LIFE OF A BOSS The Podcast

Takeaways from Brandon Donte Lamar

November 18, 2021 JASON HARDIN Season 1
LIFE OF A BOSS The Podcast
Takeaways from Brandon Donte Lamar
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Show Notes Transcript

In this episode, Hardin interviews author and community organizer, Brandon D. Lamar.

To learn more about Brandon or to purchase one of his book's, please visit:
https://www.bdlamar.org/

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Jason Hardin  0:01  
Thank you and welcome to a another wonderful episode of Life of a boss the podcast. I am Jason Hardin, your host, and with me today in the studio is the beautiful, wonderful, exciting, exuberant. I can't even think of any more great adjectives right now but it is Miss Suzu How are you doing today?

Suzu Sinay  0:24  
Hello, I'm doing great. I'm grateful. Grateful to be here. And I'm excited to be here for another episode.

Jason Hardin  0:31  
Well, it's good to have you. And I'm grateful to see you in the studio right in front of me. And you are just always a pleasure.

Suzu Sinay  0:38  
Thank you so much, Jason.

Jason Hardin  0:39  
Oh, I love you. Anyway, today we have a it's a wonderful episode, because we are in unpacking an interview that we had with the new candidate for city council councilman. And it's Brandon D. Lamar. And we had a great interview with him. Guys, check out that interview, if you haven't yet it played earlier this week on Monday. And it's always there for you. And he gives out so many great jewels like, it is amazing what this brother does, what he has created, and what he plans to do for him and his community. And being a part of his community of Pasadena, California, I am very thankful for what he does. And that being said, we are going to unpack and look at and analyze his last interview, and basically tell you our main takeaways that we got from it. How does that sound? Sounds perfect. I'm

Suzu Sinay  1:41  
ready.

Jason Hardin  1:42  
That's great. So I guess my first question would be what is the first takeaway that you got from Brandon interview?

Suzu Sinay  1:51  
So my first takeaway is actually I just want to mention the books. I've seen the books, and they are awesome, the illustrations were beautiful. And the message was just very clear, very empowering. So I did want to mention those, but what why it's one of my takeaways is just actually to bring the emphasis of why writing is important, actually. And I think it's a he found, you know, something, a message that he wanted to express Yeah, and he found his audience who wanted to express it to, and his why's. And so I just want to remind people, basically, that writing is very therapeutic, it's very important. And if you find out who you're writing for, and why you enjoy it, or learn how to enjoy it, then you can also enjoy writing. So I just wanted to mention that,

Jason Hardin  2:43  
well, that was great takeaway, because just to let you guys know, he is the author of "The King In Me", as well, as well as another children's book called "The Queen In Me". And there are books of affirmations of identity, and basically trying to teach our young people to be okay with being themselves and being different, and that they are just as valuable. And as anybody else. And I love that message. And I think that that's what she said was very important, because that's his story. You know, I mean, the that's the story he wanted to tell. And writing is a way to change the world. You know, I mean, words change, feelings change starts, they shape the country to shape the world that shape our existence. So to put your words out there, never think that your words are less valuable than anyone elses. And I love to give him his props, because he told that story. So who knows how many young people, those two books are gonna help? You know, so, excellent point, my first takeaway was, how 2020 was his best year ever. And I keep bringing it up, because it was like that for so many. You know, of course, people want to say how bad it was and how horrible a pandemic and in the country was in a market and the job situation, but people have to understand that we control our own fate. You know, our own creativity, own ideas, own passion, that's what leads us and Brandon has let that lead him. So when it was a bad time for so many, Brandon was not just thriving, but helping other kids get over the traumas, and, and emotional and depressional baggage or whatever. They come with the pandemic and being on lockdown and not having the freedom and not being able to socialize. So he broke the mold in creating those types of opportunities, doing a time where you weren't supposed to be around other people and not to get them in trouble because in the end, we know what's best for us. And in the end, those kids did a lot of good and A lot of good was done for them by that event. So I appreciate that. Yeah. What else do you have? What are the takeaways?

