Episode Transcript
[00:00:02] Speaker A: Tea with Br I'm trying to live my life I just need space to grow I'm just trying to make it right these people won't let me go I'm just trying to live my life I just need space to grow I'm just trying to make it right these people won't let me go Let me grow, let me go, let me grow, let me go they should know, they should know they should know they should know I'm just trying to live my life I just need space to grow I'm just trying to make it right if you won't let me go.
[00:00:49] Speaker B: Welcome to the Tea With Bri. I'm your host, Bri. Thanks for listening. The Tea With Me podcast is focused on deep, honest and vulnerable conversation. Each week I sit down with a different guest in order to have those conversations. Every week we'll start my guest's bio, an intro into how we know each other, and then we'll go into a deep dive conversation about whatever topic they brought to me that week. This week, I am joined by my guest, Dominique Baez. Dominique Baez uses she her pronouns is a mom, wife, councilwoman, and total badass. She's currently serving her third term as legislative councilwoman at large in Hamden, where she represents over 60,000 people. It's also her second term as President of the council, which means she's the one leading all the other council members through their work. On top of that, Dominique runs a small organization that provides hands on construction training.
Now she's running for mayor with a vision to make Hampden thrive. She wants to bring a fresh approach to economic development that focuses on personal growth for residents. Hello jobs, community beautification, better policing and creative partnerships. Her goal is to create a fair tax system and make Hampden streets welcoming for everyone. Outside of all of that, Dominique just had her second baby, has even had time to learn to crochet. Excited to talk to you, but also offended because where do you find the time?
[00:02:10] Speaker C: I don't have the time.
[00:02:12] Speaker B: Okay, great.
[00:02:16] Speaker C: I don't take it all.
[00:02:17] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:02:18] Speaker C: Glad you're staying during the meeting. It's fine.
[00:02:20] Speaker B: Thank you for being honest because I'm like, girl, what? What is occurring? How do you find the time? Okay, so for those who don't know, Dominique and I grew up in Hamden together. And when you reached out to record, I screamed.
It was like Beyonce hitting my inbox. I was like, oh my God, it's finally happened. The time has come. We get to talk about you.
[00:02:46] Speaker C: I was listening to your Podcast. I'm like, you know, who has tea? I have tea. I'm right in the air.
[00:02:52] Speaker B: Literally the hottest tea that's ever hit the inbox, ladies and gentlemen. And everybody else. Because it's. And it's so the. The universe works in mysterious way. So I just moved back home maybe, like, six months ago, and one of my aunts lives in Hamden. And so when I was getting that ready to move back, she goes, oh, great, because now you're going for mayor. And I was like, girl, I don't. What are you talking about? And she's like, I don't like the current mayor. I don't know what is happening. And I was like, okay. But I don't think. I'm like, I haven't lived here in eight years. Like, who am I to tell the people of Hamden what they need? And so when you told me you were running, I was like, look at the universe providing. Because I was not prepared, but I want someone who is prepared. And I was like, I trust nobody else right now to run. So what. What. Take us through the journey. How we got here. What made you finally decide to run? Cause as a politics nerd, I am also really excited. Cause I'm like, someone who looks like me on the ballot. And having grown up in Hamden of when we graduated high school, I looked up the, like, census because a nerd. And I think about six. It's. It's. It's pretty consistent. Like, it was 60,000 back then, but the demographic breakdown of hamden was, like, 40% white, 40% black, and then 20% other people of color. And so when I tell people I grew up in, like, the literal, like, melting pot of suburbs in Hamden. And so anyway, I'm just. The floor is yours. I yield to you.
[00:04:26] Speaker C: To reflect more on, like, population and demographic data. They say that Hamden is the perfect reflection of the percentages that are like, America. So, like, if you want to see, like, a snapshot of what America is, it's Hamden.
[00:04:38] Speaker B: Wow.
[00:04:39] Speaker C: And I think that's something to brag about.
We definitely have everything in our town, right? So, like, you grow up here, there is a stretch from, like, rural to suburban, all the way to urban. We got the whole gambit. If you want any kind of lifestyle, any kind of living, you should come to Hampden. Yeah, we got it.
How did I get to this place now where I'm like, I'm going to run for mayor. This is the right term to do it. This is a long time coming. Okay. So like I, you know, like, you know, this is my third term being a councilwoman. And when you're in the leadership position as a president, council, you create the agendas, you create the items that come to the council. Council. We have a mayor, legislative council form of government here in Hampton, which means that the mayor comes to us with items and then we vote on whether or not we want them or pass them, right? The contracts, the budget, where money, dollars go online items. But as much as we are in control of like the checkbook and whether or not we okay contracts, the executive branch is very much in charge of administration and making sure that, you know, the day to day is proper and the plan for a plan out further is there. So you can only do so much in our seats as legislation. We're okay and we're kind of guiding as much as we can. But if there's something that is glaringly wrong, if they don't take advice or if they don't decide to change, then there's not a whole lot you can do in these seats. So, you know, as a little girl, I really wanted to write legislation. I saw that there was like a big, big impact that can be made when you're, when you're writing legislation because I had experience in other municipal governments and I volunteered in offices and I saw what like an ordinance could really do when you're doing that. I wrote some lines, you know, I did some legislation. But it's the execution that we're looking for. We want to be able to make a real change, that you can write a real change. But for it to actually happen, there needs to be people in the offices, there needs to be a leader at the top making sure it's done. There needs to be action that follows it. So I'm not sitting in the sidecar anymore. I got to take the lead on this one.
