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In this episode of Uptown Voices, hosts Led Black and Octavio Blanco engage with Tuto Taveras, discussing the importance of community events like Cuentos con Santa, which promotes reading among Latino children. They explore the role of imagination and literacy in fostering critical thinking skills, the significance of cultural celebrations in strengthening community identity, and the necessity of political engagement through community boards. The conversation emphasizes the need for authenticity in leadership and the importance of solidarity among marginalized communities, while also highlighting local businesses and artists that contribute to the vibrancy of the neighborhood.
Chapters
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Holiday Spirit
01:54 Cuentos con Santa: A Community Tradition
05:54 The Importance of Reading in the Community
11:55 Cultural Celebrations and Community Events
21:43 Local Events and Community Engagement
31:16 Community Engagement and Participation
42:06 Upcoming Events and Local Culture
49:02 The Importance of Local Voices
56:23 Political Discourse and Community Solidarity
Creators and Guests
What is Uptown Voices?
A podcast focused on the Uptown neighborhoods of Inwood, Washington Heights and Harlem. Our neighborhoods have a voice and we want to be heard and felt. We love Uptown.
Each episode will elevate the people here who are making a difference in the life of this community. We’re also committed to “real talk” that seeks solutions that improve the quality of life in our beautiful Uptown neighborhoods.
Led Black (00:00)
What up, what up everyone? Welcome to a special live edition of Uptown Voices. It's me and my brother Octavio Blanco. And before we go into our special guest, we have to tell y'all, please subscribe to the channel. It costs you nothing, it helps us out. Please do that, make sure you do that. Like this video and all our videos and tell your people about it. But today's a special day, it's the first snow of the season, right? So that's why I'm wearing my little festive holiday sweater.
Octavio Blanco (00:23)
Yeah!
Led Black (00:26)
Also, my landlord doesn't give heat, so this is another reason that I'm rocking his sweater. ⁓ But we have today with us, Tuto Taveras. ⁓ He's the director of consulate at the Palace. He's also a board member on the Washington Heights Chamber of Commerce. And he's also a fine actor, as I found out yesterday, on his role ⁓ in Uptown Books, which took place in recirculation. Twice yesterday, there's one more show today. So if you're listening to this,
Octavio Blanco (00:30)
Hahaha
Led Black (00:54)
Do yourself a favor, go watch the show. Like I said, it is a bilingual immersive play with a touch of novella. I'm not gonna say it for anything further, but it's really, really good. Tuto, what's up brother? Talk to me brother. Tuto, what's going on man?
Tuto Taveras (01:07)
Happy
to be here. Thank you guys for having me, man. I had the pleasure of ⁓ meeting you first. I just met Octavio and I love the work you guys are doing.
Led Black (01:20)
Thank you brother, thank you, appreciate it. Octavio, what's up man? How you doing brother?
Octavio Blanco (01:24)
I'm good, I'm happy today. I love it when it snows in the city. I'm one of those people that I would prefer to have ⁓ snow over the rain any day. My favorite time of the year is when the city just totally shuts down because of snow. That's like the high point of my year when that happened. ⁓ But ⁓ I'm glad to be here. It's beautiful, it's perfect timing, it's the festive season. There's so much stuff going on.
in the in uptown whether you're in Inwood, Washington Heights or Harlem there's all kinds of events that we're going to go through with them and and and mention what's going on but before we go through all the big list of events we wanted to make sure that we talk to Tuto Tavaraz because Tuto you have an annual event right that that you do every year around the holiday season and it sounds beautiful but I'll I'll let you be the one who who describes it to the audience.
Tuto Taveras (02:23)
Yeah, so me and my wife been doing this free event for the community since 2018 and it's called Cuentos con Santa. So what we did is ⁓ she noticed that all the kids, all the Latino kids in our community, most of them are in their tablets all the time. And she sees that the gringo kids get
books and they read in the subway and it's like, you know what I'm saying? That imagination that only a book gives you that a tablet cannot give you, you know? That muscle exercise of your imagination can only be found in books. So she created this, it was Christmas, so she said, well, let's put the figure of Santa, which is a jolly figure, let's tie it up, let's bring it up. And she's been doing Dominican and Latino authors.
read books to the children and we show those books on screen and we put special little special effects every now and then so to spark their imaginations you know so they can get in love with books and and we and we and they leave it's not only free they live with books and toys to get home to go home so it's like
Led Black (03:19)
wow.
No, I love that.
That's amazing.
Tuto Taveras (03:40)
But it's growing every year and now we've added like elements of music like we got dance this year We got two dance acts, La Tia Candy, which is a like a children's person You know that's growing in the community and then we have a special performance by the ballet ⁓ The Compañia de Ballet Folklorico, which is like a New Jersey based children's dance company
So it's like putting everybody together, a show for the community. It's like very magical. So we're growing and now we have like, now we have a Santa actor, you know, that has some lies. We have the Grinch coming in and there's like a whole storyline. So it's turning into a Broadway thing, know, a Broadway spectacular. Every year we step it up a notch, you know, by people coming in and it's all free for the community. It's a beautiful event.
Octavio Blanco (04:25)
You
Little by little.
Tuto Taveras (04:40)
It's, it's, this is taking place on this Wednesday, the 17th, on the United Palace. The United, this is the second year they've graciously hosted us. They give the space. The United Palace is a non-profit organization.
Led Black (04:40)
When is it taking place?
inside the palace.
Tuto Taveras (04:58)
You know this, Vlad, because you're part of the congregation of the United Palace. You voted in our new change of status for the United Palace. So they do a lot of these community events for the community. So there are partners in this. It's the second year they give us the space. And we're just bringing some holiday magic to this part of uptown that I think we need to, right?
Led Black (05:08)
Yes, sir.
I I agree 100 % brother.
Tuto Taveras (05:28)
Most of these kids don't even go to go to a theater, you know what I'm saying? They don't get to see this level of Broadway act in this kind of place. And many certainly don't even have books or toys given to them, you know what I'm saying? it's a very, very magical and good, good, good hearted event.
we're proud to do it and people come together and everybody put their talent and it's every year it's getting greater and greater so it might turn into the uptown Christmas spectacular you know for Washington Heights. Let's see.
Octavio Blanco (06:09)
I love that idea. I love
that idea for you. Led, you know, one of the themes on the show that we always bring up, and especially Led, that you always bring up is the importance of books and reading and how important that was in your life. So this type of event for you, Led, it must have like a special meaning. And, you know, to pass on that love of books to the rest of the community. Tell us a little bit about how books impacted you
Led Black (06:34)
Yeah.
Octavio Blanco (06:39)
who was raised here in this community, how did that help you in your life? How does reading help you in your life? And yeah, tell us a little bit about that because it's so important and I think you're right, Tuto, the kids need it.
Led Black (06:40)
Yeah.
Yeah, for sure.