Suzu Sinay  5:07  
Perfectly into my next takeaway, which was the Young Kings Retreat? Hmm. And I think that was so courageous. And it was so vital to keep that normalcy like, yeah, during the pandemic, because you This interview was a little while ago. Yeah. And a lot has even changed since then. It wasn't that long ago. Exactly. But it was, yeah. And he did it during a time, you know, where it was most needed. You know, and just bringing, you know, people together, even though, you know, nobody was getting together. No, no, yeah, you know, families, nobody was having large groups. So I just thought that was, you know, very much needed. No, during that time,

Jason Hardin  5:49  
absolutely. And I want to give a shout out to the Young Kings Retreat, he will be putting on another one. And so we're going to make sure people keeping contact with that information, just keep looking back at the show notes and check in with Mr. Lamar, and ask him, when that starts up, again, because I know a lot of people want to get involved with that, because it was such an impactful opportunity for the kids that were involved. And I know other youth can use it. My next takeaway from the interview was how mentors are important in closing gaps. And he expressed that that the important event was in closing, whether that be an age gap, whether that be generational gaps, financial gaps, color gaps, you know, nationality, and all that. And he says, basically, that a mentor is a guide, you know, and I totally believe that, because when I was younger, I didn't have one didn't even know what a mentor was, never even spoke about it until well after high school. So now that I am a mentor, I totally see the value. And now that I have a mentor, I totally get the value, you know. So I just think that that's very important, and not just think that everybody should have a mentor. So you want to say anything?

Suzu Sinay  7:15  
Oh, yeah, that was actually pretty close to the next takeaway I was going to mention, but I don't know if I have it in the right order. He said mentorship leads to guidance, guidance leads to opportunities. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Because that positive influence sometimes, I mean, I, I had a pretty stable upbringing. But I know without that positivity, you just see dead ends, you don't see any opportunities for yourself, especially if the people around you don't see opportunities. So like you said, it closes in that gap. And it helps them to see opportunities and to be able to live, you know, life beyond what they see.

Jason Hardin  7:52  
And I think that's so important, because that is exactly what a mentor is, is that guide because that mentor is where you want to be, meaning they been where you are, yeah, meaning they see the light at the end of the tunnel that you don't. And that's the most important part for some folks that don't see hope, yeah, they don't have hope they go out there every day and just thinking they're killing time before something happens to them. Just you know, and that is a horrible way to live is a horrible way to just without any guidance, and and without any hope. So, mentors provide that hope, because they provide that guidance, because they've been where you are. Find one. You haven't got one yet. Does your homework find one? Yeah. Okay. Oh, yeah. Find one. What's your next takeaway?

Suzu Sinay  8:45  
Okay. Next one, is the solutions. When we started talking to you started talking about trauma. And he made sure that it was very clear that the solutions to trauma are all different in very, very individualized trauma. Basically, trauma informed care is completely individualized, because it all depends on each person's experience, and events that have occurred in their life. And I thought that's so true. You need to treat each person and you need to use compassion and love and understanding to be able to see where they've come from.

Jason Hardin  9:19  
Exactly. And I think you hit it on the head right, then is trauma informed care, you know, because it, there is no cookie cutter solution for any of us, you know, and that's what he said, just like he said, everybody is individual, their problems are individualized. So how can one solution work for everybody? And that's the art of trauma informed care. And it's not the art of knowing what that person's needs are and already being able to diagnose them or give them the right answer. It's the art of finding out what that person needs, talking to them. You know, creating That safe space, creating that environment where that person can talk and feel like they're not being judged. You know, that's trauma informed care. It's not having the answers. Yeah, it's trying to find out the answer. It is damn sure not thinking, you know the answer. Yeah. Oh, that kid's bad because of this. Because of that. No, you don't know what circumstance made him not wanting to listen today in class. Yeah, he might be hungry. He might be tired because he didn't sleep. He never know. So trauma informed care is so important is just is finding out the why not just what that person is doing, but why they're doing. So of course, that was a great takeaway from Yeah, from Brandon. Interview. You're so awesome. Oh,

Suzu Sinay  10:46  
thank you, baby. Yes.

