Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
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.
Announcer 0:00
This is a KUNV Studios original program.
Wesley Knight 0:04
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 90-1.5 Jazz and Moore, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, or the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education. Pick it
Music 0:28
back and pick it south. Come on, talk to me, so you can't see what's going on.
Music 0:39
Yeah, what's going on? Tell me what's going on.
Dave Washington 0:48
Great day, Las Vegas! Great day, Las Vegas. This is Veterans Affairs Plus on 91.5 Jazz and more. I'm Dave Washington, your host. I have two wonderful guests that I just can hardly wait to introduce. In fact, I'm gonna let them know what I have in common with them. They're probably gonna go, "Oh, is that right? Anyway, first of all, we want to say thank you all for participating and coming to the viewing that we had of my journey with pancreatic cancer, the documentary that our daughter Angel put together for us is an hour and 15 minutes, and we appreciate all who attended. So, just wanted to express that to to our entire Las Vegas family, and know that it'll be out on. I think I said fully Facebook, and they told me no, not Facebook, is whatever that other all that social media stuff, but it'll be out there shortly after we show it, and everybody will be able to to make their comments, and hopefully everybody will understand and appreciate the the message, Assemblyman and Chief, and it is faith, family, and friends have a lot to do with the things that we as we go about life. It's important to to me, and I hope to others with regards to that message that we got to stay connected connected with one another, I have some further birthdays later on in the month, and I also want to apologize, Jason Beatty, the operations man. He gave me a little assignment. I failed miserably. Wes Wes know I'm old and forgetful, so he he texts me, "Hey man, you need to put something together for the veterans' staples, and I failed to get it done. So I'll make sure we get that done for the month of July because I failed in terms of the month of June. With
Jovan Jackson 2:30
that, at this time, I like to introduce two former inmates. And believe it or not, gentlemen, I was in the stockade when I was in the army. I got convicted of some crazy stuff that I did, so I know the feeling of that to some extent. So with that, I'm going to introduce the assemblyman first, give a little bit of background on yourself, and then Chief, I'll come back to you, Chief Royal Ramey, and and let you kind of give some background on yourself. You know, where were you born, where were you raised, those types of things. Assemblyman. Hey, hello. My name is Jovon Jackson. First of all, thank you for having me, and thank you for your services as a veteran. Grateful for that. I'm born and raised right here in Las Vegas, Nevada. My first home was actually inside Assembly District Six in zip code 89030 I really am a firm believer of faith, family, and leadership. That's what keeps me grounded. My home church is Grace Emanuel Missionary Baptist Church, pastored by Willie C. Wheaton. Been a fighter, served my first session just recently, and been fighting for criminal justice reform, affordable housing, and mental health care. Okay, very good, Chief Chief Royal.
Royal Ramey 3:41
Yes, sir. You hear me?
Dave Washington 3:42
Yeah, we can hear you now. Go ahead. Give a little bit of background on who you are. Where were you born and raised?
Royal Ramey 3:46
Yeah. So my name is Chief Royal Ramey, co-founder and CEO of the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program. I was born in Houston, Texas, and I was raised in California in the San Francisco Valley. Actually, myself, thank you for your service, Dave Washington. Obviously, you know, veterans is is a you know that have been protecting our country and providing opportunity for for us to be able to do what we do. So appreciate you for that.
Dave Washington 4:12
For sure.
Royal Ramey 4:13
And yes, sir. So, but yeah, from California, you know, raised there and had a real opportunity to really figure out how to navigate the streets and stuff, and like you said, you know, formerly incarcerated myself, and I'm actually in Sacramento right now. I just testified on the Natural Resource Committee today. Okay, a bill called AB 2483 to help incarcerated folks get certifications while they're in prison, and also being able to apply for jobs and be competitive to be able to get a job with Cal Fire once they come home.
Dave Washington 4:48
Excellent. So let me ask you this: What is your level of formal education? Same thing to to you, Assemblyman Chief.
Royal Ramey 4:53
So yeah, so my formal education, I have two AS degrees. One is in fire technology, and. One is in business administration, and I'm actually pursuing my bachelor degree in business administration at Washington Governor's University. Okay, all right, Simon. I'm actually a
Jovan Jackson 5:10
graduate of a College of Southern Nevada, and I'm a current student at the UNLV. UNLV with aspirations to become a licensed clinical social worker. I'm about three classes away from my bachelor's.
