Breaking Into Spaces You Belong: Creating Change in Corporate America

Ricardo Yolas: 00:00:00

Um, was a lesson that stuck with me that my dad

2

: 00:00:03

instilled in me and my brother growing

up and it was in our household.

3

: 00:00:08

Um, there was a C word that we

were not allowed to say and still

4

: 00:00:11

really not allowed to say nowadays.

5

: 00:00:13

Um, and I was Can't can never

say you can't do anything.

6

: 00:00:16

You say it's hard.

7

: 00:00:17

You don't know how to do something.

8

: 00:00:18

You need help with it.

9

: 00:00:20

Um, but they wanted to instill the

mindset that no matter what it is.

10

: 00:00:24

Um, you can always find a way to do it,

whether it takes a little bit longer or a

11

: 00:00:27

Tony Tidbit: simple fact.

12

: 00:00:27

We'll discuss race and how it plays

a factor and how we didn't even talk

13

: 00:00:31

about this topic because we were

14

: 00:00:34

BEP Narrator: afraid.

15

: 00:00:35

A Black Executive Perspective.

16

: 00:00:38

Tony Tidbit: We are live at the

new BEP studio for another thought

17

: 00:00:42

provoking episode of a Black Executive

Perspective podcast, a safe space where

18

: 00:00:47

we discuss all matters related to race,

especially race in corporate America.

19

: 00:00:51

I'm your host Tony Tidbit.

20

: 00:00:54

So before we get started, let's

make sure that you follow our

21

: 00:00:58

partners CodeM Magazine, whose

mission is saving the black family

22

: 00:01:03

by first saving the black man.

23

: 00:01:05

So make sure you go and check

them out at CodeMMagazine.

24

: 00:01:09

com, CodeMMagazine.

25

: 00:01:12

com.

26

: 00:01:16

In today's episode, we are

joined by Ricardo Yolas, a

27

: 00:01:19

media executive at Zenith Media.

28

: 00:01:22

Ricardo's here to talk about the

significant challenges that people

29

: 00:01:26

of color face in corporate America.

30

: 00:01:29

He will share his personal experiences

and the continued hurdles that

31

: 00:01:34

minorities professionals still encounter.

32

: 00:01:37

He will also introduce us to RISE.

33

: 00:01:41

R I S E, which stands for retention,

inclusivity, sponsorship, and empowerment.

34

: 00:01:47

A program he founded at Zenith

media aim at fostering the growth

35

: 00:01:53

of black employees and their allies.

36

: 00:01:56

And he will discuss how it's making

impactful contributions at Zenith.

37

: 00:02:02

Before Ricardo comes on to join

us, let me give you a little

38

: 00:02:05

bit around his background.

39

: 00:02:07

Ricardo Yolas is a vibrant

marketing professional.

40

: 00:02:11

Avid traveler, music aficionado,

and innovative problem solver.

41

: 00:02:16

As an earlier graduate from a New York

State's top public university, which I

42

: 00:02:21

don't really know why he just didn't give

us the name of the boy he went to school.

43

: 00:02:24

He is an award winning

entrepreneur and a pioneer in

44

: 00:02:27

diversity, equity, and inclusion.

45

: 00:02:30

Ricardo founded the current program

I talked about, RISE, all right,

46

: 00:02:35

which, as I talked about first, is a

resource group dedicated to enhancing

47

: 00:02:40

Professional and personal lives

of black talent and their allies.

48

: 00:02:44

Ricardo Yolas, welcome to a black

executive perspective podcast.

49

: 00:02:50

My brother.

50

: 00:02:51

Ricardo Yolas: Thanks Tony.

51

: 00:02:51

I appreciate the introduction.

52

: 00:02:53

Sounds good.

53

: 00:02:53

Always like hearing

myself being picked up.

54

: 00:02:55

Happy to be here.

55

: 00:02:56

Excited to have a nice conversation.

56

: 00:02:58

Well, look, buddy, we're happy that you're

57

: 00:02:59

Tony Tidbit: here because you're

doing some tremendous things,

58

: 00:03:03

um, in corporate America.

59

: 00:03:05

And one of the things, and obviously

we didn't, we didn't denote that

60

: 00:03:08

in your bio, how old are you?

61

: 00:03:11

Uh, only 24.

62

: 00:03:12

So you're only 24?

63

: 00:03:15

And the things that you're going to

share with the audience is fantastic

64

: 00:03:19

for a 24 year old who came into

corporate America right out of college

65

: 00:03:24

and really put some stuff together.

66

: 00:03:26

But to be fair, you had baggage and

fears and all the other things that we

67

: 00:03:30

all deal with when we're at that age.

68

: 00:03:33

And some people still have those issues,

no matter what age they are, but you were

69

: 00:03:37

able to overcome them and create something

that's really helping a ton of people.

70

: 00:03:41

so much.

71

: 00:03:41

Not just in Zenith media, but in

the advertising industry as a whole.

72

: 00:03:47

So we're very excited to

hear about what you're doing.

73

: 00:03:50

Um, and and and how you can share

how others, no matter what industry

74

: 00:03:56

color, well, the case may be, can

come in to corporate America and

75

: 00:04:00

really put their input footprint.

76

: 00:04:03

Okay, On that organization, but

before we do that, let's learn

77

: 00:04:09

a little bit about you, man.

78

: 00:04:10

So tell us where you're

currently living and tell us a

79

: 00:04:12

little bit about your family.

80

: 00:04:14

Ricardo Yolas: Yeah, so I

currently live in New York.

81

: 00:04:17

A little bit outside of New York

City, but I'm actually planning

82

: 00:04:20

to move to Harlem pretty soon.

83

: 00:04:21

Um, so that'd be nice.

84

: 00:04:23

I grew up there.

85

: 00:04:24

My family is originally from

South Bronx, which that's where

86

: 00:04:26

we've been living ever since.

87

: 00:04:28

Uh, went to school in there, went

to school at Stony Brook University.

88

: 00:04:32

That was the top.

89

: 00:04:34

Thank

90

: 00:04:34

Tony Tidbit: you, buddy.

91

: 00:04:34

I mean, make it prestigious and

nothing against Stony Brook.

92

: 00:04:41

It probably, it is a prestigious

school, but I got it.

93

: 00:04:44

Ricardo Yolas: Had to

94

: 00:04:44

Tony Tidbit: get the call

95

: 00:04:45

Ricardo Yolas: out there.

96

: 00:04:45

Always repping Seawolves.

97

: 00:04:46

Uh, but yeah, I've been there,

uh, but always been around the New

98

: 00:04:49

York area, have family down here.

99

: 00:04:51

So I've always kind of been in the area.

100

: 00:04:53

Tony Tidbit: Okay, my man.

101

: 00:04:54

Perfect.

102

: 00:04:55

And tell us a little bit, man, you

know, I teed it up in terms of some

103

: 00:04:58

of the things that you're doing,

but why did you want to come on a

104

: 00:05:00

Black Executive Perspective podcast?

105

: 00:05:02

Talk about this topic.

106

: 00:05:03

Ricardo Yolas: Uh, yeah.

107

: 00:05:04

One, uh, I love the platform that

you've provided, uh, not only for

108

: 00:05:08

the space, but specifically for.

109

: 00:05:10

black talent, black executives,

black people within this space

110

: 00:05:14

are looking to get into it.

111

: 00:05:15

Um, and I want to come on and share

my story in hopes that I can inspire

112

: 00:05:19

or motivate somebody else either

thinking about starting something that

113

: 00:05:22

I did or they have their own idea and

don't really know how to get started.

114

: 00:05:26

Hoping that my experience can

at least help them in some way.

115

: 00:05:30

Well, look, my friend,

116

: 00:05:31

Tony Tidbit: um, let

me, I appreciate that.

117

: 00:05:33

And trust me, you inspired me.

118

: 00:05:35

That's why we're talking and

we're excited that you're here.

119

: 00:05:38

So are you ready to

hopefully inspire others?

120

: 00:05:41

Are you ready to talk about?

121

: 00:05:41

Yes, sir.

122

: 00:05:42

Let's get into it.

123

: 00:05:43

Okay, my brother, let's talk about.

124

: 00:05:45

So let's back up a little bit.

125

: 00:05:46

You gave us a little

bit about Poughkeepsie.

126

: 00:05:48

Um, You Stony Brook University where

you went to, but let's, let's talk

127

: 00:05:52

a little bit about you growing up.

128

: 00:05:54

Right?

129

: 00:05:54

So tell us some of the defining moments.

130

: 00:05:57

You know, you're only 24 years old, right?

131

: 00:06:00

Seven years ago, eight years ago, you

were riding the bike eating Starbursts.

132

: 00:06:05

All right.

133

: 00:06:05

And you know, some of vacation

out of school hanging.

134

: 00:06:09

So tell us a little bit about what made,

Who, what happened in your childhood that

135

: 00:06:14

made you the person that you are today?

136

: 00:06:17

Ricardo Yolas: Yeah.

137

: 00:06:18

Um, really from the beginning, uh, I

was born at West Point military base.

138

: 00:06:23

Um, so when I, they considered an army

brat at the time, my dad was in the army.

139

: 00:06:29

He was in the army until

about, I believe I was six.

140

: 00:06:33

Um, and I mentioned that because

just that type of household, uh,

141

: 00:06:36

that discipline, um, we were raised

differently, our kind of disciplines

142

: 00:06:42

and punishments were a little bit

different from getting grounded.

143

: 00:06:46

So that definitely, uh, shaped me.

144

: 00:06:47

So people, you know, you don't do your

homework, you get bad grades, you take

145

: 00:06:51

your phone away, you get grounded.

146

: 00:06:52

That wasn't my household.

147

: 00:06:53

You get bad grades, you're doing

push ups, you're doing planks, you're

148

: 00:06:57

doing wall sits for half an hour.

149

: 00:06:59

Um, so, different, different way

of, you know, disciplining, but

150

: 00:07:03

definitely shaped me, uh, cause

I feel like it just shaped me.

151

: 00:07:07

I'm very focused and, um, I feel like

I can really tackle and kind of focus

152

: 00:07:13

down on whatever I need to be and really

focus in whatever a challenge comes up.

153

: 00:07:18

And I think that has to do with

having that mental strength from

154

: 00:07:21

having to go through these workouts

when I'm like seven years old.

155

: 00:07:25

Yeah, yeah.

156

: 00:07:27

So that I was at first just growing

up in that but come from a very

157

: 00:07:30

loving and supportive family.

158

: 00:07:32

They're originally from the South

Bronx, uh, but moved up to Poughkeepsie

159

: 00:07:36

when my parents were growing up.

160

: 00:07:38

And that's where I grew up and

that's where we've been ever since.

161

: 00:07:41

Um, so being there and then going up

to Poughkeepsie, obviously Poughkeepsie

162

: 00:07:45

is not the city, not the South Bronx.

163

: 00:07:47

So there's dynamics there.

164

: 00:07:48

But one thing that I always appreciated

was they kept the household.

165

: 00:07:52

Like the South Bronx, uh, no matter where

we lived at, um, and that definitely

166

: 00:07:56

helped because even though we were living

in the urban city or the urban area of

167

: 00:08:00

Poughkeepsie, uh, my parents actually

put me in the, uh, schooling that was

168

: 00:08:05

next door, which is the predominantly

white school, um, just for better

169

: 00:08:09

education, you know, trying to make the

best opportunities for the children.

170

: 00:08:12

Um, so growing up in that, yeah.

171

: 00:08:14

As you can imagine, growing up in a

household where we're from the South

172

: 00:08:17

Bronx, but then going to a suburban

high school or middle school that's

173

: 00:08:23

surrounded or predominantly white people.

174

: 00:08:25

There's just cultural differences, uh,

that I had to deal with growing up.

175

: 00:08:30

That also shaped me.

176

: 00:08:31

Obviously you have the racisms, but

also the diversity of being around so

177

: 00:08:35

many different perspectives, different

experiences, uh, different situations

178

: 00:08:40

in life, uh, but all coming together.

179

: 00:08:42

I feel like that helped me now

in life because I have that.

180

: 00:08:46

And I feel like I can talk to anybody.

181

: 00:08:48

I can make connections with anybody

because I have that relatability factor.

182

: 00:08:52

Um, so those are things that I feel like.

183

: 00:08:55

Really stayed with me as

I grew up through life.

184

: 00:08:58

Tony Tidbit: Well, listen, number one, um,

and you kind of spoke of it, um, you know,

185

: 00:09:04

grow up in a very, a military family.

186

: 00:09:07

What, what branch of the

military was your father?

187

: 00:09:10

Um, my dad was in the army.

188

: 00:09:12

So he was in the army.

189

: 00:09:12

Okay.

190

: 00:09:13

So I was in the army as well.

191

: 00:09:14

Right.

192

: 00:09:14

And, you know, growing up with a military

parent, right, where discipline is the

193

: 00:09:21

foundation of everything that we do.

194

: 00:09:23

Okay.

195

: 00:09:23

So I can imagine, um.

196

: 00:09:26

Things that, you know, your father

instilled in you and your siblings.

197

: 00:09:31

Um, I can definitely relate to

the, you know, your grounding,

198

: 00:09:36

uh, or punishment was different

than everybody else's, right?

199

: 00:09:40

Now, let's be fair.

200

: 00:09:41

Some people, they rebel against that.

201

: 00:09:43

Okay.

202

: 00:09:44

Um, because, you know, you being

too hard on me or, you know, I can't

203

: 00:09:48

do what the other kids are doing.

204

: 00:09:50

But it seems like that

really resonated with you.

205

: 00:09:53

Um, and it gave you a sense of

foundation of discipline and how to

206

: 00:09:57

work hard, you know, hold your father

was holding you accountable, right?

207

: 00:10:02

And more importantly, you learn from that.

208

: 00:10:04

So I can imagine that, you know, I

always stated this, that anybody that

209

: 00:10:08

went in the military, I don't care if

you're a Navy, Army, Marines, mad respect

210

: 00:10:12

for them, Coast Guard, um, because

it's just a different way of life.

211

: 00:10:15

But then also, to your point, you know,

growing up, coming up in the South Bronx,

212

: 00:10:21

okay, and then moving to Poughkeepsie

for the audience here, which is probably,

213

: 00:10:25

what, an hour outside of, um, It's

214

: 00:10:27

Ricardo Yolas: about two hours.

215

: 00:10:29

Tony Tidbit: Two hours, thank you.

216

: 00:10:30

Two hours outside of the city, okay?

217

: 00:10:33

When you looked at your living room

window in the South Bronx, and then

218

: 00:10:37

when you moved to Poughkeepsie, and

you looked out your living room window,

219

: 00:10:41

all right, and you heard the different

sounds in the neighborhood from the

220

: 00:10:44

South Bronx and Poughkeepsie, those two

different sounds, those two different

221

: 00:10:49

Ricardo Yolas: looks.

222

: 00:10:49

You got trees and squirrels.

223

: 00:10:51

It's a little different.

224

: 00:10:52

It's trees and

225

: 00:10:52

Tony Tidbit: squirrels.

226

: 00:10:53

Exactly.

227

: 00:10:53

And the squirrels, they make noise.

228

: 00:10:56

They can wake you up,

or they can scare you.

229

: 00:10:58

But there's a different noise that you're

listening growing up in the city, right?

230

: 00:11:01

And then to your point, you know,

now, because your parents wanted

231

: 00:11:05

you to go to a good, get a good

education, so you go to a school

232

: 00:11:09

where there's not a lot of diversity.

233

: 00:11:11

Okay.

234

: 00:11:11

And now you got to navigate that.

235

: 00:11:14

Right.

236

: 00:11:14

And still do well, get good grades.

237

: 00:11:17

You ended up going to college.

238

: 00:11:18

So speak a little bit about, um, when

you were there, talk a little bit about

239

: 00:11:23

the racial makeup of the school and,

and what was some of the things that you

240

: 00:11:28

learned, you had to navigate, but more

importantly, that you were able not only

241

: 00:11:32

to take out of it, but also help the

school and the administration as well.

242

: 00:11:37

Ricardo Yolas: Yeah.

243

: 00:11:38

Um, so before I go into that, one

thing that had that helped me get

244

: 00:11:44

through that, um, was a lesson that

stuck with me that my dad instilled

245

: 00:11:49

in me and my brother growing up.

246

: 00:11:51

And it was in our household.

247

: 00:11:53

Um, there was a C word that we

were not allowed to say and still

248

: 00:11:56

really not allowed to say nowadays.

249

: 00:11:58

Um, and I was can't.

250

: 00:11:59

You can never say you can't do anything.

251

: 00:12:01

You can say it's hard.

252

: 00:12:02

You don't know how to do something.

253

: 00:12:03

You need help with it.

254

: 00:12:04

Um, but they wanted to instill the

mindset that no matter what it is,

255

: 00:12:08

uh, you can always find a way to

do it, whether it takes a little

256

: 00:12:11

bit longer or it's super fast.

257

: 00:12:13

Um, and I say that because going into high

school is just, just a schooling of kind

258

: 00:12:18

of being an outcast, being the only one

talking about a demographic percentage.

259

: 00:12:22

Uh, if I had to estimate, I'd say

70 percent of the school was white.

260

: 00:12:29

Maybe 10 percent or 15 percent was

Hispanic, Latino, and the rest was a mix

261

: 00:12:35

of AAPI and black and African American.

262

: 00:12:39

So obviously, we're at the lower end as

far as just representation in the school.

263

: 00:12:44

So, as you can imagine, I have

the same fears as everybody,

264

: 00:12:47

especially being in a new place.

265

: 00:12:48

I'm scared.

266

: 00:12:49

I don't know anybody, and then

especially not really seeing anybody

267

: 00:12:53

that off the bat, I feel like I could

be able to relate to just because.

268

: 00:12:57

There's not that many

black people in the school.

269

: 00:12:59

Um, but going back to that lesson

that my dad kind of instilled in me

270

: 00:13:03

knowing, okay, this is how it is now.

271

: 00:13:05

But just because I don't know anybody

doesn't mean I can't meet people.

272

: 00:13:09

I can't introduce myself.

273

: 00:13:10

I can't break through whatever hurdles or

challenges are thrown in front of me, um,

274

: 00:13:15

and thrive at these schools because at

the end of the day, um, The only job that

275

: 00:13:19

my parents told me, my brother growing

up when you're a kid, your only job is

276

: 00:13:23

to go to school and get good grades.

277

: 00:13:25

You gotta worry about paying bills.

278

: 00:13:26

You ain't got no real

work or nothing like that.

279

: 00:13:29

You go to school, get good grades.

280

: 00:13:31

And then enjoy, go play

video games, whatever.

281

: 00:13:33

BEP Narrator: It's time

to rethink your protein.

282

: 00:13:35

Addra Labs protein bars are crafted with

high quality protein, double the leucine,

283

: 00:13:40

and enriched branched chain amino acids,

essential for optimal muscle recovery.

284

: 00:13:45

Finally, a protein bar that

works as hard as you do.

285

: 00:13:49

So visit Addra Labs.

286

: 00:13:50

com and use the code BEP

to get 20 percent off.

287

: 00:13:53

That's Addra Labs.

288

: 00:13:55

com promo code BEP.

289

: 00:14:00

Ricardo Yolas: Um, so

having that, it was always.

290

: 00:14:02

School, academic is first, no matter what.

291

: 00:14:05

I played sports growing up, but if my

grades weren't right, I don't care if

292

: 00:14:08

they were good enough for the school.

293

: 00:14:10

If they weren't good enough for my

parents, I wasn't allowed to play.

294

: 00:14:12

That's all that mattered.

295

: 00:14:13

I feel like that kept me focused

because it was like, regardless,

296

: 00:14:17

obviously I want to make friends.

297

: 00:14:18

I was still working to do that.

298

: 00:14:20

But at the end of the day, I got grades

that I need to maintain at the basis.

299

: 00:14:25

And if I was sports, so it

was grades due to sports.

300

: 00:14:28

Now you're in sports.

301

: 00:14:29

You can thrive.

302

: 00:14:30

You can meet everybody,

but the grades came first.

303

: 00:14:32

Tony Tidbit: Right.

304

: 00:14:33

Right.

305

: 00:14:33

But I love what you

said about your father.

306

: 00:14:36

I'm teaching you.

307

: 00:14:38

It was a family lesson, right?

308

: 00:14:40

The word, the C word.

309

: 00:14:41

Like you said, you didn't say,

you didn't even say the word.

310

: 00:14:43

You said it was a C word, you

know, that's still forbidden to

311

: 00:14:47

talk about, but the word can't.

312

: 00:14:48

So setting that type of foundation.

313

: 00:14:52

from a young age knowing

that I can do anything.

314

: 00:14:56

Your parents are basically

saying, you can do anything.

315

: 00:14:58

Now, it may be uncomfortable, all right?

316

: 00:15:01

You may not be familiar with it.

317

: 00:15:03

It may be hard, but you

can still do it, okay?

318

: 00:15:06

So, that is awesome.

319

: 00:15:08

And then, obviously, you know, you

know, one of the things, when I was a

320

: 00:15:12

kid, I grew up in Detroit, Michigan.

321

: 00:15:15

When people think of Detroit, you

know, urban city, blah, blah, blah.

322

: 00:15:17

When I grew up in Detroit,

Michigan, it was diverse.

323

: 00:15:20

All right.

324

: 00:15:21

My neighborhood was very diverse.

325

: 00:15:22

I even, we even moved when I got to

high school and we moved to the West

326

: 00:15:27

side of Detroit where we were like the.

327

: 00:15:29

Black family in the whole,

in the whole neighborhood.

328

: 00:15:32

Okay.

329

: 00:15:33

So very diverse.

330

: 00:15:34

Now, how did that, uh,

help me as I moved forward?

331

: 00:15:38

When I went, I was in the army

when I went into military.

332

: 00:15:41

Okay.

333

: 00:15:42

It wasn't like, and then I, you

know, and, and, and not just basic

334

: 00:15:46

training, but an AIT, uh, you know,

I shared a room with somebody from,

335

: 00:15:50

The Bronx, New York and, and Cheyenne,

Wyoming and, and Tupelo, Mississippi.

336

: 00:15:55

Okay.

337

: 00:15:56

And, but, but because the way I was

brought up in the environment that I

338

: 00:16:00

was brought up, it wasn't like scary.

339

: 00:16:02

Yeah, it was scary because

I'm meeting new people.

340

: 00:16:04

Right.

341

: 00:16:05

And, you know, we all have confidence

issues and, you know, they're not,

342

: 00:16:09

I didn't look, it wasn't that I was

worried about them because I was black.

343

: 00:16:13

It was just more about, you know,

do I rate as a, Physical human

344

: 00:16:17

being with everybody else in the

military at that time frame, right?

345

: 00:16:20

But I'm going back to your point.

346

: 00:16:22

The point of it is because I grew up

in a diverse area, when I went in the

347

: 00:16:26

military, It didn't bother me, right,

that I'm now among people that's different

348

: 00:16:32

from me because I grew up with people

that were different from me, okay?

349

: 00:16:37

So that has a lot to do with it.

350

: 00:16:38

Now, let's be fair though.

351

: 00:16:40

You were in high school and 70

percent white, 30 percent minority.

352

: 00:16:45

But the, if I remember correctly,

talk about the administration.

353

: 00:16:49

Because they, even though, Uh,

it's not 30, but they didn't

354

: 00:16:55

really know how to deal with the

minority, uh, population of students.

355

: 00:17:00

So talk a little bit about that.

356

: 00:17:01

Ricardo Yolas: Yeah, um, so as you can

imagine, being that the majority of

357

: 00:17:05

students were, uh, descent, uh, Caucasian.

358

: 00:17:09

It was very much the same in

administration, whether it's all

359

: 00:17:13

the way up to superintendents, all

the way down to just our teachers.

360

: 00:17:17

Really, the only black people or

people of color that I saw from

361

: 00:17:22

administration standpoint were the

security guards, the lunch ladies.

362

: 00:17:26

Um, and then I think I had throughout

all my school, I might have had one

363

: 00:17:33

black teacher and I was in second grade.

364

: 00:17:35

So, um, yeah, needless to say, they

don't, I wouldn't say they necessarily

365

: 00:17:42

don't understand the experiences just

because it's different from them.

366

: 00:17:45

It's not, they're not

a part of the culture.

367

: 00:17:48

Um, and I had, I didn't see anything

that would give them any in or to show

368

: 00:17:52

that they have been exposed to it.

