THIS IS LET'S TALK CINCY PRESENTED BY WESTERN AND SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP. PUT OUR FINANCIAL STRENGTH BEHIND YOU. HELLO EVERYONE, I'M COURTIS FULLER AND WELCOME TO LET'S TALK CINCY. SEVERAL INTERESTING STORIES TO SHARE TODAY. FIRST, YOU'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT OF TALK ABOUT DIE FALLOUT, THE ATTEMPT TO HIDE OR EVEN ERASE SOME SIGNIFICANT HISTORY, INCLUDING THE STORY OF THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN. BUT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE DETERMINED TO NOT LET THAT HAPPEN. RECENTLY, SEVERAL ITEMS THAT TELL THE STORY OF THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN AVIATORS WERE ON DISPLAY OVER AT WOODWARD HIGH SCHOOL. COURTESY OF ONE LOCAL FAMILY'S PRIVATE COLLECTION. IT GIVES ME CHILLS, TO BE QUITE HONEST. IT GIVES ME CHILLS EVERY TIME I THINK ABOUT IT. I HAD TWO COUSINS THAT WERE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, SO I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE STORY. IT'S JUST IMPORTANT WHEN WE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE HAVE REALLY CONTRIBUTED TO AMERICAN HISTORY. AND THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO THIS WHOLE PROJECT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTED TO AMERICAN HISTORY. THIS IS ACTUALLY MY FIRST TIME EVER SEEING, LIKE ANY TYPE OF DISPLAY ABOUT THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, BUT MY KNOWLEDGE OF THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN REALLY CAME FROM ELEMENTARY AND LEARNING FROM BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROJECTS, OR JUST GOING TO HISTORY CLASS EVERY DAY. IT IS AMAZING WHEN I READ ABOUT IT IN HISTORY CLASS, YOU CAN'T. YOU KIND OF CAN'T SYMPATHIZE WITH IT BECAUSE YOU'RE READING IT FROM A TEXTBOOK. YOU'RE NOT SEEING THEM IN PERSON. YOU'RE NOT SEEING THEM SPEAK ABOUT IT. YOU CAN'T SEE THEIR EMOTIONS ON THEIR FACE WHEN THEY SPEAK ABOUT IT. SO IT DOES. IT WOULD FEEL KIND OF SURREAL IF I GOT TO MEET THEM IN PERSON. IT WOULD GIVE ME AN EMOTION THAT I COULDN'T GET WHEN I WAS READING IT IN TEXTBOOKS IN LIKE THE FOURTH GRADE. IT'S A PROUD MOMENT IN HISTORY. ONE OF THE MOST PROUDEST MOMENTS IN OUR HISTORY. BECAUSE BECAUSE OF THAT, I THINK THE WAR CHANGED HANDS, BECAUSE IT WAS AT A POINT WHERE IT COULD HAVE WENT EITHER WAY. AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THOSE B-52 BOMBERS BEING ABLE TO REACH THEIR TARGETS AND COME BACK MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE WAR. I THINK I'M PROUD OF THE FACT THAT I'M ABLE TO GRADUATE OF 70. I'M AN OLD MAN, BUT STILL, I'VE GOT THE THE NOTION TO BE PROUD OF THIS SCHOOL AND TO BE PROUD OF THE TEACHERS HERE BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING THEIR BEST. AND TO BRING THIS TO LIGHT IS A IS A GOOD THING. IT REALLY IS, BECAUSE OUR HISTORY SHOULD NEVER GO AWAY. IT SHOULD NEVER GO AWAY. SO I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, BUT JUST TO WATCH THE STUDENTS AND JUST TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, THE MEIGS FAMILY, THAT ARE LITERALLY STILL PRESERVING OUR HISTORY. AND TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS GENTLEMAN HAD A PERSONAL COLLECTION. AND I THINK THAT WAS SO ENLIGHTENING TO KEEP THIS GOING. I'M A GRADUATE OF WOODWARD ALSO. SO THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THIS