Suleman Masood and Robert Lung

00:00 Lung by 8:50. I am recording in Centennial, Colorado. Today's date is June 9th 2021. I'll be speaking with my colleague and great friend. So am on Masood and we'll have him do his introduction now.

00:19 My name is Suleiman Masoud. My age is 27. I'm recording in Rockville, Maryland. Today's date is June 9th. 2021. August speaking to Robert, lung my colleague, friend and mentor.

00:34 All right. Let's get started with some questions. Here. We will start off as a good place to start as a child. What were your hopes for your future?

00:48 Other child, I think my my favorite sports that I looked up I looked at and I used to watch and follow vigorously and even to this day was basketball. So for me, my biggest Hope was trying to go to the NBA that's like every other kid. Obviously my height had different plans. I stopped at 5:11. I was somebody who probably tried out for the basketball team. There was a time where I did make the team and then later on, I got cut, but I I love playing the game. I love playing with my friends and even to this day. I still play.

01:28 Awesome. I did not know that. How do you think you are a life experiences contribute to your work today?

01:38 Yeah, so all of my life experiences, I would say really revolve around family really revolve around my culture in my face. So it's part of my face identify as Muslim, those three pieces, my culture, my religion, and my family play, a very large role in my life experiences growing up. And play me the stronger role in my adulthood. Now.

02:00 So I think back to the times, I was kid. All the principals I had and all of the, the teachings of my mom and my dad taught me other things that I really do dairy with me. I recently got married. So, these are some, some principles and some lessons that I really do hold with me as I start my new marriage and as well as now that I am an uncle, you know, I, I, I now have others that look up to me. So, these are things that I try to share with my younger cousins, my nephew's, my niece's extended family, as well as friends and even younger younger colleagues. That I know that may be in college and high school. That looks to me for advice.

02:46 I know another piece of my life experiences is my lived experience. So for context, I am a survivor of Labor trafficking. As far as I know. I'm one of the few that I have that have publicly identified as a survivor of domestic labor trafficking. So as far as my experience goes, a lot of the experiences. I I endured I survived, i i i overcame are also teaching from life's lessons at that. Have been brought to me that I do carry with myself too. From, from the time that I I left, my my experience and I was able to leave and Escape that expertise that experience. And I'm not able to take that with me. And also, in in short doses. I do share those opportunities and those moments to help provide empowerment to those two others.

03:39 Awesome.

03:41 Do you have any? I guess this. Next question that, you know, it's the same as this last question. You answered where you have your life experiences in general and your life experiences in your lived experience. So maybe this next question. It sort of has a two-part answer to it as well. Do you have any favorite stories from your journey? Whether that's your life Journey or your lived experience and maybe maybe I'm favorite stories, but wisdom or something.

04:09 Totally. I mean, one thing I can tell you is this for for a kid that grew up. Post 911 for someone who grew up in a town that did not have a lot of Muslims than I have. A lot of people that had the same cultural identity, as I had. Of course, it was really hard growing up around that time. I think to the extent of discrimination, a racial discrimination cultural my culture and through my face, of course, those were the types of things that were the norm, especially in growing up in a small town, you know, so being around, diversity really wasn't really didn't hit until I got into high school and I start going to school and high school, but I would say

04:57 Probably around the 5th and 6th grade is really when I started experiencing discrimination in small doses, some somewhere, large somewhere by, you know, from from people, from adults and somewhere from children, are, you know, my classmates and that sort of thing. But I learned through those times that Schumer and finding ways to make light of things, you know, obviously when it's appropriate, was the best way to Coke. So, so, humor really played a large part in my life in order for me to cope with certain things that I go through. I even for today, even when I'm coping with stress, whether it's work, stress, or family stress, or just personal stress, that I'm feeling. I was trying to find a way to find the light of something and try to try to influence, try to bring some humor into it.