[00:06:57] Speaker B: Well, that's it for this. Oh no, I'm just kidding.
I'm so excited. Also, my dad still owns my childhood home in Hamden.
And just having talked to him and other family about how much Hamden has changed since I graduated too, of like just taxes, everything else, demographics. Like I want, I also want to know like what are, and I know you talked about it a little bit in your bio, but like what are the major things that you think this, this city, this town needs? Because I think a lot of people, like you said, they move here. I actually just met a woman who, her and her husband have a two year old and they just moved to the Spring Glen area. Like three years ago. And so I met her the other day and we just. I don't know how we got on the topic. She's like, oh, I just moved here, I lived in Hampton. And I was like, isn't it the best? She was like, what? I was like, I grew up here. And we went on like a 10 minute tangent. My poor co worker who was there at this meeting of just like me growing up of like, I still love Hampden. Like, if and when I can move back to Hampton, I would. And she's like, yeah, like we love it or we have a two year old here. And like, we. It just was everything we needed. And so I also like, just think about that of like, what. Because I. Yeah, as you know, it's going to be people who, when you run and like, she's not ready. She's not qualified. I'm like, who's. I'm going to make. Who's more qualified. She's done the work. But I want to know like, what's your platform? What are you telling people? What are the major things that you want people to know about you that's going to set you apart from whoever else runs?
[00:08:34] Speaker C: So I have a platform that's been brewing in my mind for decades, literally decades, when, when it was time for me to like write it down so specifically we could put it on the website, I was like, wow, this is difficult because it's like my mind is overflowing here. I've been working in and around government since I was a very small person.
And in that time there was like a lot of lessons learned. There's a lot that I saw, a lot of observations, people told me advice and I saw when things went wrong that needed to be fixed. Right. So I, I see that economic development is the most important concept to run a successful city long term. Right. We have Hampton government that's kind of mismanaged money in the past and had to right a lot of wrongs in these past few terms. A lot of like financial misgivings over here that have been corrected for the most part. But we still are in pretty dire straits. Right. Hampden does not have a lot of money. We owe a lot of debt and a lot of that tax burden is on our residents. Going forward. I want to be able to plan how we develop our town, how we grow our town, because we need to grow so that our grand list, all the value in the town is more even. Right. Right now if more value is on the homes and the commercial, because not big Businesses are coming in, people aren't growing large scale developments, people aren't being crafty about how they grow their businesses, then that means more tax burden is on the residents. How do I help economic development? How do I make sure that the town is growing, is to be deliberate about how it's growing. Right.
I came in with my first term saying that I want to beautify our corridors. Make sure when you come into Hampden, you see that it's beautiful. I was able to be a part of making our first beautification employee like full time. And she makes beautiful gardens and it's fabulous. But there needs to be infrastructure to go along with those gardens. Right? So I'm taking it to the next step. When you talk about beautifying the corridor coming into Hampden, I'm talking about we have Dixville Avenue for folks who aren't from around here. That leads from New Haven, where Yale is a billion dollars worth of development, into Hampden, where there is not $1 billion worth of development. We have state dollars that are coming into these neighborhoods that are abutting New Haven. But we do not have the town making deliberate moves as to what that's going to look like. And I mean, when you are coming in to the town, there should be businesses, there should be mixed use, there should be the opportunity for a grocery store on our border. There are so many missing items there simply because we haven't plotted out, we haven't planned it out. Right now we're trying to do development and move around where we have our resources for our residents, but we're ignoring that. In 20 years, what is this street going to look like? What are the neighbors going to be able to go to? How is their home value going to be affected? Who is going to be able to grow from that? The residents who've been there for 30, 40, 50 years, who have been there at the butt of Hampden, AKA uninvested in.
Or are we going to just ignore it and hope for the best? Right? So state dollars are good, but we can't ignore what the possibilities are and also what the future should be looking like. At the same time, developing the southern Hampden corridor here, coming in, we should also be developing throughout the town in a way that is authentic to each of those neighborhoods.
Each part of Hampton, like I said, has an identity rule. Suburban, urban. And when you're building them up and when you're adding whatever it might be that that neighborhood needs or wants, we have to be sure about the integrity and the authenticity of that neighborhood. Right. So like certain neighborhoods have a certain neighbor like style of building. Springland, like you said, Springland, for example, very walkable neighborhood, Beautiful, great amount of businesses around it. When a new business pops up, it falls right in line. They've been doing a good job with their mom and pops, but at the same time there are some plots that are gone underutilized and that is a misstep for the neighborhood. Some plots that have been dug up and that is a misstep for the neighborhood. But if the town realizes what it's supposed to look in the town invest and how we should keep those things in creative ways. I mean, not using our operational dollars, but rather partnering with the private sector and understanding how we should planning out with aggressive leadership. We can do really good things. We can do really good things from southern Hampton to the middle to Springland, all the way up to Westwoods neighborhood. Where they should be investing in how we build houses that look like the ones we already have. And we also offer affordable housing and we offer a place for the neighbors to experience that isn't an offense. And the way that you do that is you welcome opinions, you welcome input, you have ideas to start with, but you make sure you keep the level of communication always the utmost importance.
[00:13:55] Speaker B: I'm just so excited.
[00:13:58] Speaker C: I cut myself off because I have.
