David Oh on Resilience, Forgiveness, and Philadelphia’s Future

All right, ya, what's going on boy? Charles Gregory? We talked weekly after the talk on WPPM on p Philadelphia, one on six point five film. We talked weekly after the talk, and just want to give a shout out to all everyone. We were just talking about some of the platforms that we're on, so I just want to give a shout out to all of the people who have been listening from all of our podcasts, from Apple Music, from Amazon, all of that. We're all over the place. So we're too big excited because we are singing the downloads. So we're very thankful for that. We're thankful for people who's listening to us on one on six point five f Film, who currently and constantly listen to us and check for We Talk Weekly, in addition to all our streaming platforms. We appreciate you so continue to like, subscribe, and share, and of course where you're watching us today. So without further ado, one of the segments that we have on the show that you know that I love are the interviews. And why do I love the interviews on We Talk Weekly is because we get to talk to the good folks. We get to talk to people who are truly doing a work out there who are listening to some of the things we're doing, commenting on our interview and the people who we interviewed, right, and we've been getting some great feedback, So I want you to continue to follow and like and comment on the interviews that we have. But this person is someone with whom I have a tremendous amount of respect for. He is a friend to the show, has been on the show a couple times and has been doing and making some dynamic moves in those greets. As I say, right, he's very passionate about the work that he does and helping people. But I'm gonna give you a little piece of his bio that we have here so everyone can get up the speed, and then we're gonna jump right into the conversation because we already started talking, right, So, without further ado, today, who we have on the show is David oh. He is the chairman of the board of Directors of the Agent American Business Alone of Greater Philadelphia, a SA FAVA one C three organization, and David is a consultant and business advisor on law, government, politics, and community affairs. Previously, David served as Philadelphia Councilman at Large for eleven years before resigning. He was the Republican candidate for Philadelphia mayor in twenty twenty three. David is a lawyer of forty years, a former Philadelphia prosecutor, Free Legal Service attorney, and managing attorney of his own law firm. I didn't know that served. David served on numerous boards and commissions, including First Commercial Bank of Philadelphia, Community College of Philadelphia, and Nazareth Academy, High School Crime Prevention Association, Hanaman University, Nazareth Hospital, Philadelphia Police Advisory Commission. David served as the first Lieutenant and in the United States Army. David is just a dynamic person and friend to the show. So what I'm further ado, how are you, my friend? How are we am doing? Very good? Thank you very much and thanks for the invitation. Absolutely, it's a great pleasure to have you here. You know, not only are you a friend to the show, I consider you a great friend because you have been very consistent with following some of the stuff that we've been doing, and we talked weekly, but you have been consistent in really showing up for the community. So I want to thank you for that and since we were having some dynamic conversation. Before we get into the quote unquote official interview, I want you to talk a little bit about that creative space because that was a dynamic conversation not only that we just had, but also some of the advocacy and support you have been given to the community was specifically about the creative in art space. So let's talk a little bit about that. Yeah, So let me let me start with this disclaimer. I have no original ideas about this. Listen, and here comes a religious spend. It is deeply religious. You know from my perspective and my belief that God has created all people in his image, and there is something special about that idea. And so God is a creator and he has created people in his image, and we are creative people. Now the real question is have we found out who we are? And a lot of what I did on city Council and a lot of what I did prior to that, and what I do is, you know, I think very important to help people and the sooner the better find out who they are, what special gift they have, what is their ability, and to move away from all the negativity they hear about their lack of intelligence, their lack of opportunity, their lack of acumen, their lack of talent, all those type of things to say, listen, under all of that, if you really believe that there's something special about you, you have to be persistent and find out what that is and don't be dissuade and don't be kind of, you know, discouraged about that. And so the creative space is a fantastic area because not everyone is going to fit within the parameters of society. And some people, you know, their perspectives, their talents, you know, just the way they think. Like I could never think that way. I could never imagine that way. And when I hear it, you know, it's it's amazing, right, and sometimes I hate. It, but you love it. Right, I understood like what was behind it. And so basically I know that you can disregard and disrespect like things that really represent a person's history of culture, things like that. And I grew up in Southwest Philly right during the nineteen sixties, where there was a lot of discrimination and other things, but it was also time when people were trying to bring their voice, their voice out, you know. I went to school in sixty five sixty six sixty seven in southwest Philly, where unbeknownst to me, something was going on. We had African American teachers teaching black history, and not just black history in America, but starting from Africa. And now I thought every school had this. Why because as a kid, right, But you know, I mean, I think the creative innovative economy, as I called it, really presents the opportunity for us as people and as a society, and as a city in particular, but as a region to really appreciate the different perspectives that make us better and appreciate what solutions people have found in other parts of our world or our history that we can really collaborate with get the best from. Say, hey, listen, they tried that before. There was a big mistake. Let's not go down that road, right. So that's really a lot of it. And one of the things that I did that you're where was PHL Live center Stage, the free music platform. Yeah. And and by the way, I didn't get any money from like a city council or city government. I did get a grant from the Creative Arts Economy Department, but most of it I had to raise my own and and we did that for I think six or seven years, and when I left council. You know, it kind of ends, but through the Asian American Business Alliance where we're talking about bringing it back and now jazz, hip hop, classical music, indie rock, you know, country folk, all those type of things. You know what that that all has to do with the creative and innovative economy, which really lifts people up. So let's let's so let's park that right there because I want to get more into that because we're going to talk a little bit about that. But you mentioned so, so I want to back up because you mentioned your tom on city council. Yes, right, eleven years, Yes, long healthy, long, healthy career city council. Air quotes, right, yeah, air quotes. Let me put that in here, air fortes, right. But you had a long and healthy career on city council eleven years. Most people can't say that, right. What when you look back on. Your time of you serving in the seat, especially as a Republican? Right? What was? What does it feel like now? Do you feel that you left a good legacy? Is it work that you feel that you still could have done because you resigned it wasn't like you put out. You resigned, so that was on your own way. You did it on your own time, right, And so let's talk a little bit about that, that voyage of you city council, all the work you have done to you resigning. Yeah, I, you know, wanted to be a lawyer. I wasn't planning on running for office. Wasn't on my mind. But as I tell people, look, there came a point in time where I kind of like hit a brick wall, and I was trying to figure out how to get past this brick wall. And I introspect and I think about, Hey, maybe I've done things that I shouldn't have done. Maybe I've ignored things that you know, we're not good. Let me think about it. And I thought about it a lot, and I finally came to the conclusion that I was very self serving. You know, I wanted to be a lawyer to do good things. But along the way, I was trying to build this fantastic law firm, be wealthy, do good things, live well, and it was all about me. What a fantastic guy was, what a great firm I had, And I said, you know, I'm building a golden calf to myself, and I don't think that's what God wants me to do. And let me think about what I can do. And I heard this out on the radio about how riverbroke gambling was going to say Philadelphia, and I knew that was false, and I said, somebody should talk about, like where jobs come from, how we energize our economy, how people find economic independence so they can have self determination, not really be under the thumb of people, just be able to be themselves. And of course that starts with the good education of public school system and all that, you know, public safety and everything. So I ran for office and I ran and I lost. I ran and lost, and then I ran and I won. And you know, when I won, it was just so unlikely, the entire thing, like, I'm not like the ideal candidate, I'm not like the political party's favorite person, all that type of thing. And I had a tremendous opposition. And what happened is I really thought, well, I didn't win this election. I lost, but God put me here, and God put me here for a reason, and as long as I am here, and I don't know how long or short that's going to be, I like to do my best. And that's what I tried to do, and it didn't make me popular with everybody. And listen, people will not completely agree with me either. But one thing I didn't just kind of vote the way I was supposed to in order to receive funding and to be able to get you know, opportunities, So I ended up funding my own stuff. I had to raise money. Oh yeah, I went to people wonder were like, why is Corrs like the sponsor of ahl Life. Well, any old ones who gave us money or dunkin Donuts, they give it you. Because I didn't have any money. I went overseas. I tried to bring jobs as Philadelphia had to pay for that myself, right, it was. There's a lot of problems in that. But after eleven years, that's three terms, I felt that there was no reason for me to go for a fourth term. Uh. Specifically, I had done everything I could do. I did the creative economy. I dealt with like, you know, kids being taken out of their homes improperly and subject to physical and sexual abuse. I dealt with like a you know, you know, innovation and how to improve our cities, and dealt with what I felt was mismanagement of funds, not just in the City of Philadelphia, but in our agencies and entities, and you know a lot of those issues. But there comes a point where you've done it, you're redoing it, it's rejected, it's not happening. And I just said, look, you know, four years, four years and another four years. Do I want to do yet another four years? And I felt no, like, I think three terms is enough. I think a fourth term would be detrimental. I don't think it would be in the public interest. And quite frankly, I think, you know, there's a temptation that the only reason I would do it again because it's easy, and then I would just be going for the paycheck, the