Welcome back to The Truth in His Heart. Thank you for joining me for my conversations bridging arts, culture, and community. I am your host, Rob Lee. Today, I'm excited to be in conversation with my next guest who is a Washington DC based and award winning documentary filmmaker and photographer with a passion for bridging the gap between community preservation and fashion. Please welcome Jeronique to the show.
Rob Lee:Welcome to the Truth in His Art. Thank you for spending some time with me today. And before we get into the deeper conversation, I would like to give you the space to introduce yourself and your own words. And and I think it's important to, give folks, like, the opportunity to say, like, who they are. You get these artist statements.
Rob Lee:You get these bios, these marketing materials. And I filled out a few get grant applications. Right? And sometimes I gotta write things in it. Don't sound like it's me.
Rob Lee:So I wanna give you the space to say who you are in your own words, please.
Jeronique:You know what? And I'm so glad that you say that because I am I am a person who believes that bios miss so much of who we really are. Like, imagine having to condense everything you are, everything you were, and everything that you will ever be into 1 or 2 sentences. How fair is that? How fair is that?
Jeronique:So in introducing myself in my own words, I have to say that I I try my best to avoid bios just because I will have to constantly be changing them because I, myself, am constantly changing and involving and growing, not just as a person, but as an artist and as a human being. So if I had to introduce myself in a few words, I would just say, well, hello. I am who I am right now, but definitely not who I was a few days ago. And, of course, I'm not who I will be in 5 minutes because you even the voice changes. Do you see that?
Jeronique:So imagine a bio. It would just be all over the place. I'm not all over the place in a lot of ways, but biographically, I am all over the place, all over the world, all over fashion, all over watching and observing people observing people in the world around me and learning to tell stories better. So that's that's who I am. I'm a storyteller who's just trying to figure it all out.
Rob Lee:That's good. That's good. And thank you. Like, you know, I I think getting to sort of the, the doldrums of having having sort of those answers as I do this is, it's like, I don't know if that captures you and and being able to really think through it and evolve as it goes along as to and I like the way you put it, like, not who I was. I'm who I am at this moment.
Rob Lee:I don't I don't know who I'm gonna be later. That's, it's really good, actually. So generally, when I when I start off, I really like to get sort of the sense setting that that foundation of, like, creatively speaking, since, you know, the the focus of this podcast is arts, culture, community. And, you know, seeing sort of the preservation thing, seeing sort of the the the development background, and then seeing photography, videography, storytellers, so many different elements that definitely got my, mouth watering, got my, got my, you know, intellect and kinda, you know, eyes open. So I wanna, like, start where where did it begin as far as, like, creative experiences?
Rob Lee:Like, what is a really early one that comes to mind for you? Whether it be in storytelling, whether it be something from your past that that sticks out, that you look back at at this stage in the journey? It was like, I remember that. That that has something. I I
Jeronique:I see that popping up in my work. That is a very good question. And I think for me, it started probably, like, before my memories even began. As I said before, I love to observe the world around me, so I just remember being I remember being a baby. You know?
Jeronique:I do. And I remember, like, being fascinated by everything that was happening because everything in my life, it just felt like, oh, this is big. Oh, this is interesting. Oh, wow. And so it just started at a very, very young age watching my mom and my dad and my sisters and the community I grew up in.
Jeronique:And I just to just to give you a little background about the community I grew up in. I grew up I grew up in the hood. So or, you know, what we call the hood. I grew up in the projects.
Rob Lee:You too.
Jeronique:Yeah. And I think that, you know, everything is fascinating when you're growing up in an environment like that. There are so many different and unique type of people in those environments. There are so many different stories that are happening inside of each of those households. And if you get the privilege of joining in at a breakfast or a dinner table or or a cookout or any type of experience that is happening in those type of environments and you do it without, like, connecting or engaging, then you're missing out on, like, something super special.