Dave Washington 5:24
Okay, great. And nothing like pursuing additional formal education, but also I believe that you guys are working in a way that's going to be helpful to help you to grow and also have that understanding and appreciation the need to help others and not looking down the nose, as some people get in positions, man, they go like, "I'm like, we're all just fellow beings put here by God. Let me ask you this, Assemblyman: Why did you decide to seek elected office?
Jovan Jackson 5:51
I would say my lived experiences, and you mentioned that you know I've been formerly incarcerated, I've seen prison, I've seen jail, and I have never really seen myself as a criminal. I seen myself that someone that failed on hard times, substance abuse that led to mental health issues, and I seen how quickly that mental health issues could be deemed criminal, and your behaviors could deem criminal. If you can't comply, you going to jail. They don't care if you got a mental disorder or not, so I will say my mental health issues got me involved in some things that I normally wouldn't. And you know, I was arrested for conspiracy of a violent crime, and I went to prison. And upon my release, I seen how difficult it was to get employment, get housing, to to get just the basic things, and I still struggle with that. To be honest, I'm an elected official, but I'm impacted, and I still have a record. So it's it's very difficult maneuvering maneuvering these spaces. So it lets me have these real lived experiences, and like that, the legislation that I'm pushing as a state lawmaker, is just not a bill. This is someone's life. So, what motivated me to run is just the the lack of and being an advocate for these issues. And I got tired of advocating. And with my background in social work, a lot of work that we do in social work is advocacy and policy change. And so I got really involved in that, and I I got tired protesting, I got tired of lobbying, and I decided to run for office.
Dave Washington 7:27
Excellent, and you know I'm sitting here smiling because you know one thing that I I truly believe, and it's just instinctive on my part. It's nothing that I've read anywhere or that I have any formal education in, but to care about another person is essential to doing good things in life to me. And because of your your experience and what you've gone through, I think you'll have a a more different perspective on and that need to help others who are having to live through certain circumstances. Because see, again, I've seen people, man, when they because they done ran for office, they got them. They think they, man, don't look down your nose at me. You just another person to me. You ain't God. See, I don't let nobody crowd me that way. I don't care who you are, and you're not gonna talk to me crazy. I'm gonna be respectful to you, and I expect the same in return. How about you, Chief? What? What? What? Why did you decide to to pursue this training program that you put together and is doing tremendous work, and let me say this before you answer, but there was a bill that your governor signed a few years ago that I sent us, and I won't name these folks, but I might did they not did their gatekeeper not allow this to get through to them? But that bill that your governor put into signed into law said as an ex felon, as a former inmate, if you have not done heinous crimes such as murder, rape, kidnapping, those types of things, you can apply for a job in fire wildland firefighting in particular. And I got I got no response, and and I you know, and I'm so busy doing other things that I maybe I should have kept following up and shaking the tree. But anyway, Chief, why did why did you decide to do what you're doing? The
Royal Ramey 9:08
same thing as a trimmer. You know, I have lived experience myself, so I did four years, eight months up in California State Prison. In the last 20 months of my sentence, I had the opportunity to go to fire camp. Now I'm gonna give y'all some education around what California has done, and I think other 13 other states have done that since. Or so since the since 1941, California has been utilizing incarcerated people to fight wildfires, right? And then paying them $1 hour to do it, right? So I was a part of that program, and when I was there, you know, at first it was hard. It was tough work. It was, you know, it was grueling. But I really enjoyed it. Wanted to pursue it as a career, but it wasn't a true pathway for me to come home and figure it out. So me and my co-founder Brandon Smith, we wanted to be, you know, you know, stewards of being able to help folks transition. From incarceration into freedom, where folks are looked at as a public nuisance and being able to help them become a public servant. So we we vowed to be able to you know create create a pathway for our organization. And to date, since 2018, we ain't helped over 360 to get jobs in the fire service. Majority of those folks work for the Forest Service, but 70 75 of people. people from our alumni that came to our program actually worked for Cal Fire, and I think for me it was just knowing that I had the desire to do something great or even be of service and being able to have a family winning career and not being able to understand the blueprint of how to make that happen, so he took it in my own hands and prayed to God and asked for guidance and wisdom. And you know, today we have done a whole lot for a lot of folks, and I'm proud of it. And I can't, you know, take all the glory and credit for it because you know, with the supporters, you know, for our funders, to my staff, to like you know, the community, right, and to everybody that believes in what we've been doing has really been been great. And even people that's incarcerated, right, the folks that's actually wanting to to do you know the work, right, and putting the work, and all they knew is just the blueprint to make it happen. So I shout out to all those individuals as well. Yeah, I just you know you got me. You got me. You know, I got some goosebumps now just talking about it. So,
Dave Washington 11:23
so how how how long have you been? Has your business been open?