369

: 00:17:54

Um, so it was really kind of until

they started implementing new, um, um,

370

: 00:18:00

I guess programs to help with that.

371

: 00:18:01

We can obviously we'll

get into that later.

372

: 00:18:04

It was more so of us

kind of working together.

373

: 00:18:08

And when I say us, I

mean like the students.

374

: 00:18:10

Uh, because we really didn't

have that many people to go to.

375

: 00:18:14

Yeah, we can go to, we had guidance

counselors just like everybody else.

376

: 00:18:17

We go to the guidance counselors and I

think it's been a similar experience.

377

: 00:18:21

They don't help that much outside of

helping you get your classes scheduled.

378

: 00:18:25

They can't, they can't relate.

379

: 00:18:26

If you're asking for help or this

certain experience happened, bring up

380

: 00:18:30

to them, uh, let's just say a racist

experience because they did happen.

381

: 00:18:34

Bring that up to them.

382

: 00:18:36

Most of the time, they

didn't know how to take it.

383

: 00:18:38

This is, this is new to them.

384

: 00:18:39

They've never had to deal with

a racist, racist experience.

385

: 00:18:43

It doesn't happen that much in their

school just because there's not that

386

: 00:18:46

many, but that's all they know to us.

387

: 00:18:49

Obviously it's everyday life for us.

388

: 00:18:52

We've been going through this

every day, unfortunately.

389

: 00:18:54

Um, so there, there were some disconnects

there, but one thing that I would say

390

: 00:18:59

that I did like is, can't say it about

everybody, but there were a few that even

391

: 00:19:04

though they didn't understand, they were

making the effort to try and understand,

392

: 00:19:08

they would come to us, that they would

look for different, um, resources or

393

: 00:19:14

feedback to help them understand so that

they can at least try to improve the

394

: 00:19:19

situation to the best of their ability.

395

: 00:19:22

Tony Tidbit: Right, right.

396

: 00:19:23

And then you guys, you know,

because of that, you guys, because

397

: 00:19:27

obviously it probably affected,

not obvious, I mean, it did, it did

398

: 00:19:32

affect the students of color, right?

399

: 00:19:35

Because how they were being

treated by their, by their teacher.

400

: 00:19:39

There was an indifference,

I should say, right?

401

: 00:19:42

There was an indifference.

402

: 00:19:43

So what, what happened

where you guys came up?

403

: 00:19:46

What, what happened in terms

of being able to educate them?

404

: 00:19:49

Ricardo Yolas: So, um, in my

last year, um, my senior year,

405

: 00:19:53

Uh, the administrators, um, and

I have been working with them.

406

: 00:19:57

Uh, I just kind of meet.

407

: 00:19:58

So I knew some of the administrators, uh,

just from, you know, being in school for

408

: 00:20:02

four years, but they had put together what

they called a student equity, equity team,

409

: 00:20:07

um, went to a pretty big high school is

around: 4000

410

: 00:20:12

students out of all the students in the

school broken out against different races,

411

: 00:20:16

different religions, um, uh, grade levels

from freshmen all the way up to seniors.

412

: 00:20:21

Um, and brought us together really to

one, uh, learn about the experiences

413

: 00:20:28

that are going on in the school, but

also the different experiences that

414

: 00:20:32

student in our students in our school

were experiencing back home, whether

415

: 00:20:36

it was based off financial differences,

uh, um, um, ethnic differences, uh,

416

: 00:20:42

religious differences, whatever it was.

417

: 00:20:44

Uh, but it was essentially a group to.

418

: 00:20:47

Educate the administrators and

the teachers on the population

419

: 00:20:51

of their students and the type of

lives that they were living, the

420

: 00:20:54

experience that they were living.

421

: 00:20:55

But also for those 225

students, I was a part of them.

422

: 00:21:00

It was kind of, at least for me,

my basis into the DE& I space.

423

: 00:21:04

They were giving us lessons about the

differences between equity and equality.

424

: 00:21:11

And similar initiatives and initiatives

in their case studies, just so

425

: 00:21:14

we had more information on what

it is that we were experiencing.

426

: 00:21:18

Because a lot of the times

we experienced something.

427

: 00:21:20

We don't necessarily

know what it's called.

428

: 00:21:22

We don't know if it has a

label label or title to it.

429

: 00:21:25

We just know we're going through it.

430

: 00:21:26

And until somebody educates us on,

oh, this is actually caught this.

431

: 00:21:30

We don't know about that.

432

: 00:21:31

I went through that like anxiety and

this was kind of a similar thing.

433

: 00:21:34

We know you're going through these things.

434

: 00:21:35

Let's try to.

435

: 00:21:37

Kind of put them in categories so we can

better speak to it and then action on it.

436

: 00:21:43

Tony Tidbit: So buddy, that's great.

437

: 00:21:45

That's fantastic.

438

: 00:21:46

And you were one of the 25, what

did, so let me ask you this.

439

: 00:21:50

What did you learn out of it?

440

: 00:21:51

And then what did the administration,

what did they get out of it?

441

: 00:21:55

Ricardo Yolas: Uh, I learned a few things.

442

: 00:21:57

One, like I said, it was the basis

to my understanding around, uh, DNI

443

: 00:22:01

space and kind of those initiatives.

444

: 00:22:03

Uh, I learned that.

445

: 00:22:05

Teachers did not know as

much as I thought they were.

446

: 00:22:08

I thought they would know.

447

: 00:22:10

Uh, or this when you said they

didn't know as much as what

448

: 00:22:12

you thought they about what?

449

: 00:22:14

About the students and the experiences

that's going on in the hallways because

450

: 00:22:18

these like experiences we're talking about

These aren't things that are happening

451

: 00:22:21

behind the staircase or out at lunch in

the park No, these are while we're walking

452

: 00:22:26

in between classes in the hallways with

all the teachers standing in the hallways

453

: 00:22:30

as well Um Um, so that was a big thing.

454

: 00:22:32

But be specific, like what

type of things are happening

455

: 00:22:35

Tony Tidbit: in the

456

: 00:22:35

Ricardo Yolas: hallway?

457

: 00:22:35

Oh, it would be any,

anything from bullying.

458

: 00:22:38

So just picking on people because of

their religion, uh, their bodies, or there

459

: 00:22:44

was a lot of, I like to call it subtle

racism because it was played off as if it

460

: 00:22:49

was a joke, but everybody else knows no

matter how you use these certain words.

461

: 00:22:55

There's no way you could

put that in a joke, Amanda.

462

: 00:22:57

Um, and it's, it's not

like it was blatant.

463

: 00:22:59

I mean, um, like the secretive,

like it was hush hush or

464

: 00:23:02

they're kind of whispering it.

465

: 00:23:03

No, they're saying it out loud,

yelling it across the hallways, across

466

: 00:23:08

the rooms where everybody can hear

this and the teachers were there.

467

: 00:23:12

Yeah.

468

: 00:23:13

To say, you go see it or hear it.

469

: 00:23:15

It's like, what are you looking at then?

470

: 00:23:17

Cause you're, you're in the hallway too.

471

: 00:23:19

Tony Tidbit: We're all there.

472

: 00:23:19

So, so let me ask you this, man.

473

: 00:23:22

Um, how did that, and obviously.

474

: 00:23:24

This is going on for a while, right?

475

: 00:23:26

How did that make you and the

rest of the students feel?

476

: 00:23:30

Ricardo Yolas: Um, it's, it might sound

a little sad, but I think at least for

477

: 00:23:37

like my group, uh, like my generation,

we had been, like, it wasn't new to us.

478

: 00:23:44

We'd been seeing this.

479

: 00:23:45

We learned about it from our parents.

480

: 00:23:46

They'd been going through the same stuff.

481

: 00:23:48

While they were growing up, but we're

still going through the same stuff now.

482

: 00:23:52

So like, by the time it got to us, we

were like, these have been going on these

483

: 00:23:55

issues, whether it's current or happened

five years, whatever it is, similar

484

: 00:24:00

issues that still been going on, but not

that much has been happening from it.

485

: 00:24:04

So it was more of from us.

486

: 00:24:07

We started to lose faith

in the administrators.

487

: 00:24:09

We're not going to go to them.

488

: 00:24:10

We're not going to ask them for help

because what are they going to do?

489

: 00:24:14

That's basically what it came down to.

490

: 00:24:15

Why would I come to you when.

491

: 00:24:17

What are you going to do?

492

: 00:24:18

What can you do about it?

493

: 00:24:19

I don't think you're going to do anything.

494

: 00:24:20

So it was more of us coming together as

students and really just looking out for

495

: 00:24:24

ourselves, trying to support ourselves,

you know, sticking up for ourselves.

496

: 00:24:27

If we hear something, somebody say

something, we're going to stick

497

: 00:24:30

up for the, for the friend group.

498

: 00:24:31

And then as far as the feelings that come

with it, you know, the sad, whatever it

499

: 00:24:36

is, the anger, it was more of talking

amongst ourselves to kind of vent each

500

: 00:24:41

other, get it out where we needed to, or.

501

: 00:24:43

We have other outlets.

502

: 00:24:44

A lot of people play sports.

503

: 00:24:45

I played sports.

504

: 00:24:46

Uh, but it was nice to, after you, if you

deal with something, you go to practice.

505

: 00:24:51

Either I ran track and I was running

all over the place or I ran football

506

: 00:24:54

and I was running through people,

but everybody had their outlet.

507

: 00:24:58

Tony Tidbit: Right.

508

: 00:24:59

So that makes sense.

509

: 00:25:02

This, these things were

happening in wide open.

510

: 00:25:05

Um, nobody was really taking

up for the students of color.

511

: 00:25:09

Right.

512

: 00:25:09

Teachers were there, they were hearing

it, they were indifferent about it.

513

: 00:25:13

Program comes up, trying to get

more, more understanding of equity.

514

: 00:25:18

You were a part of that.

515

: 00:25:20

Um, you learned some things, but what

did the team, what did, what, what was

516

: 00:25:24

the net net for the administration?

517

: 00:25:25

What did they learn out of this?

518

: 00:25:27

Ricardo Yolas: Yep, uh, so at

the, at the end of the year,

519

: 00:25:30

cause this lasted the entire year.

520

: 00:25:32

At the end of the year, all 25 of them,

Twenty five of us that were selected.

521

: 00:25:36

We essentially put together presentations.

522

: 00:25:39

Uh, and we presented to teachers,

we broke up into groups and say it

523

: 00:25:43

was three of us presenting to a room

of 10 teachers or administrators on

524

: 00:25:48

not only our experiences, but some

of the things that we were learning.

525

: 00:25:51

So.

526

: 00:25:51

Teaching them the differences between

equity and equality and how it

527

: 00:25:55

actually looks, how they can implement

that in their classrooms for their

528

: 00:25:58

students, teach them different ways

that they can support their students,

529

: 00:26:02

depending on whatever experience they

were going through in the schools.

530

: 00:26:05

So, like, some of the one I just

listed through, if you hear stuff,

531

: 00:26:10

or if you hear some type of slur.

532

: 00:26:12

In the hallway or in your

classroom, what do you do?

533

: 00:26:15

What can you do?

534

: 00:26:16

What's what can you not do?

535

: 00:26:18

So it doesn't make the situation worse.

536

: 00:26:20

Um, and that's kind of what we had

taught them throughout the year.

537

: 00:26:23

And I think one immediately after,

but also from going back, talking

538

: 00:26:28

to people who, um, who were younger

than me and administrators who I was

539

: 00:26:33

still in contact with that first year

acted as kind of like the guideline.

540

: 00:26:39

Um, and they've been building off of that.

541

: 00:26:41

So it was one.

542

: 00:26:42

I feel like mine was more of

an eye opening year for them

543

: 00:26:45

to realize we have a problem.

544

: 00:26:47

There's just things going on.

545

: 00:26:49

And since then they've been implementing,

uh, more programs and just more

546

: 00:26:53

initiatives kind of changing around the

representation they have in the school,

547

: 00:26:57

the way they're treating their students,

the way they handle certain situations

548

: 00:27:00

as a result from these learners.

549

: 00:27:03

Tony Tidbit: Wow, that

is awesome, my friend.

550

: 00:27:04

What was the feedback?

551

: 00:27:05

Give me, I'm in the room, right?