Jeronique:Because the amount of stories that just come out of that experience in and of itself feels magical. And so you see it in the world around us, you know, how hip hop is influencing everything or how, like, the the lifestyles of people who come from certain backgrounds and cultures are emulated in so many different ways. Uniqueness and the value of the stories that come from those experiences and from that community. So so that's where it started. Long time ago, when I was a little girl growing up around all of these amazing, unique individuals and groupings.
Rob Lee:Yeah. I think and I and I and I have I have a thing I'll I'll share with you in that vein. I I think the interesting thing about, you know, having sort of the Jacks, the ghetto, the the the hood, if you will. You know you know, living in, Lafayette projects here in Baltimore, you know, built in 1035, the 7th floor, and, you see a lot of different things. You try to piece these things together.
Rob Lee:And I think as far as some of the stuff that you're exposed to at a young age, I lived there from 5 years old to 10 years old. And I had an imagination, and I was, always sketching. I was a little bit of an illustrator, as a kid. That's what I thought I was gonna do creatively. And, you know, you see a lot of different things, and I remember sort of different parts of that time.
Rob Lee:And one thing I'll share, we had a neighbor, who was involved into some drug stuff, and it resulted in him being thrown out his window. We heard the whole thing because he was and we were on the 7th floor, by the way. So we heard all of the commotion, and we saw sort of the result. Right? And I remembered that story, you know, the pieces that I saw at a very young age that I wrote it into a short story in high school.
Rob Lee:And I got, like, a creative writing award for that story, and it thought it was fiction.
Jeronique:Wow.
Rob Lee:So having sort of that. And I think the interesting thing about those types of communities, specifically, like, subsidized housing projects and all of that stuff, you're in one big building. But then you have as you you touched on all of these different households, it's like, oh, that's just someone else's room. No. That's someone else's house.
Rob Lee:And you you don't connect in those ways, at least in the era in in which I was there in the early nineties. But I remember some of the the that that was not a great memory. Right? But I remember some of the fondant memories that I had when it comes to mind that kinda makes me think about sort of the preservation thing and sort of how the city has changed over this time. I've never really left Baltimore.
Rob Lee:I've gone to other places to travel, but lived here for nearly 40 years. And I remember a thing that we used to do. We would walk, from the projects from from Lafayette Projects down to United Artists. They movie theater when I was younger. So my family would I would take this long walk across this, like, bridge, what have you.
Rob Lee:And the theater no longer exists. I think it became, like, a, community college, and then now it's something else. I don't know. But the the theater is no longer there, but the memory is there. The memory sticks.
Rob Lee:Could you share an experience from your youth that really, like like, sticks out and maybe, you know, sort of extra points, if you will, if it doesn't exist anymore, sort of the place maybe or sort of that that situation. Because I think memory is very important, especially when it comes to the the preservation of things.
Jeronique:That is a powerful question. Wow. You know, I think that fortunately, excuse me, fortunately for me, there's a lot of stories that stick out from my childhood just because, again, you know, we didn't really have phones all the time, so we had to, like, engage with outdoors and with the people and with with all of these things. So there's a lot that sticks out, but if I have to think of one that sticks out of something that is just no longer there, then it would have to be my my childhood home, on Copeland Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia where where my grandma and grandpa, we call them papa, my grandma and grandpa, it was their home originally, and, you know, it was this this place that was always filled with people, and it was always filled with, like, with music and emotions and rats. No.
Jeronique:It wasn't always filled with rats, guys. I'm kidding. It wasn't always filled but let me tell you about this one time at Christmas. Yeah. When we had Christmas, and what used to happen at Christmas is that we would go to sleep early so that we can wake up in the middle of the night before the sun completely rises Mhmm.
Jeronique:To open up all of our Christmas gifts. Well, there's this one night before Christmas where we could not do that because we were so fascinated by these huge cat like rats that had decided to come inside of my grandma's home. And, you know, they they came into the home because the barn from next door had been torn down by the homeowner next door. So we tore down the barn and these big huge rats, and we couldn't call them rats in my grandma's household because she thought that that was jinxing her home and increasing the number of rats that would come inside. So we couldn't, go to sleep, so we stayed up all night trying to get rid of big mama, is what we called it again, because we couldn't call it the r word.
