Humane Rights w/ Dr. Akilah Cadet
Season 1
Episode 3: CO-LLAB Choir, fresh from the Super Bowl
Featuring Dr. Akilah Cadet, Cava Menzies (Director, CO-LLAB Choir), and CO-LLAB Choir Members: Allison Skylr, Clarice Janine, Candace Goodwin, Zoë Boston, and Marc Allen
Cava Menzies: I think it took a minute to actually understand that we're performing at the Super Bowl, you know? We kind of went into like pretty serious rehearsals, maybe like three weeks, four weeks before. And I think at that point it became real to us. But honestly, the whole time, even up until like the bus ride there, we were all just like, are we — it's just like really happening? And then we're walking up at Levi's Stadium and seeing, you know, the Super Bowl. Yeah. All of the graphics and everything that goes with that. And I think even during it, I think it's sort of been like disbelief.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I'm Dr. Akilah Cadet Cadet and this is Humane Rights, a show that flips the traditional talk show on its head. This isn't about debate. It's about dialogue. Each episode, I invite guests from different walks of life to unpack the messy, beautiful realities of being human. Welcome to Humane Rights, where being human is the ultimate act of resistance.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: CO-LLAB. Hi.
Choir: Hi!
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Welcome back. We are having a special check in with y'all because you did this little, teeny tiny show. This past weekend. Some called it the Super Bowl, but we called it Benito Bowl. And you were pre-game performers and also the house band, which has not been something that's happened before, right?
Cava Menzies: Yeah. First time. First time. We made history.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. Okay, cool. Casual history flex.
Cava Menzies: Casual history. Yeah. Casual history flex.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: So you were providing vibes, on top of vibes, on top of vibes. Which is great. So, like, one — I want everyone to go around and say your name and do a little image description. We're going to start with you, Allison Skylr. Y'all about that? Do you know how to do an image description?
Allison Skylr : No. What is that?
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Well, let me just share with you. So y'all know I'm a disabled baddie. And so an image description is a way in which people who may not be able to see the same way as you can see what you are wearing to visualize what you have on. So — I have on a Colin Kaepernick jersey because fuck the NFL. It is Black with a white number seven. I have on a white hat that says Humane Rights — available soon. Dropping soon. Vintage jeans, striped socks and long golden blonde hair. Everyone knows that I have a brown sugar complexion. R.I.P. D'Angelo. But so you can just describe something that you have on and what you look like so people know how fly you are.
Allison Skylr: Woah. Thank you. Go Virgo! My name is Allison Skylr Skylar. I am a Virgo. I have on a Black long sleeve t-shirt. Blue denim jeans, bits and bobbles on my wrists. Some copper earrings. And did I mention that my hair is locked? I have mid-length locked hair.
Clarice Janine: Hi. My name is Clarice Janine. I have on — Black. Welcome to the family. Good Compenny sweatpants. I have on a Black Pelicans jacket. I have on a white and gray keffiyeh. I am also wearing white glasses, and I have brown skin and short hair.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I love it.
Candace Goodwin: Hello, my name is Candace Goodwin Goodwin. I am a brown skinned Black woman with curly, Afro hair. I am wearing a gray shirt and blue jeans, a Black puff coat, and I don't really know exactly what to call this thing that I made.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: You made that?
Candace Goodwin: I did. A gray and neon striped orange hood scarf. It is a hoodscarf.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: That is really impressive that you made that.
Candace Goodwin: Thank you. Yeah. The hoodscarf.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Are you selling those?
Candace Goodwin: Not yet.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: We have so many questions. And hoop earrings.
Candace Goodwin: And hoop earrings.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yes, absolutely.
