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Ask A Kansan is a podcast where we're amplifying, connecting and uncovering stories across Kansas.
Every week, Gus and Sydney sit down with the people who actually make this state run — museum directors and ranchers, founders and historians, zookeepers and woodcarvers. From Kansas City to Kinsley, WaKeeney to Wichita, we go where the story is.
You'll leave each episode knowing something you didn't about the state we call home. It's not a history lecture and it's not a business show. It's a real conversation with a Kansan worth knowing.
New episodes weekly. askakansan.com
Ep75
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TikTok Donut Shop Find
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[00:00:00]
Sydney Collins: So I've been, uh, getting a lot of local stuff on my for you page. Uh-huh. Um, on the Book of Fa- or not the Book of Faces, on the TikTok.
I've need to just get off-
Gus Applequist: The Tok of Tiks.
Sydney Collins: I just need to get off social media. But this is a donut shop that, um, I came across, and they are, um, in Winfield. Um-
Gus Applequist: Okay.
Sydney Collins: and I don't know what contraption he's using, but I love it, and we're just gonna listen to him talk. It's real funny.
Gus Applequist: Okay.
Media: It's Ike down at the donut shop, going on. I'm in Winfield. It's not down at the donut shop, I'm up at the donut shop I guess, but.
Somebody asked the other day do I ever go to Winfield anymore. I'm in Winfield all the time. It's not always when you'd expect it. I can't be here all the time and be in Ark City. It's Ark City, but I'm in Winfield today, guys. People keep asking where's my shops at. They're about 12 miles apart. Today we're in Winfield.
Ark City, why do we call it Ark City? Well, it's, [00:01:00] well, Arkansas City. We live in Kansas.
Gus Applequist: So-
Media: So when you guys are in Arkansas-
Gus Applequist: ... there, there's so much to break down here.
Kansas Accents And Ike
---
Sydney Collins: There's so much happening.
Gus Applequist: We've been watching the fourth season of Ted Lasso.
Sydney Collins: Oh, yeah
Gus Applequist: And, uh, I was reminded of, uh, first of all, how kind of thick Ted's accent is. Um, and then we were sort of having this debate, well, like, do Kansans have an accent? Yes. That one, that guy does. Yes, they do. And, and he- They do.
So but, um-
So he has two donut shops, dude ...
Sydney Collins: he has two donut shops, one in Ark City and one in, so it's Ike's Donut Shop. So check it out. I don't know what he's making- ... but it looks delicious, and it sounds like he knows what he's doing.
Gus Applequist: Oh, yeah
Sydney Collins: So.
Gus Applequist: Oh, yeah. We may need to, uh, have some samples on at some point.
So,
Sydney Collins: So if Ike-
Gus Applequist: Just to make sure it's of good quality.
Sydney Collins: ... you're
out there, I wouldn't mind a delivery.
I'm in donut shape.
Gus Applequist: Love it.
[00:02:00]
Guest Intro
---
Gus Applequist: Welcome to Ask a Kansan
Sydney Collins: podcast, where we're amplifying, connecting, and uncovering stories across Kansas.
Gus Applequist: And today we have, uh, a friend of the pod. his name is Rafael Mendez, and Rafael has quite a story, quite a journey he's been on. And we, we sort of get, uh, into many of the details in the thick of it- through, through this interview.
Sydney Collins: We probably could have talked to Raf for probably three hours easily- about just life- in general.
Gus Applequist: Not only does he have a great story to tell, he's very passionate about- Kansas and, and making this place better and connecting with people. So, um, one, one thing I wanted to sort of, uh, illuminate for you is, uh, Rafael mentions Brad and Jane quite a few times- in this interview. Brad and Jane, [00:03:00] that's Brad and Jane Anderson. Brad is, uh, they're a married couple here in town. They are Rafael's, uh, uh- In-laws ... in-laws. And, uh, Brad runs Arts and Humanities, which, uh, is the, the organization of our city government that puts on the River Festival here in Salina- that, that w- Brad has been a guest on the podcast, and we, uh, we made a film about Brad and, and the River Festival called Four Days in June.
And then Jane is in charge of Friends of the River Foundation here in Salina. So this family's, like, super involved in Salina- So ... and in Kansas. Uh, so I just wanted to give you that context of who these people were.
Sydney Collins: And you can do more background information on Brad and Jane by going to their respective websites and learn more about their programs.
And then it'll really kind of help you understand Raf, um-
Gus Applequist: Yes
Sydney Collins: ... when he talks about kind of community and their involvement and things like that.
Totally agree. So without any further ado, here is Rafael Mendez.
Meet Rafael Mendez
---
Sydney Collins: Morning, morning
Hey, hey
Gus Applequist: How's it going?
Rafael Mendez: Pretty good.
Gus Applequist: Good to see you. Hey, man. How are you doing?
Sydney Collins: How's it going? Good.
Rafael Mendez: Good. How are you guys?
Gus Applequist: Doing [00:04:00] well.
Sydney Collins: Living the dream.
Rafael Mendez: All right.
Gus Applequist: Doing well. I've been looking forward to this.
Rafael Mendez: Well-
I
don't know.
Sydney Collins: I feel underdressed. I should have snazzied up a little bit.
Gus Applequist: Didn't you get the, uh, memo that today's a button-up day?
Sydney Collins: I didn't. I, um, the checker in the dressing room. So-
Rafael Mendez: Although, I do like your socks ...
Sydney Collins: I got my trophy wife socks on today.
Gus Applequist: I am so boring compared to y'all.
Sydney Collins: I do have my trophy wife socks on today.
Gus Applequist: Oh, goodness. Goodness.
Rafael Mendez: It's the only place I can put personality without too much judgment.
Until I'm sitting in a meeting and somebody behind me is like, "Are, are those rainbow unicorn socks?" "Well, yes. Yes, they are."
Yes, they are.
Gus Applequist: I think that's a great place to start.
From Miami To Kansas
---
Gus Applequist: Um, could you please introduce yourself for our audience?
Rafael Mendez: Rafael Mendez. from Miami, Florida. I've lived in Kansas this time six years. Before I was at Wesleyan for four and then Washburn Law for another three before taking the corporate America trip around the country. So-
Work at Blue Beacon here locally is what brought me back six years [00:05:00] ago, when I had an opportunity to join the company as an executive, and been raising hell ever since.
Gus Applequist: Well, I like to say... Okay, this is the first time I've ever said this, to be honest. But, but I think it's kinda true. It's like there's two kinds of people in Kansas. There's people who, who know Rafael Mendez- Oh, I'm those ... and people who are about to meet Rafael Mendez.
Sydney Collins: That is gonna be a new saying.
Rafael Mendez: I had to sign a contract from Tanner saying- "Hey, be please PG in our audience."