BACK TO WOODWARD, TO THE STUDENTS HERE WHERE I GRADUATED, IT WAS JUST I MEAN, IT'S REALLY BEEN VERY, VERY FORTUNATE, EXTREMELY FORTUNATE. AND AGAIN, TO HAVE A COWORKER WHO CAN HELP BRING THIS TO THE BUILDING FOR THE STUDENTS, IT'S MORE THAN A IT'S BEEN MORE THAN AN HONOR. ANOTHER MILITARY TRIBUTE SHEDDING LIGHT ON HISTORY THAT YOU'RE STILL ABLE TO SEE IS OVER AT THE WOODLAWN RECREATION CENTER. BRANDON HAWKINS IS A LOCAL ARTIST AND CO-OWNER OF SOUL PALETTE, USING HIS TALENT TO TRAIN AND TEACH THE WALL IS COMMEMORATING HISTORICAL BLACK MILITARY FIGURES FROM THE CINCINNATI, WOODLAWN AND LINCOLN HEIGHTS AREA. SO WE STARTED OFF OVER HERE WITH PADAWAN BEATTY, WHO WAS A CIVIL WAR HERO. HE WAS ALSO AN ACTOR, AND HE MADE FURNITURE, BUT HE WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF CINCINNATI'S BLACK BRIGADE. SO YOU CAN LOOK THAT UP. WE LOVE FOR PEOPLE TO RESEARCH THE HISTORY ON THAT. BUT AS WE CONTINUE DOWN THE LINE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT LESLIE EDWARDS, WHO WAS, YOU KNOW, LINCOLN HEIGHTS OWN TUSKEGEE AIRMEN TELLING THE STORY ABOUT HIM. AND THEN A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, MR. ROBERT WATSON, WHO IS A MONTFORD POINT MARINE, AND MR. WATSON IS STILL LIVING. MR. WATSON, I THINK, MIGHT BE TOUCHING ABOUT 100 YEARS OLD NOW, BUT HE'S TOUGH. HE'S A TOUGH GUY. SO WE GOT TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT HIM. BUT NOT ONLY DO WE CELEBRATE THE BLACK MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY HERE FROM THE CINCINNATI AREA, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE CELEBRATED SOME OF OUR BROWN BROTHERS, TOO. SO THIS IS THE BLACK AND BROWN GRANT AND BROWN BROTHERS AND SISTERS. SO WE WANTED TO CELEBRATE THE BORINQUENEERS WHO FOUGHT IN THE KOREAN WAR. AND THEN, OF COURSE, AS WE GO DOWN THE LINE, WE HAVE THE BATTLE BROTHERS. AND SO YOU'VE GOT JC BATTLE THERE IN THE FRONT. AND WE ALL KNOW THAT JC BATTLE AND BROTHERS JC BATTLE FUNERAL HOMES. AND SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE COMMEMORATED THESE THREE BROTHERS WHO SERVED IN WARTIME AND WERE HEROES AS WELL. AND THEN OF COURSE, AS WE GOT DOWN THE LINE, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COMMEMORATED SOME OF THE WOMEN WHO WERE INTEGRAL IN, YOU KNOW, PAVING THE WAY FOR OTHER BLACK AND BROWN WOMEN. AND SO WE HAVE KNOWN BYRD, RIGHT. WHO IS ACTUALLY FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED TO DEVELOP THIS REC CENTER. SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO HAVE A KEY AND ACTUALLY LET THE PEOPLE IN TO, TO TO GET THE FURNITURE IN. AND SHE'S ALSO A MILITARY. AND SO WE'VE GOT EMILY AMAZON, WHO WAS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI, AND EMILY, I BELIEVE IS FROM LA. BUT EMILY'S TOUGH, A GREAT SPEAKER AND A TOUGH YOUNG LADY WHO WILL PROBABLY SEE A LOT MORE FROM HIM IN THE NEAR FUTURE. WE ALWAYS BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE CREATE ART IN THE CITY, WE DON'T WANT TO JUST, YOU KNOW, PUT THE MURAL UP ON THE WALL AND JUST KIND OF WALK AWAY FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE DEFINITELY BELIEVE THAT THERE IS AN IMPORTANCE IN MAKING SURE THAT IF IT'S A HISTORICAL MURAL, IT'S A MURAL THAT TELLS A STORY. THAT STORY ACTUALLY GETS TOLD TO THE YOUTH, BECAUSE AT SOME POINT IN TIME, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE HERE, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS STORY IS TOLD. SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE HAD ONE OF OUR SOUL PALETTE AFICIONADO, A SOUL PALETTE WORKERS. HE ACTUALLY MADE A HIS NAME IS AIDEN PALMER. HE MADE A COLORING BOOK OF EACH INDIVIDUAL IN THIS MURAL. SO WE HAVE A SEPARATE COLORING PAGE FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL IN THE MURAL. AND SO WE PASSED OUT THE COLORING PAGES THAT THE KIDS GOT A CHANCE TO FILL ALL THE COLORS IN THE WAY THEY WANTED TO, OR THEY COULD MOCK THE THE ACTUAL MURAL. BUT AS I WENT AROUND AND COACHED THEM THROUGH THE COLORING PROCESS, I ALSO SAID, LISTEN, I NEED YOU TO TELL ME SOMETHING ABOUT NONI BIRD, RIGHT? OR I NEED YOU TO TELL ME SOMETHING ABOUT LESLIE EDWARDS. AND SO THEY KIND OF HAD TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF STUDYING WHILE THEY WERE CREATING THE ART, BUT. THIS NEXT SEGMENT, A REMINDER THIS NEXT SEGMENT, A REMINDER THAT EVERYONE HAS A STORY TO TELL. LOCAL ENTREPRENEUR TRACY ARTIS DECIDED WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH IS A GOOD TIME TO TALK ABOUT HER FAMILY'S HISTORY MAKER. OVER AT THE WOODLAWN REC CENTER. IT'S CALLED SUSAN'S STORY, A DISPLAY OF MY MOTHER, THE FORMER MAYOR OF THE VILLAGE OF WOODLAWN, MAYOR SUSAN UPTON FARLEY. BUT MY MOTHER AND THE MOTHER OF SIX BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN, AND WE LOVED HER. AND IT WAS JUST ON MY HEART WHEN WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH CAME COURTIS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T FORGET HER AND THE THINGS THAT SHE DID, AND THE VILLAGE OF WOODLAWN AND REALLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND HOW SHE IMPACTED MY LIFE AND MY BROTHER'S LIFE AND MY SISTER ALLISON'S LIFE. AND SHE WAS JUST AN INCREDIBLE WOMAN. AND I HAVE SO MUCH MEMORABILIA, A LOT AT MY HOUSE, COURTIS, AND A LOT AT HER HOME. AND I JUST MY BROTHER DWIGHT WORKS HERE AT THE WOODLAWN RECREATION CENTER, SO I TALKED TO HIM ABOUT IT, AND I TALKED TO PAULA SHERMAN ABOUT IT. AND SO I JUST CAME AND BUILT IT OUT, AND IT'S JUST FILLED WITH AWARDS THAT SHE'S RECEIVED. AND A LOT OF MEMORABILIA, PERSONAL ITEMS. AND SO I HOPE THAT WHEN PEOPLE SEE THIS, THEY'RE INSPIRED, THEY'RE ENCOURAGED, THEY'RE UPLIFTED, AND THEY REMEMBER SUSAN AND SHE SHE WAS SO HUMBLE. COURTIS SHE NEVER REALLY CELEBRATED HERSELF. SHE WAS ALWAYS CELEBRATING OTHERS. SHE WAS ALWAYS HELPING PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. BUT THE DAY OF HER SERVICE, WE EVEN HAD A MEMORABILIA TABLE THERE SO THAT PEOPLE COULD SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT SHE HAD DONE OVER THE ALMOST EIGHT DECADES THAT SHE LIVED. SHE PASSED APRIL 23RD OF 2020, SO SHE'LL BE GONE FIVE YEARS IN JUST A FEW WEEKS. TAKE PEOPLE BACK. MANY PEOPLE KNOW YOUR MOM'S STORY, BUT TAKE TAKE PEOPLE BACK. I MEAN, IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL THE WHOLE STORY, BUT SHE GRADUATES FROM PRINCETON HIGH SCHOOL. YEAH, FIRST CLASS, 1959. AND EVEN THEN, SHE WAS A FIGHTER. SHE HAD JOINED SNICK AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, NAACP YOUTH GROUP MOVEMENT, A MAN FROM RIGHT HERE IN WOODLAWN REALLY GOT HER INVOLVED AT AN EARLY AGE. HIS NAME WAS DONALD TYE, AND HE SAW THAT MOM HAD SOMETHING SPECIAL, SOMETHING A LITTLE EXTRA. AND HE WENT TO MY GRANDPARENTS AND SAID, HEY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL SHOULD GET HER INVOLVED IN SOME ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE SHE HAS A STRONG VOICE. SO SHE WENT ON TO GRADUATE FROM PRINCETON HIGH SCHOOL, OUR CLASS OF 1959, THE VERY FIRST GRADUATING CLASS, AND LOVES HER ALMA MATER, LOVED HER ALMA MATER, AND ALWAYS SUPPORTED. AND SHE BECAME A DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI. THE FIRST CLASS THAT THE PRINCETON EDUCATION FOUNDATION DID FOR ALUMNUS. AND SO SHE GOT MARRIED WHEN SHE WAS 19 YEARS OLD TO HER HUSBAND, MARRIED HER FIRST HUSBAND, MARION FARLEY, AND SHE WENT ON TO HAVE SIX CHILDREN, AND MOM WORKED AT THE IRS FOR MANY YEARS. AND THEN SHE WENT ON TO WORK AT PROCTER AND GAMBLE, AND THAT'S WHERE SHE RETIRED FROM. AND AFTER SHE RETIRED FROM PROCTER AND GAMBLE, SHE REALLY JUST DEDICATED THE REST OF HER YEARS TO THE COMMUNITY. AND SHE WENT ON TO BECOME THE MAYOR OF WOODLAWN MANY TIMES BECAUSE SHE SERVED 20 YEARS. SHE EVEN WENT OVER TO A NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY AND BECAME THEIR VILLAGE MANAGER. VILLAGE OF LINCOLN HEIGHTS. SHE SERVED ON THE ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION, AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT AWARDS AND THINGS BEHIND ME, PEOPLE NOTICE ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT SHE DID. SHE WAS AN URBAN LEAGUE LION. SHE WAS HONORED BY THE KROGER COMPANY, SHE WAS HONORED BY THE CINCINNATI HERALD AND ANNIE RUTH DADA, RAFIKI. AND SO SHE JUST HAD A CELEBRATED AND DECORATED LIFE FOR THE SIX OF US. SHE WAS VERY INVOLVED IN OUR LIFE. COURTIS AND I WAS MY CLASS PRESIDENT, AND SHE MADE SIGNS FOR ME MY JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR AT PRINCETON. AND MY BROTHER LARRY WAS BIG IN THE SPORTS AT PRINCETON, AND SHE NEVER MISSED GAMES. AND MY SISTER, ALLISON, SHE COULD CRAFT AND SEW AND COOK, AND MY MOTHER POURED A LOT INTO HER. AND MY OLDEST BROTHER, CRAIG, MY BABY BROTHER MARK, MY BROTHER DWIGHT, WHO WORKS HERE, SHE HAD FOUR SISTERS AND SHE TRAVELED THE COUNTRY. AND SHE WASN'T JUST THE MAYOR OF THE VILLAGE OF WOODLAWN. SHE SAT ON THE BLACK MAYOR'S NATIONAL ASSOCIATION. SHE WAS AN OFFICER AND FORMER MAYOR OF CINCINNATI. DWIGHT TILLERY TOLD ME ONCE THAT HE WENT TO THE NATIONAL CONVENTION. AND WHO DID HE SEE WHEN HE WALKED IN? MY MOM. SHE VISITED SOUTH AFRICA MANY TIMES, AND I HAVE SOME OF THE MEMORABILIA THAT SHE BROUGHT BACK FROM SOUTH AFRICA HERE IN OUR EXHIBIT. AND I KIND OF NAMED THE EXHIBIT HER LIFE, HER IMPACT, HER STORY. BECAUSE WHEN I WAS PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER, I JUST SAW SO MANY PIECES OF HER LIFE. THERE'S A COPY OF THE BOOK THAT I WROTE ABOUT HER, WHICH CHRONICLES HER LIFE, REALLY, FROM A LITTLE GIRL GROWING UP IN THIS COMMUNITY IN STUART SUSAN STORY, I PENNED IT A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AND I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO SCHOOLS ALL OVER THE CITY AND READ TO CHILDREN, AND A LOT OF MY FRIENDS THAT ARE IN CORPORATE SPACES HERE IN THE CITY PURCHASED BOOKS FOR WHOLE SCHOOLS LIKE THE WOODLAWN ELEMENTARY AND LINCOLN HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY, AND CINCINNATI HILLS CHRISTIAN ACADEMY. EVERY KID IN THE IN THE BUILDING RECEIVED A BOOK. AS I WAS WRITING THE BOOK, I WAS JUST REMINDED OF GOD'S FAVOR ON HER LIFE AND THE GRACE THAT SHE WAS SHOWN, AND THE BEAUTY OF HER. SHE WASN'T JUST BEAUTIFUL