Zoë Boston: My name is Zoë Boston. I'm a caramel coffee complexion. I'm wearing — what am I wearing? Where do we start with — caramel coffee. Yeah, I'm wearing — caramel coffee complexion jacket, corduroy jacket. A wool scarf that I love dearly. Grey Levi shirt. Also coffee colored complexion — Levi's beanie. And I'm wearing a pin from Paul Lewin, who's a Black artist in the Bay Area too. I love his art. This pin is also a music note, and it's dedicated to my uncle who's a DJ and a chef. And some multi-layered cut up sewn back together jeans and some tan Converse.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Love it.
Marc Allen: My name is Marc Allen and I am a Morris Chestnut brown.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Wooh! I'm sorry. Say that again.
Marc Allen: I am Morris Chestnut brown with long locks that lay under my beanie. I'm also wearing my Bay Area Good Compenny jersey designed by Vince Rossi. That we wore for the Super Bowl. And I don't want to take it off. Ever. I'm also wearing Black cargo wide leg trousers with my Crocs. With my lovely Crocs.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I love it.
Marc Allen: I'm also, by the way — my grandmother is visually impaired, and I've never heard of an image description. So I really appreciate this and will be implementing this in the future because this — yeah, I think it's — yeah.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: No, you're welcome. Thank you. You're welcome. I think it's really important that everyone knows that we have ASM Marc Allen here. With your beautiful voice.
Marc Allen: Thank you.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: And wonderful description. Shout out to your grandmother, too. And on the couch — the caramel couch that we have here — we have Cava Menzies in.
Cava Menzies: Hi, everybody. My name is Cava Menzies, and I am wearing a dark blue denim trench coat. Some red sweats — fire engine red sweats with some white stripes down the front. A really cozy Black turtleneck sweater. I got my curls popping. I got my little twists in, my hoops, my silver hoops, and my Uggs. And the matching red fire lips.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Right. And a matching red fire lips. Yes. That brings it all together. So, I have so many questions for you because one — Super Bowl — I don't know if y'all planned that, because you came together in the past few years, like three, three, two.
Cava Menzies: We're coming up on four years. Four.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Okay. Time is hard because it happened right towards the end of the kind of inside pandemic time before we could get back into the things. I don't know if that was your plan to do the Super Bowl. But it happened. But before I get into that, I have to share with the world how much I love CO-LLAB.
Choir: Oh, my God, thank you.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Like, I really, really do. And the first time I heard y'all was at — I know how this sounds — Steph Curry's Netflix All-Star Weekend brunch. And I'm laughing because I was with Steph Curry last night to see GOAT, the new movie. It's very cute. Highly recommend. And I was upstairs — we were at Splash, and I was upstairs trying to get money for my soccer team or whatever, and I heard this beautiful sound that was reminiscent of the only thing I like from being in the oppressive structure for me, which was a Baptist church, was the choir. And I heard this beautiful sound and I was like, I don't know what you're saying or doing right now, and I cannot focus. I've got to go. And the way I floated down the steps and then I saw all of your faces. I was like, what is this?
And also thank you, because it was Sunday, and it was a long — it was a very long weekend. And so to hear these beautiful voices, and then the co-owner of The Roots — we were just like listening. And then LaRussell was like, I'm about to give you a whole show, too. And then we had P-Lo and Saweetie and Richie Rich and Too $hort, and y'all — and I did not care about anyone else but myself, and I was doing all of the things. And then LaRussell came by and said hi. And I was like, oh, he remembers me. That's cute because I'm old. I felt so special.
And then afterwards I went up to Cava Menzies and I was like, hi. I'm one of the owners of The Roots and I would love for y'all to perform. And then you did perform in our inaugural season at the Coliseum. But it is one of my favorite times of music in my life.
So a lot of people don't know this, but I'm hard of hearing and so I'm progressively losing my hearing. So I always want to capture sounds as much as possible, but particularly music and live music. And I love that you were one of my favorite things that I'll remember. So even if I'm not able to hear, I had time to hear all of you. I know how that sounds.
