Paul Best and Tyreek Woolford

[00:01] PAUL D. BEST: My name is Paul D. Best. I am 39, 38 years old. Today is August 31st, 2024. We are in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and my relationship to my partner is teacher turned mentor.

[00:19] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Hi, my name is Tyreek S. Woolford. I am 15. Today's date is August 31st, 2024. We're located in Philadelphia, PA. In my relationship with my partner is a huge was a teacher who became my mentor and gave gives me all these good opportunities.

[00:39] PAUL D. BEST: All right, let's get started. Well, good morning, brother. It's good to see you. This is' back in session. Um, how did we meet?

[00:49] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Um, so the start start of my eighth grade no, yeah, I think eighth seventh grade, I think. So, um, at end of my seventh grade year, um, I s I I would usually see you around in the morning playing music. And it would like sort of get the kids in a mood to like be ready for school and to like, you know, if they're sad and have something to jam to, you would like sort of a person to like bring the vibes to school. And I feel like that kind of like started our connection, our bond to each other.

[01:21] PAUL D. BEST: Yeah, I remember because I was teaching eighth grade. So technically I wasn't supposed to go that far down into the seventh grade section. But, you know, I had a co-teacher. So it was like the music playing. I'm trying to, you know, I like to be Social too. So I remember going into, was it Miss Harris? Was she your home teacher?

[01:40] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Miss Harris was my seventh grade teacher.

[01:43] PAUL D. BEST: Who were you in the morning?

[01:45] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: In the morning I was with, for eighth grade?

[01:47] PAUL D. BEST: Seventh grade.

[01:48] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Seventh grade. Yeah, I think it was either Miss Chris, no, it wasn't Miss Chris, I.

[01:54] PAUL D. BEST: Think it was Miss Harris. Yeah, and so, you know, she was cool. She would let me come in there. And so, yeah, it was like, I would just kind of socialize and like, I noticed you. I'm like, okay, because I don't, did you come in the middle of the year or?

[02:06] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Yeah, so seventh grade. That's when I transferred from my old school, because when I first moved to Philadelphia from Jersey, and it was a better school than my other one, so I came here in the middle of the school year, and it was kind of difficult, but I got used to it.

[02:22] PAUL D. BEST: Okay, yeah, so I remember you coming in the middle of the year and noticing you, and I was thinking, it can't be easy. Middle school sucks, period. So to go to a new school and not know anybody, and for me, as a black man, I knew, I remember my first black teacher, black male teacher in school. And I still am in touch with him to this day, Mr. Floyd. And he changed my life in so many different ways. Didn't even try too hard. It was just kind of like his presence and just the way he taught and engaged with students. And so when I saw you, I was just like, okay, I need to make this moment happen. I don't know what's gonna become of it, but let him know there's a black male teacher down the hall. That's cool. You're gonna be all right. If anybody give you any smoke, come see me. And everything like that. And so that was my earliest memory of you. Let's see here. Well, tell me about eighth grade once I actually became your teacher.

[03:25] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Okay, so in eighth grade, once I finally got to see you and talk to you more, it was just like, I was going through a lot then. Not just at school, but at home too. And you were kind of a person there. You were friendly. You were open to being around and you was always up to talk. You were just like one of the best people there which made me feel happy and comforted in school.

[03:54] PAUL D. BEST: Good, good. All right, well ask me something.

[03:57] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Okay, so what made you want to start teaching?

