How Be The Ones Turns Civic Life Into Community w/ Cate Mayer

Civic engagement has a branding problem and Cate Mayer is done pretending it does not. When voting and local government feel dry, confusing, and closed-off, most people do what any normal person would do: they opt out. Cate, founder and executive director of the South Carolina grassroots nonprofit Be the Ones (BeTheOnes.org), makes the case that the issue is rarely apathy. It is often a broken user experience, missing information, and a lack of belonging.

We talk through how Be the Ones builds civic participation like a real community movement: hundreds of listening conversations, clear on-ramps to civic learning, and events that lead with joy through art, music, comedy, and even karaoke with legislators. Along the way, we unpack a marketing lesson that applies to every brand and mission-driven organization: attention is easy to buy, but trust takes time. If we want people to stay engaged after election season, we have to show up consistently, create dialogue, and give people meaningful roles.

Cate also shares how her learning disabilities shaped her leadership style and became a creative advantage in making complex civic systems easier to understand. We dig into third spaces, the loss of everyday community, what younger generations need from leaders right now, and how South Carolina organizing efforts around fair maps and high-visibility community coordination reveal where real power lives.

If you care about community building, nonprofit leadership, civic education, voter engagement, or marketing that actually earns trust, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who has civic fatigue, and leave a review with one thing you will do this week to help someone feel like they belong.

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Transcript

Welcome And Quick Introductions

SPEAKER_04 0:33

Welcome to the Charleston Marketing Podcast, brought to you by the Charleston AMA and broadcasting from our friends at Charleston Media Solutions Studios. From business and art to hospitality and tech, these movers and shakers choose to call the low country home. So what's their story? Let's find out together.

SPEAKER_07 0:51

Hello, everybody. Welcome to the Charleston Marketing Podcast, powered by the Charleston AMA. We're coming to you live from the Charleston Media Solutions. I think we're live. Yeah, we're prerecorded, but we've been telling people I'm alive. I'm alive. Massive thanks to them, uh the Charleston Media Solutions, for uh sponsoring the show. We've got to also thank our annual sponsor, the South Carolina Research Authority.

SPEAKER_05 1:14

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

SPEAKER_07 1:16

My name is Mike Compton. I'm your immediate past president of the Charleston AMA, and currently president of Roombo.co. And uh thrilled to be here with my co-host, Tom. Tom, Tom K. How are you doing? I think we got the dream team together, Tom. No offense to the other co-hosts. Yeah, no, we're gonna knock it out. Not intended, but yeah, this could be blow people's voice.

SPEAKER_05 1:39

I'm wearing socks, though. Wearing socks part of my knock off. Knock something else off then. All right, that's fine. Uh so I'm Tom Kepler, I'm Director of Communications for the Center for Air's Property, airsproperty.org. Uh today we've got my good friend Kate Mayer, uh uh, who uh we actually met at karaoke at the Starlight Lounge about a year ago, and uh our paths have crossed in so many different ways. Uh, but I'd love to introduce you, Kate, if that's okay by you. All right, you are founder and executive director of Be the Ones, uh, which is a grassroots organization that's reimagining civic participation as a creative, community-driven movement across South Carolina, rather than see seeing civic engagement as something reserved for election years uh like this one. Uh, you uh challenge us to think about it as something we practice every day through storytelling, relationships, and the places where we live and work, uh like down here in the low country. Over the past two decades, you have worked across both the nonprofit and for-profit worlds, helping organizations build stronger communities through strategy, creativity, and authentic connection. You're also the founder of Lila Jane Consulting, Lila Jane Consulting, uh, where you help mission-driven organizations grow their impact. Uh, if you were at Creative Mornings Charleston recently, uh, you may have seen Kate uh speak about building belonging and the power of community. If you haven't seen that, go to YouTube or the Creative Mornings Charleston website that's worth checking out uh to the ends of the earth. Um, it's a conversation that feels especially relevant for marketers because at at its core, marketing isn't just about reaching people, it's about bringing people together around something that matters and what matters more than civic engagement. Kate, welcome to the C AMA cast, the camera cast. Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 3:26

Thank you, thank you. I'm thrilled to be here. That's a lot going on there, Kate. How and what? And I just want to know about all of it actually. Help me out here.

SPEAKER_01 3:34

We we got limited time, but hey, we can knock our socks off on that conversation.

SPEAKER_06 3:38

Right, right. Start with be the ones. Start with be the ones, yeah. Tell me about that and where that can.

SPEAKER_01 3:43

Yeah, so be the ones was born out of actually six years ago this week, uh, one conversation. You know, I think a lot of times we think that organizations are businesses, are founded with a strategic plan or business model or this, you know, complex I think about watching like NCIS right up on the wall. And that's not how Be the Ones started. Be The One started um in July of 2020. I was getting folks registered to vote, okay, volunteering, and I called someone in Raleigh named Beth. Be the Ones is actually named after Beth. Um and Beth said, you know, I don't I don't taught politics, I don't vote, not interested. And

The Call That Started Be The Ones

SPEAKER_01 4:19

we were on the phone for 45 minutes at the end of that call. She registered to vote and said, if I had a friend like you years ago, maybe I would have voted sooner or been involved. And that was the moment that I realized that there were Beths all over the country that just needed someone to have a conversation that felt like they belonged, that someone would engage with them. And so the first evolution of Be the Ones was born out of that. It was a volunteer-led initiative leading into the 2020 election. Once we got past the election, I really realized that there was an opportunity, but I didn't want to build a nonprofit and organization that I thought was a great idea. I wanted to build something that I really felt was born out of community. So I spent months having over 700 conversations with folks across the South trying to pinpoint what the information and participation gaps were in civic engagement and voting. And what I started to realize was there wasn't a um, you know, this lack of engagement and civic participation. It was not because people were not motivated. There was a user experience problem, right? And there was an information problem. And so people didn't see themselves as belonging in what civic engagement or voting looked like. They didn't feel like they had a community to participate. And then we have this combined issue across the country, but really in South Carolina, where we have a civic information health crisis, right? I am I I have grown up with learning uh disabilities my whole life, so I always think of analogies, right, and try to paint the picture for folks. And I want you to think about Tom, you asked me to come over to your house for dinner, but you don't give me the address. You don't tell me where you live. You don't tell me if I'm gonna need a new tank of gas to drive as as far as I need to get. And then you expect me to show up on your doorstep with a smile on my face and thrilled that I'm there. It's the same thing we do with civic engagement and voting, right? We we don't give people the information and the resources and the community and the support for them to participate. And so that's really was the evolution and idea behind Be the Ones. And we're going into our fourth year as a nonprofit. Thank you. August is our birthday month. Um, and what we have found is that people are craving community, people are craving an opportunity to participate. And I think what we do is really important, but how we do it is what really is special and differentiates us as an organization.

SPEAKER_06 6:38

Okay. Um you talk about that?

SPEAKER_01 6:40

Yeah, absolutely. So we try to center our work through joy, creativity, art, music, comedy. Um, we do a comedy and conversations event, we do um karaoke with our legislators event. We try to bring joy and excitement and fun into it. I think a lot of people feel, and I honestly, I know you know we're on a marketing podcast, and we need some marketing lingo here. We've we've we've branded civic engagement and voting as something dry and boring and stale. 100%, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 7:11

Jail-like.

SPEAKER_05 7:12

Like you don't want to go to this thing. Yeah, it's like jury duty and voting are in the same sense.

SPEAKER_07 7:17

Maybe it's a little too far to go to jail,

Civic Engagement Has A UX Problem

SPEAKER_07 7:19

but yeah, jury duty.

SPEAKER_05 7:19

I mean, right.

SPEAKER_01 7:20

We had some of our young folks go to a school board meeting and they were like, the chairs are so uncomfortable. There's fluorescent lights. It's just it's stale, it smells like old people. And I was like, well, you're probably not wrong on any of those assumptions. So what if we rebrand it, right? What if we rebranded?