Yeah, for sure, Tuto, I gotta commend you for doing this. books have been, really books have been everything to me. I like to say that my library card was my passport. So I'm a poor kid from 192nd and Wadsworth. Really my parents, my mother comes from Esperanza.
rural poor, you know what mean? But she loved to read. So even though my mother never got like beyond like a third, fourth grade education, she was always a reader. You know what mean? So was my dad, my stepdad. You know, they were the working rural poor in the DR. came. My mother worked in the garment industry here, but they were always reading. So they always gave me this fascination of reading. So I've been reading, you know, my whole life. And I don't have a college degree, right. But I consider myself intelligent. You know, I'm considering myself an intellectual because of books, because I spent so much of my years, my formative years reading.
and learning. So I just want to thank you for that too though, because I think it's so important, especially for these kids, right? Like you're right. if you don't, if you're not reading, that's one of the funny things that I have issues with, with our community a lot of times, right? Because I run a page that's so, you know, community facing, right? I get a lot, I end up arguing a lot.
with people in my community, right? Because they don't read, right? Because they fell for the nonsense. Because they've never developed a brain that actually doesn't tell you not to accept. We're arguing about nonsense like we're enemies, but we're not enemies. The people filling your head with lies, those are your enemies. And it goes back to reading, and it's funny, I argue with these people right and left, and what always stops them, and I go, what's the last book you read? Right? Because when I say that,
That's when the conversation ends or it gets defensive because we're not reading. So I want to commend you again, Dudo, because reading is that important, man. So why is reading important, especially for our community? Dudo, underscore that for me, brother.
Tuto Taveras (08:46)
It's
that imagination muscle in your brain that dies when you're just watching videos and stuff that's done for you. And when you read the same stories read by two kids and in their minds, there's two different worlds because their imagination is working. And that's a chain reaction because then you get the dyslexia afterwards. you don't get, you know what saying? Then you get the poor, poor
Led Black (09:09)
Yep.
Tuto Taveras (09:16)
um a verbiage you don't have you know how to speak because you're not reading you know what saying you're not so it's a muscle memory and we think it's important and that's why we're doing it that's and and we see that that the gringo kids they they don't do that we see in the subway the gringo kids with their books in their subway and you see next to it it's a latino kid with a tablet you know what i'm saying it's something doesn't feel right there so it's like
Led Black (09:18)
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Tuto Taveras (09:46)
the difference in leverage of what we can do in the community starts right there, I think.
Led Black (09:49)
Yeah.
And I also think that's even more important now in the era of AI, right? Because what I notice now is that like, I saw it, I saw that and it has to be real, you know? And I gave you a perfect example, right? So yesterday, before to go see you at Uptown Books, I went to the barber to get a cut. You know, I got to look fly for the show, right? And then what was interesting, my barber who's like my sister, right? Like I've known her, she's my barber for like almost 20 years, right?
she started telling me, ⁓ I saw something on the internet that on December 23rd, it's gonna snow and it's not gonna stop for two to three months. And I was like, what? You know what mean? And I was like, okay, I didn't want to argue with her because it was pointless, right? But then I went and I Googled it and it was a piece of AI, you know, that looked really real. It looked like a news segment.
Right? And it said it's gonna happen. The dates were off, but it said some crazy stuff like that. But I mean, what I'm saying is that reading is even that more important now, because you really can't trust what you see in your eyes anymore. You know what mean? That's why a person that's a reader, a person that takes time to develop that kind of, know, like reading, you have to like, reading is a discipline like anything else. You know what I mean? Like I remember when I was a kid, you know, and I would try to read, let's say, The Village Voice.
Tuto Taveras (10:47)
Yeah.
Led Black (11:15)
I didn't understand it because my reading comprehension wasn't good enough. You know what mean? So it's a muscle, like you said, and it's something we need to develop, especially now. It's even more important, especially now with our community, right? Because what we've noticed now is they have weaponized our community against community, right? So now we're like, oh, I'm right wing. How are you right wing when you're a person of color? They don't count that way. They don't like you. You know what I mean? But you don't have the reading, so you don't know.
Tuto Taveras (11:41)
Ha!
You don't know exactly. And that's why we die for it. Ignorance kills us. And reading is against that ignorance. You know what I'm Exactly. That's the end of it,
Led Black (11:55)
It's the antidote, yep.
Tuto Taveras (11:58)
⁓ And well, we're putting our part. We're doing our part. And things like happened last night, like what you're talking about, the Optum Books, that kind of thing is like, that's what, my wife and I, we're kind of a minister. I'm an ordained minister. So we have that calling of service, you know? And that's what fills our lives. And that's what we do.
Led Black (12:20)
So give
us again, how can people find out? Is this Wednesday? Tell us all the specifics. At what time, where can I find out more?
Tuto Taveras (12:23)
This was.
Wednesday the 17th in the United Palace that's in 4140 Broadway ⁓ The tickets are sold out, but since it's a free event people get the tickets and then they don't go So they might be you know a chance for more people to get in ⁓
We limit it to the amount of toys we have. You know what saying? So every year we can receive more people if we get more toys. Because we don't want people to just go, we get the books, the books we get it, we buy the books for the kids. The toys are harder. You know what I'm saying? Believe it or not, the toys are harder to get. So we work on that and limit the amount. So there's no kid that leaves disappointed. Everybody leaves. Everybody leaves with a toy and a book.
Octavio Blanco (12:49)
Hmm.
Led Black (12:50)
Right.
Mm-hmm.
So
next year, Tuto, let's come on the show earlier in the season so we can help you get more books and more toys by promoting it. All right, brother, make sure we do that.
Tuto Taveras (13:23)
Thanks.
Thank you so much. I appreciate what you guys are doing. And we have to we have to talk about the interview for C. Por ciento Dominicano. ⁓
Led Black (13:28)
Thank you.
Let's do it brother, let's do it. Whatever you need, you got it.
And I have to say one thing, Octavio, today you're in for a treat. Uptown Books is really amazing. It's really something special. Shout out to Adrian Miranda. Like, you know what mean? That brother, like, wrote it, directed it. Like, it is really an experience that I really enjoyed. It was...
Tuto Taveras (13:46)
Yes.
Adrian.
Octavio Blanco (13:50)
He's...
Tuto Taveras (13:54)
Adrian's amazing. Adrian's amazing.
Led Black (13:56)
It
was an amazing experience and I was blown away by it. came away inspired. you know, so thank you to the whole team, Tuto. You were amazing as well. You know, Oh, thank you. Thank you, brother. Thank you. Tuto have a good, have a good day, brother. Enjoy the rest of this day. And I don't know if I'm going to be at the uptown holiday market today. Are you going to be there today at Noma's holiday market?
Tuto Taveras (14:04)
I saw his interview with you guys. Amazing.
Yeah, I'll run. have to run from. Yeah, we got it. So what?
Led Black (14:19)
All right, so we'll see you there, brother. We'll see you there,
Octavio Blanco (14:21)
We'll be running together
Led Black (14:23)
brother.
Octavio Blanco (14:24)
because we're going to that show and then we're gonna go check out some of that holiday market and the tree lighting and all that good stuff.