[04:02] PAUL D. BEST: Okay, so I come from a line of teachers on my mom's side. A lot of my second cousins, I had Aunt Valerie, my cousin Michelle, like I had a lot of teachers on my family side. And so I always was around kids. I always said I was working with kids when I was a kid. So like in church, you know, I was helping teach Sunday school, Vacation Bible School. I was just always around kids. And so once I got to college, Even before college, I knew by like seventh grade I wanted to be a teacher. Like, this is cool. And at that point, I liked my teachers. I'm like, okay, this is something I can vibe with. I get to college. I'm at Ball State University, and, you know, I'm in the teaching classes where you learn how to be a teacher, the psychology of it and everything. And while I'm there, my professor, her name was Dr. Mullen, she rolls out like this new plan. She's like, this is what we have to start teaching. And this was like right when they were starting to roll no child left behind. That's a whole nother conversation. And what teachers had to do nationally, like a mandate with no child left behind, was literally the opposite of what Dr. Mullin had been teaching us the whole semester before. So you saw the frustration on her face and it was just like, man, we got to do this. And so for me, I'm like, I'm not here for that. There are other ways I can work with students. And so I actually started working in the admissions office, giving tours, doing college access this programming, like, going to Middle Schools and high school, getting kids interested in college. And so I was like, great, I can work with kids still, and I don't have to be in a classroom. Fast forward. I end up in Philadelphia, and I signed up to be a sub. And every school that saw, like, my resume of, like, working with kids because I had the art studio and all these things, they were just like, You should be a teacher teacher. And I'm just like, nope, I'm not about to do all this politicking and all of this and all of that. And so one school was like, well, we can get you a master's degree. You know, and at that point, I was just like, okay, I'm listening. And so, long story short, I started teaching and paid for my master's degree. And so it was actually great because by the time I became a teacher, I had already been a full-time artist. I had traveled all over the world, had all these things. I was a storyteller. So I was able to bring all these experiences and bring the world to the class. So I was already teaching different from my other teachers who were like came straight out of college and went to teaching and like they didn't get to travel unless it was a summer. I did all these things so I was teaching, I had unique things to offer than the average teacher. And so that's how I got into it.

[06:58] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Wow, that seems like a very nice experience, honestly. Like having a master's degree in teaching, that's a big deal.

[07:06] PAUL D. BEST: Yeah, I mean, it's cool. I can't say I've gotten through certain doors or certain opportunities because of that degree. I think I'm at a point now where it's more so my abilities and my skills that get me through doors, but I'm sure it's helped in some type of way. What is your most memorable moment of me as a teacher? Like me teaching. I.

[07:37] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Gotta think about that. Maybe when we would, like, have our talks, like, because you were a social studies teacher and we would, you would say certain things and you would, like, go more in depth to it. Like, you would, like, you would say something and then you would ask a question and then that question would turn into a conversation and next, you know, the whole class is having a conversation about it. Like, that's something I feel like was, was, like, nice and like a good way for kids to learn and more understand the situation. And you actually got yourself involved with their class and then just like, you know, teach, then it is what it is. But you made sure that you made sure your students, your teachers, everybody was good.

[08:18] PAUL D. BEST: Yeah. Well, I mean, I guess part of it is my personality. I still have like a kid-like energy.

[08:26] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Yeah.

[08:27] PAUL D. BEST: And in middle school, you know, remember when I told y'all about like what the inner child is and like there's the good and there's like the hurt, troubled inner child. And so for me, being a middle school teacher, I was able to like bring the inner child in me, the good side out, and like the things I didn't get to do in middle school, I got to do it again, and as a teacher. So do you remember when I did the talk show about the Fugitive Slave Act?

[08:56] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: The talk show?

[08:57] PAUL D. BEST: It was like all these, after Reconstruction, and they had this law of like all these things about runaway enslaved Africans.

[09:03] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Well, like the triangle.

[09:06] PAUL D. BEST: That was the, that was Miss Harris, triangular trade. Remember I had it set up like a talk show at the microphone and people were going around reading their slips.

[09:14] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Yeah, yeah, I remember that.

[09:15] PAUL D. BEST: And like one of the students like, you need a theme song. And so then somebody like made a theme song and I went in the hallway and like came and ran inside. That's one of my favorite memories. Memories. I do, one of my favorite memories with you was, you remember when you all had to do like a presentation instead of report cards for like your parents?

[09:39] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Yeah.

[09:39] PAUL D. BEST: And we ended up doing it virtually. And I had set up the room to look like a TV show set up and had like the sounds of Blackness music in the background and, you know, the African print. I still have those pictures of you giving you a presentation. Let me see here. What's another good question we can ask? So, yeah, go ahead.