[00:14:00] Speaker B: So many more things. No, do not. Like, we have. So we have. There's no rules here. We have as much time as you want. Yeah. Well, just to talk about like what Hamden looks like. Right. So having lived in Austin for eight years and then coming home, my friends in Austin always made fun of me because I would just come back to Austin. Like we have nothing traditional. Like they have. Like, it's all very modern, all very new. Because Austin's a very, like, it changed a lot super rapidly. It's like I'd come back to Austin. Like I just miss brick buildings in Cape Cod style houses. And everyone's like, wait, what? It's like where I grew up is like quintessential New England life. And to hear you talk about that too, because I, I work in New Haven. I live in North Haven right now. And thinking about like whenever I come into Hampden because I'm at Haven more than I should be. But that's a different conversation for a different day.
And just thinking about like. And I think the beautiful thing about growing up in Hampton is like the mom and pop shops is the neighborhoods is like. And telling people like, I grew up supporting local like that Sort of energy, too. And so to hear.
And I think so many people always get, like, concerned when, like, younger people take over in politics. And, like, no, we. We grew up here. Like, we want to keep these traditions, and it is okay to want more for us. And I think about, like, all the development that's happening down on Dixwell, like, in New Haven right now, and how, like, you're saying, like, why can't that feed in? Why can't we want newer things that still are cohesive and make our neighborhoods more beautiful and safer and more welcoming for everyone? Because I just think growing up, too, like, that idea of we had kids from New Haven who would come to school in Hampden, because it was just like, well, we have the space and we have the education. Like, why can't everyone enjoy this space? And I think that's so important. Especially I think there's still this number of, like, the suburbs is, like, where. Where you've, quote, like, made it. And I'm like, yeah, but it's not just for people who look a certain way. And I think that's what made Hampden so special for us. Like, I talked about in the beginning of, like, the demographic breakdown that still is true today of, like, you know, your neighbors. I literally went to. Again, not an ad for Haven, but I'm there all the time. I was there last week and ran into, like, six or seven guys I went to high school with. I was with a friend of mine always, always, always. And, like, you would have thought it was, like, our high school reunion. Like, we were so excited to see each other. Like, I'm hugging all them. Like, how are your parents? How's your brother? Your brother just got married. You had a baby. And she's like, I'm so sorry. All of you keep in touch. I go, that's just the vibe. Like, you. Like, I cannot tell people enough. Like, I'm still best friends with, like, three of my friends from high school. Like, we are just. And you, too. Like, you're still friends with, like, you know, all your close friends in high school, too. And I'm just like, it is that place you grow up where you are just so ingrained in each other's lives, but not, like, small town like you. We have lives. Like, you're not nosy, but, like, you know everyone. You care about your neighbor. You care about your family. You care about your friends. And I'm just like, you. Yes. I'm just so excited that you just made me so excited. Cause I'm like, You. I could listen to you talk all day about what you, what you want and what your plans are. I do want to know how your family has reacted because you have two small children who are.
[00:17:11] Speaker C: I do.
[00:17:12] Speaker B: And your very lovely husband, who I am also a big fan of.
I love Joe. Please be serious.
[00:17:19] Speaker C: He is the engine that keeps our household going. I swear to God.
[00:17:23] Speaker B: A gem of the earth, that man.
[00:17:25] Speaker C: I make this joke all the time, right? Like, they have gender roles. They have like, moms, moms do this, mom do that, dad students do this. Like, I look at that online, I'm like, I'm a dad.
I don't know where my keys are. Like, but he, like, really keeps us going. I really appreciate it. He's always on time and he always knows the weather. So I guess he's a mom and dad. I don't know. I don't know. But he's a. He's a real dream for us. He's a very good, very good father, very good leader in our home. Because Zoe just came over and I should have showed you, but he did her hair. So make sure we get out the house on time.
And my family is very close knit. So like I said, I'm in my parents house now.
Like my mom and dad. I think I. I think I come over here like three, four times a week with these kids. And Joe's mom is really close to, to us as well. Like, proximity wise, she's only four minutes away, right? So we're over there also, like three times a week. It's. It's a really, a big part of our dinner plans to like, hey, mom, what'd you make?
But because of that, I think they always really saw what the trajectory was and have been really helpful in making sure that we were supported. Not just me as an individual, but all of us going through this. So like I said, Joe is like a really, really great partner. He's spectacular. And when I can't do something, he picks up the slack. And when he can't do something, grandpa picks up the slack. When grandma can't do something, the other grandma's there. Like, we all are very much a village. And their reaction to this is like, okay, well, what's the assignment? What are we going to do next?
I launched the campaign with like a marching band down Dixwell, going from my seat in the legislative council to the mayor's seat at Government Center. You know, they're two separate buildings. And I was like, how am I going to convince people to come march with me? Like, it's like a little walk. It's like, it's, you know, a little uphill.
And the grandma was like, just, you put me a little bit farther down the march, baby. I'll be there.
And my mother, Joe's mother, my grandmother was there. Aunts, uncles, we really have a village. And, you know, like, even aunts and uncles that aren't biological, you know, they're. They're there to the other. They're very close knit. Exactly what you're saying. We have the ability to be in this space where neighbors and family, they really mean a lot in their. Their support.
I call them. I call, like, a group of women in Hamden. I don't know if they know this, but I call them my Hamden aunties. And. And then I don't know if they know that I call them an auntie in my head, but they're the ladies who, like, send me a text or email or call after a council meeting, and they'll be like, they'll critique me. And I. And I need that. They'll be like, okay, Dominique, that was good, but we need to think about blah, blah, blah, blah, or, yes, Dominique, good job, or, Dominique, that was a rough meeting.
And I'm, like, not calling her Auntie Elaine, but in my head, I'm like, thank you, Auntie Elaine. I need a little critique. And I consider those folks my family. Whether they. Whether they know it or not, they're. They're. They're part of the group here.