Jeronique:And so finally got it out of the house, and everybody was so tired from waiting up that we kind of passed out and fell asleep. And so it was a Christmas where, you know, we broke tradition, and we weren't able to do that early morning waking up and opening the gifts and stuff. And so what is important to me about that is that that house is is no longer there because of all of the the changes that are happening in the city, like gentrification and things like that. So the house was torn down within the last, like, 2, 3 years.
Rob Lee:Yeah.
Jeronique:And another house was placed there. So it it just it kind of it hurts just a little bit because we have, like, oh, so many memories that were built up inside of that house. And I think when you're not able to preserve those find that foundational when you're not able to preserve those foundational pieces of your childhood experience and, you know, the community that brought you up and things like that, I think that is kind of, like, something that hurts a little bit. But that's what sticks out from my childhood, my grandma's home.
Rob Lee:Thank you. And I I have a segue there, but I I wanna comment on this real quick because I think it's kinda funny, and I think you'll appreciate it. I want there to be almost, like some to be movie, something a little low, but it's like the ghost of gentrification whenever someone's place is, like, demolished. It's like, here's these black memories you're not expecting. Like, oh, no.
Rob Lee:What am I gonna do about this?
Jeronique:You're not in the house.
Rob Lee:My my vegan waffles won't be able to whatever. You know what I mean? But it it's something about that being that it it happened so so rampant and, you know, a lot of times, you know, these places are very sacred and very important to us. And more often than not, we capture those memories, especially places that are gone, that are no longer here because it's it's really in here, it's really in here. And a lot of times, in images.
Rob Lee:So in talking about sort of memories and segueing into, you know, capturing memories visually, like, what in in in terms of capturing memories, visually, like, what is a striking image for you? Like, we have the photography background, the videography background, and then their style and fashion. So I'm seeing this sort of through line. I see what you're wearing right now.
Jeronique:I like that shirt.
Rob Lee:I'm observational as well. So so talk about sort of what what was that development of that visual component, sort of the photography, sort of that that language? What was it about that visual language that piqued your interest initially?
Jeronique:So the funny thing is, we had Polaroid cameras and I mean, Polaroid was my generation, y'all. You know? But I'm just saying we had Polaroid cameras in the household, and we also had the disposable cameras in the household. And I think what piqued my interest was we had photo albums. So you see photo albums, and then you see these pieces of history that are that are only available to you from this little photo.
Jeronique:And I'm not sure if it still say it now, but it was it used to be said like a picture is worth a 1,000 words. Yeah. But because there are so many pictures, everybody is photographing everything now, and everybody is video taping everything now. I think the experience is a little bit different. But for me, the the striking moment was seeing those little pieces of history and wondering, oh, well, I wonder, like like, what was playing in the Black background?
Jeronique:What type of music was playing in the background? Like, who else was there? Who, you know, how did all of these people get into this why did they choose to wear? Oh, that actually looks pretty cool. I wonder if I can find that in a store somewhere.
Jeronique:So just looking at those little pieces of history that weren't being, like, it wasn't being, like, on blast every day. It wasn't on Instagram every day. It wasn't on these, like, popular spaces and thinking there's a there's a bigger story behind this. There's something that's not being said, and just trying to figure out those 1,000 words that were behind that picture. And if I have to say, like, a a striking image in specifically, my great grandma is, Blackfoot Indian or was Blackfoot Indian.
Jeronique:And there is this this picture of her and she has so this this not my hair. I'm not gonna lie to y'all. This hair is not mine. But this was what my great grandma's hair was. You know, you would see her.
Jeronique:She would keep it, slicked back and and in a ponytail from time to time. Yeah. But sometimes she would have, like, those braids. And seeing those beautiful braids on her dark skin, her skin was like like my color. Yeah.
Jeronique:And then knowing, historically, she was Native American. Yeah. And just wondering, like, like, what does that mean in the the sense of what our family is or or who we are as people? And my great grandma, she was a huge storyteller. Like, she would sit us down all the time, and she would share these stories.