SPEAKER_05 7:33

What if we turn it into Hollister? So there's like loud music and good sense. Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 7:38

Sounds like that's what she's after.

SPEAKER_01 7:40

Any marketers listening that want to help us continue to rebrand? Absolutely. Be the ones.org. Sign the stuff.

SPEAKER_07 7:45

And what was the dot org?

SPEAKER_01 7:46

Cedium.

SPEAKER_07 7:47

What was your dot org? One more time. Be dot org. What was your dot org?

SPEAKER_01 7:51

Be the ones.org.

SPEAKER_07 7:52

And then so do you have uh a board? Do you need people to join your committees? Do you need help on that end? We need we need it all. We need it all. We we really are you're the executive director, CEO?

SPEAKER_01 8:04

Yeah, the executive director. So we are a small grassroots organization, so we're funded primarily by um grants institutional funding and individual donors and grassroots donors. Um, like all nonprofits this year, we have seen a dramatic decrease in grant and institutional funding. It is a massive crisis that the nonprofit sector is seeing across the country and really trying to reimagine how we sustain, and that's not just a be the ones situation, it's all nonprofits. And we need y'all to believe that you can be part of a community in civic engagement and come join us at an event. We've got

Bringing Joy Through Art And Comedy

SPEAKER_01 8:41

volunteer opportunities, we've got business partnership opportunities.

SPEAKER_07 8:44

Um it sounds like an all-ages type of thing, too, right?

SPEAKER_01 8:47

Yeah, so our our programming is is really focused in two true primary areas. Our civic learning and education program is really for all South Carolinians. How do we provide you the resources and the information to participate? And then our young leaders program is for the rising generation, which we define as under 30. Um, and that programming is really how do we build the rising generation with the information and the agency and leadership skills to be civic participants in our community. But we are for anyone, anyone that wants to learn and participate, we'd love to chat and have you part of our community.

SPEAKER_05 9:16

And you've got a chapter here at the College of Charleston, right? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:19

We've got now um several college chapters across the state. Our first one was College of Charleston. Um, and they are ramped up and ramped up and ready to be able to get away.

SPEAKER_07 9:28

Spared up, ready, ready, ready, ready, they're ready to be civic. Yeah. They are.

SPEAKER_01 9:31

They are ready, they are. They are already there. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 9:35

I love that. So Charleston has uh an incredible sense of community, and it is three pl transplants gathered here around the microphone. I think we we could all talk about that in a while. Don't anyone judge us from that. So Ohio. Is there yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, good. Yeah. So is there one local place that stands out to you that really that in your mind represents what like community really means? Right.

SPEAKER_01 10:04

I love this question because I think I'm gonna answer it, but I think part of the challenge that we find in our society and our culture in our country today is the loss of community spaces, the loss of third spaces, third spaces, spaces, the loss of gathering spaces. There's a great book called Um Bowling Alone. If you haven't checked it out, it's like 900 pages, but it is a phenomenal, phenomenal book. And it's this whole theory of the loss of community in society when we've started to lose bowling leagues, right? Bowling leagues back in the day used to be the community gathering, right? You went to the bowling alley, you met with your friends, it was that sense of community.

SPEAKER_05 10:37

Yeah, and we've lost that shared commitment to bad shoes. Yeah, El Bundy that's like.

Third Spaces And Park Circle Community

SPEAKER_01 10:44

Yeah, way back in the day. Yeah, um, so yeah, so I think I think that's part of where the challenge that we find ourselves is so many communities don't have that anymore. But here in Charleston, we have one of the opposite, which is I would say is Park Circle. Um you know, it is it is a community that is diverse. It feels like everyone is watching out for each other. Um, you know, you walk down the street and people want to talk to each other's dogs. Um, you know, uh we we've also lost the sense of engaging and talking to each other. And I think part of that is the pandemic and what has happened with with technology and social media over the last many years. But we have lost the art of just saying, Hey, how are you?

SPEAKER_02 11:25

Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_01 11:26

I remember as transplants, when I first moved here 11 years ago, I was checking out at the grocery store and the woman's like, How are you? And I was like, Great, okay, I got it. And she was like, No, no, how are you? And I was like, Oh, you really want to oh you want to engage in health care. Yeah, and I think um Park Circle embodies that so much of it's a it's it's a container in a place, and the businesses are so um connected and ensuring that they create that that container of community for each other. Yeah, and it's home for me, so you know.

SPEAKER_07 11:58

Oh, there we go.

SPEAKER_01 11:59

I had to put that little spin on a it's a beautiful spot.

SPEAKER_07 12:02

What what's the name of the book again?

SPEAKER_01 12:03

Uh Bowling Alone.

SPEAKER_07 12:05

Bowling Alone.

SPEAKER_01 12:05

Bowling Alone.

SPEAKER_07 12:07

I got it.

SPEAKER_01 12:07

Robert, I'm gonna it starts with a P, but I'm liking on his last name. But bowling alone.

SPEAKER_07 12:12

Robert P. Bowling Alone.

SPEAKER_01 12:14

Bowling Alone. It's a great book. It's really long. It is very there's a lot of data. But it's a great thesis and and uh highly recommend it.

SPEAKER_05 12:21

So uh you know, we're obviously on a marketing podcast, so we we'd be remiss not to to to at least touch upon marketing. And and so, you know, so much of what you do revolves around sort of building a community, like we were just talking about, and and sort of building a culture of trust. So what's what's the difference between that and just building an audience?

SPEAKER_01 12:44

Yeah. Well, I think you need both, right? I think without an audience, without bodies, right? Or voices, or you you know, you can't be successful.

SPEAKER_03 12:53

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:54

But I think you know, when when folks are focused on building an audience, it is about them, right? Whether it's the brand, the business,

Audience Versus Community And Trust

SPEAKER_01 13:02

the organization. When you're building community, it is this larger purpose, right? It is for something greater than any one individual brand or organization or company. And I think, you know, uh attention is um expires. Attention expires. You're gonna lose everyone's attention at some point if you do not have their trust. Attention, I think we also live right now in a place where and marketers may disagree with me on this, but it's so easy to buy attention right now, right? With algorithms, with algorithms, with technology, with ads. I mean, you get people's attention in in ways that we haven't in decades before us. But can you sustain that attention is the question. And I don't think you can without trust. And I think, you know, is it harder to build audience attention or trust? The the answer is trust, right? Trust is is based on on feelings, it's based on relationship. It takes so much time to build trust. Um, and I think equally it takes so much time to rebuild that trust. And I think a lot of that's what we're feeling in our work in South Carolina is so many people have lost trust in these systems and these structures that are supposed to make life easier, that you can't ask someone to be part of the community and the audience without building that, rebuilding that trust first and continuously showing up and not just making them feel like they're important in one conversation. You know, we're in election year, right? I just need you right now because it's election season, knowing that that we're gonna show up again in January or February.

SPEAKER_05 14:36

Sure. Yeah, I I think the other thing, the other component I would add to this, and I'm wondering if you would agree, is dialogue. Yeah, right. Like so often, not just politicians but brands writ large, right? Talk at people and say, buy this product, buy this product, you know, sign on to this agenda, vote for me in in November, whatever that might be, without engaging people and say, what's important to you? And not not only listening once, but also creating a forum for those followers, that audience to engage with one another around that shared topic. Is that something that's that's important to you and to be the one? 100%.

SPEAKER_01 15:12

I mean it it it is at the core of our values and what we do, but I think you're exactly right. I think um, you know, I can't believe I'm gonna use this analogy, but I'm going to use it.

