LineSpeakerSt TimeContentEn Time
1ROC_se0_ag2_m_010.3837But i- in- in terms of1.9271
3 3.2001when I got to Baltimore. I signed up for a gym and w-5.8708 
5 6.5969the- the woman signing me up8.0893 
7 8.6441though I was British. She goes, are you from England?10.7192 
9 11.8419And I was like, no.13.3853 
11 14.4673Um.15.0531 
13 15.5008<ts> From upstate New York. Oh what's your borough?17.6494 
15 18.5493It's a whole other [conversation, but}20.1953 
16ROC_int_0119.6731[Right. <laugh>]20.7747
17ROC_se0_ag2_m_0121.3517None of them. <laugh>23.3754
19 23.6785But, you just said New York. I said,24.8654 
21 25.1685yup.25.6628 
23 25.8213I did.26.4182 
25 27.1736Um.27.8015 
27 29.2470And then,30.1050 
29 32.5611coming back to here.33.7455 
31 34.6128When I worked in the city, I realized that those students didn't think I was black either. So they were like, what are you mixed with?40.4978 
33 40.9548Can I touch your hair?42.1193 
35 42.6509You've got that good hair.44.0591 
37 45.5419Which,46.0035 
39 46.2180a- n-46.8009 
41 47.9468was very frustrating. And then I49.3130 
43 49.4622m- had them all read them all read the Willie Lynch Letter. And be like,51.5303 
45 51.7168this is why you think this. Like, let's stop [<laugh>]54.7577 
46ROC_int_0154.3707[Mm-hm.]54.7577
47ROC_se0_ag2_m_0155.3489Um.55.9991
49 57.9823But it's- it's-58.8822 
51 60.6028P- I know61.4002 
53 61.5447my pronunciation and- and my handling of the English language comes from a different, couple of different places.65.5988 
55 66.1012One, my great aunt, who raised my mother, was an eighth grade English teacher.69.6982 
57 70.3219And, so she drove71.6788 
59 72.4109pronunciation, language, speech,74.4068 
61 74.8171spelling,75.5026 
63 75.7964reading, into my mother, and my mother did the same with me.78.2677 
65 78.6815Even to this day, if - if I'm mumbling, or 81.4700 
67 82.1461uh, if I'm speaking too loudly. If my presentation isn't85.2330 
69 86.1645what she deems appropriate,87.5260 
71 87.8804p- she has no hesitation in correcting me.89.9601 
73 90.6973Um.91.4084 
75 92.0671<ts>92.1976 
77 93.8623I know that part of the influence on my language is, when I was a kid, I read a lot of comic books.97.5222 
79 98.5341And,99.2102 
81 99.7826comic books has an impact on language in that, one,102.6922 
83 103.5735it says it's okay104.7131 
85 104.8437to put image with-105.8924 
87 106.0556with words106.7877 
89 107.4137as you get older.108.5330 
91 108.6542But, you have to pay attention to the inflection.110.4960 
93 111.1162For example, it's very common to m-113.0371 
95 113.6899make words bolded.114.9815 
97 115.4711Well, if it's bolded,116.3231 
99 116.4863that's their way of putting an exclamation point on the word.118.5287 
101 119.0229So, you practice120.0534 
103 120.5978pronunciation to- to catch on to, this is the word I have to pay attention to.124.2442 
105 124.8224Which changes how you read126.0721 
107 126.2679the line.126.7979 
109 127.4786It's not just128.1862 
111 128.5127flat script, but129.5059 
113 129.6131like, oh, I have to change how I'm saying this because they're arguing.132.5840 
115 132.9990And I have to internalize and what would this character sound like if he were having that argument?136.8421 
117 137.5229It's a little bit different from a book because you have to140.1540 
119 140.8746infer141.7485 
121 141.8930that's what's going on based upon143.3945 
123 143.9121the imagery the author has given you, and then you read it as you see it.147.0813 
125 147.5756In a comic book, they don't148.5293 
127 148.8557give you that much149.6158 
129 149.9655freedom.150.2872 
131 151.6057Also, you're forced to address153.6574 
133 154.2682words may be a little more challenging in pronuncia- pronun- pronunciation.157.4941 
135 158.2542You know, the fact that159.0655 
137 159.8862<ts> at seven years old, I'm saying adamantium.161.7840 
139 162.8666You know, vibranium. These aren't real things, but,165.3827 
141 165.8458there's a lot of syllables. That's a lot to chew for a seven year old.168.6480 
143 169.2577Um,169.6492 
145 169.7591because,170.7272 
147 171.3844you read about Marvel comic books. And they have these173.8921 
149 174.8278fake alloys. And you have to know what an alloy is, and so, now you're reading and you have to179.3179 
151 179.8319dissect and understand.181.2580 
153 181.9433Um.182.6154 
155 183.7620Even DC with Superman, his kryptonite.185.8699 
157 186.0544Well, kryptonite's real, so now you're learning about a real e- element. But it's not189.2392 
159 189.8850a- a common pronunciation that works well for like phonics readers.192.8768 
161 193.4341You know, there's a Y there, but I'm pronouncing it like an I, like what's going on?196.8210 
163 197.6952Um.198.4815 
165 201.2659Other influence, I think, upon my language are203.7567 
167 205.2540I didn't like205.9612 
169 206.1765reading regular books. Especially I remember in fourth grade,208.6892 
171 209.2778um,209.8884 
173 210.8549I think one Christmas, I had to do like twenty book reports to catch up on all the book reports I didn't do.214.8184 
175 215.8200And,216.7030 
177 218.5473it was just one of those things where,220.0014 
179 220.6295m-220.7438 
181 221.1743when that was over, then my parents said, alright, you're gonna have to start doing book reports for us.224.9469 
183 225.8555And so.226.8527 
185 227.4985Turn it down.228.2057 
187 229.9365Um,230.5867 
189 230.9864so then I had to start doing232.8132 
191 233.6742uh,234.3639 
193 234.7592so, I started reading235.7652 
195 237.7589a lot more stuff239.0021 
197 239.6171that240.0058 
199 242.7162for me to be entertained by it,244.3993 
201 244.6321I had to read245.5479 
203 246.2349out loud to myself. So then, I'm thinking about how I sounded,249.0551 
205 249.7667when I said it.250.6102 
207 251.6557And that changed, um,253.2373 
209 253.4043a bit of my language.254.4058 
211 254.8890Um.255.4557 
213 257.2298And then,258.0293 
215 258.9079you know, by the time I got to high school and the SATs, I'm like really just262.1454 
217 262.6455gobbling up language.263.6603 
219 264.6706So, by the time,265.5097 
221 265.6766nowadays, when I'm interacting with students,267.6446 
223 267.8028wow. You sound really smart, you're using words I'm not familiar with. I'm like271.3063 
225 271.7105well, I'm gonna keep using them until you are familiar with them. And274.5680 
227 275.2234you'll be used to them as well.276.5588 
229 277.2215Um.277.7179 
231 278.5086I think also, part of what influenced my language is I was281.2454 
233 282.9711a lot of my friends were, would be classified as gifted and talented.285.4179 
235 286.3272So,287.1004 
237 289.5905I remember-290.5262 
239 291.6244I remember arguing over the usage of the word conundrum i-293.6187 
241 294.4841when I was in eleventh grade,295.9771 
243 297.4926with my friends, and there were no adults around us.300.2469 
245 300.9404Because somebody used it302.1791 
247 302.8512like, they heard it, they used it in the middle of a phrase, and then we argued over the meaning of it.306.5632 
249 307.1512Um.307.7882 
251 309.6639That was a310.9950 
253 311.3508common event.312.1986 
255 313.0941Um.313.5641 
257 313.8321And I think a lot of that shaped315.1807 
259 315.5102how I addressed language.316.8632 
260ROC_int_01317.7154Hm.317.8867
262 318.7515Okay.319.1644 
264 319.3357Cool. Well, you hit320.2187 
266 320.5086my [other part that I was about to ask.] So,322.6699 
267ROC_se0_ag2_m_01320.7546[<laugh>]322.3316
268ROC_int_01323.1795Um.323.7110
270 324.0712Do you have any last comments to say? Maybe, about 326.8249 
272 327.4619uh, your experience here, or Rochester in general?330.5720 
273ROC_se0_ag2_m_01331.7267Um.332.3420
275 338.0342I think what it338.6448 
277 338.9742what you find in terms of the- the-340.9335 
279 341.7813the development of language. I think343.4628 
281 344.8026couple different things346.0941 
283 346.9024stand out. Especially from an education standpoint.349.1860 
285 349.9416Um.350.5303 
287 352.3263<ts> I was not an oral learner. And, when I say that, I mean355.0455 
289 356.2359I didn't learn stories and-358.1882 
291 358.2936and-358.7637 
293 358.8779and359.2927 
295 359.3831concepts and how to behave in school through361.6972 
297 362.1146story telling.362.8701 
299 363.7920I learned it from reading.364.7892 
301 366.0587And that changed367.4073 
303 367.6226my approach. And what I have found is that369.5371 
305 371.7380suburban districts, wealthier districts373.9773 
307 375.6686the majority of the students are learning from reading. They're not learning from story telling.378.8862 
309 380.2436So,380.8762 
311 381.5300which is very conducive towards a- uh,383.6808 
313 384.2404a hu-384.5304 
315 385.3167traditional educational s-386.3885 
317 386.5467setting.387.0103 
319 388.1782In urban districts,388.9821 
321 389.4521you find more of a storytelling,392.0190 
323 393.2358well, I'm not gonna read you Little Red Riding Hood.395.4308 
325 395.6826But, I know the story. So, I'm gonna tell it to you.397.7472 
327 398.2392And, I'll embellish it, so next time it's a little more entertaining. However I need it to be, but401.9991 
329 402.2758you know the basic story.403.7958 
331 405.1086Well that then says406.8613 
333 407.8981to a student,408.5658 
335 408.8162one, I don't need to have mastery of language.410.8797 
337 411.9013That's the412.7153 
339 413.0492mainstream mastery of it.414.2440 
341 415.1358I just need to have a mastery of concept.417.5123 
343 418.8032So, how I pronounce it doesn't matter.420.2308 
345 420.4681What I'm saying does.421.7068 
347 422.8885And so,423.9121 
349 424.4517the package changes.425.9058 
351 426.9791And I think a lot of people have428.0422 
353 428.1564issue428.7576 
355 430.0930with the packaging.431.0155 
357 431.9204<ts> Take the-433.0230 
359 433.2339the Southern accent.434.2047 
361 434.5386The stereotypical Southern accent.436.1088 
363 436.9195Um.437.4994 
365 439.3437M- most people don't realize that you have the PhD triangle442.3792 
367 443.2483in North Carolina.444.1005 
369 445.8006But,446.0466 
371 446.2047so which- which would say447.2978 
373 447.5658per capita, you have a lot of intelligent people449.4503 
375 450.0243in one nucleus.451.4739 
377 453.7048But, a lot of them are gonna have that Southern accent. But, you're going to assume stupidity with the Southern accent. Like, that's-457.9962 
379 458.4359that's a cultural norm, because you don't like the package.460.4314 
381 461.0647Um.461.6577 
383 464.1690And I- I think465.2320 
385 465.9993a lot of the times, people just need to get over that. We do the same thing468.5614 
387 469.1764With, the e- English as secondary learners.472.1387 
389 473.2018These are kids that should be in the fifth, sixth grade, but we put them in the fourth and third grade when they move here. Why? Because478.0783 
391 478.6506they have to learn English.479.6670 
393 480.2848Instead of just putting them in an English immersion program,482.5970 
395 483.3959and then,484.1690 
397 484.7840saying, you're one grade behind.486.0360 
399 487.4417Um.488.1446 
401 490.3184So, I think a lot of the times,491.5484 
403 491.6802people just need to get over, in terms of language.493.6306 
405 494.0114the packaging.494.6146 
407 495.5107And- and-496.2927 
409 496.9202and focus on the message. Because,498.6598 
411 498.8531if nothing else, listen to hip-hop.500.5882 
413 501.6865And, I don't-502.0862 
415 502.2663I don't mean that mumble crap.503.6566 
417 504.1326That tr- [<laugh> th-] it has it's purpose, whatever.507.0735 
418ROC_int_01504.9166[<laugh>]505.4681
419ROC_se0_ag2_m_01507.1833But,507.5216
421 511.3691If you look at say,512.7265 
423 514.8300what Eminem does.516.0029 
425 516.3851Nas, Mos Def, Common,518.7484 
427 519.3546even Kanye, in the way that they structure an argument523.0394 
429 524.4445lyrically.525.2088 
431 526.6189These are guys that are from traditional urban backgrounds.529.1702 
433 531.1078And if you knew nothing about them,532.5794 
435 532.8430all, the negative perceptions that would l-534.2794 
437 534.6177fall on them because of where they're from.536.2859 
439 536.7032And then, they open their mouths, and they538.0746 
441 538.9633unleash genius.540.2241 
443 540.9796Well, why is that541.5287 
445 541.8362possible?542.4556 
447 543.5327Well, because you take the time to actually listen to what they're saying,545.5665 
449 546.3968and how they use language.548.1084 
451 548.2446They're w- literally549.0840 
453 549.2290word smiths.550.2833 
455 551.1628Um.551.8481 
457 553.1082I think,553.6705 
459 556.0470people need to, again, get over the package.558.0490 
461 558.2028and really get to the heart of559.6041 
463 560.4958what's really being said.562.1256 
465 562.7487And,563.4252 
467 564.1500it would open their eyes a lot more to566.3553 
469 566.5441what things mean.567.6907 
471 568.4983And, create more fruitful conversations and interactions.571.5733 
473 573.5018And that's <clap>574.4166 
474ROC_int_01574.4166[Yeah.]574.7518
475ROC_se0_ag2_m_01574.6362[final] thought.575.2704
476ROC_int_01575.6246Okay. [Very cool.]576.8606
477ROC_se0_ag2_m_01575.8810[<laugh>]577.0803
478ROC_int_01577.1637Thank you so much.578.1518
479ROC_se0_ag2_m_01578.1518No problem.578.8034
480ROC_int_01578.9908Do you still agree to me using this, uh, interview?581.8860
481ROC_se0_ag2_m_01581.8860Sure.582.2594
482ROC_int_01582.3209Okay.582.6899
484 582.8569Great.583.1731