Did I answer your question? You did.
[00:20:49] Speaker B: No. No. You did. No. You did. Yeah. Because I. I have had friends in Austin run for office, and I'm like, who's supporting you through this? Like, friends are great. You know, family's great. But I'm like, do you have, like, people in your corner? And I just want to make sure that you were held, because I'm like, give me a shirt. Send me the dates. Like, if it's just me and you out there, girl, we're going. Like, I am ready. Like, I just.
[00:21:12] Speaker C: It's not just me and you.
[00:21:15] Speaker B: If it was, it would just be me and you. I knew it wouldn't be. But that's. I'm dedicated. Okay? I am ready. Like, I also just believe in politics when they're done. Right? Right. Like, we have obviously seen what can happen when they're not done.
[00:21:31] Speaker C: Right?
[00:21:31] Speaker B: And it. What. What? The. The biggest thing about moving back home for me is, like, I obviously grew up maybe a little delusional. I was like, Connecticut is so liberal and so open in a blue state and all these things. And now I drive by. I was in Brantford this morning. I drove through North Haven this morning. And I've seen a little too many T signs all over.
And so that also is like, I am just. I just need. I just need more people who, in office who believe in the power of politics. And knowing that you work for the people of your cons, you work for your constituents. And this is a like. And it just, it is clear to me that you are here to work for the people of Hamden. And I think that's why I am so truly excited about this because it's just like, I also trust women 99.9 million percent more than I trust anybody else.
And so just like here. That's why hearing you talk about everything that needs to be done and you having a plan and you having support, and it's like, that's why I'm like, you could talk for. For days. Like, this is, this is your time to tell this could be an hour long vote for D bias ad. And I would be fine with that because I'm just. I just want people to know that, like, younger people. And like, we were joking earlier. Like, I'm. We're now in our mid-30s. I'm like, Girl, the glasses, the gray hair. I am grateful to be older.
[00:23:02] Speaker C: I just took off my glasses because they had a rope chain. I thought that it made me to look too.
[00:23:08] Speaker B: Listen, you can't lose those, okay? I probably have a pair of glasses in every room in this house now. Like, it's like, ridiculous.
[00:23:14] Speaker C: Like, hang on.
[00:23:15] Speaker B: I'm like, we ain't about to be out here slipping. My desk has like four pairs at work. I'm like, you guys, I can't afford to not have glasses. Like, it has gotten real.
[00:23:23] Speaker C: My purse glasses, broken glasses.
[00:23:27] Speaker B: I was.
[00:23:28] Speaker C: I do zoom meetings, right? My. All my council meetings are hybrid now. And like, the attorney was like, we were laughing watching the meeting because you were switching glasses.
Like, whatever I could find at the time. Like, what do you need them have to read things.
But when it comes to. When it comes to my seat here in Hamden and what's happening at the federal level, for a long time I said, you know, federal government is different and not federal government, rather, federal party politics are different than local party politics. That's what I. That's what I said a lot. And now we are in this time where it really is affected by what's happening at the federal level. And we love all of our neighbors, but more Than ever, we need a strong local government leader. Right? So if there is a federal government sending down edicts that affect us in such a way that hurt our residents, we need someone at the top leading our administration that is strong, that is not going to bow down or back down simply because some verbiage and ordinance kind of freaks them out. Right? We. We need to be able to say, okay, we're not here for the mess. We're not here to what is. What did Timothy Snyder say in his book on tyranny? He called it, like, preemptive obedience. Something to that matter where you're obedient to the dictator or the fascism before they even ask you because you're afraid that it's going to cause a mess.
You know, I'm all, I'm a good girl. I'm a good girl, but I won't be obedient to a fascist.
I know that much.
[00:25:17] Speaker B: Yeah. I, again, I've been a politics nurse since I was 10. The Gore Bush election really got me. Like, I was in fifth. I think we're in fifth grade and I'm sitting in my elementary school and they asked us, okay, if you could vote, like, who would you vote for? And me being like, we all live near each other. We've been. I've known you basically my whole life. It's like, who. Who wouldn't vote for the person I'm gonna vote for? And to see other hands go up. I was. That's when I was like, I'm shooketh. Like, you're telling me that my. My friend, I play with you on the playground every day and we're not gonna vote. Like, the betrayal. And so I think that was it too of like, yes, we love all of our neighbors. We. We know we're gonna have to. You know, it is big, but I think it's that too. Like, it's bigger than politics, but it is.
I want people to remember that, like, your neighbor is who you're gonna go to when things go wrong if you need help. And I don't think that politics should change that. But also too knowing that, like, local government is what's going to impact us the first maybe like the first instance of impact and the most important, like, taxes, what you pay for your house for. Like you're saying affordable housing, like, all these things. And some also always, like, tell people, like, you have to vote in every single election. I tell people I used to sit. I would just sit and listen to every council call in Austin. Didn't. I didn't say Anything. I wasn't there to do anything. I was just like, I just want know what is happening. And I would beg my friends. Like, we had nine districts in Austin because I think the mayor's seat was 10, so I think it was nine. And I was just like, you guys did like me. I was like, did you hear the tea on today's council? Everyone's like, no, only you heard that today. I was like, yeah, but it's important. There was Phyllis, right? She called. They're like, bri, we can't, like, you tell us what is happening. But it was like, just to hear what those folks were, like, worried about. It was like, for us, it was also housing. It was affordability. It was food deserts. It was like all these things of, like. Because that's what's going to impact you first. Like, if you don't have a grocery store in your neighborhood, what's your plan? Because then you have to drive to another neighborhood. What's transportation? We had, like, a whole conversation on, like, the bus routes in Austin. That's a very. You have to have a car or. Or maybe you take Uber. But, like, you can't not have a vehicle essentially still live there. Like, it's very. A very. Like city. Like city. It's a city. And so we'd have people who would take the buses, but the buses didn't go into the neighborhoods they made. It's like those conversations. I'm just like, this is the stuff you need to be paying attention to. And I think now people get that, especially during this administration, because a lot of stuff is being pushed back to local government. Like, you decide if a woman has a right to her body, and you decide what, you know, education is going to look like, because we may get rid of the Department of Education. Question mark. I'm just like, girl, please.
