding around, we go get ice cream. She'd be so embarrassed. Which one was it? Oh, is it like that I think it's like that Gucci Mane and Doja Cat.
Speaker 2:That's one of my favorites. She's in my gym rotation. Get into it.
Speaker 3:That's a good one too.
Speaker 2:Get into it. What about a favorite collab?
Speaker 4:I think you just gave us one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Gucci Mane about a favorite collab I think you just gave us one.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, that counts. You have a favorite collab? I think my favorite collab? Oh, this is y'all, y'all getting some good conversation. Look at this um my favorite collab would probably have to be run dmc and aerosmith you like to be oh yeah what about the most underrated artists? Oh, most underrated artists. Maybe that doesn't get enough flowers. I'm gonna go see and it's funny because you still have a music podcast and we had conversations like this all the time we threw you off.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you did. I was like, yeah, I'm talking hr today, no um underrated artist that doesn't get enough appreciation or flowers.
Speaker 4:I'm gonna go the dream yeah, the dream he too.
Speaker 3:Some bangers, so much yeah.
Speaker 4:Writes a lot. Writes so well.
Speaker 2:So much, that's a good one Now most people don't know about the beef between him and going back and forth about Nivea and writing and people did not know, so that's kind of fun. That was a good memory. Yes, what. What about Kendrick and Drake? Who are you picking?
Speaker 4:Ooh, I'm Arizona, so that's close to the West Coast. I'm going K-Dot. Yeah, all right.
Speaker 2:It feels like he's winning, obviously, although.
Speaker 3:I'm kind of over it. I have to admit. I changed the station. Now I think, Drake even picked Kendrick.
Speaker 2:He's been playing him at his concert, Right?
Speaker 4:I think he kind of laughed through it. He conceded right.
Speaker 3:Right, he did, he did, yeah, so are you into PDA?
Speaker 4:No no. That was a strong no Public display of affection.
Speaker 3:That's what you're talking about. That was a strong no, no, no.
Speaker 4:No, I'm just naturally hot in general, like temperature, temperature, hot. So to have somebody all up on me, especially my fiance, I like, oh please, my hands get sweaty, it's just a mess. Yeah, like, don't touch me, I'll touch you when I'm ready.
Speaker 3:I don't know I can't co-sign that one, okay, yeah holding, grabbing your arm.
Speaker 4:Yes, yes, but even in the bed cuddling, I'm like it's too hot to be cuddling.
Speaker 1:What are you talking about?
Speaker 2:I love that. What was the first concert you remember going to?
Speaker 4:T-Pain.
Speaker 3:Oh you are serious T-Pain.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I mean.
Speaker 3:You're kind of underrated too.
Speaker 4:I agree I could have thrown him in there too, but that was in high school. He came to the Pima County Fair. It's always tied. It's T-Pain and then Lil Yachty. I saw Lil Yachty right after T-Pain. Those were two experiences I will never forget.
Speaker 3:I got grounded for a long time for Lil Yachty, but that's a whole other conversation for another time. What about an artist who has the best style?
Speaker 4:Best style, style, that style. Who do I try to mimic a lot of? I think that's. I think, see, I'm not even thinking artist, I'm thinking now I'm gonna put devin booker in there that's okay. Yeah, I like okay, it's simple it's neutral, it's baggy, but yet you know he has some accent colors in there kind of plain, but still still there, you know. Yeah, still looks nice and clean.
Speaker 2:I feel like you picked him because he was a son.
Speaker 4:That has to be one of the reasons as well.
Speaker 2:What CDs in rotation? Right now I'm aging myself. What do you listen to in your Apple?
Speaker 1:music there we go.
Speaker 3:What's heavy in rotation?
Speaker 2:I still have.
Speaker 3:CDs, tj, I do. They don't give a lot of play time, but I still have them.
Speaker 4:Cds are cool I mean, they're coming back. So is vinyl records.
Speaker 2:I do have vinyls. I do have a vinyl record player, so very cool. What's in rotation?
Speaker 4:my rotation right now that I'm listening to a lot of is Blast. I don't know if you've ever heard of Blast before B-L-X-S-T super dope. He's from the west coast that I'm listening to a lot of is Blast. I don't know if you've ever heard of Blast before B-L-X-S-T Super dope. He's from the West Coast, coming out in the same kind of incubator that Kendrick came out of, and all those West Coast artists so very R&B-ish, very hip-hop-ish as well Love him. We're going to go see him in concert in November. So that's exciting, that's cute. And what's your favorite genre? So my favorite genre of music man is, like I always say, hip-hop, because hip-hop is what made me, what raised me, so I'm gonna stick with that. That's definitely where I grew up on okay.
