Episode 8: Auld Lang Syne

Makia Martin (00:04):

Welcome to The Light Ahead, a fiction podcast that investigates the question, what would 2030 look like if the US had an economy that truly worked and cared for everyone?

Background Music (00:16):

Keep on pushing for a better future, pushing for a better future.

Makia Martin (00:22):

The US has an imagination gap when it comes to the economy. We generally think that we have to choose oneism or another like capitalism or socialism, but the reality is our options are as diverse as those who can dream them, because we continually create the economy every single day with our actions and choices. This podcast is designed to help us all practice expanding our economic imaginations, to take us out of the 'what is' and help us dream 'what could be'.

Makia Martin (00:54):

A production of Avalon story and beloved economies, each episode was co-created by a Hollywood screen writer and a change maker at the cutting edge of transforming our economy. For this project, we didn't ask them to tackle the question of how, but rather to dream, using the magic of storytelling to help us all imagine possible futures.

Background Music (01:18):

Keep on pushing for a better future, pushing for a better future.

Makia Martin (01:25):

I'm Makia, your guide as we venture into future timelines, build with possibility. In this episode, the clock is about to strike midnight on January 1st, 2030, and the US is about to sign into law, a new economic policy that channel some of the resources from the wealthy to new opportunities for communities across the country. Throughout this episode, you'll hear a conversation between me, Makia Martin, the writer of this episode; and writer, facilitator, and network strategist Ari Sahagun, my collaborator and inspiration for this episode. For now, make sure your preconceptions are powered down and your mind is unlocked in the expansive position. This is Auld Lang Syne.

Betty Ann (02:13):

Hi Violet, so good to see you. Oh, and Pam...

Partiers (02:23):

Happy New Year!

Betty Ann (02:23):

Happy New Year to you!

News Anchor (02:32):

Good evening, New York. It's an exciting New Year's Eve and of course our top story going into 2030 is the Phoenix Act. What started as a movement among America's wealthy to heal our country quickly gained nationwide support resulting in a billionaire tax that goes into effect at midnight. The president is sent to address the nation at any moment, celebrating this monumental event.

Betty Ann (02:57):

Here you go, good and hot.

Customer 1 (03:02):

Thanks Betty Ann, Happy New Year.

Betty Ann (03:04):

Thanks and Happy New Year.

Betty Ann (03:15):

Hey CJ, Happy New Year!

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (03:17):

Hey B, Happy New Year to you too and Happy Phoenix Act Eve.

Betty Ann (03:22):

Yes, girl. I'm so ready! Oh, you staying?

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (03:27):

Yeah.

Betty Ann (03:27):

A table by the window just opened up. Getting the usual?

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (03:31):

Yes, yes, please. A mocha and heavy on the Moch-.

Betty Ann (03:34):

No problem, I'll bring it right over to you.

Theo (03:57):

CJ.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (03:58):

Hi, Theo. It's nice to meet you in person.

Theo (04:03):

You too.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (04:04):

Wow, you're real. A whole handsome human, not just this flirty entity that lives in my phone.

Theo (04:10):

Only 75% handsome human. Its good we're finally meeting, been talking to your picture for a week. I mean, I was getting pretty tired of her not talking back.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (04:20):

Oh, that bitch.

Betty Ann (04:23):

Here you go, CJ. Mocha, extra melanin.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (04:28):

You angel, thank you.

Betty Ann (04:30):

Would you like something?

Theo (04:32):

Yes, just a large coffee with half and half, please.

Betty Ann (04:35):

You got it.

Theo (04:37):

I'm really surprised you picked this place, it's close to all the madness.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (04:42):

Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss this for the world. It's Phoenix Act Eve. Don't you feel that energy? The vibe out there is just electric.

Theo (04:51):

It's something.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (04:52):

And you don't?

Theo (04:57):

Well, not really. No.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (05:02):

So that's why you came in here dressed like Johnny Cash? Not a Phoenix Act fan, I'm guessing.

Theo (05:07):

Okay. One, I look damn debonair in black.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (05:10):

Wow.

Theo (05:11):

Two, The Phoenix Act going into effect is not great for everyone. For some people it's unnecessary and wrong.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (05:19):

You mean wealthy people? Billionaires.

Theo (05:24):

Yes. Well, this bill wants to punish the wealthy for being wealthy and mandate what they should do with their money. That doesn't seem a bit intrusive to you? I'm just not excited watching my money go through a distributive Russian Roulette to bailouts or the NRA.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (05:42):

Oh, okay. I'm sorry. Hold on. Hold on. Do you happen to be one of those wealthy people?