So this is why I'm excited, because I'm like, not that you're going to save us money, but Don could fix so many things, and I just need.
[00:28:15] Speaker C: I know I'm going to try my best again.
[00:28:18] Speaker B: Give me a T shirt and a sign and give me the schedule, because I'm there. I will have a table at Haven every day. Now, maybe they want to espresso martini or a beer? Mind your business. I am there to talk about why they should vote for you. I could do both.
[00:28:32] Speaker C: When we have volunteers, we make sure to play to their strengths. And if your strength involves a beer or martini.
[00:28:38] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:28:39] Speaker C: So be it.
[00:28:40] Speaker B: I will never miss it. I'll never miss a sign up. Girl, I'll be there.
I'm ready. Give me the table with the little tablecloth. And I'm just. Hi. Have you heard about Dominique Baez running for mayor?
I'm ready. I'm ready. That's all I'm saying is thank you.
[00:29:01] Speaker C: I'm ready. Thank you.
At this point in the campaign, we are building up our volunteer staff, right. So we're building up the folks who are around us and being supportive and excited for this thing. And it's a long time until we get to even the primary. So the primary is in September.
[00:29:20] Speaker B: You say a long time. That's like six months.
You know how quick six months fries by?
[00:29:26] Speaker C: And the actual general is in November. So before that, we're doing a lot of in the neighborhoods events where we're having coffees and meeting people at their kitchen table and really getting to have these small level conversations so we can have a back and forth. And I can hear people's opinions about what's happening and what they need because I have as many ideas as I have. But again, they feed off of observations. They feed off the ability to have a back and forth. I'm very much against the idea of a mayor sitting in an ivory tower, or whatever you want to call it, and not being able to have conversations with her constituents. So I want to be able to continue to grow in my thought process. Right. So I have a platform that involves community policing, economic development, partnerships that are creative and they allow us to develop while not growing our. Our operational budget and being able to have opportunities for youth and better our school systems through their buildings. Like, I have all these ideas, but I do want to be able to grow them and be able to be flexible and what they look like so that when people are coming to us, they don't feel shut out of the process.
[00:30:43] Speaker B: Yeah. We were having a conversation at work the other day. We watched this video about a woman who works at a museum out in California. And she had made a comment, and it's been sitting in my brain. This isn't how she said it, but in my brain, this is how it translated of service versus saviorism.
And I'm like, are you acting? This is what you're doing? You're actually going in and asking people what they need. You're open to feedback, you're open to conversation versus just going in. Like, I know what I'm doing because I think that's. That's where politics gets messy. It's when the people who sit in their ivory towers think that they know best.
Sidebar. And this is maybe me being a hater and I own this. I also have a really big problem with people who serve in political spaces. Policing even is one of them too, who don't live in that city, who never have lived in that city. I'm like, how are you going to tell the people of the city what they need? And you don't even live here. You just work here. You come in for eight hours a day and you leave. So do you really even know what is affecting. So anyway, this is just me saying again, I know I have time before I can volunteer, but I am ready. And so I guess, like, running wise, like, what is. You said primary and the general, like, who are you? Do you know who you're running against right now? Is it kind of just open? So that would also be.
[00:32:03] Speaker C: It is a crowded field at this moment, right? So before even the Democratic nominee gets chosen at the like, Democratic town convention, all those things, there are four of us. It's incumbent, current, sitting mayor. There is a gentleman who ran last term who's running again. And there is a new woman who hasn't held a seat in government, I don't think. Not here anyways, in her. And she's a realtor and she's there also. And then it's myself. So it's four of us, all on the Democratic Party line. So there's still a chance that a Republican runs. There's always a Republican versus Jim in the general here in town.
[00:32:48] Speaker B: Sorry, my face not a visual medium. There's Republicans who run for a Hampton.
[00:32:53] Speaker C: Seat and they get pretty close. They've gotten pretty close in the last two years. So during this last two terms, it was a 56, 43 split. Both terms.
[00:33:05] Speaker B: Girl, you've opened my eyes. Because shrugeth.
[00:33:10] Speaker C: What do you mean?
[00:33:11] Speaker B: Wouldn't even think about that.
Okay, okay, so that. So the. Okay, we have. We have a lot of things have to happen before we get to there.
If you had to tell people in a quick little blurb why they should vote for you, what would you tell them?
[00:33:32] Speaker C: You should vote for me because I am ready to grow Hamden and Hamden is ready to grow.
One sentence. Is that what you wanted?
[00:33:42] Speaker B: One sentence.
[00:33:43] Speaker C: I'm. It's a dangerous feel of me because I am chatty.
[00:33:47] Speaker B: That's why I challenge you. Yappers. We are.
[00:33:50] Speaker C: I know.