Tuto Taveras (14:30)
Great, great, so see you there. Thank you guys. Thank you. God bless you both.
Led Black (14:33)
You got it brother too, so thank you brother. See you soon.
Octavio Blanco (14:33)
Alright, bye Tuto.
Well, that was great.
I was great. I'm so glad about that. And you know, the the importance of books, man, I just can't get over how important that is. and it's true what you're saying in this day and age of artificial intelligence, in this day and age of misinformation, the the the the more that us as individuals can can can inform ourselves. ⁓ And also like what Tuto was talking about sparking that imagination ⁓ muscle in
your brain is super duper important. ⁓ You know, as Latinos, we are, ⁓ we over index with digital, like we're the first to buy the new cell phones. We're the first to buy the new laptops. We're the first to go to to the, to the movie theaters. We, we're the ones that are like keeping this, this, industries kind of alive. ⁓ But I think that it's, it's, it's important. And this is why we're doing
Led Black (15:16)
Mm-hmm.
Octavio Blanco (15:38)
what we're doing is important that we also are creators and that we also like write our own narratives whether it's
making sure that Uptown and our communities, whether they be Uptown Manhattan or Dubuque, Idaho, get the attention that they need. You know, we're out here trying to make that happen. you know, reading is so important. Tutu, an amazing guy from the community who's got a long history of making things happen here, ⁓ who just joined us. That was wonderful. ⁓ But, Lett, how are you doing? What's new?
with you.
Led Black (16:19)
So I wanna say, like, so yesterday, you it was like a magical night, you know what mean? So I told my wife, listen, this is gonna be you and I today, no kids, let them, you know, they're old enough, they can rock their own. So we went to see uptown books, loved it, left away inspired. And then, you know, I wanted to try something local, right? Cause you know, a lot of times, you know, I'm in the 180s, you in the 180s, you end up going places here locally, you know what I mean? So I wanted to go somewhere there. So I have been wanting to go to a place called Blue Mountain Heights Cafe.
It's on 158th. Like I think, like before you get to Amsterdam, not, I think it's between Broadway and Amsterdam, but it's past Broadway. Food was Jamaican restaurant. Food was exquisite. The drinks were strong. We had a pepper shrimp dish. The appetizer was amazing. And then we, she had, my wife had the oxtail, had the brown stew chicken. Amazing. Please try that at restaurant. Show love to the local spots. But then what was funny on our way there, before we got to the restaurant, right?
Octavio Blanco (17:01)
wow.
Led Black (17:18)
I saw like a procession for Guadalupe and it was like.
100 plus people. I was blown away by it. If you go to the Uptown Collective Instagram, that's one of the last posts. And it was beautiful. was this kind of procession of Mexicans with the Guadalupe. some people would just like traditionally, a lot of people had like hoodies with the image. And again, it's beautiful. Shout out to like our Mexican brothers and sisters, right, who bring so much to the city and to Washington Heights specifically. It just shows the strength they have. Shout out to my Mexican brothers and sisters. Love y'all to death.
It's a beautiful, beautiful moment. But what's funny, the day prior, I think the day prior was actually the day of La Viña, right? So I'm getting up early to take my daughter to college, whatever, in Westchester. So I'm up like at six.
and I get out my building and I see like 40 guys with hoodies and the Guadalupe carrying torches down like for wash. And I was like, what is happening? Like, I don't know. I don't know what this is, man. So, so I tell me what is the Guadalupe? Please put me onto it because I don't understand it fully.
Octavio Blanco (18:22)
Hahaha
La Virgen de Guadalupe. Well, she appeared in Mexico City and she is the protector of Mexicans everywhere in the world where Mexicans go. You we've got a diaspora of people in the United States, but not just in the United States, in England, Europe, Asia. Mexicans are global and everywhere we go, we bring the Virgin of Guadalupe.
image to protect us. So it's, she's the protector of Mexicans. It's interesting because the Virgin of Guadalupe is a little bit more brown than other virgins. You know, the Catholic faith has done, it does a lot to try to...
Led Black (18:54)
right
La Virgen Morena, I love that.
Octavio Blanco (19:21)
meshes into the local faiths. So, you know, the Virgen de Guadalupe appeared in front of one of the native ⁓ Mexicans. And that's from there is from where the lore of the Virgin sort of has grown. But yeah, you know, whether, and it's interesting, whether people, Mexicans are believers or non-believers, they still love
because she's become this wonderful symbol of protection, a wonderful symbol of Mexican-ness, no matter where you are. So we're here in upper Manhattan, amongst the tall buildings, the bricks and the asphalt. A lot of people...
You know, who have immigrated here from Mexico still speak not Spanish, but their native indigenous languages. And I hear it in the neighborhood all the time. People are, are, are, are walking. can, and they're speaking their, their, indigenous language. And it's a beautiful thing to me because it shows me like the, the perseverance of culture, the perseverance of, of language and how people really try to cling to those things.
as ⁓ a Mexican American, you know, I speak Spanish and I feel that, you know, whatever we can do to help our children to make sure that they speak Spanish is important. It's really hard though ⁓ for families in the United States to make sure that their kids are speaking Spanish. But ⁓ a lot of people do it. I think the earlier you get started, the better.
I speak three languages but that's not because I'm a genius but that's because when I was a very very very young kid I was exposed to those languages and I just absorbed them. yeah that's the virgen and the procession is just like asking for her protection which is needed more than ever now in the state of affairs in our community. So that's a little bit.
I'm no expert, but that's sort of the layman's explanation of who the virgen is and why she's so important to us.
Led Black (21:43)
Facts, full facts.
Yeah, you know, it was a beautiful...
Beautiful to just to witness and to observe. And again, like the quiet dignity of the fucking people that make this city run, right? Like, I love that. Like, love that. You know, they're there. Hey, I'm not hiding. This is my culture. This is what it is. And you know, like, there's strength in numbers, man. Again, so it's like when I saw that, was super proud. And I'm not a Mexican, you know what mean? But it was, loved my people, all of our people. So it was, was a beautiful thing. But today is a really important day, Octavio, uptown. There's a lot of stuff happening that we got to
Octavio Blanco (22:24)
Yeah.
Led Black (22:24)
about before we go to your list right we got your list we
Octavio Blanco (22:26)
Yeah, I got a list.
Led Black (22:27)
got what you got for today you have the there's a lot of stuff happen talk to me
Octavio Blanco (22:30)
Well,
for today, let me, I do have it written down on the list because there's a lot of stuff and I'm not going to remember it all. But for today, there is a Hands Off New York event at Trump Tower. It's between one and two o'clock. know, Hands Off New York are advocates for immigrants and for protecting our communities in upper Manhattan and all over New York City from the incursion of ICE.
if you have the time and you want to participate, that's between one and two at Trump Tower today. ⁓ But then more locally, there's some really beautiful events happening here in the community. The NOMA, the Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance, is having its holiday market today. It's at 4140 Broadway, which is United Palace on 176th ⁓ Street. ⁓
Led Black (23:29)
Shout out to NOMO.