Royal Ramey 11:27
Yeah. So we've been in existence since 2018, but we was like unform unformally has been like since 2015 because we we helped about 60 people from 2015 to 2018. So we knew we had it kind of like a pilot, and knew that it'll work. And then once I transitioned from the force of the Cal Fire, that's when I, you know, that's when we took off to the next level and stuff. So incorporate as a 501 c3
Dave Washington 11:53
So Assemblyman, you you you're working on an additional bill, or in fact, explain the bill that you got through.
Jovan Jackson 12:01
So yes, I passed legislation here in Nevada. Like the fire chief, I also served as a incarcerated firefighter, fighting fires for $1 an hour, risking my life for the great state of Nevada. And I heard many stories during my incarceration that these individuals did not have a pathway to employment for the same organization that they were hired while they incarcerated, right? So to me, it was one of those things where it was common sense legislation. It was workforce development. It's something that could be bipartisan, where the rurals and the cities could get a get behind. And so the bill, what it actually did, if you served as a wildland firefighter with the Nevada Division of Forestry during your incarceration, that you will be guaranteed a pathway to employment, and that you could not be denied because of your criminal record if you served during incarceration.
Dave Washington 12:57
So, but unlike the California bill, it it didn't mention the type of crime that you may have been convicted of.
Jovan Jackson 13:04
So I was a bit more strategic on that. I felt that the Nevada Department of Correction already set the guidelines of who qualifies to serve in those five. So you didn't have to deal with that. So I didn't have to deal with that. I left that up to hey, that's what the prison's requirements. If you serve while you were incarcerated, you you should not be denied because of your background.
Dave Washington 13:24
Well, I like your point on being strategic because sometimes people will take off on things without doing the work to determine, do the research to say, here's what I I need to do this right here. I don't need to waste my time with that, and that's what you strategically did. So you don't waste your time over it's already done. Right, the the blueprints there. So what's the point in re reinventing the wheel, if you will? So, Chief, you've been been around for what seven eight years in terms of it being a formal 501 c3 And where do you get your funding from?
Royal Ramey 13:55
Yeah, so we got a mix of funding. So we got we just received $4 million out of the state budget to help with our career training program. It's an eight-week program. We give them pay stipend. We give them industry certifications to be able to get a job with the Forest Service Cal Fire, and then we focus on fuel mitigation work. And then another component of that money is going towards our Buffalo Hand Crew, so our social enterprise teams, where we actually hire the folks that come out of our program, and then we also get funding from all throughout the country. Honestly, like we ain't got money from Tipping Point and Crankstart. We get money from foundations and DAFs. You know, donor advisory funds, individual giving. Because when the LA Fire said, a lot of folks donated to the organization, Public Welfare Foundation. Yeah, like. like from all over the place. So
Dave Washington 14:45
now you mentioned not to cut y'all, but you mentioned did you did I hear you say a number of states and I'm did I hear the number 1314 states that have similar laws or was it the U.S. assembly one did I no
Jovan Jackson 14:57
no
Royal Ramey 14:57
yeah yeah so it's 13 of the states that you like. Incarcerated people, including California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico, a couple of states down south, but they don't have a big program, but they do utilize incarcerated people to fight fires and stuff, and in a wildland setting. Yeah, we we you know it's all over, but I think one of the things that is very important is that giving people that have that lived experience to help them guide them and walk them through, because you know that you know you know the fire service in certain areas is dominated by bifurcation folks, right? And like our folks got to understand how to overcome that and how to deal with that culture shock and being able to withstand some of that stuff, so like that's something that we can kind of