552

: 00:27:08

Ricardo is, you know,

doing a presentation.

553

: 00:27:11

I'm there with four or

five other teachers.

554

: 00:27:13

I'm sitting here.

555

: 00:27:14

I'm learning from the students.

556

: 00:27:16

Okay.

557

: 00:27:17

So think, think about that.

558

: 00:27:18

Let's turn the tables around, right?

559

: 00:27:20

Typically, you're going there

and they're learning from you.

560

: 00:27:22

I mean, you're learning from them,

now you're learning from them.

561

: 00:27:25

So, what was the, give me a vibe

in the room, if I was a fly on

562

: 00:27:28

the wall, what would I hear?

563

: 00:27:29

Was the teachers asking questions?

564

: 00:27:30

Was they, was they arms folded like, yeah?

565

: 00:27:32

I mean, what, what was the feedback?

566

: 00:27:35

Ricardo Yolas: I'd say, the best way to

describe it, think about what students

567

: 00:27:39

look like when they're in history

class, learning about history lessons.

568

: 00:27:43

Everybody, it's not that

they're necessarily bored,

569

: 00:27:45

but they're just zoned in.

570

: 00:27:46

There's not much for them to really say.

571

: 00:27:48

You might ask a question here and

there, but you're learning a lot.

572

: 00:27:52

So they were receptive.

573

: 00:27:53

They were receptive to

what they were hearing.

574

: 00:27:54

So they were receptive to it.

575

: 00:27:56

They were appreciative of us.

576

: 00:27:58

Um, and it was a lot of thankful

wishes for us, just from learning it.

577

: 00:28:03

Because, like I said,

they didn't know about it.

578

: 00:28:05

They, they literally, the, the, the

main, um, I guess, consensus, uh,

579

: 00:28:11

feedback that we got from them was thank

you so much for, um, presenting this

580

: 00:28:15

to us because we didn't know this was

happening in our hallways, in our schools.

581

: 00:28:20

Right, right.

582

: 00:28:21

So they definitely took something from it.

583

: 00:28:23

I would say that there weren't too

many questions, uh, because they were

584

: 00:28:26

just sitting there learning, like, they

were more like, wow, I did not know.

585

: 00:28:31

This was happening.

586

: 00:28:32

Uh, but they were so glad not only

for us teaching that information,

587

: 00:28:36

but the way we were written about it,

the way we were presenting, uh, they

588

: 00:28:39

thought it was very professional.

589

: 00:28:40

It was cool for me because, like you

said, Usually they're teaching me.

590

: 00:28:43

So now I'm like, all right,

guys, sit down, quiet.

591

: 00:28:46

Every everybody, you know,

did somebody give you an apple

592

: 00:28:49

Tony Tidbit: or

593

: 00:28:49

Ricardo Yolas: something?

594

: 00:28:50

Buddy.

595

: 00:28:54

Tony Tidbit: That is fantastic.

596

: 00:28:56

Right?

597

: 00:28:56

Um, so look.

598

: 00:28:57

That said, I mean, how

did that make you feel?

599

: 00:29:01

Okay.

600

: 00:29:02

Um, you went to college, you went

to Stony Brook after that, right?

601

: 00:29:05

You just got finished saying a

few minutes ago, this was like

602

: 00:29:07

your first foray into DEI, right?

603

: 00:29:10

Which you didn't even

know what that meant.

604

: 00:29:12

Okay.

605

: 00:29:12

At the timeframe.

606

: 00:29:13

Right.

607

: 00:29:14

So how did that make you, did you

feel like you accomplished something?

608

: 00:29:17

You feel like, Hey, um, you

know, that wasn't nothing.

609

: 00:29:21

I'm not gonna even think about that.

610

: 00:29:22

Or did that's, did that was a seed

planted that you ended up watering?

611

: 00:29:28

All right.

612

: 00:29:28

That then became this bloom this,

you know, when you went to Zen,

613

: 00:29:33

so talk a little bit about that.

614

: 00:29:35

Ricardo Yolas: Yeah, I definitely

would say more of the latter.

615

: 00:29:37

Uh, it was more of the experience

was like the seed that I decided to

616

: 00:29:41

continue to water and just let it grow

and see how, how big it could grow to,

617

: 00:29:46

um, seeing that really put a sense of

like inspiration to me to, cause it

618

: 00:29:52

showed me I can have a valuable impact.

619

: 00:29:57

On the way my community and my

people are treated for the better.

620

: 00:30:02

Um, and it showed me that from just

opening my mouth, being vocal about it

621

: 00:30:07

and not really not backing down, having

a desire to speak up to want to make

622

: 00:30:12

some type of change and just have a

better life, have a better experience.

623

: 00:30:16

Um, so that was the main thing.

624

: 00:30:17

And then just going into college, it was

more of trying to find more ways, more

625

: 00:30:22

programs to really feed off of that.

626

: 00:30:25

Um, so yeah, once I, once

I went to Stony Brook.

627

: 00:30:28

It was more of getting involved.

628

: 00:30:29

I wanted to get involved with everything.

629

: 00:30:31

I wanted to join a frat.

630

: 00:30:32

I wanted to get involved with

cultural organizations and I did.

631

: 00:30:35

Just that, uh, joined the Black Student

Union, uh, and I was one of the public

632

: 00:30:39

relations officers for that helping,

you know, blast out events, put on

633

: 00:30:43

events to just not only create a sense

of community for the students, the

634

: 00:30:47

black students at the school, but also

help them in their, um, their journeys.

635

: 00:30:52

I was also a, um, intern.

636

: 00:30:54

At the career center, but I was focused on

working with those cultural organizations.

637

: 00:30:58

So that's the Caribbean student

organization, the Latin America

638

: 00:31:03

organization, all those kind of

student orgs from different cultures,

639

: 00:31:07

working with them to market.

640

: 00:31:09

Career development opportunities

and events to them.

641

: 00:31:12

So the job fairs, uh, resume

workshops, things like that, that

642

: 00:31:17

was helping them succeed or better

prepare them for life after college.

643

: 00:31:22

Um, that was really stuff that was

feeding my passion because I was able

644

: 00:31:25

to help not only my people, but also.

645

: 00:31:28

People of color, people who are

traditionally underrepresented, who

646

: 00:31:32

may not necessarily have this, uh,

these trainings or these exposures or

647

: 00:31:38

experiences that are going to help them

just simply because they weren't available

648

: 00:31:42

to them, nobody ever put them on.

649

: 00:31:44

So I felt like, um, if I have

the opportunity to do so.

650

: 00:31:51

Tony Tidbit: Buddy, that is awesome.

651

: 00:31:52

You know, you said a couple, you

said a lot of great things there.

652

: 00:31:55

I just want to back up a little bit.

653

: 00:31:57

You said, um, I learned not

to be afraid to speak up.

654

: 00:32:03

Okay.

655

: 00:32:04

Um, which is, is, is something that

the majority, no matter how old

656

: 00:32:11

you are, people are afraid to do.

657

: 00:32:15

Right, because they're afraid of

what the outcome will be and and more

658

: 00:32:20

from a negative standpoint, right?

659

: 00:32:22

It's never if everybody thought

everything was going to work out.

660

: 00:32:25

Possibly you hear people, you, they

wouldn't shut up, but at the end of

661

: 00:32:28

the day, we are afraid to speak up

because of, you know, the pushback

662

: 00:32:35

or the confrontation that can come

up or, you know, the negativity of

663

: 00:32:39

people might not be receptive to our

message or what we're trying to do.

664

: 00:32:43

Right?

665

: 00:32:43

So.

666

: 00:32:44

I want to ask you this question, you know,

you, and you confirmed what I asked you

667

: 00:32:49

earlier that there was a seed planet.

668

: 00:32:51

Okay.

669

: 00:32:52

And then you started watering

and you went, uh, as you got into

670

: 00:32:55

college, you know, I want to ask

you about a superpower, right?

671

: 00:33:00

You know, one of the things

that I always believe is that

672

: 00:33:03

every human being, every person.

673

: 00:33:06

I don't care where you grew up.

674

: 00:33:07

I don't care your ethnicity.

675

: 00:33:09

I don't care about your family income.

676

: 00:33:11

I don't care what color you are.

677

: 00:33:12

I don't care what religion you believe in.

678

: 00:33:14

I don't care if you're straight, gay.

679

: 00:33:15

It doesn't matter.

680

: 00:33:16

Every human being has a talent.

681

: 00:33:18

And every human being

has a super power, right?

682

: 00:33:21

Now, unfortunately, sometimes

we don't find out what that is.

683

: 00:33:25

Okay?

684

: 00:33:26

Sometimes people don't

find out what it is.

685

: 00:33:28

You know, the old story about Whistler's

mother, where, you know, she was like 60

686

: 00:33:32

something, so she can, till the family

left, the husband maybe died, I think, and

687

: 00:33:37

the sons moved out, and then she started

painting, and that was her super power.

688

: 00:33:43

So a lot of times we

don't know these things.

689

: 00:33:45

We don't find them out,

but everybody's got one.

690

: 00:33:46

So I want to, I want to hear from you

based on your experience thus far.

691

: 00:33:50

What do you, and those experiences,

what, what, what has transpired?

692

: 00:33:55

Tell me, what do you

think your superpower?

693

: 00:33:57

Ricardo Yolas: Yeah.

694

: 00:33:58

Um, I think I'll, I'll just based on all

the experiences I've had and I've had,

695

: 00:34:03

you know, the similar feelings have been

scared, been afraid to say that all that.

696

: 00:34:07

Um, but do that.

697

: 00:34:08

I found that really my

superpower is my voice.

698

: 00:34:11

My voice goes a long way.

699

: 00:34:12

The words that I say, the

words that anybody says, you

700

: 00:34:15

know, your words have meaning.

701

: 00:34:17

Uh, and I, I didn't believe that.

702

: 00:34:19

I know people always said that

growing up, they still say it.

703

: 00:34:22

Some people think it's just cliche.

704

: 00:34:23

I did.

705

: 00:34:24

I didn't believe it until I started

believing in myself and then putting

706

: 00:34:28

in the work to see, test it out.

707

: 00:34:29

Let's see if my voice does, uh,

you know, have some weight to it.

708

: 00:34:33

If it does have a superpower,

if I can make some change just

709

: 00:34:36

by speaking up and it does.

710

: 00:34:39

And that is something that I

think everybody has because

711

: 00:34:42

everybody has a voice.

712

: 00:34:42

We're all born with it.

713

: 00:34:44

Even if you're mute, there's sign

language, there's different ways to

714

: 00:34:46

communicate and that is your voice.

715

: 00:34:48

Tony Tidbit: Right, right.

716

: 00:34:49

So talk to us a little bit because

you said you, uh, yeah, look,

717

: 00:34:52

I, you know, I was going to make

sure we're on the same page.

718

: 00:34:54

You ain't talking singing voice

or nothing like that, right?

719

: 00:34:56

I mean, if y'all want me to sing, no.

720

: 00:34:59

Okay, you can do that too.

721

: 00:35:01

Okay.

722

: 00:35:01

So you multi talented,

which I love, right?

723

: 00:35:04

But when you say voice, dive a little bit

deeper in terms of what does that mean?

724

: 00:35:10

Um, so really it's

725

: 00:35:13

Ricardo Yolas: speaking up when I say

voice, it's speaking up for the thing

726

: 00:35:17

that you want for either, whether your,

your desires, your career goals, your

727

: 00:35:23

interests, or advocating for yourself

or advocating for other others.

728

: 00:35:27

Even if it's as simple as, you know, you

see somebody that you're interested in,

729

: 00:35:31

you want, you want to test your luck.

730

: 00:35:32

You want to date them.

731

: 00:35:34

You gotta, you gotta speak up.

732

: 00:35:36

They'll never know if you

don't go say something.

733

: 00:35:38

Now you might get rejected, but.

734

: 00:35:40

That's a part of it.

735

: 00:35:40

It's a part of life.

736

: 00:35:41

You're going to get rejected,

but it's really the taking the

737

: 00:35:44

initiative to speak up and take

action on the things that you want.

738

: 00:35:49

Tony Tidbit: Absolutely.

739

: 00:35:50

My friend, you know, one of the things,

you know, I remember when I, you know,

740

: 00:35:54

um, this was years ago when I was in

the, um, in the army and I wanted to

741

: 00:36:00

go to school and hurry, I got there.

