Veteran's Affairs Plus W/ David L. Washington

 In this episode of "Veterans Affairs Plus" on 91.5 Jazz and More, host Dave Washington brings inspiring conversations to the forefront. Deirdre Wilson from the Black Achievement Fund shares exciting updates about their Juneteenth celebration and the organization's ongoing efforts to empower the Black community through economic initiatives. Later, the renowned welfare rights activist Dr. Ruby Duncan reflects on her decades of advocacy, the importance of voting, and the need for continued support for poor families. The episode also highlights the valuable contributions of veterans' advocates and community leaders, underscoring the significance of community solidarity and active participation in civic duties. 

What is Veteran's Affairs Plus W/ David L. Washington?

Veteran's Affairs Plus discusses the issues that veterans in Las Vegas deal with on a daily basis. Your host, David L. Washington connects listeners with relevant community resources and information that they need to help veterans or themselves.

Unknown Speaker 0:00
This is a KU envy studios original program.

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You're listening to special programming sponsored by making moves life coaching services. The content of this program does not reflect the views or opinions of 91.5 Jazz and more the University of Nevada Las Vegas or the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education.

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Unknown Speaker 0:50
Day Las Vegas is such as affairs plus on 91.5, jazz and more. I'm your host, Dave Washington. Quick couple quick announcements and then we'll bring on our first guest, Miss deja Wilson. She's with the black achievement fund. And I want her to give us an update on what's going on in her world. I want everybody to give some prayers out to rest Brian, he runs our Veterans Affairs program out at the university here at UNLV. And he's had some medical issues that I can't give in detail, but certainly want to keep him in prayer. Also, we know that this month is Father's Day month. So certainly want to acknowledge and I'll do that several times, because we got a couple of the shows that are that are actually happen prior to Father's Day. So once again, I mentioned that I have Mr. Wilson on the line. She's a member of the Black achievement fund was Deidre, how're you doing?

Unknown Speaker 1:48
I'm very well, brother Dave, how are you today?

Unknown Speaker 1:51
I'm doing better this morning. I was man I was down a little bit after I left the show. And backup now and feeling much better. And a quick appointment this morning. And but everything's good. So since the friend, how have you been in a you know, and I missed the last couple of weeks about a month of meditation. And I should tell you all that she does a great job and running a meditation yoga type program for the black achiever fund. So tell us as to what's going on with you.

Unknown Speaker 2:21
Oh, well, everything is everything is well, my brother, we still we still run a strong, trying to make things great for our people. Black achievement funds or 501 C three, not for profit organization. And our mission is to generate black dollars black into black hands. That's our mission. And so we're working hard on that. We're very excited all of us. We're in celebration mode. I think when we spoke before, I'm not sure if we were buying land or we were in the process, but we've purchased six acres of land in tomorrow, Georgia. And we will be having our June teeth camp out birthday celebration on June teeth, June 14 15th and 16th. And so we're really excited about that. The land is a big project for us. And so we don't have a ribbon cutting ceremony, you know, and we looking forward today. Excellent.

Unknown Speaker 3:26
Excellent. So have everything going with the with your early morning meditation. In fact, Las Vegas, just so you know. They have me rising it. I mean, she always a grand rising. It's 6am for me here in Las Vegas. How's everything going?

Unknown Speaker 3:43
Yes, yes, yes. Well, that's the ongoing thing that we try to keep going. We've been doing it for maybe two and a half years now consistently. It's every Saturday morning, like you said at 9am. But we will be on a recess for the number of so much things so many things going on. So we take a little break during the summer and then we return back first week of September, but yeah. When

Unknown Speaker 4:17
I'm sorry. The recess will start when

Unknown Speaker 4:21
the recess has begun. This is the first Saturday come up that we won't be and be honest with you. We will have some time in between but it won't be a regularly scheduled. Alright, we'll just call up or put online and say Come on everybody. We're gonna do our meditation and you could show up, but it just won't be a regular schedule like it ordinarily is. Right.

Unknown Speaker 4:44
Okay. Sounds good. So what other projects are dangling that you weren't? And also, I know you have some own your own business interest. What are you doing business wise?