[00:33:50] Speaker B: We are professional yappers as well as, like, I did one sentence.
[00:33:54] Speaker C: I make this joke all the time because, like, you know, council has 15 people and we people like, oh, I'm Sorry I'm taking so much your time talking, but I was like, I don't know if you. Well, I don't know why you're apologizing. Everyone here wants to talk to you. A lot. Council members, people who are in these offices. They're here because they're like, hey, what's going on?
[00:34:14] Speaker B: Not shy people.
[00:34:15] Speaker C: Hi.
[00:34:16] Speaker B: How you doing? What's the tea. Tell me everything. Yeah, I feel seen. Thank you so much. By people.
[00:34:22] Speaker C: That's also why I counsel meetings for so long. But still I keep it under control.
[00:34:26] Speaker B: Listen. Yeah, I'm trying to make sure. Oh, I do want to go back to what you were saying about the running for office and not being able to be bought as, like, a response of, like, why you're also running. Of, like, because I. Obviously there's a certain mayor in a certain metropolitan city about two hours away by train who I feel.
Do you know who I'm talking? Yes, thank you. I was like, just making a mess. And I'm like, we all know you're doing this because you don't want to go to jail, so this is why you're doing that.
I'm just like, first of all, the.
[00:35:04] Speaker C: First step to get there, like, what is it? What? To be bought off by a foreign government for a municipal seat is the craziest thing that could ever cross my mind. Like, what? Like, and then bought. Q can be bought. Girls doing over there. And then to further be bought by the federal government that also got bought off by a different foreign government. You're like, what is happening over here?
[00:35:31] Speaker B: Pray for just, like, does no one have morals anymore?
[00:35:34] Speaker C: Like, nope.
[00:35:35] Speaker B: I think about it all the time. I was like, what would it take for me to be quiet? Like, my best friend and I went for a walk this morning, and we were joking about, like, infiltrating the. The Tea Party, literally. The Tea Party is what we're calling it right now. And she said something. I'm like, because we're talking. Like, this is. Stay with me. We're talking, like, cults. And, like, what if we started an accidental cult of the Church, of the President and we made the joke. She, like, she's like, I think we could do this. She's like, especially if you bought in you a black queer, formerly, quote, formerly liberal woman. I was like, rebecca, I think I would, like, burst into flames. Like, they would never believe me. I go. Because I would. It just. It. It could not happen. But I was like. She goes, how much would it cost you? Like, I don't think my Body could physically do it. Like, I just think I would pass out. Like, and then my other friend sent me a thing of, like, it must be so nice to just, like, not be paying attention to politics, just be in the world. Like, if I. Again, I'm on the dating apps, which everybody knows I hate, but times are rough out here, okay?
And if I see one more person whose profile is apolitical or I see I don't vote in elections, I'm like, wow, what a life to just exist, to just have not a care in the world. I go, not even just clouds and rainbows in your everyday life. So I'm like, are you not paying attention to what's happening at our borders? Healthcare, women's rights, trans rights, queer rights in general. Marriage, like, can. And in two years, can I even marry a woman if I fall in love alone? Can I marry a white person at this point? Like, there's just so many things that are occurring.
[00:37:12] Speaker C: Clarence Thomas, what are you up to?
[00:37:16] Speaker B: Another one been bought. I'm like, you bite your nose despite your face, because I'm pretty sure you're married to a white lady, you black man.
[00:37:23] Speaker C: It's the. It's the craziest. It's absolute craziest.
[00:37:27] Speaker B: I'm like, I'm.
[00:37:28] Speaker C: I'm sorry. I'm sorry you're out there in the. In the streets.
[00:37:32] Speaker B: Yeah. You and your fantastic husband and two beautiful children. Thank you.
[00:37:37] Speaker C: Like, Democrat Joe was on the Democratic town committee before I was. So I was. It started with me just sitting in the. In the Democratic town committee meetings, just sitting next to him, like, oh, what an icon, girl.
This lady keeps on coming to these meetings, but it's gonna involve. It's making a treasure. She loves spreadsheets.
[00:38:01] Speaker B: It is. Like, that is one thing that is, like, rough politically. Like, I have seen so much fodder online about, like, especially women. Now, there's this girl from the new season of Love is Blind, which I did not watch because I haven't watched in season one. But they got to, like, the quote, unquote altar at the end. White girl with a white dude. And she was like, I love you. I'm in love with you. We've gotten this far, but I cannot marry you because of your political beliefs.
And everybody online's like, you, You. You dodged a bullet. She's such a sheep. And I'm like, no, she's a woman who said that my love for you is not important than the respect you have for me. Like, well, God forbid I care about my reproductive rights. In a way that you don't. Right? Or like, I have friends who like, have husbands who are like, I didn't have to counteract my husband's vote at this last election. I'm like, yes, girly, this is the energy I need. Because if you think I'm about to give up my yap a Rooney degree and be silent because I'm with a man, you again, the wrong one. Or like some guy last night in my DMs, not a flex, but the people are in the DMs. I'm just like, y'all aren't prepared. And so he was talking to me. He's like, how are you single? I go, oh, because I tell men to shut up. Like, there's no.
I'm not the one who's gonna be quiet.
[00:39:21] Speaker C: No, like, I, I preach very much that people need to find their true match, their right match. Right? A lot of people settle. Settle into relationships that are not right at all cost. We. We see it all the time. We're like, why are you with that person? You don't like them.
It's like it's.
[00:39:38] Speaker B: It doesn't make sense.
