Akil and Hong welcome SBCC's Executive Director of Public Affairs and Communications Martha Swanson to talk about communications and marketing at SBCC. From there, the trio trace Martha's path in the communications industry, get a full rundown of Martha's favorite places to eat in the Ventura/Oxnard area, and then discuss British comedy, donuts in California, and the wisdom of Loretta Ross.
Mentioned in this episode:
SBCC Office of Communications - https://www.sbcc.edu/officeofcommunications/
Strategic Enrollment Management Committee - https://www.sbcc.edu/sem/index.php
Career and Academic Pathways - https://www.sbcc.edu/sitemap/academics.php
Office of Communications Help Request Form - https://www.sbcc.edu/officeofcommunications/form.php
Office of Communications Email - marketing@sbcc.edu
Northwestern University - https://www.northwestern.edu/
Von Maur - https://www.vonmaur.com/History.aspx
Nordstrom - https://www.nordstrom.com/browse/about/company-history
Saditty - https://www.waywordradio.org/saditty-seditty/
KB Home - https://www.kbhome.com/about-kb
Home Giveaway on the Ellen Show - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd4HpglNjQc
Cal Lutheran - https://www.callutheran.edu/
MOXI - https://moxi.org/
Prince Polo Chocolate - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Polo
Nando’s Peri Peri - https://www.nandosperiperi.com/
Niles, Illinois - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niles,_Illinois
Sriracha shortage - https://www.npr.org/2022/06/17/1105477224/sriracha-shortage-chilli-climate-change
NCORE - https://www.ncore.ou.edu/en/
Screen Door, Portland - https://screendoorrestaurant.com/
Eater - https://www.eater.com/
Pueblo Pollo - https://pueblo-pollo.business.site/
Halal - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halal
Biryani - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biryani
Chaat - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaat
Frontside Cafe - https://frontsidecafe.com/
Flat White/Long Black - https://coffeewitness.com/flat-white-vs-long-black/
Cafe du Suro - https://www.instagram.com/cafedusuro/?hl=en
Caribbean Haven - https://www.caribbeanhaven.com/
Topa Topa - https://topatopa.beer/
Game Over Catering - https://www.instagram.com/gameovercatering/?hl=en
Taskmaster - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taskmaster_(TV_series)
Taskmaster Sample Clip - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UgSDcHPgCc
Would I Lie to You - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Would_I_Lie_to_You%3F_(game_show)
Countdown - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countdown_(game_show)
Off Menu Podcast - https://www.offmenupodcast.co.uk/
National Donut Day - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Donut_Day
Donut King Movie - https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/the-donut-king/
The Doughnut Kids Are Alright - https://la.eater.com/2022/6/1/23064652/los-angeles-cambodian-doughnut-shops-next-generation
An American Dream, With Sprinkles by Mayly Tao - https://www.donutprincessla.com/book/
Hook & Press - http://www.hookandpressdonuts.com/
Eller’s Donuts - https://ellersdonut.com/
Bagel Market Cafe - https://sbbagelmarket.com/
Master’s Donuts - https://www.yelp.com/biz/masters-donuts-oxnard
DK’s Donuts - https://www.dksdonuts.com/
Loretta Ross - https://lorettajross.com/
Don’t Call People Out - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw_720iQDss
SBCC Cliffs Notes - https://www.sbcc.edu/newsandevents/cliffnotes.php
Captions Provided by Zoom
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Hong Lieu: hello, and welcome to another episode of SBCC Vaquero Voices - a podcast highlighting the unique voices that comprise our campus culture, and how we're all working together to serve our students and the community at large. As usual, i'm joined by my co host Akil Hill.
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Akil Hill: What is good y'all.
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Hong Lieu: And today, we are honored to welcome Martha swanson to the show welcome Martha.
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Akil Hill: Welcome Martha.
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Martha Swanson: hi Thank you so much for having me.
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Hong Lieu: So Martha is is not only my boss he's also the Executive Director of marketing communications is that the.
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Hong Lieu: That is the title right.
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Hong Lieu: Come on, I mean I know.
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Hong Lieu: Communication.
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Akil Hill: And I know brand new do.
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Hong Lieu: I don't know.
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Hong Lieu: I mean, and you know.
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Hong Lieu: Full disclosure my former boss losers on the show as well and I didn't know the title.
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Akil Hill: That sounds like a review.
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Akil Hill: On the review.
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Hong Lieu: On the door just his office communications, and that is such a oversimplification of.
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Hong Lieu: That, if you could give us the full title and kind of a breakdown of because, even from when loses a show.
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Hong Lieu: Everything is changed everything is so wild and you know not wild, I guess, but it just brought it and it's it's not a lake it's an ocean so yeah the official title and all responsibilities there, and if you could just lay it on the line for us here.
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Martha Swanson: How long Michele.
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Akil Hill: Hope you're taking notes on this song.
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Hong Lieu: To me.
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Martha Swanson: I feel like maybe we should make on answer the question.
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Martha Swanson: Exactly kidding kidding kidding I am the Executive Director of Public Affairs and communications.
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Martha Swanson: Now that is a mouthful of the title and you're absolutely right on, it is a little confusing because I am the head of the office of communications public affairs isn't in that name marketing isn't in that name but.
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Martha Swanson: Let me tell you the office of communications is really the office of marketing public relations or yes public affairs would be another way of saying that.
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Martha Swanson: Government relations and communications and then keeping in mind, of course, that marketing encompasses advertising branding social media and, of course, the one thing that I assume Hong Kong tell you our office does because he does it our website.
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Hong Lieu: These witches witches.
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Hong Lieu: Marketing yes, because they they brought me into the full because it was a part of the marketing piece, as you know.
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Hong Lieu: It was an IT position before but it fits in the market and and being in the office, I definitely see how that does fit in, and I think now that I hear the title, the term public affairs is a little kind of nebulous to it's hard to you know, like.
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Akil Hill: feel it.
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Hong Lieu: In a post social media world everything is a public affair so so in terms of that because you are, you are also rpi oh right.
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Hong Lieu: or public information officer for for natural disasters and things that's why, when the word you stick it out to this bcc community, you are kind of the primary contact there so is that is that part of the Public Affairs does that part of the communications or.
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You know.
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Martha Swanson: Everything because guess what else you know, and when.
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Martha Swanson: When there's an emergency guess what we're using social media is you know there's been there's a marketing aspect to everything so yeah it is.
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Martha Swanson: It is broad and it can be a little nebulous I suppose would be that would be the word on and the other thing.
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Martha Swanson: That our office does, and in particular that I found myself doing, and since starting here is, I think I think it can vary from executive to executive.
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Martha Swanson: But I have a lot of experience in advising and assisting like the you know the ultimate boss, whether that's the CEO and, in this case, our superintendent President on their communications and so i've been i've been doing that as well.
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Martha Swanson: And you know that's something i'm accustomed to having live in this sort of office, our department as well.
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Hong Lieu: And, and I know you had some experience in education said before, but it was not at this level, like an executive director level.
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Hong Lieu: So, in terms of you know you probably you you're a communication, I mean we'll get to this point in the process bcc section, but.
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Hong Lieu: You are a communications professional, like you, this is this was your you know your all your all your previous job with me he's just.
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Hong Lieu: Is it a lot different doing it in the educational sector, or is it kind of a lot of things are similar is, it is all encompassing because it really does seem all encompassing here at the College.
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It.
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Martha Swanson: It isn't it isn't.
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Martha Swanson: I say that because no it's not unusual that an office or communications or that all of these things that our offices responsible for our group together and really they should be.
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Martha Swanson: You know I know that this office was formed, as a result of there being a separate marketing department and then a separate just CIO.
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Martha Swanson: Who, I assume, also did you know media relations and other PR stuff i'm.
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Martha Swanson: combining them is absolutely the right way to go, because it all does relate to an organization or an institution or a things reputation.
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Martha Swanson: And that's that's how I like to describe marketing and communications to people, its reputation management like.
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Martha Swanson: If there's anything that's going to affect our reputation I either need to know about it.
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Martha Swanson: I definitely need to know about it, I need to be doing something about it, and whether that is something that's reactive or proactive.
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Martha Swanson: You know, proactive side of that is yeah all our outgoing advertising and marketing trying to recruit students here, trying to get folks to come to events on campus that sort of thing and and that stuff you know that.
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Martha Swanson: Why i've enjoyed working in marketing and communications is that it has allowed me to jump around from industry to industry and it's.
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Martha Swanson: fun that way because, once you develop the skills that are needed to do the function of this job.
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Martha Swanson: Then you kind of get to then learn new things, wherever you go if you give you go from industry to industry, you get to learn about.
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Martha Swanson: Okay, like, for instance SPC is my first public organization, so there is, I will admit a bit more of a learning curve than I thought there would be.
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Martha Swanson: For that, but it's it's fascinating and it's also fun i've never had to deal with before from public records request to the way that we're funded and all of that.
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Martha Swanson: Then you know before here, I was at a museum and that's, you know as opposed to trying to get someone to come to come to a school for you know 234 years.
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Martha Swanson: I was trying to get people to come to a place for an afternoon and maybe become a member of the organization or to give us money because we were a nonprofit.
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Martha Swanson: And i've also worked at a home builder a fortune 500 publicly traded company, so I kind of got a crash course in the things related to to that and there's a whole you know there's there's rules and regulations and related to that so.
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Martha Swanson: The basic functions of the job, and you know have have not really well no i'm not gonna say they haven't changed because the thing is i've been doing this work now for oh boy.
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Martha Swanson: 818 years but you're 16 years old 16 somewhere around there.
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Martha Swanson: And you know I used to clip paper articles out of the newspaper for our files now it's the majority of news coverage is online, and you know you may even make a PDF.
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Martha Swanson: and obviously social media wasn't so much a thing you had to have a university email address.
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Martha Swanson: When I first started working to be on Facebook, for instance, and there were plenty of social networks that have become different.
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Martha Swanson: That were active throughout the time that i've been doing the work so.
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Martha Swanson: So yeah so it's I hope that answers your question it's I will say because i've worked places where marketing and PR are kind of separated and I think.
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Martha Swanson: And it doesn't work it doesn't work for my experience and so having all of the functions that our office does under one office, I think, is really smart.
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Akil Hill: So it sounds like the answer is D all the above.
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Martha Swanson: expose so.
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Yes.
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Hong Lieu: And I guess the follow up to that question is, is it a similar situation where.
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Hong Lieu: You know you're doing a pretty good job when nobody knows what you do, or like is you know because there's there's no fires to put out like you're in a bad place when there's the moon fires to put out everyone's like.
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Hong Lieu: Oh, my God everything's going crazy everyone's like what's going on here.
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Hong Lieu: yeah that kinda kind of thing where we're a lot of people ask you will, so what is your office do, and in some ways that's kind of a good thing, because it's like.
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Hong Lieu: Well, at least, things are relatively managed and then there's the you know the the higher hanging for the you get to, or is it is it just kind of here is the unique in that respect.
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Martha Swanson: No, I actually do that.
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Martha Swanson: that's interesting you put it that way, I do think that that is the case, actually because yeah if what we're doing is working i'm.
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Martha Swanson: Things should be things should be good, we should be hitting enrollment targets, you should be doing that now, of course, specifically here NSPCC, we know that, right now, the College is experiencing and has been experiencing.
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Martha Swanson: A great decline and enrollments there, and there have been some public relations issues and whatnot and so you know it's.
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Martha Swanson: that's a that's a that's a that's a tricky question yeah.
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Hong Lieu: And in other industries like in it when everything's going right, and no one has anything say they never think twice a year, not that people aren't working hard.
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Hong Lieu: So I think you know you get the benefit of doubt, and in in our in you know marketing communications.
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Hong Lieu: it's almost the opposite where they're like Oh, they must be blown it, they must be just like twiddling their thumbs in their offices all day but no, I mean that I our team, we are small, but mighty we are definitely like nose to the grindstone we're grinding.
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Martha Swanson: Absolutely absolutely so all right.
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Hong Lieu: i'm probably a slacker of the group and everybody was on I was I walk around campus it looks to me like oh yeah horns really on it obviously you don't even know how my team my team has my team is grinded so I feel like the slacker and there's a lot of time, so yeah.
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Martha Swanson: So I yeah now that you framed it that way you're right, I have a feeling that a lot of people don't appreciate how much work is going on behind the scenes, because yeah to your point some stuff just happens and it happens, well, and then it may just be taken for granted.
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Martha Swanson: So yeah no there's there's a lot we're juggling a lot back here.
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Akil Hill: that she was gonna say you're right, you are a slacker.
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Hong Lieu: Why not, why not.
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Martha Swanson: Andre we I need to give credit credit to the team, you know I just joined the College in September.
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Martha Swanson: And that's you know somewhat is that am i've been here eight months, nine months I can't tell if it feels longer or shorter, I still feel like I have a lot to learn, so, in some ways that you feel short.
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Martha Swanson: But otherwise like hey yeah like I made it feel like commencement happened like it was awesome that's great.