05:50 As far as the favorite story for my journey, you know, for instance that revolve around Schumer. I would say one would be even for my list experience, you know, from my lived experience. There, there were times where they were, you know, when when people paint, you know, I lived experience of course, many times it can be dark. It can be traumatic, that sort of thing for me. It was of course, it was many of those things and those things were overbearing but humor also existed, you know, there were some good moments as well as strange as that sounds but

06:26 Having a balance of those emotions mixed with the trauma, right? It only speaks to what are the types of trauma that you could go through for me in my limited experience. You know, this may not be I guess looking back it, I consider it, you know, funny, but maybe maybe not at the time but you know, so for me, for example, of a simple example, I can give you is experience. I used to work at a lot of fast food chains. So at the time I was sleep deprived I didn't have a lot of food to eat there, be times where I would be starved for a couple of days. So for me, I'm a very, I mean even in as traumatic and as fearful, as I was of of my traffic time, I'm a very picky person. So I'm very picky when it comes to food. If things are not done a certain way. I don't care if I'm traffic's or not. They're going to be done the way I wanted to, you know, so a simple example I can give you was in the experiences. I went through.

07:26 Now we're at where my tracker, you know, you was a lot of tactics, lot of Minds actors, like starving me in a locked. It and I don't want to get too much into it. But like, you know, you know, I'd be locked in a room and I wouldn't have food to eat, or will you be able to shower on days and all those, those types of moment? Even in those moments? I'm thinking about what food? I'm going to eat when I get the chance to eat. So when I was working the fast food, Chain's, I used to do two things to get food. One would be with some working at a burger and I worked on many different burger restaurants, not going to put anybody on blast, but when I was working, those drive-thrus, I used to intentionally mess up orders. So somebody ordered two cheeseburgers. I used to say, oh, four cheeseburgers and I saw the kitchen and I'd be working in the kitchen to go out to make extras. And then they tell me no Solomon, you messed up. They only ordered two cheeseburgers. That's okay. We're going to do with them and then they would tell me why we had to have to toss them or we can take them ourselves from home.

08:25 The other thing I used to do was I used to work at a restaurant and the state is still. My favorite restaurant to go to if they want to put them on blast, unfortunately, but they used to have a thing where any time you order and they still have this policy. Anytime you order something from from, from from the restaurant. They would give you a receipt, but the bottler said, it would say, you don't tell us how we did call the number, and you get two free tacos. Every time I used to find these receipts cuz people, you know, if you don't keep these real food or see if they don't know the trash, whatever. I used to find these receipts, I used to call the number and then I used to just tell them, hey, you know, do the survey and I'm telling you, probably, maybe not now cuz it's been some time. But at the time, they probably were one of the highest rated restaurants cuz every time I would call, I give them this really strong review. They say, oh, they did this is this, they were fast, whatever, and then I get two free tacos and then I customize it. But even in that time I used to fight.

09:25 For me, it was a lot of fun, just customize my orders. And I was always looking forward to that meal right now, as far as from my, my journey. Now leaving that, that, that that victimization I would say. I'm trying to think, I think, I think a really, I think a really fun moment, you know, I was actually, when I left my victimization a couple of weeks after

09:56 I did not want to stay home because I felt like if I stayed home and follow the doctor's orders of getting rest and doing all these things. I feel like I'd be alone with my thoughts or I'd be alone to deal with my parents, you know, in terms of, you know, talking to my parents about what happened or, or finding some ways to die. So, I have to have awkward conversations, you know, I want to be in the house at all. So the first thing I did was I got a job 3 weeks after I left the hospital. So when I was, when I left my victimization, the first place, I had to go to was, I see you because I had one good leg one. Good arm when good. I knows about it. Everything else. How to get, you know, I had to go to the had to meet with the with the doctor team of nurses, that sort of thing. They did a really good job of fixing me up, gave me better.

10:49 Once I left that, you know, I was told to rest for, for 3 to 4 weeks. So I followed about two weeks is a week. After I was in bed. I apply for a job at a grocery store. I got the job and I was just ready to go to work. So I would be hobbling and hobbling everywhere and I'll be working those graveyard shifts, and people just think I look like a pirate just walking up and down the aisles of the grocery store. And then I remember, I think one of my favorite memories was that first paycheck I got because I'm so through my victimization. I would always give my paycheck to my trafficker, every dollar I made and I used to work three jobs at a time, you know, so I used to pick up these jobs domestically so they could be a grocery store. I could be a fast food chain. It could be really anything. I could be under the table job. Any job. I was getting and it was easy because I was born here in the US and

11:49 Because I have citizenship. I have no papers. I have documentation that shows that I'm eligible to work. So it's very easy for me to get fired from a job. And then at the same time, was very easy for me to get hired, right.