[10:03] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: What, how would you describe me? Like, in any way, how would you describe me?

[10:08] PAUL D. BEST: How would I describe Tyreek as Woolford? A very optimistic young black boy. I do appreciate how you always see the bright side of things. You stay hopeful even when things aren't doing well. Like you still see like there's hope, there's a chance things will get better. I appreciate that because sometimes when you grow up, you lose that energy. So I want to make sure you keep that energy. You're very respectful, you know. I try to be, you know, especially when it comes to like adults, you know, I would tell y'all, you know, you're building your team. In Middle School, and people will remember you about how they feel when you're around, and you don't want nobody on your team when you need somebody. And so you've made my job easier in a lot of ways, in the sense of I can count on you to do the right thing. I can count on you to be a good example in front of your peers. I can't recall any time I saw you giving the peer pressure. You know, part of that was you were also, you're also really good at deciding who's in your tribe and who's not. Yeah. So that makes a big difference. But I never saw you, I never saw you do, like, those things that you expect the teenagers to do.

[11:34] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Because I try to keep everything, like, I have my own mindset where I want everything to, like, to, like, be a certain way, so it won't end up ruining me or anything. It's going to my life. I try to make sure that I keep everything sort of positive. So even though I might be not feeling well about, well about something, I don't want to ruin the other. And it's just mood about it. Like, if they're happy about it, don't let them be happy about it. It's always just to keep to make sure you stay positive instead of focusing on the negative stuff. And, yeah, that's basically how I am and how I want to be when I grow older, too.

[12:04] PAUL D. BEST: Okay. How would you describe me?

[12:08] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: You, as a person, you're very, like, like, social, and you. And you try to keep yourself busy. Like, I remember you saying earlier that your mother was also busy, and I feel like that kind of, like, get into you a little bit, but, like, you always, you always try to get into stuff. You pursue your interests, which I find very inspiring, because that's something I want to do when I get older. And you also inspire me to do certain things like photography and, and maybe do black storytelling like you are, like you're doing. And I just feel like, feel like you're a person to uplift some someone if they're feeling down. You know how to joke around when there's time to joke around. Sometimes not to joke around. Um, you know, when to stay serious, you know, you know how to like, you know how to deal with situations at any time, which I feel like is a very good trait to have.

[12:59] PAUL D. BEST: Thank you. Thank you. Let me see. Okay, so let's talk about this storytelling. Do you remember when I approached you about joining black boys making noise?

[13:13] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Yes.

[13:13] PAUL D. BEST: What happened?

[13:14] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: I do. So. And we was in a hallway, and I remember, I remember hearing you talk about it, and then I went up to you, and I, and I felt interested in it because I thought it was cool. And, like, you were very. Like, good to approach and, like, you were nice and everything about it. And I was just like, it seemed interesting. He's a good teacher, and I would like to know him more personally. Also, it was being more, like, like, like, good thing for me, like, to go outside more, because back then, I was more, like, indoors a lot. So it was just, it was just, like, a great opportunity, and I thought, and I thought it would be just great for me as a person and also in the future. So that, that's, like, when he was, like, I don't remember exactly what you said, but you started telling me about it and then you said that some other kids was already in it and I was going, I wanted to join it, but I couldn't because of some family issues. But then I eventually did end up joining and out of my first show and everything I did, it was fun and I got more into it and I feel like this really brought me out more and you're really a person who impacted my life a lot. Like, like, like you're a big part of my life and I'm just, I'm so appreciated for giving me an opportunity.

[14:24] PAUL D. BEST: Cool. Do you remember the first poem you read?

[14:31] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: I do not.

[14:34] PAUL D. BEST: I remember it was God, why'd you make me black?

[14:38] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: I remember, I remember hearing that.