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Martha Swanson: But they have been such an amazing source of support for me and really you know I came on in a very challenging time.
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Martha Swanson: Right at the start of the school year vaccine mandate was about to be actually implemented coven still ago and on so you know that's also been a weird thing starting a new job in the midst of a pandemic and and so anyway.
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Martha Swanson: And i'm sorry you're gonna have to edit this out i'm getting messages on the side from Dr.
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Martha Swanson: You just for a second let's yeah.
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It was.
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Hong Lieu: All right, yeah so shout out to the team amanda Kirsten Sally mutations.
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Hong Lieu: And yeah just a lot going on and Martha if you can kind of go into kind of things you're working on now, or what what's you know what's what's the state of the apartment I guess today speak on it.
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Martha Swanson: Absolutely absolutely so over the last the most of most of the school year i've been a part of.
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Martha Swanson: The strategic enrollment management committee here at the College and that has been amazingly led by Dr Cathy Scott, who, as we all know, is leaving us and you know I think she's counting down the days right now it's mid June she's leaving us at the end of the fiscal year.
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Martha Swanson: And, but she's done a great job she kind of wanted to be sure that we went into this new year with a strategic enrollment management plan.
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Martha Swanson: Because, as everyone knows no secret enrollments have been declining and to be clear, not just here NSPCC but at Community colleges and colleges and universities across the country across the state across the country like everywhere.
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Martha Swanson: They were in they were specifically declining here before the pandemic and then the pandemic just exacerbated that and, and so I am most excited about contributing to that plan with the.
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Martha Swanson: sort of rethinking our colleges marketing and advertising strategy, I mean, in the face of Emily enrollment we, we have to.
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Martha Swanson: So in my mind there's two key parts to growing enrollment both attracting new students and retaining students, because you know the old adage and again this is kind of where my work applies across sectors across industries.
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Martha Swanson: You know the old thing is like it's five times more expensive to get a new customer than it is to keep an existing one.
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Martha Swanson: I mean you know, think about it that's why customer loyalty programs exists that's why customer experience customer service matters, if you have a good experience somewhere.
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Martha Swanson: you're treated well somewhere you're going to tell people about it.
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Martha Swanson: you're going to have a warm fuzzy association with a product or place you're going to go back there continually and then that's great then that place doesn't have to worry about serving you and add or convincing you to come in and try it because.
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Martha Swanson: you've been sold on it and, and so I say all that to say our students and happy engage students can be one of our strongest marketing tools and so we've got to get more of them back and we've got to keep them, and so you know the work that my office does our office does.
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Martha Swanson: helps cast sort of a wide net and get as many people introduced to us bcc in its programs get them intrigued about what they could do here and and then.
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Martha Swanson: it's kind of, we need to think about it holistically and that's what I think is really great and about the guided pathways framework which, when I first got here, you know and and that word is being thrown around, and I was like.
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Martha Swanson: Oh, what is this this sounds very specific to Community colleges, or you know something else i'm going to have to learn.
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Martha Swanson: But then, once I dug into it and got a great introduction to it by our.
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Martha Swanson: faculty Member Margaret proper I realized Oh, this is just the customer journey.
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Martha Swanson: Which is something that's talked about everywhere i've ever worked.
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Martha Swanson: On it's you know it's that and then the way that we talk about it here it's just it's just done, specifically to the Community college system.
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Martha Swanson: The chancellor's office it's guided pathways framework is about four phases for each student connection entry progress and completion and where our office plays the biggest part is in that connection phase.
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Martha Swanson: And, and you know, but my point in saying that is is that all four of those things need to be working in harmony and need to be.
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Martha Swanson: going well in order for us to retain a student and I see them through to completion, so that then they're happy with us that they may talk about their great experience and then someone else wants to come here to.
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Martha Swanson: that's the best you know we can't we can't buy that sort of advertising and so that's why it's really important and.
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Martha Swanson: I the the holistic approach is also really important because let's say we come up with the most clever most eyeball catching advertising campaign every on people are talking about it.
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Martha Swanson: If then they get here and the experience doesn't match up to the expectation that's horribly disappointing for someone.
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Martha Swanson: The reverse is true as well if we create amazing programs, you know, like some of which we already have and if we have amazing student support services, which we know we do if that's all running perfectly, but then.
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Martha Swanson: Whatever we're doing for marketing isn't working you know you can't just build it, they will come like you need to get people to actually come.
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Martha Swanson: Come see it so all of these that my point is that all of these things have to be working in harmony and they have to be aligned with one another.
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Martha Swanson: To be successful so i'm optimistic that the strategic enrollment management plan will put us on a path to doing that, in tandem with the work that's being done with guided pathways.
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Martha Swanson: And just with the I think sort of hopefully renewed excitement and around you know coming out of the pandemic and more students being on campus and yeah that's come with a lot of challenges, but now I think there's reason to be hopeful.
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Akil Hill: Yes, really.
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Hong Lieu: that's where marketing something like an education is tough because.
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Hong Lieu: We don't sell widgets you know we don't it's not just a sign your region trying to get people to come and your co sign alone.
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Hong Lieu: or just a single point of entry it's you were making the initial connection and then they have to not only just apply and enroll.
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Hong Lieu: They have to take classes and they have to succeed, we want to see success, you know we want folks to come out of here with.
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Hong Lieu: Transfer degrees or associates degrees, or just whatever classes, they want to take enjoy themselves and then have that be the story so.
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Hong Lieu: it's it's not just what we do as an office it's a it's a confluence of factors it's societal factors were what were our their lives, where they're going through and.
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Hong Lieu: We all know what mental health is like throughout this pandemic and so there's just so many pieces to it that it's.
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Hong Lieu: You do the best you can, and you have some some metrics but, at the end of the day, there's there's so much that is involved in this, you know the students supports stuff that you know, in a field office.
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Hong Lieu: Building over there, I mean helping folks along and there's just so many pieces to this process that he did yeah it's it's it's a tough nut to crack but it's it's a good problem to it's good to try, you know I think it's it's cool.
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Martha Swanson: it's an exciting challenge I gotta say and i'll just say you know, specifically a couple things that i'm looking to do in the coming year are allocate more of our advertorial advertising and marketing resources aka budget.
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Martha Swanson: And to digital advertising and online marketing just because we can track that more readily.
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Martha Swanson: And we can really see what our return on investment is on those things, and we also know that's where an awful lot of our prospective students are that's where a lot of just the general population is anyway.
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Martha Swanson: And then the other thing is, you know you said oh we're not just selling a widget like it's a big decision to come here it is and, and so I was struck by the fact that and I understand why.
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Martha Swanson: You know the College has traditionally invested a lot of advertising dollars just around these windows of time where you can register for classes.
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Martha Swanson: And that's great because, yes, you need to know, and when you can actually take an action and actually get started here but.
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Martha Swanson: I don't know I know I certainly didn't make the decision about what I was going to do for school.
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Martha Swanson: You know, within a six week period, so I want to be sure that we're kind of out in the market year round, and to be clear, there have been some things that hadn't been done already, like that, but I want to do a few more things.
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Martha Swanson: So that SPC is top of mind, and as an in the consideration set.
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Martha Swanson: For our potential students throughout the year and then you know rehash him real hard when it's time to actually take action.
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Martha Swanson: And register, because the only thing is, you guys know you can apply your around.
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Martha Swanson: Here and we're not going to tell you know so getting the get in the queue get your steps to enroll and done and then register when it's time So those are Those are the things that i'm excited about getting to do.
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Hong Lieu: Unfortunately, the College does sell itself in a way, you know the location.
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Hong Lieu: Santa Barbara weather wise and all these things yeah like it there's not much that we have to do you just have to get to get them aware that we exist, and if they come it'll it does heal itself to a certain extent yeah.
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Martha Swanson: he's got to get them aware and you've got to get them to see the value in spending the time and effort here, I think you know and and some of that you know, on you're saying something that's out of our control, I think the biggest thing.
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Martha Swanson: we're kind of fighting right now are just greater societal and world condition issues you know there's a lot of reasons why someone could right now be saying.
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Martha Swanson: Well, I don't know if I want to invest, even though we are extremely affordable and you know.
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Martha Swanson: Now may not be the time for them to outlay any form any sum of money they may not think they may think Oh, I can just go get a job, right now, because the job market is going crazy.
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Martha Swanson: And I don't need to go get that certificate or I don't need that degree and there could have been things you know we know so many people were affected and have been continue to be affected by the pandemic and we don't.
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Martha Swanson: We don't know precisely why a lot of people may may not be coming back or may not be opting.
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Martha Swanson: To continue their educational journey right now.
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Akil Hill: I think I think you hit that right on the head, you know I you know, like you know I think there was a period of time.
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Akil Hill: that people would come and see our campus and they were automatically instantly sold.
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Akil Hill: Just on the location, but now I really think people are looking at it with the costco with inflation, the cost of housing here in Santa Barbara they're kind of thinking a little bit differently now, and so you know they're looking at like wow.
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Akil Hill: You know, do I send my you know son or daughter away for him and hey you know I would say tuition a couple of these the housing crisis in town, so I think all that kind of ways, more now than it has ever.
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Akil Hill: way before and years past, and you know i'm from Santa Barbara and I kind of know that that's where people a lot of people are either.
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Akil Hill: I mean, it was a short case before it'll be like a lot of people went to send our high school will go straight to Santa Barbara city college and.
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Akil Hill: And now it's even easier with promise, but I think that all the steep people are kind of looking at a little bit differently about about it now, you know, so I think you're spot on, I have one question for you i've been thinking about.
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Akil Hill: So, in terms of like if someone was doing something on campus and wanted like something good let's say write something positive, that would bring good publicity to college, how did they actually.
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Akil Hill: get in touch with your department and to get word out I think there's a lot of good work that's happening on campus and people may not necessarily know how to loop you guys into the fold on what they're doing so I if you could feel that, for us, I think, would be great.
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Martha Swanson: Of course, and yeah one of my favorite things to say, is I can't help you or we can't tell your story if we don't know what's happening so.
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Martha Swanson: that's so that's one thing we, we need to know about everything and we're happy to know about everything, because there's a variety of ways, and so.
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Martha Swanson: How you do, that the basic answer is email us pick up the phone come by the Office there's usually one of us here on any given day.
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Martha Swanson: And, but emails absolutely great way to do it also on the website, and if you go to the office of communication sections on on the site and there is a what do we call it on help help.
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Hong Lieu: Help request form.
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Martha Swanson: Yes, there we go help request form, and you can fill that out that helps us stay organized, but if you're you know not sure about that.
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Martha Swanson: Please just send us an email and or pick up the phone and let us know about it, and we can we can do a variety of things for you sometimes we can help you actually.
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Martha Swanson: promote it, you know, try to get the word out about what's happening, we can use it as an opportunity to try to get press coverage, for instance, if it's a big enough event or if it's something unique enough or if it's, the first thing.
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Martha Swanson: Media love to know about anything that is new, anything that is the first anything that is steady celebrating some milestone or hitting some particularly impressive you know record number of something and so yeah just if you think oh this isn't a big deal.
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Martha Swanson: there's no there's no little deals come come come tell us come tell us what's going on, and then we can figure out what's appropriate.
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Hong Lieu: i'll put the link to the help request form in the show notes and also our email address, which is marketing at SPC that you.
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Hong Lieu: are perfect.
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Martha Swanson: And if you want the long the longer answer that question, I did actually give a presentation about this at the Spring in service.
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Hong Lieu: Who i'll see if I can track down that recording.
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Martha Swanson: That was the question you asked to kill.
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Akil Hill: Was.
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Martha Swanson: it's really the frame of the of the of the presentation that I did alongside and Jennifer from a from the SPC foundation.
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Okay, great.
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Hong Lieu: All right, alright so segue into our next our next part what brought you to SPC Martha I know that you mentioned that you've been in you know communications work.
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Hong Lieu: For going, you know over 15 years now, so what what brought the SPC see what what made SPC that place pretty you continue your communications career.
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Martha Swanson: well.
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Martha Swanson: How do I frame this let's see how far back to it.
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Hong Lieu: How far back, do you want to go.
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Hong Lieu: like this is your life.
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Martha Swanson: You know right right.
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Martha Swanson: Right, well, I think I think it might help for me to share and I, and this may help folks who are listening to relate to this, I hope.
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Martha Swanson: So I I had a pretty conventional childhood I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago spent my entire life up until age 25 in and around the Chicago birds.
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Martha Swanson: And, and you know, for me, you know which I know is very different from many of our students.
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Martha Swanson: It was assumed I was going to college, I was going for your college, but, and so you know I got had my sights set on going to northwestern University in evanston Illinois I was a very good student in high school.
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Martha Swanson: And so I was able to make that dream come true and I went and and you know, the thing was, though, is that I had no idea what I wanted to do, I actually applying their thinking it would help me get in if I declared myself as a computer science major as a female.
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Martha Swanson: And I took a class and I got it, and so you know I am who knows, if I had declared being a communications major if that outcome would have been different or not I hope not.
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Martha Swanson: But anyhow, I took one one computer science class and realized, it was not for me.