Jeronique:And then my favorite thing was when this thunderstorms came Because when the thunderstorm came, lights in the house had to go out. It was quiet, and we had to respect the Lord's word. But in that respect, it would come you know, in that respect would come these powerful stories that my grandma, great grandma, my big mom, would share with us. And so so the striking image was this picture that I saw of her when she had these, like, beautiful long ponytails, and she had on, like, traditional garment. And it just it was a magical experience and thinking like, oh, my great grandma is she's actually I think she's more special than the rest
Rob Lee:of us.
Jeronique:So And when I I
Rob Lee:like that, you you know, you you you stitched it together for us very well in in sort of describing sort of the image, but also the visual component of it, sort of how your your great grandmother looked with, you know, sort of the the braids, the ponytails, and sort of the the garb, the fashion. And, you know, as you touched on, you know, fashion is a powerful art form. So we wanna dive into that a bit more, but I definitely wanna ask you visually, whether it be photographers or even, sort of like folks in the the fashion scene. Like, is there specific houses and things of that nature? But, you know, who who the icons for you?
Rob Lee:Like, who
Jeronique:do you like? Like, you like
Rob Lee:I like the way this person frames a shot. I like the way this person uses color and things of that nature. Speak a bit about that.
Jeronique:So, Rob, with this question, I feel like you're asking me to point to mainstream designers and fashion professionals and stylists and things of that sort. And I I have to say that maybe I shouldn't guess, you know, what you want, and maybe I should just tell you my inspiration or my favorite, like, fashion professionals are the people who there's a lot of people who are so extremely talented and so powerful in their creativity, but they lack access to things like maybe streams of income to put their their work on a, like, a larger platform. And even in today's world where you have the free platforms, not so free because you're using all your time on there, but you have, like, social media, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and all of these things. There's still people who are are a little bit missed, and those are my favorite professionals. Yeah.
Jeronique:Because when I say that seeing somebody create from a place that is not influenced by likes or comments or shares and things of that sort, it it's so beautiful, and it is so powerful. And it takes away, like, this pressure to to feel like your work excuse me. This pressure to feel like your work isn't as great as the next designer or artists or professionals. So naming names, I had first thought with my mama because my mama had to style 6 girls. She had 6 girls, and all different looks, all different body types and sizes.
Jeronique:So she had to she had to work with that in her style and stuff like that as we were growing up. And it passed on to us in different ways where, you know, my sisters are now owners of different style type of business platforms and so. And so Millionaire, that is, like, my number one favorite professional because this blue shirt that you see, she always dresses me, and she dresses me in a way that I don't think I could dress myself. You know? And I love that she sees the need for me to be dressed even as an adult person, and she just does it for me.
Jeronique:So I love her. I love her sense of style. I love the fact that that she can see things in ways that we can't see them, and she can create these pieces that tell stories, and that puts me in places where people are saying, hey. Where did you get that from? Or, you know, what is that?
Jeronique:Like, what is that about, or what does that mean? Because I myself believe that our clothes or the clothing that we choose or pass on, they all have these big stories behind them. Yeah. So her ability to throw clothes on me in a way that helps with the storytelling, capacity of some of the stuff that I do is fascinating to me. I also love, there is a fashion let me tell you something.
Jeronique:I don't even want to, I don't even want to say this person is a fashion, like, designer, Because if you ever meet him, he is not just like he he can do fashion. He can do photography. He can do he the man a man can do anything. And you know how there there are people who can do they could do one thing very well, but they could do, like, other things mediocre?
Rob Lee:Sure.
Jeronique:No. This young this young man, his name is Travon, Travon Green or Trayvon Naeem. I'm not sure what designer name he's gonna go by. He's born and raised native DC, native Washingtonian. But when I say everything he touches, it seems like there's some type of magical gold experience inside of his hands, like the brilliance that he places into the stuff that he designs or the way that he photographs people or scenes or the way that he creates opportunities for the community is it is powerful beyond measure.