Speaker 2:Well, tell us when you first fell in love with hip-hop there's two memories that I have that are quite prominent.
Speaker 4:The first one I'll keep it short and brief is, uh, I remember my dad playing get rich or die, trying by 50 cent in the car and I knew that from that moment I'd hopped out in preschool and I remembered that, like many men playing behind me, I'm like nobody's like coming after me, like I don't know why. I'm like listening to this song, like I got hits on me or whatever, but this was one of the artists that really was prominent in my life. But then, uh, as I grew up, I remember the hip-hop blogs talking about this new artist and they were hyping him up and he had like a awesome teddy bear in the in his album. I was like, okay, this seems kind of interesting, so I played it, that's what I fell in love. And the artist was a kanye west college dropout, college dropout.
Speaker 4:Yeah, the blogs were going crazy about him and I was like this is I get it now? I get it, it. That was my introduction to hip hop.
Speaker 2:Production wise, that was a good album the skits.
Speaker 4:Cedric the Entertainer on there.
Speaker 3:Oh man, I'm trying not to be offended that 50 Cent's album was when you're in preschool, because Age enough, yes, but I agree those are some good ones.
Speaker 2:So speak to your music. How you got into hip-hop? How did you get into the career you're in? Yeah, in the same terms relatively definitely.
Speaker 4:Uh. So my dad's been in the the I'll say, non-profit public speaking world for about 20 plus years and I never knew what he did for a living. Growing up my parents were. I mean, I'd be like, yeah, he goes and talks to people and he loves it, he talks to youth and he always has snacks in his office. That's all I remember and I never knew what he actually did.
Speaker 4:And when he came to my school and he did a leadership presentation for my pep assembly, for our school, and I remember a student behind me, a peer, and he was like, damn, I wish that was my dad up there, and I remember that interaction that was really brief and really simple, but I overheard it and I was like I want to have that same impact and same feeling. Maybe not as a dad, you know, for the young people I don't want to be a dad. I was like maybe the cool big brother, maybe the big, the cool uncle right now, in this moment. And that's what really got me into, got me curious on what is prevention, what is behavioral health, what is mental health, what can we do more? And that's what kind of got me into, into the field that I'm in now.
Speaker 2:Okay, Very good, I love that. So when did the beat drop in your career? This would be after those first 16 bars of you realizing, like dang, my dad is cool and you know. Now this is that moment where you really saw yourself in this career and has taken off. When did the beat drop?
Speaker 4:I think the beat dropped for me when I got invited to a keynote presentation for a nonprofit out here in Arizona called Bring Change to Mind and when I got that invitation to come out and speak to them they were. I was a little nervous. It was my first time being on this and I was super young I mean, I think I was 21 at the time and I was. I don't know what I have to say. That's going to be different than what they've heard or I'm going to have a lasting impact on them.
Speaker 4:And so I remember doing the presentation and I got really vulnerable. I was talking about the passing of my grandfather and how that had a huge instrumental play role in my life of just kind of mental health. I just started lashing out on people when I was grieving and I didn't know why I was lashing out, but I was. Now I know I was grieving. I didn't grieve in the proper way and how. That damaged relationships and we talk about getting cut from the basketball team. It was because of my mouth, it was because I was talking poorly to the coach and it wasn't because I didn't like him. It wasn't because I didn't like him, it wasn't because of that, but it was because I was grieving.
Speaker 1:So I gave that yeah so.
Speaker 4:I gave that presentation, and the amount of youth that came up to me after that presentation let me know that they were going through something similar and maybe it wasn't a grandfather, but maybe it was a parent, maybe it was a sibling. Maybe it was an aunt or whoever it was. It was everything just reaffirming to me that people need to hear some stories, that they know that they're not alone.
Speaker 4:And that's when a lot of more clients, I would say, started hitting up the local nonprofit that I worked for previously. To be like we want Z to come out and speak to our youth, because it resonated well, and that was when the beat dropped for me. I love that.
Speaker 3:Well, in moving with the theme of music and the soundtrack of your life, let's talk about the verse. So the verse is the part of the song that's used to kind of advance the plot right. It often tells sometimes the story. What is the verse of your personal soundtrack?