bridge the gap. And of course, we need folks that have life skills, right? You know, soft skills, and also we have a partnership with the Chase Bank to do financial literacy. So we got a one-stop shop for all our program to ensure that folks can be successful because the jobs are there. Like Cal Fire want to hire 2,400 fire for the next five years. Right, you know the Forest Service has heard from bodies. You know, I'm pretty pretty sure it's funny. The division, Department of Forestry, our Division of Forestry in Nevada actually been snatching up some of our folks out of our our academies and stuff that we we have out here. So so it's it's amazing how you know it's opportunity. But like, how do you thrive into the career? Because it's gonna be tough. It's not gonna be easy. You know, you're gonna have to put in the work and have accountability and responsibility of of your actions and how you you show up and you come. Because I think that's something too is that we've been always doing that as a people. But in this field, you know, you you got to think about the the service of of for the community, not just you know your your ambitions and the way you think or feel like you're really doing it for for a reason, for a purpose, and it's it's to protect the community. It's provide opportunity for your family, and it's good for you to be able to you know just be a public servant and live in your in your in your mission. So that's something that we, you know, we push heavily in our cohorts and even our community.
Dave Washington 17:04
Right. Well, certainly not necessarily you two, and kind of a little bit, with all due respect, I simply lean a little bit towards you. But to me, if there's 1314, states, to me, this is something that should be done throughout the United States of America, and again, I'm not trying to put a whole bunch of weight on y'all, but certainly I hope that those who listen to this show will say, you know what? What can I do to help the assemblyman? What can I do to help the chief? Because to me, if we lobby for other things, someone needs to lobby for this because it's good for it's good for our country. When you have a means of making a decent living. You ain't got to go out and do crazy stuff. But one thing, and I know people gonna say we knew he was crazy. Listen to what he's saying. I told people once because he, when I was hired on Las Vegas Fire and Rescue, I was hired on what's called the Emergency Employment Act. Under the this before this before CETA, before Affirmative Act, all this stuff, man. But the city only paid 30% of my wages. The federal government paid 70% Every so often, I get a letter, and in this letter says, "Oh, you know, the funny may dry up. Blah blah. And one of my white colleagues say, "Ah, you might lose your job. I say, "You see this platoon calendar? Let me explain something to you. Only we had three platoons: A, B, and C. We were on B platoons. So all the green days, you gonna be at work. I'm gonna kick your dough in. I'm gonna get them just some VCRs and TVs will be. And I know y'all people. Why would he say that? Cause it was true. Cause I'm gonna take care of my family. I'm married with children. They gonna eat. Now I want to work. So why? And the dude he kind of dropped his head because he kept feeling like, man, I probably shouldn't. No, you shouldn't say that, man. I want to work just like you. I don't know what. Why y'all get the idea that a black man don't want to work and take care of his family? Cause it's so untrue. I'm just ranting a little. No, and Wes haven't given me any signals, so we got we're good on time. We're good. So
Jovan Jackson 18:55
what you got to say about my thought about trying to broaden this thing throughout the country? I I say let's definitely broadening. I know we're more like in the Southwest; it's hotter, it's drier. We have more fires. I don't know how the East Coast is, but I am taking the next step on this legislation to not just for wildland firefighters. I want to expand this to also structural firefighters, basically the firefighters that we see in the city are that work in the city, and so at least in Nevada, what prevents someone from becoming a structural firefighter is that felons cannot go for their EMT certification. So next legislation, I want to bring a bill for that removes that barrier to where these individuals could get their EMT certification, and it would not just open the doors for them to be structural firefighters, but also other jobs like paramedics.