742

: 00:36:03

Uh, I was stationed in Hawaii

and I met my first sergeant.

743

: 00:36:09

And he said, Franklin, you know, when

you get there, you, you, they take

744

: 00:36:13

you to him and you just, and he said,

Franklin, what do you want to do?

745

: 00:36:16

And I said, Franklin, I said, first

sergeant, I want to go to school.

746

: 00:36:19

Okay.

747

: 00:36:19

And he said, ah, okay, whatever.

748

: 00:36:22

And then every time I saw him for the

next six months, every time I said,

749

: 00:36:26

first sergeant, I want to go to school.

750

: 00:36:28

First sergeant, I want to go to school.

751

: 00:36:30

Right.

752

: 00:36:30

And then one day he

called me in his office.

753

: 00:36:32

I thought I was in trouble, Franklin.

754

: 00:36:36

I was like, what did I do?

755

: 00:36:38

Okay.

756

: 00:36:39

And he said, Franklin, we're going to

send you this program at the University

757

: 00:36:42

of Hawaii, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

758

: 00:36:44

And I'm like, what?

759

: 00:36:45

He's like, yep.

760

: 00:36:46

And he told me what

the, what it was about.

761

: 00:36:48

And then I said, first

sergeant, why'd you pick me?

762

: 00:36:50

He said, you know why?

763

: 00:36:52

Cause you kept asking me.

764

: 00:36:54

Yep.

765

: 00:36:56

Okay.

766

: 00:36:57

Now I'm not going to sit here and say

I was cured that I spoke up on, but one

767

: 00:37:01

of the things that I learned from that

is that you got to speak up, right?

768

: 00:37:06

And the worst thing that can happen is no.

769

: 00:37:08

What happens though?

770

: 00:37:10

And, and, and, and why

I'm so impressed with you.

771

: 00:37:14

Okay.

772

: 00:37:14

Is that you did something in high school,

773

: 00:37:19

you then transferred that to college.

774

: 00:37:22

Okay.

775

: 00:37:24

And then You started

at Zenith Media, right?

776

: 00:37:30

Which for some people who's not in the

advertising industry, big advertising,

777

: 00:37:34

uh, company, a billion dollars worth

of brands that they, uh, have, right?

778

: 00:37:41

You start there as a

young 22, 23 year old.

779

: 00:37:45

I

780

: 00:37:45

Ricardo Yolas: was actually started

at the company when I was 20.

781

: 00:37:48

You're 20 years old.

782

: 00:37:50

Not even 21.

783

: 00:37:51

Everybody laughed at me when I told

them it was like, you can't even drink.

784

: 00:37:53

Why are you here?

785

: 00:37:54

How many, how many

employees there at Zenith?

786

: 00:37:56

Um, at Zenith, we have, uh, between

like a thousand, two thousand employees.

787

: 00:38:04

Tony Tidbit: Thousand, two thousand,

maybe more, whatever, right?

788

: 00:38:06

Because they got offices all over, right?

789

: 00:38:08

It's too much of an issue.

790

: 00:38:09

It's huge, okay?

791

: 00:38:10

Exactly, right?

792

: 00:38:11

However, Most people come into big

organizations like that, right?

793

: 00:38:16

And they just got the job out of college.

794

: 00:38:19

They're not looking to make waves, okay?

795

: 00:38:21

They don't want to, my co host Chris P.

796

: 00:38:24

Reid always says, when you come

to, you know, there's three phrases

797

: 00:38:26

of a career, survive, thrive, and

then I forget the other one, right?

798

: 00:38:31

But he uses the word survive, right?

799

: 00:38:33

They're just looking

to survive, all right?

800

: 00:38:35

You didn't, you came in, you

weren't looking to survive.

801

: 00:38:38

Okay.

802

: 00:38:39

So talk a little bit about that

because you came in and you utilize

803

: 00:38:43

that superpower that you have

and you've made change happen.

804

: 00:38:49

Talk a little bit about it.

805

: 00:38:50

Ricardo Yolas: Yes, sir.

806

: 00:38:51

Um, really, I came in

with a lot of confidence.

807

: 00:38:54

Um, it was confidence that I had to build

up through high school all the way through

808

: 00:38:59

college, and it was really my college

experiences, getting involved, doing the

809

: 00:39:03

things that I was doing, accomplishing

the things that I was able to

810

: 00:39:05

accomplish, that built up my confidence.

811

: 00:39:08

Um, to the point that when I came in and

now everywhere I go, my mindset is when I

812

: 00:39:13

come into a new spot, I'm not just coming

here, you know, to be the part of it.

813

: 00:39:16

I'm coming to take over.

814

: 00:39:17

And that's, that's, that's what I mean.

815

: 00:39:19

That's what I do.

816

: 00:39:20

And it's no ill intent or anything.

817

: 00:39:22

I'm not coming to, you know,

Push anybody back on anything.

818

: 00:39:26

No, I'm here to help the next man because

I know it's not going to affect me.

819

: 00:39:30

But my own mindset, I'm not coming

here and just be, you know, just go

820

: 00:39:33

through the days I'm here to take over.

821

: 00:39:35

Um, so that's, that's the first thing

that I was really coming into the company

822

: 00:39:39

with knowing that we were a big company.

823

: 00:39:41

I, instead of looking at it like

that, I looked at it as I have

824

: 00:39:44

a lot of opportunities here,

825

: 00:39:46

a

826

: 00:39:46

lot of opportunities to continue to

grow and learn about not only the

827

: 00:39:51

company, but the entire industry.

828

: 00:39:53

And that's really the approach I took.

829

: 00:39:55

So it was just a matter of,

all right, now I'm here.

830

: 00:39:57

I know I'm new, but I

was going to use that.

831

: 00:39:59

I'm new as much as I can.

832

: 00:40:01

I was trying to meet as many people that

I can make as many mistakes as I can.

833

: 00:40:05

Uh, cause that, that was really the only

way that I can learn, you know, where

834

: 00:40:08

I messed up at, um, and then trying to

get involved as much as I can, cause

835

: 00:40:13

I saw that one, it helped me in high

school, it helped me again in college.

836

: 00:40:17

Um, so I just wanted to kind of keep the

trend going because it had never really

837

: 00:40:21

failed me getting involved in things that.

838

: 00:40:23

Not only were progressive for

my development, but also things

839

: 00:40:27

that I was interested in.

840

: 00:40:29

Buddy, that's awesome.

841

: 00:40:30

So tell us

842

: 00:40:30

Tony Tidbit: about RISE.

843

: 00:40:32

R I S E.

844

: 00:40:34

Yes.

845

: 00:40:34

Right.

846

: 00:40:35

And how did you start it?

847

: 00:40:38

Tell us how that superpower

helped you create something that

848

: 00:40:42

wasn't there at a big company.

849

: 00:40:44

Ricardo Yolas: Yeah.

850

: 00:40:45

Um, so I really started off

with that superpower, uh, about

851

: 00:40:49

six months in to the company.

852

: 00:40:51

Okay.

853

: 00:40:52

Uh, they sound like a monthly or a regular

newsletter and in that newsletter, I'm

854

: 00:40:56

just reading it and they had nominations

or at least, um, they were taking,

855

: 00:41:02

uh, applications for the diversity and

inclusion council for the entire company.

856

: 00:41:09

As you guys know, just kind of

what we've been talking about.

857

: 00:41:10

I've been very involved in

that space and very, uh, kind

858

: 00:41:14

of interested in that space.

859

: 00:41:15

Um, so I was like, why not reply?

860

: 00:41:18

I mean, why not apply to it?

861

: 00:41:19

And that's coming from the speaking

up, knowing that I have experience.

862

: 00:41:22

And like I said, that confidence,

I knew I'd done a lot of great work

863

: 00:41:25

in that space and I had a lot of

great ideas, especially kind of

864

: 00:41:28

taking it from a younger perspective.

865

: 00:41:31

So I decided to apply to it.

866

: 00:41:32

Um, and then I got accepted.

867

: 00:41:33

I got added on.

868

: 00:41:34

Uh, and selected to be on the council

and that was really the start of it

869

: 00:41:38

because with that council it gave me

opportunity, visibility, and resources.

870

: 00:41:47

BEP Narrator: If you like what you hear

and want to join us on this journey

871

: 00:41:49

of making uncomfortable conversations

comfortable, please subscribe to a

872

: 00:41:52

Black Executive Perspective podcast

on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify,

873

: 00:41:57

or wherever you get your podcasts.

874

: 00:41:59

Hit subscribe now to stay connected

for more episodes that challenge,

875

: 00:42:02

inspire, and lead the change.

876

: 00:42:05

Ricardo Yolas: Uh, the opportunity

was being able to work with and be in

877

: 00:42:07

the same room as the people that run

our company, this major organization.

878

: 00:42:12

It was our CEO in our executive

suite, our executive committee.

879

: 00:42:15

So the presidents, the executive

vice presidents, senior vice

880

: 00:42:18

presidents, things like that.

881

: 00:42:20

The people that are the leaders of

not only teams, but departments.

882

: 00:42:24

Um, and it really allowed me to

not only hear how they operate, but

883

: 00:42:31

let them know my opinions, let them

know what I'm looking for, um, and

884

: 00:42:35

just the different ideas that I had.

885

: 00:42:37

And one of those ideas was something

that I learned from college, learning

886

: 00:42:40

about these employer resource groups.

887

: 00:42:42

It was something that I was kind of

hyper fixated on coming out of college

888

: 00:42:45

because I learned so much about it,

um, and I kind of did some work on it.

889

: 00:42:49

So once I got this opportunity

on the DNI council.

890

: 00:42:52

One day I brought it up, um, at

the end of one of our meetings

891

: 00:42:55

that I learned about these.

892

: 00:42:58

I know we have some as some of the other

agencies that's a part of the holding

893

: 00:43:01

company, but we didn't have anything

here and I wanted to first just really

894

: 00:43:05

wanted to know why trying to figure

out if we did have something here.

895

: 00:43:08

And if not, would there be a possibility

to, and once I asked that and found

896

: 00:43:12

out that there wasn't, uh, very simply

and one of the reasons why I love this

897

: 00:43:17

organization so much, got to give a shout

out to our CEO, Lauren Hanrahan, uh,

898

: 00:43:21

because I asked her, um, do we have one?

899

: 00:43:25

She says, no, I was explained it.

900

: 00:43:28

I feel like we should,

we should start one.

901

: 00:43:30

She agreed and simply.

902

: 00:43:31

She asked if I wanted to start it.

903

: 00:43:33

Uh, obviously I'm a little scared because

I'm only six months into the company.

904

: 00:43:37

I don't even really know the industry,

but I took it as an opportunity as well.

905

: 00:43:44

I've been given this opportunity.

906

: 00:43:45

I know I want to make a

change, not only for me.

907

: 00:43:48

But the people in my community,

so I said yes, and it was just a

908

: 00:43:52

matter of I'm gonna figure out a way

909

: 00:43:55

Tony Tidbit: And I did buddy.

910

: 00:43:55

That is awesome.

911

: 00:43:56

That is great And and look there's a

lot of lessons in what you just got

912

: 00:43:59

from saying first I want to give a

shout out to your ceo Lauren Hanrahan.

913

: 00:44:04

Ricardo Yolas: Yeah,

Hanrahan a amazing woman

914

: 00:44:07

Tony Tidbit: Absolutely, buddy She

has to be right because for her

915

: 00:44:10

number one and that's what a leader

does is they listen to you They

916

: 00:44:14

listen to their people and then more

importantly, when people like yourself

917

: 00:44:18

come up and say, Hey, I got an idea.

918

: 00:44:22

She said, Hey, I think it's great.

919

: 00:44:24

Would you be interested?

920

: 00:44:26

She didn't say, ah, you're not old enough.

921

: 00:44:29

Ah, you know what?

922

: 00:44:30

You haven't been here long enough.

923

: 00:44:31

No, she saw you as a

talented individual, right?

924

: 00:44:35

Who came up with a great idea

that was going to help the

925

: 00:44:37

employees of that organization.

926

: 00:44:40

So you got to give her a lot of credit

for that and the leadership board.

927

: 00:44:43

Second, you said something earlier,

which I don't want people to miss.

928

: 00:44:48

You're able to have an opportunity to

sit in the room with senior leadership,

929

: 00:44:53

right, that you can learn from.

930

: 00:44:55

You could be part, you have,

you have to see the table.

931

: 00:44:58

Not only you can learn from them,

but they can learn from you.

932

: 00:45:01

Right?

933

: 00:45:02

They get to know who you are.

934

: 00:45:04

You are able to build your

brand by being in that room.

935

: 00:45:08

Right?

936

: 00:45:09

And then number 3, and

I'm going backwards.

937

: 00:45:11

All right.

938

: 00:45:11

I started with Lauren.

939

: 00:45:12

All

940

: 00:45:13

Ricardo Yolas: right.

941

: 00:45:13

Tony Tidbit: Then I'm going backwards.

942

: 00:45:16

But then number three, you

spoke up, you said, Hey, I see

943

: 00:45:22

something, you know, what's that?

944

: 00:45:24

I was saying, you see

something, say something.

945

: 00:45:26

I see something that could help

our organization become better.

946

: 00:45:30

And you ask questions.

947

: 00:45:31

Why don't we have it?

948

: 00:45:32

And you didn't get, and I'm, I'm,

I'm, I'm speaking for you, but I'm

949

: 00:45:36

just, you know, you could, you could

have, I should say, got all bent out.

950

: 00:45:40

I can't believe ain't got

this blah, blah, blah.

951

: 00:45:42

You didn't go there.

952

: 00:45:43

Right.

953

: 00:45:44

You ask questions.

954

: 00:45:45

Why blah, blah, blah.

955

: 00:45:46

Okay.

956

: 00:45:46

They don't have it.

957

: 00:45:47

Guess what?

958

: 00:45:48

Can I implement something right?

959

: 00:45:50

Which was awesome.

960

: 00:45:52

And you're 20, 21, 22 years old.

961

: 00:45:55

This people, 35, 40, don't do that.

962

: 00:45:58

Okay.

963

: 00:45:58

So that right there shows

leadership that you have.

964

: 00:46:04

And more importantly, the

love for your human being.

965

: 00:46:07

For you to put yourself

out there to help others.

966

: 00:46:12

Okay.

967

: 00:46:13

So tell us more now.

968

: 00:46:14

What does rise do tell us the

impact that is having my brother.

969

: 00:46:18

Ricardo Yolas: Yeah.

970

: 00:46:18

So it's honestly, since that moment,

we've had tremendous and I want to,

971

: 00:46:23

I don't want to belittle that at all.

972

: 00:46:25

We've had tremendous amount of

support from the, um, company,

973

: 00:46:30

specifically our executive committee

from Lauren all the way down.

974

: 00:46:35

Um, so that's one that's really

helped it kick off with the

975

: 00:46:38

ground, um, as quick as it did.

976

: 00:46:41

But we're coming up on our two

year anniversary, it'll be two

977

: 00:46:44

years at the end of this year.

978

: 00:46:46

Um, and within that period, we've put

on around 10 events, um, which span

979

: 00:46:53

different, uh, uh, categories, whether

it's a social event geared towards

980

: 00:46:58

building that community, bringing people

together to connect, or, um, a development

981

: 00:47:03

event where we're teaching them something

or bringing in people, uh, who are subject

982

: 00:47:07

matter experts to teach them about a

certain discipline, analytics side of

983

: 00:47:11

the business, or just our empowerment.

984

: 00:47:13

Uh, events that have people, other

black, uh, entrepreneurs or just

985

: 00:47:18

successful people in the space.

986

: 00:47:20

Come and talk about the experiences,

talk about the challenges that

987

: 00:47:23

they had to go through and how

they were able to get through that.

988

: 00:47:26

And I'd say we, we had such a

great year in our first year.

989

: 00:47:30

We actually had the CEO of Revolt,

uh, the Detavio Samuels come and

990

: 00:47:34

he actually was able to bring on

Jim Jones, which it was crazy.

991

: 00:47:39

Um, so those types of events are what

we've been able to put on as far as

992

: 00:47:42

membership, where we were able to gain.

993

: 00:47:46

Well, over 120 members in the first year.

994

: 00:47:48

Now we're over 150 members

and it's continuing to grow.

995

: 00:47:53

Um, and we actually just expanded,

uh, on Monday, we held our first

996

: 00:47:57

event in Atlanta, uh, because

our company has multiple offices.

997

: 00:48:01

So, um, based in New York city, but we

wanted to continue to expand, uh, as the

998

: 00:48:05

demand for the group continue to grow

and people want to get more involved.

999

: 00:48:09

So we hosted our first event in

Atlanta and it's a new market

: 1000

00:48:12,515 --> 00:48:13,505

that's continuing to thrive.

: 1001

00:48:13,505 --> 00:48:17,465

It was a great event, a lot of, uh,

demand out there, a lot of excitement.

: 1002

00:48:18,200 --> 00:48:21,070

So we're just continuing to put

on events for our people, letting

: 1003

00:48:21,070 --> 00:48:25,560

them, really letting them thrive

in a space that's made for them.

: 1004

00:48:26,500 --> 00:48:27,520

Tony Tidbit: That is awesome, my buddy.

: 1005

00:48:27,530 --> 00:48:29,950

And here's the thing though, too,

because I don't want this, you know,

: 1006

00:48:29,980 --> 00:48:35,290

this obviously RISE is definitely,

uh, a program that you put together

: 1007

00:48:35,600 --> 00:48:39,980

to, you know, provide more equity,

inclusivity for people of color.

: 1008

00:48:40,009 --> 00:48:44,074

But at the same time, it's also,

you know, educating, you know,

: 1009

00:48:44,155 --> 00:48:45,655

Your white colleagues and stuff.

: 1010

00:48:45,655 --> 00:48:46,495

Speak to that as well.

: 1011

00:48:46,535 --> 00:48:47,175

The allies.

: 1012

00:48:47,285 --> 00:48:47,715

Yes.

: 1013

00:48:47,885 --> 00:48:50,875

Ricardo Yolas: Uh, so as you had

mentioned during the introduction,

: 1014

00:48:51,105 --> 00:48:55,725

RISE is for, uh, the empowerment

of our Black talent and allies.

: 1015

00:48:56,334 --> 00:49:00,325

Uh, so it's not only just, you know,

geared towards, um, our Black talent.

: 1016

00:49:00,325 --> 00:49:03,165

We're not shooing anybody away.

: 1017

00:49:03,165 --> 00:49:04,255

We're welcoming everybody.

: 1018

00:49:05,215 --> 00:49:07,445

Because, really, we need everybody's help.

: 1019

00:49:08,485 --> 00:49:12,315

Obviously, we're the ones that

are underrepresented, uh, in

: 1020

00:49:12,315 --> 00:49:13,595

the spaces around the world.

: 1021

00:49:13,645 --> 00:49:15,115

But, how do we get out of that?

: 1022

00:49:15,155 --> 00:49:18,965

Obviously, we can fight as much

as we want, but we need a sponsor.

: 1023

00:49:19,234 --> 00:49:21,685

We need somebody on the

other end to help us out.

: 1024

00:49:22,024 --> 00:49:22,494

An ally.

: 1025

00:49:23,165 --> 00:49:26,285

Um, so this event, I mean, this

group has also helped out with that

: 1026

00:49:26,345 --> 00:49:27,305

because it's bringing them together.

: 1027

00:49:27,930 --> 00:49:33,240

Uh, that our allies into our spaces, let

them know, uh, so they can see how we

: 1028

00:49:33,240 --> 00:49:38,050

interact with each other, how we really,

um, communicate with each other when

: 1029

00:49:38,060 --> 00:49:42,089

we're kind of in our own spaces, being

authentic to our culture, to ourselves.

: 1030

00:49:42,520 --> 00:49:44,070

Um, and they've been great.

: 1031

00:49:44,130 --> 00:49:45,470

Our allies have been amazing.

: 1032

00:49:45,890 --> 00:49:50,410

In doing that, in coming and being

open, being receptive, being willing

: 1033

00:49:50,410 --> 00:49:53,470

to learn and ask questions because

they want to understand, they

: 1034

00:49:53,470 --> 00:49:55,019

want to support as much as we can.

: 1035

00:49:55,420 --> 00:49:59,960

Uh, we even on our board of people

that actually help us build an

: 1036

00:49:59,960 --> 00:50:05,109

event, we have, um, an executive

vice president who is a white man.

: 1037

00:50:05,635 --> 00:50:09,065

He's always had a tremendous amount

of support from us from the first

: 1038

00:50:09,065 --> 00:50:13,535

event, always saying, Hey, if you need

anything, let me know that was last year.

: 1039

00:50:13,875 --> 00:50:15,475

And then now he's volunteering.

: 1040

00:50:15,475 --> 00:50:18,524

He's been volunteering all year

this year, helping us send our

: 1041

00:50:18,524 --> 00:50:22,934

communications, bringing more

people, uh, put together, uh, events.

: 1042

00:50:22,945 --> 00:50:28,035

So our allies are just as important,

um, as the people in our community,

: 1043

00:50:28,035 --> 00:50:29,975

because really it's a group effort.

: 1044

00:50:30,625 --> 00:50:31,535

It's a community effort.

: 1045

00:50:31,535 --> 00:50:32,205

We can't do it.

: 1046

00:50:32,205 --> 00:50:32,795

One way.

: 1047

00:50:33,060 --> 00:50:34,610

The allies can't do it by themselves.

: 1048

00:50:34,660 --> 00:50:35,960

We can't do it by ourselves.

: 1049

00:50:36,060 --> 00:50:37,370

We're going to come

here and do it together.

: 1050

00:50:38,300 --> 00:50:38,970

Tony Tidbit: That is awesome.

: 1051

00:50:38,980 --> 00:50:39,440

My brother.

: 1052

00:50:39,640 --> 00:50:42,710

Oh, let's, let's give everybody

the proper, uh, shout out.

: 1053

00:50:42,720 --> 00:50:49,230

Who's the EVP Ryan Van Fleet Ryan Van

Fleet my brother, keep it up, man.

: 1054

00:50:49,230 --> 00:50:51,170

That's exactly because

here's the thing though.

: 1055

00:50:51,889 --> 00:50:54,570

There's companies that have

employee resource groups.

: 1056

00:50:54,570 --> 00:50:55,014

Let's be fair.

: 1057

00:50:55,355 --> 00:50:55,795

Right.

: 1058

00:50:56,065 --> 00:50:57,615

But that's exactly what it is.

: 1059

00:50:57,625 --> 00:50:58,625

It's employees.

: 1060

00:50:58,865 --> 00:51:00,425

The leadership don't show up.

: 1061

00:51:00,425 --> 00:51:02,434

They don't hang out.

: 1062

00:51:02,435 --> 00:51:03,035

They got this.

: 1063

00:51:03,035 --> 00:51:03,755

Let them do it.

: 1064

00:51:03,755 --> 00:51:04,295

Blah, blah, blah.

: 1065

00:51:04,295 --> 00:51:05,585

They don't come and learn anything.

: 1066

00:51:05,585 --> 00:51:07,955

So at the end of the day,

yeah, you got this going on,

: 1067

00:51:07,955 --> 00:51:09,455

but nobody's growing from it.

: 1068

00:51:09,665 --> 00:51:13,055

Because at the end of the day,

unless the leaders get involved,

: 1069

00:51:13,285 --> 00:51:14,595

right, break bread, right.

: 1070

00:51:15,595 --> 00:51:20,305

Become uncomfortable and eventually

become comfortable, right?

: 1071

00:51:20,405 --> 00:51:22,425

Then they start, oh look

at all this talent I got.

: 1072

00:51:22,605 --> 00:51:26,995

Oh my god, Joe, he likes

baseball too, for real?

: 1073

00:51:27,195 --> 00:51:27,675

Oh my god.

: 1074

00:51:27,954 --> 00:51:33,135

We have so much more in common,

all human beings, than we think.

: 1075

00:51:33,575 --> 00:51:39,700

And so, but unless we come together,

Unless we break bread, unless we build

: 1076

00:51:39,700 --> 00:51:44,150

relationships with each other, that

we become separate and at the end

: 1077

00:51:44,150 --> 00:51:45,660

of the day, we don't come together.

: 1078

00:51:46,010 --> 00:51:48,969

So this is why I'm so excited

about what you're doing.