12:02 So I just like getting the firing in the hiring. I used to hold three jobs at a time when I was working about eighteen eighteen hours a day. You know what, I used to tell people. I work 18 hours a day. I get beat up for 4 hours a day. And then I sleep for 2 hours a day, and I was my schedule every day for her for a couple years, you know, so when I got this paycheck and everything I made, you know, I didn't use direct deposit. We didn't do anything like that. He would everything would be a paper check. Or, you know, I go to a check cashing place cash. When I got this first paycheck. The first thing I did was the same routine I had when I was giving the pace back to my shop. Once, I check cashing place. I got the cash checked out and I want to put it in the envelope. The same process. I I went through and then I talk to my co-worker. I was like I didn't talk to me and I talked to one of my friends cuz one of my best friends and I told him I said,

13:02 And I have this is where you can do with your first paycheck and I was excited. All I have to give it to someone. So right, the trucker music, what are you talkin about? I stopped. And I pause and I looked at the money. I was like, oh, and then I panicked. What do I do with this money? This is too much money. I can't, what, what am I supposed to do with this? You know, and he said, this is your, you keep it. I said, what you mean, I keep it nice and go to a bank and deposit. It, you know, and that. To me it sticks out so much because I take that memory with me even to this day because in all the work I do. I know that everything that I've I'm doing for my career and everything I'm doing. I'm trying to do for this movement and now and in just trying to serve others and just share, share my story and my you know, just what I want to share.

13:51 I never take that for granted, that like to know this is, you know, I reflect on the times that I've been able, I'm doing a lot better now, I wasn't doing it so much. I had much more television, I think early on, but now, I'm really able to take a step back and appreciate the things, the opportunities. I'm I'm giving so those, those are some memories that I think I, I really called to myself, because I still call that restaurant and I still give you nice or call you in a different location. I still call and get those three tacos. And I still, I still look at my paychecks, you know, I still like that reflect on those moments because they keep me grounded. And at the same time, they keep me thankful because not a lot of people get to come back from from the things that I've come from, you know, and I know that their future victims out there that that I know that they need the help. They didn't need that the guidance, you know.

14:51 Mike, my intention and my goal while doing this work is just to help being another just to contribute to that and help find ways to help them.

15:00 I have to share you. I worked at 3. Fast food restaurants. That when I was a teenager and I love when they was wrong orders. Especially whenever you get the pizza place cuz that was a whole pizza and we got each other in the store as we work. So I, yeah, I can recognize and appreciate that and in the joy, that can come from the stage that even if it's one, you made your next question. What do you wish more people knew or understood about you and trafficking and the fight to end it?

15:32 Yeah, when I saw this question, obviously, you can go in so many different ways.

15:39 I think the most simple thing that people need to know if they need to, you know, of course to appreciate it. You have to acknowledge the media. To the media is the one giving us the news but you got to use your own head and you got to look like there are things that are shared and their things that happened with human trafficking, where they become so sensationalized or the media takes advantage of it and do what they want to blow it up to an extent where you don't. They're, they're just trying to get a reaction out of people. Sometimes that reaction is advocacy. And then the other reaction at that comes out of, it is just a symbolism or are just shock value, you know that I received for for over a decade many people have been fighting that narrative that I am talking, only happens to one demographic with one gender identity. And that's and also one lived experience that sex traffic white women or is that is something that many people.

16:38 See here in the continued to the maybe go with that narrative. That's all human trafficking is, right. So at least for the time that I've been a part of this this work might. My sole mission is to bring awareness to male male survivors. You know, my other mission is to bring people of color to the table because when was just wasting was initially passed, whether it was a state legislation State bill or it was a federal legislation through Congress. Write those types of conversations around service provision around prevention around you. No awareness of those types of conversations. Didn't include people that look like me and people that had expertise like me or lived experience like me. So, of course, there's nothing we can do to change history, but we can do, as we can continue to create a more inclusive environment and try to change that narrative and try to being a space.

17:38 Where people will soon understand that human trafficking looks like many different things and that not all not every victimization. Look the same, the movie themes that may be common knowledge that that, that people can share and sit and say that they've also experienced that. But everyone's journey is everyone, you know, is it's a unique journey to be on. So, the main thing I want people to understand is that, you know, it's not a linear experience either right. As far as getting the help that you need, in terms of finding ways, to prevent a certain crimes are like trafficking from happening in the community. It's not a linear path, you know, everyone has different needs and everyone has different.

18:31 Experiences update that they come from. So I will say the same thing that, you know, as far as more what I wish more people in this field knew was that in order to help a certain population, you have to make sure your staff.

18:49 Has the right intentions and the people in the room that are working to solve solve the matter. Also represent or also come from backgrounds that are similar to those, that they're serving. What I mean by that is if you're serving communities of color. Are you serving a minority population or you're serving whoever, right? They making sure that the people that are providing services are number one, comfortable to serve that population and number to the identify with those backgrounds or they did work with those backgrounds in the past and unable to provide better service, right?

19:29 So, you know for me I find it, you know, of course they're at their times were if the agencies that work with that come from a rural area where they have no idea how to tackle the problem or have no idea how to how to work through the summer thing. I asked them. If the first look around the room before you provide any awareness, you create any materials you apply for any funding? Look around the room and ask yourself is this team equipped to serve the population that's out there. If they are not it's bet your time as much better. Served figuring out that problem before you going out and communicating with the with with other disciplines and making these Partnerships in that sort of thing.

20:11 What or who inspires you or keeps you motivated in the work you do?

20:18 The person I'm talking to is definitely one. So, I mean, I can say, you know.

20:26 As far as where I want to go in terms of my what was motivating me. I think maybe I can start there. What's motivating me to do this? Work is knowing that again. There was once a time and there continues to be in samples of that in different parts and pockets of the world.

20:46 Were there a people who have never seen the live experience? I have gone through there have been people that have never served a population that have the same identity. Is I have, right? So making sure that that awareness is out there and making sure that you know, what what's motivating me is you know, I have been given a second chance, you know what with the with the type of, physical mental emotional. Trauma that I have experienced, right? You know, I really am blessed to be in the position that I am and to be able to work at an inn, to be able to adopt a high work ethic.

21:28 You know, it is something where I think it is a blessing and a curse where the same work habits. I had when I did go through a live experience where I was working multiple hours a day. It is being reflected. There are times where it that can be reflected here in the work that I do. But I know the purpose is different, and that's, that's kind of what? What helps get me there. And this is the work that I want to take on. It wasn't something that I was forced to do.

21:55 So, you know what's keeping me? Motivated is knowing that I have the second chance knowing that I have this opportunity and really what's important to me is knowing that people want to hear it. Right? If people did not have an interest for or what I had to say. I would have been out of this work a long time ago. Right? But knowing that there is an interest knowing that there is a need for our communities, whether their people identify with my South Asian culture, with the people that identify with my religion, knowing that our culture or religion, deeply need somebody and knowing that our culture in America, right? Our society here, needs this information in order for us to become more Progressive in order for Progressive been our policy Progressive in our service. Provision. This is why this is what motivates me, you know, being able to have the second chance and really good. And not just that is just being able to share that with others in crave. Bonds. Where

22:55 Create real change, you know, I have this really in on from from a very early age from from elementary school to Junior High and so forth.

23:07 My vision of the world is never what it's actually represented, you know, my goal for four-piece, my goal for to a change of system. In this case, the criminal justice system in another systems involved that that work on victimization and crime, many times. I've had professors tell me, you know, your view of the world is not what it is. Not what it's going to be. You're never going to change the system. You never going to change the world, you know, to this day. I still hold of you that it's going to happen. It's going to be a group effort, going to be a team effort, something that I really just can't let go. I think it's just because I'm stubborn and I'm sure that, you know, I think I like the compromise that I have in my mind as if I can't change the the system I can at least change the system that I'm apart of.

23:57 In some shape or form, even if it's a small change, the small change will allow the person after me. And the person next to me to keep moving forward, and making another small change and if those small changes can accumulate and turn into a big change, that's a success.

24:14 You know, coming into this field.

24:17 I didn't know any male survivors. I know what you mean? Drafting was right? The community. I came from. Didn't know what you mean. Tracking was being able to get educated with my community and being able to train my community and being able to leave my community and other communities about what human trafficking is. Those are small successes, right? So I am getting more realistic about my view and that's part of the motivation is to be more realistic about the change. I want to make, but at the same time, I'm keeping the, I'm keeping the Ambitions High and the expectations High because that's just the way I work.

24:53 When I try to make sure that people around me understand that it's a good thing. Yeah, but I when I talked to caseworkers and in human services Department's I tell him to remember what they the reason they they took on this job in the first place was to make a difference and then they need to return to that. Nate being that naive because they really can make a difference. I just sometimes lose sight of that or think that they thought that was naive but it really is a realistic goal that can happen like you cared.

25:22 So next one. I love this question because it's something I always talk about. How do you define resilience?

25:34 So I swear that word did tossed around so much, you know, and I look at it like

25:45 You know, I look at it as a very sacred thing. It's a very sacred where that's tossed around. It's like saying hero. He's a hero. She's a hero, their Heroes, you know, this is a word that's reserved for a person or a group or four or anyting that, you know, if there's an idea that you don't give up, right? You can make, I mean, of course, to be realistic, you will feel right at you will make mistakes. You will make excuses, right? I know when people say, tell me in on their been leaders that I talk to and there been a lot of changemakers. I'll talk to you where they say. I don't make excuses. I do XY and z. I mean, you can make plenty of excuses about things, right, you know, it's okay to make excuses. It's okay, but if your eyes are on the prize of not giving up and not letting go of your dream.

26:38 That's what I Define as resilience where every odd is against you. Every

26:46 Authoritative figure is is against may not be. You know, I may not see your at your end of success of the fact that you see it and nobody else sees it and you want to keep marching forward marching forward. And you don't have to make these overnight strides like social media. Like Instagram shows you like you can do, right? It's an that's what I learned. I think three years ago and that's what I learned is that it's all about building. The foundation is your foundation. If you can just focus on building, the foundation, everyday. And reassuring yourself that, whatever your goal is your building the foundation for it.

27:24 Over the years, the foundation is going to be solid, going to be like Teflon, right? So, no matter what circuit life circumstance, hit you right? It could be a financial hit. It could be a family, hid, it could be a job, hit it, or getting your career. Whatever it is. If your foundation is solid, no matter what the circumstance right in, the same thing is like with your fate, you know, the face is a part of the foundation. If your face and your identity strong nothing's going to get in the way of it, right? Or it may hinder. It may put you in a place where you have to make an excuse to, excuse some time away from it. But if the foundation solid, you're going to keep going. I mean for me the town I came from is a very small town. I think it's continue to get larger and larger, but at the time that I left, it is a very small town did not have the same opportunities that that the communities they serve now have. Right. So, didn't have a ton of didn't have a lot of educational career.

28:26 And at the same time, wasn't an inclusive space for me, right? So coming from where I've come from. My eyes are always on the prize in the eyes of the price, for me, was always to find a better alternative to find success, right? So finding a way, you know, it didn't happen, right away, right away. I was something I was able to build something where I was able to get a scholarship to go into school when leaving high school, but then, when does it when my victimization occurred, right? That obviously was a setback leaving my victimization. Like anybody got to start from zero, literally from zero from scratch. No, Financial background, no friends. No identity. Really? You're in a very confusing space where you don't know who you are having to learn how to walk again. Learning how to talk again, learning how to react to certain things.

29:20 Learning that it's okay to be awkward learning that. It's okay to not be perfect and everything, right being realistic. So all these things that I had to relearn, many people, you know, I have no idea what I was going to do with my career. What I wanted to do for a job, all I all I cared about the time was going to my fast food going to my grocery store working there, make some money spending money on food and I'm enjoying myself, you know, and then later on, you know, but the main thing I had in for myself, as education, education played a very strong role in my resilience education is what Tommy resilience because

30:02 Education was something where every day I got to sit in, in, in a classroom every day. I was assigned something for school. It was a challenge. It was something where it was very difficult. It's hard to see that the main when you, when you're so focused on an assignment or so, focused on a on a lecture. You're not seeing the bigger picture is, okay. I'm going to finish this class, go to the next class and then I'm going to graduate and then I get to do something with that education. So sometimes when you have that's on the VIN, you forget what the main goal is. So with education, it was always a challenge. Always a struggle continues to be a struggle as I'm in law school right now, but it is a healthy, is a healthy struggle. It is something where every day you're getting stronger, you know, education is what taught me about trafficking. Education has taught me about my victimization education taught me about

30:59 How to serve others on how to be a better human being to be honest with you, you know, because it also gave me a space to reflect to give me a space away from from people that I knew be away from my victimization being away from from the prosecutor. Those Prosecuting my case. I was handling. My case allowed me to just grow on my own, you know, and then also be in the space tracking network with others. So each time I needed education, it was there for me. In each time. I needed a resource. My my professors, my classmates were always there to step in and they continue to do so.

31:37 So for me, my my resilience came from education, resilience can look like something for so many other people could be opening up a business. It could be building your credit history. Again, it could be Financial health and wealth, you know, all these different things, you know, whatever. The definition of resilience is. It's really never stopping. You know, it's okay. It's okay to stop short-term by giving up on your dreams and settling for something else. That's not resilience to me.

32:08 Cool. Alright, this is a fun question. I've already predicted where you're being your future, but you say, yeah, what does your future hold?

32:25 I've no idea. I don't think anybody knows, I think my thing is just you know.

32:33 Again, I think being married really helped calm me down cuz I've been so uptight over the years of. I have to be here by this year. I have to do this by this time. I still am like that and then my wife is there to remind me like I shut up, you okay, I'll be fine. So I think I just want to be happy. That's that's that's the truth and I'm happy now in my life. I'm really thankful for what I have. I'm really now in a space were in my work. Or people allow me to take a step back and just reflect on the things I do for me. I just want to continue my happiness and not just be internally happy, but share that happiness, with others and share that energy. I just want to make sure that in my future, what my future, hold his arm around, great people. Like the person I'm talking to where I continue to be in a space where I can share my positive energy. They share their positive energy with me and we continue to build together cuz I don't know what that building is going to be. It could be me stopping everything I'm doing. It could be starting a business. It could be,

33:33 Going back to the fast food restaurant place to work at who knows, right? And in me getting those messing up those orders again. I have no idea what the future holds but for me. I know that, you know, I am now in a position where I'm allowed to do things on my own terms and people are allowing me to do things on my own terms. And what I mean by that is if I need to take a break and I tell someone I need to take a break from whatever. I'm doing the allow me to have the space to do so, you know, but no matter what it is like to do that now in terms of my career, but I would like to happen but it it it depending on what happens, you know, I can't control it. But while I'm while I'm in law school, the current interest I have is is pursuing criminal law.

34:21 You know, it's so funny is if I go back to this recording, then twenty years from now, or whatever. And I'm buying them doing something, completely different with me. The most funniest, the funniest part, but I'll say right now my current interest is pursuing criminal law. I do want to become a prosecutor reason. Why I want to become a prosecutor is because at this current time, I feel that our justice system needs needs more needs more Advocates that come from a space of victimization, our justice system needs. People that look that that that look like me that come from communities. I come from the understand the Dynamics between cultural religion and honor. Those a backgrounds while they're serving their clients acknowledging other people's identities, honoring those identities and traditions and being able to just build with them, you know, with obviously with with what we learn and what we go through. And what we're experiencing, our Justice is a cyst.

35:21 Today, there really is. No there's little there. There are a lot of great Police Department's. A lot of great organizations that are learning about that and are continuing to learn and build with the community and there are some unfortunate that need more room for improvement. So my goal is just done is just a contribute to that and finding ways to help change and shape our system and shape our society because the true intention that I believe where we need to be, as far as a prosecution office is providing safety. And as far as the criminal justice system is providing safety, two victims victims families and also the Greater Community, so when that message is lost,

35:59 It's unfortunately where we where we were received in the media and I'm sure we're going to continue to see that for her for quite some time. But as far as the community is that I'd like to impact. I want to create a better space for everyone. I just tell you I'm looking forward to the day that we hear all rise. The honorable Judge Masood taking the bench because there's a white judge. I can tell you we are in desperate need of more black and brown people on the bench and I feel like your career trajectory that is such that. You could definitely find yourself wearing a black robe when being in a courtroom and everyone standing when you go to the room would be a better world if you accomplish that. But I'm, I'm happy to hear you to find your future is being happiness and you could find happiness in that fast food restaurant, if that's what your future holds, but my preference would be that we would all be rising to honor judge must

37:02 Subpar. Today question was, how would you like to be remembered or what Legacy would you like to leave behind for your family or your community?

37:10 Yeah, it goes back to my my, my peace and resilience. You know what, I really want to leave behind for my children, for my, my grandchildren, and my those those future generations. And for the Greater Community is

37:23 You know, when I leave this planet because the one thing that I believe in our faith is that this life is temporary, life is not a word to anybody. We're not old anytime. You know, we can go at anytime, you know, based off of our faith in our and what we believe, you know, so that this and I think the pandemic has shown that right that this life is not guaranteed to anybody. So so the the life lessons I have is this is a temporary life and with the life that we have, what we have to make the most of it.

37:53 And while we're making the most of it, we have to set our future up for success and we have to set our future generations and future communities up for Success. So, when I leave this planet, I hope people see that I'm doing that. I have done.

38:08 I have done the best that I could in my capacity, in my power, to try to make some positive change and try to just make people happy or bring peace. You know, I also want them to look at somebody who would never push intention was to never settle in life. You know, for me. I feel like settling is worth worse than death and all that is my opinion. When you're given all the privileges in the world. You're giving all the opportunities in the world. Regardless of what I came from, right from for me, with the victimization that I went through, right with the trauma that I've experienced things that I still carry with me through that victimization. I never want to settle in, and I never believed that styling was an option, and I had my eyes on a specific career goal. Is it a career path? And obviously, those things container get tailored?

39:00 But I I I refuse to settle, you know, when if somebody is is if somebody believes the settling is good for them. I mean that's that's them. But but for me, I want somebody when I leave this planet, I want people to understand that. I never said, I might go with my dreams and the people I want to be with. So I have the last question. I would give you one or two options because I wanted to have either of these questions to the to the conversation. So either, what advice would you give a younger version of yourself? Or do you have any advice for people wishing to make a difference?

39:36 Yeah, you know, the question about wanting one is, tell your younger self. Like, I'll be honest with you. No matter what. I told my younger self that younger self. You never listen, the younger self. We'll figure it out, make the mistakes, make the Salyers make the successes and get get to whatever that he needed to. Go to sew for somebody else that wants to make a difference in this world. To be honest. I would say the true, you know, the true leadership that I look up to the leadership that I look up to. And that the true I think journey to make a difference, really starts from an internal. So many people try to go on these platforms and try to go make these Grand presentations about life about the career about an industry that they work with, but they don't have their their in-house put together, right? So, the stuff going on with them internally. It's not put together. It's not not strong, the foundation, is we

40:37 They can have these large presentations. Are they getting paid money to get to go talk about how much of an insulin so they have. But if you're in house and your internals not set, your foundation is not built correctly and I'll come sooner or later before you even go out to make a difference. Really think a step back and ask yourself. Where are you at in life? You know, are you where you want to be in life? Are you happy? Do you have peace? If you don't have any of those things, how can you achieve that? Because the journey to get there is very long, is very difficult, and is very challenging. So taking steps for to go impact somebody else and you don't have your stuff together, right? It's going to harm that person. It's going to affect that person or it may not give them the advice that they need to get to the next level.

41:24 You know, for me, again, honor cultural culture and honor played a very even confuse, play a very large role in my life, being going to having to disclose to my family that I was victimized in something as traumatic as human trafficking. Right was very shameful. It would seem to shameful. The family name was was, was tarnished, right? And in the eyes of my family and extended family. I was seeing as like as an outcast, right. And and it took a long time to build that up to build up trust trust Within Myself and Trust knowing that it wasn't my fault right and that sort of thing and then being able to just build trust and love for my family and for my extended family, right? Longtime lot of bonds are broken. A lot of Bonds were we're we're piece together and created and now they're stronger than they were before.

42:16 But if I didn't work on that, on those things, first, I would not be able to do the work that I'm doing now.

42:23 So for those I want to make a difference, really take a take a look at home, take a look at where you are internally. So home, meaning like your home body and then home, meaning those that you live or are you work with are or you're related to know. When you're able to build those bonds? Those people are going to help you build more than you would be able to build on your own to make that difference.