Octavio Blanco (23:30)
Shout out to Noma. That's between 12 p.m. till 5 p.m. It's the holiday market. You can go there and get all kinds of ⁓ really, really unique gifts created by local artists and artisans here in the community. You know, it's good. It's going to help those artists. It's going to help Noma and it's going to help you because if you're like me, I haven't even really started my my shopping. So it's going to be important maybe to get over there and
and see what they've got available. And like we were talking about later on in the day between two at two o'clock is Uptown Books and immersive bilingual play led you say you love it. Don't give us any spoilers. I can't wait to go. Immersive plays are a new thing. I think it's like the first one here that we've seen Uptown. I haven't heard of any others who are doing immersive plays ⁓ in Washington Heights. I think
It's a great way to involve the audience and it does play with like the truth, the reality, it plays with your reality because the art actors are not up on stage, they're standing right next to you. So I can't wait to go see that. I'm going with my wife today to the two o'clock show. ⁓ But there's more stuff happening today. ⁓ It's a wonderful life. The movie is gonna be also shown after
United Palace that's at 5 p.m. when the doors open 530 is when the show goes on and it's gonna include an appearance by Mary Owen and Turner classic movies Alicia Malone so so that's that's that's amazing and then around the same time if you're a little bit lower down on in the Heights and you want to do something that's interesting and fun there's
going to be a reading of Twas the Night Before Christmas at the Church of the Intercession. That's at three o'clock ⁓ and that's going to be a reading by Errol Lewis of New York One. ⁓ He's the host of Inside City Hall, which is a great show if you want to like learn about everything that's going on in the city. Check him out. ⁓ And there's going to be a ⁓ little lantern procession afterwards. ⁓
Led Black (25:49)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Octavio Blanco (26:00)
at the Trinity Cemetery. So that'll be cool. ⁓ Also up in our area, if you're looking for something a little bit livelier, there's the Que Lo Que Ugly Sweater Holiday Fun ⁓ Party. ⁓ It's ⁓ at three o'clock. ⁓ You know, gotta RSVP check out ⁓ Uptown Collective. We've got that posted on the Instagram. ⁓ It's Que Lo Que, Que Lo Que.
⁓ And ⁓ that's pretty much what's going on. ⁓ no, I should say for the kiddies, for the kiddies.
Led Black (26:37)
I think I got one
you missed.
Octavio Blanco (26:40)
For the kiddies, there's a Pied Piper Theater, Jazzy Fairy Tale down at the Hebrew Tabernacle at 551 Fort Washington at 6 p.m. So that's like a little Pied Piper Theater. So yeah, this is by no means a conclusive everything on it. What else you got? Tell me.
Led Black (26:58)
I have one too. I have one more.
So it's kind of part of the whole suite of things. Yes, part of the whole suite happening at United Palace, even though it's happening at the Hispanic Society on 155th. They're to do an ornament making at the Hispanic Society at the annex. So it's a hands on holiday moment for kids, family, you know, and anyone else who wants to go. So that's happening from 2.30 to 4.30. But I forgot something, Octavio. I have to, have to, have to, have to. You were there too. We got to a big shout out to Frank and Nicola for that really cool holiday party.
Octavio Blanco (27:27)
Yes. Yes.
Led Black (27:32)
that happened after our dinner and we went there. ⁓
you know, was a great holiday event. You know, it was cool to see Frank and Nicola and Lucas, you know what mean? Like Lucas, he was a great kid. You know, he was part of the beautiful day. I met a lot of good people. had like some, I wasn't too hungry, but I didn't have to try some of the cheeses and it was a great event. Shout out to them for inviting us and it was a really beautiful event. And even though I did have like someone I met, you know, I like to argue. We argued about whether a hot dog is a sandwich.
Octavio Blanco (28:06)
Yes, yes, yes.
Led Black (28:06)
Right? my
thing is that anything you put between bread is a sandwich. You may call it a hot dog, you may call it a hamburger, you may call it a lobster roll, but it's a sandwich. And again, like I just don't want shut up about it. So my apologies to that guy. You know what mean? But yeah.
Octavio Blanco (28:20)
Well, well,
you know, ⁓ that was a survey that Luca was doing at the party and he came up to us ⁓ in the living room.
We were sitting in the living room having some of that food that they had and Luca came up and he's such a smart kid and he asked us, you know, what do you think is a hot dog sandwich? And I agree with you that it is a sandwich, it's meat between bread. ⁓ But what was interesting is Luca came around afterwards and he was telling us a little bit about the findings and... ⁓
about how people respond. I think this was actually, Luca is such a smart kid. Frank and Nicola, you guys are doing a great job because Luca is really brilliant. But he came back around and he told us a little bit of the findings. What he found was that whenever he approached a group of people, because they're at a party, usually there's like little groups of people standing next to each other.
Led Black (29:03)
Very smart. Look a smart kid, yeah for real.
Octavio Blanco (29:23)
the clapping. And so when he approached the group of people, he says that whatever the first person in the group said, usually the rest of the people in the group followed. Which is interesting when it when...
Led Black (29:27)
That's a clapping sound.
Octavio Blanco (29:43)
We were talking about something silly, which ⁓ is a hot dog sandwich, but you can extrapolate that all the way to very, very serious things. Whatever is first that people mention is what people tend to either agree with or believe. So, you know, that's why it's so important for us to be here and to be delivering our information the way we see it, which we, know, so that folks
can hear it first from us ⁓ and stuff like that. anyway, Frank and Nicola, that was a beautiful, beautiful event. You me and Kathy were all day in Long Island celebrating my nephew's birthday at a trampoline park. So it was, we came back to the hood kind of exhausted, but we dragged our butts out the house and had a really nice time. We really had a nice time at the
Led Black (30:40)
could imagine.
Octavio Blanco (30:43)
at the party, the food was really good and the drinks were really good. He had a really good, like I say, I don't drink except for in December. I've got wet December. So I was taking advantage of the Jamaica with mezcal drink that was really smoky and tasty. I had two of those bad boys and went home feeling really nice, really nice.
Led Black (31:07)
My wife had two of those.
Octavio Blanco (31:12)
I don't know what should I do let I mean we've
Led Black (31:12)
Yeah, the paella was banging too.
That paella was outstanding.
Octavio Blanco (31:16)
I've yeah, the pie was really good.
I've got a bunch of things here on the list and I don't know if I'm going to read them all because just reading what was going on today was a lot. But I do want to highlight a couple of things that were on the list that I think are really important for our listeners. If you're uptown and ⁓ you think that you want to get involved with what's going on in your community, I think one of the things that is so important is to get
involved with your community board. Me and Led went to the community board 12 ⁓ holiday mixer. It was also the ⁓ send off for the long time ⁓ manager of community board 12 who is retiring and we had a really really wonderful night inspiring sitting with a lot of movers and shakers and talking about what the community needs. But ⁓ for folks who want to get involved I will say that on ⁓
On Monday, December 12th, there is an executive board meeting for Community Board 12. The public can attend, but they won't be able to participate in that meeting. Also, Community Board 11 had...