: 1079

00:51:49,460 --> 00:51:54,809

And look, at the end of the day,

it shows that you speak up, how you

: 1080

00:51:54,809 --> 00:51:57,109

can affect so many other people.

: 1081

00:51:57,340 --> 00:51:59,260

But I got to give a lot of

credit to the leadership.

: 1082

00:51:59,570 --> 00:51:59,870

Okay.

: 1083

00:51:59,870 --> 00:52:03,850

I got to get, we can't, and I know

that's big for you to hear, right?

: 1084

00:52:04,210 --> 00:52:07,049

For them to be involved, right.

: 1085

00:52:07,150 --> 00:52:11,540

And not just, you know, a grand

opening and come in and say, hi.

: 1086

00:52:11,540 --> 00:52:12,839

Right

: 1087

00:52:12,839 --> 00:52:14,139

Ricardo Yolas: now

: 1088

00:52:14,139 --> 00:52:15,400

Tony Tidbit: they're still involved.

: 1089

00:52:15,420 --> 00:52:17,000

And then I think I remember too.

: 1090

00:52:17,405 --> 00:52:19,645

You're helping people get promoted.

: 1091

00:52:20,255 --> 00:52:25,195

You're helping people, um, uh, the

organization, the talent, excuse me,

: 1092

00:52:25,195 --> 00:52:28,825

the leadership, see talent that they

probably didn't recognize before.

: 1093

00:52:29,195 --> 00:52:32,635

And then not only that, if I

remember correctly, there's in the

: 1094

00:52:32,644 --> 00:52:35,004

industry, people are hearing about

: 1095

00:52:35,005 --> 00:52:35,515

Ricardo Yolas: this.

: 1096

00:52:35,685 --> 00:52:36,905

Tony Tidbit: So talk a

little bit about that.

: 1097

00:52:37,145 --> 00:52:37,515

Ricardo Yolas: Yeah.

: 1098

00:52:37,825 --> 00:52:39,155

Um, definitely can.

: 1099

00:52:39,155 --> 00:52:45,065

One of our pillars is to, um, help

not only retain our black talent, but

: 1100

00:52:45,115 --> 00:52:47,234

attract black talent, uh, to our company.

: 1101

00:52:47,510 --> 00:52:51,440

So the organization to the industry,

honestly, because it's, uh, it's an

: 1102

00:52:51,450 --> 00:52:55,460

industry that I didn't really know

about until my last semester, but it

: 1103

00:52:55,460 --> 00:52:56,760

was something that I kind of fell in.

: 1104

00:52:56,790 --> 00:53:00,889

And it's something that a lot of people

fall in, unless you, uh, have a family

: 1105

00:53:00,889 --> 00:53:03,750

member or a friend that's working

in, in it that referred you to it.

: 1106

00:53:04,190 --> 00:53:07,170

Um, so with that, uh, actually

this, at the beginning of this

: 1107

00:53:07,170 --> 00:53:12,200

year, we held our first event, uh,

really recruiting college students.

: 1108

00:53:12,220 --> 00:53:15,000

We had an event bringing in 30

college students, uh, from the

: 1109

00:53:15,000 --> 00:53:16,220

local colleges in New York City.

: 1110

00:53:16,640 --> 00:53:19,040

Um, and just kind of career

development programs.

: 1111

00:53:19,050 --> 00:53:20,580

So we also partner with co op.

: 1112

00:53:20,970 --> 00:53:23,980

Um, and it was more of an introduction

to the industry as a whole.

: 1113

00:53:24,000 --> 00:53:27,010

Obviously our company, you know,

we gave them a tour of the offices,

: 1114

00:53:27,490 --> 00:53:30,200

gave them an overview of the

company and then the industry.

: 1115

00:53:30,200 --> 00:53:33,130

But the biggest thing was

we allowed them to network.

: 1116

00:53:33,495 --> 00:53:34,655

With the leadership.

: 1117

00:53:34,705 --> 00:53:40,215

So Lauren, Lauren Hanrahan, CEO, she came

down, the CEO of this major company is

: 1118

00:53:40,215 --> 00:53:42,494

talking to juniors and seniors in college.

: 1119

00:53:42,534 --> 00:53:43,085

That's awesome.

: 1120

00:53:43,315 --> 00:53:46,364

Um, so that just shows you the

support that we have, but with

: 1121

00:53:46,364 --> 00:53:50,015

that, from that event, obviously

the word is spread into the colleges

: 1122

00:53:50,015 --> 00:53:51,474

and these development programs.

: 1123

00:53:51,525 --> 00:53:55,415

We are actually able to hire since

that event, uh, seven people from that

: 1124

00:53:55,415 --> 00:53:59,235

event have been hired and I work here

and we're hosting a part two, um, at

: 1125

00:53:59,235 --> 00:54:01,585

the end of this month, so hopefully

we can get some more in there.

: 1126

00:54:02,105 --> 00:54:06,415

Um, but similar to how it's spreading

to the different colleges around

: 1127

00:54:06,425 --> 00:54:09,335

the industry in this organization,

it's also spreading to the other

: 1128

00:54:09,365 --> 00:54:11,485

agencies, uh, within the organization.

: 1129

00:54:11,485 --> 00:54:16,464

So, we're kind of 1 of the big

5 of the advertising agencies.

: 1130

00:54:16,985 --> 00:54:20,514

So, obviously, at the different

events, work events, you meet

: 1131

00:54:20,515 --> 00:54:21,645

people from other agencies.

: 1132

00:54:21,655 --> 00:54:22,435

They hear about it.

: 1133

00:54:23,095 --> 00:54:24,105

I'm always talking.

: 1134

00:54:24,105 --> 00:54:26,625

I'm if I see another black brother,

of course, you always talk.

: 1135

00:54:27,385 --> 00:54:28,605

I see a black brother sitting there.

: 1136

00:54:28,955 --> 00:54:29,874

You always talking.

: 1137

00:54:30,855 --> 00:54:31,665

I can't deny it.

: 1138

00:54:31,665 --> 00:54:32,345

I talk a lot.

: 1139

00:54:32,365 --> 00:54:32,945

I'm a certified.

: 1140

00:54:32,945 --> 00:54:37,275

Yeah, but, um, just from these events,

um, and kind of the word getting out

: 1141

00:54:37,275 --> 00:54:41,325

people joining rise, but then also

spreading the word around is gotten out

: 1142

00:54:41,325 --> 00:54:45,944

to these other agencies to the point

where I personally have heard and I know

: 1143

00:54:45,945 --> 00:54:48,185

someone who was working at another agency.

: 1144

00:54:48,734 --> 00:54:49,915

I met them at an event.

: 1145

00:54:50,485 --> 00:54:51,565

You know, we were talking about rise.

: 1146

00:54:51,565 --> 00:54:52,625

He heard about rise.

: 1147

00:54:52,625 --> 00:54:54,645

I was like, I started rise.

: 1148

00:54:54,675 --> 00:55:01,075

So we kind of talk and he talked about

how he heard so many good things about

: 1149

00:55:01,415 --> 00:55:05,355

the community building and the culture

that was being built, not only through

: 1150

00:55:05,355 --> 00:55:09,915

rise, but just at the company as a

whole, as a result of rise to the point

: 1151

00:55:09,915 --> 00:55:11,379

where he wanted to come over here.

: 1152

00:55:11,380 --> 00:55:15,350

Fast forward a couple of months,

I'm walking through the offices.

: 1153

00:55:15,590 --> 00:55:16,970

Guess who I see in the office?

: 1154

00:55:17,010 --> 00:55:18,200

I'm like, what are you doing here?

: 1155

00:55:18,600 --> 00:55:19,420

Now he works here.

: 1156

00:55:19,840 --> 00:55:23,209

Um, so that just shows the,

kind of the impact that it's had

: 1157

00:55:23,629 --> 00:55:25,600

in this short year and a half.

: 1158

00:55:26,730 --> 00:55:27,710

Tony Tidbit: Exactly my brother.

: 1159

00:55:27,719 --> 00:55:29,029

And, and guess what?

: 1160

00:55:29,350 --> 00:55:30,530

You were the genesis of that.

: 1161

00:55:30,940 --> 00:55:31,590

Okay.

: 1162

00:55:31,830 --> 00:55:35,709

And so listen, final thoughts, my

man, what, listen, there's people

: 1163

00:55:35,709 --> 00:55:39,799

listening to this that are very

talented, black, white, Hispanic,

: 1164

00:55:39,819 --> 00:55:41,349

Asian, doesn't even matter, right?

: 1165

00:55:42,140 --> 00:55:44,040

But are afraid to speak up.

: 1166

00:55:44,520 --> 00:55:49,750

What advice would you leave this

audience based on your experience

: 1167

00:55:49,750 --> 00:55:50,680

of things that you've done?

: 1168

00:55:50,680 --> 00:55:54,290

And not only that, the impact

that you've started, you've had

: 1169

00:55:54,290 --> 00:55:55,340

and you can continue to have.

: 1170

00:55:55,740 --> 00:55:57,700

What advice would you give them?

: 1171

00:55:58,480 --> 00:56:04,200

All right, and how they can create their

own rise in different industries or, and

: 1172

00:56:04,200 --> 00:56:08,380

when I mean rise, I'm not just saying,

you know, uh, employee resource group.

: 1173

00:56:08,590 --> 00:56:12,900

I'm saying whatever they want to do

with new ideas in any endeavor that

: 1174

00:56:12,900 --> 00:56:15,549

they can create something by speaking up

: 1175

00:56:16,299 --> 00:56:16,709

Ricardo Yolas: exactly.

: 1176

00:56:16,710 --> 00:56:18,770

And I'll start off by this.

: 1177

00:56:19,000 --> 00:56:23,230

I growing up really until

till I got to college.

: 1178

00:56:23,695 --> 00:56:28,815

I was a very shy, quiet,

insecure, non confident person.

: 1179

00:56:28,815 --> 00:56:33,615

A lot of people now that know

me now, nobody believes me

: 1180

00:56:33,615 --> 00:56:35,155

because, you know, I talk a lot.

: 1181

00:56:35,155 --> 00:56:39,075

I'm very open, but that was because

I was the complete opposite.

: 1182

00:56:39,105 --> 00:56:41,004

And I was so tired of that.

: 1183

00:56:41,325 --> 00:56:43,895

So I've been through the

phases of depression.

: 1184

00:56:43,895 --> 00:56:44,775

I've had anxiety.

: 1185

00:56:44,795 --> 00:56:46,055

I still do have anxiety.

: 1186

00:56:46,055 --> 00:56:47,645

I just learned different

ways to push through it.

: 1187

00:56:48,135 --> 00:56:51,575

Um, And all that kind of growing up.

: 1188

00:56:51,985 --> 00:56:58,065

I feel like for me, at least I

got to a point where obviously I

: 1189

00:56:58,075 --> 00:56:59,435

knew this is not what I wanted.

: 1190

00:56:59,935 --> 00:57:03,095

There's ideas that I have in my head,

but I'm scared to go out and show it

: 1191

00:57:03,095 --> 00:57:05,255

because I'm scared of the judgment

that people are going to show me.

: 1192

00:57:06,044 --> 00:57:07,795

I mean, I'm sure a lot

of people have that.

: 1193

00:57:07,814 --> 00:57:09,674

Imposter syndrome is very real.

: 1194

00:57:10,224 --> 00:57:11,565

I've had imposter syndrome.

: 1195

00:57:11,565 --> 00:57:12,775

Just about everybody I've talked to.

: 1196

00:57:12,775 --> 00:57:13,875

I've had it in some point.

: 1197

00:57:14,875 --> 00:57:18,415

But I say this to say that if you're going

through the same things, just know that

: 1198

00:57:18,685 --> 00:57:20,025

the majority of people went through them.

: 1199

00:57:20,375 --> 00:57:23,175

The highly successful people

have been through that phase, but

: 1200

00:57:23,175 --> 00:57:24,645

they have just gone through that.

: 1201

00:57:25,155 --> 00:57:29,545

And it's not easy to get through it,

but just know that regardless of what

: 1202

00:57:29,555 --> 00:57:35,875

challenges or ideas or perceptions you

have in your head, no one thing, these

: 1203

00:57:35,895 --> 00:57:37,755

are perceptions that are in your head.

: 1204

00:57:38,200 --> 00:57:39,210

This is not real life.