Jeronique:Like, I see some of his pieces and I think to myself, like, how could you even price something like this? Because it does it just doesn't feel like it belongs in that world of pricing. It belongs in a space where you have to just be able to accept priceless things, and there has to be, like, some type of way that he can get get, you know, something from it, but it should be like I don't know. Somebody should give him a island or or some of the stuff he creates because it it just comes from this space of this is something I have not seen before. It's a lot of colors.
Jeronique:And if I put it together myself, you would be like, what? What is that that you just did? But the way he puts it together let me see. I'm gonna just show you I'm gonna show you, like, a picture, and I hope I'm not giving away too much.
Rob Lee:K.
Jeronique:But the way that he pieces together colors and things of that sort you know what? We're gonna wait until Trayvon releases this stuff because I don't wanna quit his clothing and cell phone blast before he releases to the public. But Trayvon Green or Trayvon Nainen
Rob Lee:Yeah.
Jeronique:Is one of my, like, biggest inspirations in the fashion community. Now if you want me to name names of the other people out there who already have made a big name for themselves, I'm just not gonna do that, Rob. I'm not gonna do that.
Rob Lee:No. I I I dig it. I I think sort of where where you were touching at, you know, it it speaks to sort of, I I guess, intention kind of going back to some of the stuff that was mentioned earlier as far as, you know, images. Like, we put a lot of stuff out there. Some some might say too many images on the socials and having that there is we're part of almost a commodity and sort of people are putting looks together and putting visuals together just to get those likes.
Rob Lee:But when someone is just head down working on their stuff and having an intention, having a point of view, a perspective, that it has a little bit more value. I don't know if it's the same island value that you were describing. Like, you you know, give dude an island, but maybe you give dude an island. I don't know.
Jeronique:He's like, give him the whirl. Honestly, I just and and here's the thing. To me, it just makes me feel like it complicates this world that we've created where everything has to have a certain value associated with it because then it it it kinda devalues who thinks that are, like I said before, priceless. So yeah.
Rob Lee:When so I do this. This is sort of what my output is, and it's it's this weird conversation that happens literally every day of someone trying to add a price tag to what I do. I don't really speak in those terms. Right? If someone is like, what does it cost for you to do this?
Rob Lee:I can tell you how much it cost to produce an episode. I can tell you how much it might cost for to get me for a certain amount of time or what have you. But as far as what does it cost, I don't know how to answer that question. And frankly, it makes me uncomfortable. And because I don't think of things in that term, I I think it has some value, but then maybe the downloads aren't as high.
Rob Lee:Maybe those likes aren't as high. You have to divorce yourself from that idea of that external sort of validation. And even and I'm gonna and I'm gonna berate social media a little bit in sort of the general way that we do things. I think we're constantly being advertised to. And the story and sort of the intention gets lost in it because we pursued the bag and we chased the bag and it's fine.
Rob Lee:But we're being marketed to constantly, and I think we're not we're we're lulled into this sense of your work, your creativity, your voice. All of those things don't matter as much because you didn't get those likes and that engagement.
Jeronique:I I cannot count the number of time y'all done almost made me give up because y'all didn't like, comment, share, and subscribe. That's my channel. No. No. But, seriously, like, I think that there are so many times where even myself as a as an artist, like, I've had to close out social media accounts because I'm like, I knew that was good.
Jeronique:I knew you know, to me, I felt like it was my art. It was something I created and I'm I definitely, like, try to not be a perfectionist, but I also tried not to put out junk.
Rob Lee:Yep.
Jeronique:That was before the Internet. No. Care what's up? I'm just kidding. No.
Jeronique:To put out a jump, but it's like, you know, it and then sometimes you'll look at pieces and you'll be like, are you kidding me? Now that is some some like, no thought was put into that. It was just like, so so now I I've I'm finding an equal balance and maintaining space on, you know, the Internet and stuff like that without, like, degrading the art in and of itself.