Led Black (32:36)
I think you got the dates wrong
though. You got the dates wrong. Octavia, you got the dates wrong. You said the 12th, the 12th passed.
Octavio Blanco (32:40)
Are you sure? No, because...
What's that?
Led Black (32:45)
You said the 12th, is the 12th of December or January?
Octavio Blanco (32:47)
No,
no, it's December 15th, CB 12. Did I say the 12th? I meant the 15th. I, ⁓ sorry about that. Let me start over again and clarify. So yeah, Monday, tomorrow.
Led Black (32:53)
You said the 12th though. You said 12th. okay. I think you said the 12th, yeah.
But tomorrow, tomorrow is the 15th.
Yeah, tomorrow the 15th, yo.
Octavio Blanco (33:04)
December 15th
is the Community Board 12 Executive Board meeting. Public can attend, but no participation. It's also Community Board 11's elections. So if you're in that district, you can participate via video conference. It's at 6.30 PM. And it's Community Board 10's Community Health and Human Services Committee meeting. And that's also at 6.30. So there's three Community Board meetings
different uptown community boards happening tomorrow. But the one that's really important and where the where the community can attend for Community Board 12 is on ⁓ Tuesday December 16th. It's the Community Board 12 general meeting. The public is invited to participate in this meeting. I encourage anybody who has something that they want the
community board to be aware of to either go in person to 530 West 166th Street. It's on the sixth floor and you can address the community board there with whatever it is that you feel they need to have their attention or you can join video via video conference, which you have to sort of register on their website. Community board 11 also has their full board meeting. That's at 630
That's in person at el museo del barrio. ⁓ So you do have to, and it's also on a video conference. You should ⁓ register for that if you're planning to go. ⁓ And ⁓ Community Board 10 is gonna have its education, youth and libraries committee meeting. ⁓ That's gonna be a zoom on the Community Board 10 website. And then Community Board 9,
⁓ also on December 16th, has got its strategic planning committee meeting. So, you know, I myself have been a little remiss in my own participation in community board meetings. I wish that in all the years that I've been here uptown that I would have participated more in community board meetings because at a very, it's really where the rubber hits the road for our communities.
about the mayor, we can talk about a lot of different people, but the community board is really like where the rubber meets the road for a lot of issues that happen. So I personally will be much more ⁓ visible and active at community board meetings and I hope that our listeners also will just ⁓ either go ⁓ right nowadays, you can go via video conference and participate, know.
Or you can go in person. Going in person is better to be there, not just because you get to be seen, but you actually get to meet the people. And they're nice people, you know, they're good people. They want to help the community, so, you know, they're open to listening to us. So I'm going to be more ⁓ participatory. And that's the way that we get our voices heard. ⁓
Led Black (36:30)
Yeah, for sure. I agree 100%. You know, it's super important that we go to community boards. You know, it's one thing to complain about things, but you got to make it happen. You got to be there. Where, like, be in the room where it happens, you know? And shout out to those tireless workers, right, that are not getting paid to be on that board and taking time away from their families, right? Like, Ebeneezer Smith has been the board, the district manager of the board for like 17 years, right? So that's 17 years of putting up with a lot of stuff. So, you know, shout out to him on his way out.
And again, community boards are the thankless servants. know, they don't get any shine, right? You're not seeing them on camera. So shout out to them. I also have to say on December 18th, we're bringing Maurice O'Neal back to the United Palace. So shout out to ⁓ Glorietta Smora and Sasha Mercy, are just, you know, Dominican comedic superstars. And it's going to be a good night, right? I think with all the bad stuff happening federally and also in the city with ICE raiding and the nonsense we go through on a daily basis.
in
Trump's America, it's gonna be a good way to come and laugh at the end of the year, ⁓ commiserate and talk and just laugh. think Dominicans, we laugh to keep from crying, right? I think that's an important ⁓ survivor skill. So you go to Uptown Collective and you go to our Instagram page and we'll have a link to get your tickets. I don't know how many tickets are left. It's one show only, so get your tickets ASAP.
Go ahead, brother.
Octavio Blanco (37:58)
Yeah, no, I think that's gonna be a really fun show. Those two comedians are really, really, really funny. There's a bunch of other events. I would say that there's a local spot where you can get a lot of the events.
It's called height sites. They do list a lot of events on their webs on the website. And I used, I used height sites to, to populate some of the lists. I'm not going to go through every single thing on the list, but I will, I will mention a couple of other, of other things that were, that I saw here on, on Saturday, ⁓ December 20th and, and it's going to be a Posada de Comadres. It's
Led Black (38:40)
you
Octavio Blanco (38:53)
by the Undocumented Women's Fund. It's taking place on Saturday, December 20th from 1 to 5 p.m.
I don't have the ⁓ actual location because you have to register for it. And once you register for it, they will, you RSVP, you'll get the location for it. It's by the Undocumented Women's Fund. So take a look at that. ⁓ And then ⁓ there's a fun ⁓ one on that same day in the evening, the Harlem Night Market. ⁓ I think it's December 20th.
Led Black (39:22)
Shout to them.
Octavio Blanco (39:34)
at lot two of the historic La Marqueta at 112th and Park Avenue. I think this is the last one they've had them for the last two Saturdays. It sounds like a really, really fun event. Are you familiar with that, Led?
Led Black (39:48)
Yeah, yeah, I've been there before. It's really cool. Shout out to Irma Cadella, who's the Coquito lady NYC. I actually have her Coquito in my refrigerator. It's top tier Coquito. Shout out to her. You can get it on site there. Yeah, shout out to them. They're really dope. Shout out to all those people behind it,
Octavio Blanco (40:06)
Yeah, so, you know, there's all kinds of stuff that's going on. It's really amazing. When I looked and I saw all of the events, it's like, wow, overwhelming. So no need for people uptown to complain about nothing going on, because there's tons of stuff going on.
Led Black (40:25)
you
And also, I want to plug the book from my brother Robert Snyder, When the City Stopped.
Octavio Blanco (40:37)
Yes.
Led Black (40:39)
Right, it's an important book. I have, like I said, I have two essays in it. But besides that, I'm coach Dave Crenshaw's in it. A bunch of first responders. It's basically telling the stories of the pandemic. And I think if you're a New Yorker, you can relate to it. And I think it's ⁓ important that it's a good read. it's an uptown gift right there, I think. So make sure you buy it. Go to Word Up and cop it.
Octavio Blanco (41:05)
Yeah, and on the comments here, I'm seeing that Cariño Amor y Respeto says that ⁓
She's heard that you can only speak at community board meetings when you go in person versus when you join via Zoom. I'm not 100 % sure if that's the fact, but it does make sense. mean, there, think that they could unmute you, but it's a whole process. It's a whole lot better going in person. I plan to be as much as I can going to community board meetings in person.
Led Black (41:27)
That makes sense.
Octavio Blanco (41:43)
not just Community Board 12 being that we are, you know, all of uptown. I do want to attend other community boards just to meet the folks and see what's what's going on. But a very important message about something that's happening next week. Our latest interview is dropping on Tuesday with Tom Sanford. You can you cannot miss this one.