[00:39:39] Speaker C: But when you do that, you miss out on the opportunity of finding your true match. Your true match is not going to make you say, oh, I don't. I don't like how you hate my uncle because he's the wrong color. Your true match isn't going to say.
[00:39:53] Speaker B: Like, you can't be for that person because they're gay.
[00:39:56] Speaker C: You should never mention that you're bi. Like, if your true love should. Would never be. Like, our neighbors can't come over because they're blot and blot. And this net, from what you call it, if that's your match, they're going to match that morality as well. They're going to match that understanding of how we treat others. So this is a message out to everyone, not just the girlies. Find your true match. Stop wasting other people's time.
[00:40:19] Speaker B: And this is why I am single. Because I tell people, like, I would rather be alone and happy than with someone in miserable. Because I've never.
You all listen to me every week. I am not one to bite my tongue. I never have been. And if I do, my face talks before I do, so you'll never have to guess what I'm thinking or feeling. But I think that's also a thing about politics of like, I have just watched specifically women in politics, specifically black women in politics just be like, we are not. Cause you know my. In my head best Friend, Jasmine Crockett out of Texas.
No rides for her harder than me because I'm like, yes, girl, because let these people know that you are educated and black and from the south and loud and unapologetic because they be trying her on every meeting. And I'm like, couldn't.
[00:41:03] Speaker C: Every single one.
[00:41:03] Speaker B: Couldn't be me. Could physically never be me. My family was like, you should be a lawyer. I go. I get kicked out every. No, I get kicked out of every freaking thing I had to do. I can't be a politician.
[00:41:14] Speaker C: She has her fans here for sure. She just sold out a show somewhere. It was a town close by. I can't remember where, but I'm like, tell her to come on back. I got. I'll go.
[00:41:25] Speaker B: Listen, whatever. She's back, we'll go. Because I ride or die for her. Because I think it's also too, like, between me and you and the people who listen to this show, I.
The two party system obviously isn't perfect. We know this. I just. I. My God bless my family because I don't know. I don't think they know what happened. I was like, you. You raised me in a very diverse place. We had people of all colors, people of all sexualities. Like, I was raised in, like, a perfect storm, right? And so when I now have conversations with my family and I'm off on a tangent, that is like, me. Like, you are a very specific type of person who just believes in doing the right thing and saying things, even if it makes people uncomfortable. Like, oh, it is not my job to make people comfortable. It is my job to speak up. And knowing my privileges. And I talk about it all the time. Like, two parent household. We owned our house. Like, all was super educated. Like, was very fortunate to live this life. I go, so I'll be damned if I sit here and let fascism win because y'all are too afraid to say anything.
[00:42:28] Speaker C: So we're not going back. I'm not reversing nothing. The way that the people before us, our ancestors, brought us to this, this time, this level right now. And then you want me to hush up and go back?
[00:42:40] Speaker B: Because if they had their ways. Segregation about to start next week. Girl, we about to have coloreds and whites all over again.
[00:42:45] Speaker C: Come on now, now.
[00:42:46] Speaker B: And I'm like.
And y'all are just like, fine. Like, snatching up visa, having students because they were vocal about Palestine, which. Free Palestine, always.
[00:42:58] Speaker C: It's the craziest happenings right now.
[00:43:01] Speaker B: Is he reading the Constitution? Like, do you know how this works? I'm like, this is. And this to bring it all the way back. This is why it's important to have people who have been in politics who have done the work, to be in politics and do the work. Like, it's like you can't get a job, which means you can't get experience. Like the never ending cycle. I'm like, that annoying, But I want someone who has sat in a seat before they go be president.
This isn't. This isn't a popularity contest. And I think we need to have that same energy for politics, for local politics too. Because if people are like, well, what makes her qualified? Like, she's a councilwoman. She's been. She's done this for. What are you talking about?
Because you know they're gonna. Hamden being Hamden. Super diverse, super welcoming. You know, it's gonna still be the people. Like, can she actually do it big? Why? Because she's a woman or because she's black? Because she's a mom or because she's this.
[00:43:51] Speaker C: I can very much do it correct. Because I'm a mom.
Like, amongst other things. Yeah. I've sat in the seat right next to the mayor's seat, and I can very much step into the shoes. They're ready for me. They're ready for me.
[00:44:08] Speaker B: Yes, they're ready for me.
Also, I trust moms with mostly everything. If you're a mom, please fix my life. Lord knows at 35, I'm still trying. I had cereal for dinner most nights, so unless I'm sitting with my godparents right now, unless char cooks some nights, I'm like, cereal great. Love that. For me, like, had an adult all day. You want me to do something else?
[00:44:32] Speaker C: I'm gonna wait. I hate to burst your bubble. That's just still moms.
[00:44:38] Speaker B: I know that. But you, you do you have cereal while also taking care of children.
[00:44:42] Speaker C: Like, oh, my goodness. That's the first thing I taught Zoe how to make.
[00:44:47] Speaker B: Hey, girl. If nothing else, bowl of cereal will get you right.
[00:44:52] Speaker C: Oh, my goodness.
[00:44:53] Speaker B: Meal of the day.
[00:44:54] Speaker C: I got a four year old and she is perfect.
[00:44:57] Speaker B: A perfect little angel.
[00:44:59] Speaker C: She also came out a grown woman, though, so I'm very. I'm very happy.
[00:45:05] Speaker B: You wear pearls, Dom. Of course.
[00:45:11] Speaker C: What did you expect?
I guess so. Yeah. I like pearls.
[00:45:15] Speaker B: You are also like a grown adult at like 7. What are you talking about?