Cava Menzies: So beautiful.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: But it's really, really true. So tell me, what was it like to, you know, get the call? LaRussell obviously is very supportive of all of you, which is really, really wonderful and great. But what was it like to know, like, well, we're about to be in rehearsals, so we're about to do this thing. We're going to commute on 880.
Cava Menzies: That in itself is like a feat.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. But then you're like, this is fun though!
Cava Menzies: Even though I'm in traffic.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Tell me. What was it like to get the call from LaRussell?
Choir: Yeah!
Cava Menzies: I feel like it wasn't just a call, because we work so intimately with them at this point. Like, we see him almost every single week. We've really been building with his team right now. So to me, it's like a natural unfolding of what's been really going on. But even still, like, he'll, you know, casually text stuff like, oh, by the way, like, we're doing the Super Bowl. And I'm like —
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Wait, don't tell me it was a text.
Cava Menzies: It was a text. It was a text. Like, we're doing the Super Bowl. Just like it was like, oh, we're going Outside Lands or like a Sunday Service Collective. And so these things come where my eyes bug out of my head. And then I usually either, like, leave a voice memo or go crazy in the chats, like — you guys — like, last night I left one as well, that was like a voice memo. Like, you better listen to this. We have great news. And it's literally what I texted him last night — is that I feel like every time he texts me, it feels like it's like my birthday or Christmas, because it's just, like, present unwrapping constantly. And he passes — so generous.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Well, you all are the gift that keeps on giving. So — did you write that up?
Cava Menzies: I only say it if I mean it. But it's — it's really interesting with this kind of stuff because, you know, you hear it and you think, okay, well, maybe we're like Super Bowl adjacent, or maybe we're like part of Super Bowl festivities. But I think it took a minute to actually understand that we're performing at the Super Bowl, you know? And then once we started putting the set together, we kind of went into like pretty serious rehearsals, maybe like three weeks, four weeks before. And I think at that point it became real to us. But honestly, the whole time, even up until like the bus ride there, we were all just like, are we — it's just like really happening? And then we're walking up at Levi's Stadium and seeing, you know, the Super Bowl. Yeah. All of the graphics and everything that goes with that. And I think even during it, I think it's sort of been like disbelief. Or I don't know if that's the right word — maybe like just shock — and it takes a minute to actually process the magnitude of it.
It's like, what do you do from there? And the amazing thing is that when I ask him that, he always says, this is just the beginning.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Well, I mean, there's this little Roc Nation situation.
Cava Menzies: Yeah. So. Right. And it's not — yeah. And just to clarify, I already know he does, but like, that's not even how he got the Super Bowl. So he is this massive —
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Oh, we know that. Okay, cool. Yeah. Oh yeah. Oh yeah, okay. This is all a coincidence. But yeah — in the where do we go from here, for those who don't know LaRussell — right — Super Bowl week, has signed with Roc Nation, right? Roc Nation is Jay-Z's label, for folks who don't know that for some reason. And Roc Nation also has a deal with the NFL. And it's part of their kind of like reparations for what they did with Colin Kaepernick — to have a relationship with Roc Nation, to really focus on halftime programming. So that's why we've seen really great — oh yeah. That's why we've seen really great shows. That's why the L.A. Super Bowl was a big deal, to have so many prolific rappers that were there and the storytelling that was there and the culture — that's why Kendrick Lamar —
Cava Menzies: Yeah.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: — right, was a very big, important part, you know, of what we've seen. And this is because of Roc Nation and Jay-Z. So even though I do have so many issues with the NFL because it's now this modern day form of enslavement, I do like the things that are able to come out of it, which is what's happened with Roc Nation, which is the opportunity with LaRussell, which is seeing Super Bowl really take the time to work with Bay Area artists — from, you know, on the creative side to Make it Bay. Erin Fong was a local artist, y'all with CO-LLAB, LaRussell is really wonderful.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. But selfishly — because Roc Nation posted on Roc Nation time, meaning New York, it was five in the morning or something. It was very early on this side, and I was up because I casually had to have some biopsies and go under and have a procedure. So I was up early in the morning and I had to wait to be responsible and respectful to text you.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I was so excited. And here I am in my little hospital gown. So I was singing in the morning before I had to go. Like I only have like my little drink of water before I could not have any, because I couldn't eat. Yeah, for the procedure that I had done. And it just brought me so much joy, because I fucking hate waking up early. But y'all gave me energy that day to just, you know, get my little propofol nap. Yeah, yeah. And have a good day. So for y'all, what did it feel like to get the message that you were going to be performing?
