Vault: His daughter wrote a letter to the Mayor

Summary

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The Bert Show - Vault: His Daughter Wrote a Letter to the Mayor

Date: June 24, 2026
Main Theme:
This episode centers around Carl's eight-year-old daughter, Priya, and the impactful letter she wrote to Mayor Reed concerning crime in their neighborhood. The show highlights not just the letter itself but the story behind it—a young child's response to community issues, family safety, and the power of youth voices in seeking community change.

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Episode Structure & Key Discussion Points

1. Proud Parenting & Priya's Ambition

[01:01 - 02:39]

• Carl describes his daughter Priya:
  • She’s described as ambitious, inquisitive, and "in tune with what's going on."
  • Storytelling about Priya’s proactive nature—

    "You can't really tell her no and not give her a reason why... she's just real, she's that inquisitive, ambitious type." —Carl [01:34]

  • Example: During the Haiti earthquake relief effort, Priya wanted to contribute not just money, but tangible goods.
• Reflection on parenting:
  • Carl shares pride in Priya’s willingness to take action and credits his wife for much of the at-home parenting.

    "I'm up here at work all day. I'm just along for the ride... I gotta give her all the props, really." —Carl [02:35]

2. Family Experiences with Crime and Priya’s Inspiration

[03:02 - 04:59]

• Background:
  • The family experienced a break-in at their previous home, prompting a move; a neighbor was also burglarized recently.
• Priya’s reaction:
  • Priya channels her concern through a school assignment to write a letter about crime.
  • Carl was impressed and surprised at the depth and initiative Priya showed:

    "I get to the house, my wife drops me a letter saying, this is what Priya wrote. I'm looking at it. I'm just wowed. Really just like, wow." —Carl [03:45]

• Parenting challenge:
  • Carl discusses how he explained the situation to Priya—balancing honesty about the realities of crime with reassurance for her safety.

    "Really just telling her that people steal... when they broke into the house... my wife took the kids and went to her mom's house... so it wasn't like a scary incident for them." —Carl [04:04]

  • The incident affected Priya specially when it hit close to home—a friend’s family—and prompted more questions and concern.

3. Priya Reads Her Letter to Mayor Reed

[05:04 - 08:24]

• Priya’s letter:
  • Priya shyly reads her heartfelt letter on air, directed to Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, pleading for help to stop crime in her neighborhood.
  • She lists neighborhood crime issues: burglaries, unsafe conditions for children, car thefts, and offers specific solutions.
• Notable quotes from the letter:

  "Dear Mayor Reed, please help stop crime in my community. Our homes are being burglarized. Children can't play outside. Cars are being stolen. Mayor, we need your help and quick." —Priya [05:35]
  "We could put up security cameras... We should have more police patrol to solve this problem... I think that we should fight together to stop crime in my community." —Priya [06:28-07:31]

• Hosts’ reactions:
  • The hosts praise Priya’s composure and content, joking she should run for mayor.

    "About two more sentences, I'm gonna vote for you for mayor." —Host 1 [06:51] "If the mayor could get a hundred letters from adults and that right there—the equivalent to 100 adult pieces of mail." —Host 2 [08:31]

4. Community Resonance and Reflections on Civic Engagement

[08:41 - 10:32]

• Host and listener participation:
  • Hosts and a caller, Angie, express both pride and a sense of responsibility, noting the letter’s power and lamenting seldom writing such letters themselves.

    "I have to be honest, I'm almost embarrassed because I don't know that I have ever written a letter like to a mayor, public official..." —Host 1 [08:41]

  • Angie calls in and emotionally relates to Priya’s experience, sharing her own similar story and distress.

    "I feel like this child should not be having to go through this... Something needs to be done to protect our children." —Angie [09:40]

• The show’s promise:
  • The hosts confirm they have been in touch with Mayor Reed’s office; while he couldn’t appear live, he will receive Priya’s letter and intends to read it.

    "He wants that letter, so he has a copy of it... we'll be sure it gets in front of him." —Host 1 & Host 2 [10:06–10:22]

  • Carl jokes about buying a new Doberman as an added measure.

5. Closing Thoughts and Support

[10:25 - 10:32]

• Words of affirmation:
  • The hosts and Carl express their pride in Priya's courage, reinforcing the idea that children can effect real change.

    "I'm proud of you." —Carl [10:28] "Your baby girl's got you beat already." —Host 1 [10:32]

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• Priya’s initiative:

  "She's done, man... I was just gonna send money, you know. She was like, no, dad, that's not enough." —Carl [01:34]

• Pride in parenting:

  "Whatever you saying to your kids, they're listening. And so if you're saying bad or good, they're definite soaking it in. So that's just. I bear witness to that, hands down." —Carl [08:54]

• Priya’s advocacy:

  "We should have more police patrol to solve this problem... I think that we should fight together to stop crime in my community." —Priya [07:31]

• Host’s reaction on civic action:

  "I've always said that I was going to. Something upsets me, I'm going to write a letter. You never actually do it." —Host 2 [08:49]

• Listener's personal testimony:

  "I feel like this child should not be having to go through this. My home was recently broken into, and I know what she's feeling..." —Angie [09:40]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Proud Dad, Introducing Priya: 01:01–02:39
• Family’s Crime Experience: 03:02–04:59
• Priya Reads Her Letter: 05:04–08:24
• Host/Caller Reactions and Reflections: 08:41–10:32
• Mayor’s Office Update & Closing Affirmations: 10:06–10:32

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Final Reflections

• The episode highlights a rare instance of a young child confronting real-world problems with maturity and hope. Priya’s story sparks conversation about parenting, community involvement, and the impact youth voices can have on public safety.
• The hosts maintain a supportive, proud, and slightly humorous tone throughout, showing genuine affection and admiration for Priya and her family.
• The show serves as a reminder for listeners—both young and old—to get involved, act on their concerns, and support the voices of the next generation.

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Transcript

[Commercial Narrator]

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[Host 1]

The Birch Show.

[Host 2]

So let's reset this. Carl, you are super, super, super proud of your 8 year old daughter every day.

[Carl]

Every day, right? She makes me proud. And she's really just, she's just so in tune with what's going on around her, you know, just more than I've ever seen an 8 year old. And she's so ambitious and what I mean by that is willing to like to do what she needs to do to make a change about what's going on around her. And she's always, she's asking all kind of questions. She's that one daddy, why? She asks why. So she's the one that you don't want to.

[Host 2]

Sorry, sorry.

[Host 1]

Why you play that? Just tell me why you play that right there.

[Host 2]

Why? Why?

[Carl]

But yeah, I was just saying that she's just really the ambitious type to really. You can't really tell her no and not give her a reason why. And not saying not. She doesn't stay in her place as a child. But she's just real, she's that inquisitive, ambitious type and she's done, man. She's like. As far as with the Haiti earthquake, I was just gonna, I was just gonna send money, you know. She was like, no, dad, that's not enough. We're having a, a move in at school so she wanted to bring clothes. She almost cleaned out the whole closet.

[Host 2]

Is that right?

[Carl]

Oh yeah. So I'm just proud of her, man. She's always just doing things like that. Hands Down.

[Host 2]

Sometimes you think that your kids aren't paying attention. Like they're just watching cartoons or they're doing their old thing. They pick up on everything.

[Carl]

Yeah, everything, definitely. And. And like I was telling her earlier today, I mean, earlier during the week, that she just makes me so proud because just asking how she can make the difference is. I mean, it's rare to me. And, you know, and it kind of makes me kind of feel proud as a parent, and especially my wife, because really, my wife is the one that's doing everything. I'm up here at work all day.

[Host 1]

Just along for the ride.

[Carl]

Yeah, that's basically it, right? So I gotta give her all the props, really.

[Host 2]

Priya, how does that make you feel when your dad says he's so proud of you? Go ahead, baby.

[Carl]

Speaking to the microphone. How's it make you feel? Make you feel good?

[Host 1]

Microphones make kids be real quiet all

[Host 2]

the time, and animals, too, but for

[Host 1]

only for 24 hours. If we kept her in here for one day, then we wouldn't be able to get her out of the room.

[Host 2]

It won't even be that long. As soon as I turn the mics off.

[Carl]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

We won't be able to get her

[Carl]

to stop talking as soon as we leave the building. Right.

[Host 2]

So tell us once again, like, what happened at your house and why she started to write the letter. Unless she wants to tell us.

[Carl]

You want to tell the story, baby? Okay. What I do is I'll tell the story and you read the letter. Okay. All right. So last year we got our house broken into and we actually moved and everything. So we've had some incidents in the neighborhood. We recently had an incident, a break in. In the new neighborhood that we're in now. And so she's been really just kind of asking questions. And I just found out that it was for a pr, a school assignment where she had to write a letter. Her letter was written about crime. So if she's asking all these questions, I'm wondering what the questions are for. She's putting this. She's composing this letter. So I get to the house. My wife drops me a letter saying, this is what Priya wrote. I'm looking at it. I'm just wowed. Really? Just like, wow. And I asked my wife, did you write any of this? You tell her about any of this? She was like, no, she asked the questions and Priya wrote it all the way down.

[Host 2]

Wow.

[Carl]

I mean. And she was real adamant about us mailing it too.

[Host 2]

So how. How did they feel after the first Break in. Like how do you explain it to an 8 year old?

[Carl]

It was.

[Host 2]

And still make them feel secure about what's going on.

[Carl]

Really just telling her that people steal and because at one time we were at the basketball court and they took a kid, took our ball and that was like a real prime time for me to kind of explain that people steal and people do bad things. So when they broke into the house we had, luckily we had somewhere to go. My wife took the kids and went to her mom's house, but we had somewhere to go. So it wasn't like a scary incident for them. So I didn't really make it scary.

[Host 2]

Wasn't like they were in the house when it happened. Exactly.

[Carl]

So they were still at their grandmother's house. So they still felt comfortable doing the situation. So it wasn't like a big I'm scared situation. But when our neighbor got their house broken into, that was kind of more close to heart. They've already been through this before. The neighbor is a good friend of theirs that they play with all the time. So, you know, our kids talk amongst each other, who knows what they were saying? So. So it's just really on her mind now. So. And then when she wrote the letter, she mentioned some key points. She even mentioned when we got our car stolen when she was 1 years old. I said, how do you remember that?

[Host 2]

Can't remember things that happened one day ago.

[Commercial Narrator]

Priya, who is the letter? Who did you write the letter to?

[Carl]

Who'd you write the letter to? Time to shine, baby.

[Host 2]

All eyes on you. You just want to read the letter, hun? Okay, let's just do that. I can't wait to hear it.

[Carl]

Make sure you speak it to the microphone and enunciate. Want me to read? Want me to help you read it? Let's start off together, all right, honey,

[Host 2]

Believe you me, there's hardly anybody in school today. Nobody's listening to this show. Yeah, it's just the five of us.

[Commercial Narrator]

It's just us, yeah.

[Carl]

Now you know your friends are listening too. The whole crew.

[Host 2]

That's the way to take the pressure. You got it, baby.

[Carl]

All right.

[Priya]

Dear Mayor Reed, please help stop crime in my community. Our homes are being burglarized. Children can't play outside. Cars are being stolen. Mary, we need your help and quick. To begin with, our homes are being burglarized. For example, last year my house was broken into and they took all my mom's jewelry. Another example is Saturday. Someone arrived to a friend's house and took three laptops. There are 72 break ins in the 30331 area to help.

[Carl]

Doing great. Go ahead, baby. You're doing great. Go ahead.

[Priya]

We could put up security cameras in the neighborhood. Second of all, children can't play outside. They can't play outside because their parents don't feel safe.

[Carl]

Go ahead, sugar, keep going.

[Host 2]

You're doing so good.

[Carl]

You're almost so good.

[Commercial Narrator]

It's great.

[Host 1]

About two more sentences, I'm gonna vote for you for mayor.

[Carl]

Say also.

[Priya]

Also, kids can get.

[Carl]

Get what? Go ahead, don't be scared. Also, kids can be killed.

[Priya]

They can't. Can't get hit by a car too. Okay, I think we could put gates in the front of the neighborhood with a key to it.

[Carl]

Okay, your last, last paragraph. Go ahead, sugar. Doing real good.

[Priya]

Thirdly, cars are being stolen. For example, our car was stolen when I was a one year old. People may also want to sell the car to make money. Also, people may need a way around. We should have more police patrol to solve this problem. Marrying crime has taken over in my community. Our homes are being ruined. Kids can't go outside and play. Cars are missing. I think that we should fight together to stop crime in my community.

[Carl]

Good job, girl.

[Host 2]

Really, really, really.

[Commercial Narrator]

Well, that is an amazing letter.

[Host 2]

I'll tell you what. You know, if the mayor could get a hundred letters from adults and that right there.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

The equivalent to 100 adult pieces of mail.

[Host 1]

I have to be honest, I'm almost embarrassed because I don't know that I have ever written a letter like to,

[Host 2]

to a mayor, public official, to the mayor. Really.

[Commercial Narrator]

I definitely have not.

[Host 2]

I've always said that I was going to. Something upsets me, I'm going to write a letter.

[Carl]

Right then.

[Host 2]

You never actually do it.

[Carl]

And that's the thing, man, I always talk about, hey, you want to make a change, kids, you got to start in your community. And she just said it right here in my community. And it's just like whatever you saying to your kids, they're listening. And so if you're saying bad or good, they're definite soaking it in. So that's just. I bear witness to that, hands down.

[Host 2]

Priya, you did a great job.

[Commercial Narrator]

So much knowledge.

[Carl]

Proud of you, girl. You got anything to say? You wanna say anything to? Who's your friends of the sassy and classy crew? What's her name?

[Commercial Narrator]

Say hi to.

[Carl]

No, I'm sorry. The sweet and sassy crew. You wanna say hi to em? Say hi to Em. You wanna say hi? She's quiet again.

[Host 1]

She's Like, I came in here to read the letter. That's what I'm getting paid for. That's all I'm doing.

[Host 2]

That was in my contract. No more than that. Hey, Angie. Good morning. You're on.

[Host 1]

Good morning.

[Host 2]

Good morning.

[Carl]

I feel like this child should not be having to go through this. My home was recently broken into, and I know what she's feeling. And for a child to be feeling

[Priya]

what I feel is horrible.

[Carl]

Something needs to be done to protect our children.

[Host 2]

Well, like I said, I mean, one letter from a child to the mayor, that has a lot of impact. So who knows, you know?

[Carl]

And a new Doberman.

[Host 2]

Right, And a new Doberman doesn't hurt, either.

[Host 1]

Well, just so you guys know, I talked to the mayor's office on Friday, and Mayor Reed was gonna try to be on with us this morning, but. Cause we waited till the last minute, didn't know this was gonna come up. His schedule. Couldn't do it. But he wants that letter, so he

[Carl]

has a copy of it. If it's not, it's in the mail right now.

[Host 2]

Well, we'll be sure it gets in front of him. Okay, Priya? For sure. He's gonna read it. Okay.

[Priya]

Great job.

[Host 2]

You did fantastic.

[Commercial Narrator]

I'm all really proud of you.

[Carl]

I'm proud of you.

[Host 2]

Good job.

[Host 1]

You ever written a letter to the mayor, Carl?

[Carl]

Never.

[Host 1]

Your baby girl's got you beat already.

[Host 2]

The Burt Show.

[Commercial Narrator]

This year's girls trip to Telluride was the best. We one upped ourselves with my Sapphire Preferred card. And with 5 times points on Chase Travel, plus 3 times points on vacation homes with top brands, we got this incredible cabin. It was a mansion. And with three times the points on dining, we ordered a wagyu steak dinner. And that pistachio gelato was too good. So where should we go next year? I've got ideas. Chase. Sapphire Preferred the car that's preferred for a reason. Cards issued by JPMorgan Chase bank and a member FDIC subject to credit approval terms apply.

[Priya]

Mom, can you tell me a story?

[Commercial Narrator]

Sure. Once upon a time, a mom needed a new car.

[Priya]

Was she brave?

[Commercial Narrator]

She was tired, mostly. But she went to Carvana.com and found a great car at a great price. No secret treasure map required.

[Priya]

Did she have to fight a dragon?

[Commercial Narrator]

Nope. She bought it 100% online from her bed, actually.

[Priya]

Was it scary?

[Commercial Narrator]

Honey, it was as unscary as car buying could be. Did the car have a sunroof? It did, actually.

[Priya]

Okay, good story.

[Commercial Narrator]

Car buying. You'll want to tell stories about. Buy your car today. On Carvana delivery fees may apply.