: 1205

00:57:39,340 --> 00:57:42,290

That's the main thing I

got that got me out of it.

: 1206

00:57:42,650 --> 00:57:43,770

I'm a big overthinker.

: 1207

00:57:43,820 --> 00:57:45,760

I used to think everything in my head.

: 1208

00:57:45,760 --> 00:57:47,829

If I'm thinking in my

head, it must be true.

: 1209

00:57:47,830 --> 00:57:51,109

Or I try to put together a picture

and play it out in my head.

: 1210

00:57:51,109 --> 00:57:52,540

Then like, all right, this

is how I'm going to do it.

: 1211

00:57:52,910 --> 00:57:54,309

Never works like out like that.

: 1212

00:57:54,309 --> 00:57:57,130

You can't control life, but you

can control the mindset that

: 1213

00:57:57,130 --> 00:57:58,820

you have going through life.

: 1214

00:57:58,980 --> 00:58:01,650

So know that your voice has the power.

: 1215

00:58:01,840 --> 00:58:02,960

You have the power.

: 1216

00:58:02,960 --> 00:58:04,510

You have the opportunity.

: 1217

00:58:04,810 --> 00:58:09,220

Whether you think you do or not, if you

wake up today, that is your opportunity.

: 1218

00:58:09,590 --> 00:58:11,000

It's just a matter of figuring it out.

: 1219

00:58:11,550 --> 00:58:12,560

Everybody else has done it.

: 1220

00:58:12,590 --> 00:58:13,369

So why can't you do it?

: 1221

00:58:14,309 --> 00:58:14,689

Tony Tidbit: Awesome.

: 1222

00:58:14,700 --> 00:58:15,189

My brother.

: 1223

00:58:15,269 --> 00:58:15,900

I love that.

: 1224

00:58:15,900 --> 00:58:18,340

And you are a hundred

percent right, buddy.

: 1225

00:58:18,420 --> 00:58:21,809

Thank you for coming on a black

executive perspective podcast to share

: 1226

00:58:21,809 --> 00:58:23,930

your story, share your perspective.

: 1227

00:58:24,280 --> 00:58:27,590

Talk about all the things that

you've helped others, you know,

: 1228

00:58:27,620 --> 00:58:30,400

think all the way from, you know,

high school, moving forward.

: 1229

00:58:30,400 --> 00:58:32,450

So, so blessed to have met you.

: 1230

00:58:32,610 --> 00:58:35,450

And final question I have for

you, how can a black executive

: 1231

00:58:35,450 --> 00:58:36,859

perspective podcast help you?

: 1232

00:58:37,820 --> 00:58:40,699

Ricardo Yolas: Um, I say there's

three things that you can do.

: 1233

00:58:41,279 --> 00:58:43,650

First, you can help me

by helping yourself.

: 1234

00:58:43,750 --> 00:58:45,620

I always love to help the next person.

: 1235

00:58:45,620 --> 00:58:49,530

So help yourself by getting involved,

doing the thing that you're interested in.

: 1236

00:58:49,910 --> 00:58:50,989

I just picked up snowboarding.

: 1237

00:58:51,309 --> 00:58:52,990

I don't know how to

snowboard, but it looks fun.

: 1238

00:58:52,990 --> 00:58:54,630

Um, Just, just, just go do it.

: 1239

00:58:54,900 --> 00:58:56,230

And then secondly, we'll tie it back.

: 1240

00:58:56,600 --> 00:58:58,450

Uh, you can, uh, follow me on LinkedIn.

: 1241

00:58:58,640 --> 00:58:59,430

I'll be making posts.

: 1242

00:58:59,430 --> 00:59:02,810

I like to connect with people,

stay engaged, then also learn about

: 1243

00:59:02,810 --> 00:59:04,020

different people's perspectives.

: 1244

00:59:04,030 --> 00:59:06,699

I'll be posting some of my

experiences on there, hopefully to

: 1245

00:59:06,700 --> 00:59:08,659

get some motivation and likewise.

: 1246

00:59:08,660 --> 00:59:12,010

And then lastly, you can follow me

on Instagram on my creative page.

: 1247

00:59:12,010 --> 00:59:13,200

I'll be posting a lot more.

: 1248

00:59:13,200 --> 00:59:16,070

You can see more of my creative side, I

do photography on the side and whatnot.

: 1249

00:59:16,450 --> 00:59:19,960

Uh, that's at captured by

Rico with an underscore after.

: 1250

00:59:21,090 --> 00:59:21,770

Tony Tidbit: Buddy, I love it.

: 1251

00:59:21,860 --> 00:59:22,600

I'm gonna follow you.

: 1252

00:59:22,610 --> 00:59:23,410

Send me your stuff.

: 1253

00:59:23,420 --> 00:59:24,140

We'll put it up.

: 1254

00:59:24,410 --> 00:59:25,220

We'll have it out.

: 1255

00:59:25,400 --> 00:59:26,340

We'll push it out.

: 1256

00:59:26,540 --> 00:59:27,770

We're going to have you come back on.

: 1257

00:59:27,770 --> 00:59:30,630

We want to hear more about

rise in the, in the future.

: 1258

00:59:30,830 --> 00:59:33,549

So excited about you,

my brother, keep it up.

: 1259

00:59:33,650 --> 00:59:34,709

I love you a lot.

: 1260

00:59:34,749 --> 00:59:35,989

I'm so proud of you.

: 1261

00:59:36,240 --> 00:59:36,960

And guess what?

: 1262

00:59:37,590 --> 00:59:40,260

You just touching the

surface of your greatness.

: 1263

00:59:40,820 --> 00:59:43,110

You have it and it's coming.

: 1264

00:59:43,370 --> 00:59:44,640

So just keep at it.

: 1265

00:59:44,860 --> 00:59:45,700

Keep learning.

: 1266

00:59:45,900 --> 00:59:46,920

Stay positive.

: 1267

00:59:47,300 --> 00:59:48,420

Keep being aggressive.

: 1268

00:59:48,430 --> 00:59:49,460

Stay confident.

: 1269

00:59:49,530 --> 00:59:50,899

Everything is not going to work out.

: 1270

00:59:50,930 --> 00:59:54,230

That's just life, but you just got

finished saying it doesn't define you

: 1271

00:59:54,410 --> 00:59:56,740

as part of learning and moving on.

: 1272

00:59:56,760 --> 00:59:57,220

Right?

: 1273

00:59:57,529 --> 00:59:59,960

So we really appreciate you joining.

: 1274

00:59:59,960 --> 01:00:03,720

So now I think it's

time for Tony's tidbit.

: 1275

01:00:03,760 --> 01:00:10,619

And so the tidbit today is by John

Quincy Adams and John Quincy Adams says.

: 1276

01:00:10,845 --> 01:00:18,445

If your actions inspire others to

dream more, learn more, and do more,

: 1277

01:00:18,685 --> 01:00:22,295

and become more, you are a leader.

: 1278

01:00:23,035 --> 01:00:28,250

And Ricardo Yolas, That tidbit

is for you, my brother, because

: 1279

01:00:28,260 --> 01:00:30,690

you are a leader, right?

: 1280

01:00:30,690 --> 01:00:31,760

So you keep it up.

: 1281

01:00:31,830 --> 01:00:32,370

All right.

: 1282

01:00:32,620 --> 01:00:36,280

So really hope you enjoyed this episode

of a black executive perspective

: 1283

01:00:36,329 --> 01:00:38,740

podcast, breaking into spaces.

: 1284

01:00:38,750 --> 01:00:43,570

You belong, make sure that you

don't forget to follow or check out

: 1285

01:00:43,579 --> 01:00:50,190

every Thursday need Nsenga Burton,

who brings the fire each Thursday.

: 1286

01:00:50,470 --> 01:00:53,680

Bringing in topics that

you need to be aware of.

: 1287

01:00:53,680 --> 01:00:57,690

So don't forget to check her out

every Thursday on a black executive

: 1288

01:00:57,690 --> 01:01:01,030

perspective podcast need to know by Dr.

: 1289

01:01:01,030 --> 01:01:02,110

Nsenga Burton.

: 1290

01:01:02,589 --> 01:01:05,040

Now it's time for our call to action.

: 1291

01:01:05,459 --> 01:01:07,239

Buddy, are you going to help

us with this call to action?

: 1292

01:01:07,470 --> 01:01:07,729

Yeah.

: 1293

01:01:07,729 --> 01:01:08,849

I'll help you a little bit.

: 1294

01:01:09,515 --> 01:01:13,095

Okay, so BEP's call to

action is called LESS.

: 1295

01:01:13,365 --> 01:01:18,825

Alright, and our goal is to decrease

all forms of discrimination,

: 1296

01:01:19,015 --> 01:01:20,015

no matter where they are.

: 1297

01:01:20,454 --> 01:01:24,094

So LESS stands, uh, starts L E S S.

: 1298

01:01:24,395 --> 01:01:26,845

And so the L stands for learn.

: 1299

01:01:27,305 --> 01:01:33,265

We want everyone on this pot, everyone

on the planet to learn about new

: 1300

01:01:33,265 --> 01:01:38,695

people, new places, new groups,

because that's going to enlighten you.

: 1301

01:01:40,364 --> 01:01:43,454

Ricardo Yolas: The second

letter is empathize, or E should

: 1302

01:01:43,455 --> 01:01:45,185

I say stands for empathize.

: 1303

01:01:45,614 --> 01:01:48,435

And that's really you, you want to

empathize with other perspectives,

: 1304

01:01:48,445 --> 01:01:51,685

other people, other experiences,

because you never know what you can

: 1305

01:01:51,685 --> 01:01:53,465

learn from talking to the next person.

: 1306

01:01:54,105 --> 01:01:58,315

The next letter is S for share, share

your experiences, share your wealth.

: 1307

01:01:58,485 --> 01:02:03,245

Share all the education and insight

that you have with the next person to

: 1308

01:02:03,245 --> 01:02:06,335

help them out, to help them succeed in

whatever it is that they're looking for.

: 1309

01:02:07,365 --> 01:02:08,735

Tony Tidbit: Absolutely, my brother.

: 1310

01:02:08,755 --> 01:02:11,295

And the final S stands for stop.

: 1311

01:02:11,575 --> 01:02:15,335

We want to stop discrimination

as it walks in your path.

: 1312

01:02:15,565 --> 01:02:18,715

So if grandpa says something at

the Thanksgiving table that's

: 1313

01:02:18,735 --> 01:02:23,595

inappropriate, you say grandpa,

We don't believe that we don't say

: 1314

01:02:23,595 --> 01:02:26,005

that and you stop it immediately.

: 1315

01:02:26,075 --> 01:02:26,455

Right?

: 1316

01:02:26,555 --> 01:02:33,365

So if everyone can incorporate less

L E S S, this is in your control.

: 1317

01:02:33,505 --> 01:02:34,805

Don't have the right to Congressman.

: 1318

01:02:35,105 --> 01:02:37,004

This is something that everyone can do.

: 1319

01:02:37,285 --> 01:02:38,454

You incorporate.

: 1320

01:02:38,665 --> 01:02:44,755

Less L E S S will build a more fair,

a more understanding world, and

: 1321

01:02:44,755 --> 01:02:50,274

we'll see the change that we want to

see because less will become more.

: 1322

01:02:50,735 --> 01:02:54,114

So again, don't have, don't always

check out a black executive perspective

: 1323

01:02:54,114 --> 01:02:59,215

podcast, wherever you get your podcast

and you can follow us on our socials

: 1324

01:02:59,445 --> 01:03:06,585

at X YouTube, tick top Instagram and

Facebook at a black exec for our fabulous.

: 1325

01:03:07,700 --> 01:03:10,190

Superpowered guests, Ricardo Yolas.

: 1326

01:03:10,250 --> 01:03:11,330

We want to thank him.

: 1327

01:03:11,980 --> 01:03:13,160

I'm Tony tidbit.

: 1328

01:03:13,420 --> 01:03:15,010

We talked about it today.

: 1329

01:03:15,170 --> 01:03:16,470

We learned about it.

: 1330

01:03:16,869 --> 01:03:17,690

I love you.

: 1331

01:03:17,770 --> 01:03:18,550

And guess what?

: 1332

01:03:18,590 --> 01:03:19,100

We're out.

: 1333

01:03:23,400 --> 01:03:25,899

BEP Narrator: A black

executive perspective.