Gus Applequist: You- your ability to connect with people has taken you all over the place and, and done some really incredible things and, and here in Salina and for the state. And so I'm excited to talk with you-
Rafael Mendez: Of course
Gus Applequist: about some of that, that work that you've done. But I think in order to understand you, I think we need to hear a little bit about where you're from and, and what life brought you here to Kansas in the first place.
Rafael Mendez: Sure.
You know, I always... I learned throughout the years, like, I can't just fully open the door [00:06:00] to the diva that Rafael is. Uh, because it's, it's overwhelming, and it's also very contradictory, right? One moment I can be very serious and corporate, and in the next I can be as immature as a 13-year-old boy who's discovering things for the first time, but when I tell my story, and I travel around the state telling my story quite often, and I share it for a variety of reasons.
One, I feel like it's a way to pay forward- and pay back all the support I've received in life. And two, it's also explaining a little bit about the quirks that I have or how I can jump from one moment to the other without people thinking that I have a serious mental disease.
Cuba Roots And Miami
---
Rafael Mendez: So, my family comes from Cuba. Um, many, uh, ways that they got to the States, but most of my family came in the 1980s, something called Mariel. And in Mariel was when Fidel Castro got fed up and sent hundreds of thousands of Cubans to the United States. They settled [00:07:00] all over the country, but mainly Miami, Florida. And if anybody's been to Miami, Florida, they know that it's more of a different country than it is- part of the United States. And I always laugh when somebody says, "Oh, I've been to Pensacola, or I've been to Sarasota." "I've been up to Daytona." You know, like, that- those are great places. Miami's just a little bit different. Um- But growing up in the 1980s, something that was very relevant, very true, very normal for that era was the drug trade. And my parents got really heavy into the drug trade, got really heavy into living life outside of the legal lines. And for me, growing up, what was normal for me was not normal for some folks. The example I like to give, especially when I'm out talking to folks, is I, I'll ask, like, "Hey, what was your first memory when you were five?" Right? And most people say, "Ah, playing with my sibling, pulling their hair." You know, and, and it's not about better or worse, just different. And so I always like to tell people that my first memory at the age of [00:08:00] five was taking a medicine bottle, a pen, a rubber band, and aluminum foil, uh, and turning that into a crack pipe. That by the time I was five, I understood the value of cocaine, how to cook it with baking soda, how to turn that into crack, how to cut it, to weigh it, what the value was on the street. And many times, you know, my parents in that lifestyle that they led really relied on me in a variety of ways that were very different.
So some folks are like, "How is that different?" And so I'll use another example where I'll say, "You know, I remember at the age of eight, where we would regularly attend rooster fights." And I get it. For my pet-loving people out there, I understand now. But at the time, that was normal. And my dad would live life to the fullest, enjoy his life.
We would spend a lot of time at these rooster fights. And at the age of eight, I learned how to drive a stick shift 1980 blue Pinto. And I would [00:09:00] jump in the driver's seat while my dad was on the roof of the car in his hat, singing whatever song in Spanish he could sing, and I would drive him from the rooster fight all the way through the streets of Miami, through interstates, and all the way back home.
And that was normal. That was just another Tuesday. That was just another Wednesday And so through that, you know, my parents, loved us in their own way, but decided to continue to make different decisions in life. And when you're a kid, you don't have control over those decisions. You don't know any different.
That's just your normal way to be.
Foster Care And Arrest
---
Rafael Mendez: So at a time where my parents started to separate, my mom got, uh, unfortunately hooked on drugs pretty bad, and so we were bouncing from motel to motel. We had all our belongings packed in a 24-foot U-Haul truck that I believe was eventually sold for, like, a $10 rock. And so to this day, I don't even have baby pictures of myself or of my siblings.
There are a few out there from other [00:10:00] people. But through that process, my mom ended up going to prison. My dad ended up going to prison, both, um, for separate things. My mom sentenced to about five years. My dad sentenced to about 10, and my brothers and I went to foster care. And I wish I could tell you it was an awesome experience, and we met lovely people and, as hard as life could be, we found a support system, and the truth is it wasn't that. What we ended up meeting were a lot of folks who were using the system in a financial gain, uh, who were abusing the folks that they were responsible for. And even in moments where we met decent people, I was not an easy kid. So as you can imagine, kid who walks in through the door at 10, who's experienced a whole different life, who you're trying to get into the sandbox of some sort of normal, reasonable behavior, uh, I rebelled. And by [00:11:00] that time, I already knew too much about the streets and so started doing my thing, following the family legacy. And before long, I found myself in a place where I got arrested. And a lot of folks like to ask, "What'd you get arrested for?" And I'll share it. I got arrested for aggravated battery with bodily harm on a deadly weapon on a LEO, which is a law enforcement officer. So that really woke me up because they charged me as an adult. And as I was I'll never forget it, being in the jail cell and- You're meeting people. You know, if you've ever toured a jail, it's not inviting like this space. So the lighting's perfect- ... nice comfortable chairs, great company. You know who your roommate's gonna be. And when you're in a jail cell, you know, waking up at 2 o'clock in the morning 'cause the toilet's right by your head, and there's a grown man there half-naked using the [00:12:00] toilet, you know, it really puts things into perspective as to what you want in life. But that wasn't what I found odd. It was odd, but there were other things that were odd.
And the main thing, as I was talking to folks, is the false sense of pride when folks would talk about, "This is my third time in," "This is my second time in," "This is my sixth time in." Or, "I just did a two-year stretch," "I just did a one-year stretch." And I remember thinking, "Man, I want more to life than this.
There's no way that this is gonna be my life." My parents were already in jail. Um, my mom had been fighting like hell to get us back when she got out of jail, um, from foster care, which she did. And I want something more." And I don't know about you guys, have you ever wanted something but not sure how to get it?
You know, maybe it's your first crush, "I like this girl," "I like this boy," or whatever that is, and you're like, "I just don't know how to bridge that gap." [00:13:00] Or, "I wanna do this in life, but I'm not sure... I see the end result, and that's what I want, but I'm not sure what journey people took to get there." And that was me.
I wanted better, but not sure what that meant.
College As A Lifeline
---
Rafael Mendez: Until a lady walked into to the jail to visit me, and it was from a friend, and it was her mom. And she heard my story, a lot more than I've shared here, um, just for time's sake. But she thought- You've had a rough hand dealt to you. Can't change that, but how do we respond to it? And so she decided to jump in and partner with my public defender at the moment and help my case. And through her help, we applied to, like, 80 colleges.
Sydney Collins: Wow. Wow.
Rafael Mendez: Uh, and When you're in need of resources, there are resources available sometimes to folks [00:14:00] in the college space, and it may have changed, but you could apply for waivers. There is a limit to how many waivers you can have for application fees. And for some of us, even now for me, you know, a $50 application fee, a $100 application fee, it's not gonna break the bank. But at that moment when a $50 application fee was half the budget for your food for the month, you know, things start to really add up.