Led Black (42:06)
Tuesday, y'all. It's
a goody.
Octavio Blanco (42:10)
Tuesday,
you've got to tune in to Uptown Voices to see the interview with Tom Sanford. The man is incredible. I met him once and and you know, I was it was nice to meet him. But then speaking with him, I was just blown away at the way this guy works. So incredible. Led, you've known you go you go further back with him than I do. ⁓ But I think you learn some stuff in the interview.
Led Black (42:12)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Octavio Blanco (42:40)
you.
Led Black (42:41)
Yeah, I learned a lot, you know, I learned a lot talking to that brother like it's funny I know Tom for a while right but a lot of times, you know You talk to someone you meet them and you have a good conversation But you don't get to get that deep and just find out like that. The origin story of this man is amazing ⁓ It's funny because when we first met he had reached out to me because you know the uptown collective and he said hey Look, I'm doing this series about beers
So basically, and that's what I love about his art, his art is not confined to walls. It expands beyond it, which I love. So he's like, look, I'm doing this series and I'm inviting people that I either that I know I want to get to know. And I want you to bring over some beers of your favorite and then we're going to chop it up and I'm going to paint the beer that you chose. Right. And it was cool because at that time I think I just, I think I'd gone to New Orleans for the first time. Cause it's like over 10 years ago. And I fell in love with New Orleans. Like I love that city. And I also fell in love with the Albedo purple haze beer.
So I brought that and he did a painting of it and we've been friends since then but I think it's an important important interview. He's an important artist He won no more the normal poster contest, but he's also like he creates Nick's art that is like, you know collected by like Spike Lee by Nick fans and and there's this one facet of his art, but his story is just fascinating. It's super inspiring It's also to tells you, you know, if you want to whatever kind of artists you are
Sometimes you gotta stick to your guns and do the side jobs if it means so much to you. I think a lot of times all of us, we're kind of taught to work. But if you wanna do the work, sometimes you gotta sacrifice. And God bless to him, he's been 21 years as an artist, working as an artist in art and doing his thing and hustling and finding his. But this is a great interview. I think it's another Point Up Time Voice episode this Tuesday, so check it out.
Octavio Blanco (44:21)
Yeah.
Yeah, I gotta say, you know, what's interesting is, ⁓ like I said, I've met him once.
It was a quick, we had a quick chat. And then after this interview, I feel like I've known him my whole life. I feel so connected to the things that he does. ⁓ He's a lover of not just of the Knicks, but also of hip hop and of Renaissance art. And he has a way of putting all of those things together. ⁓ It's really cool. the love and the authenticity,
that he brings to his work. just shines through. you know, definitely check out the episode and definitely, you know, check him out. ⁓ You'll get, you won't be sad. And by the way, I should say congrats to the Knicks. The Knicks versus the Spurs is gonna be at the ⁓ NBA Cup. You know, this is not the final, but it's sort of like ⁓ early season testing.
Led Black (45:28)
Yeah.
Octavio Blanco (45:39)
ground and the Knicks we beat Orlando yesterday to move on to the finals and the Spurs
beat Oklahoma City to move on to the finals. Oklahoma City is a badass team. So ⁓ the Spurs are gonna be to be contended with that's Wemba Yama. So we're gonna get to play against Wemba Yama. I'm not exactly sure when that final is, but it's coming up. Wemba, he's getting limited time, but yeah, he played, he gets limited minutes.
Led Black (46:13)
Is he playing? Is he playing?
Is he playing? Because I thought he was hurt. Okay.
Okay. Good.
Octavio Blanco (46:21)
Yeah, he got
limited minutes ⁓ last night and every time he was on the court, man, it was tough. But he's playing, getting limited minutes. So basically what the coaches are doing.
They're playing, they're playing him like really, like, I think he got like something like seven or less minutes in the first half. And then they're saving up his minutes for like in the stretch. And that probably had a lot to do with how come the Spurs were able to beat ⁓ Oklahoma city, which Oklahoma city is a, a, is a bad-ass team. But yeah, it's going to be Nick's Nick's versus the Spurs is going to be, is going to be exciting. So it's a, it's a perfect time to have a Tom Sanford on the, on the episode because
Led Black (46:56)
Okay, season machine, yep.
Octavio Blanco (47:04)
The Knicks are really right, you know right up there in the in the rankings. So, you know So it's so it's so cool about what's going on uptown. I got it I got to say that like I do think that like our people are our politicians are our artists ⁓ You know, I think this is what we're doing you and me right now not to not to pat myself or pat you on the on the back but
This is historic stuff. know, folks who are listening, what we're doing here is we're trying to bring you ⁓ everybody who we can, who's making a difference in this community, because there are a lot of people that are making a difference in this community and they just don't get the shine. You know, they just don't get the spotlight put on them and they deserve it. You know, so we're not just about problems and issues, which there are plenty of, but we're more about, you know, making sure that the folks who are making a difference
the difference in this community get to shine because this community has for too long been ignored ⁓ and it's not going to happen anymore. We've got the power and the resources behind us to do it from our own homes as you can see and to shine the spotlight on ourselves and to make things happen. And we see how much power we do have, whether it be economically with our dollars or whether it be political with our votes, because you saw how uptown came out
to the polls. And so you know that because of that, Uptown is going to be getting a lot of political attention. So, you know, I think that what we're doing right now is super important. We're at the very start of this, I think, ⁓ of this new transition, you know, and we want to make sure that everybody who's part of Uptown gets their voice heard, but that nobody, and that nobody who's been part of Uptown gets erased, you know what saying? So this is what we're all about.
⁓ What do you think about what's happening?
Led Black (49:03)
Yeah, for real. It's an important time capsule. think 20 years,
20.
Yeah, yeah, for sure. Like I think, you know, 20 years down the line, you know, when you want to see, wow, who was doing what uptown Manhattan, you're to be able to go look at these episodes and say, ⁓ look at, look at Nerea from Noma, right? Look at Tom, look at Meno from People's Theater Project, right? And we've had these amazing guests and I'm really excited about what we're doing. Like you said, this is really important for the community. You know, it's important that we tell our stories because if we don't tell our stories, they don't get told or they get told wrong. So yeah, man, this has been a great
Where's we're gonna end the year right and we're do more of these lives, too I think the lives are important to just do touch base and get you ready for things that are happening Also, we also gotta stay super vigilant with ice in our communities, right? So that's why those hands-off trainings are super important So it's Instagram is hands-off NYC make sure you follow them and and they're gonna keep your breasts of all the things happening You know how to get how to get ready how to prepare, you know have your whistles You know, I mean because this is this is a fight
for our lives and for our community members, right? So if you do have the luxury and the distinction and the privilege of having, you know, being documented, don't look down on your brothers and sisters who are not. That's just a piece of paper. And to be honest, if we're being really 100 % honest, you know, a lot of these people were in this hemisphere way before the people telling us that we need to get out, right? So y'all just came 200 years ago. You know, people that have indigenous descent, we've been here for millennia, you know what mean?
different thing. So it's like, it's weird now you take it and you say, there's laws now, but when you took it, it was no laws. You made those laws, right? So, so we got to stay vigilant. We got to stay with solidarity. I am not with the bullshit. I'm not with looking down on Muslims or looking down on gay people or looking down at other Latinos. That's some bullshit. And I'm going to call it out every time. And again, like I said before, we have to lock arms and close ranks. You know what saying? I'm we're closing ranks and I hate to say that, but all you people that still support Trump,
⁓
Y'all, I'm not fucking with y'all. No, I'm not fucking with y'all at all, sorry.