Dave Washington 19:45
Excellent. That's a that's now that that should easily be bipartisan. I mean, who would say no to that? Because to me, and I know some will. I know some will because one of the cornerstones of fire service, I always have said to people, is you know your trust. You know, and I remember, I remember doing the MGM. Man, what you get? What you get? What do you mean? What did I get? These people asking me talking about what did I take out of somebody's room? First of all, I even go up to the rooms. I I was a PIO for Las Vegas. I went out to Sis County's PIO, and you know, I'm on the on the casino floor basically. But people going up at the rooms and people talking about firefighters should be taking people's money. No, they should not. They should be taking anything that don't belong to them because people trust us. We get to go everywhere. But that is a great bill for you to to operate from. And I don't know where you guys stand over in California, Chief. But but you said you were you were up there lobbying or testifying. Did we did we cover that in the show, or was that before we got on air? Because man, my mind is bad
Royal Ramey 20:46
sometimes. Nah, you good. We did cover it, but it's a bill called AB 2147 that was passed on July 1, 2021 That pretty much states that anybody that's being that's in a fire camp in California have the ability to get their record expunged, and we've been spearheading that effort. We pretty much got about close to 100 people record expunged, and about another 150 pending. I think that's something that assembly member we could be able to talk about that, and we've been really progressive in that. And then, like you said about that, that the bill that you passed about the the compensation for folks that's incarcerated, we Isaac Bryan, Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, he passed a bill for seven $7.50 cent when they out there fighting fires out here in California. So we got a lot of things that we have been doing, and I think that maybe we can collaborate on some things. I'm actually in the process of doing a national incarcerated firefighter coalition. Coalition, as well, and yeah, I definitely would love to connect with you on that. And I think that what people need to understand when it comes to the bipartisan part is like public safety and rehabilitation goes hand in hand, and the you know, and the social return on the vessel is huge. It costs us 130-$2,860 to house one person in California prison each year. If you give me a quarter of that, right, and be able to put a person through the program, then that person can actually make you know 50 to $70,000 as base salary. But when the fires go on, they get overtime, they collect the pension, retirement benefits, and then you look at you know we saving that 130-2000 right. Plus we actually bringing more money to the economy when they're making the money right, and then they pay in taxes, the taxpayers, right? And we making the streets safer, you know. So those are the the angles that I've been having those conversations with when it comes to the conservative side, right? And they and they care about is you know protecting the homes, right? Right. So, and want to make sure that the you know public safety is there. So it's like it makes a lot of sense, right? And and lastly, I'm gonna say our organization is based off of the intersection: workforce development, criminal justice reform, and the climate crisis, right? So we do field mitigation work. We do fire suppression. We give folks training. We get them into the you know workforce. We also help you know reduce recidivism, right? So it's multiple different angles that we come at where it's like hard to say no when it comes to both sides of the house.
Dave Washington 23:13
Absolutely, this is Veterans Affairs Plus on 91.5 Jazz and more. Dave Washington, your host, and Wes is giving me the five minute sign. So we doing good, fellas, gentlemen. I appreciate you guys so very much. And to your point, Assemblyman, you know, I've been an instructor at the Carl Holmes Executive Development Institute for many, many years, housed now out of Dillard University. And me and Gene and Bert were doing a career planning. That's one of our flagship classes that we do. And you know, guys were talking about, and I said, "Well, one thing about get entering the fire service: if you're a felon, you can't get in. And one guy eased up to me after class. He said he gave the department that he worked. He said, "I'm a I'm an ex felon, and I and I got on, and I got right back up and apologized. I said, "It ain't necessarily true in all cases, but the point that you made is one that I wasn't even aware of. That apart, it it has to do with your EMT certification or licensing. That is an obstacle that can be removed. It's just a matter of people knowing about it, lobbying in in in favor of it. And to your point, she, the conservatives. I mean, if you say you care about humanity and you ain't willing to take this little minor obstacle off the books as a law, so somebody can get a decent paying job. Something's wrong with you, and I tell you to your face, 70-five. I'm still a little wild, man. So, so chief, everything's going well for you. And do you have and do you have a class in session now, or or academy?