Rob Lee:No. I I hear you. And, you know, I I think it's it's trying to find, like, sort of the why and what's true for doing whatever that creative pursuit is. And going back into sort of the powerfulness of of fashion, right, as as that art form, Could you share your perspective on how fashion maybe shapes or influences, you know, the cultural identity of a city like Atlanta, like DC, you know, sort of, you know, I DC is a transient or transitory city, or district if you will. But I think I look for the black folk there if I'm being honest.
Rob Lee:And I, you know, Atlanta's black is black be blackness. So, you know, I think that that's a theme that runs there, but I just wanna hear your your thoughts on sort of the how fashion shapes and influences the cultural identity of places like Atlanta, places like DC.
Jeronique:You know, Rob, I've been waiting for you to ask this question. You know, I I have just been waiting because when you think of transient and and you think of, like, DC being transient in nature, I'm gonna tell you I'm gonna tell you there's a myth behind that. Because inside of DC, if you actually get to know the real DC, not the, like, the glamorized, what is it called when you get work? The, plastic free DC. Not that DC, but the real DC, like, the real DC culture, there is some of the most fascinating, talented, creative fashion professionals.
Jeronique:I'm gonna say in the world because I have I've modeled from, you know, from the states to overseas in a lot of different places. And I think that DC kinda gets shut out of there sometimes because people always think of DC as a political place. They think of it, as you said, as a transient place. But the locals, the not the locals, but the natives Yep. The Washingtonians, the people who were born and raised in DC, they have some of the best fashion brains on the planet.
Jeronique:Like, the level of creativity that goes behind their pieces is unique. And I'll say that in storytelling, you will find lots of, like there you have the urban DC creatives, then you have the high fashion DC fashion creatives, then you have the, like, the abstract art DC creatives. And the ways that they shape and form a lot of things that happen in culture, I mean, with DC being chocolate city for it as long as it could possibly be, and then the state of everything that's going on in the world. You know, a lot of the people who were were coming to DC were coming because they came to this place where they saw people who dressed outside of the box or who, you know, they they just weren't in these regular suits and ties. Hairstyles are creative in terms of, like, natural hair.
Jeronique:You see some of the most unique natural hair formations, and you can wear this to work. Yep. You know? A lot of you know, I was reading somewhere where I think it was it may have been New York where they had to pass a law where people could wear their natural hair to work and stuff like that. K.
Jeronique:But coming to DC and seeing that, like, you are in these spaces where your natural hair is respected as a part of you and a part of your contribution to the work environment, that was powerful. That was powerful me to me. That was powerful to me then, and it's powerful to me now because I think that there are so many places that you go inside of it. You can't represent who you are uniquely. You have to fit into this, like, style code and things of that sort.
Jeronique:But do you see this place where you you get some of the most eclectic looks. You get some of the most stylish people. And, of course, like any other city, you have people who who dress down on a regular occasion, but hop on a metro, hop on, like just just go down a a regular street at a certain point, and I can guarantee you there's not one day that'll go by where you won't see somebody who is native to DC, maybe like the fur. And even foreigners. You won't see somebody who is dressed in a way that shapes the culture of the city and shows that DC is it's a vibrant place full of vibrant and unique people who have something to add, not just to the local spaces, but to interesting, like, I'm I'm from Baltimore.
Jeronique:I spent some time in DC,
Rob Lee:spent time in Philly. And, you know, when I leave town, I just dress how I dress. I don't
Jeronique:I don't I don't know. I I'm I'm from here.
Rob Lee:I've always lived here. I I'm told I don't sound like I'm from here. I don't act like I'm from a house. Like, I don't know what that even means. And so I know I don't dress like I'm from here.
Rob Lee:And it's sort of that thing, like, I dress like, you know, the story I'm telling, if you will, is that of a utilitarian dude that's always busy. And, like, I can go from the gym to the to work to studio. There's no shower in between. It's just bah bah bah. And it should be.
Rob Lee:It should be a shower in between. So I gotta work
Jeronique:on that. I'm just, you know, I'm growing, I'm developing my stuff. So you know who I'm saying? I'm not
Rob Lee:who I was yesterday, and I'm
Jeronique:not who
Rob Lee:I am gonna be tomorrow.