Jason Hardin  10:47  
And my next takeaway, one of the last takeaways, I say is, when Brandon says, check your motives. That's one of mine to check your motive man, meaning if you're not doing something out of love, don't do it. Yeah. And I can vouch for the weather in Him meaning what he says in actually living by the practice because I see him in our community doing so much out of love. You know, there's nothing that I see this brother does that looks like it's straight for profit, or personal business, even if he's that money to do something for love. But it's just I don't see that everything he does is community based, organizational base, mentor based and something along those lines. So I can vouch for him when he says he doesn't do anything. That's not out of love. And I think that that's so powerful yet so underrated. In in why we move and act, I think people have an agenda, which is okay, but that agenda should be set out of love. Even if he's to make you a better person to give back to more people that you love, you know, somewhere. You got to put love in there. What do you think my love?

Suzu Sinay  12:07  
Yes, that was one of my takeaways definitely have to check yourself. Check your motives. Question yourself and your motives. You have to do I need to speak this way. Why, you know, why am I trying to speak this way? You know, who am I talking to? And basically questioning all of those. Um, I think going that extra mile he had mentioned that, yeah, that extra mile. Yeah, that time to show somebody you know that you don't want just to one word answer. Yeah, you really want to know, how are they doing? You know, and you can't do that with everybody. I know, it was one thing that I wanted to say that not every person you asked, How are you doing? Yeah, yeah, they will take that time, you know, so you have to be kind of intentional. Now going that extra mile, some people might have the time or the patience to do it, with every single person they talk to

Jason Hardin  12:59  
people pick and choose wisely. You don't have

Suzu Sinay  13:02  
to feel bad that you're not, you know, going that extra mile with every single person. But you know, you can be very intentional about it, you know, it's usually going to be people that you really care for, or people that you want to get to know, or somebody that you can see that actually needs and you know, somebody to listen to.

Jason Hardin  13:16  
Absolutely. And that's a great segue into my last point. And that's staying in lane, you know, because just like he said, You can't, if you're not the type to help everybody into, into open up a bag of worms or open a jar with everybody, don't, you don't have don't try, you know, exactly, you know, stick to what you know, and get better at that, you know, if you're great with one on one, or, or addressing certain issues that certain people have, expand on that, do more of that. But don't sit there and think you can counsel everybody and fix everybody's life. Or don't think you can be a gang inventiveness. And you don't have any of the tools and training and education on the don't think you can be a marriage counselor. And you have never had a sexual successful relationship. You know, so so so it's like, stay in your lane. And and one thing that he also says is that mentors help guide you to find what your own is, you know, so find out what your lane is by getting a mentor by seeking that guidance by following that guidance, you know, so definitely you want to stay in your lane and definitely you want to do things out of love. And those are probably the two most powerful messages I got out of that whole interview. And one more thing before we get out of here, I want to personally thank a interviewer. Actually not an interviewer, it's a reviewer, excuse me. Frank G. who left a great review on Apple podcasts. And I want to read it I'm read I'm gonna read it. Yeah, I'm gonna read Yeah. It's called the process. That's the title. I love how you brought together all the skills obtained throughout your journey to release another tool for those looking to level up. And I thank you Frank because that's all we try to do. I'm just trying to the best of what I've learned. Yeah, to help you do better and

Suzu Sinay  15:22  
you'd have to go faster. You don't have to reach everybody. It's just nice to know you've reached someone, someone.

Jason Hardin  15:27  
So one of one of you has gotten anything. Yeah. I'll go my job. Yeah, absolutely. Anyway, man, thank you for being in the studio with us today Suzu. Do I love you so much. And I appreciate appreciate you, Brandon for everything you do in this community. And that was a great interview. And for everybody listening. Check us out on lifeofaboss.net Check us out on Google podcasts, Apple podcasts, leave a review on iTunes. And ya keep coming back. We always got some good for you. Anyway, remember, success is a lifestyle. I love y'all peace.