healthcare, you know. And then there's opportunities where I could have a no show job, which is common. Yes, sorry to say, right, you call it, Yeah, it's exactly that you get a no show job. You're getting money. They say, we got this council person, so listen. I wasn't going to do that. And I felt like, look, I mean is there like I serve at the pleasure of the Lord, and there was no purpose for me to be there anymore than for me and I said, that's when it's time to go. Right. I'm not saying you shouldn't serve longer than that, just I'm saying for me. You know, I didn't have a plan well for when I left. Well, I had a plan. It's gonna run for mayor. Right, and I didn't have a job. I was running for mayor. And you know, fundraising is pretty tough and the likelihood of winning is pretty slim, but I want to do it because I believe that it's important to run when it's unlikely to win. It's important to get out there when the odds are against you. Because you're not doing that for yourself, You're doing that because you want to testify about your faith. And faith is not that you're going to win. Faith is. It's the right thing to do, and even if you lose, that's inconsequential. But you got to get there out there and do it. So so that's what I did, right. And. You know, the the the thing of it is that with no plan, you know, people don't want to take the step because it's scary, right, And I'm unemployed, I don't have a job, I don't have health care. But for me, that's the time to like if you're if you're convicted, if you really believe this, then it's time to go. And by the way, it was okay with my wife too, because I. Checked with her. I got a wife, I got four kids, you know, so it was a big deal. I was running for bard, have income, had to make ends meet, do all this stuff. But I was very happy about it, and I feel it was the right thing for me, and I think it was the best thing for this city that my time was over going to something else and see what God has in store for you. Yeah. So, so walking through that, the amount of work that you have done through those eleven years, your three terms, there has been an incident that I want you to walk through if you don't mind where you were stabbed yea during your Yes, can you walk us through what actually happened and why that is so pivotal for me? Is I don't want to say that after it happened, you acted as if it was okay, but it was big of you to continue and still stay focused on community. Yeah. So I'll try to, you know, kind of summarize it and maybe add some perspectives. Well, I had a long day, was coming home. It was dark. I don't know if it was nine thirty or ten. And we had a delegation from the country of Georgia near the Ukraine, near Russia, and they were very wonderful, wonderful guests, and I did the international stuff, creative arts, economy and all that, and these they had these young kids and they did a painting and all that, and they gave it to me. Well, you know, they're very proud of their wine, Georgian wine, and they're very proud of their art. So books on art and a painting. So when I came home, I had tons of stuff in the back of my SUV, my bag with my computer in it. I had a couple of bags with the wine and the painting and the books, and I had my jacket over my arm. I was doing all that. So when I pull up, I come out my car and I see my neighbor and it looks like he's waving to me, so I want to wave to him. I'm on the driver's side looking over the car. He's on a porch. But then I realized there's someone walking past me and he's waving to that person, not to me. So the person goes by, I go to the back of my suv and and it's a young man, looks perfectly normal walking by. I wait. I nod at him, say kind of like, hey, how you doing or something like that. He goes about his way. I get all my stuff, My arms are loaded. I could barely. I'm trying to figure out how I close this, you know, the hatch in the back of the suv. When I turn around there he is like closer than you and I are standing. Now, what's that like about four feet three and a half feet Except something happened to him, like he was breathing hard. His face was like I just thought, like, is there an emergency? And he was trying to say something. I couldn't understand what he was saying because he was so like upset and tense and whatnot. And I finally got what he was saying was keys. Keys, And then I heard wallet. So I'm like, okay, let me step back here, see what's going on. And I saw that there was something in his right hand and you could just see a little piece of something. There's a tip of something. Could could have been a knife, could have been a key, could have been a guitar pick. I don't know. What it was as dark right. And as I'm trying to understand what he's saying and trying to assess the situation, trying to take a step back, he takes a big step forward, swings his arm up, and he's a thin guy. It's quick. Hits me right in my left side, in the ribs, and it's just like that, and and myself understanding what that is, I said to him, you stab me, you know. And I wanted to him to know you did, in fact hit the target, right, I know what you did. You stab me. And it gave me a second to put my stuff down. And I was also, you know, like I was also talking with him, so he wasn't done. He came lunging in and I you know, he lunged in. I'd take a couple of steps back. He'd takes three steps forward. I'd take three steps back. He'd move to the left, I'd move to the right, he'd moved to the right. You know. So we did like eight minutes, and during this time, oddly a car came by and next thing I know, they're behind me saying do you need help? Do you need help? And I said, yeah, I need help, and they're like, do you need help? And I'm like, yeah, I need help, and get louder right, And then I realized they weren't talking to me. They were talking to him, Wow, do you need help? To him? And so I was like heading their direction, you know, trying to avoid him. So I kind of went in the other direction. I'm thinking to myself like I'm bleeding profusely. I got this guy, you know, already stabbed me. I don't know how badly I'm injured. And now I got like four or five guys because they were out the car with their phones out recording. Well, you know, I don't know if they knew what was going on. In all honesty, you know, they're like four or five, like in their twenties, African American males. He's an African American male. I'm like the Asian American guy with the shirt, and so you know, they're like, is this a fistfight? What's going on here? And as as we go around a vehicle a couple of times, there comes a point where they just left. And I don't know why they left, but maybe they saw all the blood. Maybe hey, this is not what we thought it is, or maybe it is or maybe what's going on here. But he left too, like he just like there just came a point like after eight minutes of trying to stab me and slash and all that, he just kind of went on his way, and uh, you know, and I called the police, uh nine one one, emergency whatever, and I got my stuff up and I went to my front door, and I, you know, was trying to get in the house. And my daughter, my oldest daughter, who at the time I remember she was a young little girl. She opened the door, which is not usually what happens, right and what usually doesn't happen, and she gives me a big hug and says, Daddy, your home. Well, I said, go get mom, you know, and I'm figuring, like, hey, I'm not sure we go because I want to, you know, call from a landline just to make sure. And my wife comes down and my little boy, and my wife sees me and the first says she's squats on the floor. She goes, ah, I said, I'm better go outside and make that call. So that was pretty much like how that whole thing went down. And well, I mean what happened is I've grown up in that neighborhood. I went to elementary school in that neighborhood. That is a rough neighborhood. And it's funny how Philly is a city where four blocks makes a huge difference. You know, four blocks this way, you're in one kind of neighborhood. Four blocks that way is completely different. But I'm very familiar with my neighborhood. So what happens is, yeah, so I'm quite familiar with that kind of thing. It's not the worst thing that happened to me. It's just a thing that happened to me. And the way I look at it is, well, everything turned out fine, you know, the taken in the hospital. They had a lot of doctors and nurses ready for me because they heard I was a counselman. I didn't know it was in the news, and the news the story was kind of incorrect. Yeah, that's why I wanted you to kind of go through the full story. Yeah. Yeah. The story is like someone stabbed me in the back of my head and I was brewing a puddle of blood. It wasn't like that, but I was in serious, you know condition. But the truth of the matter is like once they look at you and the most important thing is the infection So what happens is he stabbed me with what I believe is from what I saw, because I got I spent eight minutes, nine minutes talking with him like, calm down, it's a problem, calm down, and like to be honest. And this is what I was thinking. It's kind of funny. But see, I separate crimes in the categories, and the first category I call transactional. Guy pulls a knife for a gun on you and says, give me your wallet. Well, that's a transaction, right, give me your wallet or I might shoot your stab you with my knife if I give you my wallet. Well, I got this, and I'm not going to do anything. That's a transactional crime. A crime crime is I shoot you first, I go in your pocket, I take your wallet because I don't care. Right, And so we started with this transactional conversation like wallet or keys or whatever. And I really understand what you're saying, because, like I said, I couldn't really hear them. I was very self conscious not to be rude. I was saying, like, what what see? I thought, like he went back to his car, his girlfriend was having a heart attack. He came to me like he need your help, but he's gonna get a car. Yeah, well it wasn't. It wasn't like you gonna rob me. And you know, here's a bunch of things. I was thinking, like, it's not my car, it's a city car. Uh, there's nothing value in my bag. I don't have any cash, you know, Like you're asking for me for things I'm not really in a position to give you or don't have. But once you stab me, that sends over, right, the transaction is done. Like like if you wanted to tell me, hey man, look I got this knife. Uh, you're gonna give me something, and I'd be like, okay, listen, I don't have any cash. You know what could I give you? I got a bottle of wine here, I got some other things, Like I'm not really looking for a hard time with you. You know, we don't need to come to cause what does it come to my life for yours? And you know, I was just thinking like and it won't. I don't know that'll happen again, That's my point, Like I was just thinking what if I because I was thinking about the headlines when he was talking councilmen, nimes and kills homeless youth, right, I was like, oh, that's not a good testimony because I had just done this whole thing about forgiveness. My cousin had been murdered. The family forgave the murderers back in nineteen fifty eight. I did a whole street side and I said, listen, I'm thinking myself like, that's not a good headline. It's not a good testimony. And it's not like what if I instead of stepping forward, what if I just stepped back and you lose your opportunity, Cause, like I said, I had a bottle of wine in his bag, and my first thought is drop the bag, take the wine, smash it in the street and stick it under his face or get in his neck or something. Right, that's like a split secon in thought, like before he hurts you, hurt him badly, or forget the wine bottle, take a step back, hope the guy doesn't stab you again. But that would be an act of faith, right, in other words, put your trust in God, not in a bottle or a gun or a knife. And I didn't. I don't have a gun. I used to, I didn't carry a gun anymore. And I just like, well, why don't I put my faith in gud and step back, and the whole thing worked out. Fine, He's not hurt. I'm not hurt, you know, Like, yeah, I was hurt, but I was already hurt, so you know, I went to the hospital. I was fine, and I went to the hospital and it was a big deal. I woke up the next day and I wanted to get out, you know, because the main thing I was thinking about was my children before they solidify, like in their shock and whatever. I'm gonna go home and Daddy's fine. Not only is fine, You're gonna play the piano, You're gonna do your homework, You're like in other words, I'm gonna boss them around and they will be like darn, Dad's home, right, so just to like make everything normal. And but I was thinking, like how do I get home? And because they were like, you're gonna be here two weeks and you know, so I'm like, okay, Well, I asked what are all the conditions for me to get out of here? And I just started like, you know, walking, and you know, people like, well, you must not been that badly hurt. Well I was, but it was all taken care of, stitched up and everything. The only thing you're going to do with the hospital is rest and they're going to monitor you to make sure infection or you know. But other than that, you're stitched up. There's nothing to do but rest. But I couldn't rest anyway because there was so much news, like the news vans and all that they blocked the whole the hospital, and you know, they're not supposed to come up and see me. I had nothing but a steady stream of people go to everybody knew somebody, but detectives believe everybody's coming up and say hello and all that stuff. And for whatever reason, you know, the hospital they let me out that day. The next day, right, And I don't I don't take pain medication, yeah, first of all. And like, first of all, I just think it makes you drowsy, and you know, I just think pain is good for you, Like if you've been stabbed, Like, have you've been sabbed? I supposed to hurt? Right. You remind me of this comment I've seen on YouTube. He said pain is weakness leaving a body, so like hurt. Yeah, So my thing is like, yeah, suppose to heard you were stab right, And so anyway, they gave me a ride home and there was a news van there and all that stuff. And that's when I realized, like how much like I was shocked like people in the north, like in like Maine and Massachusetts and people it was news in Korea and it's like people were like this was news and it's the internet. I didn't really like a little thing in Philadelphia, just like it spread like wildfire and there was a lot of a lot of things. And I said, you know, rather than I just stay in my house, and heel as opposed to being in hospital, he'll why don't I just go into an office and just show my face and you know, everything's fine, and you know, and. That's what I did. And the news reporter came up and they took a picture and that was that, right. But I just think it was good to just say, like everything's fine. And you know, when I was in the hospital, my staff was calling me, you know, reporters bothering them, you know, yeah, and and they said, uh, you know, uh, they want to know, you know, like your thoughts about the guy who stabbed you and all that stuff. And I said, well, you know, it's like I forgot what I said. It was something like, you know, I have no animal, Like do you have this? I said, no, I don't have any animosity, and they printed it, casting me like in a very good light, like the counsel was sad and he doesn't have animosity. And I said, well, that's not what I meant. You know what I really meant. I meant like I don't care. And I felt bad about that, right, I thought to myself, you know what. I should care? Now people say like, well, that's really weird. I say, yeah, you know, I understand it's weird. But at the same time, what I'm really thinking is, see, this is my neighbor. He lives like fifteen minutes down the road, and we met that night, and I should care, right, I should care about who he is, what happened to him, why he's out there and all that. I'm not saying what he did was okay, don't get me wrong. I did, like I believe he needed to be off the street for everyone's good, including his. But you know, but my attitude was really like, hey man, I stepped in some gum. I wiped it off my foot and I'm fine. Yeah, I don't have any animosity because it's inconsequential to me, Like I could have died. It could have been yeah, but I didn't, and so I don't only care. And I just thought, well, I'm being cast as this, like like I said something really good, but what I really meant was, you know, any animosity, not only care. And I said, yeah, I don't want to be mistaken. Let me tell people now. I wasn't saying like I'm kind and forgiving. I was saying like I don't care. And it was a very negative thing I thought. And I thought, you know, I should rethink myself that I should care, and and that's you know, kind of like what I kind of corrected, like, yeah, what I meant was it's insignificant. He's insignificant, and I want to take that back. I want to rethink that and think he's significant. And while supposed to extend love to him and forgiveness and like, I really didn't care. So honestly, it's not hard to forgive. But it's not really like me forgiving him. It's not really that I love him. I just have to let him know God loves him. You know. Look, look God loves me, God loves you. You get right with God. And that's all I really need to convey and if there's anything I could do to help you find yourself, you know I will. There is a price you got to pay, you know for sure, right, but that is the journey that you are on because you were led astray to a point where you're going to hurt another person. And if we don't deal with that, there's no putting breaks on you. Like you need some breaks put on you, and you need to like have an intervention and you need to like kind of like that's my opinion. Like I'm not you know, I'm saying I don't want to overstep myself here, but that's my opinion. Right as the victim, I think I have something to say. No, because you have the big heart. I'm sure most people would look at vengeance, you know, retribution you know, uh, you know, and I think that reflecting the way that you are, you found a way to have this balance within yourself to say, you know, this is how I'm dealing with it, this is me. Yeah. Well, let me let me say that's not originally how I was. Right. In other words, growing up in that neighborhood, I was like every other kid, every other person that lives there today. Right, In other words, you stepped to me, I stepped you. That's your step from stab me. I stab you ten times, you know. So I was always of that mentality. And it's learned behavior. You know. It's going to church, reading the Bible, it's reading the letter of forgive, it's getting older, you know. I went into the military. As in DA's office, I would hurt people quickly, like in other words. And I'm not proud of that or not trying to boast and I'm a bad guy. I'm just saying, like that was my mentality, right, I wasn't a troublemaker, but yeah, I was like a lot of people, Like I understand, you're a peaceful guy. Someone steps to you, you take care of it. Right, That's how we're raised, That's how we're brought up. That is a learned behavior too. But like looking at and beginning to mature and understand and thinking more deeply and appreciating like things that have been I've been blessed with the second chance. Like I tell people, listen, he needs a second chance. I'm not upset. Look how many chances have I had? How many times have I been forgiven? How many times has God worked miracles for me? I'm going to be upset because God gave him a second chance, gave him no, not at all. Right, So so that comes over time, and once I got elect I had to start thinking about like my public responsibility, Like you know, I'm not just a private citizen anymore. And it's a level of pressure, right that I got to live up to the position that I've taken. I've got to be aware of like who I am and how I should act. And I don't want to fall into like being the person who thinks he's important because I'm not. Right. I just have this position where you could do really good things for people, or you could be really arrogant, self centered, selfish and think, hey, I'm powerful and I'm going to take advantage of every power that I got. Like which one are you going to be? You got to decide. I like that level of introspection though, because I think that's something that a lot of us don't necessarily do. We tend to knee jerk right without the airness. How can we think a little bit deeper before we react? Yes, And I think the challenge in all of this, whether it's you being an artist, or you being a musician, or you being an educator or a student, you know, is how to be the better you? Like, there is me to me that that I know I am is not a nice guy and maybe pretends to be a nice guy. It's a pretty selfish guy. But there's me that I want to be, and on that night, I chose to be the better me. And I don't know that's all. You know that that's the mystery, right In other words, how do you react? Sometimes you're the worst Charles there is. Sometimes you're like, hey, let me be this Charles, And no matter what happens, you're like, hey, you know what, I did the right thing. I'm really proud of myself. No matter how it worked out. You're like, hey, listen, don't work out well, but you know what, look who I was. I was this guy that I really respect and it's amazing. Right, So you know what, I'm sure people will look at this and say like, wow, this is amazing, and you know, I applaud you for that. And just real quick, because I will be remiss if I didn't ask did anything ever happen to the guy? Did he did? They find out who was sure? And here's the dispute, right, because he says it wasn't me, and he was found not guilty. And when I've said, is this to him and to his father stepfather, I said, look, we're all presumed innocent. We're all presumed innocent under the law unlessen until you're found guilty. And since the jury said you are not guilty, you retain your presumption and innocence. I will ask very much to treat you as an innocent person. And I leave it at that, you know, And and I'm like, I said, I'm fine with it. And you know, I'm an attorney, and so and I was a prosecutor. I've done criminal defense, criminal defense, and I'm in all humility a very good criminal defense attorney. Criminal defense is about can the prosecution prove beyond a reasonable doubt to twelve people each and every element of the crime. I don't have to say you're wrong. I just have to. Say, to the jury, are you sure sure enough? Right? Isn't this weird? Isn't this funny? Doesn't this contradict? Are you really sure? And so, like, as an attorney, have I, you know, a willingly and knowingly gun into court and gotten guilty people. Free? Sure? Sure? I have? And so the court is a place of last resort. If you can't work out things between you know, you and somebody, you go to court and what happens is the court will render a decision. It could be the wrong decision, but without the court, we're left to shotguns and shootings. Right, So we both agree, we're going to go to court and we're going to let the process go go ahead. In a civil matter, I may have robbed you, blind defrauded you, but the court found that you're wrong and I'm right, and you and I agree, we're going to live with it, right, even though it's injustice right, Well, justice ultimately, you know, if you want to talk about like real justice is not coming from the court. It's just an opportunity for justice and an opportunity for us not to kill each other and to have a process. And that's why the process is so important, the integrity of justice, like the fact that the process could be wrong, but it was done correctly. Everything was nobody was taking advantage, nobody was cheated out of justice. Like the process, though wrong, was done to the letter. And that's that's what's important. Right, And so if you want to talk about like ultimately real justice, that is a spiritual issue that is a that is a matter outside the hands of man, that is like a godly thing. Yeah, you're such a you're such a linear thinker. I mean, geezh, I mean, I'm gonna just give you your flowers because you're very such a huge heart. So so as we so as we move forward, right, and I appreciate you sharing it and being very transparent about that because you know, we heard so many different stories as as it relates to what actually happened, you know, where you was even stabbed at and you know what happened after that. But I'm glad that you continue to serve a particular community because someone could have gotten you know, uh, because during that time, I believe it was a very challenging position of Asian hate, you know, as it relates to you know, different communities butting heads and things, and you could easily just say, you know, what I'm done in a business, you know, And so I appreciate you not taking a particular stance, you know, and and and being more community based and saying that we're all family and families makes mistakes. So yeah, well that's my absolute belief. You know, there there is a god who has created each person, and each person is created in the image of God, and we are all one race, and we are all one children. And yes we have differences and different opinions, cultures, taste, you know, histories and no doubt, right, but at the end of the day, I mean, either we're going to really look at how we're different, or we're going to look at how we are the same. That's right, that's right, that's right. Well, thank you for that, Thank you for that. Uh, fast forward, now you continue your your your term as city council. Then then you resign. Yep, what is your what do you believe now is your civic responsibility? You know as it relates to just you know, you move forward your time now in different scopes of work. What do you believe your civic responsibility is now? So oddly I'm trying to find out, like I think, like for those who you know, I don't know if you thought about this, but look, I mean, I think we're always exploring who we are, what we have to offer, and what's our opportunity to make a contribution. Right, how do we do that? And like I said, I didn't have a plan. My plan was basically to reflect on like kind of like what I've done. The opportunity was provided to me, and what is the opportunity moving ahead? And so I kind of did that. And to kind of summarize it, what happened is somebody needed council, they needed an advisor, and I could do the three things that was necessary. Act as general counsel. That means I'm a lawyer who basically understands their business and hires lawyers for them where they need them in Texas, in Rhode Island, in Massachusetts, in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and Tennessee and possibly overseas. Because of the nature of their business, they have to have land use. That means like zoning and construction and development, and there's always going to be a part where the government's involved, and that's government, right, So understanding government, and then they have other business interests like a supermarket or developing a residential facilit things like that, and and you inevidently run into politics, which is not government, but politics is in and around government everywhere, right, And so there's regulations that's government. But then there's a people who like or don't like each other, the party, their ambitions, you know, kind of like and you've got to deal with politics. And then there's community. Right, So if there is a business and the business is in the community, how do people feel about that business, how many people work there, what's the opportunity, what is the is the business a positive factor in the community, Like what can it do? How does it do things right? And so so those three things I could do, and I said, well, you know, you know, I don't think you need a full time person. And I happen to be in a position where I can do like twenty hours a week and as I explore, you know, kind of like where I think I'm going to go what I want to do, and and so that kind of was good for me. Right, So then I had an income doing something I really enjoyed doing because of the people. So briefly, I'm going to tell you about the people I met. This couple. They're from China and they're just like really salted the earth, like just good people. And it's a husband and wife team. And the husband don't speak English, well, the wife speaks better English. And they're not anybody special. They bought a little business in New Jersey. But fast forward eleven years later, they're doing like two hundred million a year. Oh yeah, right, business are no. Let's see, here's how I look at it. And and and when I say salted the earth, they're very honest, and they're very humble and and and they see this as kind of like like it's a business. But the guy like he goes to China and he like goes into the mountains and he helps poor people, and he builds churches and things like that. And they got war orphans in me and mar and he's trying to do good things and he's he's very Christian and and and well, you know, their business grew so rapidly that there isn't the kind of infrastructure that should be there, like you know, so so I was able to help out. And it was just it was just very interesting because I felt like, look, I said, look, I mean we're all blessed in the ways we are blessed. You're blessed with an amazing business, fantastic growth and wealth, and you do good things with it. Right, I'm not blessed that way, you know, I'm not right, But I'm blessed in the ways I'm blessed, and I'm very happy about my blessings. And so I'm in a position to help you solidify your business, to make sure all the legal issues are taking care of, all the governmental things, to stabilize things that you're unaware of, and to make sure everything is like taking care of. So I'm here to help you right with your blessing and and and you know what I like about them is they're not just trying to make money, which is nothing wrong with it. And I'm I'm an advocate. Listen, everybody make as much money you can, right, don't you still and lie, don't do dishonest things, don't hurt people, but make your money. Right. It's a wonderful thing. But we're not all going to be rich. And that's and that's the bottom line, right right. But there are people who have been blessed with financial ability, right, but they're not trying to get rich. They were doing the right thing and God put that in their in their in their household. And I'm not trying to take their money. I'm not trying to be them, but I'm in a position to help them and I help them manage the blessings that they have received. Yeah, So so we're a good fit, right, And I'm happy to do it, and so that was really good for me. So what I do with the rest of the time, Well, I'm studying because there's a bunch of things I don't know, and you know, I tell people, Look, you know, there's a lot of things I don't know because I just didn't care to know it and it didn't care. One of them is money, to be honest, right, And people find that kind of like weird. But no, My father was a pastor. He lived through the grew up during a Japanese occupation, very brutal, lived through World War two, Korean War. I mean there was a lot of bombing, shootings, you know, all kind of things. Right. So he's a spiritual man. He's a pastor, highly intelligent, you know all. I see where you get it from. Yeah, but he don't like money. And let's say it's a little st but he's like, money's bad, right, you know, he was poor. He always needed money. But he's living the life of faith. In other words, as a pastor from the old school, he's not he doesn't have enough, and what little he has he shares because he's living the life of a man of God. And a man of God is a man in prayer, uh, not trying to store up wealth, being kind of at the mercy of God week to week, day to day. And he's got five kids and we were all taken care of, you know, and not because he had money, right, So kind of like as I'm growing up, you know, my father, mother, they're working for the church or doing all this stuff, and they're they're living the life of faith, believing they could buy that building, believing they could build this church, believing that kids like work a day and night, no vacation. My parents never took a vacation, and I just, you know, I just kind of felt like, you do your work and you get a paycheck big or small. You know, it's just kind of appropriate whatever. But if you're taking care of, you're taking care of And I never really kind of like, listen, do I want to be Richie? I want to be rich. And as I said before I was building this law firm, I wanted to have the big house with a swimming pool, into sports cars and all that stuff. Be a good man and rich too, right, you know who doesn't want to do that these good things and have all the wealth and enjoyment of you know, prosperity, yeah, but I said, listen, I'm going in the wrong direction because it's all about me. And so you know, I concluded my time in council and before I took my next step, I said, you know, something I don't know about which is very important, and what I try to help people with is their job and their opportunity and being the best them and being financially secure so they can have independent thought and be their own person. You know, Like, if you have a job you love, fantastic, If you have a job you don't love, it's taking care of everything, fantastic. But if you are not a person who's able to fit in these things and you've got something to offer, you know, then then where do we where's the opportunity? How do we bring that out? What if you're amazing, you know, pianist or a great guitar player, you know, what if your real gifts are in things that are just outside the box. What if you could never get a violin or a piano or a piano lesson, right, well, you will never be what you were really gifted to be. And that's the challenge, right because of our public school system trying to provide all that for the kids a safe environment, trying to you know, get them focused on the positive and good things. So I was just thinking, like, you know, well, you know, I talk a lot about people, you know, should have a good job, and we need to bring more jobs, and but I don't really know anything about money. I know what money is. I'm an attorney. I advise business people. But to me, the discussion about money is not a discussion about labor. Like in other words, if I'm cleaning the street for seven dollars an hour, or I'm a lawyer for like eight hundred dollars an hour, it's still labor. But money makes money. Well that's easy if you got one hundred million dollars, right, But what if you don't have any money? How does money make money? How do you get money to make money? How do you start with nothing and end up you know, like well off enough or even wealthy? Right? So I said, you know, I should really kind of look into this, And that's what I decided to study, because I said, you know what, I'm arrogant in my kind of like dislike of money. I'm like self righteous, very prideful, and all around me are people telling me and everybody else here's how you make money, and I just discount them. And you have to be careful obviously with people, get real quick and all that. But let me kind of investigate myself, you know what it is, so that I can you know, kind of like advise people better. So anyway, that that's what I was doing in my spare time. And and also I had a group of business people say to me, we really like your ideas, and we like what you were trying to do with this business organization, and we'd like you to do it. So so so let's be cause I want to get ready to get in there because I believe we're going to because I want to really pull back the layers on that because you're doing some amazing work over there. But before we get into that, you mentioned a few things like just even education and in the streets, you know, cleaning up the street sanitation, which brings me to your your your past race when you were running from mayor right, you ran against uh Charrel Parker, our current mayor, Charrelle Parker. Uh what what what when you think of the race that you ran against that against her. I want you to walk. Us through that feeling of now leaving City council now Thornia head in for the race for mayor, and then what you believe was the weakness of particularly I don't want to say the weakness of your campaign, because I believe you ran a. Decent campaigns and everything. Okay, I mean that's cool, that's that's true. But what what do you believe? How so, so we have a mayor, now, what do you believe are her strong points? And where do you believe is her weaknesses right now? And do you believe she's doing a good job at this point? Well, that's that's kind of challenging for me. I mean, first of all, she's the mayor, and so there's nothing like, there's no there's no alternative, right, she is the mayor. And I try to be supportive as much as I can because and listen, she don't need my help. She's the mayor. We only have one mayor and we should all hope our mayor does well. And I was never against her or anyone else. I'm just for what I think is best for the city, and I bring an alternative point of view, and I have been that alternative point of view you know, in city council. But campaigning is different. What happens is campaigns are about what somebody is going to do, not what they did. But you could look at what they did or what they said, but people can change that. Like I run on my record and on my ideas, and I have said a bunch of things, I have done a bunch of things, and I run on those ideas very consistent. Uh. And so what we have is a democratic city that's seven to one to one, right, seven Democrats to one Independent to one Republican. And it was a time after I didn't know act oh oh yeah, oh yeah, yeah. So what happened was a time after you know, two terms of mayor Jims James Kenny, and there was this issue are we going to end up with a city that is much more progressive like then Jim Kenny? And you know, there were a number of candidates and who was going to win is really up in the air in the Democratic primary. I being a Republican, you know, I'm not in the Democratic primary, and so there's no excitement in my race, right, you have to wait until you figure out who the winner of the DEVAC and it was not people are not sure who's going to win. You know, there was Jeff Brown. You know, Jeff Brown, you know, you had a lot of support. There was Hellen Gain, which is probably the most ressive, you know, kind of to the left. Democrat Ryan Hart was the city control and you know, you know, and then there was Cherrell, I mean, Cherill Parker. She's like, you know, from the ninth Councilmanic district, former legislator, you and know all that stuff. So it was a pretty exciting field. And Alan Dom, the businessman remembers yeah, yeah, so. The judge was in there. I forgot his name, I mean, and so it was it was like a full house a type of thing, and like it was kind of like nobody knew how it was going to go. But when Cheril Parker won, she won pretty decisively. When people the voting was done, she was ahead significantly right and and so she was a winner. But the thing about her race was she moved to the center, whereas the other candidates were kind of more out to the left. Remember, and there was vilification of Alan Dom and particularly Jeff Brown. And you know, kind of we got into this as we always do race and gender because there's a lot about identity, right, and I'm not saying identity is bad. I'm not saying that, but like if if you're gonna say, like it's time for a black woman, well that's not room for jeff not women. All right, Well you have women. You have a Helen gimm Asian woman, and you know Rakarine Hard you know, white woman, Barker, black woman. Who else? But anyway, what happens, oh Marino Sanchez you know, right, yeah, and previously. She dropped out pretty early though, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So she was kind of like the progressive Democrat before progressive turn to like even further to more socialist kind of like type of thing, right, and so by the time Helen gim comes along, she's like the new definition to progress it. But Maria had for a long time been like she was innovative, yeah, kind of policy wonk type person, you know, independent voice and all that. Right, So it's a very interesting race of different characters. And so when the race is over, it's Sharrel Parker. And it's historic, right, in other words, we have our first woman mayor who's also our first black woman mayor. Right, it's very historic and hundredth hundredth mayor. And you know a lot of people said this is the time, and so you know, races often come down to like what people think in a nutshell, like the first woman mayor who's also a black woman, who's all so the hundredth mayor and you know, that's kind of it, right, And her views and my views on the campaign trails were pretty similar. And now that I'm thinking, you're absolutely right. That's why I finished it pretty similar. That's rights. Previous to the race, it was why not she was more like to the left and popular right and other words. I was for policing kensing and she was not. But then the campaign, I was not for defund the police when it was very popular and she was. And by the time of the campaign just terry stops, so weird, was right, right. So she did a thing about like you know, stopping frisk as it is used is illegal in the constitution. I agree with her, But in the campaign trail she said I'm going to use terry stops and I was like, that's proper, right, So yeah, it's kind of weird, right, like how the whole thing worked out. And listen, to be clear, campaigns are not about what I did, it's what I'm going to do. You could look at what someone did. But someone could say, listen, that's what I said. Then I thought it was right then. But I'm changing. And remember I was doing this whole drone thing, like how we're going to police crime, how we're going to make it. And it was like, oh, that's that's a ridiculous using drones. I'm saying, no, it's not ridiculous. So using technology in many ways to deliver better services, because you know, the issue for me was, you know, public safety, making people like the stress that people undergo living a community where you can't step outside, your kids can't play, and people getting shot like that leads to more violence. Violence leads to violence type of thing, right anyway, So and there was a lot of reforms I would do and that made me like not popular to many people and popular to a lot of people, right, but it's also who vote like for me. I would have reformed the Child Protective Services DHS. I would reform the public school system. I would do things very differently. And it's a big like could you do it? And I said, yeah, I could do it, and I would do it, and I think it still needs to be done, So I like, you know, like her positions and I like, you know what she tries to do do I think everything's going well. No. I think one of the things is that our city has too much waste. Now people are like, what are you talking about waste? Everybody wants to fund everything, right, you got a free bus rides, free this, you got to give out all this money. Well, then what happens is you don't have money for your street cleaners and your trash collectors and your sanitation workers. And okay, because you spent all that money, and then you don't have any money for SEPTA because you were giving it away and you're putting the homeless down there, and you were having drug addicts come in, and you're trying to house people and people are getting shot, and you're trying to defund your accept the police. Like, to me, that's just like everybody's okay with spending money until you run out of it for the things you need, Like you have to get that money and put it in a classroom. You have to you know, fund community college. You have to do all these things. And I always said in council, Look, everybody wants to be Santa Claus. I just want to be an elf, Like you know, what I mean, like everybody wants to give things away, and I just want to build the little toys that you give away. Like we don't have enough elves. We have too many Santa Claus because it's great to be Santa Claus. Oh, gave away this, gave away that fantastic Santa Claus here. But who's going to be the elf who's going to stay in the shop and use the hammer and nails and make all the stuff. So I'm your elf counselman. So what was your so So I'm sure you were aware of this whole strike in a sanitation in DC thirty, So what was your position on it? My position is the same. Consistently these workers are underpaid, grossly underpaid, and for the most part. Look, I mean, if you're a municipal worker, you're working for the city government, you should not be struggling to feed your children. The worst jobs in our city are done by these people. You know. We have city workers who have to go down into our sewer system and there's a great where all the water, you know, and it's blocked ight dead rats, and they have to go in and breathe the air. They have to put down the hazmat that's disgusting work, and we don't pay them a living wage. And I'm just saying, look, you're paying our city pays for all kinds of bs, and I would curse on your show and people love it. Oh you're paying for Yeah, you're giving away the public money, But then you're not taking care of the human beings that are doing the work. They are. They are the city's workers. You are, as a public official, responsible for them. Treat them well, pay them well, take care of their health, and they will take care of their children. And if you do that, you put that first before all the glitz and other stuff you do that make people happy, giving them like giving out stuff you're not supposed to give out, and you can't sustain it. Giving away free community college, how long is that? It's not going to last To me, It's all a gimmick. And then one of the biggest things you've got to do is the public schools and not just putting more money in there, like people say, fund sceptim. Well, aren't you going to reform it, aren't you going to fix it? You just want to fund it. Why do you always want to fund the broken eye? Don't fund fail fix it. But it's always like, oh, it's broken, it's wasting money, it's mismanaged, and a lot of it is because of the political appointments. Why do incompetent, unqualified people get these appointments, They get these big salaries, they ruin everything, and everybody says what a great job they're doing because they're supposed to say they're doing a great job because the power people put them in there. They're not competent, and this whole city's okay with it, like everybody knows no experience, no knowledge, no educational but our favorite person in politics put them in that position. Well the thing's going really poorly. And then the people who want something that were okay with all of this say, look, oh there's no money for us. Now, yeah, there's no money for you. Didn't think that was going to happen. Like, there needs to be some fiscal responsibility controls. So I hope our mayor will do that. You know, I don't know if she is or is in I can't say because I'm not in government anymore, or you know, I hope our city council will do that. I know we have a controller out there, you know, but you know, the fiscal responsibility in this town is portrayed as meanness. It's not mean. There's no different than me, you know, doing things in my house, buying ice cream and whipped cream. And then there's no money for books, there's no money for heat, there's no hot water, there's no healthcare like yeah, noh no. I am responsible for the core most important things that my children need. I don't need to buy them the fancy sneakers and ten pairs of them and all the kind of like phones and games. And then it's like we have no money for the dentist. Oh well, listen, don't you love those games? I mean, you know. Yeah. Well, anyway, I hope our city you know, And I say this, you know, very openly. I served for eleven years. I ran for mayor. I want our city to do well. I support, you know, the positive things that can happen. But am I gonna say what I think? Oh? Absolutely, that's right, that's right for sure. Well, after eleven years and running from mayor, I think anyone who has any type of experience in a background of pluff for a knowledge, David O does so so real quick. How how once you once you're in city council. You're always considered counselman, right or a former formal. Formal No, let me let me tell you when when I see Edrein Dell, I call him Governor Rendell. He's not the governor, hasn't been for a long time, but he was elected. It's a position of public service and it's an honorific title. Do I ask people call me a counselor? Don't know? Because for me it's a matter of humility that Look if people some people just used to calling me, you know, they call me a countsman. Yeah, there's no problem. Other people like, hey, Dave, how you doing. I'm like, I'm fine, right, because that's my name. I'm David, right. And for me, like if my kids go to the martial arts school, that's not Brian, that's professor Brian. That sense Brian, that's your instructor, you know. But for me, you could call me Dave. I got you formally because you could be considered esquire also right, But formally how what would not what you would want them? But formally, how would somebody acknowledge you? Well, if we were I want. Them to give you your thoughtless right. So if we're at a formal program, they would say this is counselan Date or a former accountsman Dave. Right. But you know the problem with that to me is it's, uh, yeah, it's an honorific title. But if I were to be stuck on that, that's the wrong thing. No, Lord, it is healthy and good for me. Like I just went to jury dude on Monday, right, I didn't get. Out of it. I got my nine dollars check by. All right, So let's pull this up real quick. So Asian American Business Alliance of Greater Philadelphia the twenty twenty five Golden Eagle Awards dinner. So let's talk a little bit about that and what that is and some of the work that you're doing as being chairman of the board. Right, So we formed a business organization that is focused on Asian Americans. And let me just define I think we talked about this before. It's a pretty big category. You could go from like the Middle East through Asia minor over to like China, Mongolian Central Asia over to India, South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Pacific Islands, Indonesia. You got the huge group of people. But in America they make up like you know, like seven percent. So in this small group of people, is this tremendous diversity of regions, languages, religions, perspectives, governments that they came for all kinds of things. But they're not really I could say, like one group of people, but they're very, very diverse and different. But in America, because there's so few, be a lumpament, a one one barrel. And so the issue is not how can this group be better than others? Issue is how can this group perform to its potential if it's only like seven percent? And so when you break it down to Cambodian vietname, it's even smaller, right, And so while there is focus and there needs to be focused on other groups, how do you deal with a group that is so not similar like you when you deal with Latinos, for example, the one thing they all speak Spanish. They could be from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, but they're speaking Spanish and they have some Spanish culture in there, which is like a part of like a glue that holds them together. And so here you have like Muslims, Baptists, Christians, Catholics, Hindus, you know, Buddhists. You have all kinds of people, so it's a kind of a difficult to bring them all together. And why would we bring them together, Because they're lacking and if we could improve their performance, it would be a benefit to the entire region. And so it's not that we're trying to improve their performance so they can live better than anybody else in a vacuum. It is so that they can contribute to the whole in a way that benefits everybody. So, for example, if we look at the people of our region as our body, we have a strong right hand, a strong right arm, we have strong legs, but we have a weak left hand, and because of that, you can't lift to the benefit of the whole body. And that weak left hand is the Asian American community. So people say, like a very successful group of people. Not really, and that's another false thing. Yes, there are different ways of looking at but yeah, I could make a generalization. I could say, you know, men are the most successful group in America and they're for you, a black man from like North Philly yours. Well, that's not true, right, you have to break it down. You got to break it down West Villy. So the thing is you break it down and and so you break down to who you can connect with because there are other people connecting with other people. Yeah, who's connecting with this group? So people say, well, they're very successful, Well that's not true. So what happens is they're not successful as they should be. But to this, to the extent they have a level of success, it comes out of the fact they don't have other opportunity. So they're going to do this thing right, And then how do they contribute if they're not successful, how do they contribute? Do they contribute and how do we get more contribution? Because if they create more jobs, if those jobs are hiring people throughout our city, whether it be white, Black, Latino, Asian, whatever better right, and so to reach that potential, and then what is the point? So why are we a five oh one C three Because we're not a business organization for money's sake. We're a business organization to benefit the public. And so our thing is really this what is it that this community has been able to do? And that's where we're running this issue, like, well, you guys have this secret formula and I said, okay, well we should make it public. We should go out and share like, this is what we did and it's not really a secret, nor is it that amazing, but it is a mystery, right, So let's come out and talk about it. Let's talk about how people can go from like having five hundred dollars in the bank to making two hundred thousand a year in their own business or a million or two million or five million. What are the ways and are they ways that are so difficult nobody else can do it, or are the ways that you can do and I can do. Not that we're going to do it, but we could do it, and maybe there's a match there. Right. So that's what this organization is about. And because of five one c. Three, it must deal with civil rights, it must build bridges. And how do you build bridges? As a business organization, you help people start businesses, You help people you know, understand how to take advantage of financial opportunities. And one of the things that we'd love to do is take the businesses that we have and pass them on in the community. So let me explain a little bit about that. See, someone comes over from another country, they can't get a job some place. They may be highly educated in their native country, but not. They can't. For example, their doctor in Korea, but you can't practice medicine here. You could be engineer here in India. Maybe could be engineer here, or maybe you're gonna drive a taxi, caab whatever it is, right, And so by necessity they start a business and the business fails, they start another business grows. What they don't do for the most part, which is different than a lot of the immigrant pattern or even like let's say what a lot of native born Americans will do. You start a business, it grows, your children work the business, it grows that type of thing. Right, They're different in this sense. They start a business and they have no intention of their kids coming back to it. They're sending their kids to college, and their kids are going to be a doctor or a lawyer, or an architect, or an engineer or a scientist, and they're not coming back the business. Which I'm not saying is a good idea, because maybe it's a mistake because the people who started business and it grew and it grew and it grew have done fantabulously well. But a lot of the Asian immigrants because the country, basically our country did not allow Asians immigrant to this immigrant to this country till like after nineteen sixty five, and really it took place in sixty eight. It was like all the exclusion acts. So what happens is they're coming in after like nineteen seventy for the most part. And so when you get here, they start a business, you know, and their whole point is that my kids to college at graduate school to become an American, to become a professional, to have respect, and to become like a not someone who works in my little business or my shop or something like that. So let's say they started when they were like thirty two years old, and now they're sixty five, Well, the kids are not coming back perfectly fine in Los Angeles or New York or something like that. The only reason they're still at that business is because that's what they do. They don't need a business. That's what they do for a living. So the business goes from nothing to making money to declining as they get older. They don't need the business. Kids not coming back. It will eventually close. No one's going to buy it. Why don't we pass it on to someone in a neighborhood. Why don't we take someone like an apprenticeship program who wants to be entrepreneurial but doesn't know how to do it because there's been a break in the entrepreneurial stream, particularly in the African American community or some poor white communities, you know, Latino community agent. Why don't we particularly many of these businesses when we're talking about building bridges with communities, providing opportunities to be an entrepreneur. So why because you find people who want to do it, have the discipline, have the mindset, has a perseverance, They learn the details. Here's the delivery guy, Here's where it comes from. Here's the bills, here's the cost, Here's how you save money. Here. Such a great idea, Such a great idea. You know. One would argue that, especially those mama pop businesses that started specifically in the African American community, a lot of those businesses were pretty much pushed out because of big box stores. Right, That's that's an. Argument that I have heard and seeing. You know, you don't see the corner store hardware store like we used to see back in the day, you know, or or even the well. I do see a lot of cleaners out there, some tailer rent and cleaners. But it was a lot of blackface. Taillers and cleaners that used to be in in the neighborhoods. But I I think what you're to your point though, I think what you're what you're saying the ideas is an amazing idea because you don't have to if you had a store that was doing pretty good. Uh that now is on the decline because the age just aging out, you know, and there's no one knows there from the family that's willing to take it because they're doing their own things now. You know. Then it's someone that particularly may be in the community that loved that store that would want to take the reins. That's a that's a great idea. I don't know why that isn't right right. Well, so the person, let's say, the elderly couple who's got that store that's too much for them, that's not in her mind. Yeah, But we as a business organization, nonprofit, we can come in and facilitate. That and that's a great process. So what they're not going to do because they don't have the time or the interests like they want to do good. But you know, it's a lot interview people, create a program, see who's the right fit, bring them in, mentor them, so you mentor them for success, and the other misunderstanding that people have like well they'll never do that. Of course they will, of course they will. Listen, they got great years out of that business. Their kids are fine, and they're knocking on Heaven's door. They're like sixty seven seventy and they want to do good and that story ain't doing nothing for them. You know, they would love to find like a wonderful person in the community, middle aided, senior, young person, mentor them into the business and then move along. Do you find people that I mean, obviously you're already in the words it isn't but sure, have you found any interest in it in terms of proprietors saying like. Yeah, sure, yeah, really, yeah, yeah, that's why listen, that's why I have the idea. Right In other words, see, see there's something that you have. Right, Let's say you have something and you just don't need it anymore. You have a violin, you got two violins, you got three violence, you got the one hundred thousand dollars violence, Well, you got this violin it's like two hundred dollars. You don't need it. And then there's some guy. He could be completely different, race, religion. There's some little boy or girl and you could give them the violin, and you would want to do. It, wouldn't That's right, that's right, Well. You would and I wouldn't, you know. In other words, it's not it's not like you're giving up your hundred thousand dollars violin. You can't earn a living anymore, you know, and might is that too cheap? Visitis is out there anyway. The point is. Your billion dollar violin. Any way. My point is like, so it's not like an amazing thing. Is a very normal thing. You know, you have three footballs. You just got an NFL football. Your kids don't even play with this ball down the street says I'd love to have a football and I can't afford to. When you look, I got an extra one there. You are right, that's very normal for people to do that. And and and we feel good about it, like football is doing good, you know. And and for a lot of people, especially getting older, they're thinking about the afterlife. They're thinking about, you know, what are the good things I've done? And you could. Always before they transition, and and. They're not bargaining. Basically, what happens is, Look, you could always do good. For your own that's right, that's right. Well, when you do good for others and for strangers and people who are not your own, that that's really giving. Right of course, I'm gonna give to my kids, that's normal. When I give to somebody else's kids or some kid who don't have anybody, that's you know, like a hundred times more meaningful. And you're saying, like, what will this produce? Right right? I love that. Let's bargain, Let's bargain. Let's get into the gates right all right. So as we're talking about some good things, some good things just happening in an Asian American Business Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, the twenty twenty five Golden Eagle Awards dinner. This looks like an amazing thing. I want to jump right into. Let me let me pull this up because I need I want people to see some of these big names that's in here from the Hanua Hanwa Shipyard. Amazing. Yeah, let me let me say. What that is. Right, we have a shipyard. It was AfOR shipyard along comes Hanwa, which is a big Korean company. They purchase it, and now the impact can be substantial in this sense, they have like seventeen hundred workers there they're getting they just got a new ship. Been they go from seventeen hundred workers of four thousand workers. They get more ships in they could go to eight thousand and twelve thousand people. The good paying jobs you don't need you know, you don't need like any specific college degree. You have to have skills. They will train you. Why, because shipbuilding has left this country. They got to retrain everybody. This isn't down. Yeah, the shipyard right right there. Every time you go over the bridge to like the airport, you'll see the big you know, the big crane whatever, the best lift you know. So yeah, I mean, and so those are good paying jobs, right, and you're going to have that. I don't think people even knew that. Yeah. So it's one of the things where if we could grow that shipyard, we would have a lot of good quality, high paying jobs for working people with technical skills, with healthcare. You be a union member. Wait, wait, so they're currently hiring, is what you're saying. It's in the process, right. They just got a new L and G ship that's going to be built. And so the President of Korea is going to visit there and and uh, you know the US right now, you know is really trying to re re build U S shipbuilding, but they have to do it through other countries because you have not been building ships for a while here. So what's going to happen. You're going to take a company like Hanwa Shipbuilding, right, They're going to come here, They're going to start building ships. They're going to hire the US workforce. That US workforce they haven't been building, so you got to train them. Now you're training a whole new generation. And why not the folks in our city? And I love that. I love creating jobs job. So so you have the CEO, David kilm Uh, you have Morus's the president Building Industries Associations. So moo Rushdi, Mohammed Rushdi. He is kind of the leading figure in affordable housing in Philadelphia. Mayor Parker's ambitious thirty thousand homes eight hundred million dollars. So he's like the key person in that because he's a developer. He's got two companies that I'm aware he's associated with. One is the river Wards Group here in Philadelphia. The other one is called Maven and they're building like home residential units out on the Red Sea in the Middle East, and so like, he has got a formula where if you want to get into development, you can talk with them. They will help you get city land for free or very low cost. They got a template how you could build those homes. You know, they'll support you getting credit and you're not going to have a problem with the building trades unions. They're going to be on board when you build the houses. You're not going to make like a fortune. You're going to make like twenty seven thousand on each house. So let's say you do five houses, right, you know, but you're going to make money. But here's the thing. Now, you're a developer, right, where will you get this opportunity? Wow? So that's why we are you know, awarding him his impact in the city, his impact on affordable housing, his impact on like innovative thinking and dealing with So what's one of the big problems in our city. Look, those assessments, which i'm one hundred percent against, are to me, they're improper and they're too high. And that's why you're pushing people out of house and home in this city, especially people in certain neighborhoods, right, because some properties are not being assessed higher and some properties are like being assessed double and triples. Yeah, and now that means your taxes go up, which you can't pay, right, And so so trying to bring the costs of living down, trying to find homes that are affordable for people who need a place to stay, you know, while everybody's building luxury homes. So this is a real challenge, right. So that's why he's being receiving an. Award Tim haas founder th H a consult Yeah. So Tim has associates. That's what he found is it's top notch engineering and architect firm. He died and so posthumously we're recognizing him for his contributions. But just an amazing person. I'll tell you a quick story about him. So he is a person who founded his company that became one of the most kind of like highly respected parking lot design companies. So you take the idea of parking and then you you take an un sexy topic, but where you put cars and how do you integrate parking into structures for entertainment, shopping, living, you know, And so that's what he did. But he's also a pastor and so what happened. He has a church and a business and they're combined. The story about him, and I'll try to make it short. It's kind of a long story, but I'll try to make it short. He got hired at injuring company and he was very successful there, so they made him basically a shareholder partner at a very young age. But he wanted to have his own business, so he left there, starting in his garage. And he had a heart problem. So he goes into the hospital and he's dying and lo and behold, they came up with a heart, and so you know he's saved, right the heart how transplant? Well, the day before he's supposed to get this operation, a woman is brought in and then the doctor comes to him and says, if this woman doesn't get a heart, she's gonna die. There's only one heart, right, it's his heart, And he's saying, well, what if I don't get the heart. He says, well, then you're gonna die, and he said give her the heart. Right, So the woman lived because he gave up his heart. Now he died technically he died, but before he was completely dead. A heart came in and he got the transplant and he lived, right. What, yeah, so's here. So that's the beginning of the story. So what happens is he's now got this business, is successful, all that stuff, and then he has a heart problem. He's back in the hospital. And here's how it goes. You get one heart. You don't get two. You get one. And so his chance of get another heart is done. Right, he's dying, still relatively young, very successful business. Well, the heart's comes in and it is the same doctor who came to see him about the woman, right, And here's what he said. He says, you only get one heart, but we had a healthy heart for you, and you gave it away and we the next heart was unhealthy, and that's the heart you got, and we have a healthy heart for you. Unbelievable. So he got that second heart, right. So here's his life story as why he's a deeply religious and giving person and you know, just like an incredible just human being. Right, So, a business person who has high standards, who does such charitable things. And it's really a sad thing that people vilify business people because they're just people. You just happened to do a business and like you know, the my clients, wonderful people who would have guessed you bought a business, little business, next thing, you know, two hundred million a year, right and growing. Sometimes God bless as you with long life, good health, wonderful children, amazing talents, and sometimes he blesses you with money and success. Right, you know, I say, don't be envious of other people's blessings, be joyous for them, and and and and and recognize that you have equal blessings, but in different in a different way. And it is could I put it this way, it is the devil that makes you jealous, because that makes you say, if only I had that, And. Here's what I isn't good enough. You're not developing or even appreciating, agree with that, So you are misled, and you are you know, you know, kind of like a fool. So anyway, amazing story from him and an ocean kingdom. Is that person I was telling you about that couple, you know, you know, the doing all these good things, running an honest business. You know it's seafood, frozen moving it, you know, like fantastic. So these are just wonderful people Mohammed Rushti is Egyptian American. Uh and uh you know, so these are these are like just great businesses, great models. So we are honoring not just success in business, right, but successful human beings amazing who do great things with their business or a business that is going to have a great impact. So positive. Look look at the taxes from Hanwa. You know that's going to pay for schools and transportation and cleaning up our city. The jobs, People feeding their kids, people coming back to life because they now have a job that isn't well even though you know they may have had other problems in their life. Unbelievable, but this is, this is amazing. So let's talk about this. So the event is you said, it's it's a dinner ye and it's Friday, October third, twenty twenty five, so it got some time. For people to see. Yeah, uh live Casino Hotel Yep, Pecker Avenue not too far right down with block right down the street pretty much. Yeah, for those who don't know, there's free parking. But there's a ballroom on the second floor. So you're not you're not going You're not going to the casino park. You're going to the ballroom for the dinner in the stage. And you know what happens is kids can come because it's a separate entrance. You're not you're not going to a casino, but it has a big space for like five hundred people. Now this is a business event, let me just say that clear. And so it's one hundred and fifty dollars a ticket. But I would say this, Look, it's the business opportunity. Business is struggling. People are looking for where can I sell my stuff? What? Who can hire me? Where can I get work from as a professional, as a service provider, as an innovator, whatever, And well, you got to meet the people, right. So here's a company like Hanua fully Shipyard. They're new, they're coming in, they're going to have a population. They need food, they need supplies, they need You're gonna you gotta meet them, and then you got to break bread with them. You gotta like, you know, how how do we get into this process? Right? So we're gonna as a business organization try to help that facilitate that. You want to you want to have mo Rush to come out and talk to your group about I don't not saying he could be everywhere but yeah, he wants people out there to you know, how you're going to build all these houses. They're not going to have one company do it. They're going to look for many people to be part of the development of affordable housing in our city. And and you know, so forth and so on. Right, there's many other But but the problem is people say, look, I got this service, I got these goods I got, but who do I sell to? I need more clients. You got to come into these spaces. And you're saying, well, listen, uh, I'm you know, from South Philly, I'm from New Jersey, I'm African American, I'm Puerto Rican. Why don't why don't go to the Asian American business thing? Because business is business, you know, because we're not trying to say like, nobody's welcome unless you're Asian. We're trying everybody's welcome. To find a new resource that has not been organized. We're organizing to be a blessing to everybody. Right. In other words, we have received blessings, all of us. We have received blessings. I went to a public school where all my teachers are black. You know, everyone who taught me was black. Did I not receive a blessing. I sure did right, And we can give blessings. You know, may have an opportunity, get a good service, hire a good worker, they kick here, their family, you know, I mean, it's all good things. Wow, great, great, great, this is going to be a great event. So are there any are everyone speaking that's up there or a Chino speaker. So here's how it works. That's a lot of people, right. Yes, a lot of people. They're not going to speak for law, just interns of time, you know, and so but here's the thing. You can have long conversations later. This is this is like give us a nugget, give us some truth, give us some and be there so that people can walk up to you. They're not gonna be like, I'm eating, I'm too busy. They're there with five hundred people. You're going to meet people at the other table. At your table, You're gonna talk with people. You're gonna get cards, You're going to give out things. You're gonna say, hey, listen, I want to have access. Right. The problem is when you go to events you get a card. If you get a card and there's nobody to support you, you know, you're on your own, how do I reach that? That's why you have an organization. You know, we're there to facilitate opportunities. Perfect. Yeah, so listen. Some people don't know how to network. Yeah, look, I mean networking is simply showing up, right, but showing up with with commitment. Okay, it's like dating. You want a date, if you want a one night stand, or you're gonna get married, like if you if he does network, like I showed up, I went to a bar and gave a card. I'm waiting for the money coming. It ain't coming in right. But when you when you go there and you're persistent and you're saying, listen, here's why it's good. I'm not saying I'm going to sell you a piece of junk and I want a million dollars for it. I'm saying I got a solution, or how can I make a solution. I'm a photographer. Can I get some work? Can I do that? Like? It doesn't mean you're going to hire right away, but that you're beginning to process and then sometimes like two years later, like my son is a sophomore. He's on a football team at his high school. He never played football before he went as a freshman he was I don't know how many minutes. I don't know how many minutes he played in the entire season, right, And well, he's a sophomore. We went to the first game yesterday, the last eleven the last one mint eleven seconds. Coach put him in because they were winning fifty six or nothing. My boy, Right, by the time he's a junior. By the times he's a senior, don't mean he's going to play. It just means his opportunity gets better. And that's how football is, right, you know. And I'm saying that's how business is. You're going to complain and sit at home and you know, what else are you going to do? Yeah? You know, Kobe Bryant says, it's not about the destination, it's about the journey. And that's the truth of the matter. Wow, because that means Look, I say the same thing about my election and my runs. I say, look, is not what you do when you win, it's how you run the race, right, Because you could cheat and steal and win the race. What good is that? Oh, when I win, I'll do all these great things. You cheated and you did all that stuff on the way to get in there. You're already compromised. Do it honestly, do it right. And if you don't win, fine, but but don't think like I can I can do all this rotten stuff. And why they get there are gonna be good? Well I doubt it. You're already compromised on your way there right right right, you know, and so yeah, on the journey, you know, keep it pure, keep it the best you can and so yeah, you know, come on in, you know, you know we'll do good things. Listen, this was a listen. Listen. I'm gonna tell you I'm gonna be in. Our interviews are only half an hour. We've been here for a hour and a. Half to we can keeping. So why don't you let everyone know first? Where can I you know, participate? How can they get short reach tickets and everything else? Yeah, so go on the internet, go to www dot right Asian Business Philla p h I l a dot com Asian Business pilla. That's our website. And they'll say right, Golden Eagle, you know, dinner awards dinner and click on that and to buy a ticket to tickets, you know. Yeah, well then how can they get in contact with David? Oh? Find out more about the honorables. Former City Councilman. Board chair. Yeah, my contact information is on that website and all the day you could google me. I'm on LinkedIn, Facebook, I'm on tiktoc, I'm like all kinds of stuff, and like our organization has like free meetings where we'll bring in a speaker. We had one like sometimes we have to limit the audience, right, but it's kind of like first come, first serve, but we'll say, like we have thirty seats. So we had one with Mo Rushdie. You know, it's free, you know, if you you know, you have to pay for your own food. You don't have to eat if you don't want to. We had one with Johanna McClinton, one of our clients, Ocean Kingdom for the whole thing and gave everyone like a gift bag of lobster taale and whatever. Yeah, with Johannam Clinton, right Speaker of the Pennsylvania House. So we have these things where, you know, we'll have events. I reached out to someone at HUDD and asked him to come in and speak to a group that might be like fifty people. It's free, you know, and we'll have We had one with the senator State Senator Joe Paccoz. You got about two hundred people there. So we'll have different events. And so if you kind of follow what we're doing. And let's say you're trying to get into affordable housing, you're looking for a procurement I went out to meet with, you know, the Secretary of Procurement. That's you know, with the State of Pennsylvania Secretary, Reggie McNeil, And we would love to bring him in some time. And so if you're trying to sell stuff to our state, that might be a good place to go learn to process. So there are so many free ways to learn in the internet or this or that, and and and we want to do that. So one of the things you're trying to do, we're trying to uh plan out a summer youth business camp, like a summer camp. All kinds of kids, rich, poor, black, white, don't matter, you come in and we'd love to make it free. I don't know if we can, but I believe we will get some sponsors and we'll have wonderful people like this just explaining how you manage your funds, how you grow your money, how you start a business, how you you know, do partnerships, and it's really just to get the young people in the mindset and then they say, oh, that's why I need math, that's why I need chemistry, that's why I want to study biology. Like you begin to say, oh yeah, and that's what I could do with art, that I could do with the digital AI whatever. Where are the how do you if you don't play, you don't get better? Where do I get educated? You know? And look, my kids just did this program at University Penn fantastic and you know what they paid him to So he goes to of them to go there to learn a fantastic program and they get a stipend. Right, that's amazing. Yeah, it is amazing. You know what. That's that's why uh you know, our. Our our organization, our nonprofit Project STEAM is specific to that. Right, the science, technology engineer matter for you. So whatever you're doing based around that. Let us know if you can support someone and let us know, we'll walk together, we'll collaborate, then. We'll do this youth. I would love that. That's right, that's right. I love that. All right, Well, there you have it. We took up all your time, ladies and j this was great one more time? Can they get in contact with you? Okay? Sure? So if you want to go to Asian businessfila dot com you can learn about me there. Other than that, you can email me at Davidophilly at gmail dot com, David o'philly at gmail dot. Com, Davidolphilly at gmail dot com. Ye, but they have it, ladies and gentlemen. This was an amazing, amazing interview. This is this is why, like I said, I love the interviews because I get the chance to talk to the good people, the good people out. There and get to know them a little more. I know you guys are asking, well, where is the honorable David Oh, Well, we had him here today and he kind of gave his story on what he's doing right now, his current situation and how he continue to help the community. So I don't want you guys to go anywhere. I want you to do in next week with some amazing interviews, some stories, and of course some dynamic news what's happening in Philadelphia. So without that said, it's nothing else left to be said. I'm your boy, Charles Gregory. We taught weekly after the talk on wpp LP Philadelphia one six zero point five film. We talked weekly, Avid Talk with your boy Charles Gregory and there you go. So we'll see you on the other side. Before we let you go, you promise will come back. There you go, we'll be out there. You'll check off