Unknown Speaker 4:57
Oh, well, right now. I'm really pretty focused on a black achievement fun. I do sell products, my own products, but then I just sell them randomly at this point. But what we do ask everyone to do is for the with the black team in front of us to check out our YouTube page. Okay, blocking you from YouTube page. If you'd like meditation are you interested in learning about meditation? Oh, accountability, fitness, Myspace runs the accountability fitness, which follows meditation, you can always go to our YouTube pages, and we tape it every week. So whenever you have a chance, you know, feel free to utilize those pages. If you want to know more about the black achievement fun archy Hodges is our president, you can always go to YouTube, and you have full full information, everything you could think of. We've taped it and we make it fully available. So people we are transparent, so people will know who we are and find out anything they want about us. And we also want Facebook and Instagram, and take none so www.ba F dot solutions no.com. No, that that just solutions so interested in? Excellent,

Unknown Speaker 6:17
excellent. So as far as June to give those dates again, please. And where?

Unknown Speaker 6:24
Yes. So our June teens camp out is Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 14 15th and 16th. And you did mention Father's Day. So that last day, it was a Sunday that is father's father's day, and we will have a Father's Day lunch at noon to about also will be in Toulouse borough Georgia. We're located at 3195 Old bowls Ferry Road. And that's like a citizen tuzo. Georgia three was 31090 is the zip.

Unknown Speaker 6:57
Now how far is that outside of Atlanta?

Unknown Speaker 7:02
About two hours outside of Atlanta. But he came you can get through it through the back roads. So you can do the same thing and less traffic. So yeah, it's about two hours outside. All

Unknown Speaker 7:16
right. Well, Miss deja, we certainly appreciate you getting on the line and giving us some updates on what's going on with the black achievement fund. To other group, I said, Hey, and I appreciate the continued prayer that you guys sent up for four days, and I'm hanging in there. Appreciate you very much. Any closing remarks?

Unknown Speaker 7:36
Yes, you keep hanging in there, brother. And we spend it on vibrations to you all the time. You know, feel free to hit me up anytime you'd like if you need a meditation session. I'm always available to you. So you know, we got to do the best we can with what we got. So I appreciate this time that you given us and you know, to let people know more about really appreciate it. Thank you.

Unknown Speaker 8:00
Always a pleasure to have you and we'll get you on again. So thank you so much safe travels. And hopefully we'll see you guys on Saturday for lunch.

Unknown Speaker 8:08
Take Yeah, looking forward to it. Thank you Peace and blessings, brother. All right.

Unknown Speaker 8:13
And I see it on Saturday. That's today Saturday. Everybody know the show was taped? All right. This needs to take here with the black team. Have fun. On the other side, we'll have Dr. Ruby Duncan.

Unknown Speaker 8:30
Good day, once again, this is Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5 Jazz and I am very, very pleased and excited to have our next guest, Dr. Ruby Duncan. She is a world renowned welfare rights activist. And she's done a lot of good in the neighborhood, as we would say. In fact, we were neighbors over in the project. So when we were st. Many, many years ago. How're you doing? Dr. Duncan?

Unknown Speaker 8:56
I'm doing great David for the value. Hey, you

Unknown Speaker 9:00
know my medical issues, but I'm doing all right. You've had more than me. So I just have to hang tough and, and keep it moving and stay positive as you've always taught us to do. Let me tell you guys something about this lady. Dr. Ruby Duncan told me it's Ruby. Do you know it's been probably about 3540 years ago, she says you are going to make a great impact in this community. She told me that and I guess I lived up to it. I hope, Dr. Dark because you you put that on my back and I say I got to get busy doing things. So how you doing?

Unknown Speaker 9:37
Doing great today, you know, that's the way way life ceases. You know, you, you take it as it come and you just say, Oh, I'm going to make it. I'm going to do what I have to do today.

Unknown Speaker 9:53
That's right. That's right. So Dr. Duncan compared to where we were back in your day when He was doing this tremendous work, particularly for welfare. Right. And I should say, Dr. Duncan had has a son, me and him share the same name David Lee Phillips, and I'm David Lee Washington. I served in the Army and Dave served in the in at play day with a Yeah, then he then he went on to be a judge what they call a judge agate where he's an attorney.

Unknown Speaker 10:28
attorney for quite a few years, you guys just go all the way away from me, you know,

Unknown Speaker 10:36
we don't focus doing anything. Now. We are now elders as well, Dr. Duncan. So tell me again, or tell our listening audience about how things are going as it relates to welfare rights. As you see it today, compared to back when you were out there, they're very active and making things happen and ensuring that mothers and children get taken care of

Unknown Speaker 11:00
as I am now. I am like, almost retired. And I'm trying to hang in it because I was trying another death is to wait for someone to want to take this job own. Right now, there's nothing I know, that is happening for poor women and children, for poor senior citizen for poor working families, since I was out there. And all of those wonderful, great, very women, that they we just loved that we loved the world. Because we work worked all the way all the way across the nation with other mothers during them days. Right now, the days that all of the mothers has passed on, you know that disease come in. In 2019, it just wiped everybody out. And so now I'm trying my best to hang in there and take it on the best I can put now. But

Unknown Speaker 12:12
we'll certainly be praying for you. Because in fact, so no one picked up the mantle. From from you all who are really doing because I've seen several documentaries. And for those of you who haven't seen it, but documentary on Dr. Ruby Duncan, she did tremendous work. And I think it's something that we can all learn from and particularly let young people view it as well. True, that

Unknown Speaker 12:37
will be an education. And I hope that they will, you know, it's out there, I would love for him to pull it up. But there's more every day be there not through talking to me. So I'm trying to tell everything I know about what went on during them days. You know, that's been quite a while ago. Right? Yeah, but I'm happy to tell the story to everyone who wants to know, and hope that will help the mothers nowadays, I wish I could talk to some of the brave women that was that is, you know, state benefit or whatever, uh, some of the poor groups that I know. And now, it's not anything to be ashamed of. We didn't make the situation like it is as sales. Different situation was brought up through policy and, and all of those things that are going on. So I mean, we just need to pull ourselves together. And I'm too happy to kind of give them a few moments of my time. And just let them know, you step together and ask for what you know, you need.

Unknown Speaker 14:04
Absolutely. You know, and that's why I wanted to get you on the show, because I think that this recording will certainly be listened to by a lot of people out there that maybe maybe will inspire some to stand up and start taking corrective action. In fact, most recently, I don't know it was a last year you before. But you were you were invited back to Washington DC as I recall.

Unknown Speaker 14:25
Oh, yes, indeed. Meeting a lot of the people all over this nation and Kalkin to them about the needs of poor people in general. talking to them about learning to teach that community also about registering and voting, but now we don't have to go to a building to register and vote. We're carrying that bone in our pockets every day. All we have to do is register on that phone any minute, anytime. So I just hope that more people register more people go and vote because that's what happened back in the day, it would not have happened. If myself and a whole group of those wonderful women that I was with, did not register those time we had to go to a to our office to do so. But nowadays you don't. You

Unknown Speaker 15:33
know what, Dr. Duncan, I think that's very impressive, very important statement. I think that sometimes people you should study, study the candidates, you know, learn about them and what their philosophy is, and you know, how they actually behave. But sometimes people will talk a good game, and then they get in the office, and they do something totally opposite. So your point on educating oneself is extremely important.

Unknown Speaker 15:55
Yes, it is. And don't, I don't, I don't know how to say this. But I'm going to say it don't just be like, because someone was born and raised in a community that they're going to help you. Nowadays, I haven't seen it. But I do see people that has been in the world of voting and working in an organization, and in the world, a democratic world that has, that's what I am. I'm not telling anyone how to vote. But I hope you vote and I hope you vote for the right person. Under no circumstance, this year, like I noticed person, and I'm gonna vote for you bet, ask that person, what have you you did for me? And the whole community? I haven't seen nothing. So I want to know, what have you done? That can help me? Absolutely.

Unknown Speaker 16:51
Those are, those are valid points that you're making. Dr. Duncan, once again, we appreciate the work that you've done over the years. And, and we certainly thank God for allowing you to continue to be on this earth to, to inspire and I trust that as people listen to this show, you will inspire someone to start standing up and, and taking their rightful place. Because, you know, in our American society, we have a right to speak up on issues that we think are important, and certainly the rights of welfare moms. And you know, and poor people in general. They need to be heard from and listened to by our elected officials to ensure that we are taking care of their needs, because I noticed how so many other people and I'm not against anybody, immigrants coming into this country, but also know that we should be taking care of our own folks who have been here for over many, many years. Before we take care of anyone else.

Unknown Speaker 17:48
Yeah, I hear you. But we must understand this whole nation. Ever since I have been here and I've been here 90 Some years, is we all come from somewhere in some place. But we all need help as we come in. So we're gonna pray that God, get in the weight and help lead us. They kept everybody until they get a foot. But in the meantime, in order for all of us, and they are planning jobs that they can, nobody said the jobs are not fair. And the majority of young people I do know is born with electronic boring jobs for you in this in this country for a whole group of jobs. So I just hope everybody just stopped voting, because you'll need that there. And you have the right to vote. That's

Unknown Speaker 18:46
right. Well, Dr. Duncan, we certainly appreciate your time. And we will ask God to continue to bless you with good health. So again, I think when people hear you talk, Dr. Ruby duck, and it's appreciated, and we can learn so much. And those ancestors who you work with over the years, you could tell just from the documentaries that I've seen, you guys worked well together with a black, white. All you ladies, you ladies were trailblazers, in fact, you were standing up before some of the guys started to stand up and take their rightful place in this society. So once again, on behalf of everybody around this country, this world we thank you for, for what you've done, and is greatly appreciated. So any closing remarks from you?

Unknown Speaker 19:35
Yes, I'd love to say this poor people are not just black people, or they're not just Asians, Mexicans, whatever. You want to say that people are black, white, and every other nationality there is and I hope that all hear me. This country is by you, as long as you can vote, if you want to be a you become a citizen, we have the right and if we don't keep that right, then it shame on us and our families

Unknown Speaker 20:11
will see it will, Dr. Duncan, again, we love you. And we appreciate all that you've done and continue to do so. May God continue to bless you. And we'll get you back on the air sometime again in the future. Once again, this is Veterans Affairs plus on any 1.5, jazz and more. And we had Dr. Ruby Duncan, who has been a staple in his community, particularly as it relates to working in assisting and fighting for the rights of poor people to include the welfare moms, thank you, Doc.

Unknown Speaker 20:50
Today, once again, this is such as affairs plus on 91.5 chairs and more. In the first two segments, we had this deja Wilson with the black achievement fund who gave us an update on what's going on and big celebration they have planned for June 10. I think it's 14 1516. Down in the Atlanta Georgia area, where they have where we purchased some land to to build a big project. So members of the Black achievement fund can come down and visit. Also, we had of course, Dr. Ruby Duncan, welfare rights mom who fought for not only welfare rights mom, but she also fought for for poor people throughout this country. So we just want to continue to acknowledge and pray for her help. Because Dr. Ruby Duncan is well known throughout this community. In fact, once upon a time back in the day, she actually called the strip to get very, very nervous because he was going to shut it down. And then they also went, I believe, is the Caesars Palace. If my memory serves me correctly, they went in and ate and had no intentions of paying. And they disrupted a lot. And I think it really caused people to realize that Dr. Ruby Duncan is such a powerful force that they had to reckon with her and start to listen to her and what she was trying to get accomplished in terms of families who were hurting in this community and as well as around the world. Because if you look at the, the documentary they that they have on her, you would see that she had made contact with a lot of different people throughout this country. So we want to continue to express appreciation to her as they say, give her her flowers where, and I know she's had tremendous amount of awards given to her over time because of the work that she has done. So just want to continue to celebrate her. And, and once again, just remind people that when those folks who have been out doing hard work for the rest of society, we cannot allow ourselves to just kind of let them lay dormant or kick them to the curb or whatever. However, you might want to phrase it because we must continue to listen to them. Because those are words of wisdom and some of the things she talked about in particular that I think needs to continue to be played on all airways and that is voter education. Know who your candidates are know something about them. And something She also mentioned was, what have they done for you, you need to check these things out. Because if you don't, if you just go in and vote blindly, you may be cutting your own throat. So remember that. And those are very, very powerful words that she expressed. So just want to thank her. And also I mentioned early in the show, Ross Bryant, he's with the UNLV. He handles the veterans. And he's he's done such a tremendous job. And I know we had Dr. Whitfield, Whitfield on he talked about how impressed he was with Ross and in the things that he's done to ensure that veterans get taken care of. So we want to acknowledge him and pray for him because he has some medical issues that we certainly want to pray that he gets through this thing with, as they say flying colors so very appreciative of the work that he's doing. Additionally, of course, we have Tony Marshall, he is a full fledge service officer now, Tony went went through some training back East. He's got his certification now and as I've said many many times, and I know our engineered producer West has heard me say many, many times with the without any professional certifications. This man did a yeoman's job in assisting people to get their benefits. So I want to salute Tony Marshall for the work He has done and continue to do for, for the veterans in his area. And he has, I don't remember exactly. But I know he's at the Veterans Hospital now a couple of days. And he's also at, there's a Veterans Resource Center, way out in North Las Vegas near and, in fact, pretty close to the hospital, where he operates a couple of days a week there. I don't have his his website at hand, but I can tell you that he is a guy that you can't just go to go stepping in there, you have to make an appointment, because he's that busy helping a lot of folks. So once again, want to salute him for the work that he's doing. And know that he's here to help. And now even more so with this with this new certification that he has, additionally, his wife was, she is now the former president of the American Legion Post in auxilary. over it, ah, and Doolittle Street. And we do have an incoming president and I hope to get her own Miss Thomas, get her own sometime in the near future just to give us an update on what the plans are under her leadership. But I can tell you, this Marshall did a yeoman's job she had all kinds of programs. And it's obvious by her leadership that people got a lot of things done and they had a lot of different programs, they ran for youth over out of the the American Legion Folstein. So again, want to just say salute. And we appreciate you very much. Also, I'd be remiss in this time that I have left to if I didn't acknowledge former fire chief Eugene Campbell for the work that he did in sitting in for me on a few sets. In fact, he as well as Brian would one of our fire service colleagues with Las Vegas Fire and Rescue, he will be sitting in some time covering a couple of shows for me and pray for him because he has some help is something when you when you get over a certain age and and I'm talking about the 70s for sure. Seems like the body just start kind of doing his own thing. And then I am a testament to it. But you know what, not moping or broken, but just hanging in there and doing the best that I can and trying to be a good patient. As I go through my journey. And on an earlier show, I did mention a couple people, as well as other family members who have done done me well in terms of prayer for me. And just just keep in mind, my spirit up as I deal with my medical issue. And I appreciate them very much. And as I close out, I want to again acknowledge Wes for the work that he's done. Because this is this is a second time we've done this from from remote. And it's a little bit more difficult to do because of timing and all of those things. But Wes is always managed to keep me on track. And I want everybody know how much he's appreciated. And also the entire staff there it can UV 91.5 J as the more the On Air personalities. And anytime that they're seeking to do their fundraising, I hope that people will, will do the do their best to contribute something because this is a very important radio station to assault, particularly those veterans who try to get on here each weekend and talk about things that are important to us. So with that, I want to wish you all well and I know coming up again, it's going to be Father's Day. So thank all the fathers and the mothers who have operated as fathers and once I found that I really want to acknowledge this say Duncan Daniel, her daughter dad when she was she transitioned when she was 50 years old. And it's only because of the work that they did to keep her daughter in high spirits. Having a lot of love and faith we love you and I know I'm gonna get some information from you on something that you will be doing down in Arkansas you got a big show coming up I believe it's sometime in July. So with that, this is Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5 Jazz and more, signing off, talk to you next week.

Unknown Speaker 29:41
The smoking on the way

Transcribed by https://otter.ai