Speaker 4:That's good. It's funny because, like, when you go on stage and you're presenting, you rattle off all these hip hop lyrics that are like, but then you're in the moment and you get caught and you're like wait, what lyric do I say that resonates?
Speaker 4:we can't help you if you don't know what's going on. Right, we can't help you if you don't know what's going on. And a lot of people feel like that they're a burden to others if they can't, if they don't ask for help. Or if they do ask for help, they don't want to burden anybody. They're afraid of the judgment that they might receive. They're afraid of the backlash and the way that they may be treated afterwards. But my biggest thing is ask for help for sure. You can't help you if you don't know what's going on, and we can read your body language and your facial expressions to a T, but those are our assumptions unless you tell us and we can get you the proper help that you deserve and that you need. So that's really what I go by, and I'm trying to do better at practicing what I preach.
Speaker 3:If.
Speaker 4:I'm struggling. I got to ask for help. I don't have all the answers, but I know somebody in my community and my network does, so why not reach out?
Speaker 3:I love that because I don't believe we teach that early enough to be vulnerable, especially to our boys.
Speaker 2:Especially the boys.
Speaker 3:Especially the boys. And you, you know as men and you know as young. You know young boys. You know, instead of telling them, you can't cry and be tough, dealing with those feelings and asking for that help. Yes, so I love that the organization is focusing on that.
Speaker 4:A hundred percent and that's. I'm glad you brought that up because I'm thinking about me and what I look like, and right now we're seeing the increase in black suicides, black young people's suicides. So we're talking about 13 and up, so anybody from 13, we're seeing an increase, but then, as well as if you're black, students below the age of 13 are two times more likely to die by suicide than their counterparts than their other peers, and that goes to your sentiment of we need to tell people that are black youth that it's OK to ask for help.
Speaker 4:You're not any less. You're not weak for asking for help. You're not any less of a black person for asking Like I don't know where this idea came from that you're not black enough.
Speaker 2:it comes from the generational curses. You mentioned it in part one and not in that term, but I heard it and we've been taught about that. You keeping your head down right, it's how we've been taught. It's not okay to talk about our feelings. What I think is important is learning how to meet these youth where they are. My son introduced me to Snapchat, having a therapy interactive. You know Snapchat therapist and I said I like it. You know she might tell you to jump on the building.
Speaker 2:And he said Mom, relax, you know, it really is just warming me up to the idea of talking to somebody. He said you are absolutely correct, I idea of talking to somebody that you are absolutely correct. I need to talk to somebody, but it's uncomfortable, I don't know how to do that, and so that Snapchat amazingly introduced him to the concept of having that authentic, vulnerable conversation and he said now I'm ready, but I think that's also important, right? Just kind of saying go to therapy, right.
Speaker 2:As opposed to kind of really warming them up to it and teaching them why it's okay and throw out that generational curse of you can't cry because you got to be a hard. Male Men have feminine energy that they need to also be able to release.
Speaker 4:That's so good. I'm glad that you were also reset to the fact of all right. This is new to me, but if this is working for you and it's warming it up to you, let's continue. I'm going to keep an eye out, but I'm also going to make sure that you're well taken care of. But give it a try.
Speaker 2:Meeting them where they are.
Speaker 4:That's so important. I love that that's so important, I love that that's huge.
Speaker 2:So the chorus is the heart of the song. It usually captures the main message and emotional essence. It's the part that most people sing along and remember the words. What has been Zion's core message or the chorus in your career, your personal life or both?
Speaker 4:Yeah, I think it goes back to the part one of the up to it. Down to it, we do it because we're used to it. That was a chant that my dad used to do with his friends and it was something that was huge. It was prevalent in my life. So when we talk about up to it, is having a, a goal, something that you want to achieve, that's positive. And if you have and this is my favorite, my one of my other favorite sayings that I heard from my mentor, geronda montano, and she, like, if you have nothing to aim for, you're going to hit it every time.
Speaker 2:Oh, I love that. That's easy Right.
Speaker 4:But when you have a target and a goal it gets a little difficult and I was like that.
Speaker 4:That reigns true to me. So that's what up to it is. It's having that goal in mind, that passion, whatever, that you're driving, and then the down to it is that work. Are you out putting your reps? Are you, uh, doing the research? What are you doing? Are you asking for help? That's down to it, uh, and then we do. It is finding that community that's with you. Well, what community are you that you have? You have to leave to grow, or what community are you growing within already?