CO-LLAB:(singing) February 8th Levi's We're singing at the Super Bowl.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Which I love. It's one of my favorite songs. Thank you. How did it feel?
Marc Allen: Well, I guess I'll start. For me personally, like Cava Menzies said, it was disbelief from the beginning. And because we went directly into rehearsals, it was for me — it was sort of like, I couldn't really feel it until it really started getting close and until we saw the signage and were in the stadium and we were going through the security process. That's when I was like, okay, like we're — we're at the Super Bowl. So it's like Fort Knox. But it was — it was overwhelming and amazing. Was overwhelming and amazing.
Zoë Boston Wow. I remember the first time he mentioned the Super Bowl was the Avila Beach show that we did, and remember what month of the year it was.
Choir Member: October and November, maybe?
Zoë Boston: Maybe. And yeah, he just casually said it and it was like, oh, by the way, you guys get ready, prepared for the Super Bowl — I was like, what?
Cava Menzies: You just — oh, okay. Wow. Okay. It's the — it's the casual nature.
Choir Member: Yeah.
Cava Menzies: Hey, we're having dinner, right?
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Exactly. I got us a private room. So I get dinner at this really wonderful Michelin star restaurant, like —
Cava Menzies: Oh, that is nice.
Choir Member: Yeah.
Cava Menzies: Not that.
Choir Member: Exactly. It's like it makes you almost like, miss what he said, because he says it so casually. It's like, wait, did you just say — you meant that though? Is there another Super Bowl?
Choir Member: Right!
Cava Menzies: That's not the Super Bowl? You said it like it's not a big deal. You said it like it's not a big deal, so maybe it's not what I think it is in my mind from what you said.
Zoë Boston Yeah. Then it sets in. And yeah, I feel like it didn't fully set in until we were in the stadium. Yeah. The first soundcheck. And then when we're in the stadium, it was like, we are here in the midst. This is really happening. Wow.
Allison Skylr: Well, for me, I have come to expect things that I would never have scaffolded for myself from LaRussell Thomas. Full name. So when he said it, I just was like, amazing. Thank you, God, universe, and LaRussell. And how — how can I be down? What do you need? I think in the aftermath of everything is where I'm actually sitting with the processing of — like what? Like, what the fuck did we just do? We did that.
Choir Member: Yeah, that is what we did.
Clarice Janine: I felt similarly to everyone else. It was dropped very casually. And so my natural assumption is like, oh, okay, you know, it must be some events that's happening around Super Bowl time. I didn't even know that the Super Bowl was going to be in California. So I was like, oh. Okay. And I started getting inklings, having to turn in all this information to the National Football League. They wanted our Social Security numbers. They — blood type, a kidney. So I was like, wow, this is real. It's giving — it's giving serious.
Choir Member: Yeah.
Clarice Janine: And then also similarly to Allison — it's in the aftermath that I'm like — okay. Yeah. Like okay. Okay. Okay.