And luckily, this lady out of her own pocket created a highlight tape for my football, um, you know, from high school wrestling, and she applied to, um, paid for a lot of the application fees to go to college. Like, to apply. And I'll never forget the lecture she gave me, 'cause she said, "Hey, we're not playing this game about you don't wanna go here, you don't wanna go there.
This person's not offering you money." She simply put it this way. She said, "Do you wanna stay in jail, or do you wanna change your life? If you wanna change your life, you're gonna go wherever the hell they send you." I didn't know I was gonna be [00:15:00] Salina, Kansas.
First Days In Salina
---
Rafael Mendez: And so Kansas Wesleyan was the first school that called.
Literally, the first school that called. And then they were interested in my football capabilities, and so they offered a scholarship. I'd never visited Salina. I had never heard of Salina. didn't know what to think about Salina. And I'll never forget talking to the recruiter online, on, on the phone and asking if there was public transportation. And she laughed- in my face via the phone.
Sydney Collins: Oh.
Rafael Mendez: And I thought, "Well, how do people get around?" She said, "Well, you either ask for a ride or you walk." And I thought, "Okay, that's different." And I asked about different grocery chains, anything like that, and it was all different. So my brother and my dad at the time, who had been released out of, out of prison and has been working hard to get right, we traveled to Salina, Kansas. And I remember thinking, "Oh [00:16:00] my God. Please let this be the high school." As we entered the town and the college because it felt small, and it felt different. And then the second thought I had was, "I've never seen so many white people- in my life." And I get it. You know, we're talking, it's not like I'm drastically different than you, but my ethnicity- and where I grew up, you know, English was like the third or fourth language. So to be in a place that was predominantly English, where I wasn't meeting people that were coming from similar backgrounds, it just felt completely different. I thought I made a mistake.
You know, my brother was the one that had to remind me, like, "Dude, you were in a jail cell with a grown ass man." you know, using the toilet in your face, uh, what mistake are you talking about?
And so that was that initial reaction to Salina, Kansas, and the best decision I ever made in my life, because I got to meet some really awesome people.
[00:17:00] That's a little bit about my story. I do find it necessary, you know, to dis- to discuss, both my mom and dad. Throughout this whole time where they were making these decisions and living this lifestyle, we never felt unloved. And from the moment that they got out of prison, I like to highlight that they are the very few cases of rehabilitation.
Both have been outstanding members of the community. Both have kept jobs and have supported themselves and have supported my brothers and sisters. They have made something out of their lives. If you meet them now and talk to them, you would never guess of this crazy, dark past that we all have had. And it goes to show, you know, who they are as people and what they've done since those moments. And so for me, that's part of the legacy that we're [00:18:00] trying to build as we move forward.
Grace And Giving Back
---
Rafael Mendez: Um, so I'm
Gus Applequist: I just wanna acknowledge, like, the dissonance between, you know, like, when you're sitting in that jail cell, and the knowledge that you're sitting here today with us, an executive at a company, you know, that, that there is a, there's a gulf between those things.
And that, uh- You know, a- as, as much as, uh, we know have issues in the country, like, you're in the embodiment of the American dream. You know, that, that somebody that can come from, you know, pretty awful circumstances- can make something really remarkable of themselves. So that's a beautiful thing, and I just wanna acknowledge that.
Rafael Mendez: Well, thank you. It wasn't, uh, done alone. If you've met my wife, and you have, Renee, she always tells people, you know, "You're welcome." You're welcome for who he is today, and she's not wrong. You know, uh, when you come from an immigrant family, the American dream is talked about a lot: education, work, you know, that kind of [00:19:00] commitment.
Although you're living a completely different lifestyle, that still is the message that's beaten into your head. And for me, I was very fortunate, man. I, you know, coming to Salina, Kansas was a huge shock. I mean- when people started telling me about mashed potatoes and chicken noodle soup together- I thought people were smoking crack. You know? I was like, "What are you talking about?" And it, I had to open myself up to a completely new way of doing things, culture, people. And I will say, you know, if it weren't for the people in my life, I wouldn't have achieved not even an eighth of the things that I've been able to experience or achieve. So I do feel like I am living the American dream, but only because of the people that have given me grace, have given me support. and I like to say this a lot of times when I'm talking to folks, sharing my story, or just in conversation about why I like to serve in the community. There are moments in my life, for [00:20:00] sure, where I didn't deserve grace.
Where I didn't deserve support. Where I didn't deserve the benefit of the doubt, either because I was still rough around the edges, trying to fight everybody, whether I was, being, you know, a jerk, whether I was still grappling with, am I this dude from the street, or am I this new person at, you know, the college campus, or am I a law student, or am I a lawyer? And there were moments, without a doubt, that it was easy for folks to just say, "This guy doesn't get it." And there were probably people who made that choice, and I don't blame them for that But there are a ton of people that decided there's something else here.
This person could be more and do more if we provide the right support. And people like Renee, my wife, who I met, and I like to tell people I found the coolest white girl on campus- with the highest credit [00:21:00] score and locked her down.
Sydney Collins: That credit score- Con-
yes ...
that credit score is-
Rafael Mendez: Yes ...
Sydney Collins: is
a
turning point.
Rafael Mendez: And li- listen, my credit score went up, hers went down immediately- ... the moment we started dating. Um, and, and, and there was consensus there. I got consent. But, but her parents, Brad and Jane, I mean, their love for community and the way that they serve, you know, from just an unselfish capacity, you know, really taught me the lesson that the only way to give back and the only way to pay forward what so many have given me was to serve. And whether it be sharing my story, you know, going to different colleges, different, you know, communities, taking what I've learned in my professional career, corporate career, and share that back to other audiences, whether it's paid or unpaid, doesn't matter. To me, it's about being available and accessible, and it's the only way I can give thanks.
So I know that's long-winded, but when you talked about the American dream, I do feel like I'm living it. I see my girls playing in the yard. I see my girls living the life [00:22:00] that they live. Even, even though I need prayer for surviving three teenage girls. I, uh, I, I do find myself in that American dream right now.
Wesleyan Changed Me
---
Gus Applequist: So can you kind of tell us, uh, I think we kind of maybe understand what Rafael was like coming into Salina, but can you describe how Wesleyan affected you- and then what you were like four years later?
Rafael Mendez: Yes. I can't even describe how rough around the edges... I, I guess I'll put it this way. You know, where I, where I came from, I...
This is gonna sound ridiculous and silly, and folks are gonna listen to this and be like, "That's stupid. What a moron." But it's the life we led. So if I were walking down the street, and you and I, Gus, were passing each other, uh, if we looked up at each other and, and ma- met eye contact, and if for whatever reason you looked away immediately, I felt like I was [00:23:00] asserting dominance over you.
Without a spoken word. I know. Syd is like- All right ... "What the- I get it ... what alpha male crap is this?" I get it, but it's okay. I get it. I get it. But, but that was, that's what would happen in a split second. If I did that, then I was accepting that you were asserting dominance over me.
If we met eyes, acknowledged each other, and both looked away, then it was a sign of respect. I see you. You see me. We keep it moving.
But if we met eyes, we walked by, and you looked a little bit too long, then I was in your face, and we were fighting. And so that's the roughness that I had, and I had to experience that at Wesleyan. You know, playing football, I can't tell you how many fights I've gotten into playing on the football field, ripping helmets off and swinging them, and I didn't care who it was. And that roughness is what I had to kinda smooth out, [00:24:00] and it took folks setting an expectation. That's a, that's not okay. And so Over time, what ended up happening were these events happened quite often, you know, these peaks and valleys, with people setting an expectation, then giving me the space to work through my challenges to meet that expectation.
Those peaks and valleys became less and less peaks and less valleys, and it became smoother over time. And an example I like to g- I'll give two examples 'cause these are ridiculous. Uh, the first example would be I was playing basketball. And, when you're on the court, people are talking trash, no problem. But there's a point, eyes meet- we are now have full-fledged disrespect. Well, there was somebody who had the same mentality that I had, and we end up fighting on the court. And Renee's there, a bunch of other people were there, [00:25:00] and they're like, "What the hell is going on?" Well, me and this guy are just fighting. And, you know, we're throwing punches, not really landing anything. You know, we've played a bunch of games of, of basketball. By that time, Renee just left. The game kept going, and us two are in the corner fighting each other. And then his phone rings. And I was tired, so I said, "Hey, man, just answer your phone." So he answers his phone call, you know, a- and I'm like, trying to catch my breath again. He's on the phone like, "I can't, can't talk right now," you know? And we get back to fighting. Y- you know, and it's just what we did. And then at some point we're like, "This is ridiculous." And we dap each other up, and we ended up, you know, staying in, in close proximity that year to say, "Hey, man, I get it.
I respect you. You respect me. We're moving on." So stuff like that had to happen.
And then it became less and less physical. And then I had to learn, okay, I feel like I've become less physical. Yay, point for Rafael. But I was still verbal, and I was still [00:26:00] very direct, and I was still very passionate, and I love conflict in the sense of I'm not afraid of it.
I run towards it. I'm the person in the movie who's like, "What's that over there? Let's go check it out." And then that person dies in the movie. That's me. The second thing that I will share is as I was coming to Wesleyan and trying to figure things out, you know, I wasn't, doing well in school, partly because I wasn't applying myself. And, Jane, who is my mother-in-law now, she sat me down in her office and gave me the biggest white lady lecture I'd ever received. I mean, she just talked to me directly. And she said, "Do you wanna go back to what you were doing? You have the moment to change your life, and you're not doing it, and you're smarter than that." And I mean, she really laid into me. But the way she laid into me was with love and care, but also tearing past my defense and putting it on me by saying, "You're wanting more. You say you want more, [00:27:00] but you're not doing more." And I'm happy to say that from that moment on in that lecture, my GPA never dropped below like a 3.5. So those are two examples, one really ridiculous in the fight and the phone call and, you know, the friendship from there. The second one, somebody who could have easily said, "This guy's not gonna be doing anything." And I'll tell you, that was probably a tempting decision because when Rafael shows up like, "Hey, I'm gonna start dating your daughter," I, I don't know what I would do in that, in that case.
But they chose to love me and love on me and hold me to a different standard. Um, and I appreciated that. So by the time I graduated, I had done things I had never expected to do.
I was the student body president. I was, um, had created several different, uh, clubs. We had gained more money for the student clubs than we ever have before.
I was doing different internships, externships. I [00:28:00] was writing proposals for different internships, which, believe it or not, ties to the job that I have now. and and so I was in this place where I was thinking differently, I was feeling different, and I was really excited about my professional career, which before Wesleyan, the professional career was, you know, uh, very much around the family legacy, right?
How do I start to do things outside the law? How do I get what I want, um, regardless of what boundaries I cross and regardless of what relationships I destroy? And, uh, my time at Wesleyan really was transformational.
Gus Applequist: I also went to Wesleyan and, and, and I'm, you know, broadly speaking, I think this is something that is, uh, undervalued- in people considering higher education today, of that it's not just about the textbooks and the letters behind your name. It's [00:29:00] about the transformation that education can bring in our lives. Um, and I experienced similar things. You know, I had different life, but, but different, you know, but also a similar amount of finding my path through that.
So anyone out there that's considering higher education-
you'd have at least my, uh, full-throated
support in-
in pursuing it.
Rafael Mendez: I second that motion. see, things like that I would never say before Wesleyan- ... and now I'm like Robert Rules expert, you know?
Background Checks And Law School
---
Rafael Mendez: Um, no, it was great, but here's- Here was the challenge, It's not all, you know, rainbows and unicorns.
I always like to say, you know, my faith through my wife Renee, um, has only grown stronger because she's done a fantastic job leading our family in this space. And I always like to say that, you know, if you choose to follow your faith, because you choose it one day doesn't mean that your life automatically gets better.
Gus Applequist: Totally fair.
Rafael Mendez: There are still [00:30:00] challenges- and the challenges you had of being broke or not having enough money are still there, uh, but you hopefully have plugged into something a little bit larger- that can steady your hand, you know, in a fundamental space. And I felt the same way coming out of Wesleyan, where it was like I've done all these things to try to change, but what happens when Rafael applies for a job is that they have to do a background check. And when they do a background check- this charge is gonna come up along with many others, and that's a pretty drastic charge. And it doesn't matter that I was 16, but I'm being charged as an adult. All people saw was the charge, and the charge then became the definition of who Rafael was. And for me, that was something that for years I've had to battle.
Every job I've ever applied for, I've had to ask this question. Can you imagine we're interviewing right now and you're like, " Man, I... You're a little weird, but I like you," right? "I like him. I think, I think we're gonna hire him." Yep. You know? And you're like, "Hey, here's this, you know, con- consent to a background check."
And I go, sure, absolutely, Gus, Sydney, absolutely. Uh, do you guys have an appeal process?" And you go, "Uh, excuse [00:31:00] me?" I'm like, something's gonna come up in my background, but do you have an appeal process?" And I had to learn that. And I had to face every job I had going into that. So leaving Wesleyan, as great as that experience was, all of a sudden- opened the door to a brand new set of challenges I hadn't thought about. And it's not like I could go ask my parents who have gone through this similar experience or even ask my in-laws, who I love dearly and have guided me a lot, about what this new challenge was gonna be. And that's when the decision really came about continuing higher education and I thought, "I've tried my hand on one side of the law, so why not then go on the other side of the law as a way to continue my education, continue my development, but also as the counterbalance to say, 'Yes, I did those things.
Yes, that time in my life absolutely defined who I was and is still part of the fabric [00:32:00] of who I am today. However, look at everything I've done since then.'"
And here are the reasons why I've done those things." And so, uh, set of new challenges after Wesleyan that I was not prepared for.
Or maybe thought there would be, uh, challenges there, but didn't know the full depth of the challenges until I started to kinda tackle them one by one.
Gus Applequist: And that led you to Washburn?
Rafael Mendez: That led me to Washburn. I'm a Ichabod. Weirdest mascot.
I, I just-
Gus Applequist: Ichabod Crane,
that's the-
Sydney Collins: Why?
Rafael Mendez: But, you know, I don't know.
But here's, here's an interesting story. I think it's interesting.
Bombing the LSAT
---
Rafael Mendez: So I took the LSAT and bombed it. And I don't know if you know the historical statistics of standardized testing with any minorities. It's tragic and low, and mainly because standardized testing, you know, is something, uh, that is, at least at the [00:33:00] time for the LSATs, was instituted as a way... A- and I'm not a historian. I am sure there are many other threads from this. But it was, uh, m- among many reasons, one way to limit the amount of minorities that would be accepted into law school. So before the Civil Rights, their l- LSAT was not required.
Sydney Collins: Really?
Rafael Mendez: I don't know what year they started requiring it. I'm sure that in any research that is done, there are gonna be a litany of reasons as to why the LSAT was a really good idea, just like most standardized testing. But if you look at standardized testing in general, in bulk, you know, there is a huge discrepancy between minority scores and, you know, everyone else. That doesn't mean there aren't people out there that on either side have an issue testing or score really high. And so I bombed. I thought law school was gonna be out.
CLEO Summer Law Prep
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Rafael Mendez: And, uh, the lady who, uh, was the director of recruiting there [00:34:00] at Washburn said, "We really like you. We really like your story, and I'm gonna introduce you to a program called, uh, CLEO, Council on Le- Legal Education Opportunity.
It's a Thurgood Marshall program." She said, "We think you'd be a great fit for this program." And I was like, "Will it get me into school? Then yes, let's do it." And what this program is, because of the historical nature of standardized testing, LSAT in particular, this program accepts, I can't remember the number of people, but at least at the time I took it, there are two groups that go to two different places in the country.
Law schools host them, so each, each year is different. And it's a group of 60 to 100 students And they go for an entire summer and do a semester of law school.
Sydney Collins: Oh, wow.
Rafael Mendez: And the idea behind this program was how do we take these students who may not have tested well, and there could be students who tested well, but how do we take these students and [00:35:00] showcase that the test isn't the only measure of success? So they take these groups, you go through, I mean, you're waking up and you're doing all of the classes that you would do. You know, uh, constitutional law, torts, you're doing contract law, all the kinda general eds of law, and you're doing it. There's a professor there from that law school that's teaching it.
You're taking tests. You're learning how to write. And then at the end, you kinda pass or fail, and then they rank you. And I was fortunate enough to get ranked fairly high in that class.
Choosing Washburn
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Rafael Mendez: And I'll, I'll never forget meeting the director of recruitment from Iowa, and Iowa's a top 10 law school. And I was like, "This is pretty awesome."
You know? This was different from getting to Kansas Wesleyan where I was like, "Anybody will do," right? 'Cause I'm trying to get out of jail, to, "Oh my God, top 10 law schools interested in me?" And I remember sitting there, and I remember, man, we had a great conversation, great connection. I was excited about, you know, Iowa, but I kept coming back to, I [00:36:00] wouldn't have known about this program, I wouldn't have had the support for this program had it not been for Washburn.
And Kansas has meant so much to me in my early years in undergrad, and I wanted to pay that loyalty back by choosing those who chose me. So I respectfully declined, uh, my place at Iowa, and I went to Washburn. And then I was introduced to a whole different world- uh, in grad school, so.
Gus Applequist: I, I wish [00:37:00] we could continue going through your story in such detail-
Rafael Mendez: No, you're good.
You're good
Gus Applequist: ... but we need to sort of speed up now.
Rafael Mendez: No, Speed it up.
Gus Applequist: Can, can you tell us... Can you give us the highlights? You, you come out of that with a JD, I assume.
Rafael Mendez: Yes.
Gus Applequist: And, and then, where do you go, and what leads you back here to Kansas again?
Miami Career Detour
---
Rafael Mendez: So quick thing, uh, you know, graduated law school in '09.
Uh, big financial crisis in '08, '09. Renee and I didn't have kids. We were in Topeka, and we're like, "You know what we're gonna do? We're gonna move down to Miami because that sounds amazing, and I'm losing my tan, and- ... we're young. We can do this." Well, it was a bad time to move down there. And so through real struggles, people didn't wanna hire me-
for a variety of reasons. One, my background, and two, they were like, "If I hire you, you're just gonna leave when you find a better job." And so I had to take my, my law school, uh, and my law degree off my, my resume. Through that, though, there was, uh... Renee had an uncle who was in the grocery industry. And [00:38:00] through a series of conversations and about a year of, of working with him, we got an opportunity to enter that, and that's the consumer packaged goods industry. So everything that you buy at the grocery store today, there's a team out there that is selling those items to the corporate level. So Dillons here has a regional office, and then Kroger, who is the parent company of Dillons, is out of Cincinnati. So think of your favorite ice cream brand, so on and so forth. So I did that. We moved to Denver. We did, you know, a few more moves as we went through the, the grocery industry. Was very fortunate for some awesome mentors, some great advice, some really hard challenges that we overcame that just continued to build the success.
I was on a rocket ship.
Back to Salina
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Rafael Mendez: And about six years ago, or let's say seven years ago, Renee and I were talking to each other, praying, "God, where do you want us? We, we know that if we keep following this corporate America thing, we're gonna be bouncing around three or four more times." And we looked like we were headed to, to Portland, 'cause at the time I [00:39:00] was working for a company by the name of Tillamook.
Uh-
Sydney Collins: Oh. Yes.
you should definitely...
you quit the cheese industry?
Rafael Mendez: I, cheese and ice cream. Cheese and ice cream. just- Good cheese. Oh, man, it-
Sydney Collins: I, I've been to the factory.
Rafael Mendez: The creamery. It's legit. It is legit. best cheese curds you'll ever have. It's, uh, it was great, and I loved it, and they were fantastic.
And we were looking like we were gonna be moving to Portland. And, you know, like anything else, you ask for some guidance, whether it be through your faith or through a mentor or through a friend, and we got a knock on the door. And opened the door, and, you know, we felt like God was saying, "Hey, you have this opportunity in Salina to work for Blue Beacon."
And I'm like, I almost wanted to close the door, like, "That's not what we're asking for" because- I'd never thought we'd move back to Salina. It wasn't... I loved Salina with everything I have, but it wasn't something early on that I thought I wanted to live in. I missed the bigger city, I wanted different options, I wanted more diversity, so on and so forth. And the more that I thought about it, talked about it with Renee, prayed about it, [00:40:00] and then had the conversation with Blue Beacon, it just felt like a homecoming. Felt like, what an opportunity to come back home. Miami, Florida, I love it, and that'll always be where I was born and raised, but the truth of the matter is Salina had become my home more than any other place I've lived in. And so Renee and I really got excited about what could we be if we focused our efforts in one place, in one community- For as long as we can. And so we got really excited, and that's what brought us six years ago.
Gus Applequist: So I'm sure there's, uh, much more, uh, perspective that I don't have-
Rafael Mendez: Sure ...
Gus Applequist: to your journey here- in Salina. But I think one of the reasons you're here is to talk about Leadership Kansas. Yes. But before you get to that, can you talk a little bit about Leadership Salina?
Rafael Mendez: Yes.
Gus Applequist: And how it...
Just describe-
this journey.
Leadership Salina Network
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Rafael Mendez: So through my [00:41:00] professional journey, you, you build networks, right? I mean, you're building networks every single day.
Uh, somebody at work once said, "You know, you're, you're always being interviewed. You just don't know by who." And, and I loved it. I was like, "That makes total sense." People are always observing you and, and making their own determinations from that. Well, when I came back to Salina, I had a good personal network because Brad and Jane were my in-laws.
You know, Katie, my sister-in-law, was living here. There were other folks that I had met through my service on the Kansas Wesleyan, you know, Board of Trustees. But my professional network was zero.
And somebody had recommended Leadership Salina, and I thought, "Okay, what's this about?" It's a leadership program, and you meet with a cohort of about 30, 30, people from around the community, and you learn more about the community, and you go through the program. You know, and when you... Further in your career, you realize that there are hundreds of books on leadership. There are hundreds of self-help books, probably thousands. And there are so many ways [00:42:00] to move through life. And, and for me, as I'm speaking and I get, you know, kind of hired on to, to give talks and discuss different topics, I feel like I've- put together my own school of thought. And so there was a part of me that said, "Well, if I'm gonna do this, I'm not gonna ignore what I believe in, but I'm also not gonna be nitpicky and be the person that sits there and goes, 'Well, I have my own thing.'" I said, "I'm just gonna embrace it fully."
It is what it is. And they do their studies through the Kansas Leadership Center out of Wichita. And so the, the class was great because immediately it introduced me to 30 other professionals. Immediately it got me to experience different businesses around Salina through, like, kinda like the back end, back room tours. And then the, the third thing is that it got me connected. Uh, and so... And it got me connected in a way that I was seeking and I hadn't built, 'cause for 20 years plus I had been building a network all across the country in this specific industry, and when I came to Salina I had zero.
So [00:43:00] Leadership Salina, my class of 2021, uh, I like to think that we are the GOAT, greatest of all time. And every class that comes in says, "We're the greatest. We're the greatest." But the proof is in the pudding, and our class, I think, was a combination of a number of people who had moved back to Salina- uh, who were coming out of COVID in '21- so starving for that type of connection. And it was just the right mixture of variables that have allowed us to stay connected six years, five years later. We're having coffees every month. We're supporting each other's businesses. When they open a toy- toy store, you know, downtown, when Renee announces that she's gonna be the lieutenant governor and she's running with Ethid-
which unfortunately didn't pan out in that sense, but we have so many people, you know, uh, that are just leading different projects, that are part of different [00:44:00] initiatives from the class of '21, and we've still been intentional about staying connected. And so that experience was so great 'cause it built a local network in Salina, but it also then led to Leadership Kansas.
Because if you have the local network, well, there's a lot of Kansas that I- I still don't know and didn't, didn't understand. And so Leadership Kansas then came after in, in '22.
Gus Applequist: And, it seems like you liked that as well.
Rafael Mendez: I did. I... There's a theme here. I like people, right? Um, and, and not in a creepy way, but- um, I do love, because of the connections people have made with me, right? And because of what it means in my life, I continue to, to seek that out.
Leadership Kansas Tour
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Rafael Mendez: And somebody had nominated me for Leadership Kansas. And, you know, it's a prestigious program. It looks for some of our top leaders across the- the state. And what it does, very much like Leader- Leadership Salina did, and that's let's bring this [00:45:00] cohort of very accomplished people, and we're gonna focus less on leadership training, right? We're not gonna come and teach you the 10 methods of leadership or the seven habits of highly effective people. Nice, nice little throwback- to the OG. But it's about how do we bring these very accomplished people and start to visit different places in Kansas to tell the story of Kansas, to tell the story of those communities, to discuss and be aware of the real challenges that are existing in communities in, like Garden City, for example, that Salina doesn't ever have to face, or challenges we have to face that Topeka and Lawrence and, you know, Kansas City, Kansas may never have to face.
But as a state, they matter. And so I was really intrigued, and through that process, I learned a lot about Kansas. I learned a lot about the people who make things happen. And just, uh, every city we went to, I would leave that city and call Renee and be like, "We're moving to Garden [00:46:00] City." And she's like, "What the hell are you talking about, baby?"
I was like, "They got cows there and beef." "I just visited the plant. I'm ready." You know, Pittsburgh, Kansas, I was like, "Oh my God, this thing... They have this thing called Big Brutus. This thing's massive. We're moving." "We're moving to Pittsburgh." Every community I went to, I just was excited about what was happening there- and how people were meeting challenges, and real challenges. You know, the same challenges we have also in housing, childcare, workforce, you know? But then you think about Hays and, you know, the issues and challenges they have with water versus Garden City versus Salina, so it was a phenomenal experience.
And that built my network around Kansas immediately.
Immediately. So I was thankful for that.
Gus Applequist: Go ahead.
I have been-
Sydney Collins: I want you to kinda go into just a little bit of like, you're not just going for a day.
Rafael Mendez: No.
Sydney Collins: Can you kinda elaborate a little bit on that?
Rafael Mendez: So, you know, it's currently right now it's eight sessions.
It was seven sessions when I went [00:47:00] through it, and each of those sessions essentially would be two and a half- three to two and a half days in those communities. And each community puts on their agenda. You know, they have a, a local chair, as they're called, and that local chair works with the Kansas Chamber, 'cause this is a program through the Kansas Chamber. And what they try to highlight would be maybe there's a theme for the year. Maybe it's, "Hey, we wanna focus on workforce. We wanna focus on childcare, housing." But then there are unique things to certain communities. So I, I mentioned Hays and I mentioned Garden City. Well, Garden City has access to water through underground, right?
Through the aquifer. And whereas Hays doesn't have any surface water or water that they can tap into, and so they put into practice many things that California does to conserve water- to give rebates for folks who buy- you know, any kind of, household item that, that is, you know, water-friendly. And so you're spending this time where you're meeting local [00:48:00] community leaders. You're seeing behind the scenes in certain factories, manufacturers, agriculture, understanding what's building the fabric of that community and how they're trying to meet the challenges that they have. One of the most impactful experiences I had is when we went to Garden City. We went to a dairy farm. Now, working for Tillamook, pretty familiar with a dairy farm. And what was interesting to me in that space was that this dairy farm that we visited talked about, you know, their large, uh- part of their workforce, a large percentage of Latinos. And it was important for them to speak the language, so everyone in leadership spoke Spanish.
Gus Applequist: Wow.
Sydney Collins: Oh, wow.
Rafael Mendez: And part of the leadership also had, you know, someone who was of Latino and- Hispanic descent to be part of the leadership. So they weren't just talking about and checking a, you know, a box, and they weren't just doing the things for DEI. They were saying, [00:49:00] "Who are we? Majority of our workforce is here.
How do we represent them? How do we give them a seat at the table?" And it was impactful 'cause I thought, "That is how it should be done."
And I really enjoyed that experience and reached, reached out to them in my conversation with them just to tell them how much I really appreciated that representation and that intentionality. So three days in different communities. Um, I know I roped you guys into the first one ever in Salina.
So.
Sydney Collins: It was fun.
Gus Applequist: You have this habit of you discover a thing, you get involved in the thing, and then before you know it, you're leading the thing.
Rafael Mendez: Yes.
Gus Applequist: Um, and, and, I mean, obviously you've been a, a, a chair here for Salina- that you just referenced, but you've also helped lead, uh, Leadership Kansas as a whole. I guess with, with that sort of mindset- ... of, um, here's this organization that's dedicated to many of the same things this podcast is- of trying to connect, amplify, and uncover things that are happening across the state. How do [00:50:00] you see, you know, the future of that organization, sort of mirroring the future of our state? Like, what, what can we do, what is, uh, us as individuals in the state do to make this place better?
Rafael Mendez: When we talked about this last Leadership Kansas session about the film panel that you were-
Rafael Mendez: You know, you and your team were so gracious and generous in, in hosting.
Salina Session Proposal
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Rafael Mendez: You, you said something profound, and to me, what was profound, you mentioned how we have the chance to take a seat and have a say in the narrative of Kansas, and what that means. And I think about back to driving to Kansas and looking at Kansas Wesleyan thinking, "Oh, hell no." And what that stereotypical thinking was for me, and how much it changed my life. And so I took that, and I feel the same way. When you're taking leaders from all across the state, and [00:51:00] you're bringing them to these communities, what we're doing is we're sharing the stories that we don't get to hear every day.
But it's beyond sharing it. You get to experience it. And, uh, you know, I know we had mentioned Salina a few times, and I have to say it. Brad and Jane taught me, you know- Don't just talk about it, be about it. Right? And that's also a lesson you learn on the street, right? Don't, don't talk tough if you can't act tough or you can't back up that toughness.
But for Brad and Jane, they were very adamant in the way that they served. They said, "You know, if you see something that there's a need in the community, then you should be the first one, not just pointing the finger at it, but going to do something about it." And for me, when I went to Leadership Kansas, I was, I felt disrespected when one, Salina wasn't on the list. And then what I really felt disrespected about was that so many people past Manhattan looked at Salina as Western Kansas. And I was [00:52:00] disrespected not because, "Oh, how dare you call us Western Kan-", but it wasn't fair to Western Kansas either. So instead of just pointing the finger and raising my hand and say, "How dare you?"
I asked a question. I became curious. Have we ever had a, a session in Salina? No, we've never had a session in an official capacity in Salina. We've had people meet over the years in Salina. And after moving back here and realizing all the efforts that are going to, to get our community to grow and to grow in the right way, and the investments that are happening in downtown, and regardless of what the loud minority that's out there right now, there's so much good happening in this community.
And I thought, "How are we not sharing this with other leaders across Kansas?" So I raised my hand and I said, "I wanna have a session in Salina." And I did that also by providing a proposal. Here's what I would do if we had a session in Salina. Now, here's the problem that Rafael has, because we like to talk about Rafael in third person.
It tells you- ... my level of confidence. I didn't [00:53:00] talk to anybody. This is something I wanted to do.
Sydney Collins: Oh, you wrote this proposal without chatting with anybody?
Rafael Mendez: Yes.
Gus Applequist: Bravo.
Rafael Mendez: I, I, I am the-
Sydney Collins: Good job
Rafael Mendez: ... I am the king of cold calling. "Hey, how you doing? We haven't met before. Can I have some money?" It, it... And, and I'm making a joke of it, but the truth is I believed in it so much.
I believed in telling the story of Salina and the people that make Salina so much that I just, I, I was betting on the fact that people would support this in the way that they supported me in my entire experience in Salina. And so when they, K- Kansas Chamber said, "Bet." "All right, cool. They'll do it." And I'm like, "Uh, well, okay." "Yes, let's do it."
Sydney Collins: Sure.
Rafael Mendez: I had people to lean on. I had folks that I could call, Brad, and you know, and Blue Beacon. You know, God bless them for all the support that they've given me and the program. But we were able to put together, uh, a fantastic program that showcased- what Salina was about, the challenges that we're meeting, and every person that left thought, "Holy crap, I [00:54:00] had no idea." And I thought that's a success 'cause now they do, and now they become a voice and an advocate for the things that we're doing in the community. And I was so gracious to you, Gus, and to you, Sydney, and to Tanner, and to everybody here on this team at that time because I asked, I said, "Hey, would you be willing to tag along?" Make some footage- capture some, some feedback from the people, you know, that were house representatives at the state capital, CEOs of different companies, you know, in Wichita and, and everywhere else, and you guys put together an awesome highlight tape. And it was fantastic to hear the feedback of visitors that were coming into town who were experiencing all the awesome things of Salina, but also got to hear some of the challenges we're facing and how we're trying to solve for them.
So those three days- are important, and it's a lot.
Sydney Collins: It's a lot. Like- there's a lot packed in. Yes. Like, I don't think people understand, like how-
Gus Applequist: These people look so tired when Rafael's done with them.
Sydney Collins: They are. It's like, okay, breakfast at [00:55:00] 8:00, then we're going here, then you're getting on the bus.
You're gonna eat lunch here and also do a panel. Yep. And then you have the afternoon session, then you're gonna hop on another bus. You might get 50 minutes at the hotel just to freshen up and take a power nap. And then you're gonna go to dinner at this place, and then there's an after party here.
And then you're like, "Do these people sleep?"
Gus Applequist: I, I
can only imagine how eight of that over the course of a year- Oh, impacts a person. It's like once a month, and then- Um, and I, I can see how, you know, if, if, if you watch these different communities tell their story, you begin to understand the greater sense of what Kansas is- and what that story should be, and how we tell that story across the country.
Relationships Matter Most
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Gus Applequist: So going from that, like, big thing back to, to one last question I have for you, Rafael. you know, to, to somebody out there who's listening, who, who, you know, maybe, maybe they're not in jail, but maybe they feel like it. You know- what is something that, that somebody like that or somebody like me can [00:56:00] take from your story and can apply in our own lives?