SPEAKER_05 15:25

Oh, I can't wait. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:26

I am not a Swifty, let me be clear. But I think when I think about audience, I think about I think about music, right? And you want people to show up to a concert, and they are showing up because who is on stage? But there is a difference with a performer or a musician who's created an opportunity for the people, not just to hear them sing or perform or whatever it is, but there is this sense of community, right? And they continue to show up. And equally important, they create different roles for every member of that community. So if you think about Taylor Swift, and again, I cannot believe I'm using this analogy, but here we are, is she isn't just a singer or performer, right? She has created all of these opportunities for her fans to feel like they are part of the community. And she's organically, without saying, your role is to be the bracelet maker, your role is to be the social media person, your role is to be the costume, whatever, right? She has organically created this community and this feeling of belonging that then all of these people across the world have taken on these roles, and then the audience grows from that, right? And she continues to show up that way. And I think she's done an excellent job of, you know, she probably hasn't gone to 500 coffees with her fans. I don't know, maybe she hasn't, we don't know, but listening, really listening to what her audience and her community want and need, and she fills that void. And I think we've lost that to your point. We've lost that sense of listening in every part of our society, really.

SPEAKER_07 16:57

If you really break it down, it's all about communications. Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 17:00

Communication. I mean, it's simple as that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 17:02

From the smallest little argument with your wife or partner or whoever, to uh mentors on a boardroom, like in the beginning of time with each other for whatever reason. You know what I mean? And and it it's just all about how you bring yourself, your authentic self, telling the true story to the table. Why would you do anything else other than that? I don't know. But that's what Taylor says. Oh, Tay Tay. She she you can you get to know her. Uh-uh. Yeah, right. You get to know her a little bit more, you know.

SPEAKER_06 17:30

Because of the communications.

SPEAKER_05 17:31

Right. And at the end of the day, and the vulnerability and authenticity and and just the sort of saying, I'm a human, and you as a human, if you'd like to join this collective in in this community and engage in dialogue with not just me, but with the whole community, there there's something here for you.

SPEAKER_01 17:49

Um and I think a lot of businesses are missing that, right? I think they've they've lost that.

SPEAKER_07 17:54

You brought up a good point though, where they just pick up their jobs that they want to do and they do their their best at their jobs, right? That you bring up that great point. But that's an intentional thing that you you just like uh being on the president of the AMA, you can't just be like, Tom, you do this. I'm like, what do you want to do? Yeah. What do you what do you thrive? Why do you wake up in the morning and then let's figure out what you're gonna do?

SPEAKER_05 18:15

Yeah. And and you are super good at that, by the way, Mike. Just to make this about Mike for a minute. Oh my gosh. Mike, Mike was one of the first people that I reached out to before I even moved to Charleston because I I I belonged to the AMA in Boston and found a real sense of shared community and purpose there. And I was like, I wonder if Charleston has that same thing. So I reached out to Mike and I was like, How can I how can I get involved? Like, what do y'all have going on? So Mike was an ambassador to uh uh of uh and on behalf of Charleston before I even set foot here. So just shout out to you, buddy. Yeah, thank you. That says something. And now we're festive. I'll text him the day before. Will you please? Yeah, right. But but about this, uh, you know, because I I think this sort of uh sort of bleeds into the moment we're in right now, right? People are sick of the authenticity, they're sick of being talked at. How does that relate to where we are uh in time right now? And does that affect your work? Especially in the political space. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:18

Yeah. Um, you know, let me just say don't turn this off thinking we're gonna get political because everything is political, right? So I just want y'all to hear me out on this. Let's have this conversation. Part of this is listening, what we just talked about, right?

SPEAKER_07 19:33

This is nonpartisan.

SPEAKER_01 19:34

We are, and that was my next comment is you know, we are a nonpartisan organization. That means that we do not support or endorse any political party or candidates.

SPEAKER_03 19:41

Amen.

SPEAKER_01 19:42

I think, amen, and also uh, you know, we've confused nonpartisanship with values and issues, right? You can again I'm gonna go back to branding. We have branded certain issues as Republican, Democrat,

Nonpartisan Work And Authentic Politics

SPEAKER_01 19:59

independent, Democrat Socialists, we're hearing a lot right now, right? Progressive, whatever term you want to use. But at the end of the day, we've lost I'm gonna go back to listening and conversation of really understanding what our individual and core shared values are and what we stand for and what we believe everyone should have access to.

SPEAKER_05 20:16

And we've also conflated nonpartisan with non-partisant.

SPEAKER_01 20:20

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 20:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:21

And I think a lot of organizations and businesses have conflated nonpartisan worship nonpartisanship with I just should stay silent.

SPEAKER_02 20:28

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 20:29

Which no. No. There has never been a moment in time where silence is the answer. Um, I think this goes back to authenticity that we were just talking about. Um you know, I'll talk about the political space in a minute, but people are craving realness. People are craving this feeling like they are part of something and like they they they see themselves in it and not being talked to or told. Listen, people people can see fakeness a mile away, right? Fakeness is I don't even know if that's a word, but we're gonna we're gonna make it a word. Put it in the dictionary.

SPEAKER_05 21:00

Oh, these AI posters, I I can't tell the difference. Oh, don't even get me started on the AI posters.

SPEAKER_01 21:06

But even even when someone says something, right? Like this nonpartisan statement or whatever they they they think they're saying. And people see through that. And I think, you know, where I am finding folks gravitating towards in terms of businesses, in terms of organizations, in terms of political candidates that are on the ballot, is those that are authentically them and unapologetically them. Um, and at the end of the day, businesses need to be doing the same, right? They need to be unapologetically who they are. And and first of all, I would say you can't do that without knowing who you are. So for some businesses that may be taking it to step back and saying, I gotta do some reflection about who we are and who we wanna be. Um, you know, I think a lot of businesses uh think they know who they want to be, but they haven't done that internal work of like who are we? Um that that's gotta be step number one, right? And I think businesses would be more successful if they stepped into that right now. I mean, I'm seeing it with businesses across the country that are booming because they are unapologetically who they are and what they stand for.

SPEAKER_05 22:09

I I've been that that's a very real topic today. I have been going down the rabbit hole of Taco Bell's social media today. Talk about a brand that is unapologetically themselves. They they took lettuce off their menu and they're like, we're here for everybody. One dollar burritos for everybody. And people are eating it up, literally eating it up. Right, right.

SPEAKER_01 22:27

Yeah, it's true. I mean, and and and I think we also live in this culture where we're so scared. To get it wrong, right? Like, oh, if I say the wrong thing, if I do the wrong thing, like, yeah. But you know what? Taco Bell's a great example, right? Like, listen, a lot of people spend some time in their bathrooms, but they're like, we're gonna own this.

SPEAKER_05 22:46

I would say their social media is performing better than Taylor Farms' social media at this current moment.

SPEAKER_01 22:51

Oh, well, that's probably not an easy task at this point. No disrespect, but you know, I'm not being I'm not eating Taylor Farms anytime soon. But I think, you know, in if we're in this political season, right? And we have a massive election ahead of us across this country and in South Carolina, which I'm happy to speak to in a second. But we in this state have seen such a lack of authenticity in our candidates. And I'm seeing that start to shift. I am starting to see candidates across the South, but in South Carolina, not do the fancy TV ads, right? Not show up in the button-down, the blue blazer that's like, I need to make a fancy statement after Lindsey Graham has passed away. They're like, listen, this is how, ooh, this is how I feel, and this is what I am, right? I mean, I was watching this one candidate the other day. She's in her workout clothes, she's got a messy bun up, she's got one kid on the hip, she's got another that's begging, she's making lasagna, and she's making calls for donations, right? Like someone, she was being called for donations earlier, and someone had called her back. And she put it on social media, and I was like, that's it. People see themselves in that, they relate to that. And she's like, I am gonna run for office because someone like me needs to advocate for people like me in this moment. It's not buttoned up, it's not fancy, it's not, you know, branded, it's real. And I and I think that there is such an opportunity right now for those that are running for office or thinking about running for office to be so unapologetically and authentically yourself.

SPEAKER_02 24:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:19

And trust me, it will work. Trust me.

SPEAKER_05 24:22

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, enough of the polish and scripted talking points and looking straight at the camera and like you know, and I think we also think about politics and big hist we have a lot of historical moments that are happening, right?

SPEAKER_01 24:39

And they're not good. They're not good moments in our history, but we don't have to make them as formal as we are making them in our statements and our addresses. Like, talk to me like you would talk to a friend when someone dies. Talk to me. I see, you know, like talk to me like we're having a yeah, it goes back to communication. Um talk about it. And I I know people want that because we're on the ground 365 days a year across the state. People are begging for it. So free advice if anyone's running for office. You can charge me later.

SPEAKER_07 25:09

I thought I thought, you know, my ten-year track might be something like that.

SPEAKER_01 25:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 25:13

Yeah. Uh well, I think it's also you know, a couple few people call me the mayor, uh, nickname, but well, my last name is Mayor. You can't give yourself a nickname, yeah. So you are the mayor.

SPEAKER_05 25:23

That said, you are the mayor.

SPEAKER_01 25:25

I like it.

SPEAKER_07 25:26

But no, I was thinking about it because no I feel like nobody's really stepping up to that point of being their true authentic self. Thinking about the civic duty and not other things. Yes. You know, truly sp specifically the civic duty, politics aside, nothing going on. Totally. What is gonna be the best for us here in Charleston? Correct. Show me who you are as a human being.

SPEAKER_01 25:48

Yeah, correct. That's what I want. Uh show me who you are as a human being.

SPEAKER_07 25:51

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 25:52

It may not be good, may be good.

SPEAKER_01 25:54

Show me who you are. Show me who you are.

SPEAKER_05 25:56

Yeah. Let's let's let's switch gears a little bit into uh into leadership. Uh, you know, you mentioned learning disabilities early on in this this conversation, and it's something that you and I have talked about plenty. How has that experience become like have you alchemized that into one of your greatest strengths? Can you talk more about that?

SPEAKER_01 26:14

And what it and what it is that you what is Yeah, so um uh a wide range of various learning disposities that have very scientific names that I would mispronounce, and everyone would be like, What the is that? Right. Uh I was in third grade and I had an incredible teacher, Mr. Bremen Stuhl, who realized something was a little different and I wasn't catching things, right? I wasn't learning things the way that other students were. And uh he went to my parents and said, I think, I think, I think I see something

Learning Differences As A Leadership Edge

SPEAKER_01 26:41

here that I that we might need to figure out. And you know, I'm not to age myself, but this was before ADHD is what it is now. This was before medication was like the thing.

SPEAKER_02 26:50

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 26:51

Um and so they figured it out and they went and got me tested and I was able to get resources. And um, Mr. Bremenstuhl, this was also when class sizes were very different. He stayed with me, third, fourth, and fifth grade. He moved up to make sure that he could figure out how to help me learn. And I went from Montessori School to public school and I just drowned, right? I mean, it was just my mom likes to say I can sew a button, but I couldn't do five times five, which is too still to this day very accurate. Um, but you know, I think up until really starting to be the ones, I always saw my learning disabilities as an obstacle I had to overcome, right? Like I have to overcome this. And with my learning disabilities, I've always had to figure out how to learn differently, right? Growing up, my mom would take historical facts or things I needed to know for a test. She would turn them into a song, right? Or we would have some kind of creative way for me to remember things. And I have done that my entire life. I've always tried to think about things differently and find different creative ways to remember and learn and understand. And I started doing that very early on when um uh I started this organization was, you know, I could give you a page with five bullet points on what a coroner does, right? Or the three branches of government or how our judicial system in this state works. You're probably not going to retain it unless you're really academically into that. But if I can create a game out of it, if I can create a song out of it, can I make it fun and joyful? Can I make it an activity where we have to draw to learn? And I just started doing that for myself to try to grasp all this knowledge. I mean, this was not my background. I don't have a political background and not a civics background. This wasn't something I've learned for 30 or 40 years or studied or have a degree in. And I started to just say, well, I'm doing this for myself and then I'm gonna put it out. And people were grasping onto it, right? People were like, oh, I can figure this out by the way that you're presenting this. And I think in terms of leadership, you know, so often, this goes back to the authenticity conversation. I thought it was something I had to overcome, right? In this obstacle. And what I started to realize as I was incorporating my learning styles into the creation of Be the Ones was I don't have to overcome it.

SPEAKER_07 28:53

I was gonna like I can use it. It's a superpower.

SPEAKER_01 28:55

It's my superpower, it's my greatest strength. And I think it also, you know, this work is really hard. It's really messy. Um, there's a lot of times we're folks with communities and we're never going to be able to meet their needs in the short term, right? Just the way that the systems and structure work, and you have to carry that with you. Uh, and it takes a lot of empathy to be able to do this kind of work. And I think um stepping into this leadership role with the learning disabilities that I have and in this life experience has made me a more empathetic leader in realizing that I can create spaces where people feel like they may not have belonged before or they never saw themselves represented. And we can create that space together and we can mold it and make it into what it could be. Um, and so yeah, I think it's my superpower now. I need to get a cape though. That's my that's my next uh 100%. Next podcast, I'm coming in with a cape.

SPEAKER_07 29:48

Next time we see you, Tom, yeah, at the karaoke bar. Yeah, let's go catch up for karaoke. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 29:53

I'll create a song about it.

SPEAKER_05 29:54

Well well, I I mean that's an excellent opportunity to talk about karaoke. So that's how you and I met. Yeah. So what's your favorite karaoke song? And also you mentioned that be the one that has karaoke events. Like, how do people get involved with that?

SPEAKER_01 30:10

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I do not discriminate against karaoke songs unless they're like, you know, sweet Caroline or which coming from Boston, I probably shouldn't say that, but it's true. Uh, you know, the the generic ones. Um, the one that I I also have the worst voice. I mean, my music teacher basically told me I was gonna pass music class in eighth grade if I lip sync. That she literally was like, if you lip sync, you will pass this class. I was like, understood.

SPEAKER_05 30:34

Side note, I was at karaoke. You've heard me sing. Yeah, I have. Uh I was at karaoke at the windjammer.

SPEAKER_01 30:39

She's

Karaoke With Legislators And How To Join

SPEAKER_01 30:40

like, yes, let's go to the next conversation. Unapologetically, shape by salt and pepper.

SPEAKER_05 30:46

Yeah. I was at karaoke at the windjammer on Isle of Palms last night, and someone sang, uh, sweet Caroline. Oh, and uh I outed myself as a Red Sox fan. So that was that was a whole nother.

SPEAKER_01 30:56

It also shows my age. Sheep by uh Salt and Pepper is myself. Yeah, so one of our big events, our most requested event every year, is our karaoke night. And so we invite our elected officials. One of the things that we try to do is break this barrier that our elected officials are these high and holy, you know, yeah pro experts, which by the way, no disrespect to any elected official. I'm not speaking on one specifically, but y'all, we are 10 times smarter than most of our elected officials. Let me just say that. Um we try to remove those barriers, right? So we invite electoral officials into a lot of our events and try to just create this community, right? Like they're they're human, they're just like us, this authenticity thing. And so we do. We have our fourth birthday party on August 22nd at Meeting at 616, which is the OG Local 616. Talk about incredible third spaces and community building spaces. Oh I got it. Dwayne shout out, Meeting616.

SPEAKER_07 31:48

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 31:48

Gem of Charleston. Um, if you're interested, you can go to our website, be the ones.org/slash/events. Um, come join us. We do karaoke with First Wives Karaoke, local staples. Um, there is a full snacks, drinks, all the things, and it's just a big old party and it's fun.

SPEAKER_05 32:06

Are there hot dogs?

SPEAKER_01 32:06

Probably no hot dogs at this one, but we are having a uh potluck friend raiser tonight that's hot dogs. Oh, very good. Yeah, hot dogs is my favorite.

SPEAKER_07 32:13

There is one other event that I wanted to put on your radar. I don't know if you know, it's called Know Your Lawmaker. I do. Okay. Yeah, the chamber. The chamber's put it together, he probably is on your radar.

SPEAKER_01 32:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 32:22

Just thought about you, that's all.

SPEAKER_01 32:23

Yeah. Yeah. The chamber does a bunch of really interesting events. Um they do one at, I think it's in January to kick off the year. Um, a lot of our elect officials that come are our county council members. We've had our sheriff, our coroner, that's good. Uh Mary Tinkler, our treasurer, county Charleston County Treasurer. Um Jana Brownstein, Mount Pleasant Town Council. So it's really interesting to see like local folks come out and mingle with constituents and have some fun. And they sing too.

SPEAKER_05 32:51

Now I'm very curious what Tim Scott's go-to karaoke song would be. Do you happen to know?

SPEAKER_01 32:56

I I think I'd have to uh have a different podcast for that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 33:02

Uh so uh, you know, a lot of the work that you do is is to provide people with on-ramps, I would say, to civic engagement. So uh what's you know, one small action? Anyone who's listening to this, whether they're they're here, we've got a lot of listeners in Charlotte and Atlanta, and then up and uh you know, throughout the country here. What's one small action everyone who's listening could take this week to become more engaged locally? And maybe that's in civics, maybe that's just to get involved in their community.

SPEAKER_01 33:32

But what's you're gonna think I'm crazy with what I'm gonna say? Oh, I know you're crazy for for certain.

SPEAKER_05 33:37

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:38

I need y'all to go out and talk to someone. Go out and talk to someone you don't know. Maybe

One Small Action Talk To Someone

SPEAKER_01 33:42

you're walking your dog and say hello to the other person that's walking your dog. Ask the barista when you'll get your morning coffee, how they're doing. Hey, what's up? How are you? Did you watch the World Cup? Who are you rooting for?

SPEAKER_03 33:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:52

Um, anyone, could be the grocery store worker. I I don't care who it is, I need you to engage in at least one conversation. I need you to listen to what they say and and respond back to that, right? I truly believe that if we get back to talking to each other and building those relationships and creating these senses, this sense of community. That's that's that's the strongest tool we have in our toolbox right now.

SPEAKER_05 34:19

We've we've gotten so far away from that.

SPEAKER_01 34:21

We have moved so far away from just talking to each other.

SPEAKER_05 34:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 34:23

And and I say it is literally that easy, and it is literally that hard for folks to be able to have one conversation with folks. So for some people, they may say, Well, I've already talked to five people online, someone like me who talks to everybody. In the comment section on Facebook. Yeah, I'm like, hey, everyone wanna come over hot dogs later. And for some people that may be hardened a challenge, but I want everyone to do that because if you think about it, it's that compound effect, right? And and you never know where that conversation is gonna lead. And don't expect an outcome right away, right? Don't expect for that free burger, that bird said to give you a free coffee because you asked how their day was. But you're building relationship and you're building that sense of authenticity and community.

SPEAKER_07 35:00

It's it's opening yourself up.

SPEAKER_01 35:02

Yes, just being to have a small talk conversation with your neighbor.

SPEAKER_07 35:07

It's gonna happen.

SPEAKER_00 35:08

Just it doesn't have to be dicey, it doesn't have to be political. It can literally be how was your morning?

SPEAKER_06 35:14

Does this conversation now count for my one time?

SPEAKER_07 35:16

Yeah, no, we're gonna I'm gonna challenge you guys to say, but challenge me because I I'm the guy like I'll talk to everyone. Please just stop. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 35:28

I challenge everyone to do it and then sit with what that feels like.

SPEAKER_07 35:31

We've been at the grocery store for seven hours. I won't invite them to dinner. Maybe. I know.

SPEAKER_01 35:36

Some of my friends do not like running dinner with me because like you talk to everyone.

SPEAKER_07 35:39

Everybody just be open to having that small talk, you know, and getting and getting to know people.

SPEAKER_01 35:44

Small talk leads to big talk over time.

SPEAKER_07 35:47

We're the same. Well, you're way better than me, so I can't just be the ones. Yeah. I love that.

SPEAKER_05 35:53

Be the ones. So, Kate, back to your background a little bit, uh, because you like me have a blended background of nonprofit and for-profit. And uh, I'm curious, you know, what have both worlds sort of gotten wrong about leadership?

SPEAKER_01 36:05

Oh, that's a good question. Um I think there's two things. I think the first is they try to be the hero.

SPEAKER_05 36:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 36:18

The organization, the business tries to be the hero.

SPEAKER_05 36:20

The flawless hero, too. Yeah, right? Like no, no, no scars, like everything's airprint.

SPEAKER_01 36:26

Yeah, the flawless hero, and and they've centered themselves over the community, whoever the community is, the audience.

SPEAKER_03 36:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 36:31

Um, and I see that across brands, businesses, local, national, and organizations. Um, and then I think the

Stop Being The Hero Start Listening

SPEAKER_01 36:41

second is they they create for what they think is the next big thing or the need or that will sell, or this, you know, product is better because without actually listening and talking with community. I mean, imagine a brand that's selling, I don't know, whatever you want to sell. Instead of lunching with some fancy pitch deck, goes out and has a hundred coffees with people in community, and they're like, all right, well, we can come back and say this was actually what community wanted or needed. What would the would the product look different? Probably. Would the mission look different? Probably. Um, and I'm not saying organizations and and businesses. I do know there are organizations and businesses that do that, but I don't think enough do. And again, it goes back to them being the hero and not the community being the hero, right? That's it. That that's that that's it.

SPEAKER_05 37:35

Yeah, yeah. And also sort of taking that data that you know, that that that crowdsourced information and having a vision for how to not only provide that group with what they need today, yeah, but sort of skate to where the puck is going, right? And and sort of how to lead them based on what we know about them, where can we get them? Right? Sort of that I make too many references to Steve Jobs, and he is not my favorite human being, but like I talked about Taylor Swift. What he did was was visionary because he did start with a lot of data about a lot of people and how they were using computers, for example, and and what have you, and then imagined a world that they could go to, right? And provided a user experience and and to your point earlier, an easier on-ramp to get to that technology where they didn't have to know how to code and and and all these things. It's just how can we simplify that roadmap to the vision where we imagine that people could go?

SPEAKER_01 38:35

Right. I I'm not a hiker, I'm not much of an an outdoorsman, if you will. Uh, but I think about hiking, right? Like when you when you go on a hike, you're not hiking because you're signed up for the guide that's gonna take you on this massive hike, right? That's gonna get you from point A to B. You're doing it because you want to you want to get to the top of the summit, right? You want to see the vision, you want to be like, I got to the top of wherever you're going.

SPEAKER_05 38:58

I want to see that water.

SPEAKER_01 38:59

And I yeah, I want to see Mount Everest, whatever it is. Hopefully, not many people want to go. Mount Mount Everest is safe, but uh but but people aren't aren't buying in because of the guide necessarily, right? They're they're they're going for that vision and that mission, that that that utopia, if you will. And I think leaders need to recognize that our role is to facilitate the journey to get them there, that we aren't the get them there, right? We aren't the we aren't the summit, we aren't the vision, we aren't the waterfall.

SPEAKER_07 39:27

Are you the Sherpa?

SPEAKER_01 39:28

Yeah, yeah. You could be.

SPEAKER_07 39:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 39:30

Yeah. I'm not gonna carry anyone's bags on my back. Well, okay, sand's the uh but that's it, right? And I think that's a good thing.

SPEAKER_05 39:36

Look, I'm a huge Tensic Norgay fan. Like, you know, like were it not for him, Shackleton never would have made it to the top. Like just it wouldn't have happened. Shackleton would have died a thousand deaths on the way up were it not for the local knowledge and the lived experience of Tenzik Norge. It's just not gonna happen. That's it. So that's your role as the leader. And that servant leadership is really uh, to your point, very lacking. Yeah, you know. So great.

SPEAKER_07 40:02

What's about the future? Is it is uh how are we looking with our younger generation? I'm sure you see, I would hope, an influx from them.

SPEAKER_01 40:10

Yeah, yeah. I think um, you know, I I do a lot of we do a lot of programming with young people, and I always end with this slide that says, you are not the future, you are the now. And um I I think we've all heard it, right? We've heard people say, like, oh, I'm so hopeful for the future. We've got young people, so our future, blah, blah, blah, blah. No, they're not our future, they are now. And it's our responsibility to invest in them right now and give them those opportunities to lead right now. Um, and we um find that when you do that, they are more engaged than ever to step up.

Young Leaders Are The Now

SPEAKER_07 40:47

Signing my boys up, they're 10-year-old boys, so I'm gonna be a part of it. But keep going. I'm seeing it.

SPEAKER_01 40:52

Yeah. Um, I think, you know, there's also this generation guy. I think there's two pieces. One is you gotta give them the mic and you gotta let them lead, and you gotta let them talk, and you gotta listen to them. Um, I think we've made a lot of assumptions of the the younger generations of who they are and what they stand for and what they don't stand for. They're disengaged or not incorporated.

SPEAKER_07 41:12

A lot of assumptions, right?

SPEAKER_01 41:13

A lot of assumptions. I go back to the same dinner analogy with Tom inviting me for dinner, right? Like we get pissed, they don't vote, we get pissed, they don't get activated, but we we've done nothing to help or support them. And I think, you know, we found this a lot the last couple of years, two years specifically, is you've got to understand what they've grown up in. And I think what we have found is that a lot of older folks have said, well, this president or that president or this administration or that administration, yeah, they weren't alive then. They don't know. They've they did not live through it. And if they were alive, they were one or two. I mean, even some of them who are 18 years old, all they've known is our current administration, right? In terms of of being an adult in that, or in, you know, in the early 20s. And so they we talk to them like they should know better or they need to know these moments and times that we've lived through with that. They haven't. Their needs are different, they're they're they're living up a very different time than we are. I mean, I didn't have a cell phone until senior year of college, not just technology. So technology. And again, I'm gonna go back to this moment of communication, right? They're technology focused, they're online, and COVID was huge for them, right? I mean, they lost their their childhood wonder and silliness and joyfulness of their their childhood years in COVID. And um, I think we have a huge opportunity right now to rebuild that for them, if we're willing to, to create these spaces for them to feel like they're part of community, um, to feel like they can speak up and say something. Um, but we have to be willing to take the step back and give them that power and know that it may not be exactly how we see it or we have done it, but that's okay. Um because they're building it authentically for themselves and their peers.

SPEAKER_05 43:01

We we have we have seen that as an organization. You know, we have had a generational shift in leadership at the within the Charleston AMA.

SPEAKER_07 43:09

Oh, okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 43:10

Um and uh and and that has been that has been very, very interesting to to watch and participate in and is going to usher this organization into a new era. Yeah, you know, uh and and so yeah, that that resonates very much. I I I would imagine with with both of us, Mike. Correct.

SPEAKER_01 43:28

Well, I think too, and listen, you know, I'm not gonna say that this is no endorsement of Canada or political party, but this is a fact and a reality is that for so long, because we're in election year, we have seen our politicians a certain way, right? A lot of politicians in the state are of older generations, and majority of them are white, right? And that is not reflective of our state that you know, 55% of our state are women, uh, 28% of our state are African American, uh, we have a rising Latino population. And so they and and and I'm not speaking this like from an analogy. This is what we hear from folks is we've never seen leaders that look like us, right? Right, from a from a demographics perspective, but also have the same lived experiences we do. And we are in an absolutely historic moment in South

A Historic Election Moment In SC

SPEAKER_01 44:14

Carolina right now that that literally we have never been in the history of our state. Um, we have this this kind of congruence of things happening. For the first time in 22 years, we have an open U.S. Senate seat. We have, for the first time in over three decades, every statewide office from governor to commissioner of agriculture. Is contested by both major parties. For the first time in three decades, 1994, every single house seat, you uh stalking on a house seat, 124 are contested by both major parties. Now keep in mind in 2022 and 2024, 76% of our races in this in this state have been uncontested, meaning there's only one person on the ballot, right? So there's never been opportunity or choice. And then you have this first time in the history of our state, the history of our state, where the majority of one major party statewide candidates are African American and between the ages of 29 and 45. Two of our seven US congressional seats, the candidates are 25 and 26 and African American. So talk about an opportunity that we have right now. This isn't about voting for one party or not. This isn't about who's gonna win or what seat's gonna flip. For the first time, South Carolinians are seeing themselves in positions of power and candidates that won in the primary. I mean, some of these candidates beat old white people in the primary, right? And so it is this groundswell of opportunity that we are seeing with young people right now that say if they can make it out of a primary, first of all, if they can even run and then they can they can make it out of the primary, I could do that too. And that is I mean, I have the chills because there is no other greater feeling than someone believing that they could do something.

SPEAKER_05 46:02

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 46:03

And so they see it.

SPEAKER_05 46:05

Yes. And sometimes that on-ramp is just as easy as saying, that candidate looks like me. That that candidate has a similar background to mine, versus that candidate is a septigenarian or an octogenarian who came up in an era that that I really know very little about. Totally.

SPEAKER_07 46:23

Yeah, especially those words you just used. Yeah. I know little about. What did you just say?

SPEAKER_01 46:31

This is no endorsement of candidates with my be the ones hat on, but Jermaine Johnson, who's running for governor, he is a college of Charleston graduate. Uh huh. He is a basketball former basketball player, he openly talks about being homeless and how he transitioned from these hard points in life to where he is now. And I go back to what we were talking about earlier. There's that authenticity and that realness. And so even if someone didn't have that same life experience that he had, he is so real about the struggles that he had that everyone in this state has had some struggle in their life where they didn't think they were gonna get to the next chapter.

SPEAKER_00 47:05

Sure.

SPEAKER_01 47:06

And they can relate to that and they can believe that okay, if he got from being homeless to where he is now, maybe I could too. And I think that's just that's that's it.

SPEAKER_05 47:17

And important to point out that that is not an endorsement of the endorsement, it is fact. Go watch his campaign ads. And an analysis of of uh a candidate's marketing, um, which I think but this is the last thing I was saying.

SPEAKER_01 47:28

It's like we don't tell those the stories enough, right? Like, and I'm saying this unapologetically as a nonpar nonpartisan organization. This is a fact. You can find it all on the internet, right? I think businesses don't want to say these things because then they it looks like an endorsement, right? Or I'm gonna he might we're not gonna host a uh a coffee with him because it might look like we're supporting him. Stand in who you are and do it anyway, right? Say the facts of the moment that we're in and and use this opportunity as a business, as a brand. Build a marketing strategy around it.

SPEAKER_07 48:00

To that point, I think Haney does a good job being authentic. Mayor of Mount Pleasant. No, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 48:07

I mean No, I do. I'm not as familiar with Yeah, I think he does a good job communicating.

SPEAKER_07 48:11

I think he does a good job being authentic in the civic.

SPEAKER_05 48:14

I feel like he broke through a barrier, especially during the redistricting vote, to say like he was on the front lines with us in the redistricting fight.

SPEAKER_01 48:21

Yeah, yeah. Absolutely. As was Miko Pickett, Mullins mayor, first ever black woman mayor Mullins. As was Daniel Brown City, Mount Pleasant, Town Council. Um, we saw a couple other mayors and municipal leaders in that fight with us.

SPEAKER_07 48:33

Well, so we have like 15 minutes. We'll talk about that real quick. Redistricting?