Candace Goodwin: Yeah. I also felt similarly. I feel like once he told us that, I was like, what does that even mean, really? Like, what — you, like, in the Super Bowl — where exactly, like, what are you — what are — what are we talking about? And yeah, I feel like I had to, like, sit with that for a while and it didn't even really — I was just, like, excited about the fact that we're, like, going to be performing at the Super Bowl. And then, like, it wasn't probably until, like, a couple weeks later — I was like, oh, wait, there's going to be like people there. Like there's going to be like a lot of people there that are like — well, not only that, but I was like, they're going to be like — yeah — like 70,000 people there. And then there's going to be like all of these, like, famous people there that will also be performing. I didn't even, like, think about that until, like — because I was just so juiced on like, we're doing the Super Bowl, we're doing the Super Bowl.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I hate to break it to you, but there are people watching also on TV.
Candace Goodwin: That too. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Different streaming service. Yeah. So millions of people saw you.
Choir: Yeah. Wild. Yeah. Wild.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: It is wild, but it's — it's where y'all deserve to be, right? So the funny thing about your name is that it's CO-LLAB. So this collaboration that you have — LaRussell, right — has brought you lots of different places, which is great. But you also have brought yourselves there too. Right? With the voices that you have and what you're bringing.
Choir: Yeah. Together. Yeah.
Cava Menzies: I think a lot about, like, it's fun to backwards map — like, have something as big as that happen and go, what are all of the steps that needed to happen? Like, what had to conspire in order for LaRussell and us to even connect. And that story is amazing. And then what had to transpire last year for this to even be a possibility. And it's just, you know, like coming on our fourth year now, it's really incredible to think we were just gathering. We were gathering for the love of music. We were loving — you know, we were just gathering for the love of creating. It was during COVID. When we first started rehearsing, we were wearing masks when we were rehearsing. And to go somewhere as public as a Super Bowl now and just think about like, what does it really mean to do work that you're passionate about, to do purpose-driven work, without expectation of the outcome, is really, really powerful. And to me, this is like — it's no accident that we performed there.
And also, I think it's like blowing our minds because it was such a quick — but like everything escalated so quickly. But I really feel like it's a reflection of these times that if you're doing work that's based in the community, if you're doing work that's passion work and purpose-driven work, if you're doing creative work and then also collaborating with other people that are doing it — I think why it felt like such a win for us is that we didn't just get there ourselves. Like, it's CO-LLAB Choir, it's the Yee Section, it's Good Compenny. It's LaRussell, it's everybody on LaRussell's team. And so it felt like a Bay win. And I think for me, one of the really interesting things is like, when people would write pre-Super Bowl, they were saying like, oh my gosh, you're putting the Bay on the map, or like, finally the Bay is getting some light and love. And I think we were just thinking about, can we just, like, do a good job ourselves? But not — for me at least. I'm not sure how it was for y'all, but I wasn't even thinking about, oh, we're repping The Bay. And I think because it was taking place in The Bay and we're used to doing Bay stuff, it's just like, oh, we just do what we normally do in The Bay. But for a national event like that to take place in The Bay, and then for us to rep Bay culture was really, really, really powerful.
And I think that's one of the things I'm sitting and digesting is just like, what is it about The Bay that makes us so special? And then what's the magnitude of the impact of us putting that kind of culture up on such a national platform? And I just kind of want to say also — so I know I'm talking a lot, but the Super Bowl also felt like being in the belly of the beast of America. Like — yeah — from a production standpoint, just, you know, I love art and shows and all the back end of shows. And you looked at the amount of, like, money and orchestration and production value and propaganda and commercialization and fighter jets overhead and military and — like it. It was so — it was such an interesting juxtaposition to have us bringing Bay flavor, in the ways that we've all organized, and have that infiltrate a space like that. That — that I think is the ripple of that — I think on all of our lives and even like on a grander level — is still something to really think about.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. So, slight correction — international.
Cava Menzies: Yeah. Yeah, right?
Dr. Akilah Cadet: So yeah, we have that. Yeah. National impact, but that's an international thing.