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Martha Swanson: And so, then I just started taking you know some of the stuff I had to and started exploring some other things that seemed interesting and I happen to live in the communications residential college, which was.
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Martha Swanson: I don't know where y'all at school, if things like that were a thing like having groupings of certain types of students live together with a.
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Martha Swanson: thing okay great so I was in the communications born effectively, and so I met a bunch of journalism students radio, TV film students and then some who were just doing general communications and I pondered journalism for a bit and then decided that.
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Martha Swanson: That seemed a little too limiting and I wasn't sure, but you know that was exactly what I wanted to do.
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Martha Swanson: So, then, I started I ended up going the communications route, I also took a lot of psychology courses, and so I double majored with that.
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Martha Swanson: And so, now I love to say hey yeah i'm actually doing work and what my what my major was, but I will tell you.
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Martha Swanson: I didn't even know once I had that degree, what I really wanted to do so, the very first job that I applied for at a school was actually in the only thing that I had ever done up until that point, which was a form of teaching.
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Martha Swanson: I was an assistant preschool teacher for a year, back in my hometown and my only other job up until then had been teaching tennis lessons, so I went and did what I knew how to do and.
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Martha Swanson: was a little aimless At first I gotta say I was I had graduated a year early as well, so like a lot of my friends, you know we're still in college, and so I again flailing a little bit living back at home with my parents and.
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Martha Swanson: preschool was over at three o'clock and the pay was terrible so I got another part time job working at a department store which there's any listeners from the Midwest was von mauer, which was a small family owned department store akil aren't you originally from like Ohio or something.
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Akil Hill: i'm from nebraska I spent.
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Akil Hill: By myers yes yeah.
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Akil Hill: yeah yeah.
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Martha Swanson: yeah Oh, you know it was like a smaller similar philosophy like nordstrom some nicer stuff big focus on customer service all.
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Martha Swanson: Their thing was also this interest free I say it, like they don't exist anymore, they do still exist, to my knowledge.
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Martha Swanson: There was an interest free credit card and just very personalized customer service so anyway.
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Martha Swanson: And I love that job at the time I got to hang out with women mostly around my age surrounded by clothes, that I loved were and I got a sweet discount on.
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Martha Swanson: And, and you know, with the benefit of time now looking back on it, I think that my jobs in retail, because then I did and.
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Martha Swanson: I thought that I wanted to pursue a career in this like become a buyer or retail merchandiser or something.
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Martha Swanson: But I did it for about four years, three or four years I moved from Martin nordstrom and they had some corporate offices there, I thought that that was going to be the dream like work at the corporate office by ultimately got burned out on the schedule.
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Martha Swanson: burned out on the schedule and and if i'm honest I think a little bit you know engaging with the public, like because it both those places like you had to put on a happy face and the customer was never ever on on.
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Hong Lieu: Even when they're jerks.
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Martha Swanson: Right.
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Akil Hill: I used to manage nordstrom as well, so i'm i'm relating to all of your story right now.
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Nice.
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Martha Swanson: Did you manage.
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Akil Hill: The rail.
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Martha Swanson: Oh okay.
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Martha Swanson: yeah.
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Akil Hill: Oh yeah young men's basically.
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Martha Swanson: Right right right no I know they call everything weird things brass plum and.
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Akil Hill: yeah yeah.
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Martha Swanson: I was the manager of studio 121.
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yeah.
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Martha Swanson: And fossa knob.
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Akil Hill: boss a knob yo.
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Martha Swanson: I started in.
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Martha Swanson: tbd.
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Akil Hill: Always add yeah CBD.
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Hong Lieu: And i'm a computer guy over here and be like what are these this is terminology.
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Hong Lieu: Like.
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Hong Lieu: you're confused me over here.
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Martha Swanson: I have, I have absolutely no doubt that why you are probably so great at your job and working with students is because of some of that initial training that you got a nordstrom.
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Akil Hill: Absolutely absolutely.
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Akil Hill: yeah absolutely.
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Martha Swanson: that's what I think and I I hired someone once and at my at my last job because most of her work experience was at nordstrom, and so I was just like you know what yeah what you're saying, right now, I believe you because I know that that's what you had to do.
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Akil Hill: yeah yeah.
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Martha Swanson: So anyway i'm so glad we found out, we have that in common um but yeah I think I think why I loved it and why it has proven to be useful for me is that you know.
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Martha Swanson: Doing retail merchandising being an associate that's a form of marketing and it also showed me how important customer services and so anyway.
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Martha Swanson: I was doing that realized, I was kind of burned out on it well just you know was yeah a little aimless, to be honest in my life, you know in my early 20s, and so I decided to up and move to La.
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Martha Swanson: Because I grew up coming out to southern California quite often because I had some on still have some family here.
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Martha Swanson: And so you know, I was familiar with it it's you know I had never lived anywhere outside of the greater chicagoland area.
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Martha Swanson: But moving to California didn't seem that scary, but it still felt like a fun big exciting change, and so I did it and also my cousin who i'm.
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Martha Swanson: was quite close with you know said we said when we grow up, we want to live together, and so we made that happen, she was in graduate school at the time and I had just moved to La and we.
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Martha Swanson: lived on lived on the West side in your culver city together for a year year and a half, and then you know kind of that our own things but but yeah when I moved to La just to make sure I had a paycheck I did transfer within nordstrom I worked at the store at.
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Martha Swanson: God akil.
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Hong Lieu: Make the Santa Monica one which.
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Martha Swanson: Allow maybe you'll relate to this oh Santa Monica is pretty new know store 341 topanga.
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Akil Hill: topanga yeah yeah.
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Martha Swanson: The numbers oh.
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Martha Swanson: Michigan avenue to to oh yeah.
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Martha Swanson: yeah.
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Martha Swanson: that's a finger I can't remember what I ate for breakfast yesterday, but I can remember that stuff.
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Martha Swanson: yeah um so anyway yeah I took an assistant manager job at the store topanga Canyon and then that really made me realize how quickly, I wanted to get out of there because there was an interesting customer base at that store.
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Akil Hill: Oh, my goodness.
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Martha Swanson: very demanding very particular and.
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Akil Hill: So did he study.
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Akil Hill: There very city and that story.
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Martha Swanson: What does that mean.
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You know.
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Akil Hill: This is it like kind of like high high on the hog, so to speak, okay.
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Akil Hill: Okay yeah.
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Martha Swanson: All right, yes.
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that's an accurate way to describe.
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Martha Swanson: It so I I hooked up with a recruiter or temp agency or something I forget exactly what it was and and you know so hey i'm looking to make a change, I don't, this is what my degrees in this and my experience I don't really know what I can do.
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Martha Swanson: And the bottom line is it got me a fair number of interviews for like executive and administrative assistant jobs.
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Martha Swanson: Meanwhile, you know I think my parents were horrified that I was a working a retail job with a degree from northwestern and then was, you know, maybe going to go get an assistant job but.
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Martha Swanson: The thing was was that yeah that got my foot in the door, and I ended up putting my foot in the door at kb home, which is one of the nation's largest home builders.
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Martha Swanson: And I was the I was hired to be the executive assistant to the senior Vice President of corporate communications now, this was in this is important, this context i'm about to provide this was in June 2007.
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Martha Swanson: And in August 2007 as the housing market was starting to collapse that senior Vice President was let go.
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Martha Swanson: The woman, I was hired to be the assistant to was like Oh, and I was, and I was really a jazz on the job you guys because.
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Martha Swanson: You know I kind of explained her that i'm not really not sure what I want to do, but like your work sounds like it could you know corporate communications, what does that mean and what is P at what do you do as a PR person.
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Martha Swanson: And she was really willing to she was like look you're going to have to.
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Martha Swanson: you're going to have to set up my travel you're going to have to manage my calendar, but like in the interim, I can tell you're you know you're very capable.
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Martha Swanson: I want to give you some writing assignments, I want to kind of mentor you nurture you I was like fantastic so we were getting along great and then one day.
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Martha Swanson: She was out of their cars budget issues, so we all got moved from the one floor of the building we're on it, luckily they didn't cut the team right away, we had to kind of go and re interview in a way, with the head of marketing.
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Martha Swanson: A woman who also very graciously decided to kind of.
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Martha Swanson: I think take you know I I viewed it as her taking me under her wing because she gradually gave me more responsibility she's like well I already have an assistant, so you can't really be my assistant, I was like.
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Martha Swanson: Okay, well, what else could I do i'm pretty good at writing and i'm interested in this and luckily she gave me a chance and in the time I was at kb home I watched a department, a PR department of close to.
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Martha Swanson: 25 to 30 people.
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Martha Swanson: dwindle to four.
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Martha Swanson: And I was one of them.
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Martha Swanson: wow yeah yeah so that was that was a very interesting experience, because if you remember that period of time it only got worse, the market like completely crashed in 2008 they basically were blaming.
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Martha Swanson: folks like like kb home and mortgage brokers at the time kb home did have either I forget if it was completely completely distinct aren't we had a mortgage lending arm as well, and so um.
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Martha Swanson: You know, we were the office is right there in westwood right across from the Federal building and that corner is a hotspot for protests in La.
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Martha Swanson: And there were a few times the protests were targeted at us.
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Martha Swanson: So you know it ended up being a great place to learn about crisis communications and also about marketing in the face of adversity and still trying to get out a good story about your organization you're working for.
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Martha Swanson: And so I got to do some really cool stuff There too we had a partnership with Disney we had a partnership with Martha Stewart and we were the first ever home giveaway and, at the time, declared the biggest giveaway ever on the Ellen show.
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Martha Swanson: which was very fun.
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Hong Lieu: Give a house away right.
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Martha Swanson: gave a house away and the woman who got so I was, I was basically the project manager for that so that meant going to Houston every other month for the better, part of a year and I was a part of like everything from you know.
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Martha Swanson: figuring out logistics and meeting with the woman who was was selected to be given the home and.
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Martha Swanson: orchestrating the surprise and making sure the knowledge i've had the right branding assets and.
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Martha Swanson: yeah that's one of those things where like it just happens and people think oh that just happened, and that we you know cool.
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Martha Swanson: lot of work behind the scenes that yeah i'm having a hard time now recalling for you exactly what that meant, but I do know what occupied a ton of my time.
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Martha Swanson: For that, for that one year, but it was super fun if you Google, or you go on YouTube you can find it this woman named Lisa jarman and it's been interesting.
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Martha Swanson: because she was such an exciting guest on the show like Ellen would check in on her every so often, and so, even after I left like I would still see these things pop up in my social media feed and updating about this woman and.
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Martha Swanson: Unfortunately, she got a cancer diagnosis, I want to say about six years ago, and she did ultimately pass away from that about three years ago, and then during this.
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Martha Swanson: last season of Alan that's been going on to be clear, I don't watch ELENA time but because I had had this involvement, I follow her social media accounts so.
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Martha Swanson: Apparently, this is the last season of the Ellen show it just ended and so she kind of went back and looked at like memorable stuff and she had the oldest daughter of the woman who was on the show or the oldest grandchild.
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Martha Swanson: And this woman, she was amazing she was a single mom she was also raising like to have her grandkids like it was it was amazing that we were able to give her house and I always wondered, though, because.
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Martha Swanson: I always wondered if she'd stayed in the House and everything was all good, because there was a period of time, where there was a lot of backlash to those like extreme home makeover shows, and that was something that we were very aware of, as we were taking on this.
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Martha Swanson: Promotional opportunity but we made sure to, for instance, give her money to cover her increase in property taxes and all that, which is what you have to do in those situations because that was what led to a lot of people.
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Martha Swanson: having to give up their dream homes, is that they didn't have the money to cover maintenance or property taxes anyway.
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Martha Swanson: Happily, they are the family is still in the House, and they still love it and so that that made me feel really good about that.
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Martha Swanson: And I was just a nice.
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Martha Swanson: A nice update.
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Hong Lieu: And I gotta mention that you know, like you, you the someone gave you a chance to gain me home and then that chance made a big difference, you know, like, I feel like.
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Hong Lieu: me on the path that career path i'm on today is because someone gave me a chance to give me a tech job when I had a philosophy degree and then that is what kind of paves the way to start a career path, and it did the same for you, which is, which is really cool.
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Martha Swanson: 100% and and you know I I don't forget that and I I always try to do that, and you know sorry to YouTube but particularly for younger women.
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Martha Swanson: that's kind of a thing for me like I love to be able to take, and you know I love being able to kind of mentor and help lift up on the work of the work of other women especially but yeah absolutely it's Nice and humbling to remember like yeah i'm only here.
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Martha Swanson: Wendy that woman at kb home who you know, was the was the person who was my new boss after just two months, she could have very easily been like we don't need another assistant yeah just let her go.
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Martha Swanson: But she didn't and you know who knows what would have happened if she hadn't said that so yeah definitely definitely grateful for that and that's I don't forget that and don't forget that.
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Martha Swanson: So oh i'm sorry i'm being I feel like i'm being long winded here um so let's let's keep it moving fast.