Octavio Blanco (51:15)
Yeah, man. That's, you know.
Unfortunately, if anybody's still out there who's supporting of the tyrant, that's not us. We can't mess with you. Of course, ⁓ you decide that you see the error of your ways and you want to come back to being with your people. Your people are here. Your people love you. They love you, but they can't stand by and be destroyed by you because that's what's happening.
Anybody who wants to erase my community from this country?
We can't have that. We can't even engage in conversation until you accept that we're a part of it, that we're a part of the society, that we're a part of this community, that we're a part of this nation. And ⁓ right now there's ⁓ scary stuff going on. There's a movement that really wants to throw not just the city, but wants to throw the entire globe into a ⁓ existential ⁓ crisis.
And I hate to sound so, ⁓ you know.
It's a scary thought, but it's the truth of the matter. And the only way that we can protect ourselves and defend ourselves at this point is to educate ourselves, to keep reading, to keep aware, to wear our whistles and to please have your voices heard. And it starts at the very, very, very most local level, community boards. That's what I think, of course it's important to be involved at all levels, but you can have the most
impact right here at the most local level possible, your own neighborhood, your community board. It's there for you. That's what they're there for. So be there. Make sure that you're heard. Be a part of the process. I'm not saying go there and be rude and confrontational and yelling unless that's what's needed. But at this stage of the game, what's needed is participation. Participation. It's the most basic thing.
about yelling and screaming. The society was was built on compromise, you know, but the compromise can't be whether or not I exist. That's not part of the compromise, you know. We need to get our schools funded. We need to get our roads built. We need to get our...
our vacant lots built, we need housing, we need healthcare, you know, all those things. And you can address all those issues at the most basic level, at the most local level at your community board. Of course, like I said, other levels are important. Our congressmen, our state representatives, all that stuff is super important.
Led Black (54:11)
But even, you know.
But going back to what Dudo was saying at the beginning of the program, pick up a fucking book, read. Start fucking reading. To people in my community that get mad because it's like, you want me to put only pictures, nice pictures of uptown. Fuck that, I'm not doing that.
If you don't like it, don't eat it. That's what the Dominican say. You don't like it, don't eat it. You know what saying? This is what it's going to be on my page and how I'm going to rep, right? Because that's important. And again, Latinos from Trump, for me now, are lot of bonus for Trump, right? Because at this point, act, like again, it was theoretical last year when you voted for him, right? It was theoretical, but it's not theoretical any longer.
Octavio Blanco (54:38)
Hahaha
Yeah. Yeah.
Led Black (54:59)
terrorizing our communities, they're taking people's babies away, they're psychologically damaging children now, right? I read about one Asian, one Chinese man that they took his son away, his son was a kid, like six.
You know, he was a young kid. He hasn't seen his father in how long? Like they're doing these atrocities in our neighborhood, right? And some of us are fighting back, but some of us are there cheering it on. You know what mean? And that's not cool. And it can't be allowed, right? So you could do what you want, but I'm just not fucking with you. You know what I mean? And I don't care anymore because we're at that point where it's either you on this side or you're on that side. If you're on the wrong side of history, either you come back to the right side or for me, you're gone. Like you're dead, right? You know what I mean? Like that's how I feel.
have to move forward. Like there's no more games. Like the time is waging war in our community. Are you on our side or you on his side? That's it. And so that's why reading is so important. Start reading, start letting these right wing fucking bullshit just like invade your mind. Again, I'm with you. The Democrats need a lot. The Democratic elite leadership ain't shit. I don't like Biden. I don't like Kamala. I don't even like Barack Obama anymore. I don't like any of those. I like Apex. I don't like Schumer.
I don't like any of those people, granted, but the other side is an active right-wing platform. And you're not part of that. If you're a person of color, you are not part of that. So you need to get over your nonsense.
Octavio Blanco (56:22)
And
not just right wing, it's a white supremacist. I mean, it's clear as day. They are admitting it. It's not even... ⁓
Led Black (56:35)
Mm-hmm. It clear as day.
Octavio Blanco (56:39)
⁓ theoretical. It's just the fact. They are admitting that they are that they are anti-black, anti-brown, anti-Asian. They are, ⁓ they they feel ⁓
that they're losing a grip, their grasp on their power as whites. Not all whites, obviously. We've got a lot of white people that are disgusted by what's going on with the Republican MAGA party. So I'm not lumping in all whites here. I don't want our white brothers and sisters to feel like that we're against them, that it's a white versus brown or a white versus black.
the case. It's a right versus wrong, right? ⁓ It's a racist versus somebody who's for unity of all people. So if you're for unity of all people, that's what it's about. We got a question here from ⁓ Kathy. ⁓ What about AOC and Bernie? What do you think about them?
Led Black (57:49)
Listen, man, I'm not completely.
Happy with AOC and Bernie either, ⁓ to be honest, if I'm being fully honest. But at least I believe that those two can be moved in the direction that they need to be moved. And to me, they're not as compromised as the rest of the leadership. But I do get the argument that they, in certain ways, have channeled the anger and distrust away in certain ways. mean, if I'm being honest, I didn't like the way AOC was playing.
kind of footsie with Biden at the end before he dropped out. She did a video with him and they both had the same shades and the khaki and the white shirts and they're like basically walking through a field. And that was before everyone is that was when everyone said, hey, you need to get the fuck out this race. My man, you're too old. This ain't working. Right. So she kind of whatever she got for that. I think she's compromised. think Bernie won twice. Bernie was going to beat Hillary and he was going to beat Biden. Right. And then the Democratic Party just basically took a crap on him. So but I
I
still think they're leaders and I rock with them, but I have my reservations, but I still, they're still much better than the completely bought and paid for Democrats, right? So what I'm saying is like, I think we need some more discernment. We need to make these people do what we want them to because at end of the day, we are the power. So it's either we're the power or someone else is the power. You know what mean?
Octavio Blanco (59:15)
Yeah.
And I should say we had a, we also have a TikTok channel. haven't really, we haven't really spoken about the TikTok channel.
