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Join The Urban Rez for an exciting journey that dives into the intersections of culture, sports, and lifestyle with a fresh, global, inclusive perspective. Each 30-minute episode brings a unique blend of conversations, stories, and interviews that explore the passions and experiences that define our lives.
Announcer 0:00
This is a Kun V studios original program.
Wesley Knight 0:03
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, foreign
Marcus White 0:40
show. Hello everyone. Welcome to the urban res. I'm Marcus and Dr B, we're our co host of this great radio show. The first episode, we want to introduce ourselves, so let's get right into it. Dr B, you are a phenomenal woman. People like you're doing great work around the world, and people need to know about you. Can you give me some information or tell us about yourself?
Dr. B 1:24
Certainly, I'll start off with a basic introduction, and welcome to the urban Rez everyone. And I emphasize res because I'm a bonafide res girl coming straight from the Dene aka Navajo Nation, and I'm going to introduce myself in my Native American language, which is Dene Yat a SHA a DR crystal. Lee yanesh, not to dinner at Touching initially, no nation. Baham Bucha gene Sen, Jay Ken Fauci nella tisto Arizona, a de Nasha. So I come from a very, very small Navajo community in the middle of nowhere called tisto Arizona, and in my tribal language, I properly introduced myself, indicating my four Dene Navajo clans and Marcus. Tell us a little bit about yourself and where you come from, sure.
Marcus White 2:30
So I was born and raised in Southern California and Northern California, a little town called Banning Beaumont for you get for everyone out there who's been to the casinos near Cabazon, going towards Palm Springs. You guys have like passed right through it and then, and we moved to Sacramento, so I went to Elk Grove High School and and had a great, great life's journey. So a little bit about myself. I am a graduate of Florida State University class of 2001 gold Knowles. And former US Senate staffer used to work for Senator Harry Reid and great man, God rest his soul. He's done a lot for for Nevada and and I have a master's degree in an MBA and global management. So that's a little bit about me. What about yourself, doctor, Dr B,
Dr. B 3:30
thank you for that. Marcus, well, as a res girl, I loved basketball, and we have a term called res ball, and so basketball was my gateway to playing college basketball for a couple years at Scottsdale Community College. That's how I entered my first realm of higher education. I then transferred to Arizona State, completed my bachelor's degrees there, then I came to the great UNLV, completed both my masters of public health and my PhD at public health. Here Go Rebels. In between my masters and my Bachelor's, I did a pre doctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins University focus on indigenous health. Post my PhD, I did a post doctoral fellowship at UCLA School of Medicine focus on infectious disease and preventative medicine, and I then got another masters at University of Oklahoma, College of Law focus on indigenous peoples law. So Marcus, you and I come from a varied background with multiple disciplines. Tell me about the. Your journey of both your professional and personal development that has had a huge influence on your career,
Marcus White 5:13
definitely. So, you know, when I first graduated from high school, I was like, Yeah, you know, I'm not going to college. I never thought about going to college and and really didn't understand that again, you know, being a first in my family to graduate, I mean, that was a big journey. But even prior to graduation, I know I had a scholarship to South Carolina State University Go Bulldogs were there. I was able to hone in what I was taught, you know, as a as a kid, and put into practice what I've learned and and so being able to play football and run track there was, was awesome. And then also pledging Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated, okay, blue fly, you know. You know that that experience has really, you know, shaped my life of, you know, giving back to the community. I mean, I'm models culture for service, service for humanity. And so that really shaped my life tremendously. And then, you know, going through life and just really transferring the Florida State and graduating, and then moving to Reno in the School of Medicine up at UNR that really kind of took a took a point in turn for me, because I was always taught, you start where you finish. One of my professors was like, hey, so I know you're probably raised you start where you finish. But just because you don't finish doesn't mean that you failed. Maybe it just means it's just not for you. And that really put a spark in me, where I finished the semester and I stopped going and so and then couple that with, you know, working for the US Senate, that really broadened my horizon, to get me out to working with, you know, elected officials and other people in the community really shaped me. But I think the biggest thing that really shaped me was, you know, learning like or recognizing couple years ago that my siblings and I were the first black family or black kids to integrate Beaumont Unified School District. So learning how to work with our white counterparts and and, you know, was really interesting despite, you know, some of the racism that that I went through as a kid, so, and then Dr Lee, I mean, with your journey, can can you talk about that? Yeah, growing up on the RES is great. And then having your experience of, you know, leaving the res, what? What kind of helped you, kind of shaped you to leave the res and sports and kind of share that with us.