Speaker 4:right resources in there, so and then the last one is because we're used to it. It's the repetition aspect. It's like you can't do it just one time now it's building a habit right, so that's that yeah it's like going to the gym, as we always say right, you got to work the muscles or else you're going to lose it.
Speaker 2:So for sure, yes, can I ask the? I know you like to like. We met you at a coffee chat um black hr society and there's a Thank you. We'll be bringing that back right. We've got some more exciting things coming. Tell us the bridge between UpToIt and DHR practitioners and why you all think it's important to start in that space.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I'm glad you brought this question up. It goes long-winded when we're in person. I'm like I've got to figure out how to narrow it down.
Speaker 2:But now, since we're on the podcast, you're trapped. I know that's what's happening. That's what we'll do.
Speaker 4:One of the reasons why we are going into HR spaces or especially like employee assistant programs is because we understand how hard it is to be a parent or to care for a child, and we really work with the age range from 11 to 21. It's kind of our sweet spot, working with pre-tweens and then young adults. So we noticed that there is a huge need for somebody to bridge the gap between their youth and the adults that are caring for these youth. Because I'll go to a school event or I'll go to school districts and be like hey, this is what we do for the youth, and they'll be like we love that, yes, bring that in for the youth. And I'll be like, oh well, this is what we do for the adults, and they're like man.
Speaker 4:I don't need that, I don't need that, but if it's for the kids, oh, we're there for you and for us.
Speaker 3:now we're good.
Speaker 4:But we notice that disconnect and you mentioned it here where this bridge, this gap? Where we're giving the youth the education and they're trying to implement it into their daily lives, but the adults in their lives aren't receiving the same information, so it gets undone and they go back into old habits. So we were like well, where are adults spending most of their time?
Speaker 4:Oh at work At work, right? Yes, we are. Yeah, yeah, rightfully so, and we realize that it's hard to get parents to come to an after school night when you just work an eight hour, 10 hour shift, right, and you're like Jamal and Zion are presenting who? All of you know these guys.
Speaker 3:Who are they going to tell?
Speaker 1:me that I don't know these guys. It's true, I got another kid that I got to pick up Like I'm not going to this event.
Speaker 4:So the other thought was let's do it virtually. But what tends to happen when people do things virtually is they're doing something else. They got to post it up. Okay, yeah, we're cleaning. That's a good nugget, okay, all right, but there's something different about this in-person connection and conversation that, like we're having today, Like we're having today.
Speaker 4:So when we go into these, these HR spaces, we're really trying to advocate that, hey, not only will this benefit your employees on their personal level, but they show up as their personal selves every day when they clock into this job. Right, so we got to care. This shows the employee or your team members that you care about them on a deeper level than just a worker be to make ends meet, on a deeper level than just a worker B to make ends meet, right, like. So we're really, and it expires and inspires retention, and I love that. You, when you talked about the organization that you're working with and the founder of is, you want that retention, that, that that talent, and you want to make sure that we retain this talent because, as you know, you know the numbers and the stats, that retention is at an all time low. It at an all-time low. It's hard to keep. It's hard to keep people there for a long time, especially talented people, it's true right.
Speaker 4:So if employees just take an extra step, of employees just take an extra step to be like we got something that will help you out and invite us into their, in their spaces. Not even us doesn't have to be us, it can be another organization or whatever.
Speaker 2:Yeah, just feel the need. Feel the need. So what? My question? I noticed you talk about the EAP. Have you all talked about the health and wellness angle? I know there is H-Web here Healthy Workplaces, arizona. Have you partnered with them to talk about you know how? Because they really do a great job of infusing health and wellness in the workplaces. But there could be a great opportunity to kind of get into some of those spaces through H-Web.
Speaker 4:Definitely no. I didn't even know that that organization existed, so I know this is good to know. This is great information.
Speaker 3:For sure. I was also thinking, you know most companies do some sort of benefits fair and so having that resource there. But I also love the fact that you guys are supporting that EAP. I know, tj, I'm sure you get an office full of you know, employees that are just struggling and it's affecting their work, and so we always kind of resource EAP out. But a lot of times, you know, some of their challenges are with their kids.