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Martha Swanson: I got this great experience at home, but then life, I decided, I wanted to life change, I had just.
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Martha Swanson: gotten married, and so my husband and I wanted to get out of La like we had loved it, but you know we were then at that point, you know, both in our turning 30 early 30s whatever.
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Martha Swanson: You know, wanted to get out of the hustle and bustle wanted, and maybe own a House wanted to get a dog, and so we moved we moved to Oxford and we.
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Martha Swanson: live in the same neighborhood that we lived in the same neighborhood that we do now actually and I took a job at cal Lutheran.
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Martha Swanson: To do communications work for the office of the President there, that was a new role, and when I alluded to Oh, I think it's really smart when marketing and communications are all you know, under the same leader.
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Martha Swanson: It was not that way at cal Lutheran and I think it had been that way, a kb home, and you know, and so I was used to that so it was a shock to the system and and then you're like I saw some inefficiencies.
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Martha Swanson: There, and things that I wish you know could have gone differently and.
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Martha Swanson: And, but they didn't and but I did get acquainted with higher education and because I had loved my college experience and you know saw what getting a college degree could could could help you achieve you know I thought working in higher ED would be would be a fun thing.
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Martha Swanson: And it was and I worked directly with the President, it was a brand like I said it was a brand new role, so there was a little bit of growing pains kind of trying to figure out where I fit in.
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Martha Swanson: to everything else, and I also learned I didn't realize how involved a private school President is involved in fundraising.
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Martha Swanson: For a college at least a college and they were very involved and I, you know said something to a few other people are like oh yeah like that's their like chief fundraiser I was like oh.
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Martha Swanson: I didn't realize that you know here, I thought they were you know running the school turns out, you know they're like oh that's the provost I was like oh okay good to know when you're a student you don't know these people and said oh.
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Martha Swanson: So yeah so I helped him live the bed did help me learn about fundraising which I then I was there for about three years and then an opportunity came up to be a part of the startup team at a up and coming Museum in Santa Barbara.
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Martha Swanson: And having grown up outside Chicago me childhood memories of going to the amazing museums there, I was like this sounds fun and i've never been a part of a startup it feels like something I should do at some point in my career.
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Martha Swanson: And so I did, and so I went and I was the marketing and communications director for moxie the wolf museum of exploration and innovation here in town.
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Martha Swanson: And I like to tell you know I tell people I was there before the walls were and we had temporary offices.
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Martha Swanson: In montecito that I went to and did and did the work of starting up alongside like for a good period of time moves just me the CEO and and like a development coordinator who's now one of my best friends.
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Martha Swanson: And then we gradually staffed up and did a whole lot of work leading up to the opening and and then we opened and.
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Martha Swanson: Speaking of crisis, communications, then a whole bunch of, and it was amazing it was amazing to be clear, working in museums so much fun if you ever get the chance to do it go do it.
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Martha Swanson: And being a part of a startup team was a unique and exhausting experience that i'm not sure i'd want to do that again, but I think it really.
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Martha Swanson: taught me a lot and helped me grow a lot, and in my career so definitely worth it for that, and then there was the Thomas fire and then.
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Martha Swanson: In the mud slide and there were a few others that we lost our CEO in the first year, so the museum was very, very successful.
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Martha Swanson: But behind the scenes, there was a lot of stuff we had to deal with, and so that also taught me a lot and then of course pandemic strikes.
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Martha Swanson: We shut down Friday march 13 never, never forget it, you know we thought we were shutting down for two weeks, like i'm sure.
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Martha Swanson: You know, everybody did we all went through that together and right and the museum did not actually we had a few fits and starts false starts.
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Martha Swanson: You know, there were those color tiers and we could be open in one tier but not many other and anyway spent a lot of time making a whole lot of signs new signs and the museum and.
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Martha Swanson: We did not actually.
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Martha Swanson: Fully reopen until April 2021.
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Martha Swanson: And you know survived all that and then began thinking to myself.
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Martha Swanson: I may want to you know now Maybe the time to find something new i'm not for any one particular reason, but because I think I felt like.
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Martha Swanson: Okay, I got this place open I got this place through this someone through this huge crisis and and yeah, I suppose, like a lot of people I was a little restless and you know I.
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Martha Swanson: I didn't want to just straight up resign, you know, there was talking about the great resignation of the pandemic.
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Martha Swanson: So I obviously wanted to find a new job and I had always thought that i'd like to go back to higher education and.
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Martha Swanson: To be honest, I read an article in the independent about how lose was leaving and you know it was mostly focusing on what her new job was going to be, but I read that and I went hmm I wonder who's going to have her job now I could do her job.
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Martha Swanson: and kept an eye on the post on the on the website saw the posting applied, and then you know the rest is history but yeah i'm absolutely thrilled to be.
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Martha Swanson: Back working in higher ED I just think what we do is so important, and I think the people that work at places like this are some of the best people.
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Martha Swanson: And because they you know they care about helping students and they want to see students succeed and i'm you know there's nothing more noble than that.
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Hong Lieu: Thank you, that that that is quite a long and winding road, and you know, is it it, you can see all the.
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Martha Swanson: pieces my.
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Martha Swanson: tells me he marvels that i'm a professional communicator because he says that I tell my stories in a very long winded manner and I tell them well.
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Martha Swanson: that's my work and so when i'm not working, and you know, and this doesn't feel like work to me just talking to you so i'm less structured when i'm just talking so you can edit out whatever you need.
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Hong Lieu: No, no, no, no, no, no.
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Hong Lieu: Because it because there are so many pieces of that.
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Hong Lieu: path that have brought you to where you are today it's not like it's a linear kind of journey but it's like you have to grab the nuggets as they come.
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Hong Lieu: And you really have to get that whole kind of path to kind of see.
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Hong Lieu: You know, to see how it all came together because there's little pieces that came from he came home from cal Lutheran it wasn't like he were destined to be here.
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Hong Lieu: And that's one of the things that's good to know, for you know our it and students anyone listening.
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Hong Lieu: Is that you know every experience you have in this life you take the nuggets that you can from it it's not like you're meant to take this or meditate that.
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Hong Lieu: You have to just kind of grab what comes and then keep going keep it moving you know so keep it moving keep grinding and in that path will kind of make it make itself known.
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Martha Swanson: As as as the kids say the the the too long didn't read version of what I just said.
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Martha Swanson: give people a chance don't be afraid to take a chance and don't be afraid to try new things.
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Hong Lieu: yeah and to.
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Hong Lieu: be open to opportunities, even if you think they might not be for you, but you know, like you, you can probably as a human being, you could probably do anything on this planet, that you set your own you know that's put in front of you so.
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Martha Swanson: And don't be intimidated like again I truly had no, I could not tell you that the job that I have today, you know existed, that there was someone that did this work or any of the jobs i've had really when I was in college so it's Okay, if you don't have it figured out.
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Hong Lieu: Oh yeah perfect perfectly fine and on that note segue over to our good eating or food section.
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Hong Lieu: We don't know what is ahead of us, because full disclosure before the show Martha gave a keel and I bags of things.
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Martha Swanson: Yes, and we just got right into it and I I brought this because I was raised to not show up to something with without a gift, you know you guys are the hosts, and so I wanted to bring you a host guest.
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Hong Lieu: So I can look at look at what the.
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Akil Hill: Midwest.
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Hong Lieu: Midwest oh.
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Hong Lieu: I know nando's okay okay.
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Akil Hill: God and we opened.
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Martha Swanson: him up and i'll wait, while you're doing that because I know it's super compelling podcasting for people to be doing things.
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Hong Lieu: Because yeah you can't you can't see what we got but I haven't.
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Hong Lieu: had an old principal.
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Hong Lieu: candy bar and then nando's perinatal which I I know nando's but i've never eaten there because it's like an East coast kind of I don't know where they actually start, because I know they're in London as well.
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Hong Lieu: yeah I heard the chicken is fire there so.
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Martha Swanson: It is it is so why I wanted to bring you these things is, that is to be able to share with you and our and our listeners is that one of my favorite things is going to the grocery store, both here and typically.
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Martha Swanson: When we're traveling a friend, particularly when we're abroad and because I think that that's just a great way to get to know a place.
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Martha Swanson: And even if you're not super into food, I mean it certainly helps if you're into food and i'm very into food.
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Martha Swanson: um, but I think you really get like a much more authentic sense of culture and place when you go to the grocery store because that's that's.
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Martha Swanson: People are just in their everyday life when you're there you you sort of see what the masses eat you know someone what they value what they like.
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Martha Swanson: And so, whenever we travel we try to the grocery store is one of our favorite places to go and we were just in.
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Martha Swanson: Mexico visiting my husband's parents and like a highlight of the trip was going to the grocery store there and just marveling, and all this stuff and trying new things and and whatever.
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Martha Swanson: And so I say this to tell you that I brought you two things that that you can just find it a grocery store and one of them is from my childhood and one is influenced by a pre pandemic travel discovery, so the Prince polo bad as a Polish candy bar I am 50% Polish.
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Martha Swanson: There is something like the greatest concentration of Polish people outside of Poland and outside of Chicago.
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Martha Swanson: Primarily, and a town called niles niles partridge and spike skokie as a fair number of those people to, but my mom grew up in a town called niles.
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Martha Swanson: And my grandparents lived there for very long time, so I grew up going there and we would frequently go to a Polish grocery store a Polish market there.
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Martha Swanson: And me something they'll surprise you, as we get talking about food, I was an extraordinarily picky eater like extraordinary.
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Martha Swanson: And so it's a wonder that I am the foodie I am today, and I still have some weird things that I won't eat that most people do but.
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Martha Swanson: I am much as picking i'm much more adventurous when it comes to food now, so in my childhood, what I would look at in that store was the candy.
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Martha Swanson: And so I was drawn to the prints polo which feel free to dig in, although I know that can be awkward to eating on a podcast so i'll let you know that to me, I would describe it as like a lighter flakier kit kat.
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Martha Swanson: And it's got dark chocolate which I prefer most often in milk chocolate.
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Hong Lieu: Just just looking at it, I can see the dark chocolate is a plus one, and then the way for action.
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Hong Lieu: there's yes kip Kappa there's also the bars at the bar none, and what you call it both were kind of like wafer based.
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Hong Lieu: And I can see where i'm I can definitely get some which mcallen vibes from this I can't I can't wait to the end yeah i'm not gonna be too, and on the podcast but I will definitely be digging it after.
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Martha Swanson: All right, well enjoy, then the other thing yes nando's So there are a few outpost of nando's in the States it's actually originally from South Africa.
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Martha Swanson: And, is where the chain started, and then I think spread to yeah I know there's quite a few in the UK it's very popular.
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Martha Swanson: And then there are also some in New Zealand, which is the first, which is where I first experienced nando's and then and we went to New Zealand in 2019 pre pandemic, and so we did eat at one at a nando's for lunch one day.
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Martha Swanson: And yes, chicken was great all that and.
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Martha Swanson: And now, these products are actually pretty readily ready readily available, I feel like I don't know if they were always there and I just hadn't noticed them, but now i'm looking for whether whatever the case is.
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Martha Swanson: I feel like I have now discovered them they sell their sauces and then this pairing days which I brought you because I wanted to share I know some people come on here and they share like you know either popular or unpopular opinions about.
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Martha Swanson: traditional food stuff I do not like ketchup I do not eat catch up my not anything.
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Hong Lieu: My older sister does not like it to be there.
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Akil Hill: People don't like ketchup.
423
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Hong Lieu: She she likes Barbecue sauce, though, but no ketchup i'm like be basically catch up, but no.
424
00:54:47.280 --> 00:54:48.060
Martha Swanson: it's not no.
425
00:54:48.420 --> 00:54:48.810
Hong Lieu: it's not.
426
00:54:48.900 --> 00:54:49.860
Akil Hill: it's not fun.
427
00:54:51.360 --> 00:54:52.380
Akil Hill: let's talk after the show.
428
00:54:54.870 --> 00:55:04.230
Martha Swanson: My point in saying this is that most people dip their French Fries and ketchup I have found that I love Disney French Fries in manet's or a only.
429
00:55:04.320 --> 00:55:05.100
Hong Lieu: The only.
430
00:55:06.150 --> 00:55:07.860
Martha Swanson: And so that parent days is great.
431
00:55:08.070 --> 00:55:14.160
Martha Swanson: to dip Fries and little spicy nose and like yeah chipotle a male a garlic aioli is my absolute favorite thing.
432
00:55:15.900 --> 00:55:25.350
Martha Swanson: So yeah enjoy you can also dip your Fries in it the other thing that I do with the pairing days is I make like super quick deviled eggs.
433
00:55:25.950 --> 00:55:26.490
Oh.
434
00:55:27.570 --> 00:55:38.280
Martha Swanson: Bad it like I use the already done deviled eggs are a pain in the butt to make if you're if you're horrible in your own eggs, but if you buy the pre done hard boiled eggs scoop out the filling mix the yolks with.
435
00:55:38.730 --> 00:55:43.890
Martha Swanson: Some, like half Perry and a half, like I use Greek yogurt to be a little healthier.
