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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.
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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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good day Las Vegas this special fares plus on 91.5. Jazz and more on Dave Washington, your host. Got a few remarks to make. And then we'll bring on our our guests. First guests of the show. Today, Miss Faye Duncan Daniel longtime Las Vegas and dear friend of our family face hosting a family gospel and fish fry, featuring local performing artists and poets. This will be in Helena, Arkansas, Saturday, July 27. At the pavilion. So we'll talk a little bit more about that in a few moments. Also, once again, I want to certainly mentioned that it's important for us as American citizens to become more civil. I know it's tough, but we don't need to be shooting at people. Whether they are the president, former president, we need to cut all this foolishness out. And that's coming from me. It has nothing to do with the university they have their disclaimers, but sometimes you just have to speak about things that are going on that are to me, that's just absolutely ridiculous. And we just need to do a better job of being respectful of one another, if you will. I want to say that. Earlier this month, we celebrated David's and my son Vernon and Ray Washington's birthdays this month. So we had a great family time. And as many of you out there know Marsha and I have 12 grandchildren, six girls, six boys, and we're very, very proud of them. In fact, we had Chris and destiny on a few months ago, a few weeks ago, I should say. And David wasn't able to make it. But at this time, I want to give a drumroll for a dear family friend, Miss Faye duck and Daniel who's doing lots of things down in Helena, Arkansas. How are you doing?
Unknown Speaker 2:47
I'm doing good. David, how you doing? Thanks for having me on. I certainly do appreciate it.
Unknown Speaker 2:52
For sure. For sure. Well, you always doing some, some exciting things for you. And I think this show can help to, to at least advertise or market or tell people about it. Because with this show, it can be heard when you pick up the app, it can be heard anywhere in the world. And I trust that we have a lot of our listening audience members that are down in the southern part of our country. And hopefully they'll stop by so please shed some light on what you're doing with regards to your function coming up in a few weeks.
Unknown Speaker 3:23
Well, thank you, David, thank you for this wonderful opportunity. And good evening. To all your listeners. I was contracted by a group out of New York, they're called One Nation one project. And their their focus is on health and the arts as as a way to stimulate advocacy for for quality of life issues. Like for example, in our city, we're having a water crisis, almost like Jackson, Mississippi. So we're using this opportunity to bring the arts community together with the government community to ensure to make a cry for better for clean water. So this project started came out of the Clean Water Initiative. We are in an effort to save gospel music and its current iteration. We know music always evolved and sometimes and usually those evolutions improve the music. But we want to keep gospel right now at the stage where it is I mean, there will be folks who are creative who will come along who will take it to another level. But right now we want to preserve it in its current form.
Unknown Speaker 4:38
Absolutely. You know to that point say I just happen to as I'm out doing my little part time job. I listen to and watch a lot of things that are that are going on in our world. And this one lady she's one she's very famous as as a gospel singer. I can't call her name off the top of my head but she showed some of these these gospel see was that some of the things that they were doing and some of the attire that they had on? I'm like, Are you kidding me? Hot Pants? singing gospel. Yeah, that that's that's the wrong level. And I'm not an overly religious person, if you will, I consider myself more spiritual. But there's a certain level of respect you show to, to, you know, Christianity. And these people were all Christian singers, if you will gospel singers. And some of the stuff they had on faith would make you go like, in fact, your mama would say, I slap the taste out of my mouth. No. Anyway. So that's interesting that you were you were contacted by a group out of you say, out of New York?
Unknown Speaker 5:43
Yes.
Unknown Speaker 5:47
So tell us a little bit about that. How did he How did they pick FADEC and Daniel, down in Helena, Arkansas, for this project.
Unknown Speaker 5:53
I connected when I first moved down here I connected with a woman who was running a center when her focus was was reparation. So out of so when other reparation movement came up, there was a war, then that's when we discovered the water problem. So we went, we took it from reparations to clean water because because clean water became a more vital and more demanding issue. So So I was connected with him through that. And we started collecting stories about people's water experience in the Delta. I live in a little town if if you got a map, you won't find it because it's just so small. But it is on the banks of the Mississippi River. And I live in a little town in Arkansas, about 100 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee, and Arkansas is a probably one of the poorest states in America. But we are water rich. But we have not learned to use water as a resource. We were worse the center of agriculture, a lot of products came out of the further south of the US to recharge transported by barge down to Louisiana where it is loaded onto bigger barges and taken around the world. Wow. So we so we we have not and then the water Mississippi River along this part of Arkansas moves very rapidly. And there's a certain dangerous element to it is a very, but we need to learn how to how to use that river as an economic engine. So our task is to get people on the river. And so we can sort of quiet some of those fears. And have our young folks fall in love with the river. So they can become stewards.
Unknown Speaker 7:45
Right? That's an excellent point. So.
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So that's why we're going to have it on the river. That the night of the of the event, we have people, we're going to be drinking water, and seeing water, and smelling water, and hearing water. So we're looking for a total water experience. Because you know, as human beings, we never think about water. Because water is such an important part of our daily lives. And we just take it for granted. It's always been there. That's what water, but our water is scarce. This project has taken me on such a journey that is unbelievable. I learned so many wonderful things about the planet. Because Because when we think about water, think about it as brought in our veins. One thing
Unknown Speaker 8:39
I admire about you, it your age, you have never stopped seeking to learn. I admire that about you. Because as long as I've known you were always reaching out, always reading. And it's it's not really surprising that that you're doing is what, in my eyes anyway, it may be a surprise to others, but not to me because you have always been go get them. Let's make stuff happen. And I love you for
Unknown Speaker 9:07
what Well, thank you, David, you know, I came out of poverty, as he probably will spark your creativity, if you don't pity it, right. So I quit. I was never in a position where I could feel sorry for myself. Because I was impoverished because I was too busy getting out of poverty, learning new things and making things happen for me. Understood.
Unknown Speaker 9:27
Look, we got about a minute to go. So give us some closing remarks and give us the timeframe and date in place for your function, please.
Unknown Speaker 9:36
Okay, well, she's gonna be in Helena, Arkansas, on the Mississippi River. Saturday, July 27. We're gonna start at five o'clock and we're gonna have a fish fry too. So, so it's good old gospel music and catfish. All right. Sounds like a play we're in so it's free. And so we're inviting everybody. Absolutely
Unknown Speaker 9:56
free once again. I love your sister friend and As you guys know, who have listened to this show, I've mentioned Fe before, in the past, as one of the ideal moms that's ever walked this earth. If you look in the dictionary one day, you're gonna see her her face as a perfect mom, Fe had a special needs daughter, that data might leave maybe five to seven years. And how was was me and when she passed away, she just turned 50. Just turn. And I want people to know, it's because of the love of this woman, fade dark and dank. Love your sister, take care of yourself. And I hope you have a successful program.
Unknown Speaker 10:37
Thank you, my brother, That's high praise. I appreciate you for that. And likewise, right?
Unknown Speaker 10:42
This is Vetches. That's just a FERS plus on any 1.5 Jazz and more. We just had the great sister free and fade duck and Daniel to talk about a couple of programs that she's working on down in Helena, Arkansas.
Unknown Speaker 11:01
Once again, this is Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5, jazz and more. I am Dave Washington, your host and as I mentioned, we will have another guest and that second guests of this show today is Miss Virginia Bruce. Ter. She is an outstanding icon our community. She is a member of the victory Baptist Church, which she's very proud of love this woman she is she has so much energy. In fact, marsh and I were out to breakfast with her on Saturday now just as amazed. Miss Virginia. It just just your energy, and I won't disclose your age. Look, I'm just look, I'm proud to have you on the show. Because you know, I've been trying to get you for a while.
Unknown Speaker 11:45
So tell my goodness. Well, thank you for having me.
Unknown Speaker 11:48
Tell our listening audience. Where are you from? How long you've been in Vegas, please?
Unknown Speaker 11:52
Well, I'm originally from a place called Tinder Louisiana. That's end ale. And it's about 12 miles west up to Luma, Louisiana. That's where I was born. And I was lived there until I was about all four years old. And then my dad decided we would come to Henderson, Nevada, which was no place to come to. And then we moved to Los Angeles. And I went to first second third grade in Los Angeles. And when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, they took our living area in Los Angeles and my dad shipped us back to Louisiana. So I lived there until I moved to Las Vegas on a permanent basis. Wow,
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you got a rich history in terms of where you have lived. I didn't. I didn't know any of that. And I trust that there's many in our listening audience that didn't know it as well. So
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in Vegas 65 years on a permanent basis, right?
Unknown Speaker 13:02
Absolutely. I don't know if you remember run when men met Antonio Rahmatullah. He was a he was a principal, but I asked him because I had him on on an earlier show. And he said, Oh, yeah, I remember Miss Virginia Bruce's. She was she was a great trustee. She Oh, he gave you nothing. But
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God is liberal. All right. Absolutely.
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Absolutely. So what did you do in terms of your work career?
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Well, I started out as a secretary with EG and G years and years ago, because I had fashio shorthand speed and typing speed. And then I eventually when Michael Callahan was Governor Rick Sullenberger, and I started the Consumer Affairs Division for the state of Nevada. And I worked for the state of Nevada 28 and a half years and retired the 22nd of this month. I'll be retired from the state of Nevada 24 years, sucking
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off that public trough. I love it. Me and Ron was talking about it earlier. We Ron Ron has been retired. I think he told me never 12 years I told him, I'm in at now and loving them, raise them love loving them raises that we continue to get so can you
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to get yes, that reason. Thank God for that. I really do. Absolutely.
Unknown Speaker 14:40
Yeah, that was a state department of state organization. Consumer
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Affairs Division was at division that helps consumers with fraud, bait and switch tactics. You know, you see something in the newspaper and you Get to the store. And then they want to switch it. Right, right. Well, if it's not printed in the article, our agency would say, you must allow that person to get the item as publicized in the paper, or the automotive repair law was another law that was under the umbrella of the Consumer Affairs Division. And a lot of people, nothing would be wrong with the vehicle. But when they hiked it up on their whatever you call it, the horse and was scored oil on different things and tell you that there was something substantially wrong with your vehicle. So we had to have investigators like myself, go out with cameras and take pictures of them squirting oil and all of that stuff. You know what I mean? Oh, yeah.
Unknown Speaker 15:55
That is very interesting. I had no idea. That is that is a great, I assume that department
Unknown Speaker 16:04
enjoyed working for Consumer Affairs Division. And then I went to the securities division, where I inspected the books and records of broker dealers, and investment advisors, credit unions and banks. Wow. I mean, that's where I retired from as an investigator of securities fraud. I had
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no idea you did this kind of, you know, I'm serious. I had no idea what you did for. That's very, very important.
Unknown Speaker 16:39
And God blessed me to retire. I enjoyed my work in both agencies that worked for under the direction of four governors. O Callaghan, Governor Brian to Governor list. I think five mill. Governor mill I think he was Governor and Governor Kenny when? Wow. Yeah. I enjoyed it.
Unknown Speaker 17:14
Absolutely. Well, I had no idea, the level of work that you did that was really helpful to all people in our community. I
Unknown Speaker 17:22
praise and thank God for that. I really do. God has blessed me and then blessed me to blessed me to retire. And hold on just a second. Sure. Absolutely.
Unknown Speaker 17:35
We have Virginia Valentine, Virginia. Virginia Brooks. Bruce. All right. Go ahead.
Unknown Speaker 17:43
No, I'm just saying I enjoy my work. You know, a lot of people go to work and they don't enjoy going to work. Absolutely. Very true. But I enjoyed what I was doing. And I wanted to help as many consumers on a daily basis as I possibly could. Sounds
Unknown Speaker 18:00
like you did a great job. And I would imagine that that department still exists within the state because there's a lot of fraud that goes on and people
Unknown Speaker 18:08
Oh, my goodness, yes, securities division is still operable. I don't know about the Consumer Fraud Division. But Rick Swanberg and I started that agency under Governor Callahan. Wow,
Unknown Speaker 18:21
great work. So give me your thoughts. If we could swing into your thoughts about the current black community and what's going on, whether it's political or just in general, what's your what's your particular thoughts if you would share?
Unknown Speaker 18:38
Well, the only thing I can tell you, Dave, is that I really think a lot of people in the black community. We're trying to work to get people to register and and vote. We're doing a lot of even though it's hot, even before we started getting the three digits, right. I think we were doing a lot of neighborhood canvassing trying to get people not just to say you're registered, can we count on your vote, right, because it's not enough to be a registered voter, and you don't go to the polls and vote. That's right. And so that's what I think the black community is trying to impress upon our community. And to me, that's that's quite significant. And the thing about it is, we stress to them certain benefits that we've received from certain legislators, right? Because to me, that is the most important factor. What benefits are you deriving from those legislators? those that are in office or that you voted for. Absolutely. And to me, we need to ask those questions because those questions are substantial. If you have not done anything for our community, then why should we vote for you? And so, to me, I think what we're doing as we are canvassing the communities, we're asking those questions of the homeowners, the apartment dwellers. What have you received from this? You know, the city, the county and your state legislator? That's right. What have you received from those people? Do you know who they are? And we also give them a list of those people who are applicable in their in their district.
Unknown Speaker 20:50
Bruce, I've seen your laugh because I almost in my introduction to you to call you an activist. And you certainly aren't, but I'm thinking now she out there doing much now. But one thing we were having breakfast the other morning, you talked about what you've done for the homeless. And again, I hope God continues to bless you with good health because you're doing some phenomenal things that some young folks need to get up off their butts and do and another thing that I had mentioned about you, and I'll say this, she is a proud member of victory Baptist.
Unknown Speaker 21:22
Is there any other church I have been a member of victory and I mean an active member. I like to participate. I used to sing in the morning glorious choir. I'm a part of the Sunday school. I belong. Our seniors group. That's people that are 50 and older. We call our sales that k as in tight. Teenagers. We don't call ourselves seniors. We just call ourselves we're the teenagers. And we are very, very active in the community. We go to child Haven, we go to women's relief.
Unknown Speaker 22:13
Let me stop you please.
Unknown Speaker 22:15
Okay, let
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me tell you something. I'm telling you when we had breakfast, I'm I'm listening and looking at this woman's energy. Oh, yeah, young folks. Y'all can y'all hear? No, I can't cuss on the radio wash our talk about fuck. You bet not cuz I can't cuss but I tell you what, here this woman he is doing.
Unknown Speaker 22:40
He has a youth group we go to I'm not a part of that ministry. But they go the first Friday evening of the month on Fremont Street and witness. All right, this is this is a go each Friday evening, the first five days and witness to the people and pray for them and pass out tracts. And so that's what we are about. We are bridge builders, for broken lives. That's what we are. And that's what we're we're trying to represent this
Unknown Speaker 23:20
excellent. And press for rest. Brian, he's he he leaves for UNLV the veterans program to help veterans get into school, etc. He says he's been under some medical issues. So we praying for you for the rest. Yes,
Unknown Speaker 23:33
we are. And he has to really stand on the prayers of the righteous availeth much we believe it. I want to
Unknown Speaker 23:41
swing you to mention that you were a school board trustee. Sunday. I
Unknown Speaker 23:47
was elected by my constituents three times. Each term is for four years. And I served eight years, because my uncle got sick in Memphis and I wanted to go and take care of him. So I had to resign my third election. Oh, wow.
Unknown Speaker 24:09
You are doing and once again, I want to reiterate and emphasize the fact that young folks, yeah, you got no business talking about your tire. He just formed he is it? No, I was flattered.
Unknown Speaker 24:21
I turned 86 years old, and I am proud of each year. God has blessed me. And it's not because of nothing I've done is because of His grace and His mercy that I am up and doing well. I've had surgeries I've had cataract surgery, and I have 2020 vision. So nobody but God and I praise him. Thank you. Absolutely.
Unknown Speaker 24:50
Look. What you know one thing I've noticed about you over the years, you have a very, very high level of self esteem. Where did it come from? Because I want you to share that with our listening audience. Because sometimes I talked to people, I talked to two young black women the other day, they happen to come down to the Wellness Center dispensary. And want to talk about running out in the street as a young lady, don't you do that? God, God has a place for you. But you can't give up. And the other one said, I can't find a job. I say, don't give up. Keep working. Go volunteer.
Unknown Speaker 25:23
But one of the things I just want to share with parents, because what parents, a lot of parents tend to do is stress the negative issue of a child for instance, Johnny is good in, let's say, sports. But he doesn't do well in English. Nice thing is, why don't you put your focus on what he's good in and tell him? There is a need for you to learn English, just like your brother, Jimmy. But don't compare the two. Now what my mom did. Dave and I was old before I knew that she had lied, okay. My mom was braiding our hair. And my mom had 11 children. My, my mom would each girl that she would braid the hair, she would say, oh my goodness, you have the prettiest there is no body as pretty as you and then she would braid my sister's hair. And she told my sister the same thing. So if if you came along in my community, and you said Virginia, you ugly, that really didn't have an effect on me. Because Willie Brooks told me
Unknown Speaker 26:53
so the self esteem started young through your mom. My mom has
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said a greater impact on my being than what you say it. Absolutely what you said was irrelevant. And my my mom told my brothers and some ups you know, I've seen a lot of pretty women. Their attitudes are funky. Right? And my mom would not allow that. Our home. We had to bless God. We had to get up and say good morning. How are you feeling? Yeah, children getting up now eating our food and they don't even thank God first of all, they haven't said good morning mama.
Unknown Speaker 27:35
Virginia let me say this because we got out of time and what's already the one minute sign I'm gonna get you back on the show because your energy is so good. And I think people need to hear it and we love you keep doing what you're doing. And I can't wait to get my eyes on your gear because up like this for me. It was good to see
Unknown Speaker 27:57
you and Marcy I love you guys. And I'm glad you remember the best church here in the west area.
Unknown Speaker 28:04
Alright, this is business affairs plus festers affairs plus on any 1.5 Jazz and more and we had Miss Virginia Brooks Brewster who was a community icon do a great way and we love.
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All the smoke in the air
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all the way
Transcribed by https://otter.ai