OUTWARDLY, SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL. INWARDLY. AND EVERY TIME THAT SHE COULD, SHE WAS THERE TO HELP SOMEONE. BEFORE MY MOM PASSED, WE WERE ALWAYS CELEBRATING HER AND I JUST ENCOURAGE OTHER WOMEN AND MEN TO DO THE SAME. CELEBRATE YOUR FAMILIES AND TELL THEIR STORIES BEFORE THEY PASS. BUT AFTER THEY PASS, MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE DON'T FORGET THEM. WITH THAT THOUGHT, I WOULD IMAGINE IT WAS VERY GRATIFYING WHEN SHE WAS SELECTED TO BE A MEMBER OF THE OHIO CIVIL RIGHTS HALL OF FAME. OH, IT WAS INDUCTEE, I SHOULD SAY. IT WAS VERY, VERY AMAZING. I WAS HONORED TO ACCEPT ON HER BEHALF. ALL OF MY SIBLINGS WERE IN THE BUILDING, AND A LOT OF FAMILY, FRIENDS. AND YOU WERE THERE THAT DAY. IT WAS JUST THE ICING ON THE CAKE. WITH ME NOW IS ALFONZA JONES. THE SECOND FIRE CHIEF OUT AT FOREST PARK, OR I SHOULD SAY, FORMER FIRE CHIEF. WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME OVER 20 YEARS IN FOREST PARK. TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE THERE IN FOREST PARK. WELL, WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, IT'S BEEN OVER 30 YEARS, ACTUALLY. I STARTED IN 1982 AS A FIRE EXPLORER. THERE, AND I BUILT UP TO THE POINT WHERE I BECAME A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER, AND THEN I HAD THE FORTUNATE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME A FULL TIME CAREER FIREFIGHTER THERE. SO IT WAS A VERY FORTUNATE AND BLESSED TO HAVE A CAREER WHERE I WAS ACTUALLY RAISED IN THE CITY OF FOREST PARK, SO I KNEW THE SURROUNDINGS, I KNEW THE PEOPLE, I KNEW THE FAMILIES, I KNEW MY FRIENDS, I KNEW THE PARENTS OF MY FRIENDS. SO IT WAS VERY ENJOYABLE TIME. SO VERY, VERY BLESSED. AT THE TIME, YOU PROBABLY KNEW IT, BUT THAT HOW DID IT IMPACT YOUR ROLE? YOU'RE BEING THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN FIRE CHIEF IN FOREST PARK. I DON'T KNOW IF IT REALLY IMPACTS MY ROLE. I KNOW THAT I HAD A DUTY TO PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICE OR MY FIRE DEPARTMENT, TO PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE I KNEW THAT MY FRIENDS AND MY FAMILIES WERE THERE IN THE COMMUNITY. SO I HAD THE DUTY TO GIVE THEM THE BEST SERVICE, THE BEST RESPONSE, THE BEST MODEL OF A FIRE DEPARTMENT EMS SYSTEM THAT WAS AVAILABLE. AND WE DEFINITELY ACHIEVED THAT OVER OVER THE YEARS, FIREFIGHTING HAS DRAMATICALLY CHANGED IN THE SENSE OF EQUIPMENT. HOW DO THINGS CHANGE IN YOUR CAREER? WELL, OF COURSE, AS WE LOOK AT FIREFIGHTING NOWADAYS, WE SEE A REDUCTION IN THE CALLS OF FIRES. WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF PREVENTION. THAT TOOL HAS BEEN WORKING AND WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT. BUT WE'RE STILL SEEING FIRES ON THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SIDE OF PRE-HOSPITAL CARE SIDE. WE'RE SEEING TOOLS OF CHANGE. WE'RE HAVING THE THE ADVENT OF NEW MEDICATIONS THAT THE PARAMEDICS CAN PROVIDE, NEW DEFIBRILLATORS. WE'RE SEEING A AN INCREASE OF SURVIVAL FROM CARDIAC ARREST. SO EVERY DAY WE'RE SEEING NEW EQUIPMENT AND MEDICINES COMING OUT TO THE FIELD SO WE CAN PROVIDE SERVICE AND MAKE SURE THAT THE QUALITY OF LIFE IS A LOT BETTER. WHEN WE LEAVE THE EMERGENCY ROOM OR THE HOSPITALS. HOW MANY HOMES DO YOU GO IN TO FROM TIME TO TIME? AND YOU HEAR THAT LITTLE CHIRP GOING, OH, I HEAR THAT, AND I KNOW IT MUST FRUSTRATE YOU. YES, BECAUSE I HAD BATTERIES IN