Royal Ramey 24:42
Yes, we do. We actually partnered up with the local conservation corps, so we are kind of leaning more towards like the youth and prevention because it's like folks from you know in the urban community doesn't have to go to prison to learn about wildland firefighting and have this opportunity, right? So what we're trying to do is go into juvenile halls and talk to high school. Athletes,
Dave Washington 25:00
right,
Royal Ramey 25:01
and just try to get ahead of the curve to be able to give them opportunity of like a career path that, and it's great because they look they see people that look like them in these uniforms. And let me let me let
Dave Washington 25:10
me let me say this real quickly, Chief. Let me explain something to folks out there. There is a distinct difference between wildland firefighters and structural firefighters. And don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to put down anybody, but I'm gonna tell you something. In in that one chapter that we have in our ISTA manual, and you see the work that's done, man. When you got to go up and down some doggone heels, and you got that little I forget what they call it. You ain't got no air pack. It's too heavy to be trying to walk up the mountains with that bed. But you got this little little bitty deal, the the little bandanas and all this stuff. I'm like, come on, man. So, I have respect for both types of firefighting, and and I tell people when because civilians always, what's the difference? I say it's a distinct difference because out there you out there hoofing it like a one of them mountain goats as a wild egg guy. So no, I respect you guys, and I hope that you will exchange and get together and talk about things that's going to help all. To include maybe there's some groups out there. I know there's various political groups or organizations that people can be members of as elected officials. But start floating this idea. And to your point, Assemblyman, not necessarily wildland so much in other parts of the country, but yet if there's obstacles that even keep those individuals, not necessarily from wildland, but just from structural firefighting organizations, cities and counties. Let them in.
Dave Washington 26:29
Let them in.
Dave Washington 26:30
Yeah. Let our people work. The work you guys are doing. Closing remarks from each of you.
Jovan Jackson 26:34
I would just want to say Nevada's a purple state, so I have to come at it with a different angle. We don't even have expungement show here. The first time I heard you spoke was at Ruby Duncan's funeral, and I was like, "Man, I like this man. I want to meet this man. And so I'm glad I'm on the air with you, and I just want to thank the fire chief for doing the work that he's doing. And I definitely want to meet with Assemblymember Isaac Byron. We are both the youngest service Black legislators in our state, and so I would definitely love to collab and do more with you, Fire Chief.
Royal Ramey 27:04
Absolutely. Closing remarks for me, like you said, California utilizes folks that's in these firehouses as well that get some of that training, necessarily EMT, but they do structure fires and and
Dave Washington 27:19
vehicle, you know,
Royal Ramey 27:20
fires and extrications and all that stuff too. So I think I'm just excited for you know the opportunity to partner with y'all, and I appreciate you, Chief Washington, for giving me an opportunity to talk about my organization. And I appreciate you, and I and I'll see you next year, EDI baby. All right,
Dave Washington 27:36
yes, sir. The Carl Holmes Executive Development Institute housed out of Dillard University, Eugene Kimble, the Campbell, the present president, and and that Nance Hope, she is the fire commissioner in Chicago Fire, which is one of the second or third largest fire departments in our whole country. But she, and then we have Carla Holmes, who was our executive director. They're doing a tremendous job, so we appreciate both of you guys in terms of Veterans Affairs Plus show because I think it's important for us to share what knowledge. And when I heard of you and what you had done, and when I talked, I'm like, oh, I got to get him on the show, man, because there's things that need to be told and and presented to people in a way that they can feel comfortable with a former incarcerated person doing this type of work because nobody see sometimes people think man I'm so perfect and when you look back and open some of these doors everybody's had some kind of issue they just didn't get caught just didn't get caught so once again gentlemen I really appreciate you guys the work that you're doing from a legislative standpoint chief from actually preparing those individuals who are trying to get into this field of work, and certainly for you lobbying and going before state legislatures to testify in behalf of those who individuals who don't get that opportunity to step forth, and and just you know sometimes you gotta you gotta get inside the game, man, and and for you assemblyman to be there. See, sometimes you you need someone who's been through the war, if you will, and that you have a different perspective and understanding. So appreciate it very very much. And Wesley's he's giving me that kind of look, man. So I know it's getting close. So thank you guys. And anytime you got something that you want to share with our public, certainly feel free to reach out to me because what you're doing is greatly appreciated. Once again, Las Vegas, this is Veterans Affairs Plus on 91.5 Jazz and More. I had Chief Royal Remnant out of out of California, and then we had our own state senateman out of District Number Six. We appreciate you, Senator Jackson, for the work that you're doing in our state.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai