Mary Teague and Sangbahn Scere

00:04 Okay. My name is Sanborn c r. I am 40 years old. Today's date is Thursday, May 27th, 2021. I'm currently located in Shreveport, Louisiana. My conversation partner. Today is Susan and we are strangers.

00:25 That's it.

00:28 Very good. Okay. Now, is it my turn? Yes.

00:34 Okay, my name is Susan Teague. I'm 81 years old. This is Thursday, the 27th of May 2021. I was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. That's where we're located and my partner is sanbon and

00:54 We're talking through ofs.

00:58 Okay, the Susan why did you want to do this interview today?

01:05 Okay. I was just curious.

01:10 I work with a group of people that kind of diverse people and I always enjoy talking to them and this sounded very interesting to me because I could visit with someone probably not near my own age.

01:29 And get their take on things.

01:33 Oh, wow, I think I know that was mine. Yeah, I originally wanted to do the interview from. I saw a segment on PBS NewsHour about it. And my first thought was the interview with my daughter and my mother kind of like a three generations interview and I never told my daughter and mother. And so I just kind of got the email out the blue about being a participant and I just was like, you know what, let's let me talk to somebody. I don't know and let's just see where it goes from there. And so, I was nervous at first and I wanted to cancel, but as the days have increased, I've got really excited about it.

02:20 Good, good, I feel the same way. Good, are there? Questions that?

02:29 Okay, we can ask we can ask questions any questions we want. Yes, will Courtney has put in your bio and so she's instructing me to read your bio out loud.

02:42 Okay. Okay. Do that? Do that. This is Susan's bio.

02:48 I'm a hospice nurse born in Shreveport and lived here. Most of my life. I like to travel. I have three grown children and six grandchildren all grown up as well. I have been widowed twice, but I'm very concerned about social issues, possibly the crime in Shreveport. And what we can do, without young children to instill values.

03:30 Okay.

04:09 Well, I forgot I wrote that well.

04:15 So Susan, from what I read about your bio. Is there anything in particular that was not mention that you want me to know? Or was there any points that you want to talk about first?

04:31 Well, not necessarily but

04:38 You were talking about your, your daughter and your mother.

04:44 Is that right? Ok, Google. Yes. My daughter is living. She recently moved to Dallas to finish off her high school year with her, dad who lives in Dallas. And my mom, she lives here 67, but she still lives in Vivian.

05:03 I see I see and do you live in Shreveport? Or I live in Shreveport? Okay. Okay. So do I, what do you get to see your daughter very often? I do you see about every other weekend. I'll drive the Dallas or her father. Who's from the from Cooper, Road Shreveport. He'll come here or something and she'll catch the ride with him, but she'll be moving to batteries in August. She'll start her freshman year at Southern University.

05:37 It's a l l, o. Okay. Okay. I see. Well, I have a daughter who is in her late fifties, and she's a veterinarian sold her practice. Her part of that, her half of the practice. And I will probably see a little more of her since she's kind of getting out of the business. She lives in South Carolina. I don't have any children that live here, they all live away, and I actually have a granddaughter who is married to an Australian and they live in Australia.

06:17 And they have two babies, and I've never seen them because of the covid 1/2 been able to go over.

06:26 And if you go over now, you have to quarantine for 10 days in a hotel and that's at your own expense. So it's very expensive to get over there, but I can't afford to stay in a hotel for 10 days and not see my family. So we're just kind of waiting for things to open up and

06:48 You know, that sort of thing. What, what do you do?

06:53 Well, I'm I'm going to tourney. I've been, I've been an attorney since 2008 about 2 years ago. I close down my practice and so I'm pursuing my masters in social work, but I will be opening back up my practice in the end of August, September of this year. So while I'm waiting on that, I will be graduating with my masters in social work in September. And I work for this consulting company out of Atlanta Georgia, and we follow the Hood Laws and we helped different housing authorities with their project. So that's that's kind of my bread and butter.

07:36 Yeah, I see. It is interesting that you said your granddaughter is in Australia because my mom and my daughter and myself every year we try to do an out-of-country trip. And of course we didn't go in for 2020 before this year. We originally wanted to go to Australia cuz my mom always wants to go and we decided of course we couldn't because of the very reason for the quarantine cuz 10 days in the hotel is like half the time or the all the time that we would even be able to be hind. Yeah, if you go.

08:16 If you go to Australia.

08:20 You need to stay at least two weeks. And of course, you shouldn't spend a week of that in a hotel. But it's a long trip, a very long trip and

08:34 First of all, you have to go to Los Angeles or San Francisco and then it's a 14-hour flight to Brisbane or Sydney or so, and it's really expensive. So I guess we need to wait until things kind of lighting up a little bit. But the problem with Australia is there not vaccinating people like we are and pretty soon. You know, we're going to have enough people around here vaccinated that we can feel safe, but they're not pushing the vaccine at all course, they haven't.

09:18 But I don't know. It seems like that's kind of backwards thinking but

09:25 I don't know, things may change, but I've been vaccinated and but I'm in the healthcare profession and I have taken care of covid, patient. And I thought the vaccine was very important than a big breakthrough and I'm so glad we had it back off. What you just said before, I asked her, a question. My mom got the vaccine. She got the Pfizer when it first came out myself, my daughter him. I never wanted to get the vaccine just for other friends, mainly conspiracy theory type reasons, but I've kind of always been one of those people that I'm like, if it's not broke, don't fix it. And said we weren't going to get the vaccine but because we value that time of travel together because all I have left in my immediate family is my mother and daughter.

10:25 I went ahead and got the vaccine and I'm glad we got it. Like

10:31 I would rather be glad you did to you. It kind of overrides all of the conspiracy theories. Just the, the, the knowing that if this is something that can protect us. I've at least done my part to make sure that I don't hinder the ability to spend more time with my family.

10:53 Right, right. Well, I think that's very sound thinking. I didn't hesitate and I didn't have a reaction. I was very lucky, but I also found out that my blood type.

11:13 Is the type that resists the covid-19. Are you old hypo? Everyone house. It and she did it? And so that's kind of why we thought oh, was maybe resistant.

11:34 Well, I have spoken to our medical director about it. And she said definitely oh, why it's very, very fortunate in that and I checked with all my children and their all. Oh, so

11:49 That made me glad because I have one son that travels all over the world and

11:58 Of course, every time he flies into a country, he's quarantine for a while before he can do his business over there, but

12:08 Anyway, it's

12:10 2020 was quite a year and really it really was and I felt fortunate because I have a job. Yes. No, I could get out everyday and I don't, I don't work everyday. I work about 10 days a month and that's enough for anybody my age with the kind of work we do so.

12:33 But it was good. It got me out and you don't mix with people and no one connected with our facility. Covid, although we handled covid patients Odessa blessed night. We all took, we took precautions and, you know, we just got it taken care of Southern University. Law Center in Baton Rouge.

13:02 Class of 2011, good school. Yeah, they turned out some great people and speaking of people Courtney wanted to ask who has been the most influential person in your life. And what did they teach you?

13:24 I'm going to have to think about that occurs few minutes, because there's been several people spell. Okay, one in particular has always stood out and she was a teacher of mine in high school and I went to St. Vincent's high school. Did you remember that? Saint Vincent Avenue?

13:50 Okay, this was Saint Vincent Academy.

13:55 And,

13:57 It was located.

14:02 Well, you know where Saint Vincent's mall is I do.

14:06 Okay. Well, that's where it was.

14:10 And it was an enormous school, and I think if you Google it.

14:16 You will see the pictures of it, and it was a, it was a magnificent place. It really was. But it was a Convent for nuns and they had a great school and a high school. And I went to hot Junior High and high school there. And I had a teacher, who was a librarian. Her name was Sister Agnes Ruth, and she was very influential in my, a very understanding non-judgmental woman, and I always thank her for her friendship course. She's gone now, but she even was able to tutor my daughter. When my daughter went to high school there.

15:02 Do Google that? I will charge.

15:07 And of course, then they built a new school when they had to tear the old one down, but be shooter you, you get the pictures of the Old Saint Vincent's. It was it was really

15:21 It was, it was magnificent. It really was. Well, you're too young. That's the problem. You're not. You're not old at all. Not at all. Okay, what about an influential person in your life?

15:45 You know, I kind of feel like you when you said you had to think about it because the influence of my people, people in my life have come in different stages and it's hard to summon up one person I think.

16:02 Honestly, I think before my brother's passing.

16:06 The influential people in my life were probably was probably my father just because he was such a traditional African like very strict education with everything success with everything and I just had so much resentment toward him.

16:26 But when my brother passed to my brother died from some complications, when he had Muscular Dystrophy and sold with that, your mouth. Right yet. So he passed in 2019.

16:44 20. Wow, my brother passed in 2015. And with his passing. I I think it allowed me to see a lot of my shortcomings.

16:57 And it just placed in me that desire to without. Of course. I didn't realize this to a couple years down the road after his passing, but from that, as of today, I've learned to Value family above everything. And I've learned that I never too busy to Tire too sleepy to answer the call of my mom and my daughter. Because those are the things that I drowned.

17:32 I don't have, I am the oldest person in my family. We did. I don't have a big family. My sister lives in Dallas and she's married and but she's younger than I am. So I really am the the oldest person, you know, no parents left, of course, or answer or uncles, or anything like that. So I tried to be reasonable example to them, but that doesn't always work out. You know how that is.

18:11 Oh, you were in the magnet to soak a great now. That is the one off of Stoner. It is to be high.

18:23 I did not real sure, but I know what I've actually been over there. I went over there to hear speaker. Are you familiar with a writer by the name of Edward Aldi?

18:36 I'm not, should I be?

18:40 No, not really. He went. He was like right and an author and he came. He came and spoke to cattle magnet. But when I heard that he was going to be there. Have you heard of the story? Who's Afraid of Virginia? Woolf I have. But I've never read it on that Richard Burton and it was just, it was something else. But anyway, he wrote some very controversial things and

19:14 I heard that he was coming to talk to some cattle, magnet students. And I thought, who in the world, invited him to talk to high school kids because this is very adult literature. Okay. Well, I went over there.

19:32 And I listened to him talk and I was thoroughly entertained. I thought it was wonderful. I think the parents of the children that went to that talk were in shock because of some of the things he said. So that was my trip to Caddo magnet enjoyed it, but apparently

19:54 The English teacher who had invited him to come had not read any of his works and that was a huge mistake for this man to make. But anyway, it was, it was very amusing, but I was impressed with the school and the kids seem very engaged and, and all of that. But that was my only trip to cattle magnet night. I thought, I knew where it was. That sounds about right. For Caddo, magnet. They gave us a lot of freedoms that other high schools didn't have, you know, as long as we

20:33 No, go ahead. Missing Susan.

20:37 Well, you know, they gave you a lot of freedom because he

20:42 You weren't there because you were a bad student.

20:45 Did you have to apply to get in? I thought. Well, that's why. That's why you were given the freedom. It's because they hoped you had some smarts, even though you were only sixteen or Seventeen like yeah, we made good grades with some of the stuff we were doing at that school. Like, we was just as bad if not worse than those in the other schools in the city cuz we could get away with it and we were in a lot of the students out or socioeconomic statuses, so they didn't question us, but it's called being a teenager is what it's called. And though, you know, that's not always. Always good thinking. I know I raised three, so I just, I know I know about teenagers.

21:45 Yeah, it's a band. So even my grandchildren aren't teenagers anymore, but they pulled some stuff to help me be a little bit more compassionate though because she's she's a better kid. Then I was so sometimes I give her a pass good for you for you and she reminds me of that when she gets in trouble. She like love mama, you know you I've heard about some of the stuff you did and some of the make the mistakes you still make so just be still so Courtney's at in the chat. If we could briefly describe in our own words are personal political values.

22:33 And so for me, I don't so I vote Democrat because that's just what we were always raised and taught and that's what everybody voted, but as I've gotten older, I don't really feel like I'm a Democrat or Republican. I believe some of the Republican principles. I do believe in hard work and I believe that the spikes circumstances, we can all have this quote on quote dream life. So I agree with that. But some of the policies that I see Republican support, I do not agree with that. So then I it's easier for me to say, I'm a Democrat, but at the end of the day, really think any political party is completely focused on, improving the lives of the people in enacting policies that don't have all these strings.

23:33 So my political value is more of a Grassroots Community should be each other's keeper and then go from there. You know, I completely agree. I've always voted Republican. Now if a Democrat popped up that I liked the course I voted for him. But I am so disappointed in both parties mainly in the Republican party right now.

24:07 They have pulled some of the stupidest things.

24:11 And,

24:13 I wish.

24:16 I wish that they could get together with their Democratic counterparts and come to some agreements instead of just tearing each other apart.

24:30 Aya.

24:32 The whole thing, if both parties have a lot to answer for, I think.

24:41 I am.

24:44 I think Trump was and I noticed him the first time, I sure did, but I think the media couldn't stand him.

24:56 And he got a lot of bad, press most of it deserved.

25:03 He did some good things. Tax-wise. They were very helpful. I agree and I hope that you know, that doesn't all go down the tubes.

25:14 But the Republican Party.

25:17 Since Biden was elected, had better get their act together.

25:26 I don't know. I bet Mitch McConnell is just about to have a heart attack, right about now, but

25:33 You know, this, I think this whole Capital riots thing was, it could have been, I think it could have been stopped. Yeah, but Trump didn't do that. Also it was

25:50 Pretty well executed. So I think the plans have been in place for some time.

25:57 I hope it's the people involved in. It are dealt with appropriately. I don't think anybody's going to get off on this one, but

26:11 I don't know.

26:13 No, I don't agree with you. I think.

26:17 I think for me, that, when I look at the American democratic system, like, I don't necessarily think our politicians are doing anything different than what they've always done. But I think in this age of transparency, the things that were not in the mainstream because we, at least try to appear a certain way and at least try to operate with professionalism in the public eye that has gone out the drain. So, do I think people, I think politicians have always made a deals behind the closed doors that weren't in the Public's interest. I think that it has always sometimes been about personal gain as opposed to uplifting the community. I think the politicians have always reflected the people of those times because their people politicians are just people. But now

27:15 Even just a professional to Cora is gone and that I'm not surprised by the systemic racism. I'm not surprised by the lack of policies to protect all people that stuff doesn't surprise me because that's just my perception of America as a whole. I think we've always had these issues but at least before in front of the TV, we acted civil and we could at least look tomorrow to put on this face of. We are respectable people and now it's like you guys act just like the the the person on this, I don't know.

28:02 If I pretended well, you know, yeah, right right. Well, I think Integrity is in short supply up there. I really do. And, you know, I wonder if he can

28:26 Steady the boat. I wonder about you. Text me is this political correctness? What does that mean? If it comes out as some of the strangest strangest things were supposed to say. Things you're not supposed to do it. I don't get it. I don't get it. I'm so glad I work with people that, you know, they have their heads on straight and this includes black and white. I mean, we're kind of all in it together, and it's

29:15 I work in a place that I don't know. We just take care of each other. I have a a bigger picture about life because you are working with people that those in x

29:34 Well, baby, probably, so the people I work with are just their nice. They're kind of their caring people and I feel that they would behave that way if they had another job, you know, and every once in a while, somebody comes in that just

29:59 You know, they're just kind of not in sync.

30:02 But the rest of us and they don't last long because I don't know, uncomfortable or are they just don't want to do the work and there's plenty of physical work to be done. You know, I'm so sick of the computer and the, and the tablet and all that kind of junk. We have to work with. I'd rather just do patient care, but you can't do that. The insurance companies won't let you. But the people I work with his, it's a very mixed group and we just, I don't know, we just respect each other and like each other. So it makes it a very nice workplace. But I have worked in places that were just they were impossible. So when I practice law full-time, I came in contact with people all the time, but but law you have a

31:02 In court, you have a, a certain decorum that you have to go by. So nothing really got out of her unless it was a heated argument about the law. Now, I work remote. So I work through the internet and telephone and zoom meetings all day and I'm so I don't really interact that much outside of my professional. Like I've been in a bubble for the past two years because I've been in school and I've been working from home. So I haven't really had to deal with too many different opinions and values in, in a, in a part of that. I miss, I miss interacting with the world. I miss having debates with people about their thought processes, but the other side of that is I'm grateful to be able to just have peace in my little environment and not have to interact with so many people in these crazy times.

32:01 Congratulations, because I work with some people, you know, this family's and of course they're they're half out of their minds are so concerned about their loved ones that we're trying to take care of and in some of them are just lovely. And some are just so totally unreasonable. You just can't believe it but it keeps your mind running all the time. You want to try and keep up with with what's going on, you know you deal with people who have too much to drink cuz come in there and people who don't believe in certain medicines that we're getting for pain and you know, that kind of thing. It's just

32:45 It's an, it's an education process for for families. And for us, God knows, I learned something new or several things new everyday and it's it's never dull.

33:00 I don't know how you worked in the bubble. I I could have done it.

33:05 I'm too used to socialization. I guess what? But of course I do. You make first hit. I was working for a mental health agency and I had to do in community services. I will go to people. Home to the two clients home and teach them coping skills to help them. Do Medicaid medication management, and that was so draining. So I got a job with this company that I jumped on because it was remote. So I was ready for the opposite and then a color change since you already really working remote. Now, you can't go check in with the different housing authorities. Everything is from home. And so because I was drained from the middle Health job and because I was healing from some other personal things going on.

34:05 In my life, I think I was just glad to be able to get a check when I was seeing so many people that weren't able to work and people that were struggling, that that kind of help me stay in the bubble. I was just, I had to continually stay in a state of gratitude and I was able to watch my spirituality grow and honestly, now that we're kind of getting back to normal and I may be about to resume law. I'm a little nervous about coming out of my bubble because I have created such a safe place here. At my house. I can I can understand that will you probably needed that bubble for a while? I think. So. You needed you needed to to have some relief, but only working 8 to 10 days a month. That's not, that's not a stretch. I mean, that's perfect for someone my age and, and

35:05 So what we do that's about all I can stand to tell you the truth. But anyway, but you think you might open your law practice? Again, I do. But I think I would do it. I would do it differently. I wouldn't have all the overhead. I had an office downtown on Edwards Street kind of across from the courthouse. The rent was so high. Comcast was high. I was paying parking and everything became about making money just to pay these bills. So if I pay the bill, so if I start back again, my mind says that, I would just rent a space at cohab and pay a small amount and meet clients in a quart in a conference room and and just don't even get off if it's in the River District. So downtown and that strip that has to Nicky's Mexican restaurant.

36:05 Cohabits is next door to Nikki's.

36:12 Okay, okay, and they have that community of office space and then conferences that everyone conference rooms and everyone can share and then also above the post office, the downtown post office. They have a place called The Hub that has that same thing and you just pay a monthly fee and you get unlimited internet, you get you get you can pay extra and have your own office space or you can use the community area and then just use the conference rooms if you need to.

36:45 So it cuts all of your expenses and I think that's wonderful. Oh, yeah, on Martin Luther King as well.

37:04 Scuse me. Say that again, please, I said Southern University has a a cohab type space on Martin, Luther King as Western. Yes. A lot of people are starting to to work a little smarter and try to cut back on expenses.

37:22 Well.

37:24 I don't know, you know, Shreveport doesn't exactly seem to be a mecca for new businesses. But I was delighted when I heard that Amazon was coming.

37:37 I think that's going to just put a lot of money into the economy here and provide jobs. And I think it's going to be out of town North Market that that area. But

37:59 Let me ask you this. Speaking of Amazon. Have you heard anything about this? There's some Warehouse.

38:06 An Amazon warehouse and I want to say it's in Ohio, I could be wrong. But anyway, it's a big Warehouse.

38:14 And they're finding mrs. In those warehouses. What do you think about that? Will to ask you a question? You heard that I have not heard it but, you know, kind of like I was saying earlier, you know, those things don't surprise me, you know, I just, you know, I guess they used to surprise me. They don't surprise me anymore. And all these shootings have people gone nuts. I think they have some of them. I think it's

38:54 You know, it isn't it always gets darkest before the before the dawn. So,, the last half is coming. Yeah, so maybe things are are really getting exposed so that because we're about to go into a season of progress, or maybe it's all downhill from here. I don't know. I just know that those things said in me that the sometimes I have to disconnect from the news. So I had not heard about that.

39:28 It's just it for me. The black person is just is ongoing trauma and I'll do I want to be aware of everything that's going on because these are repeated acts that minorities have experienced since being brought to this country is kind of just like, you know, even though this is a new event, this digs up the same old pain and sometimes I just don't want to relive it. So I tune it out.

39:57 I can't say that I blame you but I just hit confounds me,, being people can be and this Asian problem with, you know, I don't know.

40:14 What people are thinking that maybe the Asians?

40:19 Brought Kobe to this country and so, they're taking it out on legitimate citizen. I just, I don't understand it.

40:30 I'll just wave I said, okay. Okay. Yeah, I agree. And even if even if it did get here, you know, even if an Asian person did bring it and that's how we got the first case, who cares, every disease that we've ever experienced has come from something initially, from something, or somebody. I don't understand it at all. But I will tell you this.

40:59 I don't understand the violence. I do, however, apply the Asian Community for, and I don't even know what they did to get these policies push through. But it's interesting to see how they banded together and they were able to get Congress to pass real policies to protect them and hold people accountable. And in all those policies will not eliminate the violence. It gives criminal against punishment. And I just wonder if you wanted to do like, is there something that we as black people are not doing that, we can learn from the Asian Community or is this just the way this world? Is that? No matter what black people do, will never get that same treatment exact that confounds me.

41:58 You know, I don't, I don't get it. I'm like, what else can you do to get what they're getting?

42:04 To get what we're supposed to have. Well, let me ask you. Do you know any Asians? Are you acquainted with any Asian people? I don't know any Asian.

42:19 Well, I have a daughter-in-law who's from Thailand and that is one determined little woman and I think that you did not get in her way and my son said mother, I pick my battles. But anyway.

42:40 Yeah, there's a, there's a mindset and a determination it. And if you notice the Asian seem to excel in school.

42:55 Hey, I don't know if they push their kids are just just what it is, but they very, very determined people. And

43:08 You know.

43:11 It's kind of hard to say.

43:14 About the black lives matter movement.

43:21 But I think there's some influences in that movement that are not good.

43:27 And,

43:30 I would support it and I have supported it. You're my grandson who lives in Philadelphia.

43:37 But,

43:41 I'm concerned about the looting in the burning in this sort of thing. What does that accomplish that? That's what bothers me?

43:54 No, you could you go ahead, eat your perspective and bringing that up. And I think initially when I saw the looting in in and things of that nature, I was like, man, y'all come on cuz they're going to use that against us to drown out the message. However, Miss Susan, when I look at the history of this world, as a whole sometimes things, don't get accomplished unless there is piletine pillaging.

44:28 Violence. In rice, do I condone violence against in an innocent people know? But if I look at it from the Hat of years of frustrations and not being heard, I understand the Looting. I understand it, from a perspective of these are institutions. For example, the Looting of maybe a business. This is an institution that takes my money, but will not speak up. And support me does not support me, and maybe even sometimes in my face discriminates against me and Sons me that this point I'm mad and this country has always know that that must you don't much really stink. When that happens has been limited as is black people. We've always been told. Yes, okay, to be mad. But this is the way your anger should behave. This is the way anger is supposed to be. So that you

45:28 Keep civil ordinance, in peace. And she said sometimes you like what, why do I have to obey laws if the laws don't even protect me?

45:39 Yep. So I did I see both sides misuzu. I see exactly what you're saying. And I do think violence is riding sometimes can drown out the overall message, but I also because I am black and I do want to sometimes go burn some stuff down. I mean, I don't do it, but I get it. You know, that sometimes you feel like that's the only way to be heard because we know from experience. If we hit people and we're if we hit people wear their pockets, are this country since the change when that money is affected.

46:19 Oh, ho ho yes. I hope I can meet you sometime.

46:29 I would like that very much. That would be awesome. But you know what, you know where I used to go, and I know by the time I used to love to go to the Glenwood Tea Room on Line Avenue, but I have my coffee and teas there so maybe we can meet.

46:55 Well, that that would be fine. Now. This would be the Rhino downtown. I go I go to either one here month or downtown just depends on the day.

47:04 Okay. Well, I can get to both very easily. So why don't you call me sometime? And we'll, we'll make arrangements to have coffee. Okay. I don't know. We can put our phone numbers on this, but maybe when Courtney stops the recording we can exchange info.

47:26 Okay. Okay, that would be fine. That would be fine Courtney. I guess you.

47:40 Yeah, I think so. Yeah. Yeah, we we wanted to exchange some information first.