Rafael Mendez: It's all about relationships, man. You know, so often it, it really comes down to the people we surround ourselves with, you know? there's always a saying in Spanish, you know, uh, « enseñame con quien tu anda, y yo te digo quien tu eres which is, "Show me who you're with, where you spend your time with, who you spend your time with, and I'll tell you who you are." And for me, in every aspect of my life, even right now, you know, it's about building relationships. It's, it's about, how do we find common ground? We could be very different. And in college I learned this with one of my, my best of friends where I always thought, like, I've had a really tough life. I've had all these, you know, issues that I've had to overcome, and some people have had the privilege of not. And sometimes that puts a different chip on your shoulder. And what I realized is, they just have a different experience. It doesn't make it better or worse. That doesn't mean they don't have challenges. Their feelings are just as valid as mine, regardless of what [00:57:00] circumstances really dictated those feelings. So for me, when I start to think about relationships matter, and that it's all about relationships, it's can we stay genuine in our intent to get to know people, to connect with them? To say, "I love you, even if you do feel differently," and that's okay. Even though I wanna punch your face sometimes, I still love you, right?
And, and that, that for me is the takeaway. It's what is, what is that foundation of people that you have? There's a, there's a fun book I like. It's called The Cilantro Diaries. Simple, straightforward. Uh, it's a gentleman who comes from an immigrant family, and he talks about what's your personal board of directors, and I loved it- because he talked about, you know, you may rely on certain advice from some people, but not get the same advice from others. So- you might have a friend who's terrible at budgeting and terrible in finances. Well, you're not gonna get your financial, you know, advice from that person. But that person may be really good [00:58:00] at something else.
They may be very artistic. And I'm not trying to make the connection that all artists are financially- irresponsible. I'm sorry Brad and Jane, I promise. That's not what I'm saying. Um, but I'm just trying to highlight that, you know, we can't always rely on people for everything. We try to identify, like... And it's not, "I wanna use you, Gus," but it's more of, like, how do you fit into my life in a way that enhances both of us?
So that would be the takeaway for me. Um, Gus and Sydney, I would say it's all about relationships. They matter. They absolutely matter in everything that we do. And if we're not loving on each other genuinely, um, then what's the point?
Gus Applequist: Well, I think that's a wonderful place to leave things. Um, thank you so much, Rafael, for taking time.
Yes, thanks.
Contact Rafael and Wrap up
---
Gus Applequist: Um, is there, uh... If somebody's interested in having you come and speak, uh, at, at an event or for an organization, is there a way they can contact you?
Rafael Mendez: Yes. Uh, they can, I mean, I don't know if you guys post the contact info. [00:59:00] They can email me. They can call me. They can-
Gus Applequist: Sure ...
Rafael Mendez: find me on LinkedIn. Um, you know, if they... I don't know if I'd put my email out there. I don't want people sliding into my DMs. I'm, I'm joking. No, truly, uh, contact, phone, email, I'm not hard to find digitally.
Gus Applequist: Great.
Rafael Mendez: And so, uh, I do speak on a variety of things. I just ended up, You know, they had a... Next Tech had a conference here called the Primo conference- about just different broadband con- uh, companies, and we talked about workload management.
So although I oftentimes speak about my story from an inspirational perspective or the importance of connection and people, there are a variety of experiences I've had professionally, uh, that I can speak on and help different groups look at it from a different perspective. Um, but any, any way, shape, or form that you can reach out to me, it's all good. Even if you show up at my door and knock, just, just know if you come at the right time- Can't apologize for- ... you might have yard work that you're gonna pitch in with. You know what I mean? So [01:00:00] Well, thank you so much.
Well, thank you guys for having me.
Gus Applequist: Thank you. This was great.
Sydney Collins: So I mentioned that we could talk to Raph for hours on end. Um, and it always just... He has a way of getting a message through-
that is just so, I don't know, like boiled down to the point, but also entertaining at the same time. And it's just, you don't find a lot of people like that, and it always just makes me...
I- you don't hear me talk a lot in that [01:01:00] interview, 'cause I'm just like, "Oh, Okay, His- 'Cause when he talks- ...
Gus Applequist: his anecdotes, while not always just giving you the facts-
they sort of tell you what you need to know.
Sydney Collins: Exactly.
Gus Applequist: Raph has just this huge heart, and, um, we're so blessed to have him in Salina and in Kansas- and, uh, that he was willing to come on and talk to us. I- one of the things that I, I constantly find myself doing in these interviews is saying something, and then the, the guest sort of, um, agrees with me but also refutes what I say. And, and I learn from that. And, um, there's a great moment in that interview where I was like, "You know, kinda like, like Kansas Wesleyan's pretty great," and it is.
Um, but, but he was absolutely right that like, education only gets you so far, and then you have to like go out into the real world and, and, and learn things all over again. And oh, man, uh, just really powerful stuff.
Sydney Collins: So as we mentioned before, if you want more background, um, [01:02:00] on, uh, Brad and Jane, Brad's episode, um, came out earlier this year in June.
So you'll be able to find Brad Anderson. And Leadership Kansas, make sure to go to, um, their website. You can learn all about them and their programs. And, uh, you can actually apply, um, to go. So
Gus Applequist: And, and I think you have to be like nominated, but you can go and nominate someone.
Sydney Collins: Yes, you can no- you can apply-
Gus Applequist: Okay.
That's how it works ...
Sydney Collins: and then someone can nominate you, I think.
Gus Applequist: Gotcha.
Sydney Collins: I think there's like different ways of, of getting on. Again, go to their website. We are not the experts.
Gus Applequist: Totally.
Sydney Collins: Probably something we should've asked Raph.
Gus Applequist: Well, uh, we're gonna, we're gonna skip a segment for today 'cause our interview was a little bit longer.
But thank you for tuning in to another episode of Ask a Kansan.
Sydney Collins: Yep. Make sure to go to AskAKansan.com. Um, sign up for the Curious Kansan newsletter, visit the merch store, and, uh, get all the, uh, older episodes or find new episodes, um, if you're a new listener.
Gus Applequist: Ask a Kansan is a production of [01:03:00] Fili Creative here in Salina, Kansas.
We are, uh, our, our story producer is Tanner Colvin. Our producer is Julie Mindrup. Our technical director is Merlin Chippey. I forgot to mention this last episode- but Bryan Steele, correct? Yep. Bryan Steele is our editor, uh-
Sydney Collins: And distribution ... and distribution.
Gus Applequist: And then
Sydney Collins: Austin Tone, um, is our graphic designer.
Gus Applequist: Thanks to Everday Lights for the use of our theme song, Orsi for Canyon
So from all of us here at Ask Kansan, thank you for tuning in, and we'll see you next time.