Speaker 3:They're missing work because of this connection or disconnection or you know whatever they have going through. So to have a resource that they can, you know, not necessarily a therapist, but just something else getting through that preteen or tween or early young adult stage to partner with them, would definitely help. I know a lot of employees that I have reached out to because you know they're struggling, trying to connect with their kids and it's not because of an absent parent or anything like that. It's just that connection and age gap.
Speaker 2:So I love that it's different for the millennials, the millennials, the A I don't know what they call them yeah, yeah, yeah. Depending on that generation it is different to connect with them. But we know happy, healthy employees are productive.
Speaker 4:So I think it's a health and wellness angle as well. I love that. I love using that angle as well. I love that you mentioned connectedness, because the funny part about the presentation is called Conversations that Connect, that's what it's about. It's having these tough conversations for strong connections. That's what the presentation is about.
Speaker 3:I have a 14-year-old and I'm working on it. Every day I hear you, you think you're hip until you have a teenager in the house. Right, remind you how, not hip you are.
Speaker 4:I feel that I feel that All right.
Speaker 3:So we talked about you know the verse and the chorus, and so what's left is the bridge when it comes to a song, the bridge, you know, breaks up that repetitiveness. It's usually what we remember. You know something catchy. It adds an element of surprise, you know the hook comes in there and that's what you're kind of jamming to. So you know what is your bridge. What is that? One thing that you know maybe shook up your life a little bit.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I think it was my senior year of high school, where and this is part of my story that I share with the youth when I do my keynote speaking is in high school. I always wore this mask and they don't tell you in high school, when you're senior year approaches, that when you come back from winter break, a lot of change happens so quickly. People are accepting our offer letters to go to different colleges, to different cities, to different states, are going to overseas to serve our military, right these things. And you're like wait, I thought we were just going to go out to dinner all together and hang out and stay the same or not stay the same, but be in the same environment. And when that hit for me it was huge, it was overwhelming. It was something that I wasn't prepared for. So what I ended up falling into was this distancing or disassociation is the term with my mental health, where it feels like I was waking up every day, but I was watching myself wake up.
Speaker 2:I was. You know what I mean, Just kind of watching it play out. It's on auto.
Speaker 4:It's auto every day I realized that I couldn't have conversations longer than five minutes because I couldn't empathize with people, and that was one of my strongest things as a student still is is my empathy. So when that was lost, I was terrified. I was terrified of my own body yeah, I hear you and I was like what is happening?
Speaker 4:What do I do? And then the whole societal thing is of, while I'm black and mexican, these are two cultures that we don't talk about mental health, because when you talk about these things, you're weak, you're soft, you're, you're crazy. And in my mexican culture it's there's, no, there's no such thing as depression or stress. There's, no, there's no.
Speaker 4:Spanish translation for these things is what's the the argument was, but I want to let people know that are listening and watching. There are spanish translations for stress and depression and it's real, it's a real thing. So this is internal conflict of. Do I talk about this with somebody, then, on top of it, I'm the oldest on in my family. I'm the oldest so uh only two, but I'm the oldest grandkid, I'm the oldest cousin, I'm the oldest. So, uh, the only two, but I'm the oldest grandkid, I'm the oldest cousin.
Speaker 3:I'm the oldest brother.
Speaker 4:So all this weight that's on me.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 4:And it was just hard. But I realized that I had to have a conversation with my mom and she met me with grace and supportiveness and she got me the help that I deserved, and that's what I needed the most. I would say that was the bridge that really shook me up and made me an advocate for what I'm doing now.
Speaker 2:I love it, I love the story, I love the testimony. You know, because when we talk about and look at who you are today, you know we wouldn't think that. But most of us that have become who we are today have gone through some stuff, have gone through some storms and some resilience has come out of it. So kudos to you, zion. Tell me what song is like your go-to when you're going through those tough times is challenging and you just know it's about to be war. What are you putting on to?
Speaker 2:get you through to armor you.
Speaker 4:It's funny because I would think people are like oh, he's going to pick a hype song, this, this is gonna be the one that gets you amped up and ready to go. But I'm gonna go a little bit softer and go something that's a little bit more wordy, lyrical, which is uh, more storytelling, which is a windowpane uh 98 by uh, windowpane by j cole, and that's my favorite, yeah, yeah, my gosh I have to always plug him and it's.
Speaker 4:It's the story of just talking about. One of the lines that stick out to me is because of the work that I do, where I get to interact with these youth on almost a daily basis, and, um, one of the lines in there she's like this little girl came up to me she said don't forget me, I won't forget you. How could I, with all you've been through a bullet, hit your cousin's temple while he was with you and while you were talking I was tearing up where's the tissue?
Speaker 4:and these are some of these stories that I hear on a daily right in real life of like students, seeing hope in me and knowing that they're okay and knowing that you know the work that we're doing. It is great work. This is the work that needs to be doing and how's my grandfather would call it?
Speaker 3:it's kingdom work yeah, oh, yeah work of the kingdom.
Speaker 4:This is what we're trying to empower our youth to, to be great. So I would say Windowpane by J Cole is one of those songs that I listen to to reaffirm what we're doing.
Speaker 2:I love it, thank you.
Speaker 3:Well, this kind of piggybacks on that, and you know we talked about this song, but is there an album that you would recommend for someone to listen to? Maybe that gets them through from front to end as a go-to.
Speaker 4:That's a good question. I don't want to be that guy. Oh, he's J.
Speaker 3:Cole all the time. That's what it is.
Speaker 4:He is my favorite artist.
Speaker 2:He's got to be your favorite for a reason. I call them prophets, if that helps. No, that works. They're giving us a word. They are.
Speaker 4:I'm going to go with 2014 Forest Hill Drive front to back. If you're struggling and you're trying to figure out, what lifestyle do I want to live? I think there's some great stories and I'm thinking about it. One of the best songs on that album is Adolescence 03, where J Cole's talking about how he's in this predicament of do I want to sell drugs and live this life like my friends? Are that they look like they're doing well?
Speaker 1:They got the money. They got the money, they got the girls.
Speaker 4:They got the attention? Or do I want to live this life where I go to college and I go to St John's?
Speaker 1:and I do the work and whatever that looks like for me, and that's nothing different than what I'm used to seeing.
Speaker 4:And then he talks about his friends being an advocate for him to go. Hey, go the college route, you don't want to be here. Do the college thing. So if you're trying to find a sense of purpose or you feel like you're isolated or a weirdo for not wanting to go do drugs or not wanting to go treat women badly, then I would recommend listening to this album and be like yeah, there is always an alternative.
Speaker 3:There's always a choice. He's a great lyricist.
Speaker 4:He is, he definitely is.
Speaker 2:All right, all right. So, zion, we really want to thank you for being here and just really appreciate your time today. Tell everybody where they can find you in these social streets.
Speaker 4:Yeah, of course you can follow me personally at Zion underscore, underscore, givens, and then you can follow the company up to it at up to it, az. That's all one word, and we should be the first one that pops up.
Speaker 3:All right. Thank you so much for joining us today. We really appreciate it. I learned a lot during this part one or part two. Definitely look for part one to get the full story of Zion. We also want to thank our sponsors, coffee and Procure Talent Management Group.
Speaker 3:I love it Awesome. I am the CEO and founder of Procure Talent Management Group. I'm also the VP of the Black HR Society Professional Development and Membership. You can find me on the social handles as well on Instagram, linkedin and Facebook. We also can find me at ShatimaWeWantToTalkAboutItcom for the podcast. So we're excited about that. Procure Talent Management Group is an HR consultant firm that specializes in talent management. So how we attract, hire, retain and develop employees. Super excited to be here.
Speaker 2:TJ. You want to go ahead and go through your handles? Sure Coffee is consulting options for you. We help individuals build legacy wealth. We start with your personal credit. If you need credit or have credit challenges, we can help you build and repair. And if you want to start a business, we'll help you with that and also to upscale your business. You can find me at TJ, at wewannatalkaboutitcom. The podcast also is on social. Let's talk about it, the podcast on every single social platform as well. We want to give a shout out and thank you to the Black HR Society, who also has sponsored the podcast. You can find Black HR Society on every platform as well. Black HR Society is our handles. Please be sure to like, follow, share and subscribe to all of those socials I just mentioned, and you can also find us on your favorite podcast show or link, wherever you find your podcast. Thank you for attending and following us here. We welcome you back in a few weeks and we hope you've enjoyed the show.
Speaker 1:Thank you for tuning into let's Talk About it the podcast. We hope you enjoyed today's conversation and found inspiration in the stories and experiences shared. We trust that you were entertained, learned something new and felt inspired by today's show. Be sure to subscribe, like, follow, share and join us for the next episode. Until then, keep the conversation going and let's keep talking about it.