Dr. B 7:47
So on the res, it's like a country within a country, for folks that don't really understand who Native Americans are, how we, quote, unquote, live, they just have an idea that we're somewhere on some reservation, and I just would like to give some insight on what that means and looks like. Native American reservations are a sovereign nation if you're a federally recognized tribe. So we have our own sovereignty as a tribal government system. We have our own police officers, our own tribal government. And so where I grew up on the Navajo Nation, I grew up on the Arizona side. The Navajo Nation is about the size of the state of West Virginia. That is in the states of New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. And so I grew up around 99.9% of my own tribal members, and so when I left the res, it was a huge culture shock for me, because even though I just moved five and a half hours away to Phoenix, Arizona, which is just a drive away, it it felt like a whole different world. It felt in a way isolating, because, yeah, you're American, and you grew up in the United States, but you also grew up on a reservation that has its very distinct community in multiple ways. So when I first left the res, I felt like any normal native res does when they leave. I felt like any normal native res kid when they leave the res of what am I doing here? Can I make it? I'm not sure how to navigate this world, I just want to move back home to the res. So my first part of my journey was just filled with a lot of what ifs can i and it was actually. My basketball that helped me stay focused at the time, and also my teammates, who were great friends of mine and still are, but that support system, once leaving the RES is was really prominent,
Marcus White 10:20
and I think you agree with agree with me when I say this. I think sports really shaped I know it shaped my life, and by both of us being former athletes, not only in high school, but also in college. You know those skills that you learn, you know, as far as a team and how the team build, and when there's issues, how to communicate, you know, to get through those issues that really has, you know, shaped me. So what about you?
Dr. B 10:47
I think we can both agree that sports is just a huge catalyst that propelled us to succeed in what am endeavors that we have encountered thus far? And I, I know, again, I said res and res ball, but that is, and it might be a cliche, right? Oh my gosh, look at this black dude and look at this native girl, and here they are talking about sports and that cliche. But you know, whooping actually helped me, and I could resonate with so many, especially folks of color, as we embark upon sports, and we might not all make it to the league, but at least we can make it to college, and then when we make it to college, we could at least try to figure out what we want to do and using college as a tool to help us, coming from communities like ours.
Marcus White 11:43
So earlier, you mentioned about, you know, getting off the res and and, you know, being shocked, you know, with with everything, what, what shaped you, what made you say, okay, you know what, I'm going to college. Let me get these degrees. I mean, where did that come from, where the influence come from?
