MOPOP (feat: Michele Y. Smith)

Summary

Gettin’ Grown – “MOPOP” (feat. Michele Y. Smith)

Podcast: Gettin’ Grown (Loud Speakers Network)
Hosts: Jade and Kia
Guest: Michele Y. Smith (CEO, Museum of Pop Culture - MoPOP)
Date: March 11, 2025

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Main Theme & Purpose

This episode blends the show’s signature Black woman-centered authenticity and humor with a meaningful conversation about inclusive leadership, culture, and self-care. At the Kitchen Table, Jade and Kia welcome Michele Y. Smith, CEO of Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP). They discuss the future of museums, the democratization of philanthropy, representation in leadership, and Black women’s wellness — all anchored in community, joy, and the messy business of adulthood.

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Key Segments & Timestamps

• [01:38] Reflections on Angie Stone and Black musical legacy
• [04:15] Kia in Austin for SXSW Edu; Black Austin stories
• [11:24] Jade’s Black History Month Keynote experience
• [17:32] Women’s History Month & MoPOP guest intro
• [23:08] Kitchen Table Talk with Michele Y. Smith (Main Interview)
• [56:41] Black Women Self Care segment with Michele
• [63:31] Post-interview talk, Seattle travel, and Black community
• [90:04] Petty Peeves
• [97:05-101:30+] TV recs, food, and cultural nostalgia

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Podcast Breakdown

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1. Opening Reflections (Loss of Angie Stone)

[01:38 – 03:51]

• The hosts express shock and sadness over the news of Angie Stone’s tragic passing, honoring her contributions to R&B and soul:

  “Honestly, Angie Stone has been cemented in the R&B and soul world for over 20 years now. The respect is always there.” – Jade [02:23]

• Extended love and prayers to her family and fans.

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2. Life Updates & Black Communities

[04:15 – 11:20]

• Kia is in Austin for SXSW Edu, reflecting on Texas’s unique whiteness and vibrant Black community:

  “There’s a really solid Black community in Austin… when you find them.” – Jade [05:43]

• Jade recounts a wild college-era bar fight in Austin (with color and humor), illustrating her younger years and lessons learned.

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3. Black History Month, Representation, and Uplift

[11:24 – 17:31]

• Jade shares her candid, empowering experience keynoting a school Black History Month event, emphasizing:

  “Never allow anybody to reduce you.” – Jade [12:45]

• She humorously recounts handling an off-track comment from a white student, noting the perseverance required to keep Black narratives centered.
• Extended solidarity for Muslims globally, especially in Sudan and Gaza, noting ongoing conflicts and sharing ways listeners can stay informed and donate.

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4. Introduction to Women’s History Month & Michele Y. Smith

[17:32 – 23:08]

• Transition into Women’s History Month and the spirit of Black history all year.
• Jade gives an enthusiastic intro for their guest:

  “Smith is a mission-focused leader…her people-centered leadership approach is the driving force behind her work at MoPOP, which emphasizes a steadfast dedication to the democratization of philanthropy, the universal language of pop culture, DEI and accessibility and mentorship of emerging leaders.” [21:19]

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Main Interview: Michele Y. Smith at the Kitchen Table

[23:08 – 61:04]

A. Michele’s Roots & Pop Culture Upbringing

[23:43 – 25:58]

• Philadelphia native, lifelong “Dirty Bird,” lover of cheesesteaks, and “global citizen.”
• Grew up during the rise of hip hop, MTV, R&B, and grunge. Experience spans for-profit and nonprofit worlds, with time living in San Francisco, Dublin, LA — and always traveling.

B. Positive Disruptor: Redefining Museums

[27:01 – 30:41]

• Michele brands herself as a “positive disruptor”:

  “When people think about museums, they think about just some dusty painting…What we’re doing here is really changing the game.” [27:12]

• Advocates for museums as spaces where BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and all communities can “see themselves reflected.”
• Emphasizes narrative storytelling over static exhibits.

C. The Power of Pop Culture

[29:40 – 30:41]

• “Pop culture has always been a reflection of society…It defines us, and we in turn define it.” – Michele Y. Smith [29:40]
• MoPOP’s mission: preserve and showcase moments that shape lives, make spaces inclusive, ensure accessibility, and allow communities to engage with what resonates.

D. Leading Through Change

[31:35 – 33:27]

• Leadership under social/political pressure—“a lot of things changing with executive orders”:

  “We’re going to do what we’ve always done, serve our community and keep it moving.” – Michele Y. Smith [31:35]

• Commitment to MoPOP’s mission and not wavering in the face of opposition.

E. Leadership Style as a Black Woman

[34:06 – 36:08]

• Transparent, inclusive, people-centric leadership.
• “Praise in public and refine in private.”
• Post-pandemic emphasis on mental health, burnout, and self-care for staff:

  “I decided that when I became a CEO I was not going to do the wrongs that were done to me.” [35:39]

F. Michele’s Journey to the C-Suite

[36:49 – 39:22]

• Started in contracts in Philadelphia; leap to United Airlines in San Francisco pre-9/11 (and the crisis management that shaped her adaptability).
• Built travel industry experience at Expedia and Royal Caribbean; developed a habit of learning every role.
• Parlayed business development and leadership into nonprofit and global roles, always “adding to her toolbox.”

G. What Does a CEO of a Museum Actually Do?

[40:06 – 42:54]

• Sets the vision, leads rebranding, expands access, builds community partnerships, ensures operational effectiveness through a strong executive team.
• MoPOP’s legacy: first museum to feature a hip hop exhibit (2000!).
• Focus on “democratization of philanthropy”—making cultural support accessible at all income levels.

H. Teamwork, Innovation & Representation

[43:11 – 46:12]

• Michele doesn’t micromanage — she “hires people smarter than me” and lets her team innovate (“I usually speak last,” [43:11]), encourages risk-taking, and workshops ideas as a group.
• Developed her leadership style through hard-knocks as “often the only Black woman in the room.”

I. Zookeeper to Culture Keeper

[46:27 – 49:13]

• Pivoted from LA/international life to Seattle as business finance manager at Woodland Park Zoo.
• Used creativity and events (“Whiskey and Wildlife”, “Brew at the Zoo”) to make conservation relevant and community-driven.
• Pandemic taught flexibility and crisis adaptation.

J. Inside MoPOP: Current & Upcoming Exhibits

[49:44 – 53:26]

• MoPOP’s 25th anniversary in June 2025.
• “Asian Comics” exhibit (cross-Asia comics history), “Never Turn Back” (gospel, blues, jazz, and soul), new hip hop exhibit (with curator Sarita Gates).
• MoPOP as more than museum — a hub for music, film, gaming, parties, food (partnering with local chefs/restaurants), mixology classes, lectures, family events, and community discounts.

K. Leadership, Humanity & Representation

[56:07] On what makes Black women’s leadership special:

“All people should be leading this way…we know what it’s like to not be treated as human beings in the workplace.” – Jade

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Black Women Self Care Talk (with Michele)

[56:41 – 61:04]

• Friday night is her sacred quiet time — no events, just rest and intentional solitude.

• Weekly self-care:

  • “I romanticize – candles, slow mornings, making my own pizza, foot mask, coffee with a Puget Sound view.”
  • Sunday = meal prep for health, reflecting, and celebration:

    “Once a month I celebrate myself. People ask, what are you celebrating? I say, myself.” – Michele Y. Smith [59:31]

• Notable Quote:

  “We work so hard, and we forget about ourselves… I would like to thank me.” [60:00]

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Final Reflections, Travel & Seattle Blackness

[63:31 – 66:32]

• Kia plans to visit MoPOP in Seattle, highlighting the city’s underappreciated Black history.
• Encouragement to listeners: “Let’s learn from Seattle’s PNW Black community!”

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Nostalgia, Food, and Black Home Ownership

[67:10+]

• Heartfelt discussion on domestic routines, DIY home improvements, and the joy of “enjoying my mortgage.”
• Black family food traditions (the sacredness of a cold Pepsi, cooking with turkey tails, fried chicken and collard greens).
• “It’s giving: I am squarely in my Big Mama season!” – Kia [74:53]

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Petty Peeves

[90:04 – 97:05]

1. Jade:

• “The corners of my mouth are raw!” – dryness, winter weather, and dehydration.

2. Kia:

• Petty annoyance with a rude, space-hogging man on a flight:

  “If you know you need that much space, get a first-class ticket, my dude.” [93:58]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Pop culture has always been a reflection of society…It defines us, and we in turn define it.” – Michele Y. Smith [29:40]
• “We are positive disruptors…advancing pop culture. Pop culture is fluid and always changing. We need to keep up with the culture, and we want to make sure that we’re relevant. We don’t want to be the blockbusters of the world.” – Michele Y. Smith [44:20]
• “When I became a CEO I was not going to do the wrongs that were done to me.” – Michele Y. Smith [35:39]
• “Flowers and celebration — people ask, what are you celebrating? I say, myself.” – Michele Y. Smith [59:31]

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Takeaways & Resources

MoPOP as a Model:

• MoPOP is a leader in inclusive, community-centric arts and culture, refusing to back down from mission or dilute representation.
• Black women’s leadership is people-first, focused on community, wellness, humanity, and innovation.

Self-Care Mantras:

• “Boundaries make self-care possible.”
• “Celebrate yourself — routinely, intentionally.”

Listener Call to Action:

• Visit MoPOP in Seattle
• Support accessible cultural institutions
• Keep learning and uplifting Black history — Black365!

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How to Connect

• Michele Y. Smith:
  • mopop.org
  • LinkedIn: Michelle Y. Smith
  • Instagram: @chelldiva
• Follow Gettin’ Grown on Patreon for visuals and bonus content

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Episode Vibe

Candid, joyful, deeply Black, and invested in nurturing both community and self. Uplifting the necessity of visionary Black women in leadership, with plenty of laughter, food, nostalgia, and practical self-care — a warm seat at the kitchen table for all.

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For more:
Check the episode description for resource links on Sudan and Gaza and ways to support global Black and marginalized communities.

Transcript

[Jade]

I' ma put you on, nephew. All right, unc.

[Kia]

Welcome to McDonald's.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Can I take your order, miss?

[Jade]

I've been hitting up McDonald's for years. Now it's back. We need snack wraps. What's a snack wrap? It's the return of something great. Snack wrap is back. When you open a Corona.

[Kia]

You hear.

[Jade]

The sounds of wherever you are a little differently, a little more Corona. And you think, think to yourself, why am I just listening? Corona La Playa awaits. Relax responsibly. Corona extra beer. Imported by Crown Import, Chicago, Illinois. Same old story back again she's not alone she's just a friend Sick and tired for you to blame you on Me, me, me now you think it's funny all you wanted to spend money all you forgot when you were down that I was around Call my love I'm all over the place anyway.

[Kia]

Oh, my God.

[Jade]

Angie.

[Kia]

Angie. Angie.

[Jade]

The sunshine has gone and we're all cried out and there's no more rain.

[Kia]

I mean, that one's.

[Jade]

That is. It really did, because, I mean, you.

[Kia]

Didn'T see it coming. It was. I mean, of course it was a tragic accident. No one saw it coming, but it was just like, what?

[Jade]

You just weren't expecting that. You know what I mean? And I know, you know, we have watched R B divas and, you know, we've all had commentary over time, but honestly, Angie Stone has been, you know, cemented in the R B and soul world for.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade]

A what? For. For over 20 years now. Honestly.

[Kia]

And the respect is always there.

[Jade]

Absolutely.

[Kia]

It's been. This is a huge loss, and we just would be remiss in not acknowledging the life and legacy of Angie Stone.

[Jade]

Yeah.

[Kia]

And we are praying for her children, for her family.

[Jade]

Yeah.

[Kia]

Yeah. That's hard.

[Jade]

Oh, man, that was hard. Yeah. We send a lot of love to. Isn't it ironic?

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade]

All you want to do is smoke crime. That is one of my favorite lines from.

[Kia]

I'm in a hotel. They're going to call the police on me.

[Jade]

No, they'll be fine.

[Kia]

Screaming out like, I'm in my house. Praise the Lord.

[Jade]

Praise the Lord. They're.

[Kia]

They're. Somebody's. The next move. Like what?

[Jade]

Somebody just yelled something.

[Kia]

Somebody just wanted to yell about smoking chronic. Someone singing.

[Jade]

That reminds me of that time Bill Nye was at my. At my catering event. He. I. He walks past the kitchen. All I hear him say is, it's so somebody smoking pot. And I was like, is that Will Nye?

[Michelle Y. Smith]

That's crazy.

[Kia]

Crazy.

[Jade]

Oh, it's nuts. Oh. But, yes, we want to send love and. And light and. And, you know, just. Just healing hands for your hearts to the loved ones of Angie Stone. A great loss for the. For the community, you know, and such a. Such a staple within the music industry. So we want to send lots of love there. How you doing, sis? What's going on with you?

[Kia]

I'm all right. I am in Austin, Texas this week for Southwest Edu.

[Jade]

Yes.

[Kia]

And it's been. It'll be an experience. I just. I just flew in today safely. Thank. Safely. Thankful. Thank. Thank you very much. Thankfully, thankfully safe.

[Jade]

Okay.

[Kia]

I'm thankfully very safe and right. I am. I am here to see what the south by Southwest street's got to offer and, you know, just managing. You know, there are lots of cowboy hats and, you know, there's just a different kind of, you know, the whiteness in Texas got a different kind of umph to it. You know what I'm saying? You know, I'm settling in.

[Jade]

Did I. Did I ever tell you about my college days? Did I ever tell you the story about my visit to Austin, My first visit to Austin?

[Kia]

I don't think so.

[Jade]

So maybe I've told this on Jaden xd. Maybe I haven't. So many moons ago, I go to Austin to visit some friends. It's my first time there. Okay. I just want to say thank you. Fabulous food city.

[Kia]

Fabulous food.

[Jade]

Good to know. Yeah, Good food. But also the black community of Austin is like a solid black community.

[Kia]

Oh, good.

[Jade]

When you find them. You know what I mean? So. And so the friends that I made and I was going to visit are like, born and raised generations. Very, like, pleasingly. What? Refreshingly black. You know what I mean?

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade]

And I don't think they get.

[Kia]

I love.

[Jade]

Because we always think about, you know, Texas and racism and that's the first thing you think about. But no, there's a really solid black community in Austin. But love that I say all that to say we all go down, you know, bar hopping to the 6th street and all of the areas or whatever. And they. They tell me up front, like, just want to let you. We're gonna go to the black bar. There's some bars where, you know, it'd be all of us. It'd be some bar. You know, we're gonna try and avoid the ones where it's none of us. So we go to one. It's a large group of us blacks in there. You know, we're having a good time. Nothing ain't crazy. All of a sudden, a Glass flies.

[Kia]

What?

[Jade]

Flies across and almost hits my homegirl. Flies across my face. Almost hits my homegirl. Bong falls. So you know, me, my home girl who I was visiting was one of my very dearest friends. She's worse than me, if you can imagine. Oh, and her brother was, you know, all. All. But, you know, we all on the same type of time. Some of the other people in the group were like, oh, nada. I don't fight. You know what I'm saying? Or what EX d Say, Joan Clay. Sidebar. Sidebar. Like, they not jumping in. No. But me, my homegirl, Janelle and her brother Jeremy was like, let's get busy. Janelle is the. Like, she's gonna. Like, she's just gonna throw the hands and ask no questions. I'm gonna ask because I need. No, I do. I want to understand. I'm not getting ready to scream with you. I want to understand before I do what I do. You know what I mean? So, okay, so we head over to. To where the Janelle flies over. I head over, and I'm like, excuse me. Why did you do that? And the white girl goes, because I wanted to my days. Janelle reaches over me and yanks that bitch off her seat. And when I tell you it was a brouhaha brawl.

[Kia]

Wow.

[Jade]

In the bar, at one point, Jeremy took his shirt off. I don't know why niggas do that in fights. I ended up throwing a bouncer off of her brother. So then. Wait. So then they're like, they let us out the bar, right? Want y' all to know.

[Kia]

Come on.

[Jade]

This. I. I had to not. I had to chunk this. You know, I don't know what I was full of, but I had to chunk this cuz he was on my homeboy.

[Kia]

Come on.

[Jade]

So they. So they break up the fight. Oh, sister, no. This was a. I would. Hello, Dora Malaj, right here. They're like, one of these things doesn't belong. It's her. I was a warrior woman. So they. They split us up. They break up. They try to break up the fight, but it's never really broken up. They put us out the back door. They put the white girl out the front door. We run around. At this point, I am livid because as soon as the girl said, because I wanted to, wow. This is like 2004.

[Kia]

Okay.

[Jade]

Yeah. So, yeah.

[Kia]

You still had the. You had the agility of a kid.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Oh, yeah.

[Jade]

No, sister, let's be. As I'm telling this story and any. You know, there may be a little judgment Flying. I just want y' all to know this was 21 years ago.

[Kia]

Yeah, it was giving you.

[Jade]

So I run around to the front of the bar, right? And meet my homegirl. All. We run around to the front of the bar. The white girl is out there.

[Kia]

They had called the police, of course.

[Jade]

Towering behind a cop. But at this point, I am not. When you told me, because I wanted to, I don't see anything rational anymore. So the girl is hiding behind the cop, which pisses me off even more. And I was like, I don't give a. About no law.

[Kia]

And I. Oh, wow.

[Jade]

Knocked the cop. No, sister, this is where it got too wild. Hold on. I knocked this. To get to this white girl. Because the objective.

[Kia]

We are in felony land now.

[Jade]

Wait. Oh, wait, I'm not done. Okay. A statue of limitations. So years ago. Sorry.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade]

You. You. If you think you had a case, you did it. So. Neither. Neither. So. So I knocked it. And that's where it was like, that's why the youth. The stupidity of youth. So I knocked this. Knocked the cop over just to get to the white girl, right? And at that point, then since set in. And it was also a holiday weekend. Remember, I was visited. It's a holiday weekend.

[Kia]

Oh, jail.

[Jade]

So, sister, as soon as we realize, like, oh, this just knocked the cop, we. We were like, right.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade]

And we take off. We end up having to run through parking garages and all kinds of things. Got away. But, yeah, that was. That was my. Awesome. That was my first time visiting Austin, Texas.

[Kia]

Wow, that was so.

[Jade]

I hope you have a great time.

[Kia]

Well, I mean.

[Jade]

That was 21 years ago. You're not getting ready to get into no mess like that. We wouldn't even. I can't tell you what bar it is, but I can tell y' all probably would not be there now, so.

[Kia]

That's true.

[Jade]

You know.

[Kia]

You know, well.

[Jade]

Well, to switch gears.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade]

I spoke at Nor Black History.

[Kia]

That's right.

[Jade]

We need an update celebration.

[Kia]

Now, did you do the Electric Slide Clinic as we discussed?

[Jade]

No, because the setup. Okay, the setup was you need space. The old school. Well, we were in the gym, but it was the whole.

[Kia]

Speak to the.

[Jade]

Okay.

[Kia]

I thought it was you.

[Jade]

No, it gave me much pressure, sister. I was.

[Kia]

You better keynote. Okay. He's giving Jade his run of the assembly. I love it.

[Jade]

But I. I love. I will say I think I went a little rogue at the end. Well, you know, I started like I was going through my notes, and then, you know, I'm giving my speech to the kids And I realized I'm only going to be able to keep their attention for a certain period of time. Okay. So then I was like, all right, don't worry about it. Like, I'm gonna. I'm gonna wrap this up soon. So I engaged them a little bit to keep them going. And at the end, as I was trying to figure out how to tie this up, where I had to truncate a bunch of what I'd already had there, I. I was like. And, you know, in this Black History Month, where they are trying to erase our contributions to society as black and marginalized people, I want you all to keep in mind to never allow anybody to reduce you.

[Kia]

Oh, boy. Wow.

[Jade]

Okay.

[Kia]

Okay. You thought.

[Jade]

I mean, it wasn't a lie.

[Kia]

Speak it to children.

[Jade]

No, I did. I had on my. I had on my. My Black Panther sweatshirt, and I was like, I. J.P. like Fred Hampton Jr. Just took over. Smooth over did. I did. And I just.

[Kia]

I wish we could have had a video recap, because I would. I would have loved. I'd have been front and center. Me and Noah would have been sitting right next to each other in the front row watching Jay leave the black history.

[Jade]

You know how you don't know how things are going until you. You don't really know how they went or how they're going because you're in it.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade]

So I asked Noah because I was like, you know, she gonna be honest with me? I was like, how was that? You know, how did it go? And she was like, it was really good. She was like, they clapped the loudest for you than they did for anybody else. And I was like, okay, all right. I was like, it made sense to you. She's like, y. It was really good. Okay.

[Kia]

I love this.

[Jade]

So, you know. You know, I tried my best with a. That was my first time speaking to a school full of middle schoolers. Okay. Literal demons walking. So I think I did pretty good by. For my first time, I. I am nothing but proud.

[Kia]

I really am.

[Jade]

Thank you. Thank you very much. I'm. Thank you. I don't. Will they ask me back? That I can't promise. After I went rogue.

[Kia]

Did you cuss? You did not cuss at the children?

[Jade]

No, I did not cuss. And a white child. A white child. So when I asked the kids, trying to engage them, you know what I'm saying? I was like, okay. So, you know, I know you all are young, but if you can think of. Think about your parents or your grandparents or even one of your educators, like, can you Think of a time when you have been given words of upliftment or encouragement. You know what? And what were those? So a couple kids raised their hand. This kid raises his hand. He's in my line of sight, so I just pointed at him. And this little goes. Travis Scott has a song where he says. And that encourages me.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade]

When I tell you it. It took the patience of you did Cristo.

[Kia]

You did.

[Jade]

For me not to go. It would be a white boy on Black History Month to be disrespectful and not take the seriously. But instead I just said, you know, that didn't uplift or encourage you, but I' ma let you rock. And I said, moving right along.

[Kia]

Okay.

[Jade]

And then I went on with the rest of my speech.

[Kia]

Travis Scott, blessed Jesus.

[Jade]

And it just made me realize I was like, you know, white boys of every age, it don't matter if y' all are in seventh grade or on Wall Street.

[Kia]

They get started early.

[Jade]

Annoying.

[Kia]

They get started.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Oh, y'. All.

[Jade]

Y' all know how to drive a nerve into the ground.

[Kia]

It is. It is a speciality. It's a speciality.

[Jade]

It is. It is. You were born into a specific type of hell. You are a. A walker on this earth to bre. Chaos and negativity to all. But anyway, thank you guys so much for listening to getting grown. Make sure you check out the Patreon where you get the. You get the visuals of all that we're doing. I want to. Before we move on to our kitchen table, I want to wish a Ramadan Kareem to all who observe. Please remember that our brothers and sisters in Sudan and Gaza and beyond are not able to observe and celebrate this holiday the way that they deserve to do so. And so we want to keep them in our thoughts and in our prayers as they continue to face, like I said, atrocities, unexplainable atrocities that we have talked about countless times. Please keep in mind to check out the links in our description box that leads you to ways that you can support, ways that you can donate, and ways that you can continue to read and educate yourself. Shout out to Sarah, who continues to update us on almost a daily basis as to the goings on of the war still happening in Sudan, the genocide still happening in Sudan. Also, you know, daily updates with all of the things that are still going on in Gaza. Remember, the ceasefire has happened, but that doesn't mean that the atrocities have stopped. And so to keep yourself in the know, you can check out those resources and you can check out the links to those resources in our description box. And with that being said, we are now in Women's History Month. We are out of Black History Month, but we are never really out of Black History.

[Kia]

Never.

[Jade]

Never once have we have a guest. Okay, we are all. We are Black History. So we have a guest at the kitchen table who I'm excited to have a conversation with. Let me tell you all something. Mama knows how to campaign and speak, so make sure you tune in. We're getting ready to have a conversation with Michelle Smith, so stay tuned to come sit with us at the kitchen table. Do that. Get more than you expect with the $5 meal deal. Part of new McValue 5 gets you a McDouble or McChicken and a small fry and a small drink and a four piece McNuggets.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Woo.

[Jade]

New McValue at McDonald's. Prices of participation may vary.

[Kia]

McDouble meal $6 in some markets for.

[Jade]

A limited time only.

[Kia]

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[Jade]

Fall came twirling right in, didn't she? It's the perfect time to refresh your wardrobe with pieces that feel as good as they look, honey. Luckily, Quince makes it easy to look polished, stay warm and smooth, save big without compromising on quality. Quince has all the elevated essentials for fall. Think 100% Mongolian cashmere from $50 washable silk tops and skirts. Very important because who has time to be trekking back and forth to the dry cleaners and perfectly tailored denim all at prices that feel too good to be true. By partnering directly with ethical top tier factories. Very important and cutting out the middleman, Quince cuts out the middlemen to deliver luxury quality pieces at half the price of similar brands. Now you know I had to get myself some fall staples because, you know, I found a couple holes in my sweaters. I probably need to put some cedar in my closet. You know how that goes. But it was an excuse because I got the cutest Mongolian cashmere crewneck sweater in a forest green. You all know how I feel about a good earth tone, so. And she was only $50. Plus I got an oversized Mongolian cashmere sweater Heather Storm Blue. Okay. So she falls into my palate but also gives me a little judge. I got a little cropped like an organic cotton micro rig crop cutaway tank top. You know, she got a little muscle cut to her. So if I want to throw it on with a chunky sweater, a denim jacket, you know, a cute pant, she's a good basic for layering. And then y' all know how I feel about looking like Shaft. Okay. I absolutely love it. I aspire too. So I was able to snag a coffee bean brown trench coat. Babe. Okay, I'm giving. Who is the woman who comes here with her hand? Jade. And also it's not just, it's not just clothing that you can purchase. There's all kinds of homegoods. I've gotten really good stainless steel pots and pans. I've told you all before. Beautiful sheet sets that feel like honey on your skin. And then you know, we were in the market for a new living room rug. So I got a Dakota handloom wool rug in a beautiful blue that is just like really great quality, a beautiful color and an incredible price. Go and get your life, all right? Go get things that you need. Keep it classic and cozy this fall with long lasting staples from quince. Go to quince.com grown for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's a full year. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com grown to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com grown welcome back. Welcome blacks to the kitchen table per use, you know what I'm saying? Because we are in a routine over here. We're very excited about our guests today because we think this is going to be a phenomenal conversation at the top of Women's history month, you know, coming off of Black history Month. But also Remember that it's black365 over here all the time period. So our guest today is Michelle Y. Smith. Michelle is the chief executive officer at the Museum of Pop Culture, a leading cultural institution renowned for its innovative exhibits and dedication to inclusivity and accessibility. Smith is a mission focused leader with extensive experience in business development, operations and finance in the non profit industry. Her people centered leadership approach is the driving force behind her work at Mopop, which emphasizes a steadfast dedication to the democratization of philanthrop philanthropy, the universal language of pop culture, dei and accessibility and mentorship of emerging leaders. Michelle's impactful leadership of Mopop has propelled the Institution to new heights, fostering unprecedented growth and recognition. Under her guidance, Mopop has been become a beacon of cultural exploration, which features an esteemed outlet such as Observer, Forbes, and Hyperallergenic and prestigious conferences like the Creative Museum Summit. Welcome to the kitchen table. Michelle Y. Smith, everybody. Hey, Michelle.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

I'm so excited. That was such a great opening. I feel so seen and heard already.

[Jade]

I mean, this is.

[Kia]

You did this.

[Jade]

All I do is.

[Kia]

There we go. I'm with family for sure.

[Jade]

Exactly.

[Kia]

And you're already very comfortable at the kitchen table. We love to have you here. So before we started recording, you let Jaden. I know where you were from originally, so let our community know. You know, who you repping. Rep your set.

[Jade]

Yes. Cause y' all rep hard.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Yes, I'm repping very hard. Just coming off the win.

[Kia]

Okay. Come on, bird.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Yeah.

[Jade]

Dirty birds. Love it.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Specifically just for the parade, because I felt, you know, when was this ever gonna happen again in my lifetime? Not saying that we aren't, but, you know, I wanted to take that opportunity, so.

[Jade]

You sound like our friend Antoinette of Around the way curls. You all know I'm always gonna direct you over there. Antoinette went home for. She's very into football. She's very into Philly. It's her city. And she went home as well for the parade. You all are a strong bunch. I respect it immensely. Now, I have to ask you a very important question before we get into all of the ins and outs of who you are and the amazing work that you do. What is your favorite place to get a cheesesteak when you go home?

[Kia]

Oh, my goodness.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Everyone always asks me.

[Jade]

I know it's not original. Sorry.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

It's like either Gina's or Pat's. You know, it depends where I like to go. Or Jim Steaks on South street or, you know, Ishka Bibbles if I want a chicken cheesesteak. You know, it depends on the mood, you know, but I also. I have to say, I would. I miss having a wawa or a. Don't have that out here.

[Jade]

So. Okay.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

I just get down and go. I ate. I ate the whole time. I landed at 7:30 in the morning, went to my hotel.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade]

And that's. That's how you're supposed to do it when you travel everywhere. I eat through everywhere. Especially when you go home. The Netherlands.

[Kia]

Especially when you go home.

[Jade]

Exactly. Especially when you go home, you know, all of the things that you want. I personally am a soda girl. I love sods. They have the best cheesesteaks. Oh, it's the spot. But this is. This is diverting completely off of topic. Michelle, we introd you, but we want you to intro yourself to the people. Tell them about yourself, who you are, not just what you do, because we'll get into what you do, but let the people know about you, who you are.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Well, you know, I was born in the 70s, so raised when hip hop was coming up into its genre. You know, went through my formative years in the 1980s with the MTV and then moved through the 90s with my formative years with R B, soul, grunge. And I've worked in for profit, I've worked in non profit. I am a global citizen of the world. So not just living in Philadelphia. Moved out to San Francisco. Most recently in my four years was living in Dublin, Ireland, in la. So you can always catch me on a flight on the weekends. So I love the travel, But I'm also into, you know, longevity and wellness because in the jobs that we're in right now, especially after the pandemic, self care is really prevalent for me. And I'm leading a institution here in Seattle, the Museum of Pop Culture that are, you know, breaking barriers. And I like to call myself a positive disruptor.

[Kia]

Yeah, Tell us a little bit more about Positive Disruptor. I like that.

[Jade]

Yeah.

[Kia]

Talk to me a little bit about.

[Jade]

I want to steal it a little.

[Kia]

Yes, we might borrow it. But let us know a little bit more about what that's about.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Well, you know, you think about, when people think about museums, they think about, like just some dusty painting and artifact that's on the wall and what we're doing here or how I'm disrupting is really kind of changing the game in the museum world. Telling stories that haven't been told about cultural heritage. Right now, it's so prevalent. You know, people are trying to erase history. You know, arts and crafts and humanities are being taken out of the schools, depending on what state that you're in. And we're really building exhibits that really are diverse, that have stories that. Where creators can see themselves reflected in the museum. You know, when I'm talking to the community around us, the bipoc community, the Asian American community, the LGBT plus community, they want to see themselves in the museum. And when I'm talking to our guests, if you don't have anything for them to come see that reflects them, how can you engage that community to be interested into your museum? So it was very important to me to change the game. That's not the normal, you know, museum route. How people are going, you know, we are putting the art on the wall and they're like, have a little, you know, thing under it, explaining it. But we're really telling the story of pop culture or the story of what the exhibit is that really focuses on that cultural heritage. And it's just something different that hasn't been done before.

[Jade]

I love that. I actually. And I want to. I want us to go back on your journey a little bit in just a second. But as you're on this, on this train, I want to keep riding it for just a. A second. So you talk a lot about pop culture and you spoke a lot about when you grew up. And obviously we know how the times have changed. When you think about, think about pop culture now, right. Automatically in our brains, we think about the Real Housewives of where the. Or please know, you know, the Hades Room, you know, or whatever the case is. But we know that pop culture is so much more than that and that it was, it was deemed something different early on. When I think about. About pop culture early on, I think about a Keith Haring or a Basquiat, like that was a pop culture. Right. So tell us a little bit more about why pop culture is so important to you and highlighting it in these ways, especially through your work at Mopop.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Yeah, I mean, pop culture has always been a reflection of society. So it's capturing what we celebrate. Right. And what we challenge and what we aspire to become. I say that pop culture is a part of everyone's identity. It defines us, and we in turn define it. And when I was drawn to the museum, it was because of its unique role of preserving and showcasing these moments in history and then ensuring that they were accessible for future generations. And so in my role, I want to make sure I have a space where diverse stories are told and where creators can see themselves, where it's reflected, and where communities can engage with the culture that has shaped their lives. We've expanded our focus on accessibility and inclusivity, making sure that everyone feels seen and heard. So I think that's the evolution of pop culture within a museum and how I view it in today's society.

[Kia]

I love that being representative, pop culture being something that is sort of co developed by all of the people that are within a particular culture. And that is absolutely critical, especially given the climate that we're navigating. And just thinking about museums, like you said, as these institutions that house history and culture. Talk a little bit about what it's like in your position, like in this time, we'll go a little bit. We'll go back and talk about sort of like, you know, your journey to where you are right now and what it's like being a leader in your field. But I'm curious to know, like, given that and sort of where we are and all that you said about how museums are so critical to our society right now. Talk a little bit about what it's like in your position at this time.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

You know, I think people always want to challenge you and put you off track. But we have a strategic and operational plan with the mission that we're sticking to, you know, representation as an executive level in the museum and nonprofit world. We're just really sticking to what we always do. The mission of being inclusive, the mission of representing our community. It's not going to change just because the places where there's societal pressure around us to change. We're going to do what we've always done, serve our community and keep it moving. And that's kind of where we stand. You know, I talk to my team about it. There's a lot of things changing with executive orders, and I'm like, well, we have a roadmap and we're going to stick to it. And that's, you know, basically how we're moving in this current time.

[Kia]

And that's so important because there's so much. So much is being done to change the narrative and trick people into believing that they've been behaving in ways that they haven't been. Right. So a lot of what is coming out in these executive orders and different sort of policies and systems and structures, they're trying to reshape what our work has always meant. And I think it's important that we continue to double down. Right. So you have a mission statement. We're not just making things up over here. This is actually like, we're doing things as designed. I don't know how y' all do stuff over there, but this is how we doing stuff over here. I love that.

[Jade]

I love that this is what we're doing.

[Kia]

Yeah, yeah.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Like staying committed to what you said you were always going.

[Kia]

Absolutely.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

That model of that behavior that you've always been. I'm not changing the direction because somebody else. I take that white noise and, you know, put it over here, and I already have a road map. And, you know, talking to my team about that is like, we know where we're going.

[Kia]

We know what we want to do.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

And so that's. That's how we're moving through things right now.

[Kia]

You're trying to conflate the terms diversity with things like discrimination. And it's never been that, like, like it's never been that we do that.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

All the ways that we work.

[Kia]

Exactly.

[Jade]

Just piggybacking off of this particular conversation, you know, you said you, you talked to your team. I'm curious to know about your leadership style because you've been in many different fields in the same through line, but like very different, which again we're about to talk about in a second because I have questions, but what's your leadership style, especially as a black woman in your position? What, how do you, how do you, how do you engage your team?

[Michelle Y. Smith]

You know, I am very inclusive. You know, I'm black and white. I'm unapologetic. I'm, you know, I praise in public and you know, refine in private, you know, and everybody knows what they need to do. I lead, I have transparent leadership. You always know what you need to do, you know, and that's why we have that roadmap. We don't go outside of it to our friends, to our public, to our donors. All you need to do is follow what our mission says that we're going to do. And then, you know, we really have these great conversations. I want people to come to work feeling good. I want them to take a step back if they're unwell. And especially after the pandemic, everybody's been, you know, burnout, anxiety. And we're really trying to programs that really focus on mental health, well being and self care. Because you know, what I noticed after the pandemic is that a lot of people's anxiety was up to here. Most people were burned, work out. And so you have to manage a little bit differently. I'm unapologetically who I am, but I also want to make sure that people, when they're coming to work, that they feel well, that they're not stressed out, that we have programs for, for them to take care of themselves and feel fine about that. Because we already have people who are passionate about what they're doing, but we want to make sure that they are mentally good and that they are physically able to come to work. And I've just noticed something about that. So I'm people centric, you know, and I deal with who you are individually when I'm talking to you. What might work for you might work different for somebody else. And so I'm really open to that because I decided that when I became a CEO I was not going to do the wrongs that were done to me when I was coming up, being in leadership or being an employee. And I knew that that was important for my style when I was going to be leading in an organization or just being a manager of someone.

[Jade]

That's. So you see why black women are so important in this world, because the fact the things that you're focusing on, they sound like they are outof the box. Wonderful missions. And this company is. Is people centric. Like you put even a beautiful phrase on it, but it is really how all people should be leading. You would get such better quality of work out of your employees if you actually treated them like human beings. And this is why black women are so important, because we know what it's like to not be treated as human beings in the workplace. Take us back a little bit, Michelle. Let's go back to the beginning. How, how did you get here? Go take us at the start of your journey and how you got here.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

You know, it was a tangled web we weave. I was living in Philadelphia working for, for a company really focused on contracts and different things. But again, I had the travel bug and a lot of my friends were working for the airlines and I had the opportunity to work for United Airlines, which took me out of Philadelphia. I was a little bit nervous about that because I said to my mom, I'm like, I don't really want to go to San Francisco. But she's like, you can always come back, you know. So, you know, I moved out to San Francisco, Cisco and was working with flight attendants around 9 11. And that really, you know, changed the trajectory of my, you know, career. Two of those planes were some of the flight attendants that worked in my, my domicile. So I got a lot of crisis management at that time when we didn't know what was going on with the world. And then I took a furlough because at the time, remember, 911 went into bankruptcy, I was very young, so I could move through a furlough and do things and, you know, went on to [e-mail] before it was, before it was Expedia and got my travel chops and working in Las Vegas, opening up, you know, Expedia on the tab and then went to Royal Caribbean, started selling cruises and working with the travel agent community. And my career has kind of gone through opportunities that have fallen in my lap from building relationships with vendors or people to get me to where I was. I had a really big business development background. But one thing that always stuck in my head from my child of how I got here is my mom, who's no longer alive, put it in my head to make sure that I knew every role within any organization that, you know, as a black woman, we're always looking to be, you know, two times ahead of whatever, what we're supposed to be doing. And so for me, every role that I learned, I took those learnings because I use them at my next role to get me to where I need to be and keep adding that even, even today in my current job, learning new things and adding that to my toolbox to propel me forward for other things or other boards or different things like that. And so that's how I kind of move through my career as a director, then to a vice president and then I added some international experience on there. So kind of rounding out this package of being in a for profit world. Now I'm in a nonprofit world and really merging those things together to get me to the C suite of an organization right now.

[Kia]

I love that we talk a lot on getting grown about how, you know, you don't. It's good to have a plan, but the journey is going to be what it's going to be. And it's just about being open to opportunities and building relationships and just seeing where one, how one thing leads to another. Can you tell us for those? I mean, I'm curious, but what, what does the CEO of a museum do, like day to day? Just getting just to sort of understand. And I know we all think of like what we know, like what CEO and we get sort of the reference in like the for profit or commercial space. Right. But like, what does it mean to be a CEO of a museum, Especially of a museum like Mopop.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

It's a very exciting time. Being a CEO of a museum is really the vision. You have the vision. So right now we came out with a new strategic and operational plan that really defines who we are. It's really making sure that I am the face of the organization. Talking about, we just did a rebrand with our marketing team and talking about who we are in this third iconic decade to take us back. You know, when the museum was just opening in 1997, we were collecting hip hop flyers from the 1970s and in 2000 opened. We were the first museum to put hip hop as a genre, as a exhibit. When the form was, you know, people were like, why would you have a hip hop exhibit? Fast forward. You know, in 2023, we're celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip hop. And you know, we're working with, you know, Vicki Toback, who was a big creator, and Fab 5 Freddie from Yo Mt V Raps. And we have the largest hip hop collection, one of the largest hip hop collections in the world, where we have MTV or Netflix or people wanting to borrow our, you know, original flyers. When we had Tribe Called Quest and we had his original contract of when he was signing with a record deal. And that's history and legacy. So what I do really is work to help, you know, build the mission and propel us forward. We have some great educational programs that bridge the cultural literacy gap, and I'm the face of the organization. But I also make sure that I have a strong executive team that's running the finances or, you know, building the web presence. I do a lot of events. I'm building. One of the things that's really important to me is the culture of philanthropy and making sure it's more accessible to the community. Because, you know, not everyone is Bill and Melinda Gates that can give a million dollars. But if buy a membership to my, you know, if you just buy a membership to my museum, you are supporting my mission and you are a loyal fan members. And as you get more money, you may donate to this museum that you have brought your multi generational family to. And so that is the democratization of philanthropy, building those things, getting out into the community, becoming a community ally. So I do a lot of speaking events and I do a lot of events with my team here in Seattle. So it's really the vision of the organization and really relying on your executive and senior leadership team to run the operations, that's the key.

[Jade]

That's one of the big keys to good leadership as well, is knowing when to allow the people in the other positions to operate the ways that they need to. And it also takes it off your own plate, hovering all over people, wasting everybody's time, getting on everybody's nerves.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Well, I don't like to micromanage. And one of the things that I do is when we're talking about making a decision in the room and I'm sitting in there with my entire team, I usually speak last because I know that my thoughts hold weight and that may not let anybody get out their thoughts. And I want to let people know that there is no wrong idea. It is okay to fail. We want to be innovative and positive disruptors. So put it out there. Let's talk about it. Let's workshop it. That's what I tell my team. Let's workshop this. Like, this seems like a really good idea. I know it sounds A little off in the revenue, but let's break this down as a team and let's maybe try it as a pilot before we, you know, scale it up. Because I think, you know, for us, I tell my team, we are positive disruptors. We are, you know, advancing pop culture. And pop culture is fluid and always changing. So we need to keep up with the culture, and we want to make sure that we're relevant. We don't want to be the blockbusters of the world. We want to be the innovators of the world. So it's really important to me to sit back and let my team do what they do. I. I should hire. I hire people that are smarter than me. They're the experts.

[Jade]

They make me look good.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

You know what I mean? And so I have. I have an amazing team that works for me. And, you know, we have hard conversations and we, you know, go through things, but at the end of the day, we have a respectful environment where they are allowed to feel innovative and open and inclusive. And we just workshop everything that we do to make sure it matches up with revenue expenses. Oh, where. That's why people feel very included.

[Jade]

Where did you. Where did this leadership style come from? Did you have a model in front of you? Did you have somebody who taught you? Did you learn through your various experience because you have such a diverse background of experience? Where did this. This come from?

[Michelle Y. Smith]

I learned through my experiences of growing up in being in the corporate world. You know, as a black woman, you know, I was faced with. With a lot of microaggressions. Nine times out of ten, I'm the only black woman in the room, traveling internationally in different cultures. And so I just learned this on my own and how I felt. You know, I had some great mentors, but for me, nobody can be me sitting in a room by myself with 10 men or the only black woman in the room. And I had to figure out, like, how do I want to show up? How am I. How am I going to make other. Other people feel? Because I still, to this day, in some areas, sometimes have people dealing with microaggressions or saying things that undercut what really happens, and I have to correct them because they're wrong sometimes, or they have the wrong narrative about me or they have the wrong perception about me. Just because I am straight and to the point doesn't mean that I'm aggressive. I'm just clear, concise. I use data to make informed decisions. There's a difference.

[Jade]

Y.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Sometimes I have to educate, and there's a Lot of learning and unlearning that people still have to do in this time.

[Jade]

Absolutely, absolutely. Oh, oh, we about to say no, go ahead.

[Kia]

You going? Go ahead.

[Jade]

Oh, I just want. Take us back. Okay. So we started to the top of your journey, but you did some work with the zoo. Yes, and I want to get into that. Can you tell us about that experience when you were working with the zoo?

[Michelle Y. Smith]

You know, again, I came to the zoo at a time in my life. I, you know, moved from LA and I was still working in the international space and I had a big change in my life and I wanted to start over fresh and I wanted to come to Seattle because I had always worked here for other companies but didn't live here. And I was like, if I have the opportunity to live here, I'm going to try it. And I changed my role. And they were looking for a business finance manager of the Woodland Park Zoo, which is one of the number one zoos in the world in the way that they operate. And really, you know, had a great time there. And they hired me and I started to work through the zoo and went through Covid with them and did a lot of different things during COVID You know, Seattle was the first place where covet happened and then.

[Jade]

Yeah.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

And so we did some amazing things over there at the zoo. It's 125 year old zoo, 100 acre campus and it had over 1100 exotic animals in the care. I'm not a zoologist at all, so I don't. I learned so much about animals that I didn't even know, especially in the middle of COVID because animals can get Covid. So there was a lot going on during that time. But one of the things the zoo wanted to do is that they wanted to make conservation, you know, relatable and cool and how could we do those types of things. So under my purview as the cfo, we did a lot of events like Whiskey and Wildlife, you know what I mean? Brew at the zoo, concerts at the zoo. So really, you know, adding that educational lens, talking about why conservation is important or climate change in this time, learning about the animals, you know, traveling, you know, we had giraffes and hippos and maybe you weren't able to go to Africa, but we could educate you on that and make some fun around it at the same time. And so, you know, to level up in those ways, I would call it extraordinary experiences that drove revenue but also made a social impact. So my time at the zoo was great. It really helped Me get to where I am at the CEO job, because at that time, you know, everything shut down. We were closed for five months. We reopened, and I learned a lot of skills that really have helped me in my current role today by working at the zoo.

[Kia]

I love that. I think a common thread, like through your, if you like listening to your stories and looking at your bio, has been about making things accessible and bringing in the community and making sure that we understand and that things are not lost on us or other conversations or spaces where people of color or people of other identities had not all the time being made privy or been made available to us. It's about sort of bridging those. Those gaps culturally. And I think that's pretty dope.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Yeah.

[Kia]

And I love. I love to hear more about, you know, what's. What's your favorite exhibit at Mopop right now? You know, I remember you Talked about the 50th anniversary of Hip hop, but is there anything going on in 2025 that. That you guys are excited about?

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Well, in 2025, in June, we are turning 25 years old, so we're going to be celebrating. Celebrating a quarter century of pop culture. But next, you know, this week, actually, we have our Asian comics, which is really an evolution of an art form which highlights the history and the influence of comics across Asia. But we're also. My next favorite one is Never Turn Back, which is focusing on the deep cultural roots of gospel, blues, and jazz and soul. So that is our next exhibit after Asian comics. And then we have another hip hop exhibit that we're doing with Sarita Gates, which is another. A great curator out there on hip hop. So those are our three exhibits this year. We're also going through a glow up of. We have a restaurant and lounge in our museum. And so we're almost finished with the glow up, making the lounge upstairs kind of loungey with the, you know, different things. We have a Frank Gary building. So Frank gary made about 33 different buildings. He's 94. And so it's a very unique building. The monorail through it. It's pretty slick. We're known for our, you know, big parties. But one of the biggest things I love about the glow up of the cafe and the lounge is that we actually work with community restaurants or people that have products. You know, we might say, this chef's going to be here at Mop, come down and buy their burger for a week. Again, helping the community and making sure it's a community space. The upstairs, we're gonna have, you Know, mixology classes after dark because we have like a door that opens up so that the whole museum doesn't have to be open, but you can do, you know, a mixology class or we're doing Silence of the Lamb and you know, when it's around the horror times or a Star Trek dinner.

[Jade]

Why was I just talking about Silence of the Lambs and those damn fava beans? I'm sorry.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Everybody's looking for some type of different experience. And so we can bring these different experiences with the cafe and lounge. And we also have a retail space. So again, bringing it back to the community. We have an apartment program that I went into all the apartments and said, hey, you are right here around the neighborhood. Let's get you into the newsletter to tell you about what's going on with the museum. Let. Let me get you a discount and come, you know, bring community in. We're not just a place where you can go to the exhibits, but you can actually go see a book signing. So we just did a book signing with Janie Hendricks with her new exhibition experience book that came out in comic books. So you get to see lectures and different things like that. So it's, you know, something for everyone. Like the whole family can come to the museum and somebody could be here at the book signing. Somebody could be up in the lounge, the kids could be playing in the sound lab, learning an instrument or going to a class or camp. So we're really trying to bring that back to focus on the community hub. We do have international visitors, but. But again, we're just trying to do something for everyone to continue to be there. Right now we really need community, and so we want to be that ally.

[Kia]

Yes. And I love that because it's like, you know, museums. Thinking of museums as cultural institutions and like you said, hubs where communities should not just go. Not only to just learn about the culture through the exhibits, but to actually be a part of the culture, to experience. And culture is one of those things where it is not at all limited to sort of, you know, one format. It's not just art, it's not just books, it's not just music. It's all of these things happening at one time. So I love that and thank you for sharing. I'm in Seattle quite a bit these days, so I'm going to have to pop out down to the Mopop.

[Jade]

I was thinking that I'm very jealous because first of all, I was looking at Mopop online and I said, look at this building.

[Kia]

I'm gonna have to Pop like this. That's the thing. That's the thing.

[Jade]

I'm gonna have to pop out to the. Yeah, Michelle, I'm coming to do it. Like, I'm coming to cook food.

[Kia]

Do you guys have an event space.

[Jade]

Right?

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Oh, we do. We do have an event space. So we just did our gala last year. So we do one fundraising gala a year. It's called the Icons of Pop Culture, focused on our four pillars. Fashion, film, gaming and music. And so last year, our music icon was Janelle Monae.

[Jade]

Okay.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

For us, yes. But we honor, you know, the community in terms of those four pillars. So last year we had film, you know, you know, community, all those different types of things. It was, you know, a new genre of way. We did our format. We opened it up to the community. Janelle Monae came out and she showed out, showed up, and we raised a lot of money. Good times for the museum. So, yeah, we do all types of events. We, you know.

[Kia]

Yeah, we have to do.

[Jade]

I'm envisioning a getting live.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

To come to, like, just be, like, on location.

[Jade]

I would love to have you listen. We'll do some food. We'll do a show like, okay, get gross covered to the P and W to the mo pop, which I'm obsessed with saying, by the way. I was saying it all before we recorded. I was like, mopop is such a word. Like, I just.

[Kia]

I love it. I love it.

[Jade]

Michelle, this is so awesome. And, you know, we're really grateful that you also amplified this wonderful leadership, you know, as a black woman. But, like, when it comes to all. All of the different fields that you've worked through, I love the way that you. That you talk about leading.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade]

Because it really comes from a place of humanity, and you can really feel that through how you speak. And so we're grateful for you coming to share your. I have one more question expertise with us. Please.

[Kia]

I want to ask. I want to ask. Since we were talking in the beginning, you said that self care was something that is something that is the core value for you, not only in your personal practice, but even as a leader. And I would love to know how you, Michelle Y. Smith, CEO of mopop, is taking care of yourself. I would love to know what. Because we have a segment here on getting grow.

[Jade]

I think that's a good question.

[Kia]

Yes. We have a segment here on getting grown called Black Women Self Care where we talk out loud about the things that we're doing to care for ourselves and for each other. And would just love to hear from you about what are some of your practices and the things that you would like to do or aspired or aspired to do in the self care space.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Well, one of my biggest things that I'm working on this year because I'm back to back every day. I've been up since 4:30 in the morning and I could be out every night doing an event. So I've been very intentional about what I accept do for events now, not burning myself out because before, you know, when you first start you're like yes, yes, I'm gonna do that.

[Jade]

Yes.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

And you're like exhausted. One of my major things is boundaries. So my Friday is really, you know, booked for me to get ready for a podcast or write a speech for an opening so that I can kind of power down myself and get myself ready for the next week so I'm not jumping in and you know, all over the place. Friday nights for me is usually a non negotiable where I don't go out. I actually really take that time for myself because I've been talking to people all the time and so I enjoy your Morgan.

[Kia]

I'm gonna enjoy my own more. Yeah.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Turn on the lights. I put on the candle.

[Kia]

I'm just gonna be. I love that being quiet on a Friday night is my favorite thing. So I'm going to be okay.

[Jade]

It really is.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

I got one of those little Samsung TVs that you can.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

And I just really like romanticized of course. Like I'm like I'm gonna make like last week I was like I'm gonna make a pizza. I'm gonna like, you know, you know, make my. Did you fry it?

[Kia]

Did you fry?

[Jade]

How'd you do it? How'd you prepare?

[Kia]

Did you fry it or was it a pan sear situation?

[Michelle Y. Smith]

No, I fried it in the air fryer because I got quick about it. But the other thing, the you know the things under your eyes.

[Kia]

Yes, your eye patches and put the.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Foot mask on and I just really kind of decompress. My other big thing is Saturday mornings I wake up slowly and I have my coffee because I have a great view of the Puget Sound. So I really like to sit there and have running out the door. And then Sundays my non negotiable is, is that I cook. I actually pre prep a lot of my food to set me up for success. So that's one big thing for me so that I don't eat bad things. So I have a refrigerator right behind me in my office with a shake and you know, I Pre prep a lot of things to make my life easier and reset myself up. So that's some of the things that I do. And then once a month I celebrate myself. Whether it's I take my to dinner or I might get on the plane and go like to a hotel, period.

[Kia]

I'm outside.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Yeah, I just go celebrate myself. I think it's important. You know, flowers and those are the self care things that I like to do for myself. But I do celebrate myself. And people will ask me, I'll be sitting at the bar and I'll say I'd like a glass of champagne. They're like, what do you celebrate? And I'm like myself.

[Kia]

Me. Yes. I would like to thank queens, kings.

[Jade]

And royalty in between. Are you all listening to this possibility model?

[Kia]

I would like to thank myself. I would like to thank myself. I'm sorry.

[Jade]

I would like to thank me.

[Kia]

Thank you.

[Jade]

Okay. I'm here because of me. Okay. I love every bit of.

[Kia]

We work so hard, right?

[Michelle Y. Smith]

And we forget about.

[Jade]

I forgot that clown ass.

[Kia]

We got to stop saying it now. Dang it.

[Jade]

Okay, I'm sorry, but no.

[Kia]

Michelle, this has been a joy. Like I said, I. I frequent the Seattle and so I'm gonna have to hit you up and pop out. We're gonna, we're gonna talk because we're not kidding about this live experience.

[Jade]

No, we're not joking.

[Kia]

We are. We need to.

[Jade]

Hello culture. We need all up. You know what I'm saying? Okay.

[Kia]

This is what we do. And I feel like that would be a blast. And I just want to come and see the building.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

We would love to have you. Oh my goodness. It'll be so much fun. Food fashion podcast.

[Kia]

Let's do it.

[Jade]

Oh, I'm very excited about this. Okay, well, you all heard it. It's not going to be be the last of us alongside Michelle. Michelle, please tell the people where you would like them to find you. And we'll also have all of it linked in the description.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Yes, definitely. You can find [e-mail] because really that's the everything that we're doing. You can see all of our events, what we're doing, how to be a member, what we have coming up next, I have a LinkedIn profile under Michelle Y. Smith. You can find me on Instagram. Instagram under shell Diva. C H L E D I V.

[Jade]

A I love that.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

There we go. But yeah, follow me, follow the museum. We have so many things to offer for everyone and we're just, you know, grateful to be on this podcast. To amplify our voice even more.

[Kia]

Thank you for all that you do.

[Jade]

You are such a.

[Kia]

Yes, you're such a joy. Thank you for all the work that Mopop is doing to make sure that our culture remains centered and focused on representing all of us in the amazing ways that you do that. Thank you for everything. You're welcome at the kitchen table at any time. Please come back and see us soon, anytime.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Oh, thank you so much, you guys.

[Jade]

All right, you all stay tuned for the next segment and make sure you check out the description box to see all of the things that are going on at Mopop and how you can connect with Michelle directly. There's something for everybody. And this, this just might be the something for you. Self Conscious with Chrissy Teigen, a new podcast by Audible. You all have seen Chrissy over the years with her hands and a lot of pots, literally and figuratively. Well, she's taking a dive into wellness. Self Conscious is all about exploring personal growth and well being. Very we ask and don't judge, but with great conversation, it's a safe space to really get into the muck of figuring things things out. Each week she talks to top experts about life changing ideas and tools you can actually use. She's had people like Mel Robbins, Nedra Glover, Tab, who we've had the honor of chatting with here at the kitchen table. Adam Grant and Gabby Bernstein on the show. Some names. Okay. I love that. Whether you're just getting your feet wet in this whole well being thing or have been on the journey for lifetimes, there's literally something here for everyone. Self Conscious with Chrissy Tekin, the new wellness podcast from Audible. Expand your self awareness, gain valuable insights and become more self conscious. New episodes drop each week. Go to audible.com chrissy podcast or wherever you get your podcast and start listening today. I deserve welcome back.

[Kia]

Shout out to Michelle. Okay, that conversation was really dope and I enjoyed spending time with her. Looking forward to, you know, getting more acquainted with Mopops, more to come.

[Jade]

I mean, I'm very jealous. I can't go to Mopop right now.

[Kia]

Honestly, I, I too, I, I mean the next time I come to Seattle, sis, it might be worth popping out.

[Jade]

I think so. Yeah, I think so.

[Kia]

And Seattle has especially. Oh, I know. And I have to go. We should plan to go in the summertime because Seattle in the summertime is chef's kiss.

[Jade]

And Seattle has also has a. A strong black community that's been there for a long time that I think also gets overlooked in conversation. Listen and I'D just be curious to go and, you know, mingle with the PNW blacks and learn more about that history because I don't know much about it.

[Kia]

Y' all let me know if that's something y' all into. But it's feeling like, it's feeling like a go to me, but.

[Jade]

Right.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade]

And our sister friend is there, so.

[Kia]

Yes, I'm sure she'll pop right down.

[Jade]

Yes.

[Kia]

So we talked. So Michelle shared her self care and the things that she was doing and I related to it. She actually stole a little bit of mine because I have to tell you, I am in the. I am in the height of travel season. Okay. Work travel is up and swinging. Okay. I was in Indiana last week. I'm recording now from Austin, Texas. I got to go to New Orleans in a couple of weeks. You know, y' all pray for me on these planes. Okay. But Jesus. Exactly.

[Jade]

Yes.

[Kia]

So my self care, I only had like a couple of days between trips and so I did was very intentional this weekend about getting everything that I needed to get done. All my little errands and things. I ran those on Saturday because Sunday I was going to lock myself in my home and stay there and not leave all day. And I don't get a lot of time like, you know, you know, post pandemic. I haven't had a lot of time where, you know, I was, you know, just completely home like planted and it was short lived. I wish that I could have had a couple more days, but it was a good strong 24 hours in my own home.

[Jade]

That's. There's nothing like it.

[Kia]

I got laundry done. I got a little laundry done. I enjoy, I had some couch time. I cooked in my kitchen. I had a nice luxurious shoe shower. I slept in. I took my time. You know what I'm saying? I just enjoy my mortgage. I enjoy my home. And you know, especially coming off of the, the blackout, the economic blackout that we did on February 28, you know, where we stayed home and ate what was in our refrigerators and did not consume.

[Jade]

Yeah.

[Kia]

You know, that, that, that really wasn't hard for me. And I feel like moving forward I'm going to try to do more of that, you know, just, you know, having some blackout times of my own where I am just a little bit more conscious of how I'm spending both my money and my time, what I'm investing in and. Absolutely. And you know, just, you know, being grateful and enjoying what I have. Enjoying what I have. I'm doing another purge. I'm enjoying shopping my closet again. You know, these are the things that we are doing. Yes.

[Jade]

And it was, and you're looking good shopping your closet.

[Kia]

If I do say so.

[Jade]

Thank you myself.

[Kia]

Thank you, sister. I, I, I really appreciate that. And so we're having a time. I enjoy my home. That was my self care. It was some time. Me and my mortgage spent some quality time this weekend and it was beautiful. It was beautiful.

[Jade]

Beautiful. I love that.

[Kia]

How about you, Mia?

[Jade]

Yes. You and your mortgage. That's right.

[Kia]

Right.

[Jade]

Well, you know, it's funny you talking about home as we are, you know, entering spring soon and the spring equinox is coming. Thank God.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade]

Coming out of my hibernation, you know how I am a bear. So I'm finally getting ready to emerge.

[Kia]

That going out a little bit.

[Jade]

I, you know, you know, ever so slightly I've had to, you know, be out and about a little bit. But like now is when I feel, I start to feel a little bit more alive even in the midst of hell. So for sure I, you know, we had been talking about move, you know, leaving and moving out of state and figuring out like what we wanted to do and we realized we were like, you know, there's no reason to rush out of this apartment. You know, it's a decent sized, you know, we might want to judge a couple of other things up. But if we're gonna be here, we're gonna be here. So for right now.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade]

So I am about to be a DIY girly, which I am not at all. Not even a little bit and not a handy whatsoever. And I'm going to wallpaper my kitchen. I'm going to do these countertops things situation on my countertops. Okay. And I'm gonna put a backstory splash.

[Kia]

Okay.

[Jade]

Behind my stove in sink. And I will put all of this on the Patreon for you all as you know, you know. So once I secure all of the items, then we're going to do it.

[Kia]

Have you already paint my cabinets? Have you started? Did you order your wallpaper?

[Jade]

That's what I. So I'm narrowing it down. I have three. So I'm narrowing that down. Once I narrow that down or once I decide from the narrow down down, then I'll go ahead and order the things and then from there I can pick up a cabinet color that I want to paint the cabinets and then.

[Kia]

You know, like a print or a solid, like give me a vibe. Give me nothing too specific. Like, you know, it's okay if you're still pulling it together. But which direction are we headed in?

[Jade]

Well, it's a very jade direction. And so the. The one that I feel like I'm leaning the most into the kitchen is an array of mushrooms.

[Kia]

That's so good.

[Jade]

Yeah, it's a. Oh, let me see. I can show you a picture. And then if you all are on Patreon, then you can see. So an array of my. It's an array of mushrooms in the kitchen.

[Kia]

I love this.

[Jade]

And so. So this is what I'm leaning the most toward. Okay.

[Kia]

So. Yeah. Okay. So that for the real live mushroom.

[Jade]

And then I'm leaning towards this for the backsplash. I think I've decided on it, but I'm leaning on this for my little backsplash.

[Kia]

Okay, I like that. I like that.

[Jade]

Yeah.

[Kia]

Okay.

[Jade]

And then we're gonna do a butcher block situation on the counters, and then from there, I will paint the cabinets and give myself a rejuice. So I feel good, you know, as I have been promising food content for 9 million 237 years, I need to actually do that. And I said, I need to feel good in the space that I'm going to do it in. So what is going to make me feel good? So I feel like I'm coming alive this spring. I made a list today, like a handwritten, getting done list. You know what I mean? And I'm Was crossing, you know, but took a break to eat lunch. Took a break when I needed a break, but it was, like, still getting through it. I love the visualization of, like, what I need to do. So, you know, I'm feeling like. Like a flower.

[Kia]

Come on. You had a good. You had a good, sturdy Monday. I love that.

[Jade]

I. I did have. I felt good this Monday. I'm not gonna hold you.

[Kia]

You know, I love that. It's rare you did that.

[Jade]

So.

[Kia]

Deserved, but deserved. I love it.

[Jade]

Yeah, I'm into it. We both deserve and didn't have to cook because I did Sunday dinner fried chicken, which I hadn't made in a.

[Kia]

Really long time, and sometimes just got to fry some chicken. Sometimes you've just got to fry some chicken.

[Jade]

I asked Justin, I was like, what you want for Sunday dinner? And he was like, you know what you ain't made in a minute? Fried chicken. And I was like, say less. I said, what you want with it? What kind of starch? He said, I want a mashed potato this year, not a Mac and cheese.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade]

So I made some collard greens. I made a good batch of collard greens, too. And I had to use turkey tails instead of next, because now you know what?

[Kia]

Now listen, listen, listen, listen.

[Jade]

Don't sleep on a turkey tail.

[Kia]

This is what I'm finna tell you, because we all know that you can't go wrong with a turkey neck. Right? We know that the turkey neck is being optimal flavor. You know what I'm saying? And there's a good meat. There's a.

[Jade]

It's meaty enough.

[Kia]

You know what I'm saying? But, you know, and. But it's flavorful. It's not fatty, but it's still flavorful. But if you mess around and sometimes the fat of the turkey tail, to me, it just gives it a little bit more flavor.

[Jade]

Can you talk about it? Because I literally, when Tristan walked in, I said, my. I'm not gonna hold you. This is one of my better batch of greens.

[Kia]

And I think it's the detail that makes the difference, because that bra. That broth off the turkey tail.

[Jade]

Yes.

[Kia]

It's so full of flavors, especially if you salt it just right.

[Jade]

And I caramelized my onions.

[Kia]

Oh, yeah.

[Jade]

So I care. So I seared the smoked turkey tails. And then. And in the meantime, I roast. So I roast a lot of garlic because I find that it enhances the flavor of things of most. So I roasted garlic. Yeah. Instead of just chopping and putting in. So roasted. That caramelized the onions with the seared smoked turkey tail.

[Kia]

Okay.

[Jade]

And then. And then I added that roasted guy. And then I added my.

[Kia]

My broth stops. And then let that.

[Jade]

And let that simmer until the turkey tail started to fall apart. And then I added the greens, seasoned them, and. And I was like, these.

[Kia]

Oh. I mean, the flavor be so full.

[Jade]

Whoa.

[Kia]

But I. The turkey tail is slowly becoming one of the go to, you know what I'm saying? And you don't need a whole lot. I have also found that if you mix like I have done a turkey tail, just threw it in with some turkey necks to just give it a little. You know what I'm saying? But, yes, now you did that. You did your big one, that fried chicken. And, you know, I was talking to toys. You know, sometimes you just feel like you have a bed. Like, I have moments where it's like, wow, I'm really grown. Like, you know, I look up and see myself in my house dress, and I just be in the kitchen or I seasoning up my bathtub, and I go downstairs to fix me a pot of something. It'd be like, wow, I'm really standing squarely in my Big mama, honey.

[Jade]

It's giving like, no dead ass. No dead ass. Like, I was like. I really just threw, you know, put together this Sunday dinner, did some laundry, you know, figured out what Noah was gonna eat for lunch for the week. Like, I was like, you know, I got a list of things here. Call New York. Irs.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade]

You know, all the things. And I'm like, who are you?

[Kia]

Yeah, who are you?

[Jade]

Who are you feeling?

[Kia]

I would like. You know, my grandma used to just pull 10 out her bra. Like, it make me feel like I'm in that. I'm in that arena, you know, that. With that, another one. It's like, I'm starting. I'm starting to get to the age where I would like a soda. Like, you know, you just like, I want a Pepsi.

[Jade]

Okay, sister? Hold on. Because, you know, I don't keep no six packs. I don't keep no six packs of nothing in the crib outside of like a Pellegrino or a sparkling water, right? But you know, I do like my fizzy colas. You know what I'm saying, when I want them. My child with my Chinese food or a pizza. This is what I'm saying.

[Kia]

Like, I just want.

[Jade]

But to your point. To your point about where we are. So Tristan and Noah went to the mall after dance.

[Kia]

They were like.

[Jade]

He was like, she needs some pants. I gotta get my watch fixed. We're gonna go to the mall. I said, okay. So I was like, that's fine. That gives me more time to cook dinner. It gives me more quiet time at home. And so he. They come back home and he was like, we had a really nice encounter with this Chinese man at the end of our visit. He was like. And he gave me a soda. He was like. He was like, here, just take a pick a soda. He goes, you know what? My wife likes a little Coke from time to time. I'll take a look. So he brought me a can of Coke. And I was like, I remember my Auntie Sandy, was she. All she wanted in this. In this life of sin was a cold Pepsi once a day, a cold Pepsi.

[Kia]

And my grandmother was so good. I told you. DD was, you know, he was an extreme couponer before it had a name. So. And he used to shop not only for the house, but he would shop for the church. So he was a. Like, before we was Costcoing and Sam's clubbing, DDOD was just down to the path, Mark buying if. If the sodas. If the two liter sodas was three for five, DDOT was gonna get about 15 of them joints.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Exactly.

[Kia]

And they were Scorpion in the basement.

[Jade]

You know what I'm saying?

[Kia]

Be downstairs.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Yeah.

[Kia]

Two or three refrigerators in a deep freezer. We would just go shopping in the basement.

[Jade]

Like grandma was my heart right now.

[Kia]

We would be eating one meal, and grandma would give me a list and tell me to go downstairs and to get the contents of the next meal. So you see what I'm saying?

[Jade]

Yes.

[Kia]

And on Fridays, when grandma didn't cook, on Friday, she would make hot dogs or something.

[Jade]

Yeah.

[Kia]

Or something like that. She made. And then she would say, kia, go downstairs and get me a Pepsi.

[Jade]

Yes. That was her end of the week. Like, that was a thing.

[Kia]

That was like, on Friday night, it's like, I deserve a Pepsi now. Get me a good glass with some ice, and I'm gonna pour this out of that ice, and I'm going to sit here, enjoy my Pepsi. And it's like, I'm not quite, like, you know, I'm. This is where I told. I told Lily. We went out to dinner this year. I was like, you know, I had a craving for a Dr. Pepper the other day, and that's why I said, I. I know that I am squarely in my big mama season. This is like supposed to supreme optimal. It was like my Auntie Powers turned on. They really did.

[Jade]

Because it was a very specific craving for a specific carbonated drink.

[Kia]

Yes. It was like, I need a Dr. Pepper. I'm going to put some shoes on, go to the Walgreens, give me a Dr. Pepper and get me. And that's what I did. And it's like, girl, with all of.

[Jade]

Those 72 spices and herbs.

[Kia]

I mean, all of it. And I filled up that solo cup with ice, and I got me a straw.

[Jade]

Wait, Legit question. Do they still make Mr. Pibb?

[Kia]

I have seen a Mr. Pibb in the wedding.

[Jade]

Okay.

[Kia]

I have.

[Jade]

Okay.

[Kia]

I haven't purchased one in a long time, but I do like. And I know Lillian, when we was eating, she asked for a cherry Coke, and I said, we are aunties.

[Jade]

Oh. She's like, can I have a Shirley Temple?

[Kia]

Yeah. She said, you got some grenadine back there? Do me a favor in some Coca Cola and bring that over here. Thank you so much.

[Jade]

What do we. When we go out to dinner? Key will tell you. I want, like, we drink cocktails. I want my. I want water, all of them. But come time the meal, I'm like, can you. Can I have a Coke, Cold Coke, please. Even though they are on the Boycott list. And I'm working very hard to find an alternative cola option.

[Kia]

Yeah, yeah, we're gonna have to pray about.

[Jade]

You know, I'm just, you know, I'm, I'm. No, I'm working on it, sister. I'm working. Yeah, I'm trying to explore.

[Kia]

We're gonna find some alternatives.

[Jade]

They are out there, you know, feel free to pass them our way.

[Kia]

That's why we will explore Mr. Pibb. I'll let you know if I see a Mr. Pibb. I'LL pick one up and let you know what it's hidden for.

[Jade]

Now, Mr. Pibb is. Isn't Mr. Pip like. Wasn't that like an offshoot of Dr. Pepper? Wasn't it another like spice?

[Kia]

It gives. Yeah, it gives. It gives. It's more Dr. Pepper than Coke. But you know what my grandma used to have when she, when she couldn't. I have seen my grandma. You remember rc? Do they still make rc?

[Jade]

Yes. Oh, they have to. What in the blue can? Hold on. In the blue can with the red letters. Yes.

[Kia]

Rc.

[Jade]

Now, my grandfather, when I would visit my grandparents, my Grandfather, instead of Dr. Pepper and Mountain Dew, he would buy Dr. Thunder and Mountain Lightning.

[Kia]

Now, now that is. Mountain Lightning is not anything I've ever heard before in my life.

[Jade]

Yeah, we would. They would have. They would have. And it wasn't even like two liters. It was like three liters. It was crazy, right? My mother always got on my. I think, I think they got that from Walmart. But they have two 3L bottles of Dr. Thunder and Mountain Lightning. I will never forget that. Cuz I was like, what is this?

[Kia]

I went live. I'm going to post the live on Patreon. But I went live over the weekend and we were talking and somebody asked the question. Now if we had. We're talking ginger ales, right? In order of preference, if you had to choose between Schweppes, Canada Dry, Seagram, and someone said Rock Creek. Oh yeah.

[Jade]

Go to.

[Kia]

Never go to. But I feel like if I'm in a bind, but I can't think of a time where I would willfully choose Rock Creek. Yes, but to you I posed the same question I had. So my thing is, okay, I feel like Canada Dry is sufficient for mixing. Yes. Like if we're making a.

[Jade]

But it loses. It loses its effervescence.

[Kia]

Yes, yes, yes, yes. But I said if I just want hard. Hard on hardcore ginger ale, I'm going for Schweppes.

[Jade]

Every time I think I'm going for a Schweppes Alternative Seagrams.

[Kia]

Okay, fair. Fair. Yeah, fair.

[Jade]

Like Alternative Seagrams, Schweppes First Canada Dry. Will do.

[Kia]

But, like, it will do.

[Jade]

It loses fizz too quick for me.

[Kia]

Something about it it just does.

[Jade]

Like, and I find it to be a little sweeter. Too fair.

[Kia]

That's also fair. Okay.

[Jade]

And I don't want all of that right now. They do, in fact, still make RC Cola and, like, Fashion Fair. They have judged their logo.

[Kia]

Oh, man.

[Jade]

Go look it Up. Is right now. It's called me and my RC. Oh, that's what it says. And RC Cola is owned by Keurig. Dr. Pepper.

[Kia]

Oh, yes.

[Jade]

Didn't even know that as we were discussing Dr. Pepper that you said, oh, Tab. I forgot about Tab.

[Kia]

I forgot about Tab. Soda Stew.

[Jade]

Oh, wow.

[Kia]

I don't know that I remember what Tab tastes like, but I know I, I see in my head. No, I don't know.

[Jade]

I don't remember at all.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade]

Do you remember. Do you remember Crystal Pepsi?

[Kia]

Yes, yes, I do. Wait, let me.

[Jade]

Let me tell you something.

[Kia]

Do you remember Sprite Remix?

[Jade]

Yes, sister. What? Let me tell you what Sprite Remix tastes like. Have you ever had Tropical Skittles?

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade]

If you take tropical. Tropical Skittles and drop them in a Sprite, that's a Sprite Remix.

[Kia]

Oh, my God. What a time.

[Jade]

I used to. I used to mix Sprite Remix with. With liquor.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

You did?

[Kia]

I was not.

[Jade]

Yeah, college time.

[Kia]

I'm trying to think of what I was drinking Sprite Remix at my grandma's house. I can't think of a time.

[Jade]

Well, I had as a child, I, I. Or whenever it came out, whenever Sprite remains Remix dropped because we remember when these things would drop just like Crystal Pepsi. It was like a. I remember, like the commercial. But I want to say I remember the commercials for Crystal Pepsi. I remember the commercials for Sprite Remix. They still make Sprite Remix, do they? Yeah, they still make it.

[Kia]

Do you know what I saw in the Harris Teeter the other day? They had clearly Canadian. Have you seen a Clearly Canadian in 10 years? I had not.

[Jade]

Yes, because I saw it at the Sea Town. And I will tell you, your girl used to go the. I used to go very BlackBerry or a peach.

[Kia]

Oh, the peach was my drink.

[Jade]

Canada Dry.

[Kia]

Canada was clearly Canadian.

[Jade]

Clearly Canadian. I used to go up for that BlackBerry or that peach, and you couldn't tell me. I was like, you're not drinking soda, so it's healthy. Like.

[Kia]

I used to go up for clearly Canadian. That peach was My jam. But I also remember they had, like, a raspberry lime or something crazy that was, like, also really good.

[Jade]

But I only did the BlackBerry. I love a BlackBerry anything. Because my. My cousin used to get me, and my. Her daughter was my. Her mother was my cousin, but the daughter is my age.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Age.

[Jade]

And we would visit each other in the summertime. So when I would go to Atlanta, my cousin would get us a bottle of Arbor Miss BlackBerry. Y' all can't. You can't leave the house because we're like, 16, so she's like, you can't leave the house when I do. But. But here's y' all's little bottle of Arbor Mist, and you can just kiki down here and have yourselves a good time. And we drink our. And talk about boys.

[Kia]

I remember. I didn't. Well, I think. I think when I was in Manhattanville, somebody. I think it was Nyesha. Somebody gave me a Bottles and chains. Hey, girl. I wasn't.

[Jade]

I was drinking.

[Kia]

It was just like drinking, except clearly Canadian. But you couldn't tell me.

[Jade]

Yeah, no.

[Kia]

I was very grown.

[Jade]

I mean, not a Bartles and J's. That's how we felt when we would drink. When we switched from Mad Dog to oh, my God. You know, it. It's on the tip. It's on the tip of my tongue. Mad Dog 2020.

[Kia]

Oh, God.

[Jade]

Yes. When. But we would drink that. But what's the other one? The wine. Damn. It's on the tip of my tongue.

[Kia]

The wine.

[Jade]

It was the. Why? It's the. It was the equivalent of. Of MD 2020. But, like, it was wine. Oh, what was it? Oh, it's right here. No. Although Alita. My homegirl. My homegirl should know.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Yes.

[Jade]

And Elita. Alita. When I first heard the story of Alita's Alize, I think said, I don't. I respect nothing more than that, actually. Honestly, I love it. And my home girl, Chanel, straight. Straight out of Cali. She is a Cali black girl. She loves to this day, she will show up to the function with a bottle of Alize.

[Kia]

I mean, the people who love it really ride for it. They don't play around with it. If that's their drink, that's their drink.

[Jade]

Chanel Thick.

[Kia]

It's like. It's. It is. It is like.

[Jade]

It's like tampiko.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

What is it?

[Jade]

You know how tampiko. Hawaiian punch don't get all the way cold, and they just stick in your mouth?

[Kia]

First of all, I used to go, so it's A wonder that I'm still alive. The amount of red dyed number five I used to ingest because that Hawaiian punch was my jam. But you know what is the best fruit punch soda hands down across the world?

[Jade]

Tahitian treat, period. Yeah, Pooh. Like when I tell you goated.

[Kia]

There is nothing. Everyone else can have their seat.

[Jade]

All of them kick rocks.

[Kia]

All of you sit down.

[Jade]

All of you.

[Kia]

Thank you for coming.

[Jade]

Tahitian tree just walked in the room.

[Kia]

Exactly. The rest of you can go home now. Thank you so much.

[Jade]

How when a bad bitch walk in the room, like, that's how you have to act with Tahiti. Taha treat comes in with all the other.

[Kia]

She's carbonated, period. And it makes me think of PL where that.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Pl got that.

[Kia]

So you a regular. That's me. You pressure, period. That's Tahisha's tree is pressure.

[Jade]

Pressure.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

I'm sorry, Pl.

[Kia]

You know, I love Pl. I think PL should run for president, and I would like to be his. I agree.

[Jade]

And he's gonna run from his car.

[Kia]

Because he don't leave his vehicle.

[Jade]

I'll be running.

[Kia]

I would be right. I'll be right. Listen, when he pull up in that driver's seat and cut that phone.

[Jade]

Yes.

[Kia]

I'll be tuned in. I'd be like, y' all shut up. Plaza talking. Y' all be quiet. Y' all be quiet.

[Jade]

He came home from the club and a cooked him lima beans. And I. When I tell you, Shariel and I will laugh about that until the end of time.

[Kia]

What is wrong with everyone?

[Jade]

Lima beads is crazy to cook somebody after the club, but llama bead is crazy. Oh, it's crazy. Oh, that was very long. Self care. We needed that self care session.

[Kia]

It was. We.

[Jade]

We covered a lot of ground, but y', all, we did.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade]

Yes.

[Kia]

Are you ready for the petty pee?

[Jade]

Yeah. Let's go ahead and close this thing. Right on. Now head. Head on over with us.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

And I want to be very responsible.

[Jade]

Of the things I say to my sister because everybody know I can be real petty P E to the tty. Honey, it's time to put the petty on parade. And I. I am irritated, okay. With this new I. It's. It's a combination of the environment and then also probably my body changing.

[Kia]

Okay.

[Jade]

But for the past few days, the corners of my mouth have been raw.

[Kia]

Oh, are they dry?

[Jade]

And yes. And it hurts. And. And it's never happened to me before, so they got extra dry. I keep putting some A and D on it and stuff. And, you know, try to heal it up. But last night, I was trying to eat me a little piece of cake, and I.

[Kia]

And it hurts.

[Jade]

And I was like, what is this?

[Kia]

Like, what.

[Jade]

I felt like those. Those kids in your class that always had.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade]

Shit in the corner of their mouth, but it just, like, kind of developed overnight, and it's getting on my nerves.

[Kia]

Yeah. I think you should, like, I've always. When it's happened to me, it's like I felt like my skin was really dry. And so I would, like, do a moisture mask. I will focus on moisture and maybe drink a little bit more water.

[Jade]

But I think I'm a little slightly dehydrated because I knew my water intake was down for the past two days. And I also need to probably do my Peter Thomas Roth cucumber because, you know, it's a good hydration.

[Kia]

But also, if the weather is like. I feel like the weather is a little. You know, we've had a few warm days, but then it will get real cold again.

[Jade]

Fucking brick. Brick ass.

[Kia]

Fucking. Yeah. So I just feel like, you know, if that kind of. That kind of instability is a lot on the skin.

[Jade]

Yeah, yeah, it's. It's. And it's starting to show, and I'm get. It's getting on my nerves. And so that's my petty peeve this week, because, like you said, it was like 56 degrees, and then the wind came in, and every hour it dropped down till it was like, 14. I was like, what the hell is going on? So, yeah, climate change. What's your petty peeve this week?

[Kia]

My petty peeve is for the. Listen, okay. I was telling Jay that on my flight down here, the person that was sitting in the middle seat had. Was real upset about sitting in the middle seat.

[Jade]

Oh, a little bat.

[Kia]

Yeah. And, you know, it's so crazy because when I was talking to my mom about it. Cause, you know, we're tall. And my mom said immediately, she was just like, it sounds like short man syndrome. But, you know, for the other talls out there, you know, when you see someone, you see a. A shorter man coming, and they have this sort of air to them, and they can sometimes just look at you and be offended by who you are. And I'm sitting next to this man, and I think he got mad because my legs was longer than his is, and so he wanted to flex. He wanted to, you know, sit real wide and just be real egregious with the el. With the armrest, puffed his little. His little pigeon chest okay.

[Jade]

Spread his little short wingspan. Okay.

[Kia]

It's like. Okay. I know that you really. You don't need that much space.

[Jade]

You know you don't need it.

[Kia]

Everybody on this row know you don't need all this space that you trying to take up, but I know that this means a lot to you. You know what I'm saying? So I'm gonna let you have it. I'm gonna let you have it. But I mean, in the future, if you know that you need this much space, you should probably get you a first class ticket or. Or you could check in a little earlier so that it's more than middle seats left. See, that's what that.

[Jade]

Hello. Hello. And you know what? I honestly, because they do this all the time. They do it with the armrests and everything else. I sit on the plane like King Tut, Feet six feet apart, both arms firmly planted, like I'm conscious of the space Cleopatra coming at you. Like I am sitting like an Egyptian God or goddess on the throne. Because we're not going to be playing these battle games. You can check your fucking attitude. You can do it with the travel agent at the fucking front, or you can put it in the. In the overhead compartment. But I. You can leave it away from this seat because I don't have time and.

[Kia]

I won't be engaging. I won't be engaging. I felt like part of me, and I mean, this is. This is. I don't know, I could be totally making this up, but it just felt like he was acting in such a way. He wanted to frustrate me where I would, like, offer to move or do something. And it was just like, sir, continue to have this tantrum. I mean, for the full duration of the flight. But I'm not getting up. Okay, whatever you need to do. He had to go to the bathroom 39 times. Listen, that don't got nothing to do with me. I'm on the window. You getting on that man's nerves. So you just keep right on doing what you're doing. Because I'm a sit here and how.

[Jade]

Dare you have a weak bladder and sit in the middle seat? Like, get your shit together.

[Kia]

I just feel like he's being obnoxious because he stood up. He kept acting like he needed to stretch his little itty bitty legs and it was giving. Young man, please.

[Jade]

This is when I become more obnoxious. Like, you have to bust out and like, with, ah, that, sure, I'd start singing Adele. I'd spread out. I'd watch movies and Laugh out loud. Like, I mean, he would. I would make that his worst flight ever.

[Kia]

Oh, he was kind of creepy, though, because he was, like, on Tinder on his phone in the. I'm like, on the plane, like, what are you looking for, sir? This is too.

[Jade]

Leaned over and said, who are you catfishing today?

[Kia]

I was just like, wow, Wow. I mean, we're flying over.

[Jade]

I hope you told them that you're five' six.

[Kia]

It's like, you're not in St. Louis, so why you matching with these people in St. Louis?

[Jade]

You look. Oh, I don't like that. Oh, I was playing WI fi using.

[Kia]

Plain WI fi on the Tinder, and I'm just like, let me. I'm trying to focus on. I said, I'm watching Paradise. Let me pay attention to the. Sterling. I don't know what. What you're talking about, but it was.

[Jade]

Has it picked up for you? Is it a phenomenon? It has.

[Kia]

It has. Now, I will tell you that those first two episodes, okay, and it's like one of those I Spy.

[Jade]

You said it's dark.

[Kia]

It's very dark. And it's one of those secrets.

[Jade]

And they talk low.

[Kia]

So they're whispering and, you know.

[Jade]

Yeah. Little talkers cut it up.

[Kia]

What are they saying? I cannot. And you know, it's not one of those shows. You know how, you know, we be in the house, like, you know, washing dishes, washing makeup brushes, folding clothes, while the thing. You got to sit and pay attention to paradise, you cannot be doing.

[Jade]

You'll miss something.

[Kia]

Yes. So it took me a little while to find my rhythm, but I'm. I'm back. I'm with it now. I'm ready. Okay, I'm fully engaged. But it just took me a while to get into it. But I mean. Okay, y' all want to talk about paradise, let's do it. But I'm just saying. Okay, it took me a little while. Okay, it took me a little while, but I'm here.

[Jade]

I'm gonna. I'm gonna give it a. I'm gonna give it a dive because now.

[Kia]

Did you get into True Blood Watch. Did you watch Doc?

[Jade]

Not yet. Because when I asked you about Doc, what did I. So I've been in the throes of this terrible True Blood watch that I keep telling everybody about because I'd never watched it before. It's not really a good show, but I. I can't. I have to see it through.

[Kia]

You know, you got. I'm in it now. I'm in it.

[Jade]

Yeah. No, I gotta know. I'M like, what happens to Sookie with her irritating ass? Like, I just need to know what's going on.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade]

Then I had to cat. Then I, you know, then I had to catch up with. I wanted two episodes to come through before I caught up with Matlock and Elsa and love Matlock. We love it, sister. And loving it more and more as her relationship develops. Oh, yes.

[Kia]

So good.

[Jade]

Yes. And then Survivor came back. You know, XD got me watching. I've never been a Survivor girl before.

[Kia]

Now I'm not either. But that's one that Latoya has not been able to persuade me to watch.

[Jade]

Yeah, sister, I was really anti. And while I'm not like, pro pro, I also, I teeter back and forth, like, do I want to be on this show? Something has pulled me in.

[Kia]

Really?

[Jade]

Yeah. I don't know what it is. I. I just. It's fascinating. I just keep thinking every episode about how they in the ocean. And I'm like, I just can't stop thinking about that. That's got to be a crazy feeling. And White Lotus is back. Oh, I don't know if you're a White Lotus girl.

[Kia]

I wanted to be, but I had not. Like, not because, like, it wasn't intentional. Like, I'm not watching it. I just hadn't gotten around to it yet. But I've always heard good things.

[Jade]

I think White Lotus is a good show. Each season is good. We're on the third one now. And so. Yeah, I'm ex. And it's.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

It's.

[Jade]

I wouldn't even give it start.

[Kia]

Is that.

[Jade]

That's on Max.

[Kia]

Okay.

[Jade]

Yeah, that's on Max. So, okay. I. I wouldn't even say it's starting off slow. They're just very good about planting obvious Easter eggs, but getting your mind going as to, you know, the things that are going to happen in the foreshadowing. So I think White Lotus is. Is a good show. I would give that a go. And then Doc is next on the list as well.

[Kia]

Oh, I am enjoying Doc. And after you get to Doc, we're gonna have to get into Pit or that's also on Max.

[Jade]

Okay. Pit. Okay. I also have yellow jackets on my list, so so many things to watch that we will talk about on the Patreon.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade]

I love a good programs. I love my program XD talking about I gotta watch something called the beyond the Gates. It's a new toy.

[Michelle Y. Smith]

Is.

[Jade]

You're watching it?

[Kia]

No, Toya is watching.

[Jade]

But.

[Kia]

But yes, that's the new song. That's all black people. Uhhuh. Yeah. Toya was telling me that Karen Huger from Potomac was on the first episode.

[Jade]

That is what XD told me. And then I found out that she was a drunk and she went to jail.

[Kia]

Child jail, immediate jail. They put it right in there too. I feel bad because Karen is 62 years old.

[Jade]

Well, sister, you've got should be knowing better than to be driving drunk. You're drunk.

[Kia]

And she was on. She, she was medicated. She was on pills. That wasn't just liquor.

[Jade]

These are white woman activities. You cannot be out here with your valium and your white wine. Get behind the will of yours.

[Kia]

She said, you know what I'm saying? I had a little champagne.

[Jade]

I'mma let the bowl dry for a second. Like, girl, get out of here. Get yourself together. You're too old to be driving drunk. What an idiot.

[Kia]

And Giselle, Giselle's ass on the receipt union, they said, Karen don't need to go to jail. I mean she's 60 something years old. And they was like, yeah, Karen doesn't need to go to jail. Giselle was like, and she can't wear her wig. I said, giselle, Giselle.

[Jade]

There's so much that's a valid concern. What they going to do. She.

[Kia]

I mean, because you can't wear your wig. I said, you can't.

[Jade]

It's valid, sister. It's valid.

[Kia]

Karen, you gonna have her some.

[Jade]

I would imagine if your wig is a part of your daily routine and then all of a sudden you are put in a situation where your wig is snatched away from you. You've got to feel vulnerable. Depression, you know what I mean? Depression nest.

[Kia]

All right, let's get off of it because listen, they about to. I'm sure somebody called the lobby on me by now, but you're right.

[Jade]

Thank you, Michelle for coming through and sitting with us at the kitchen table.

[Kia]

We've had a blessing.

[Jade]

You all go check out all the things Mopop is doing and the ways Michelle continues to be an incredible black woman, innovative leader in her field of expertise. And sister, make sure you check out the Patreon where you get the visuals of all of this plus the additional things that are happening. Kia's been doing catch ups, you know what I'm saying? We got some content on there. We spent a little weekend together in the studio, going to our brothers show, going to dinner, all of the things. So make sure you all check out the Patreon and just take them out and tell them what to do.

[Kia]

Make sure that you're moisturizing your mind because that's how you keep it free.

[Jade]

From doing what ours is doing right now.

[Kia]

Exactly. That's how you keep it lubricated and and humble and whole and well and thriving. That's how you moisturize your mind by minding your business. That's how you do that. That's how you get that you also want to drink just as much water as your body can because that's how you keep your insides moisturized and in.

[Jade]

The corners of your mouth feeling raw.

[Kia]

And finally you want to moisturize your skin because as the seasons are about to change and this weather is chaotic your skin is most susceptible to the elements. So take care of her by keeping her moist. Moist and supple okay? Yes do that because your black will crack if it's dry. And don't drink and drink.

[Jade]

Ta ta. Don't drink and drive especially in 62.

[Kia]

What the. Because see you gonna have to take your wig off and go to jail.

[Jade]

Okay wigless. Oh my gosh it.