SPEAKER_01 48:37

Yeah. Whew. Wow. Yeah, you're trying to be okay. I mean, yeah, you're yeah, I mean, I've gotten some sleep since then, but Lord, let me tell you, it's one month after I've stopped saying at the beginning of your month, well, maybe this month I'll be a little quieter. Because I have a single month's disabled spent something around here. I'm I I you could ask time. I say, oh, maybe this month will be a little slower. Um so we had the great privilege of being part of an organization called Southern Coalition for Social Justice Solve Network, which is uh organizations across the South that worked to protect and figure out how we keep our elections free and fair and we expand voting rights across the South. So we work. We

The Fair Maps Redistricting Battle

SPEAKER_01 49:16

were convening in New Orleans, ironically, to plan the next five years, the uh at the exact same time that the Supreme Court decision Calais was decided, um, literally announced 30 minutes before we were supposed to start this conference. And I I cannot think of, I will never forget that morning because I was in the room with the individuals that brought that case to the Supreme Court, with the organizations in Louisiana that fought on the front lines for that, um, that fight, and many, many fights beyond that. Um, and realizing that this was not just about one state, one community. Uh, this was a this was all our fight. And so, um, you know, did I think South Carolina was gonna take this up? Yeah, absolutely. Everyone was like, no, South Carolina's not gonna do this. We have six days of legislative session left. There's no way we're gonna touch this. No. And I don't expect anyone to know that. I mean, I am in the weeds with the legislative session and what's happening there. That was not gonna be the case. Um, you know, and we saw over the course of basically three weeks, our legislators make the choice, which I want to be use that word very intentionally, they made the choice to prioritize redistricting, drawing new maps for congressional districts in the middle of our election cycle of 2026. And I say choice intentionally because they had six days of session left. And instead of figuring out our budget, which by the way, we still don't have a budget in the end of July. Well, it may have happened this morning, I don't doubt it. Um, instead of figuring out how we could provide free lunch or uh breakfast to our kids uh this summer or in school next year, or figuring out how we can make sure that health insurance is available to all of us, um, I don't know, anything, right? Anything that could actually serve our communities. They made the choice to say, we're not gonna do any of that, and we're gonna focus on redrawing these maps in the middle of the election cycle. And they lost. And we went through, you know, the whole, if you go to our website, um be the ones.org slash fair maps, we have a whole timeline. And if you look at the timeline over that three-week period, it is wild to see how much they tried. I mean, they tried to use every tool in the toolbox. Um, and a lot of the time, you know, I think well, let me first say this South Carolina was the only state in the South, the only state in the South that held off redistricting.

SPEAKER_02 51:29

Right.

SPEAKER_01 51:29

The only state. We don't get a lot of wins in this state. So that is monumental to say, and the reason that Georgia, then weeks later, were able to hold off maps was because of the work in the organizing we did in South Carolina. And so a lot of times we talk about winning, and that is a win that we held that off. But we also define uh a lot of the work we do is is trying to define how we use our power outside of the state house. Right? I say that power doesn't happen in the walls of the statehouse, it happens when we bring the state house out of communities. Most people can't or don't want to go to Columbia during legislative session. I sure as heck don't, but I have to.

SPEAKER_05 52:00

Um but I do.

SPEAKER_01 52:02

I do want to take that one for the team. But the the final straw that got them to say we aren't gonna pass this wasn't the people that were in the lobby, wasn't the people in the gallery, wasn't the number of phone calls or emails they got that day, or the protests outside, all those things that led up to it, it mattered. All of those things mattered. The 200,000, 200,000 South Canadians that we organized in three weeks across us and our coalition partners, all of that mattered. But the final straw was that they saw people go vote on the first day of early voting, which was coincidentally the day they were going to take the vote on this bill, and the number of people that they saw, we had already broke every record by lunchtime, and they said we can't do this because we're disenfranchising voters that have voted this morning. So when you think that your power only lies within those walls, it doesn't. We have so much power that we can leverage and use. I think that's a lesson as organizers and in the state of where are those pressure points, right? We're not always gonna have that perfect equation of a bill on a first day of early voting. But that's that was it. That was the pressure point for them. And we made it through. But we're not done. They've already signaled that they're going to redraw maps when they're back in January, which here we are.

SPEAKER_05 53:10

The fight begins anew. I I want to switch gears, stay on a similar topic, something that's still very high visibility within the state and involved a massive amount of coordination. I want to talk about be the ones and your individual role in bringing the walk for peace and the monks and their dogs to South Carolina. She wasn't part of it, she was the linchpin of it. And I'd love to have you tell our listeners that story of the call you got and how you mobilized and how you made it happen. Because this is the this is a cool story.

SPEAKER_01 53:45

Yeah, that was this year too, by the way. What a year it's been. Yeah, so I think this goes back to relationships, right? And this goes back to um building alongside and thinking about building outside of state lines. So we have incredible partners all across the state we work with. They were

Hosting The Walk For Peace

SPEAKER_01 54:02

not really quote unquote famous, right? People hadn't really caught on to them until they got to Georgia and then kind of blew up when they got to Georgia. So we had made an uh I made a leadership decision that we were gonna shut down between right before Christmas. We were not going back until January 6th. Like, no questions asked. We were not working. We had a very rough end of last year. And I get this call that was like, I don't know, December 27th. That was like, you guys, they are looking for a community partner to host them as they come through South Carolina. It's gotta be you. And I was like, no, we close our office. I made the leadership decision, we're closed until the 6th. And two days later, I got the call again, being like, you really need to do it. Could you please? Could you please? What do you need? And I said, I talked to our team and I said, all right, let's do this. And it that was 48 hours they arrived later, they arrived in South Carolina. And we were able to, because we are so well connected across the state with inner faith coalitions and organizations with our law enforcement. Um, we were able to shepherd them from when they crossed into South Carolina, brought them to Columbia. I mean, they stopped all along the way, got them to Columbia. We held um a public walking over the Gervaise Bridge, and then a big event at the state on the State House grounds. We had really, I think, 11,000, 12,000 people come out to see them, um, and then shepherd them all the way. And then the cool thing was we got to hand them off to our partners in North Carolina. So we literally got to bring them in and then got to take them out of the state. And it was such a beautiful mass coordination of churches, businesses, law enforcement, uh, community organizations. Everyone and everyone and anyone wanted to come out and help and be part of this. And I think it's such a statement of that when we center hope, when we center goodness, when we center opportunity, people will come out for it versus the opposite of what a lot is what we do, right? For the first time we were for something, not against something, which a lot of times we're against things. Um, you know, and it was it was just beautiful to see community. I remember we were in the state house and they give out these these peace bracelets, and the 12,000 people there, there's no way everyone was gonna get a bracelet. You know, all these people were hoping for it, they brought flowers for them. And the monks had gone into the state house, and I looked down at the state house grounds, and people were giving each other their flowers instead of giving the flowers to the monks. And I was like, that's it, that's it, right? I mean, this is this is the essence of who we are as South Carolinians. And it was just such an honor to be part of that, to be able to be the official state partner to host them in South Carolina. Um and I'll never forget it. It was and their dog.

SPEAKER_05 56:39

So I I want you to take a victory lap here because this is not just about the public events, right? This is also about the role in logistics you played to facilitate their walk and change their route so that it went through Columbia, if I'm not mistaken. But also line up where they stayed, line up food, line up interactions with civic leaders.

SPEAKER_01 56:58

We had vets, we had physical therapists come out. I mean, it was Pediatrists. Pediatrists, we had massage therapists come out, we had um vets come and massage the dog. The dog actually had to have ACL surgery here in Charleston. Um, figuring out who the vet was that was gonna do that surgery and be able to get the dog back to them at the end of the like it was yeah, it was a lot of mass coordination.