436
00:55:45.090 --> 00:55:48.720
Martha Swanson: or sour cream whatever you got whip it up and mixer well.
437
00:55:49.470 --> 00:55:51.570
Hong Lieu: Little slow smoked paprika on the top I loved it.
438
00:55:52.170 --> 00:55:56.310
Akil Hill: yeah yeah it is just give us a cheat code.
439
00:55:56.700 --> 00:55:58.800
Akil Hill: I know why you guys hear that.
440
00:56:01.110 --> 00:56:02.340
Hong Lieu: yeah cuz peeling the eggs is.
441
00:56:02.430 --> 00:56:08.550
Hong Lieu: Is kind of a pain, that is a tough, especially because you want the eggs most things with hard boiled eggs, you can chop them up, whatever it doesn't matter.
442
00:56:08.790 --> 00:56:14.070
Hong Lieu: Bo deviled eggs, you need to keep that egg shape, so you have to be deliberate with appealing and then, when they get that membrane involved with.
443
00:56:15.930 --> 00:56:16.290
Akil Hill: I know.
444
00:56:18.960 --> 00:56:20.310
Martha Swanson: That that, though there are your host.
445
00:56:20.310 --> 00:56:21.450
Martha Swanson: Gifts So yes.
446
00:56:21.540 --> 00:56:22.530
Akil Hill: alrighty so much.
447
00:56:23.310 --> 00:56:32.100
Hong Lieu: Much I mean I I will definitely try the devil days with a parent as because I love spicy mail, I mean I was reading about a such a shortage which is going to hurt the spicy male.
448
00:56:32.160 --> 00:56:34.260
Hong Lieu: fans everywhere, but yeah yeah.
449
00:56:34.320 --> 00:56:34.680
Martha Swanson: yeah.
450
00:56:35.100 --> 00:56:36.240
Hong Lieu: yeah, so this is this is.
451
00:56:36.300 --> 00:56:39.540
Hong Lieu: This is definitely going to help fill the gap caused by stretch of shortage.
452
00:56:39.630 --> 00:56:40.080
In the nurse.
453
00:56:42.420 --> 00:56:48.750
Martha Swanson: told you this was the section of the pod I was most looking forward to so throw throw the questions at me.
454
00:56:51.510 --> 00:56:51.900
Hong Lieu: yeah.
455
00:56:53.070 --> 00:56:59.370
Hong Lieu: yeah nando's I know DC has a couple of nando's and then they're on the east coast i've always want to try chicken you never been ridiculed.
456
00:56:59.490 --> 00:57:02.310
Akil Hill: No i've never had nando's yeah yeah.
457
00:57:02.580 --> 00:57:05.370
Hong Lieu: i'm looking forward to i'm looking forward to one day one day.
458
00:57:07.680 --> 00:57:09.690
Hong Lieu: akil what you got you got something to share.
459
00:57:09.960 --> 00:57:14.100
Akil Hill: yeah I got one spot I just recently returned back from in core.
460
00:57:16.200 --> 00:57:17.460
Akil Hill: With Santa Barbara city college.
461
00:57:18.630 --> 00:57:24.420
Akil Hill: And one spot that I found out in portland it's called the screen door.
462
00:57:25.530 --> 00:57:27.540
Akil Hill: And so, this spot.
463
00:57:28.590 --> 00:57:40.230
Akil Hill: I can't even I can't even i'm about to get into my emotions, right now, because the food is that good it's a soul food spot, and I can honestly say I.
464
00:57:41.310 --> 00:57:56.220
Akil Hill: So when I found out that I was going I was like okay first thing I did was like I want to yell and i'm like started typing and stuff that I, I felt like I wanted to try one was in portland and portland is kind of known for its kind of it's kind of like a food city, I feel you know.
465
00:57:57.750 --> 00:58:08.160
Akil Hill: And so, one of the first things I typed in was soul food, and so I was scrolling down and there was one spot that appeared i'm like oh that looks kind of good, but then I hit this spot it looks like.
466
00:58:09.510 --> 00:58:23.730
Akil Hill: I can honestly say over 7000 reviews y'all it was like 7500 reviews, it was almost five star so i'm like Okay, this is, this is my destination right, so I went there, the first night or at the catfish.
467
00:58:24.870 --> 00:58:32.820
Akil Hill: The MAC and cheese and i'm always even embarrassed to say, the French Fries there was no Greenidge on that plate.
468
00:58:32.940 --> 00:58:33.600
whatsoever.
469
00:58:34.620 --> 00:58:38.760
Akil Hill: that's Okay, because I told her I atone for that later because I went back like three nights out of the.
470
00:58:39.540 --> 00:58:42.900
Akil Hill: Four nights that I was, I was traveling for work in portland but.
471
00:58:44.370 --> 00:58:53.880
Akil Hill: The first thing I got the catfish and, like my mom probably not listening this show but it's probably one of the best better the second best.
472
00:58:54.060 --> 00:58:54.720
Hong Lieu: To say better.
473
00:58:54.870 --> 00:58:55.830
Hong Lieu: You don't have to say, better.
474
00:58:55.890 --> 00:58:57.000
Hong Lieu: To say one of us.
475
00:58:57.060 --> 00:58:57.330
Hong Lieu: I got.
476
00:58:58.290 --> 00:58:58.920
Akil Hill: One of the best.
477
00:59:00.240 --> 00:59:00.750
Akil Hill: The best.
478
00:59:00.990 --> 00:59:08.430
Akil Hill: I will say okay best restaurant catfish I ever ate let's say that right, and then the second night.
479
00:59:09.450 --> 00:59:17.310
Akil Hill: I went in and I went with carrie Hutchinson Elizabeth in half, and a net I forget that sauce and she's a professor here.
480
00:59:17.730 --> 00:59:31.530
Akil Hill: they're all attending the conference we went back, I had to take him back the second night and then I got the fried chicken this place y'all man like if you ever find yourself in portland you have to go there, like incumbent on you.
481
00:59:31.950 --> 00:59:36.210
Hong Lieu: it's interesting because I, you know so who does not jump out to me as as the type of guy would.
482
00:59:36.360 --> 00:59:37.800
Hong Lieu: I would live for important yes good.
483
00:59:37.860 --> 00:59:41.490
Hong Lieu: Good on you that you trusted your Guild whisper instincts and you know.
484
00:59:41.880 --> 00:59:54.540
Akil Hill: Man, I was like and then I tried to fight oysters that were amazing the fried okra was good, the lemon vinegar at coleslaw was really good so.
485
00:59:55.080 --> 01:00:02.520
Akil Hill: And the drink, to have a drink called like the thing was like hi viscous punch that's absolutely amazing nice tea.
486
01:00:03.120 --> 01:00:12.780
Akil Hill: But a man listen don't sell yourself short and not go there, if you ever important I it's really that good of a restaurant inside no I think Kerry.
487
01:00:13.230 --> 01:00:21.090
Akil Hill: And all of them will testify, because after we finished that they're like this is one of the best restaurants i've been to in a long time.
488
01:00:21.510 --> 01:00:31.440
Akil Hill: And I was like, and you know because of the pandemic they probably haven't been that out, but then I was like trying to tell them like come on y'all y'all know how I show up you know, like I said, this is what I do.
489
01:00:32.340 --> 01:00:39.420
Hong Lieu: So Martha Martha in terms of your food discovery or yelp Google reviews, I mean, is there a method to year when you're traveling somewhere.
490
01:00:39.870 --> 01:00:51.150
Martha Swanson: yeah I am usually a Google and then find like eater for the equivalent of that you know either la or whatever, wherever it happens to be going.
491
01:00:51.540 --> 01:01:04.500
Martha Swanson: Or you know the the city or power state magazine, you know if they've ever done like a the 20 you know the 20 essential restaurants, right now, the best is whatever that I also looked in new you know, whatever is new.
492
01:01:04.890 --> 01:01:11.610
Martha Swanson: and new plus like standbys because you know you'd like to do a mix of things like that and I.
493
01:01:12.660 --> 01:01:27.180
Martha Swanson: I will trust yelp if there are like like what you just said akil the overwhelmingly five star reviews um but i've gotten burned a few times by yelp I feel like so I don't I don't rely on yelp entirely because also like.
494
01:01:27.780 --> 01:01:36.780
Martha Swanson: You got it you got to take you up with a grain of salt sometimes there aren't a ton of reviews, because if there's like a few negative ones, and you start to actually read what they say you're like oh you just sound.
495
01:01:37.230 --> 01:01:40.110
Hong Lieu: pay, you can tell they're a complainer yeah you can either tell her.
496
01:01:40.110 --> 01:01:43.590
Martha Swanson: yeah yeah let me know what they were getting into and you're like.
497
01:01:43.890 --> 01:01:44.760
Akil Hill: yeah yeah.
498
01:01:45.360 --> 01:01:53.250
Martha Swanson: It was a Thai restaurant, did you not understand you know i'm making that up but anyway yeah no I usually rely on like yeah write ups blogs that sort of thing and.
499
01:01:53.610 --> 01:02:01.110
Martha Swanson: And then honestly I found I do a lot on instagram these days I then look at that list, and then I go find the restaurants instagram profile.
500
01:02:01.260 --> 01:02:08.940
Martha Swanson: And so, those are pictures either user or you know the restaurant itself and I usually paints a pretty good picture as to whether or not, I think.
501
01:02:09.420 --> 01:02:14.190
Hong Lieu: yeah I call a killer yep whisper but you know I feel like it kills game has evolved to where it's not just yelp like he's.
502
01:02:14.520 --> 01:02:22.950
Hong Lieu: he's got a holistic picture of food, food, cultures and a lot of cities from his from his research so yeah these I can always trust acute acute guidance.
503
01:02:24.450 --> 01:02:24.960
Martha Swanson: So.
504
01:02:25.560 --> 01:02:26.580
Akil Hill: What do you go first.
505
01:02:27.000 --> 01:02:31.050
Hong Lieu: yeah i'm i'm I got something in town local.
506
01:02:32.190 --> 01:02:42.300
Hong Lieu: used to be a point local on middle upper state street now they're rebranded as Pueblo oil it's one of those things where, at first, I thought they were just like dodging tax codes, or something, because you.
507
01:02:42.300 --> 01:02:50.130
Hong Lieu: know you just change the name and you can put on is your new owner, but no, they are no longer part of the boy loco franchise thing and they I mean.
508
01:02:50.370 --> 01:03:00.330
Hong Lieu: I thought it was to avoid pain franchise fees, but they've upgraded the food and a lot of ways they're doing Hello me now, but they also added I think different Pakistan i'm not sure, but they've added.
509
01:03:01.410 --> 01:03:06.960
Hong Lieu: like South Asian food they have biryani they have rice pudding you know with rosewater in and everything so it's just.
510
01:03:07.290 --> 01:03:15.780
Hong Lieu: kind of you know, we talked about last episode flavor of India was our kind of standby Indian place and it still is great restaurant in town, but.
511
01:03:16.380 --> 01:03:21.750
Hong Lieu: they're briana has never been like the best thing on the menu, so the Britannia oil is pretty good, I would say it's definitely.
512
01:03:22.080 --> 01:03:26.010
Hong Lieu: Probably the best in town that i've had and the rice pudding is very good, as well, so like.
513
01:03:26.430 --> 01:03:31.320
Hong Lieu: You may be inclined to drive by it just because you know he thought it was acquired loco now there's like now just some random place.
514
01:03:31.560 --> 01:03:35.070
Hong Lieu: That is using all the local assets and some of the similar menu items.
515
01:03:35.310 --> 01:03:44.220
Hong Lieu: But they have put a lot of care into it, I mean it's not exactly a destination place so you got to go out of your way try it, but if you're in the area or you're craving that kind of food like it's it's definitely.
516
01:03:44.580 --> 01:03:54.360
Hong Lieu: A welcome respite and I I do get the reality once a week my wife has definitely hooked i'm hooked by association, so I get the rice pudding and stuff too, but they're there they're opening up their adding more stuff to the like.
517
01:03:54.900 --> 01:04:02.790
Hong Lieu: yeah like chop like you know the snack he sweet chocolate, the chocolate flavor is very it's like mommy but also very sweet so it's yeah it's.
518
01:04:03.330 --> 01:04:10.320
Hong Lieu: Oh yeah so so they've got some good stuff up i'll put a link to their their place in the show notes a little oil us to be a while ago but yeah kind of different now.
519
01:04:10.650 --> 01:04:11.130
Akil Hill: I.
520
01:04:11.250 --> 01:04:20.730
Martha Swanson: tell you, it must be good, because Hong has, we have a office chat you know group chat and chat and I swear he's been telling us about a dish from there.
521
01:04:21.030 --> 01:04:22.500
Hong Lieu: At least biryani oh yeah.
522
01:04:22.560 --> 01:04:25.380
Hong Lieu: yeah and and Kirsten Kirsten went to and she enjoyed it so.
523
01:04:26.820 --> 01:04:34.830
Akil Hill: The funny thing is, I know the owner of that restaurant from just going to the mosque and stuff and the owner he's hilarious.
524
01:04:35.160 --> 01:04:36.420
Hong Lieu: he's a good guy yes that's.
525
01:04:36.420 --> 01:04:48.330
Akil Hill: A funny guy such a funny guy super friendly super like you know, President, when you have a conversation with know sometimes you meet some owners in the restaurant they're like frazzled because they're thinking about 500 other things.
526
01:04:49.350 --> 01:05:00.060
Akil Hill: Not him he's totally present the conversation, making sure that you, you know, have a good time a good experience with the food, so I really have a lot of respect for that for that family.
527
01:05:00.510 --> 01:05:04.170
Hong Lieu: And he's and he's been in the game, a long time was I remember he worked it up look up.
528
01:05:04.380 --> 01:05:08.040
Hong Lieu: While he was up at the winning deleted and then your clothes and he came back to that one.
529
01:05:08.280 --> 01:05:13.290
Hong Lieu: And then the franchise thing lifted, I guess, he he kind of wants to do his own thing and he's doing it yeah.
530
01:05:13.320 --> 01:05:29.160
Hong Lieu: Yes, dude he's got the boy local the classic like citrus marinated chicken and all that stuff and then he's adding the foods kind of near and dear to his heart and he's like new knocking them out of the park doing a great job so good, anyway, I can shout them out, I will do so hey Nice.
531
01:05:29.220 --> 01:05:29.760
Akil Hill: Nice.
532
01:05:29.970 --> 01:05:35.760
Martha Swanson: Nice, I feel like since I only got to talk about my grocery store stuff can I rapid fire some of my favorite local places.
533
01:05:35.820 --> 01:05:37.080
Akil Hill: To let's go.
534
01:05:37.350 --> 01:05:47.700
Martha Swanson: I thought it might and I figured that I should because y'all are the Santa Barbara expert, so I do have my favorites in Santa Barbara, but I wanted to give a couple shout outs to some some ventura county places.
535
01:05:48.930 --> 01:05:52.890
Martha Swanson: First up front side CAFE in downtown mentor on.
536
01:05:54.120 --> 01:05:57.060
Martha Swanson: Well gosh I shouldn't be prepared with this just search for it.
537
01:05:57.210 --> 01:05:58.800
Hong Lieu: it's i'll put in the show notes that.
538
01:05:58.860 --> 01:06:08.940
Martha Swanson: it's always outside of down down next to a toppers and transmission brewing and, but they are just open for breakfast and lunch at are cute little CAFE.
539
01:06:09.420 --> 01:06:20.610
Martha Swanson: The owner is not from Australia, but apparently traveled to Australia and really loved it, and so they they tout themselves as an Australian CAFE.
540
01:06:20.970 --> 01:06:28.200
Martha Swanson: And so, the main thing I will tell you is that that means that they serve something called a flat white which you've probably seen on the menu at starbucks.
541
01:06:28.980 --> 01:06:35.550
Martha Swanson: But we got real into drinking when we were in New Zealand because it's all basically when you walk into a coffee shop in New Zealand and I.
542
01:06:36.180 --> 01:06:45.360
Martha Swanson: assume i've not been to Australia, but I think in Australia as well, it basically says black or white, or sometimes it'll say flat white long black those are the names of the drinks.
543
01:06:45.720 --> 01:06:57.630
Martha Swanson: And along black is basically just straight up Espresso sometimes you add some hot water to it so then it's a little like an americano but there's something different, about how they make the particular shot of Espresso and I talked.
544
01:06:58.410 --> 01:07:06.420
Martha Swanson: I will tell you that I love these things, but then I cannot tell you precisely exactly how it's how it's made but anyway, a flat white is like a stronger.
545
01:07:07.050 --> 01:07:21.360
Martha Swanson: it's like a latte but with not as much milk and the milk is smoother and it's delicious and they have amazing pastries as well, and then you know I made some notes for this when we were originally going to record this about like six to eight weeks ago.
546
01:07:22.080 --> 01:07:36.000
Martha Swanson: I am set, and this is not dragging on anyone for for delaying the delay in the recording, but I just say that, because one of my other absolute favorite places is a was because it closed in the time that I may.
547
01:07:36.870 --> 01:07:37.620
Hong Lieu: well know.
548
01:07:38.010 --> 01:07:49.260
Martha Swanson: Is a place called CAFE just zero in downtown ventura was our go to on Saturday mornings you go to the farmers market inventor and stopping at coffee and the best Croissant you will ever taste outside of France.
549
01:07:49.620 --> 01:08:01.140
Martha Swanson: And, but they suddenly closed down, I got a text from one of my friends, who also loved it, she was like oh my God to circle closed, and I was like wait what we were just there three days ago, and there was no sign of anything.
550
01:08:01.800 --> 01:08:12.000
Martha Swanson: Being a miss on so we don't know what's going on, because they also unfortunately in this could be part of the reason for their demise they don't really have a web presence like nothing on.
551
01:08:13.050 --> 01:08:24.300
Martha Swanson: But there's a little sign on the door that says new CAFE coming soon, so we don't know what's going to happen so keep an eye on that space and, if anything from the folks behind CAFE or reopens I encourage you to try it.
552
01:08:25.410 --> 01:08:37.320
Martha Swanson: and Hong you know this, my absolute favorite place in it is technically venture is Caribbean haven on so good it's in have you been there akil.
553
01:08:37.350 --> 01:08:41.100
Akil Hill: I feel like you said you have yeah yeah yeah I think i've been there.
554
01:08:41.610 --> 01:08:43.380
Akil Hill: is to know that strip mall.
555
01:08:43.530 --> 01:08:44.160
Martha Swanson: it's yes.
556
01:08:44.190 --> 01:08:49.440
Martha Swanson: yeah yeah yeah it's in a pretty nondescript strip mall you know mouse around the corner.
557
01:08:49.440 --> 01:08:54.810
Martha Swanson: yeah yeah you know you know you don't go there to sit we usually get carry out, I mean i'll.
558
01:08:55.500 --> 01:08:56.040
Akil Hill: sit there.
559
01:08:56.310 --> 01:08:59.130
Martha Swanson: and obviously have amazing jerk.
560
01:09:00.720 --> 01:09:18.450
Martha Swanson: But then the so the owner is from the Caribbean and he's not actually from Jamaica I forgot exactly where he's from and his wife is Filipino, and so the menu is a mix of both Caribbean specialties along with Filipino specialty so like I love the before vegetable Libya.
561
01:09:19.710 --> 01:09:27.930
Martha Swanson: They do amazing empanadas they have Jamaican patties which are delicious like pastry you know it's like a savory POPs are so good.
562
01:09:28.950 --> 01:09:38.580
Martha Swanson: And then, this is a little random for this kind of place, but I feel like one of you may have talked about it as well, or when I mentioned it to you on you said oh yeah they're chicken wings.
563
01:09:38.670 --> 01:09:39.930
Akil Hill: Are show yo.
564
01:09:40.140 --> 01:09:40.440
Akil Hill: yo.
565
01:09:40.710 --> 01:09:48.660
Martha Swanson: there's ones that are pineapple sugarcane which are Lucy and then there's a tamarind bbq yeah amazing amazing.
566
01:09:49.080 --> 01:09:57.990
Martha Swanson: yeah well i'm trying to be healthier my goes through, there is the pineapple glazed salmon comes rice and peas awesome coleslaw with Sir Roger dressing.
567
01:09:59.100 --> 01:10:00.390
Martha Swanson: So let's hope they don't run out.
568
01:10:01.680 --> 01:10:16.710
Martha Swanson: And yeah and then our other thing is a breweries down inventor and there's usually a food truck or two at them favorite spots right now toby toby has been doing some really good ipas sorry Hong and you said you're kind of sick of ipas but.
569
01:10:17.370 --> 01:10:20.010
Martha Swanson: We still love ipas and they've been doing some interesting ones.
570
01:10:20.790 --> 01:10:29.070
Martha Swanson: There, and there is a Mexican food truck called game over catering, that is regularly there, or it made West sometimes up beside and growing.
571
01:10:29.490 --> 01:10:49.050
Martha Swanson: And they do awesome tacos and nachos are goes to their they put a layer of it's no joke, the menu says cheesy beans so it's like beans mixed with melted cheese is kind of the base layer and then you get your choice of meat on them, and that is a lovely Saturday afternoon.
572
01:10:51.090 --> 01:10:57.540
Hong Lieu: Excellent choices yeah Caribbean haven, they have such a very menu you can't really go wrong with saying there, but I haven't had the wings yet.
573
01:10:57.570 --> 01:10:58.410
Akil Hill: So yeah that's.
574
01:10:58.860 --> 01:11:10.890
Akil Hill: I have the wings are really good i'll test, if I can testify to that wings are really good and they have an ox tell burger which is listen i've never seen my mom get down like she did on that burger.
575
01:11:11.340 --> 01:11:13.050
Akil Hill: I don't think she's gonna finish it do she.
576
01:11:13.410 --> 01:11:14.310
Akil Hill: She slayed it dude.
577
01:11:14.670 --> 01:11:16.770
Hong Lieu: So when they're grinding down oxtail into a patty.
578
01:11:17.160 --> 01:11:18.420
Akil Hill: It was an oxtail burger.
579
01:11:18.540 --> 01:11:18.930
Akil Hill: I don't know.
580
01:11:19.590 --> 01:11:20.670
Akil Hill: yeah yeah.
581
01:11:20.700 --> 01:11:31.650
Hong Lieu: Because that that's I mean that's that's the precious meat right there you know when you get an oxtail you're lucky to get like three or four Bytes in that thing in terms of what's left on the left so they're taking the meat off there and getting enough to get a patty that kind of.
582
01:11:32.430 --> 01:11:32.820
Akil Hill: takes it.
583
01:11:33.090 --> 01:11:33.960
takes my mama.
584
01:11:35.010 --> 01:11:35.340
Akil Hill: mama.
585
01:11:36.150 --> 01:11:41.790
Akil Hill: Calling my mom used to work together and they they still text each other but texture by say yo I heard about.
586
01:11:41.910 --> 01:11:42.810
Hong Lieu: yeah I need.
587
01:11:43.530 --> 01:11:43.560
Akil Hill: A.
588
01:11:43.590 --> 01:11:47.640
Hong Lieu: burger oxy silver because I will definitely get that next i'll get an order weeks and I feel room yeah.
589
01:11:48.630 --> 01:12:03.660
Hong Lieu: yeah, thank you for those PICs I will get them in the show notes all right moving along is higher learning Martha you want to kick us off again any piece of culture book movie TV video game music what you got for us anything anything under the sun.
590
01:12:04.110 --> 01:12:05.670
Martha Swanson: Higher higher higher learning.
591
01:12:07.560 --> 01:12:11.010
Martha Swanson: that's i'm afraid my PICs are a little more low ground and some.
592
01:12:11.010 --> 01:12:14.880
Hong Lieu: lowbrow little brown hi where do you sit in certain subcultures So what are.
593
01:12:14.880 --> 01:12:17.550
Akil Hill: You going swimming i've been known to slim it on the show too so.
594
01:12:18.690 --> 01:12:30.300
Hong Lieu: yeah I mean you like we said in your word how we got to SPC you take the morsels and nuggets of wisdom, where they come every piece of culture has a nugget of wisdom to impart on somebody's willing to listen so.
595
01:12:30.360 --> 01:12:45.000
Martha Swanson: Absolutely absolutely well, I again, I have a lot of talk about here, even if it is all you know not not the most intellectual, so I settled on two things one of either of you ever seen a show called taskmaster.
596
01:12:45.960 --> 01:12:46.440
Hong Lieu: you've.
597
01:12:46.620 --> 01:12:48.420
Martha Swanson: told me about it and I watched him, yes I.
598
01:12:50.970 --> 01:12:52.050
Akil Hill: know I have it, though.
599
01:12:52.290 --> 01:12:56.340
Martha Swanson: Okay well and I don't think Kong is watched it, even though i'm pretty sure I sent him a club.
600
01:12:56.580 --> 01:13:03.120
Hong Lieu: You sent me the YouTube clip I watched the YouTube clip I haven't watched the I haven't watched the show proper but I guy I have the general conceit of the showdown.
601
01:13:03.330 --> 01:13:15.210
Martha Swanson: Yes, alright so taskmaster is a show that was developed in the UK and now there's been a few versions and apparently there was a version that they tried to take off in the US and it failed.
602
01:13:16.260 --> 01:13:27.810
Martha Swanson: But anyway, you can find full episodes of it on YouTube and the UK version and basically it's a British comedian named Greg Davis, as the host he is the taskmaster.
603
01:13:28.290 --> 01:13:33.090
Martha Swanson: And he has a another comedian named Alex Horn who sits by his side.
604
01:13:33.360 --> 01:13:42.060
Martha Swanson: And he actually is the one who apparently came up with the show, and like he's the one who comes up with the challenges and these wacky tasks that the contestants have to do.
605
01:13:42.390 --> 01:13:51.570
Martha Swanson: And so the contestants is that it's actually a panel of five British comedians mostly comedian sometimes their radio host or things like that the ones that.
606
01:13:52.080 --> 01:13:58.590
Martha Swanson: The people that I recognize or know or comedians because during the pandemic my husband and I went pretty deep into watching British panel shows.
607
01:14:00.060 --> 01:14:07.500
Martha Swanson: So we got to know some kind of the top British comedian so we now know a lot of them and then we'd be introduced to other people on the show which is fine.
608
01:14:08.520 --> 01:14:21.510
Martha Swanson: And so it's five comedians it's like a it's 10 episodes per season so week to week they come and they do these challenges, or I should say it's all pre taped and then they're in there in a studio and they watch these challenges back and get scored on them.
609
01:14:22.260 --> 01:14:27.600
Martha Swanson: And the challenges are just They range from everything from.
610
01:14:29.010 --> 01:14:37.650
Martha Swanson: eat this watermelon without using any you know with without using your hands and you're in a blank room and you have to figure out what to do and to.
611
01:14:38.310 --> 01:14:53.760
Martha Swanson: build the most creative acts, I really should have prepared better to explain this i'm sorry it's somewhat indescribable I will tell you that if you want to get a feel for it hon you should put the clip that I shared with you in there.
612
01:14:55.020 --> 01:15:00.510
Martha Swanson: And the thing about the show is that while i'm going to try to intellectualize it a little bit.
613
01:15:01.590 --> 01:15:11.700
Martha Swanson: It makes you see how people's minds work a bit, and it makes you see how like there are different ways to approach problems so it's kind of like creative Problem Solving and display.
614
01:15:11.970 --> 01:15:20.670
Martha Swanson: But then in between, you know they're wisecrack because they're comedians they're talking through what they're doing and they're not afraid to make fun of themselves and it's just it results in.
615
01:15:21.660 --> 01:15:31.320
Martha Swanson: Really really compelling and funny TV but it's also a great escape on and it's just highly entertaining and it's yeah.
616
01:15:32.160 --> 01:15:36.750
Hong Lieu: escapism is very important, I also while I was watching, I had a Meta conversation about.
617
01:15:37.200 --> 01:15:49.320
Hong Lieu: Why do we obey orders, sometimes even when there's no real reason to you know, like like what what, why did you do today why don't you just take the headset off and just walk away like this is crazy i'm not doing this anymore.
618
01:15:51.030 --> 01:15:53.910
Martha Swanson: I think it's because it's because it's also you're compelled to win and so.
619
01:15:55.200 --> 01:15:55.590
Martha Swanson: Like i'm a.
620
01:15:55.680 --> 01:15:58.440
Hong Lieu: gamification aspect so there's there's.
621
01:15:58.650 --> 01:16:02.220
Hong Lieu: there's lots of Meta conversations we had even the close quote unquote lowbrow you know.
622
01:16:02.460 --> 01:16:03.180
Hong Lieu: But escapism.
623
01:16:03.210 --> 01:16:11.580
Hong Lieu: Is there's nothing wrong with that and it's funny it's a great show, and if you really like your end like British humor and stuff like that yeah because it is an acquired taste for some.
624
01:16:12.570 --> 01:16:26.970
Martha Swanson: It is and i'll admit I used to not have it, and then we started watching more of it, and this show, along with a show called what I lie to you, and which is a panel show that I think you can find on Amazon prime actually and then.
625
01:16:28.110 --> 01:16:40.650
Martha Swanson: Eight out of 10 cats does countdown countdown is apparently like the UK version of like wheel of fortune, as in like it's on every night everybody knows it Although a majority senior citizens watch it and.
626
01:16:41.280 --> 01:16:52.290
Martha Swanson: And so they took the traditional in the letters and numbers game like there's letter to them it's literally that's it like there's letters round at a numbers round like doing anagrams and then trying to do, simple.
627
01:16:53.220 --> 01:17:04.080
Martha Swanson: arithmetic to get to a target number but same thing they have a panel of four comedians play the game, instead of just normal regular people.
628
01:17:05.130 --> 01:17:09.450
Martha Swanson: And it results in polarity but also you play along and it's fun.
629
01:17:11.070 --> 01:17:13.050
Martha Swanson: So, then the other thing this may be.
630
01:17:15.600 --> 01:17:17.670
Martha Swanson: heresy maybe I don't know if that's the right word or not.
631
01:17:19.260 --> 01:17:23.100
Martha Swanson: too is is i'm going to suggest another podcast so when you're not listening.
632
01:17:25.110 --> 01:17:33.510
Martha Swanson: And I think you should really dig it and I feel like you could I feel like you can do your own version of it something called off menu be the review listen to this.
633
01:17:33.960 --> 01:17:35.640
Akil Hill: i've heard about the effort of this one.
634
01:17:36.150 --> 01:17:40.530
Martha Swanson: So this is, I feel like i'm only talking about British stuff but you know hey it's a theme.
635
01:17:41.640 --> 01:17:51.960
Martha Swanson: British comedians James a caster and ED gamble post it and they have they welcome my guest sometimes it's sometimes it's a fellow comedian sometimes it's a.
636
01:17:52.380 --> 01:17:59.460
Martha Swanson: pop music star actor and mostly British, but some sometimes American and some Australians as well.
637
01:17:59.850 --> 01:18:11.430
Martha Swanson: And, and they basically bring them in and they ask them to describe their their the premises that you're at the dream restaurant, and so, anything is possible, and you say what you want, for.
638
01:18:11.760 --> 01:18:20.910
Martha Swanson: A starter, as I say, starter main side dish and dessert and there's a few other questions I don't want to spoil it for you, because part of the delight of getting into the show is.
639
01:18:21.600 --> 01:18:35.880
Martha Swanson: How they kind of start off each episode so give it a go if you're unsure about it unsure, if you like, British comedy whatnot I would recommend, maybe, starting with they did an episode with ED sheeran you know, everybody knows ED sheeran.
640
01:18:36.930 --> 01:18:49.260
Martha Swanson: So maybe maybe maybe give that a go, they also have had a few of the like daily show correspondence on and Martin freeman of fargo and Lord of the Rings right fan.
641
01:18:50.460 --> 01:19:01.260
Martha Swanson: So you know PP start with some people, you know, and then you can start listening to the more obscure folks if you're open to more obscure folks there is a British comedian named Bob mortimer who.
642
01:19:02.010 --> 01:19:12.240
Martha Swanson: This guy I don't know if it's like a combination of his delivery of things along with I think he must just be the kind of guy who is up for anything.
643
01:19:12.510 --> 01:19:20.610
Martha Swanson: All the time and just and we'll talk to anyone, because he seems to have amassed the most fascinating collection of stories and random occurrences in his life.
644
01:19:20.970 --> 01:19:25.650
Martha Swanson: And so, then whenever you hear him on a panel show around this podcast like it's just.
645
01:19:26.280 --> 01:19:38.760
Martha Swanson: it's hilarious like this podcast we got real into listening to you on a on a road trip to Oregon actually last fall and we haven't been able to stop listening ever since, and I was I I have started crying or laughing in the car.
646
01:19:39.600 --> 01:19:45.330
Martha Swanson: At some of the stuff that has come up on this so give it give it a listen, you will not be disappointed.
647
01:19:47.040 --> 01:19:47.640
Akil Hill: sounds good.
648
01:19:47.850 --> 01:19:58.440
Hong Lieu: yeah great PICs i'll definitely look up the Bob mortimer episode about me because I have heard of it, and I do like that the conceit of the show the idea is a good idea, because you could pick anything you want, I mean yeah that's just a good.
649
01:20:00.360 --> 01:20:03.360
Hong Lieu: Thank you for that i'll put in the show notes kill, you want to go you want me to go.
650
01:20:04.320 --> 01:20:08.070
Akil Hill: doesn't matter you can hop in there and I can close this out alright.
651
01:20:08.490 --> 01:20:20.640
Hong Lieu: So I my PIC this week my culture is is still to do with food June 2 was national donut day so you're talking about donuts or their Martha you know just just randomly but yeah.
652
01:20:21.750 --> 01:20:32.130
Hong Lieu: There is a movie that came out in 2008 2021 or 2020 called the donut king and it's a story about a guy named Ted noi, who is a Cambodian refugee.
653
01:20:32.550 --> 01:20:38.250
Hong Lieu: who fled the violence in Cambodia in it, and you know if you don't know about what happened in Cambodia, you know as a result of you know more, and all that stuff.
654
01:20:38.550 --> 01:20:44.130
Hong Lieu: And then, what happened afterwards, with the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot, I mean just unspeakable tragedy just a complete.
655
01:20:44.610 --> 01:20:54.630
Hong Lieu: Just mayhem and just terrible terrible things when I best friends Cambodian you know he has three uncles that he never got to know, because they Paris and also went on, but yeah Ted know I came to America.
656
01:20:55.650 --> 01:21:02.610
Hong Lieu: Can ended up in southern California, because he was sponsored by Christian church, she was taking in a lot of the boat people that fled.
657
01:21:03.150 --> 01:21:12.510
Hong Lieu: And he ended up working in windows became a manager at windmills and then decided open up his own donut shop and in the process, he sponsored.
658
01:21:13.500 --> 01:21:19.230
Hong Lieu: a bunch of his you know people he knew me Cambodia that were coming over just relatives acquaintances etc, etc.
659
01:21:19.710 --> 01:21:29.670
Hong Lieu: You know, ends up being Cambodians end up owning about 80% of the donut stores in California, because of ted's initial you know can see and bring it over and getting family involved.
660
01:21:30.180 --> 01:21:37.860
Hong Lieu: And in terms of like even today, most of the donor stories in California independent you know Duncan is only just started coming in, within the last five years.
661
01:21:38.160 --> 01:21:48.150
Hong Lieu: When tools is basically only big chain that's that's you know pervaded because they were there before, but everything else is independent donut shop So you see you go look around your neighborhood you'll probably notice a bunch of independent shops.
662
01:21:50.130 --> 01:21:53.250
Hong Lieu: Oh yeah krispy kreme because if you started in supermarkets.
663
01:21:53.490 --> 01:21:54.210
Hong Lieu: yeah they were like.
664
01:21:54.330 --> 01:21:59.640
Hong Lieu: They they were in supermarkets and then you'd like just started opening up like there's still aren't that many standards but you're right.
665
01:21:59.910 --> 01:22:08.970
Hong Lieu: I feel like krispy kreme then don't get her in in terms of similar saturation we're looking for is a few more because they were you know they got a nice number, but most of the donor shops in California mom and pop.
666
01:22:09.270 --> 01:22:10.830
Hong Lieu: and have those mom and pop shops.
667
01:22:10.920 --> 01:22:22.800
Hong Lieu: Most of them are run by Cambodians or southeast Asians, because you know in town, here we have elders and we have those Sputnik and stuff a lot of them are titled so it's not Cambodian but it's still Southeast Asian and similar kind of situation but.
668
01:22:23.880 --> 01:22:34.020
Hong Lieu: So the movie is about Ted and his rise and fall because, at a certain time, he was like just raking it in, and then you know yet gambling problems of that, and so the movie doesn't touch on this until the very end, but.
669
01:22:34.800 --> 01:22:42.060
Hong Lieu: Evidently, there was you know, in terms of the parents around the donor shops is a good life very difficult life, you know you're you know donut shop owners.
670
01:22:42.270 --> 01:22:51.450
Hong Lieu: Especially in La and a lot of places there 24 hours, then ownership to close at five o'clock zone, which is 24 hours so it's a grueling life you're making donuts no mill and I, you are all day.
671
01:22:51.810 --> 01:23:04.530
Hong Lieu: So a lot of the kids grew up in these businesses and it's kind of become an open question of what happens to this next generation, whether because you know it is a quote unquote successful business but it's also a business that the parents don't really want their kids to be in.
672
01:23:04.770 --> 01:23:06.210
Akil Hill: You know I came to this country.
673
01:23:06.360 --> 01:23:10.170
Hong Lieu: To make a living, but I also came as country, so you would have a better life than I did.
674
01:23:10.620 --> 01:23:22.230
Hong Lieu: So there's a big conversation there's a lot of articles about her recently likely to one of the one of the donut kids this girl mainly TAO she grew up in her mom's donut shop in Santa Monica decays donuts.
675
01:23:22.500 --> 01:23:29.850
Hong Lieu: And and and the thing about decays is her mom was a Ted annoy you know she she married in the tenderloin family and got a donut shop that way but.
676
01:23:29.970 --> 01:23:31.260
that's not why she married into the family.
677
01:23:32.700 --> 01:23:48.750
Hong Lieu: So she's she's related to the donut king and so Bailey Bailey was working in the donut shop left you know went to college, you know did all this stuff worked for various companies came back to the donut shop social media it out now got on instagram was doing fancy donuts.
678
01:23:50.040 --> 01:23:53.820
Hong Lieu: goosed business by like three or four times, and you know that's one of those arguments where it's like.
679
01:23:54.240 --> 01:23:59.580
Hong Lieu: Oh, this is this, you know, like the kids did good here, but then, at the same time, like they you know, like eventually.
680
01:23:59.940 --> 01:24:06.630
Hong Lieu: Like wouldn't last year sold the business and now she wrote a book about that experience on being second generation and stuff and also does like don't have.
681
01:24:06.960 --> 01:24:13.770
Hong Lieu: Consulting for other donut shops to like go viral because I guess the case they really blew up but yeah it was it was.
682
01:24:14.190 --> 01:24:24.150
Hong Lieu: Not only the the initial story of Ted no way, but the story about the kids because you know as a as a child refugees myself that's the conversation that you know, is really.
683
01:24:24.540 --> 01:24:33.150
Hong Lieu: Coming up now, I mean because I mean look at me i'm over 40 years old now and that conversation is still kind of ongoing like like this generation my generation.
684
01:24:33.480 --> 01:24:47.100
Hong Lieu: there's still a lot of flux, there we still don't know our place you know, like we definitely know we want to take care of my parents, we definitely know a lot of stuff but we don't exactly know yeah so so yeah the book is called it's called an American dream of sprinkles mailings book.
685
01:24:48.480 --> 01:24:57.540
Hong Lieu: And then the movie is called down again, and then you know, in terms of in town donut shops Martin, I every time I look at press for the fancy fancy high high falutin donuts they haven't everything bagel don't.
686
01:24:58.170 --> 01:24:59.160
Akil Hill: city donuts.
687
01:25:00.270 --> 01:25:08.730
Hong Lieu: donuts yes dude you don't have to go look at press but for the classic like kicked off like Martha might say she's she's pregnant, you know likes the cake donuts.
688
01:25:09.780 --> 01:25:16.050
Hong Lieu: ehlers and then you know the bagel shop at Mesa I think they get their donuts mellors to so they're a good a good backup.
689
01:25:16.380 --> 01:25:26.760
Martha Swanson: that's good to know that's good to know I am down in oxnard I like masters donuts there just yeah you know I i'm not sure where the owners are from that they are.
690
01:25:28.170 --> 01:25:29.580
Martha Swanson: There I believe they are.
691
01:25:29.880 --> 01:25:31.890
Hong Lieu: Southeast Asian yeah possibly.
692
01:25:32.340 --> 01:25:33.900
Hong Lieu: So yes, he is yeah it's.
693
01:25:34.680 --> 01:25:47.850
Martha Swanson: sort of yeah cake, you know everyone's yeah but I love just a double chocolate cake done it the live that whole compress everything don't it was, unlike anything I had ever had before, and I was surprised I liked it I liked it.
694
01:25:49.080 --> 01:25:59.700
Hong Lieu: yep so yeah then that dad mom pop donut shop cultures, I mean first place I knew that you could buy cigarettes like solo like single cigarettes for a quarter was the donut shop near my house nilly so.
695
01:26:01.050 --> 01:26:09.120
Martha Swanson: It also sounds like all of us, maybe have are missing out on a fantastic career in being donut consultants.
696
01:26:10.440 --> 01:26:11.730
Hong Lieu: If you got that game this.
697
01:26:11.970 --> 01:26:14.430
Martha Swanson: One or something, why are we not doing a consultant.
698
01:26:14.460 --> 01:26:21.810
Hong Lieu: You could probably do because you got that marketing communications background, but yeah that i'm not i'm a bad i'm not even on social media, so I could probably do too, but yeah.
699
01:26:23.100 --> 01:26:30.990
Akil Hill: hey no joke DK is doing, Sir good i've been there, I would definitely you know is that the homeowner like the next two.
700
01:26:31.020 --> 01:26:33.180
Hong Lieu: years in a row, the other ones that.
701
01:26:33.180 --> 01:26:37.140
Hong Lieu: yeah you can't call it the corona del is a dose or something else yeah.
702
01:26:37.170 --> 01:26:37.770
Hong Lieu: yeah yeah.
703
01:26:38.010 --> 01:26:47.790
Hong Lieu: Because the guide trademark the diamond he can't sell so you couldn't call it the corner, but they were the ones that that were inspired by the crowd at first and brought it to the west coast, yes.
704
01:26:47.820 --> 01:26:53.970
Akil Hill: yeah that's man it's yeah i've been there a few times it's been super good.
705
01:26:54.180 --> 01:27:01.680
Hong Lieu: super and that might have been mainly or the mom but yeah they recently sold the business to somebody else but another they kept they kept it the salsa someone else.
706
01:27:03.240 --> 01:27:08.250
Hong Lieu: yeah they maintained that kind of high quality and stuff but I mean it was time to retire that it's a grind sure.
707
01:27:08.580 --> 01:27:09.960
Akil Hill: yeah Nice.
708
01:27:10.920 --> 01:27:11.760
Hong Lieu: Article what you got.
709
01:27:11.940 --> 01:27:23.370
Akil Hill: So, in light of going to incur was a national conference on race and race, in equity i'm gonna.
710
01:27:24.720 --> 01:27:36.300
Akil Hill: i'm gonna actually go with an individual that spoke, I actually had the good fortune to be able to attend her session it's a lady by the name her name is loretta Ross and she's an African American.
711
01:27:38.040 --> 01:27:46.980
Akil Hill: Activists feminists and a professor and she really kind of speaks speaks on a lot of different things.
712
01:27:48.240 --> 01:27:57.210
Akil Hill: Reproductive justice is one of her kind of her hallmarks that she speaks on, but the session that I attended, it was called calling and calling out.
713
01:27:58.710 --> 01:28:00.930
Akil Hill: And she was talking basically about.
714
01:28:02.040 --> 01:28:14.520
Akil Hill: Calling and calling people in versus calling people out or counseling them out or counsel or basically counterculture and so just really inspiring words.
715
01:28:15.660 --> 01:28:34.860
Akil Hill: You know, in light of all you know, I think, as we move forward or institution, as well as we move forward to to try to be more socially just and equitable and and an earthing some stuff or unearthing different ways of looking at you know the equity gaps that our students face.
716
01:28:36.120 --> 01:28:43.020
Akil Hill: You know there's different ways of doing this work, and I think sometimes you know with counter culture or call out culture.
717
01:28:44.670 --> 01:28:45.150
Akil Hill: You know.
718
01:28:46.170 --> 01:28:46.500
Akil Hill: it's.
719
01:28:48.660 --> 01:28:59.970
Akil Hill: It I would, I would say that in that process of that a lot of you know there's a right way to do things and and and not a right way to do things and so.
720
01:29:00.720 --> 01:29:17.940
Akil Hill: Just her voice and what she kind of brought to the session about you know, the way that we call people in in content, where we're calling them in from a place of love and togetherness and and Community was super motivating and inspirational to.
721
01:29:19.260 --> 01:29:28.650
Akil Hill: be quite honest, she has a really interesting story, you know she was she's from Texas, and she was grew up.
722
01:29:29.730 --> 01:29:40.590
Akil Hill: In this I think she was born, like in this in the 50s or early 50s and basically you know she was she was raped at a young age, and at the time.
723
01:29:42.030 --> 01:29:45.810
Akil Hill: Abortion wasn't legal and so she basically.
724
01:29:47.520 --> 01:29:56.670
Akil Hill: You know, raise the child right and so she talked a lot about that experience in that and that how that shaped her and then she kind of tied it in.
725
01:29:57.600 --> 01:30:05.850
Akil Hill: With you know calling people in having difficult conversations are our race from a place of love you know and.
726
01:30:06.390 --> 01:30:14.010
Akil Hill: Just really an amazing woman and and I hope that you know, one day, you know, we have the good fortune of having her.
727
01:30:14.520 --> 01:30:22.860
Akil Hill: On our campus because there's so much wisdom and so much thoughtfulness I think that our institution can really benefit from in a message that people.
728
01:30:23.610 --> 01:30:30.000
Akil Hill: really need to hear in regards to calling people into the conversation about social justice, instead of calling people out.
729
01:30:30.870 --> 01:30:44.820
Akil Hill: And, and so that's that's that's who I wanted to drop talk a little bit about she has Ted talks so you can probably maybe throw that in the show notes, as well as you know her website loretta Ross.
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Akil Hill: You can go there and I know she's teaching classes on it too and here's how dope she is she.
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Akil Hill: Was teaching like I think I forget if it was a tube for part or six part series, it was basically she's charging $5 a class, you know she wanted to make it equitable to the masses it's a four part because I remember her saying it's $5 a class when there's four classes, she said $20.
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Akil Hill: And so just there's a lot there she's an ocean and I just really admired her, she kind of motivated me to kind of look at this work in a different light and so.
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Akil Hill: that's who I wanted to make mention of loretta Ross and hopefully we can bring her son of every city college and because I think we need to hear that we need to hear that message.
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Akil Hill: Because it's it's pretty spot on.
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Hong Lieu: Thank you for that akil yeah I feel like that that conversation is we're still looking for that kind of equilibrium point you know, like the.
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01:31:46.890 --> 01:31:53.940
Hong Lieu: cancelled, culture and calling calling people out calling people in it's it's finding that balance, I mean it's everything moves so fast and.
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01:31:54.300 --> 01:32:07.650
Hong Lieu: On a global scale that it's hard to find the sweet spot it is it's a good reminder that yeah we're not there yet, so that you know how we do things now is always going to change and evolve and we should kind of come from that place of love you know.
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Akil Hill: yeah love grace giving people space to to grow into you know reconciles with some of what they thought to their truth that main a certain that have been true creating that space, and so I think.
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Akil Hill: I mean, as a campus you know, we need to have these type of conversations I really believe that.
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Hong Lieu: yeah my my son a refugee brain has always been hesitant to call call people out to cancel them because I grew up always afraid of revenge.
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Hong Lieu: People coming back and coming after me and I like yeah so.
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Hong Lieu: i've always been like if I affect someone's life is it or is it anyway, like they're going to come after me so i'm just going to lay low I mean it's always been a general it's like a lay low look as good as it may.
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Hong Lieu: But you mentioning loretta and how she speaks of freemium you know place of love and things that's where I feel like that that is kind of what should guide me as opposed to be afraid of retribution, you know, like it may be the same action.
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Hong Lieu: But the intention and the intention of being from love, I feel like.
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01:33:09.690 --> 01:33:12.690
Hong Lieu: we'll just make it and just make it a better process overall so.
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Akil Hill: yeah absolutely.
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Hong Lieu: So thank you I will I will get them the show notes.
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Hong Lieu: And yeah Thank you kill Thank you Martha for coming on the show today.
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Akil Hill: Thank you so much more than.
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Hong Lieu: It is a pleasure.
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01:33:25.230 --> 01:33:26.040
Hong Lieu: honor having you.
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01:33:26.310 --> 01:33:29.610
Hong Lieu: And before we before we go any last words you'd like to say.
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Martha Swanson: Oh, I just want to say thank you to you both I think your excellent host it's a special skill to be able to do something like this, so.
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Martha Swanson: So i'm so glad that you're doing and that you've you've teamed up in this way, I think it's a great thing for the campus and you know I hope I.
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Martha Swanson: I hope I said some things that some people can identify with and that they feel like maybe they can you know approach me and talk to me about something random.
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Martha Swanson: And and yeah I look forward to getting to know more people across campus as more and more people come back and there's more activity on campus.
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Akil Hill: Absolutely, thank you for always.
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01:34:05.070 --> 01:34:07.410
Akil Hill: Including the podcast and the cliff notes.
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Martha Swanson: You can you have Sally on my team to thank for that.
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Hong Lieu: So I will definitely get to our help request form the show notes.
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Hong Lieu: Marketing spc.edu if you have any specific request right otherwise like Martha said shooter line Google chat send her an email say hello, she is a relatively new, although i've been here since like 2018 I still feel like NSPCC baby myself, so I don't know if that newness ever goes away.
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Martha Swanson: That.
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Hong Lieu: has probably just me like it's it's i'm trying to I have a lot of like imposter syndrome, you know, like I don't feel like a local in town i've been here since oh seven like there's just a lot yeah.
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01:34:47.280 --> 01:34:49.080
Hong Lieu: there's still look there's no local test.
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01:34:49.290 --> 01:34:53.190
Hong Lieu: there's a graduation like you either you either, are you aren't I may never be but.
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Hong Lieu: You look at a key look, I think you like.
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01:34:58.140 --> 01:34:58.470
Akil Hill: You got.
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01:35:00.330 --> 01:35:00.690
Akil Hill: You got.
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Akil Hill: You got campus Chris you got credibility, you know.
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Akil Hill: yeah no.
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01:35:06.630 --> 01:35:09.120
Hong Lieu: cure cosine helps helps a lot so.
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Akil Hill: hey.
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Akil Hill: you're talking about being scared of retribution you better be.
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Akil Hill: Very careful we associate right my name with you.
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Akil Hill: "Oh, he hangs out with Akil?"
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Hong Lieu: Never yeah.
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Martha Swanson: So so much thank you.
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Martha Swanson: contact me contact me contact me, I want to help.
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Martha Swanson: and
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Hong Lieu: All right, take care y'all until next time this was Vaquero Voices.