[14:40] PAUL D. BEST: Oh, God, I can't remember her name, but the woman who wrote that poem actually lives in Philadelphia. Oh, yeah, Philadelphia is a great city to be black in. But I remember teaching you diction and how to carry your voice and stress certain words. And you had a part where you were the voice of God telling the person, these are the good things as to why I made you black. The person was talking about all these bad things about being black, and God's like, nope, actually it's this.

[15:11] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Oh, yeah, I remember that.

[15:12] PAUL D. BEST: You remember the Starlight? And you were like, I put the Starlight. In your eyes. Yeah. So that moment, I was like, okay, I can work with him because, like, you would. You. You weren't hesitant to, like, try it. You know, I'm like, say it like this. Like, say it like God talking to you. And you was like, I put the Starlight in your eyes. And I was like, we going places with this kid. This is what I need. This is what I need. Thank you. How did you feel? This past Juneteenth, all that work that y'all did in the performances. Give me some good memories or feelings tied to that.

[15:50] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: So I didn't feel overwhelmed in the slightest bit. It was just like, even though we did what was it, three or two shows in a row, I was still happy I got to do it, even though some days where I might have forgot some things, but my teammates and you always had my back. Now gave me extra things. We rehearsed over and over and over, even when we messed up. Sometimes when I'll be talking too fast, you'll be like, just slow down a little bit. I'll be like, yeah. But it was a very nice experience. I got to hang out with you more, hang out with my friends more. I got to learn some new skills. And, like, I feel. I feel like even. Even though it was a lot in that time period, I had a very good time, and it was just a very good experience.

[16:34] PAUL D. BEST: Cool. Now, share with me. Your experiences is like, how do you feel about high school now that you're in high school? What have you learned? What do you like? What do you don't like?

[16:49] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Freshman year was very different from school before, like in middle school. I saw that some people got older, some people changed in a better way. And I thought, huh, maybe high school wouldn't be that bad. And it wasn't. The students were nice, the teachers were nice, and it was just like, even though I was in high school and I worked out a little bit more harder, I tried my best and I didn't end up succeeding in the end. And now I'm a sophomore now, and I got a liking to the school more and to the students, to teachers, and I feel like everybody there will be there to support me anytime I need help. And I just feel like they, this is actually like a good school for me to stay in for my hopeful years of high school.

[17:45] PAUL D. BEST: Good, good. All right, ask me something.

[17:48] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Okay, so, who is the most important person in your life?

[17:58] PAUL D. BEST: Whoa, okay. So many to choose from, but Hands down, my dad. My mom and my dad, but in this moment, I want to speak about my dad because he's an ancestor. My dad was my best friend. You know, he knew pretty much everything about me. I shared everything with him. I didn't make any decisions without talking to him, getting his opinion, even moving to Philly. You know, he wasn't for it at first, but my. It's like it's a. It's a blessing sometimes when you meet somebody who knows who you are before you know who you are. And, you know, being his son, I I can see that now. But he would always say to me, especially when I got in trouble, Paul, you just got to do it your way. It just got to be your way. And it'll be after I did something that I wasn't supposed to do, you know, and it was a part of the lecture or whatever. But as I got older, he realized it was true, but it was like, Paul's a very determined person. Once Paul set his mind out to do something, it's gonna get done. There were moments when my dad would say, Don't do that. And he would look me and look in my eyes and he would be like, you,'re gonna do it anyway, ain't you? And I was like, Yep, I'm gonna get your mind right, 'cause I am doing it. Some of the, like, my biggest jumps in life when I left the workforce to start the photography studio, you know, he. He was old school, so he was more concerned about my future. Like, what are you gonna retire? How are you gonna have a pension? You know, years from right now, just, like, traveling the world, taking pictures. How are you gonna do that? And I'm just like, I'm gonna be all right, Daddy. I'm gonna be all right. And every time I got into something, he noticed I would be all right. Like, when I moved here, you know, he was just like, you don't need to be moving to Philadelphia. You're gonna be all around all that. Rapping is crazy out there. I'm like, Daddy, I know what I'm doing. And I remember when I called him and told him I was gonna start teaching, the first thing he said, you know what he said? What? Oh, you can retire from that. That was the only thing he was concerned was like, yeah, you can stick with that. Because, you know, this man was working in the post office 43 years. I'm not even 43. Wow. So, like, he worked in the post office for 43 years, so he was concerned that his son was gonna, like, like, have a sustainable living. And so I was grateful that when him and my mom came here for my master's graduation, that was, like, a dream come true for me because I always wanted to have this moment. I had a dream one time that I was in front of this crowd and I was speaking, and, like, my parents were in the audience, and I wanted to be, like, you know, thank my parents, and I wanted to thank them in front of all these. People. And so by the time I got to graduate, I had been keepers of the culture as a Storytelling president and everything. And all these people, you know, I'm not from here, so they're like, man, you're a really nice, nice young man. Who raised you? There was always this mystery. Like, who are these people that created such a man like this? You know? And it was their chance to see. And so my parents were there, and I gave this speech, and, like, the first thing I did was, like, acknowledge them, you know, and they stood up and waved, and it was just like, thunderous applause. And I didn't even realize then that that would be my dad's last time coming to Philly to see me. So like to have that and then that same day I was made president of the Storytelling organization. So they got to meet all these older black people around their age. Because they really didn't know how I was doing out here. That was the thing. My aunt was here, my cousins were here, but they didn't really know like who's looking out for Paul. We're in Indiana. He's in Philly. So that visit was a lot for me because they were able to see, like, oh, wow, he got a really good support system. People who kind of have the same mindset of us, holding him accountable, taking care of him. And so that was a big thing for me. But everything I do is, like, I find continuous inspiration from my dad. Like, when he passed away, you know, just as a Storyteller. Like, I always tell everybody he was my favorite Storyteller. He never professed to be a Storyteller, but those are always the Best ones. You know, he would just tell me different things about growing up, but as a Storyteller, okay, he just lost my train of thought. Oh, man.

[22:41] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Yeah.

[22:41] PAUL D. BEST: As a Storyteller, I spent so much time with him and learned so much, but. Me and him got close through storytelling, you know, because he would tell, I did this, I did that, you know, my brothers and stuff, they would be like, you know, did he tell them that war story again? And I'm like, oh, say it again. Because like every time he would tell it, it would be like a different, something else he would add to it. Like I remember the time when they came here to Philadelphia, they spent the day with my students and he told my students he was in City Ins during the Civil Rights Movement. I was like, wait, you ain't never told me that. So then I get to hear a whole new story about him being in sit-ins in North Carolina. And so as a Storyteller, he actually wrote his own obituary, like, in first person. And that was, that was very impactful for us to, like, hear his last words coming from him. But, like, grief is such, it's a journey that goes in all types of directions. Some days you're up, some days you're down, some days you're okay. But you never quite, like, fully heal. One of my partners in yoga and meditation, she says, grief is love having nowhere to go. And I really felt when my dad transitioned, there was a part of me that left with him that never will come back. Like, there's a side of me, like, personality wise, character that only my dad could bring. And no one will ever experience that again. And that's that love, you know, when my dad was in the room, it was almost like I was his childhood best friend. It's just two old men in a room. So, like, he gonna talk smart to me. I'm gonna talk smart right back to him, you know, all of that. And so what I've done for me is realized I wrote a story one time about, like, how my dad was such a great father. But inversely, it's like, you can't have a great father and not end up being a great son. You know, my dad always affirmed me, telling me how much he loved me, how much he was proud of me and excited for the things that I was doing. And one day I realized, you know, who are those other black men elders out there that I could be a great son to? And so for me, a good way of coping with my grief is I've been looking at, like, the older black men in my life, whether they have children or not, and just showing up for them in different ways, you know, reminding them, like, you're a good man. I appreciate you. You know, let's spend, like, my, one of my godfathers came and spent a week with me here in Philly, and, like, he loved it and ended up doing work on the house. I didn't want him to, but, you know, he just wanted to. And he talked about, you know, once he got home and told my godmother, like, how much he enjoyed it, and she called, was like, what did y'all do? Because he won't stop talking about. I'm just like, well, we went to dinner. We saw some jazz. I took him to the Penn's, like, it wasn't much, but for him, it was just like, huge. So I'm grateful that, you know, my dad being the biggest influence in my life, I've been able to take that and continue. Like, I can still be that good son to other black men. And this is a world where we need black men of all ages affirm. So I'm grateful that, like, I'm doing my part. Yeah.

[26:01] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Well, well, it sounds like a very good, good person. I wish I would.

[26:06] PAUL D. BEST: I mean. I look like him. I'm the most updated version of him. So, like, you're getting a good Insight. My smart mouth, my humor, history, all of that.

[26:16] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Oh, yeah, that's good. So going back to black voice making noise.

[26:20] PAUL D. BEST: Okay.

[26:21] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: What is the funniest moment of us, either in the show or us practicing between. Between all the things, all the shows we did.

[26:32] PAUL D. BEST: Okay. Oh. Oh. Now are you thinking of like original black boys making noise or like the more recent group?

[26:40] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: The more recent group.

[26:41] PAUL D. BEST: Okay. Ooh. The funniest moment?

[26:47] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Yeah.

[26:52] PAUL D. BEST: Hey, it's so many of them. Cause it's like we not performing, all we doing is talking smack to each other.

[26:59] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Yeah, that's basically was it.

[27:00] PAUL D. BEST: Okay. Man, I think the funniest thing was Emory and the wig.

[27:14] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Yeah.

[27:16] PAUL D. BEST: Because you know his hair is already like that.

[27:18] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Yeah, and that wig kind of like threw everybody off.

[27:21] PAUL D. BEST: Nobody knew it was a wig. And that was, I didn't realize it until like, he took it off. And I was like, wait, what? Like, you already got that kinky, curly hair. And his mom didn't know either. Like, she saw the pictures. Well, when she came, he had that wig on. And I didn't realize until I looked at the pictures, most of the pictures, he was wearing that wig. Yeah. And, Emory, if you listen to this. Yeah, bro, you was wearing it. It looked good. Like, I couldn't tell, but I would say that would be. The most funniest thing.

[27:56] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Yeah, because honestly, I did not know.

[27:57] PAUL D. BEST: That he was so low key. He wasn't like, I'm gonna put this wig on. Like, you know, he was just being himself.

[28:03] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: But you even complimented him about it and everything. It was just a wig.

[28:06] PAUL D. BEST: And then just the, yeah, he get in the car, like, oh, you took the twists out and you looking good for the weekend. And so next to that, it's just you and Romandi going back and forth all the time. Yeah, it's like y'all frenemies, but like y'all really know y'all there for each other. It's just like, yeah, Romandi needs it and you need it to stay home. Humble. Tell me about, I want to talk about your family. What do you love the most about your family?

[28:32] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: My family isn't really big because my mom's side, we don't really, it's not a lot of them. So, like, and it all the way in Florida, so we can't really see them a lot. And I used to be like very close to like some people on my mom's side when we were still in Jersey, but then we moved to Philadelphia and never really talked to them anymore. But in my like household in general, it's, it's, it's a nice family home. Like, like before it was just in Jersey, and it was just my mom, me and my brother, Tom, air. But, but then my mom found somebody, and they've been together for, I think.

[29:05] PAUL D. BEST: Like, eight or nine years.

[29:07] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: And, and next, you know, they have a three-year-old baby, and they have a house. They had, my mom finally has her own car. And, like, it was a lot of big events that happened, happened in our, in our household, in our family that I really like, and also, like, like, like last night, me and my mom just sat down, we were just talking and, and we were just talking about like, like different things and it was just like, I like, it's not a lot of chances where my mom gets to be vulnerable like that towards me. And, and she said, which is funny to me, she, I heard it a lot. Like, it's been, I know you're my same thing, but you're basically like my therapist. I'm just like, like, I get, I get that a lot, but like, like that. I feel like last night was, like, a, like, a very important moment for her because that's when she finally got everything out. Nice, nice, good or bad. Like, she felt, like, very, very vulnerable towards me. And I find that, like, very, like, softening and kind.

[30:09] PAUL D. BEST: That's important. That's very important, especially, you know, we've talked about this before. A lot of black women are physically present for their families, and they're not always able to be emotionally present. And so that's, man, that's so good, like that. You and your mother have that relationship now. Like, I just started having that with my mom maybe two-ish, three years ago because she was always, she was a wife, you know, she was taking care of my dad being, you know, he wasn't ill long, but. As a black woman being a wife, she gonna show up for her family, take care of her husband, you know, always tending to his needs. And so with my dad passing away, it kind of gave her this freedom to kind of get back to her. And now she's being more vulnerable. Like, we've had, we just had the sex talk, like, a year ago. I was like, Mama.

[31:03] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Like, I, we, me and my mom didn't even have that talk. She did. She already knew I knew what it was.

[31:07] PAUL D. BEST: I was like, oh, and that was the thing. It came up and she was like, well, I just assumed your dad gave it. I'm like, Daddy didn't give me that talk. I guess he assumed you gave it to me. You know, y'all wanted the church to give it to him, but, like, we had the sex talk. It was interesting. It was a better sex talk. It wasn't about, like, how to have sex, but just, like, wisdom and experiences and stuff like that. And so I can speak to just these past couple years how my mom has evolved as a 80 every Gene best, the 82 year old woman. Just when we're like, okay, she ain't changing. We just gonna have to set some boundaries around her so we don't get triggered. Here she is evolving, you know, like using affirming words, being more loving, saying she's proud of me and things like that. Like, man. So for you to get that from your mom, like now as a teenager, bro, you're gonna be dangerous when you get older. Like, seriously, I'm just thinking about you as you get older and, you know, as you develop relationships with people, if you ever become a parent, like, man, you're gonna be so awesome. And I love that about you. I see me and you in some ways. If you remember in class that time, like you, Loki had a bully and I kind of went in and I wanted to make sure you were good is because my inner child came in. And remember when I was bullied by a similar person and I wanted to make sure you got what I didn't get. And I remember pouring and you're like, man, it's gonna be okay. You gonna be all right. It's gonna get better. And you were just like, Mr. Best, I'm good. You know, you just kind of shook it off and I'm just like, oh, dang, he could get better than I did.

[32:44] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: And so it's something you got more offended at night.

[32:47] PAUL D. BEST: Yeah, yeah, man, I was ready to light him up. And so that the way you carry yourself, like a big part of that is because you have a strong system of family. You know, family in a lot of ways can set the trajectory, set the path for your life. And as a educator, as a community mentor for students and children, I can only do so much if the parents give me the leeway. So, like, I appreciate your family, your stepdad, your mom, trusting me, you know, like, oh, you're going with Mr. Best. Okay, let me know when you get back how much money you need. You know, like, I can text your mom. She's like, all right. Or with this whole job permit thing.

[33:30] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Like, she was straight for it. She was okay. Yeah, she was on me about that.

[33:35] PAUL D. BEST: Did she tell you what I told her?

[33:37] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: No, but she, but she was like, she was on me. Yeah.

[33:40] PAUL D. BEST: Well, no, that was the thing. Cuz I, I was like, is he listening right now? She's like, no, I'm like, this actually ain't do for two weeks, but keep lighting him up cuz I don't want him to get lax. Wow. But for real, cuz it was, I mean, cuz you're still a teenager, you know, you're gonna forget, you're gonna sleep in, you know, you're gonna rush and stuff like that. And that's just normal, that's expected. So it's just teaching you like, stay on the path. Don't give them leeway because then it'll be like three months and like, bro, I can't hire you. So, but whenever it's time to be accountable, I appreciate you. You step up to it. Like, I do love that about you.

[34:15] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: A little bit more about like what happened last night. Like, like some of the things talking about was like things about my birth and like something that didn't hurt her. And it was just like she was telling about like how I was born, how she felt like because I'm her firstborn. So she's like she said, she said that once I was born and she held me for the first time, I was just staring at her like she was like the most important person in the world. And I didn't have a care in the world and all I focused on her and it just made her heart melt and she felt it in her voice and how she was saying it like this was supposed to see that she said she heard like when her mother first holds her baby that's when she officially becomes a mother and she said she felt that connection between us and then when I grew up like like from a baby to a toddler to a kid like we was close it just now we're starting to be a little bit more distant but we're trying to keep that bond that bond like like still still intact but we were close like we were like this like we were close which I loved a lot.

[35:22] PAUL D. BEST: That's great. Adolescence does kind of distance you from your parents a little bit it's just It's just natural. It's like you become an adolescent, an adolescent, and you don't think your parents are cool. And you grow up and you realize like, man, y'all the coolest people on earth, you know? Especially when you go to college. Like when I went to college and I see other students and realize how crazy I could have turned out and I didn't, I was just like, oh my God, I owe my parents the world.

[35:52] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Yeah.

[35:53] PAUL D. BEST: So I'm glad that you're having those moments with your family because that's a huge part of your identity. Always prioritize family. But also in the spirit of family, you're my family. That's a huge thing for me because moving to a new state on another side of the country, I had to build some family. I have blood family here, but building a sense of tribe, people that can connect with me, people you trust.

[36:20] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Right.

[36:21] PAUL D. BEST: And it's just been, And a lot of the people I've been trusting have been some of my students, which is also a benefit of having black boys making noise because it's like I have this tribe of young brothers that I know, I trust, who know me, and we can just do all these great things together.

[36:39] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: And it's crazy because every time I see you and you pick me up, I'd be like, dang, this was really my eighth grade teacher, and I'm a sophomore now.

[36:49] PAUL D. BEST: I get full.

[36:49] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: I still see to this day.

[36:52] PAUL D. BEST: I get emotionally full on when I'm around y'all because it's like I feel honored and grateful to the Creator that like I can do this work with you all, that I have people, your people, trust me to do this work. But like we are literally making black history. You know, all of these shows, the things we are learning, like this is a tribute to the ancestors. And it's like, oh my God, wait till they grow up. They gonna be better than me, you know? So, especially in this interview, I just want to let you know how much I am grateful to the Creator for you. I see you as brother, mentee, friend, and I don't take it for granted. So, I got you whatever you need. You already know right or wrong. When you're right, I'm gonna let you know you're right. When you're wrong, I'm gonna check you.

[37:37] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: This is why you're one of the most important people in my life. Even though you were a teacher at some point, you became sort of a best friend to me. And I really appreciate that.

[37:45] PAUL D. BEST: Thank you. You. What is one thing as we wrap up you want to share with the world? Wisdom, a funny joke, if you want to drop some storytelling stuff. What is it you want to share with everybody?

[37:59] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: Make sure to like don't get discouraged by things you would like to do. If you find interest in something, pursue it. There's a thousand million opportunities in the world. Don't try to like, like just because someone's telling you that you can do it, you most definitely can. You just gotta put in the work. It's not always gonna be easy, but you have to make sure that you try your best and just never give up and always have that like strong feeling for that passion that you want to do in the future.

[38:31] PAUL D. BEST: Good, man. You took time what I was gonna say. But I want the world to know the importance of young people and elders. Those are our bridges to our existence. So there's an African proverb that says, Support the children because they have a long way to go. Remember and respect the elders because they've been there. And pray for those in the middle because they're doing the work. So I want everybody to know whatever we're doing, Always remember to reach back and bring the children and reach forward and hold our elders up. Yeah. This was good. Yeah. And I'm gonna say Tyreek, I love you brother.

[39:16] TYREEK S. WOOLFORD: I love you too.

[39:17] PAUL D. BEST: Thank you for everything.