SPEAKER_05 57:19

While coordinating all the press availabilities and speaking to the press and making sure that that all the political figures had a sense of belonging and engagement on both sides of the aisle. Yeah, job well done.

SPEAKER_01 57:31

How big is that team? Thank you.

SPEAKER_07 57:33

How big is your team?

SPEAKER_01 57:35

Uh we are three.

SPEAKER_07 57:37

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Oh.

SPEAKER_01 57:41

Yeah, yeah. We have key volunteers in there and all. Tons of volunteers. I mean, the volunteers were out of the world.

SPEAKER_05 57:47

And community partners, yeah. Community partners, and like I mean, even law enforcement.

SPEAKER_01 57:51

We're working across federal, yeah, uh, county-state jurisdiction. I mean, we had multiple law enforcements say to us, this has never happened in this state ever. Like we've never worked with county to county, like we've never worked in this coordination. Don Staley was there, and then she turned to me, she goes, I can't get this many people to show up for my my ball game championship. I'll get your markings.

SPEAKER_05 58:15

Take a note from me, Don.

SPEAKER_01 58:17

Don. You do ball, I do people.

SPEAKER_05 58:20

Are you ready for the lightning round?

SPEAKER_01 58:22

I'm so excited for this lightning round. We're gonna do a lightning round.

SPEAKER_05 58:25

We're gonna do a lightning round and then one final question, and then a plug for how people can get a hold of you. So let's let's get to it. Coffee or tea?

SPEAKER_01 58:32

Coffee, odd duck, new location in Hampton Park, Park Circle, Somerville, ice, dirty chai latte.

SPEAKER_05 58:39

Ice, dirty chai latte. Odd duck is live music or quiet mornings?

SPEAKER_01 58:43

Oh, both. Uh live music.

SPEAKER_05 58:46

Uh oysters, raw, or roasted?

SPEAKER_01 58:48

Oysters. I am the oyster eating champion of Washington, D.C., 2007. Raw oysters. All day, every day, cold water. No disrespect, South Carolina, North Carolina. Oh, Tom's face right now. Yeah, I'm I'm still taking this in.

Lightning Round Favorites And Habits

SPEAKER_07 59:03

I'm still taking this in 2007.

SPEAKER_05 59:05

I should have worn my sash. Favorite Charleston restaurant.

SPEAKER_01 59:09

Ooh, uh, ooh, I love food. Um, I'm gonna go, um I can't pick one. Jackrabbit, Philly, and Leon's.

SPEAKER_05 59:16

Right on. Uh nonprofit more people should know about.

SPEAKER_01 59:19

South Carolina Housing Justice Network.

unknown 59:22

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 59:22

One leadership habit you never skip.

SPEAKER_01 59:24

Sorry, they've changed their maps. SC tenant union. They they swapped their name within last year. I still go by the OG Nate.

SPEAKER_05 59:30

Very good. Yeah. Very good. One leadership habit you never skipped.

SPEAKER_01 59:34

Writing everything down. That also might be my age, but okay.

SPEAKER_05 59:39

One word that defines great community.

SPEAKER_01 59:42

Um didn't expect that one, did you?

SPEAKER_05 59:50

No, I didn't. I I didn't. It's on brain, but I didn't expect it. If you could have dinner with any change maker living or dead, who would it be?

SPEAKER_01 59:59

Oh gosh. Can I give two? Because two are coming to mind.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:13

Sure.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:13

Um Dolly Parton and John Lewis.

SPEAKER_05 1:00:17

Excellent.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:17

Maybe together. That would be so fun.

SPEAKER_05 1:00:20

Add Jack Rabbit Philly. Yeah, or layouts. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:23

I would also add in there um uh Betty White.

SPEAKER_05 1:00:26

Why not?

SPEAKER_01 1:00:27

I would like to denote the three of them together. Oh god, that would be fun. And then take them to karaoke. Can you imagine?

SPEAKER_05 1:00:33

Turn it into a podcast.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:34

Oh my god, that's huge.

SPEAKER_05 1:00:36

I mean, you you gotta bring that to the people. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:39

Oh god, that would be fun.

SPEAKER_05 1:00:40

If there's one celebrity that reminds uh that that reminds me of my grandmother, it's Betty White. Like imagine being raised in part by Betty White. Oh my god. Golden Girls Forever. Yeah. Wrap-up question, Mike.

SPEAKER_07 1:00:52

Oh no. I know. What uh no, here we go, here we go. Uh a book that everyone should read. Um you gave me a book already. Born alone. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:01

So every guest on this podcast, we we ask them uh for you know one marketing or leadership lesson. What's what's one thing you challenge every marketer, every business owner, every community leader listening today uh to do differently. Starting the question here says starting tomorrow. How about starting today?

SPEAKER_07 1:01:21

You've helped us a little bit, but like be open, yeah, have a conversation.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:26

Um my answer was gonna be different, but I'm gonna switch it up. I think we need to stop asking

Engage More People Starting Today

SPEAKER_01 1:01:38

how do we reach more people, but how do we engage more people? How do we worry less about the follower count, the metrics, the data, and more about do people feel like they belong? Yeah. And do people feel like they're part of something and building that community and shifting that mindset.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:58

Yeah. Excellent. Give us your coordinates. How do people get a hold of you? How do they uh they find out more about be the ones online or on the other?

SPEAKER_01 1:02:06

Always find me at Leon's and Jackra Affilian Aut Duck. I'm there all the time. Um, so our website is be the ones.org, B-E-T-H-E-O-N-E-S.org. Um, you can sign up to volunteer if you feel so inclined to make a donation. We are going to be raising $25,000 in the month of August for our birthday. I would love to get a kickstart to help us get it there. Come join us at our party on August 22nd. Um, if you want to learn more about our work, if you want to partner, if you're curious about joining us in rebranding democracy and rebuilding the marketing strategy, reach out. You can find all of

Where To Find And Support Be The Ones

SPEAKER_01 1:02:40

our contact information on there. We are on all social channels at Let's Be The Ones, L-E-T-S-B-E-T-H-E-O-N-E-S. Um and yeah, if you want to chat, send us an email. I would love to uh have coffee, oysters, whatever that looks like. Um and I love meeting fellow, fellow Charlestonians. And if you're not in South Carolina, but you are looking for organizations like Be the Ones, let me guarantee you that they exist all over this country. You do not need to start something from scratch. You do not need to uh reinvent the wheel. If you live in another state and you're curious about organizations to top in with, whether they're democracy, um, housing justice, reproductive justice, whatever that looks like, send us an email on the website and we'll send you a list of organizations that you should get involved with in your local community.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:24

Awesome. Kate Mayer, thank you so much. Mike, always a pleasure, buddy.

SPEAKER_07 1:03:28

Yeah, no kidding. Hey, real quick though, if are you Tom, are you going to the party? To the to the birthday party to be the one for you.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:34

Mike, it's it's karaoke. It supports Kate, it's already in a be the ones, it supports civic engagement. You bet your boots off.

SPEAKER_07 1:03:42

You guys don't know this, but he is a talented singer. So if you guys want to hear Tom K.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:47

I am a committed singer. I don't know if I'm talented.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:50

Oh, Tom, I've heard you sing karaoke.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:52

You're talented.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:54

And that's not in relation to me, because that's that's not even a like.

SPEAKER_07 1:03:57

So hey friends, karaoke come out to the birthday party. Support be the ones, and hear our old boy Croon over here. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:06

Awesome.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:06

Maybe we do a live podcast and karaoke together one time.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:11

We want to do an observation before. Yeah, just dig south. Yeah, might be a little bit of background noise, but we can get around that.

SPEAKER_07 1:04:17

That's what, yeah. Anyways. All right. Thanks, Fred. Thank you so much for having me. Awesome. I love being here with y'all today. Yeah, this was great. Thank you so much. Good pick, Tom. Good pick. Sounds good. Awesome. All right, bye, everybody. Thanks.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:30

Bye.