You guys are like, absolutely not. We're not doing this nonsense. No, like, bound. I've seen the pictures. I'm like a grown up. Like, what do we.
[00:45:31] Speaker C: 100 true. I like, if you look at old pictures of, like, my husband and I, Joe and I, in like, high school, it's like, me and him. Like, I look very much like I do today. Like, just. I was Kate. I was a grown lady.
And a three, I promise you, in a three piece suit.
I took it to a crowded room the other day. I was like. I was wearing tweed. Two pieces.
[00:45:57] Speaker B: I was like, where are we?
[00:45:59] Speaker C: High heels that were flopping off my feet and I had a briefcase. Like, girl, where you going? Like, I got a job. I was 12 leaving middle school. Like, I have to go to my internship. They're like, no, you don't. You're 12.
[00:46:10] Speaker B: I have plans.
[00:46:11] Speaker C: Okay. I catch the city bus on my next cell chirp. I'm almost there.
[00:46:17] Speaker B: A pager in sixth grade is wild.
[00:46:20] Speaker C: I get off the city bus. City New Haven at the green, go to 200 Orange street and start filing and doing data entry. What was going on?
I love spreadsheets.
[00:46:32] Speaker B: Back then, we know.
[00:46:34] Speaker C: It's who I am. I don't know. I.
[00:46:38] Speaker B: The tweed really took me out. Tweed skirts.
[00:46:41] Speaker C: Oh, my goodness.
[00:46:43] Speaker B: You know what? You have always been yourself. And that's what I've always admired about you. Like, this is it.
[00:46:48] Speaker C: Thank you.
[00:46:49] Speaker B: I am who I am. What do you want from me?
[00:46:51] Speaker C: And you think nurture versus nature or whatever. But that might be nature. I don't know.
[00:46:55] Speaker B: Your child is a smaller version of you. I figure. I fear you may have truly given birth to yourself. That's okay. You know, she's. I'm a trust editor in my life. Like, she could do my taxes. Hey, girl.
[00:47:08] Speaker C: I make this joke all the time. I was like, zoe could probably do taxes.
[00:47:11] Speaker B: She's prepared. She is ready. Okay.
[00:47:15] Speaker C: So like her first few years of life, it was like Covid times. But I was still working. So I would work from home and go to the office and she would just come with me. She didn't go to daycare. She just come with me. And her first toys and her first style of play was like, play office. So she'd be like, on an old office phone, like, hold, please.
I got a keyboard for her. She was making fake emails.
[00:47:41] Speaker B: Xeroxin girl. What are you making? Copies, girl.
[00:47:45] Speaker C: Zoe could hold a pen perfectly at like 10 months. I was like, what are you writing?
[00:47:50] Speaker B: Memos. Okay, memos. What did I balance? Writing a check balance in the checkbook. Okay. Ruin about yourself.
[00:47:57] Speaker C: Very much a sweet baby.
[00:47:59] Speaker B: I trust. I trust her. I please, girl. She's next. We're gonna talk about her campaign in, like, 20 years. Like, hey, I watched my mom, but girl, I remember.
We're manifesting. We're manifesting. My mom became mayor, so I became mayor.
[00:48:18] Speaker C: My little heart. Don't make me pitt. Her patter beat out my chest. I know. I'm so sorry.
[00:48:23] Speaker B: So sorry, but I. I see the light.
Everything the light touches in Hamden.
[00:48:31] Speaker C: Stop.
[00:48:33] Speaker B: I'm just saying. I'm just saying maybe I'm a little bit psychic, you know?
[00:48:39] Speaker C: Who am I, you know?
[00:48:42] Speaker B: Well, I truly could talk to you all day, but I. You have things to do. I have things to do. It's a beautiful spring day. I want us to get out and en. Because we all know it's not going to last forever.
I will be. No, I'm like, it's going to rain probably tonight or tomorrow. It's fine. I'll be sure to link everything to the website, to your information so people can follow you. But at the end of every conversation, I like to ask a final palette cleanser question. And this question is, what is the best advice you've ever been given? Or what's the piece of advice you'd give your younger self?
[00:49:12] Speaker C: Okay, I got a. Or. All right.
My Uncle Lou gave me advice when I was, like, 10 or 12 years old, and he said. This is what he said to me. Dominique, when a.
The voices for the podcast, when a. When a horse walks into a room, what does it sound like?
What does it sound. What do you mean?
I was like, okay, all right.
And what does it sound like when a rabbit comes into a room? I was like, a rabbit.
He's like, you see? They sound very different.
How foolish would it be if a rabbit came into a room and wanted to sound like a horse or tried to sound like a horse? Wouldn't work. It'd be foolish. It'd be silly. And how silly is it for a horse to go into a room trying to sound like a rabbit? Absolutely impossible.
If you're a horse, you go ahead and be the horse. If you're a rap, go ahead and be the rabbit. It's no use in trying to be someone else. And I tell other young people that all the time. If they give me a chance, I tell them that because it's good advice to live by. We shouldn't be out here pretending, I'm a horse. I'm a horse. It is what it is.
[00:50:34] Speaker B: Well, my horse sees your horse. And please come back anytime. I mean it. Truly, anytime. That's it for this week's episode of the Tea with Bri. Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram at the Tea with Bri. Send me an email at the tea with brie gmail.com or visit the website thetoothbreepodcast.com youm can find me your host, Brianna Jenkins on Instagram at Brianna Jenkins. Don't forget to rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. A special thanks to Mama Duke for our theme music and I will catch you next time. Bye.