Dr. B 12:03
Well, first off, I was not studious. I was probably a C average at best in college,
Marcus White 12:11
too much partying. You know,
Dr. B 12:13
all of us, we're kind of excited. We get that freedom, we kind of lose focus, just like any normal young adult at that time, and I I know that reflecting back that my family was at home, and here I am having an opportunity to to get myself these tool sets to help my Community and and just relaying that to my family, with all their challenges that they were going through, and my main focus was I have to help my family. I have to make it through college so I can make money, so I can give, you know, assistance back to my family back home was really a huge foundational push. But also just knowing that our community has a lot of disparities and that we need more professionals that genuinely care and that also that are connected to our communities to do the work in a culturally responsive way and also, Marcus, you and yourself. I mean, you went from growing up in a predominantly all white community, and how did that help navigate you moving forward in your in your professionalism, we're kind of grew up very opposite of each other. I grew up in a 99.9% Navajo community, and you grew up in a predominantly white community, kind of two ends of the spectrum. But I want to know how that shaped your your journey as well. So
Marcus White 13:59
I'm a preacher's kid, so we went to church almost like seven days a week. Is what it feels like on the black side in banning and then went to school in Beaumont, which was the white side. I thank my parents for, you know, giving us that experience. Because, you know, my mom would say, you know, you know, we want to make sure that you and your siblings learn and know how to get get along with your white counterparts. Like the world, the world is not all black, and so being, you know, put into into a community that was all was was all white, and then going to church that was all black, of course, there was that. Okay, how do you balance both both worlds, in a sense? And so I just think that, you know, again, kids are not taught, right? I mean, kids are not born with racism. It's taught over, over a period of time. But no, it really helped. Helped me a lot. Again, I was the type of person. I was more of a introvert when it came to communication, and, you know, but I was a great athlete. That was the outlet. That was reason why I started playing sports, because I got tired of going to church, so much like, let me do sports, okay, Mama, I practice, you know. And so being one out of five siblings, I had hand me down. So very seldom was I was I able to have my own clothing, you know. And so the inspiration and everything came from my father. So one thing that really shaped me was when my father, so my father was the first African American to have a storefront in the main drag of Palm Springs in the 70s, and as well as in Cathedral City. And I heard, you know, he used to dress some of the Detroit Lions would come down. The lineman would come down because he had the the white leg jeans back in the 70s. And they love, you know, buying those from him, because it was difficult. And then, and I was like, Okay, Dad, I'll work for clothes. You don't have to pay me. So I would go and help them out. Fast forwarded, when I was working for anthem, I guess now they're called elevance health. I was director of marketing sales in the corporate office in Indianapolis, and I at the time, I was also writing for an urban travel magazine, and one of my friends had challenged me to find my passion. So one of the one of the covers and one of the issues were in Vietnam, we wrote about Vietnam. So it was in Vietnam for about three weeks, and then that was when I had my aha moment. And, you know, so, you know, like getting fitted clothing. I was like, oh yeah, this is it. And it kind of brought me back to my father, so I ended up coming back to the US, and ended up moving to Vietnam. And so I started making clothes, and then that kind of were suits, specifically. Then that moved into leather bags, and then I moved into shoes and and then COVID happened, and then I pivoted and got into, you know, this antimicrobial movement, because COVID was so huge, and that is what that has kind of shaped me too, for us to work together with one world textiles, and where we'd be able to provide fabrics for hospitals, hotels, and not only in Indian country, but you know, throughout the entire world, so and so, pivoting to to you, yeah, you have your your your PhD, so kind of tell us what you do and and how that shaped you and what is how that has taken you all over the world.
Dr. B 17:50
Thanks. So first of all, Mr. Marcus clothing here is super dope, and I just had to say he always dressed as so fly every time I see him. So kudos to him and his his styles and kind of bring it back to me. I've had such a various journey. I mean, if I sit here and tell y'all everything that I'm doing, it's a crazy laundry list, I'll just pick some key highlights of some of the things that I have had the blessing to be engaged with. So as I indicated, I do have my PhD, and when I did my fellowship at UCLA School of Medicine, I was really focused on infectious disease. And to my knowledge, I'm one of five Native American infectious disease research doctors in the US. So when COVID hit again, our tribal communities were so distraught because we did not get the first rounds of federal funding through the Cares Act. We literally had no fiscal resources. So my nonprofit that I had founded, United natives, we went in and partnered with so many frontline healthcare providers. We had a direct contract with Lysol. We disseminated over $3 million worth of Lysol to about 150 native communities in the southwest. We had a hotel that 305 rooms where we did our own quarantining that includes our own medical transportation. We subcontracted with the medical triage team, and we quarantine about 3000 natives through this. This was without state funding, without tribal funding, without federal funding, it was literally all grass roots donations. And all grants based funding, those little COVID grants that were out there, and so that really propelled a lot of my journey, in general, separate from from my nonprofit, I'm also actually a scientist, so I'm an assistant professor at University of New Mexico, College of population health, and there I teach graduate courses, do my scientific work, and I also sit on the board for L'Oreal USA, for the Diversity Equity and Inclusion board. I also work with the United Nations. I have been working with the UN since my 20s. I've always been just such a huge advocate for equity and equality globally. So I'm all about this human rights effort. Everyone should have basic resources to health care to water, just seeing other communities in need. I have a true passion for helping which transcends across our work, and I know we have a uniform vision with the work that we do. But I know we also have a uniform practice of also keeping true to ourselves, our style, our community that we haven't defrayed and and how do you keep balanced and still you um, throughout your spaces. Marcus, well,
Marcus White 21:43
I just be me. I've learned over time that if I'm not healthy, then I can't be there for somebody else. So it's, you know, doing that self care, I think is really, you have to do it. You have to do it. And again, working out and healthy eating,
Dr. B 22:07
we all attain to something right, exactly,
Marcus White 22:12
indeed. And then, you know, surrounding myself by healthy people. You know it's people who are toxic or who just energy, is just bad energy. I kind of stay away from that, just because, again, I I'm here to shine light into the world. And again, there's those folks that have that bad energy that you know I'll be led to speak to and talk to so they can see, see my light shine. However, there are times that, no, I just need to recharge, so I'll take my time to myself. What about you?