MY CAR. I TAKE CARE OF THE BATTERIES. I SEE PEOPLE DRIVING THE STREETS WITH THEIR KIDS, NOT IN CAR SEATS. AND AND I STOPPED THEM AND INFORMED THEM, COME TO THE FIREHOUSE, THAT SOMETIMES WE HAVE CAR SEATS. WE WERE ABLE TO INSTALL CAR SEATS TO PROVIDE THAT PROTECTION FOR THE LITTLE ONES, AND I WAS ALWAYS ACTIVE TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP OUR CITIZENS AND VISITORS SAFE WHILE, YOU KNOW, IN THE CITY OF FOREST PARK AND OUR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. AND PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT FOREST PARK IS NOT WHERE IT STARTED. YOU HAD SOME EXPERIENCE IN OTHER PLACES AS WELL? OH, YES. I HAVE BEEN A LOT OF PLACES. I DID TIME WITH THE CITY OF SHARONVILLE, DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP AND THE VILLAGE OF WOODLAWN. SO THOSE ARE SOME OTHER PLACES THAT HELP CRAFT ME TO WHO I AM TODAY, BECAUSE I SAW A LOT OF GOOD LEADERSHIP OUT THERE, A LOT OF GOOD MANAGEMENT AND A LOT OF BAD. SO I WAS ABLE TO PICK THE GOOD AND GET RID OF THE BAD TO TO BUILD WHO I AM TODAY. AND PEOPLE ALSO SHOULD KNOW I MENTIONED IT EARLIER IN TERMS OF FOREST PARK BEING THE SECOND LARGEST MUNICIPALITY IN HAMILTON COUNTY. A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT NOT REALIZE THAT, SO THE NEED THERE, WHILE IT'S NOT THE SIZE OF A CINCINNATI CORRECT, IT IS STILL THE SECOND LARGEST MUNICIPALITY. CORRECT. AND WE HAVE WE USED TO HAVE PART TIME EMPLOYEES THAT WORKED WITH US FROM THE CITY OF CINCINNATI FIRE DEPARTMENT. THEY DID NOT EXPECT, WHEN THEY CAME TO WORK FOR US. THEY SAID, THIS IS JUST LIKE A LITTLE CINCINNATI UP HERE. SO THEY SAW THE SAME DETAIL THEY SEE DOWN HERE IN THE CITY. AND SOMETIMES THEY SAW THE PEOPLE, TOO, THAT THEY DEALT WITH DOWN THE CITY. SO WE'RE BUSY FIRE DEPARTMENT AND A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS IN OUR SURROUNDING AREA ARE VERY, VERY BUSY. OUR PERSONNEL MAYBE MAKE A LOT OF RUNS IN THE DAYTIME, BUT WE'RE VERY ACTIVE AT NIGHT. WHAT'S NEXT? RIGHT NOW I'M SITTING LIKE, THIS WILL BE LIKE A TWO WEEK VACATION, AS I THINK ON SOME THINGS, MY THOUGHTS ARE PROBABLY TRYING TO PROBABLY FOLLOW IN MY FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN MY FAMILY AND COUSINS WHO ARE MINISTERS, OR MAYBE I COULD BECOME A DEACON OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, BUT AT THIS TIME I PROBABLY WILL GO THAT ROUTE. BUT I'LL CONTINUE DOING THE MENTORING AND ASSISTING IN THE COMMUNITY OF FOREST PARK AND THE WINTON WOODS SCHOOL DISTRICT. I'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE FOREST PARK FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE NEW CHIEF HILL, JERMAINE HILL THERE. I'LL KEEP SUPPORTING HIM AND BEING HIS BEACON OF HOPE AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THE FUTURE. YEAH, WELL, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE RETIREMENT. GOOD LUCK ON THE NEXT PART OF THE JOURNEY, I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YEAH. GOOD SEEING YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT. AND FINALLY TODAY, BLACK PAGEANTS ARE HELD IN MANY CITIES. THE ONE HERE IN CINCINNATI HAS CONTINUED FOR 45 YEARS, CELEBRATING INTELLIGENCE, POISE AND TALENT. OUR THEME THIS YEAR IS I AM ENOUGH. THINK ABOUT THAT. THAT'S OUR THEME. I AM ENOUGH AND IF YOU COME, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LADIES THAT ARE VERY INTELLIGENT, WITTY. THEY'RE BRIGHT, THEY HAVE WONDERFUL TALENTS ACROSS THE BOARD, WHETHER IT'S DANCE, SINGING, PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT, OUR ARTISTIC ENDEAVORS. SO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING. ONE THING I CAN SAY ABOUT THE PAGEANTS THAT'S BEEN CONSISTENT, WE NORMALLY HAVE SOME YOUNG KID THAT COME TO US NOW THAT THEY ARE OF AGE AND SAY, WHY IS IT THAT YOU DECIDE TO BE A PART OF IT? BECAUSE WHEN I WAS YOUNG, I CAME AND I SAW IT, AND I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A PART OF THAT, TO BE ABLE TO WEAR A CROWN AND BE LIKE A QUEEN. AND IT'S A DREAM FOR A LITTLE GIRL. IT'S BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE BEING ABLE TO BE A ROLE MODEL TO SO MANY YOUNG WOMEN THROUGHOUT THE GREATER CINCINNATI AREA. WE'VE MET SO MANY LITTLE GIRLS WHO ARE JUST LIKE, SO EXCITED TO SEE US. AND SO THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN MY FAVORITE PART. THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR IS JUST BEING ABLE TO BE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. SO I WANTED TO TRY OUT FOR THE PAGEANT BECAUSE I WANTED TO KIND OF STEP OUT OF THE BOUNDARIES THAT I'VE SET FOR MYSELF. I'VE ALWAYS PREFERRED TO BE BEHIND THE CAMERA, WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT I REALIZED THAT THAT'S NOT GOING TO GET ME WHERE I WANT TO BE IN LIFE. SO TAKE TAKING THIS PAGEANT AS A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR ME, AND ALSO AS A WAY FOR ME TO MEET NEW GIRLS, NEW INTELLIGENT AND TALENTED YOUNG BLACK WOMEN. IT'S NOT JUST DOING THE TRAINING, IT'S NOT DOING JUST THE PAGEANT, BUT IT'S AFTER THAT WE STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE YOUNG LADIES. WE HAVE AN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION THAT KEEPS IN TOUCH WITH THEM, AND IT WORKS OUT REALLY WELL ACROSS THE BOARD. WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT ARE MAYORS, JUDGES, LAWYERS. YOU KNOW, IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD. SO I THINK TO ME, AFTER IT'S OVER AND AFTER THAT WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE, IT CONTINUES. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. EVERYTHING TAKES A VILLAGE, YOU KNOW, THE PAST WINNERS AND EVEN MY COHORT OF GIRLS THAT I RAN WITH HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF ME THROUGHOUT THIS JOURNEY. AND ONCE I WON THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR, JUST KNOWING THAT I ALWAYS HAVE SOMEONE THAT I CAN LEAN BACK ON IF I NEED TO SPEAK WITH ANYONE AND THEN ALSO MISS TEEN. SHE'S BEEN A GREAT TO HAVE BY MY SIDE AS WELL. IT DEFINITELY EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS BECAUSE I FIGURED PEOPLE OF COURSE WERE GOING TO BE SUPPORTIVE, BUT I DIDN'T EXPECT THEM TO BE SO SUPPORTIVE AND SO LOVING AND JUST WANTING TO TALK TO ME AND GET TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT ME. AND ALSO, I DIDN'T EXPECT TO BE AT AS MANY EVENTS EVENTS AS I WAS. I FIGURED MAYBE A FEW EVENTS A MONTH, BUT SOMETIMES IT WAS LIKE BACK TO BACK TO BACK, WHICH IS OKAY, BUT I JUST DIDN'T EXPECT IT. IT'S A GREAT EVENT. IT WILL TAKE PLACE SATURDAY AFTERNOON, APRIL 5TH OVER AT CORINTHIAN BAPTIST CHURCH. THAT DOES IT FOR THE PROGRAM TODAY. I'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER EDITION OF LET'S TALK CINCY. UNTIL THEN, HAVE A GOOD DAY AND A BETTER DAY TOMORROW.