Cava Menzies: Absolutely.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: And then getting back to like the purpose and collaboration and community and coming together — that is something that is an ethos and your brand as a choir, but also with LaRussell. Exactly. So what has happened in the Bay Area is that LaRussell is reminding people of why we are so important and special, just like how we do the same with our movie film space here, with our activism that we have here — Black Panthers came from — we know how to let the world know how to come together, have purpose, collective action, community. That is something we definitely do. But I would love for you to share — anyone can share — but how did you connect with LaRussell? Because you said it's an interesting story and I have FOMO.
Cava Menzies: So does anyone. I'm — yeah. Go for it.
Marc Allen: Yeah. We did a recording session with Rexx Life Raj at EMPIRE Records, and he had a videographer that documented the process of us working with Rexx. Or Raj. I always say Rexx, but he goes by Raj. And I think LaRussell saw the video of us in the session with Raj, kind of like working through the arrangement. And I think he reached out to Raj and said, who's that choir? I've been looking for a choir. And then reached out to us and invited us to their backyard. And that was kind of our first initial introduction. And a few of us came, and then we came back again, and it ended up being the full group that came. And we just vibed so hard the first time we got together. And it — it was like — I'm curious how it was for all of you the first time meeting LaRussell, but it felt like something just naturally — I don't know, it's like a little cosmic explosion happening.
Allison Skylr: I will say the first time I — because I wasn't at the initial backyard show, but next time we all made it through — it was experiencing what LaRussell's team and what LaRussell brings to each and every show and that sort of — space was almost spiritual. It just felt like that was the — and that was the first time really seeing what LaRussell brings to all of his community members, and what that means to them. And I really felt it that day. And from that point I trusted LaRussell for everything — like every event there on, I knew that we were going to be well taken care of, that LaRussell was going to give his heart to his audience every single time. And that's what I love about his shows. And so I felt that the first time and every time since. So it's one of my favorite places to be right now in my life — is on stage with LaRussell — because it's authentic. It's genuine. And it's for the community.
Choir Member: Yeah. You know, everybody can relate. Everybody can feel it. And he'll ask for, like, testimony, like during a lot of his shows. And the community will echo the same sentiment. And so that's how I know it's real.
Choir Member: Yeah. It's a real — it's a real guy.
Zoë Boston: Yeah. The first time I was there — the first day that we — that we came to the Pergola, and I remember, like, rushing to get there. I was like, I'm gonna get there, I'm gonna get there. And I was kind of, like, anxious, just like rushing. And then when we got there and I met LaRussell, I was like, oh, I could, like, actually relax. And it feels like such a, like, home space. It felt like joy, like meeting him. He's just such an amazing human. And just so welcoming and loving. And everyone on his team is the same way. So it just felt like coming into, like, a family party, basically. And just being welcomed in. I cried — did the first time. Some tears of joy.
Candace Goodwin: Yeah. I was off for the first time, but the second time I was able to make it, and I don't know — it felt like an instant shift of energy. It was like intuitive — like Marc Allen was saying, spiritual. It was very collaborative in the space in the sense that we're all kind of feeding off of each other. You know, the choir would come with ideas and he would get excited and like, oh, that's — yeah, let's do this. And then, like, the band would pick up and do something else. And we were just like this conversation that was happening — like an ecosystem that was just so beautiful. And spiritual in the sense of — how to describe it. But it felt like, oh, this is — this is why people are supposed to come together and create. Like, this is the magic that happens here. And it also felt light and joyous because it wasn't about perfection. It was just about being authentic in the moment. And so it was just like, wow, this is impactful. This is — let's keep doing this.
Choir: Yeah. Let's keep doing this.
Clarice Janine: I also wasn't at the very first meeting of — what was happening, where y'all were missing out. I was sick.
Choir Member: It's okay, it's fine. Yeah. You showed up on time. We won't tell that story now. You were there when it was right. Yes. We be working 9 to 5 and everything.
Clarice Janine: That's true. But I was sick. But I got to meet him later, and when I did — I think so — we had been working with artists who do, like, more visible work for a while through EMPIRE and some other avenues. And so I was accustomed to working with someone and just kind of understanding what their vision is and translating that exactly. And what was so refreshing about working with LaRussell is that he's super collaborative. He wanted to know what we thought. If we were just noodling around, he would be like, put that in — like another one of my choir mates said. But also there's just the energy with which he meets the world is so genuine. When you speak with him, you're speaking with him, and it's like there's nothing about what you see online that is a facade. Like, he is that human being. And he's come to be one of my favorite people in the world, as has everyone on Good Compenny. But like — shout out to Tietta.
Choir: Big shout out to Tietta. I love you, girl. So much. Love you.
Clarice Janine: But yeah, I think that that's also a testament to how he curates the energy around him as well. Like, he wants to be in community with people who move like that, like who are real people. And so in that way, it's also kind of an honor that he likes to spend time with us so much.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: It is. But I think the beauty about all of this — with CO-LLAB, with LaRussell — is it's really about getting back to humanity. Right? So how can we be in community with each other? How can we celebrate each other? How can we tap into what we have to do, particularly as Black and brown people — you know, tap into that joy — because it is a form of resistance. Right? And so music is so powerful. We look at Rosalía and her Lux album and using live music and storytelling. We look at Bad Bunny and how the whole Benito Bowl was quite the show for so many reasons that y'all got to experience live, but to have representation — I don't know if anyone saw their flag up there, but I saw my flag, so I was very happy to see my flag — to be in that moment in time. But it shows you how important music is to restoring, remembering, reclaiming humanity, which I think is important more than ever with Donald and co being the pieces of shit that they are in office. And that's me being kind. Follow me on unchained today for more. Yeah. When it comes to that. But I just want to say thank you for bringing the joy. I can't wait to see what's next for you. I'm honored to know every single one of you. I can't believe I know you. It's just very, very cool. Yeah. But, you know, thank you for literally making the world a better place and shining the light that we need to continually have on the Bay.
So I want to see if the director will like to cue us out with the official —
Cava Menzies: I was like, what are — Super Bowl promo song.
Choir Member: I was like, are we always learning a new song right now? What's happening?
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Yeah. We want to sing it?
Cava Menzies: And clearly you're going to sing with us.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Totally. Hashtag goals! Okay. So if everyone — hmm —
Cava Menzies: Yeah. What? Yeah. Do we want to push the mics back a little bit?
Dr. Akilah Cadet: You can sing into the mics, it will project. One, two, three.
CO-LLAB:(singing) February 8th at Levi's —
Cava Menzies: Hold on, we're gonna try one more time, because we need a three-part harmony. I want to move this mic back, can I? Move it. Get in the position.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Oh, it's real time.
Cava Menzies: Yeah, yeah. And we're in rehearsal. But this is what it looks like.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: I'm just gonna fit in.
Cava Menzies: One, two, three.
CO-LLAB & Dr. Akilah Cadet:(singing) February 8th at Levi's — Hey, we'll see you at the Super Bowl because we're performing live at Levi's. Hey, we'll see you at the Super Bowl. So catch us in the Bay at Levi's. We'll see you at the Super Bowl on February 8th at Levi's. We'll see you at the Super Bowl. Whole song. We'll see you, we'll see you, we'll see you. We'll see you. We'll see you, see you. We'll see you. We'll see you. We'll see you live at the Super Bowl…
Choir: Aye! That was really good.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Did I join you?
Choir: You did great!
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Okay.
Choir: Yay!! That was so good! That was so good!
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Big love and gratitude to our guests for showing up with truth, humor, and of course, humanity. If this conversation moved you, you got to like it. You got to share it. You have to talk about it, bring it into your circle, spaces and places, because that's how change multiplies. You can catch more episodes wherever you get your podcasts and watch the full series produced by social media and me on the social media YouTube channel. Now what is that YouTube channel? What you need to subscribe to so you can get more of this. But until next time, stay curious. Find your joy and keep being amazing.