Dr. B 22:48
Yeah, as natives, are really big on balance, and so a humor and is one thing. So as natives, we joke a lot. I know right now you all are getting the first look at our introduction of ourselves, but as time goes on, I have a lot of humor. And natives, we have a lot of humor. We say a we joke a lot. So nay, that's one of our sayings, and among us natives and so everything comes with humor. We could have the hardest situation happening to us, but then we'll always make jokes and that lightens our heart, that lightens our spirit, that keeps regardless, no matter what's going on, at least keeps us in tune to a healthy balance, and we don't take things as seriously. So I think just that humor is a huge piece to keep my balance just as I walk through life, and also just to not always take myself seriously. I mean, if y'all meet me in person, I'll be wearing sneakers, a hat, I'll be talking at Harvard, at the UN and I'll always be rocking a hat and sneakers. So just kind of seeing just our vibe, and kind of keep in tune to what makes you comfortable, what makes you you keep in tune to that identity, not conforming to fit into what other think, what others think that you should look like, how you should act, how you should talk. So I know that that balance of identity is really something that I'll hold on to, and
Marcus White 24:37
you definitely have swag. Oh, thank
Dr. B 24:39
you. I you.
Marcus White 24:43
So now that we've kind of introduced ourselves, let's take a minute just to talk about the show coming up. So you know this year is ending and and we want to wish everyone Happy Holidays. But in 2025 we have an awesome, awesome. Some show. So let's, you know, talk about a little bit of kind of, what we have going on and, and, and how the show is is going to flow. Okay?
Dr. B 25:10
First and foremost. Dr B, here is the sports queen. Okay. I watched spars, 24/7, ESPN, all the games. So you know, we have to put in sports. Gotta put in sports into our segment. Also, your girl here is the first Native American professional sports owner ever. I used to own two professional basketball teams in Mexico. So with that, we have a heavy hitting sports summit that we're gonna be talking about the top of every show, and Marcus, what other elements are gonna be talking about the show? And
Marcus White 25:44
we're gonna have fun interviews, like, for example, we're gonna be going to the Super Bowl together, so we'll be able to get some interviews there. You're having one, I think is one of the best women in sports gala that that they have during Super Bowl week. That's going to be extremely fun. And then being able to be on, you know, to interview some players, that's going to be great, too. But also, again, you know, we both have traveled the world, so we'll be sharing our experiences, in regards to, you know, our travels, and also interviewing local businesses here. Because, again, I mean, we're in Vegas, but I mean, the Vegas is is, to me, the hub of the world, and everyone comes here. So we'll definitely be bringing some some some great content in in regards to that as well.
Dr. B 26:35
So you heard it here first, Marcus and Dr B here bring in all the vibes for 2025 for something for everyone to look forward to. But in the meantime, we will end the show with everyone having a fantastic holiday season for the remainder of 2024.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai