{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/q814m9355j/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["Neka Cleaver Interview"]},"logo":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/571/original/full-color_2x.png?1735841768","metadata":[{"label":{"en":["Publisher"]},"value":{"en":["The African American Network TV (TAAN TV)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Description"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eRadio personality and Tha1Radio creator Neka Cleaver reflects on her childhood as part of the first Black family to live in Garden Ridge. She discusses her many pursuits, her journey as a radio personality , and how she came to be an owner and operator of her own radio station. She closes the interview with her philosophy on giving back to the community and what it means to love.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Rights Statement"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eAll materials are for noncommercial educational or research uses only. Please contact SAAACAM for any questions regarding usage rights.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Date"]},"value":{"en":["created"]}},{"label":{"en":["Type"]},"value":{"en":["Interview"]}},{"label":{"en":["Format"]},"value":{"en":["MP4"]}},{"label":{"en":["Keyword"]},"value":{"en":["Garden Ridge, Family Life, Radio, Radio Personality, Tha1Radio, 94.1, Texas A\u0026amp;M, Personal Philosophy, 300 Voices in 300 Days"]}},{"label":{"en":["Subject"]},"value":{"en":["Radio (genre/form)","Family Life (topical term)","Personal Philosophy (topical term)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Language"]},"value":{"en":["English (primary)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Access Ss"]},"value":{"en":["access_public"]}}],"summary":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eRadio personality and Tha1Radio creator Neka Cleaver reflects on her childhood as part of the first Black family to live in Garden Ridge. She discusses her many pursuits, her journey as a radio personality , and how she came to be an owner and operator of her own radio station. She closes the interview with her philosophy on giving back to the community and what it means to love.\u003c/p\u003e"]},"requiredStatement":{"label":{"en":["Attribution"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eAll materials are for noncommercial educational or research uses only. Please contact SAAACAM for any questions regarding usage rights.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},"provider":[{"id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/aboutus","type":"Agent","label":{"en":["San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum"]},"homepage":[{"id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/","type":"Text","label":{"en":["San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum"]},"format":"text/html"}],"logo":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/571/original/full-color_2x.png?1735841768","type":"Image"}]}],"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/239/869/small/300VoicesLTCollectionNekaCleaverInterview.mp4_1714491460.jpg?1714491464","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2808/collection_resources/128207/file/239869","type":"Canvas","label":{"en":["Media File 1 of 1 - 300_Voices_LT_Collection_Neka_Cleaver_Interview.mp4"]},"duration":1682.21387,"width":640,"height":360,"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/239/869/small/300VoicesLTCollectionNekaCleaverInterview.mp4_1714491460.jpg?1714491464","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2808/collection_resources/128207/file/239869/content/1","type":"AnnotationPage","items":[{"id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2808/collection_resources/128207/file/239869/content/1/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"painting","body":{"id":"https://aviary-p-saaacam.s3.wasabisys.com/collection_resource_files/resource_files/000/239/869/original/300_Voices_LT_Collection_Neka_Cleaver_Interview.mp4?1714491440","type":"Video","format":"video/mp4","duration":1682.21387,"width":640,"height":360},"target":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2808/collection_resources/128207/file/239869","metadata":[]}]}],"annotations":[{"id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2808/collection_resources/128207/file/239869/transcript/66755","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["Neka Cleaver Transcript [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2808/collection_resources/128207/file/239869/transcript/66755/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Transcript\r\nFor\r\nNeka Cleaver\r\n07/11/17\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  0:03  \r\nI actually was born in Live Oak, and then we moved to Garden Ridge when I was five years old. So I lived on the outskirts of San Antonio the majority of my life. We were actually the first Black family to move into Garden Ridge. First Black family to- so I used to be on the floats all the time and wave. I guess I was the- [laughs] yes, the proud little- the proud little girl that was on the floats all the time. But we sure were, and was born and raised in Garden Ridge from then- from that point. My daddy was- he was one of the head executives of MHMR, Mental Health Mental Retardation. Then when he retired from that, he actually did a Youth With High Potential program on the East Side, which me and him did a lot of work together with that, along with Miss Hargrove. And we mentored over 200, 300 kids on the East Side of town that I still talk to today. So that was a huge project that my dad actually passed away doing, and that I've tried my hardest to kind of continue in his legacy through my radio station. And my mother was an educator, she was a counselor, she was a teacher, she was a vice principal. She works in- in the Jus- Judson district. So she worked at a lot of the different schools, Kirby and the elementary school over at the Judson district, so she did a little bit of everything. She was an educator.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  1:19  \r\nRight. That's very interesting. So do you have siblings?\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  1:23  \r\nNope. Only child. \r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  1:24\r\nOnly child.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  1:24\r\nNice and spoiled. [laughs]\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  1:26\r\nOnly child.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  1:27\r\nThat might explain a little bit of my craziness. \r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  1:30\r\nThat’s a good thing, then.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  1:31\r\nYeah, only child. So I had a- I was very spoiled. I remember having too many Christmas presents, I would get tired opening up my Christmas presents. My dad would be like, “Hey, you have more over there.” I had a closet full of toys that required, you know, more than one person to play. So every time someone would come over, I would go and throw out ten toys and be like, “Let’s play all of these!” ‘Cause I could never play them. So, yeah I had a lot of imaginary friends, which actually helps me with my business now being in the radio business, having to talk by yourself but to millions of people, you have to kind of be a little crazy, little bit. So, you know, I use my imaginary friends today– [laughs] –still, on the radio.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  2:10  \r\nThat's interesting. But did you have a lot of friends come over when you were growing up–\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  2:15\r\nI did.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  2:15\r\n–since you were the only child?\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  2:16  \r\nOnly child and also being the only African American child, as well. And I play tennis, as well. So we had a lot of different kids that my dad, I would say, shipped in to me. You know, ‘cause- to make sure that I had different- different friends and- and culture, different organizations–Jack and Jill, we remember- we were a member of that organization growing up. And t- I play- again, I played tennis, so we had a lot of the- the neighborhood kids come over and we would always, you know, do workouts or practice and do tennis. Same thing with karate. So my dad did- my parents did a really good job with always keeping me active and involved. But yeah, it always made my day when people came over. [laughs]\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  2:58  \r\nYes. My gosh. Well, it sounds like you were exposed to a lot of different activities growing up.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  3:03  \r\nYes. Ballet, gymnastics, tennis, karate, dance. It was kind of like, “What do you want to do?” What did I like the most? Tennis was one of the things that I became nationally ranked in, karate, I have a third degree black belt in. You know, I teach a lot of different stuff too, as far as kids, so it was just- he just threw everything at me. I- I used to always joke and say I wa- was raised kind of like the Cosby kids, you know. And my- there was always a lesson in something. If my dad was trying to teach me something, he almost did move the furniture out the room [laughs] to teach me a lesson. So I kind of grew up in that- in that realm. So it was- it was cool. Good stuff.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  3:43  \r\nSo would you say that you've excelled? It sounds like you've excelled at a lot of things that you've done, nationally ranked in tennis.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  3:51  \r\nDefinitely. I would say that I probably, in my- in my mind. Of course, you know, we're our own worst critics, too. So when I was younger, I feel like yeah, I- you know, I was the best at so many things, but I also give a lot of credit to my parents for that. Trying to keep me out of trouble, trying to keep me grounded, all of those good things. As an adult, I have even higher expectations for myself. So it's like, to me, I haven't got there yet. And a lot of people are like “Oh, you're so successful,” or “You've done so well,” and I’m like “Girl, I haven’t done nothing.” [laughs] “I haven’t done anything yet.” And they'll be like, “No, you've done this and you've done that.” And I'm like, “But that's not what- those were just steps to get- those were all just steps to get to what's in my head.” So if I haven't gotten there yet, to me, I really haven't done what I'm- I'm set out to do, you know. I- I enjoy the small victories. But at the same time, in my mind, oh that's nothing. [laughs]\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  4:42\r\nJust getting started.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  4:44\r\nI’m just getting started–\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  4:44\r\nYou’re just getting started.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  4:45\r\n–that’s nothing. Yeah, yeah.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  4:46  \r\nYou have quite an expectation, then, for yourself.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  4:49  \r\nAbsolutely. I mean, i- it's always been leaving a legacy, you know? My-  when my par- both of my parents have passed away. But, you know, even when my dad passed away, even in social media, when you go to the kids’ pages, and it says hero, there's a picture of my father there. You know, when you hear these adults, these young adults now that were- used to be twelve and eight years old, and they talk about the biggest influence in their life, my dad's name comes out of their mouth, you know. And to me, that was what I wanted to make sure that my Cleaver, my last name Cleaver and that legacy that my dad was leaving, that I could continue that and leave that same thing. So in my mind, I'm like, “Well, I can't leave here until I see this name on buildings.” [laughs] ‘Til we’re in community centers, until- until the, um… and I say, from- from my- for my family, for me and my dad and even my mom, it was love. It's- it's bringing people together, it's enjoying the things that- the great things that God's given us and putting them all in the pot and watching the awesomeness grow, you know? So to be able to leave something, a legacy like that, you know. I don't want to go nowhere ‘til I get that done. [laughs]\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  5:59  \r\nWow. Well, tell me Neka, where did you attend college?\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  6:03  \r\nTexas A\u0026M, Texas A\u0026M University. Yeah and, you know–\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  6:05  \r\nBryan College Station.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  6:08  \r\nIn Bryan College Station. And I- you know, I got a story for everything. But th- Texas A\u0026M is actually very much of my family alumni. My grandfather was the vice president of Prairie View A\u0026M. So he actually started off with my parents–my parents met at Prairie View A\u0026M, and my grandfather was a professor at the time. By the time I got to college, my grandfather was the vice president of Prairie View A\u0026M. So he asked me, “Where do you want to go to school? Do you want to come to PV? Where do you want to go to school?” And I said, “Well, I want to play tennis,” ‘cause I had been playing tennis, you know, forever. And so Texas A\u0026M had a good- a good tennis team and things. And so I said, “I think I’m gonna go to Texas A\u0026M instead.” And- instead of Prairie View. And so I went there and had great opportunities: I actually worked for the chancellor, started my own sorority, you know, did all kinds of fun things, you know, that didn't have anything to do with tennis. [laughs]\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  7:00\r\nWow. Too many [inaudible].\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  7:02\r\nI was trying. It had nothing to do with tennis. I thought, “I came here to play tennis, but I didn't do that.” But I did, I started a sorority called Phi Gamma Chi sorority in 1996. It's a multicultural organization that just kind of did exactly what I was saying, we bring all of our talents together and we help the community in- in whatever that needs helping. So started that and did a- threw a lot of parties. I was the party girl at A\u0026M, as well. [laughs]\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols   7:27\r\nYou can party and be successful. I’m all for it.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  7:30\r\nIt was just- Well, you know, and it came at that time when I realized I have to pay my rent. I was- remember, I'm spoiled, I was the only child. So there became one month where daddy said, “You have to pay your bills this month.” And I said, “Well, how am I gonna do that?”\r\n\r\n\r\n[mutual laughter]\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  7:44  \r\n[Inaudible]\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  7:45\r\n[Imitating her father] “Then figure it out. Go get you a job.” And so I used to have a really good friend that- that ran the burger place down there across the street from the thing. I asked him if I could rent it out. I would go buy drinks and stuff, and every first of the month, it was a party. So it's- it’s interesting, now–again, having the radio station and doing the things that I do–I’ve been able to pull from every single part of my life to be able to say what's Tha1Radio is based on, what we wanna do, and how we help, and all that good stuff.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  8:13  \r\nTell me a little bit about that, what you're doing right now.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  8:16  \r\nWell, it's- it's called Tha1Radio. You know, I have- in college actually, I got an opportunity to talk to- or be on the radio show in Bryan College Station. I wasn’t getting paid or anything, but it gave me a little of experience. When I got to San Antonio, I got the opportunity to take one of- a very popular radio’s p- radio personality’s place because she was on pregnancy leave. They just heard my voice and they were like, “Hey, you want to try out for this?” I said, “Sure. No problem.” Came in the next day, did an interview, they hired me the very next day. And so from there, I started doing Radio San Antonio, 94.1. I went from weekend DJ to, um… morning show host in less than a year, and took the station from thirteen, fourteen to the top five within nine months. I was one of the only DJs to get- to get those bonuses for being number one and all of that good stuff. So it was a great learning experience. And then I got fired.\r\n\r\n\r\n[Mutual laughter]\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  9:22\r\nAfter all of that?\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  9:24  \r\nIt was such a great run. I was so good, and then I got fired. But media is- is crazy. It's a crazy world. So you know, the radio it- they call it flipping the station time. So when a radio station wants to flip the station–which means maybe they used to play R\u0026B music, but now they're gonna start playing rock music, that means they’re going to flip it. So the best way to do that is to get rid of their most popular personality, and that was me. So I got fired. ‘Cause they flipped to 94.1 from old school to what you hear today. So, that was kind of my transition to say, “Alright guys, do I move?” ‘Cause, again, it's a small market for radio, so to just go to another station is- it doesn’t work that way, you know. My personality was already too strong, people already knew who I was, they already knew I worked at that particular station. So to just “flip it over and you go work here,” doesn't really work like that in radio. So I would have had to literally leave the state if- or the city, for sure, if I wanted to stay in radio. So, kind of prayed about it, and next thing I know, I was helping build KROV community radio station and got that launched. And next thing I know, I was starting my own, and that's Tha1Radio. It was- I am a little bit of a- of a, “I want to do things my way” [laughs] type of gal. So I wanted to help more, I wanted to do more, I wanted to use our voice more, and in radio, you can't just do that. Like, I can't- when I worked with KTFM, I couldn't just say, “Hey, I want you to come on here and talk about your church.” That doesn't happen. You can't do that, you know? That would either cost you thousands of dollars- and really, unless you were famous, you wouldn't even be able to do it, to just come on the radio and talk. So it just made me say, like, “This is a great platform, but I want it to be a platform that's useful for the community, for us, for, you know, for- for the things that are important, and not just music, you know.” So that's how Tha1Radio- and then I start taking from all those little things from mom and dad taught me and from what I learned from karate and what I learned from tennis and what I learned at A\u0026M, starting an organization–the sorority–and all those things. And I put all–\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  11:30\r\nTo be put–\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  11:31\r\n–those aspects–\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  11:31\r\n–into this.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  11:32\r\n–into Tha1Radio. And so now we are a voice for the voiceless and the platform for everybody.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  11:37  \r\nSo how long, though- you said how long have you been doing this?\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  11:40  \r\nTha1Radio, I've been doing this- will be six years in August, six years in August. At KTFM, I was there for three and a half years. And then I was at A\u0026M for three and a half years, as well. While I was there, both- my mom passed away, and then shortly after that, my dad passed away. So that's why I never got a chance to actually- I never actually finished college, which is one thing that has been on my to-do list, but crazy enough, only for my mom ‘cause she was the educator. So it was like, “You know, I'mma go ahead and get this bachelor’s degree for her.” [laughs] But at the same time, if it was up to me, I'm just- I'm working. I'm building, I'm making opportunities, we're opening doors for people. We- you know, we're trying to do stuff and- and I'm okay with that because I know that I have a good talent and good skill there, you know, to be able to teach and keep pushing. So yeah, it's- it’s been an interesting ride.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  12:31  \r\nWell, tell me, what do you feel your greatest contribution has been to San Antonio? You've done a lot of things already, but what has been your greatest contribution to this city?\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  12:45  \r\nTo me, just giving a- giving a microphone to people who would never have gotten one before. Giving opportunities to people that have never had an opportunity. You know, we work very closely with Sinclair Group, which is the television station down here–they own Fox 35, 29, Channel 4. We've gotten three or four of our different marketing people on television because they work with us and the station met them through us and through our marketing, and they got an opportunity to get on TV, which would have never happened before, in their mind, would have never happened. We have- we have first-time initiatives and organizations. We had a bone marrow initiative that started for the first time in San Antonio. They called everybody under the sun and couldn't get any help. When they called us, we helped them. Once we helped them, it started opening the doors other- “Oh, you work with Tha1Radio? You know what, go ahead and come on, and we'll let you come–.” So it started opening up doors for them to get even more help. But, you know, from them even saying–and we got a plaque to prove it–“You were the first people to say you would help us. So to be able to- to provide an opportunity for people who are not just- can't- don't have one, but for people who are saying, “No, I'm not gonna give you that time. I'm not gonna give you the mic to say what you’re gonna say.” I think that's one of the biggest things. I know that we have helped countless: Shameka’s Angels, different organizations that there- it’s their first year. Put Away Cancer, their first year of ever doing anything, and because they were able to come on our radio station, because they're able to come to our events, they're still going, three, four, five years later. And- and they've all called and said, “If it wasn’t for you.” [laughs] “You're the one that gave us that first mic. You’re the one that gave us our first start.” So, we had a young- a young lady who- born to bust out and do her dream and says, “I’mma be- you know what, I want to cook, I want to be a chef, I'm gonna go on this show.” And she's been doing- been going to cooking classes and doing small things. Came on our show, very next day woke up with 200 emails in her inbox of, “We’ve seen you on Tha1Radio, we want your help. This girl has gotten grants, she's gotten an overflow of job opportunities for her to come back and say, “If it wasn’t for you putting me on that one time.” So I think that's the biggest contribution, is getting people seeing that- in- in their mind, either they would have never been seen, or they would have had no clue how they would have been seen. So I feel like it's God's work.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  15:08  \r\nThat's wonderful.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  15:09\r\nI feel like it's God's work. \r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  15:11\r\nThat’s wonderful. So at your radio station, how many folks do you have there working with you?\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  15:16  \r\nWe vary, because we are a, um- a- I'm not gonna call it a nonprofit or a for-profit. Write checks, people, write checks. But we–\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  15:25\r\n[to the camera] We are for-profit.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  15:27\r\nWe are for-profit. But we're community based, so it's all about- we want to make sure that the community has a voice. I kind of see myself as a church, which means everybody around me should be doing good before I go outside, right? So I'm- it's- we have a lot of volunteers–everybody volunteers, I volunteer, you know, everybody volunteers. We pay bills first, we pay everything first, and then when we have extra, then I can give bonuses out, as far as money is concerned. But the first- since we have been up for about five years, starting from- not even the ground up, but from my mind up. It takes about five years before you can start making money. We actually started making some good money in three years. Four years it was getting better. Five years, I was able to pay all my bills. [laughs] \r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  16:10\r\nRight. Doing well. \r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  16:11\r\nI’m like, “Yes! Yes!” So now we’re getting into year six, I’m excited. But some- some really good accounts that we're looking at. But it's- it's a- we've had anywhere from thirty people at the station, to two. So it just depends on the time, you know. Unfortunately, a lot of folks love to be in the glory, but don't want to be in the work. So we've had times where you've had, you know, we're working hard, and then here comes somebody and then twenty-two people show up, it’s, “I didn’t even know all of these people worked here.” [laughs]\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  16:39\r\nRight, and like, where did they come from?\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  16:40\r\nWhere did you- what’s your- Where did they come from? And then you have other times- and so it's been good, but that's also a learning experience, as well. And- and learning how to use people's talents–especially when they want to donate their time–but not overburden their talents at the same time because you can't compensate them with anything. So it's a- it's- it was- it's a huge learning experience to figure out how to balance that.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  17:03  \r\nWell tell me- and that's all very interesting, and you've shared a little bit about this, but why do you give back to the community?\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  17:12  \r\n‘Cause we supposed to. It’s the only answer I have. We supposed to. I believe in God, I believe in a higher power, I believe in, shall I say, the spiritual system. So I- I know that if we lived in a world where people actually thought about other people more than they thought about themselves, we would live in a great world. I would never have to worry about myself because as long as I was worried about you and you, there would be three, four people worried about me. So everybody would always have somebody having they back, everybody would always have someone to lean on. That's the way our world works. You- you know, God work- God works through other people. God works, you know, he brings people to you. Doors that open, you know, when they open, there’s lots of times we don't even know how they- how it happens. But it's your energy, you know, that positive energy, the things that you put into the universe too. So if I'm always giving, and if I'm always happy, and if I'm always doing stuff–. People ask me all the time, “Why people giving you all the things all the time?” I’m always giving things to people! [laughs]\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  18:10\r\nRight. It comes back to you.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  18:11\r\nSo it just comes back to me. I'm giving something to somebody every day. So it really doesn't surprise me that somebody is giving me something because that's the way God works. So to me, if- if that's how I play my- I- I truly believe in love. I believe love conquers all, would fix every last problem on the planet that we have on this day. Love can fix every last problem that we have on this planet. \r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  18:36\r\nThat’s true.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  18:37\r\nSo to me, it's our job to make the difference. A lot of time we wait on the next person, “Who's the person to do this? Or how are we gonna do this? Or what medicine do we take to fix it?” Man, just fix it. Just- you change [laughs] and put love first and put other people first and think about somebody else and don't be mean and don't- all you gotta do is change it. And that- it becomes that simple. So that's why I help people because I'm supposed to. [laughs]\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  19:01  \r\nYou’re supposed to. I like that. I like that. When people hear your name, Neka Cleaver, what do they think? What are you known for in San Antonio? What are you most known for in San Antonio?\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  19:15  \r\nBooty grabs.\r\n\r\n\r\n[mutual laughter]\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  19:20  \r\nThe booty grabs. You didn’t expect me to say that. I’m–\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  19:24\r\n[laughs] Scratch that.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  19:27\r\nNo, that is what I'm most known for, booty l- booty grabs. I am a booty grabber. Now let’s talk about that. So I love to grab booties. And when I say grab booties, y’all are thinking, “What are y’all talking about.” But you know how, when you're in sports and when you're on a sports team, and you're trying to encourage people and you just [smacks own butt] “Come on let's go.”\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  19:41\r\nRight. Smack them on the butt, yeah.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  19:42\r\nSmack them on the butt, and you’d be like, “Woo, let's go.” So one day I did that and the- the reaction I got was just hilarious. The smile, the laughter, everything. I said, I'mma start booty-slapping people. And I've been doing that literally for ten, fifteen years. And when I tell you I'm known for it, I'm not even lying. Because if I’ve- if I don't slap somebody's booty that u- is used to me slap- they’ll be like, “Are you mad at me? You haven’t slapped my booty in months- \r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  20:09\r\nIt’s like saying hello.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  20:11\r\nIt’s like hello. Like, “You haven’t slapped my booty at all, I feel like you're mad at me.” And so I realized that I did it that much that it’s a term of whether or not–. \r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  20:19\r\nVery interesting.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  20:20\r\nBut I would say, between that and, of course, having a good time, you know. I throw a lot of parties, we do a lot of events, we- you know, we do a lot of things. So, I hope, I would hope that I'm also known for knowing that if you need something to happen, call Neka. If you need some help, call Neka. If you need a phone number or whatever, call Neka. And when I was twelve years old, I told my dad, “I wanted- what I wanted to be when I grew up, was a catalyst.” He said, “A catalyst?” I said, “A catalyst.” I want to be what makes things happen for other people. You come to me, I can make things happen. You up here, I make it happen. The bigger I am, the more pull I have, the more power I have, the more people I can help, the more ways I catapult them into higher or greater things. So, make myself better, I can help make other people better. That's always what I wanted to be. I don't even know what the paycheck of that is.\r\n\r\n\r\n[mutual laughter]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  21:13  \r\nWe need people like that around. And so that's very interesting, Neka. I wonder, for you, why is it- why is it important, I guess, for us to tell our own stories as African Americans?\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  21:27  \r\nThe testimony. Man, and it’s so important. Just like it's important in your spiritual self, it's important in the community as well. From our past history of “everything stays at home.” From the things that we hear, “what's in the family, stays in the family.” From the things from school, being scared to talk to a counselor or this, you know, keeping things inside. All of those things are- are not good. But we, I feel like, as a culture have always had to prove our strength. So we hid everything that weakened our strength. But yet to make us well-rounded people, we have to deal with those things. And when we didn't learn how to deal with them, we learned how to cover them up. So it's- it's- I just think it's important for our community to just be very aware of the things that we do, and that we do ‘em on purpose. Because people purposely did things to bring us down. People purposely had meetings to figure out how to criminalize the Black man. People purposely did things to figure out how to not let us get too far up. Which means we need to purposely do things to make sure they can’t be successful. How do I make sure my partner gets up here, my- my business- my business is succeeding, that they're not closing? How do I ensure that our kids aren’t failing? How do I ensure that they're not dropping out of school? The only way to do that is to be involved. You- and the best way to be involved is to love. Because if you love, you'll want to be there. If you love the kids, you’ll want to take care of ‘em, you’ll want to educate ‘em, you’ll want to be there for ‘em. If you love your community, you'll want to clean it up, you’ll want to spend money in it, you’ll want– you know what I'm saying? That love changes the whole mindset of everything, and it becomes better. So we have to tell our stories, we have to tell what we've been through, so people don't know they're the only ones. They don't think, “Well, I can't tell nobody because they're gonna judge me and they're gonna do this.” And- and to me, we gotta stop saying that things are bad that aren't bad. Judging is not bad. Judging creates a better you. When you judge the things that you've done in that day, you can judge and say, “You know what, that didn't get me anywhere. Let me not do that again.” “You know what, I- he did tell me that this is right, that might be stopping me, let me change it.” So if we don't have any judging, we can't even get better. It's what it's for. So we got to start- stop thinking of it as such a negative thing and start using it as a tool to become better. Tell your story baby ‘cause somebody else has been through it too. And if you don't tell them how you got through it, they're gonna be in there longer, when they can literally be there for a couple hours because you told them the solution. “Y’know what, I'mma do what she said and get out of this.”\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  24:16  \r\nI like that. I like that. Yes. Well lastly- the last question is, what do you like most about San Antonio?\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  24:28  \r\nFamily. The family feel. Family feel, man. It's- it's- you can hug people, they will not slap you or shoot you. You go to New York and you just wave to Black folks, they [makes a confused face] “Who you waving at?” You come to San Antonio, you can wave to folks, they wave back. You can speak, they can speak back. You in the grocery store, I can tell you about my dog, you'll actually listen. You know? [laughs] It’s– \r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  24:46  \r\nYes, it’s true.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  24:47\r\nIt’s a very, just warm place.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  24:51\r\nReal loving, this city. \r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  24:52  \r\nYou know? It’s- you’re not- y- your money is good, as far as cost of living and things of that sort. So you're not spending a whole heck of a lot of money. I don't think people in San Antonio realize that in New York, the same apartment you livin’ in costs $3,000. And you payin’ 800. It’s beautiful, it’s a beautiful thing. And you have all your abilities right there, but I- the biggest thing with San Antonio, literally, is the family feel. You can- you know, you can hug and you can love on anybody. If you have a hu- huggable, lovable spirit, it will be accepted in San Antonio. It truly will. It truly will. And, that doesn't matter where you're at, and who you are–you can be Hispanic, you can be White, you can be Black– if you come with a smile and a hug and- and a taco with a Spurs shirt.\r\n\r\n\r\n[mutual laughter]\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  25:40\r\nYou’re good!\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  25:41\r\nYou are good in our eyes.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  25:43  \r\nWell Neka, I hear you say–and just the bottom line to end this interview–just love conquers all. You can do all things, just by loving. And I've not heard it put quite that way before. So something to think about. Something to think about.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  26:00  \r\nJust think about everything that you love, and what you will do for the things that you love. I mean, even a piece of chocolate. You'll drive all the way across town because you love that doughnut, you love that drink. You will waste that gas, you will waste that time because you love it. So, again, when it focus on what we're loving, focus on what we're putting in a priority. Is it what you're eating, or is it your kids? Is it what you're wearing, or is it your spouse? Is it, you know, social media, or is it your church? What is it that your love is getting- what attention is taken from your love, that you’re giving it to? And you'll figure out what's going on with your world. [laughs]\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  26:39  \r\nYes. Well Neka, thank you.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  26:43\r\nYou are very welcome.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols 26:43\r\nYou have a very interesting story. I've seen you here and talked to you a little bit, but just didn't know the whole background: Miss Garden Ridge and our tennis player and karate–\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  26:54  \r\nKarate girl. Oh, yes.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  26:55\r\nAll kinds of things.\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  26:56\r\nCamping, all that stuff. Yes, I didn’t–\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  26:58  \r\nCamping? You went camping?\r\n\r\n\r\nNeka Cleaver  27:00  \r\nOh, growing up, that's all I did. We- we used to go to tennis tournaments and instead of getting a hotel, we would go to the campsite. And my dad loved nature. He's a master- master naturalist. And, again, nature, community, same thing. Nature is made up of different pieces of stuff: trees, different types of grasses, soil, rocks. Things grow differently in different areas–could be the same piece of land, but it's gonna grow differently over there and over here based on the soil, the light and the water. Same thing in the community, you know. As far as people are and how they're raised and what they're gonna see and all those things. So when you start having appreciation that says, “Yes there's six different pieces of grass in here, but when you step back and look at the entire lawn, it's beautiful.” You know, you don't just take out one piece of- one type, you use them all, and you- and you create nature. And that's- that's what our community is, that's what people are, that's what it's all about. So, peace and love, people. [laughs] \r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  27:56\r\nPeace and love.\r\n\r\n\r\nTranscribed by https://otter.ai","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2808/collection_resources/128207/file/239869#t=0.0,1682.21387"}]}]}]}