Theo (05:51):

Ah, well, do you have a new year's resolution?

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (06:00):

Oh...

Theo (06:01):

Cause I'm thinking I need to do something about these love handles.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (06:03):

Oh boy. A 7.8 on the smooth subject change. Plus we got a slight flush in the cheeks, but he's maintaining a steady eye contact.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (06:14):

Wait, you are, aren't you... interesting.

Theo (06:20):

Are you going to kidnap me if I say yes, because there's no need, I will come willingly.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (06:25):

Can I call you Ricky Money?

Theo (06:28):

Who's Ricky Money?

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (06:29):

You know, that movie about the mega rich kid with the roller coaster and the McDonald's in his yard. It's played by that really cute, sweet bass boy.

Theo (06:42):

Well that narrows it down a bit.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (06:44):

No, you know that kid, he annihilates his home invaders. He puts his hands on his face and he screams like this. Ahhh!

Theo (06:54):

Oh, oh, Macaulay Culkin!

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (06:56):

Yes!

Theo (06:57):

Wait, do you mean Richie Rich?

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (06:59):

Yes! Yes, him. You are an adorable Richie Rich.

Betty Ann (07:03):

Two caramel lattes to go, come on now.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (07:07):

Take our barista, for instance. Now she makes the best mochas in Manhattan. I've been coming here for years and I promise you, you won't meet a more endearing soul. Now tomorrow morning, she will be able to breathe a little bit more. Maybe she won't have student loan debt. Maybe she won't have to work three jobs because her wage increase will allow her to live without worrying about money. Tomorrow, you're going to wake up and you'll still be, you know, adorable and rich. How much money does one person need?

Theo (07:41):

Well, I feel like most people think wealthy individuals have money stuffed in their mattresses. Most of the money that I have goes into innovation, rebuilding communities, medical breakthroughs- it's embedded in society. This whole bill could potentially stunt progress. Prodigious corporations that provide to the masses that pushed society forward would not have been possible without individual investments.

Betty Ann (08:06):

Okay. Here's your coffee and a little half and half. Need anything else?

Theo (08:12):

I think we're okay for now.

Betty Ann (08:14):

Happy Phoenix Act Eve. Here's a little button for you.

Theo (08:21):

Yay... we got buttons.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (08:27):

Ooh. Oh. Do you have any change? I kind of want to play something on the jukebox.

Theo (08:32):

Ooh... yeah, wealthy people don't really like to jingle, but here's a fresh George Washington for you.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (08:39):

Oh boy you're so frivolous with your funds.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (08:45):

So why did you come out tonight?

Theo (08:48):

What do you mean?

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (08:50):

This jukebox has the most random collection of songs. Do you want to hear the gangster grandma bop or matching red Hondas of love?

Theo (08:59):

Yes.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (08:59):

That's a good choice. Yeah, jam's going into the queue now.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (09:07):

And I meant... I don't know, it's cold outside, it's crowded, everyone that's out is celebrating and they're rowdy. You could be at home- cozy, swimming around in your pool of gold, Scrooge McDuck.

Theo (09:21):

I don't think billionaire means what you think it means.

Theo (09:26):

To answer your question- when a beautiful, smart woman who makes you laugh, asks you to meet her for coffee, you go. Oh, why are you blushing?

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (09:36):

I- I'm. I'm not, I'm not blushing.

Theo (09:38):

Oh, you are. You are blushing.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (09:40):

I think that I just slapped my cheeks a little too hard from the calling impression.

Theo (09:46):

Oh. You know, I'm not an asshole, I promise.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (09:50):

I know, you're 75% handsome human and 25% TBD.

Theo (09:58):

But seriously, I'm not just looking at our barista and thinking, 'Well, SOL.' Like I want her life to get easier, I want this entire country to thrive. I would just rather have control over my wealth and the solution, or at least have a say in our future.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (10:15):

Oh, our future, huh?

Theo (10:17):

Okay, America's future. Stop flirting, okay? I am trying to make a point and you're distracting me.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (10:25):

I'm so sorry. Oh, what time is it? You want to go watch the speech in Times Square?

Theo (10:32):

Ooh in the cold with a trillion people, you're killing me with the romance.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (10:34):

Oh, come on.

Theo (10:36):

Its 2030, we could watch it on our beam screens.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (10:39):

No, it'll be great. Come on. Come on. The drama, the lights, the...

Theo (10:44):

...energy.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (10:45):

Yes.

Theo (10:45):

Yeah. Okay. All right, fine, let's do it. Now do we pay at the counter or does she come back?

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (10:54):

Yep and boom, baby.

Theo (10:57):

No, no, no, no, no. You should let Ricky Money handle this. Look, I've got it.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (11:03):

Fine, Ricky. I'll just wait outside. Thank you.

Theo (11:08):

You're welcome.

Makia Martin (11:23):

We'll be back to the story in just a moment. For this episode, I have the pleasure of interviewing my inspiration for and collaborator in writing this story, Ari Sahagun. Ari is a facilitator and network strategist who has helped investors move hundreds of thousands of dollars to black and indigenous led projects in the US and Mexico, and is currently co-designing a complex emerging network to support health equity.

Makia Martin (11:53):

Ari, how do you define your work around wealth in the capitalist system?

Ari Sahagun (11:57):

My first thought goes to a really broad definition of work. I guess it officially started as like a personal work project when I inherited money after my grandfather died. And I grew up with a certain class background, but I wasn't really as aware of it until I inherited wealth and papers that represented wealth. But that also got me involved in an organization called Resource Generation, which organizes young people with wealth in the United States for variety of social justice issues. And after I was involved with that organization for a couple years, I got involved with regenerative finance, which was a small collective of other wealthy people who were organizing young investors to move money toward reparations in decolonization in the US.

Ari Sahagun (12:50):

I would say that how the work is defined again, it's broad, and it comes down to like personal work and conversation with my parents around, say, what the word risk means. All the way from actually helping people with the technical side of moving money and everything in between. I'm also writing a book on the topic of what even this work looks like and how this kind of work can support us moving to systems outside of capitalism.

Makia Martin (13:23):

As the writer on the project, I feel like what I learned the most is that there are people out there doing something. Especially when you're writing this project in the middle of what we were going through in a pandemic, and still are going through, and everything that was going on with George Floyd, there was a lot of emotions and a lot of companies and projects try to lend a hand, but it just didn't, it felt very rigid. It didn't feel like there were people out there that wanted to learn from each other and take the knowledge and the wealth that they have and put it towards something that was going to benefit other people. And listening to you talk about your work, I was just kind of floored by it, I thought it was incredible.

Theo (14:17):

Hi, me again. I'd like to pay for our coffees.

Betty Ann (14:22):

Sure. Let's see, that'll be $5.50.

Theo (14:27):

All right, here you go and keep the change.

Betty Ann (14:31):

Thank you so much. Give CJ a hug for me and Happy New Year.

Theo (14:40):

Thanks. Happy New Year to you too.

Customer 2 (14:42):

Oh, oh sir. Someone left their card over here on the table.

Theo (14:48):

Huh? Oh, thanks.

Theo (14:54):

Cecilia J. Greer. Are you serious?

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (15:10):

Hey you! One sec, one sec, I think I left my card inside on the table.

Theo (15:18):

Oh, you mean this card? Miss Cecilia J. Greer.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (15:23):

Oh my hero, thank you.

Theo (15:25):

Cecilia Greer. The Cecilia Greer. As in Greer Studios, Greer Productions, that Cecilia Greer?

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (15:36):

It me.

Theo (15:38):

You got to be kidding me. You're a part of one of the wealthiest families in America, I should've let you pay for coffee.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (15:45):

Such a gentleman Theo.

Theo (15:47):

How, how are you supporting this bill? The government is about to reach into your pocket and take money from you. They're going to tax your legacy. How are you not annoyed by this?

Theo (16:01):

Really? What? You're just going to smile at me, huh?

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (16:03):

No, I'm sorry. I'm just realizing that I really like watching get all jittery. It's very cute. [crosstalk 00:16:12]

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (16:12):

Oh, excuse me. Sorry, thanks. Look, the look on your face is so conflicted. You feel like you can't decide if you want to kiss me or have me committed.

Theo (16:27):

No, I'm definitely planning on kissing you. Probably in about 10 minutes or so, but like really.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (16:31):

That was really precise.

Theo (16:32):

Is it the guilt? Is it, don't laugh at me! I am so serious right now. This bothers me in like the back of my head, it's not going to go away.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (16:43):

No, it's not guilt. It's liberation. I mean, do you remember what it was like, the problems with this country seem to collide with everything else wrong with this country?

Theo (16:58):

Yeah, I remember.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (17:06):

Okay. One night I was at a Black Lives Matter protest and the police started forcing us back and shooting rubber bullets at us, pepper spray, like the whole nine.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (17:22):

It was terrifying and even though I am Cecilia J Greer, I am also a black woman fighting for the right to simply exist while black. I was screaming at the top of my lungs and the cops were screaming back and I was in pain mentally and physically because rubber bullets hurt by the way. And I just kept thinking, what can I do? Like what more can I do? And even in all of that chaos, I knew I had privilege, and I felt like I was wasting it. Like, how can I truly change anything if I couldn't figure out how to use this shield that I was given. And more than that, why was I given a shield while others were prevented from having one? It just occurred to me that all the charity my family was doing just wasn't enough. We weren't even heading in the right direction. We needed to change the whole frame and restore natural flow of money back to the people. I'm sorry. Are you bored?

Theo (18:37):

No.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (18:38):

We can talk about something else, this is really depressing.

Theo (18:41):

No, not at all, please keep going.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (18:46):

Okay. So the next day, I talked to my family and my friends and after a bit of digging, I found out that there were more people like me. People who wanted to share their resources and use their wealth to return land and truly heal the economy.

Theo (19:09):

So what happened after you found these generous Avengers?

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (19:15):

Avengers... I started looking back into generations of my family's history, seeing where our wealth came from. Have you ever done that before?

Theo (19:23):

No. No, I can't say that I have.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (19:28):

Once you see and understand, you can't unsee it. It was an awakening and before long, we were reaching out to similar organizations and more and more people just kept getting involved. Ideas were just flying left and right and it created this huge domino effect all the way to DC. And yeah, that's where the Phoenix Act was born. And it wasn't just like a couple old white guys writing up a bill. It's the voices of people from all walks of life. This bill passed eight years ago and tomorrow everything worked for it. We changed things and by focusing on healing generations of inequality, we're building a new, stronger foundation for everyone to stand on and redesign their course.

Theo (20:21):

Woo, woo.

Partiers (20:25):

Happy New Year!

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (20:25):

Happy New Year.

Theo (20:26):

Happy New Year. Hey, be careful, all right?

Theo (20:32):

Look, money can't save the world, CJ. There's still going to be assholes out there that just want to watch everything explode.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (20:41):

Give me your hand.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (20:45):

Money. Money's just a concept really. I mean, we make it, we hoard it, we squander it. We spend our lives with it consuming every inch of our being while also being afraid that it's the only thing that people see. I've felt that too. And it draws this isolating line in the sand, you on one side able to get anything you want and a large amount of the country on the other side not able to get what they need. And you may think this has nothing to do with you, but it does because human connection is powerful and it's real, my hand in yours, that's real, right? And there are very real people out there who deserve the Liberty of carving out their own version of the American dream. You have to let go of this idea that money and opportunity only belongs to a chosen few. Don't you want to blur that line?

Theo (21:55):

You are a remarkable person, aren't you?

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (22:00):

You're awfully close. I thought you said 10 minutes.

Theo (22:05):

Well, early is on time and on time is late and late is just unacceptable.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (22:09):

Oh, oh no, no. We are missing it. Come on, come on. Excuse me.

Theo (22:18):

Pardon?

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (22:18):

Sorry. Excuse me.

Theo (22:20):

Can we just...

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (22:20):

Ricky money coming through.

Theo (22:22):

...thanks.

Theo (22:24):

Don't say that, you're going to get me mugged.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (22:26):

The President is speaking.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (22:29):

Excuse me, sorry. Excuse me.

Theo (22:31):

Pardon us.

President (22:31):

We the people of these United States is a fundamental declaration of our truth. Over the last decade I've watched every one of us sweep up the broken pieces of this country and demand a radical and economic rebuild. We all worked together to prioritize social justice and incorporate a plan for the equitable distribution of wealth and opportunity. We've already seen the beginning benefits of this act with the rollout of the reparations to our black community and the allocation of land back to the indigenous people who loved and nurtured this country long before colonization. With a new decade comes a new hope, new dreams, and the knowledge that we can and make them happen. Thank you, my fellow Americans, for your faith and for your voice. Goodnight to you all.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (23:48):

Wow. That was amazing. Amazing. So are you going to kiss me yet?

Partiers (23:56):

10, 9, 8, 7...

Theo (23:56):

Yeah, it might be that time.

Partiers (23:57):

4, 3...

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (24:01):

Oh yeah, so what's the hold up?

Partiers (24:19):

2, 1! Happy New Year!

Theo (24:19):

Well, you won't stop talking. That's okay, that's okay. Your voice is becoming one of my favorite sounds.

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (24:27):

Smooth. That was really smooth, real slick.

Theo (24:31):

Yeah. Yeah, that was pretty good, right?

CJ/Cecilia J. Greer (24:33):

It was yes.

Makia Martin (24:50):

Ari, in preparing for this episode, we talked a lot about the hierarchy of being charitable versus the solidarity of standing shoulder to shoulder together. I feel like everybody does try to be charitable, but the solidarity part is a little bit harder for most people to do. I felt like those were the things that I tried to put into the character and even the discovery of the character, CJ's character in the story makes a discovery that she's been charitable, but she hasn't been standing in solidarity as much as she wants to stand in solidarity. Or maybe in a way that she stands in solidarity, but she learns a different way that could benefit more of standing shoulder to shoulder with people, which is something that I felt like I really understood.

Ari Sahagun (25:42):

I think part of the inspiration of that is a lot of organizing in Latin America where they seem to understand solidarity and in practice, whereas like shoulder to shoulder is an assumption rather than a hierarchical organizing structure. One of the really specific projects that I learned and practiced this in was with the Buen Vivir Fund through Thousand Currents and with partners in multiple other countries. And the way that leadership looked was so different than how I've seen it happen in say a traditional investment or giving or donating or foundation hierarchy. It's so much different; where the leadership is located, it's located in all of us and everyone that was participating and together we make decisions and together we understand what return means and to who the return goes was something that was decided as a group. So that less hierarchical structuring of solidarity is key to moving beyond this extractive structures of capitalism.

Makia Martin (26:51):

While creating the episode, I felt like an average person would when you kind of hear all these words, like when you hear economy and how to change it, you kind of don't know where to start. So talking to you and hearing the work that you were doing, it was just like, wow, somebody's actually out there doing something, taking it step by step. I felt like I was just taking away basically just how to begin to do the research and figure out what it is in this country that makes wealth such a dominating charge and what wealth truly means.

Ari Sahagun (27:29):

Well, I think how capitalism understands wealth is pretty narrow having to do mostly with money and places and land and resources that are converted into money. We're kind of beginning to understand, like having a tree in the ground is also valuable rather than cutting it down and turning it into paper or whatever. Still, it's pretty limited as to how the concept of wealth is understood. I think that this basic idea of like having accumulated a lot of wealth is what success means in the United States. And then it's like also that you've been able to do that has been your own individual and isolated work rather than like centuries of privilege given to certain people. But those are just like very foundational and there's so many things that happen after those assumptions are made that like, I don't even know how to get into like read the book, listen to the podcast, you know.

Makia Martin (28:29):

Thanks for listening. I hope you enjoyed your trip into the future and can now see the light ahead a little more clearly. The Light Ahead is a production of Avalon: Story and Beloved Economies, based on six years of research in collaboration and with over 100 groups across the US. The Beloved Economy's campaign is sharing stories, practices, tools, and tips to expand imaginations of what is possible for our economy. Avalon: Story is a center of practice space in Ketchum ,Idaho to help birth the future of story by investigating two questions. What does story need to be to build us a bridge to a more beautiful future? And what does the business of story need to be to serve as a vehicle for the same? The Light Ahead is a Beloved Economies and Avalon: Story production made in partnership with Frequency Media. I'm your host, Makia Martin.

Makia Martin (29:31):

The Light Ahead was co-created by Jess Remington and Naomi McDougal-Jones, who is also our show runner. It is executive produced by Naomi McDougal-Jones of Avalon: Story, Joanna Saya and Jess Remington of Beloved Economies, Lila Jantu and Michelle Corey of Frequency Media. It is produced by Heidi Rootvotes and Jordan Riseiri, and co-produced by Lauren Wrestler and Sonya Sarkar, of Beloved Economies. The fiction portion of this episode was produced by Avalon's story written by me, Makia Martin, based on conversations with and the ideas of Ari Sahagun and directed by Lila Yamtu. Featuring performances by Christian T. Chan, Joy de Michelle and Makia Martin. Production coordinated by Marley Newman, sound designed by Samantha Doyle, sound mixed by Rick Schnuck, and our sound intern was Alan Lindsay. The nonfiction portion of this episode was produced by Frequency Media, with dialogue editing by Sidney Evans and mixing by Matthew Ernest-filler. Our theme music was written and performed by Alicia K. Hall, Jeffrey Archie, and B.I.G. Patty. This podcast is available on Spotify, Apple podcast, Google podcast, and wherever podcasts are found.