But we have a TikTok channel that's getting some, getting some attention. So check it out. ⁓ Uptown voices on TikTok. One of the, had an interesting, and also on YouTube, Uptown Collective, we publish on YouTube. And I had an interesting exchange with a viewer on YouTube who ⁓ was saying how they voted for Trump, but ⁓ they regret it now. ⁓ But they were kind of saying, ⁓
but what was the alternative, right? And that kind of blew me away in a way because I think a lot of people felt like, yes, what's the alternative? But the alternative was Kamala, right? Like that was the alternative. If we had elected her, we wouldn't be in this world of trouble that we're in today, in my humble opinion. I don't think we'd be undergoing these issues. Is she perfect? No.
Is there a huge problem? Yes. But is the answer electing an outwardly racist, like disgusting, ⁓ ethnocentric, ignoramus television host? No, that's not the answer. But I get it in a way that people were so disgusted that they were just like, screw it all. I'm just gonna just, I'm just gonna.
You know what? I'm just gonna throw it all away because I'm so disgusted. That's the message I'm sending. so yeah.
Led Black (1:01:01)
Yeah, mean,
but I have to have to have to just challenge you a little bit on that. Just have to write because I just feel that like, yes, we wouldn't be completely in this.
Right now, like ICE will not be terrorized at communities right now, but there will still be a genocide going on that was started by Biden. Right. So yes, Trump has made things work, but Kamala isn't it either. Right. Like I get, I voted for Kamala, right. Cause again, it was another, I was voting against Trump, but to pretend that Kamala is this great candidate, she isn't. When she, when she could have backed away from Biden when she should have, she didn't. Right.
Octavio Blanco (1:01:34)
No, no, she's not
Led Black (1:01:42)
You know, those times when she would do the alphabet soup, the word salad, she would do, you know, it was because they asked her questions about the genocide and she didn't know how to answer it because she knows it's a genocide, she knows it's wrong, but she can't say that. Also, they asked her if America was racist. She said, no, it isn't a racist country, which is bullshit, right? So what I'm saying, Kamala is not the answer. Yes, our lives would be better, right? We'd be better ⁓ off with her instead of Trump.
Octavio Blanco (1:02:01)
Well now we see the evidence.
Led Black (1:02:11)
but these corporate Democrats are not the answer and she's not the answer. I don't want her running anymore. I don't want to see Hillary Clinton's fucking face anymore, anymore, anymore. Like every time she opens her mouth is fucking annoying. And the Clintons have taken too much from this country and from this party and I don't want to hear them no more. And Kamala is just another one of the bullshit politicians for the Democrats. I don't want her anymore. ⁓ And again,
We know we like to think look through rose-colored glasses like the first Trump terms sucked But a hillary term would have been bad as well because these are corporate democrats that only care about corporate profits and about Israel And we have to be honest about that, right? They care more about another country than this country because that's who owns them
Octavio Blanco (1:02:48)
Yeah.
Yeah. If there is, if the
If there's anything that we can learn from this horrible presidency that we're undergoing, if there's a silver lining for me, which I think is a silver lining and we need, but it's only a silver lining if we step into it and we accept it and we own it, is that people, the people are sick and tired of hearing.
lies and of hearing messages that are crafted so that they don't offend anybody.
Right? Messages that are like talking at the side of your neck. Right? They, you know, you're in front of this audience, you say one thing. You're in front of that audience and you say another thing. And the genocide in Gaza is a perfect example. And Led, I gotta commend you because you've been striding about this for a long time. And it took me, you know, a little bit of arguing and a little bit of ⁓ realizing ⁓
what's going, what's happening over there to say that it's in fact and undeniably.
genocide. Anybody who feels otherwise, you know, I'm open to hearing your opinion about it, but I just don't agree. You know, if you can argue that it's not a genocide, I just don't understand where you're coming from. But ⁓ politicians need to choose, I think, a side on a lot of issues, including this one. And they can't continue with their, like, ⁓ you know, silver-tongued stuff. They need
to ⁓ speak truth and be authentic. Like that's the only way that you're gonna win. you know it's proof in the pudding is that this idiot was authentically idiotic and he won right? Because people were like you know at least I believe him because because he's he's just authentic about the things that he says. So if there's any silver lining is that we have to be authentic
about our beliefs, we need to choose our sides and we need to say what we feel in our hearts and in our minds and stop trying to ⁓ please everybody all the time because it's just not gonna fly. One thing about this society today and this day and age, as much as we see and are threatened by AI and social media, ⁓
when we actually dig into it, the social media that's the most ⁓ successful is the social media that's the most authentic. That's when you really are hitting, are running on all cylinders. So if you're authentic and you know what you stand for, then you can get, you can break through the noise. End of rant.
Led Black (1:06:07)
Thanks.
Yeah, man, but I agree. Shout out to Carino Amoriz Respecto, who's been on with us and for commenting. We really appreciate you. you for that. Octavio, I think it's time to go, man. I want to go play in the snow. It's the first snow day of the season. I'm going to take some pictures, them on Uptown Collective. ⁓ And shout out to the family. ⁓ know, it's kind of fun to have a snow day, chill at home, get some stuff done. So shout out to everyone that listened to us. Another episode of Octavio, a black and Blanco.
Octavio Blanco (1:06:21)
Yeah, yeah, girl. Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah. Please subscribe. ⁓
Led Black (1:06:40)
live, please subscribe, you know what mean? I just spread love, it's the uptown way. Octavio, any last words,
Octavio Blanco (1:06:47)
No, no, that's it. Just definitely do...
get involved, check out, go to the website for your local community board. If you're up in Washington Heights and Inwood, it's 12, and then 11, 10, and nine are like the different Harlem community boards. So do check out their websites if you're listening. if you're, actually I should say in the South Bronx, I haven't really looked, but we're gonna be doing more with the South Bronx coming up.
of Uptown, I want to make sure to say that. Anybody who's in the Bronx listening to us as well, welcome to the family. You know, it's a historic community, South Bronx, Uptown, and we're brothers and sisters, cousins, whatever you want to call it. ⁓ But yeah, spread love, Led, I also just want to thank you again for the work that you do and for creating this platform, Uptown Collective. You know, it's God's work. Keep going at it and keep being your authentic self.
Led Black (1:07:26)
Part of greater uptown, yep.
Likewise, brother.
Octavio Blanco (1:07:50)
because somehow you stay above the fray and you speak the truth and ⁓ I respect it so much.
Led Black (1:07:51)
Thanks, brother, thank you.
Likewise, brother. Thank you for making forcing me to do this uptown voices podcast has been a tremendous ride and I'm enjoying like I'm really I'm really enjoying it and I learn something every episode. And it's funny, a lot of these people are my friends and that I know for a long time, but it's like I walk away with a deeper appreciation for them and their struggle and also what they do for this community. Right. Because this is this podcast is about highlighting those people that do the heavy lifting of community. Right. The ones you don't see.
Octavio Blanco (1:08:00)
Hahaha!
Led Black (1:08:27)
on camera, the ones behind the scenes. This is what this is about, uplifting their voices. So Uptown Voices, another great episode. Tuesday, check us out, y'all. Spread love is the uptown way. Thank you.
Octavio Blanco (1:08:36)
Yeah, Tuesday, Tuesday, spread love.
Bye-bye.
All right.