Jeronique:Exactly. See, we're here. We're here.
Rob Lee:Hopefully, I'll be showered tomorrow. But I I think I think when you you see people that have, like, sort of this unique thing, you know, what they're presenting, I think fashion is in in how one presents themselves. And I think fashion in a in a very macro sense of how one is presenting themselves whether it be in their clothes choices, whether it be in sort of how they maybe have their hair, have their facial hair, what have you. And I think that's the first thing that someone someone sees, you know, for to have to engage in a conversation. It is a for some people, it is an invitation.
Rob Lee:You know what I mean? To say,
Jeronique:oh, okay. That looks really cool. Where'd you get that? What's the you
Rob Lee:know, you see these, these videos on Instagram of, man, what's the motivation of this fit you got on, bro? Where'd you get this from? And it's it's more to talk about the price and the, you know, designers and things of that nature. But I think and it is a tent to to have that conversation, And I think there's a regionality to how folks dress, but when you fall outside of it, I think it broadens, you know, sort of how a community of DC, a Baltimore, and Atlanta, how the folks that are dressing in those place and how they're being presented visually in those places, it kinda broadens it a bit more. You know what I mean?
Jeronique:It does. Like, even even the hat that you're wearing right now, it's basically like, oh, what's that? Can you tell me about that? Like, what's
Rob Lee:the what
Jeronique:are those pins represent? Like, where did you get the patches from? It's it's one of the it's a conversational piece. And I think that in ways, even sometimes when we don't think that we're engaging in the fashion conversation, we are. Because you are right now, Rob.
Jeronique:You're engaged in the fashion conversation. Because please tell us about this hat. What are what's going on with these patches? And is that are those pins?
Rob Lee:The these are all pins, from and and that's and that's the thing. And thank you for for asking about that. The hat is just a hat for my some merch I got from my podcast, but the pins are sort of the thing. I I've collected a lot of pins from different things. There's a Bosky pin on here.
Rob Lee:There's a pin from, Tola's room, and a pen from my old podcast that's in the back, and just from different places that I've gone that have some, relevance to either what I like from an artistic standpoint of people I have connections with in doing this podcast that happens to relate to the whole art scene. So there's definitely an intention in this hand. I don't change these these pins out. They're always sort of the same pins. And, yeah, I I think when I look at stuff like that, like, sort of these pens and I just threw it on because I got some stubble going on.
Rob Lee:I'm like, yeah. I ain't shaving my head today.
Jeronique:You're just throwing on. You put some thought into that. You said, I'm about to join this conversation, and I just want people to know that this hat that I have been collecting these pins on, it has a reason. I have this Basquiat. I have what do you what does the black what does the pin say right there?
Jeronique:The one on the top. What does that say?
Rob Lee:This one? Let let me see. I don't remember. Oh, this is from, Black Punk Nowhere. This is from James Spooner, Afropunk.
Rob Lee:See. Yeah. All all of the things. All of my things right there. All of my philosophies.
Rob Lee:Actually, it's a couple couple more in here. So Oreo's pen is all all of these different things. Things that I like, I guess, that hit multiple areas, but definitely driven with sort of art and and even community. Like, you know, 3 of these pins are people that I've interviewed and that I support and admire their work. And it's it's is that is that for me?
Rob Lee:And I, you know, for a while, I wear very nondescript stuff and I think it goes with the sort of intention and the community component. For a while, I would wear very nondescript stuff. It's just like I need a blank t shirt, something utilitarian. If it gets ruined or something and I really sweat it too much, this came and I could pack a 10. But if I were to buy something, it is from, like, the aforementioned, these these more local designers, these people that I can press the flesh and have a conversation with and it's like, yo, you got this in my size, bro?
Rob Lee:Oh, let's get that. I mean, shoes, let's just be real. I'm not doing
Jeronique:that with shoes. I've got some giant feet. You know, I don't wanna be walking on hot coals or anything. Wink wink. But,
Rob Lee:you know, it is sort of like if I can support and that's the language we're we're doing it and I admire the work and I dig the work, that's what I'm gonna do. And generally, I don't really care about price in that regard. Like, I've purchased some very expensive hats, you know, here because I like to keep this smooth bald head, you know, protected.
Jeronique:Nice and smooth.
Rob Lee:So and and I think that's where sort of the a piece of that that community thing, like, when I talk with people and I go out of town and people might ask, like, for context, I'm 64, so I'm walking billboard in some instances. I don't look like it in this, but I'm definitely 64.
Jeronique:Tall people in the building.
Rob Lee:Tank. How tall are you?
Jeronique:So it just depends on who's asking. Okay? So my my medical records do you wanna know what my medical record says or what? Okay. I'm just saying.
Jeronique:My my medical record has me at 6:3, so I'm 6:3. So we will be eye to eye.
Rob Lee:We're eye
Jeronique:to eye. You're being honest about your height there, Rob. Because you know sometimes they they there's a study that says that guys, they like to say they have to stretch it a little bit. They they're like 59, and they say I'm 63. So
Rob Lee:64255.
Jeronique:What? Wow. Did you play any sports?
Rob Lee:No. Just, you know, just, sports, sports illiterate, I used to call it.
Jeronique:It was the terminology.
Rob Lee:I I ain't got it. I I was always into the the finer things. I used to write poetry, and short stories, so just never really got the doc the doc energy. But, but, yeah, it's it's definitely, you know, one of those things where what we put out there and sort of that that billboard thing I was kinda getting over is, you know, when I go to these different places and I wear something, especially if I go to like a opening, our gallery or something like that, definitely is a lot more really focused intention on what I'm wearing. Last time I was in New York for, I think, in May for for future fair, I bought the most expensive pants I ever purchased, you know, because I went there last year and I didn't like how I was dressed.
Rob Lee:I that stuck out to me. I remembered that. It's part of that story. Now I don't remember any of the work that I saw. Right?
Rob Lee:I just I wasn't happy about what I wore. So this this this past year, I made sure to get, like, these bougie ass Japanese import trousers, and I've lost some weight so I can fit those now. And I'm like, hell, yeah. Let's do it. And I pulled up wearing that, and I had an ascot on.
Rob Lee:I'd like to throw on bandanas, ascots, all of that, neckerchiefs, the whole thing. Right? So I had a friend who was showing work there, and first thing she says to me, she's like, looking really good. I like your style. I was like, yes.
Rob Lee:Intention worked. And she got the story that I was attempting to tell, like, I fit here, and that's sort of part of it. There was no pins involved, but it was part of it. You know? So in your POV, and we definitely wanna dive into, the the the sort of next chunk of questions, but I wanna get this POV for you real quick.
Rob Lee:You speak more on, you know, sort of the intention that's there when someone is presenting something like, you know, in in those instances where you may go out, you might wear something being 63. And is it something where you were like, I wanna accentuate sort of this silhouette. I wanna show this in this way. I wanna, you know, present in this way or if there's certain color choices that you're making that are complimentary. Like, I'm neutral.
Rob Lee:This is this is as dark as I get. I get I get lighter. It's not good. But I get lighter, but this is as dark as I get. So I try to wear midtones that generally kinda compliment that.
Rob Lee:So for you, what what is that like for you?
Jeronique:Well, for me, again, I cannot take the credit for dressing myself when I go out in public. I am blessed and fortunate to have a a stylist, who just, and I'm gonna quote what she says. She says, if I had your body, I wouldn't even wear clothes when I went outside. So excuse her thinking, guys, because I don't know where she got that from. But the way that that she, like, pieces together my closet, it puts it in a it puts it together in a way where I don't have to put too much thought into it.
Jeronique:And I know what you wanna hear is that I put a lot of thought into dressing myself, and I will tell you this. I do, but that thoughtfulness is passed along to me in a way that I can tell stories or I can go into this this room or this event space in, like you said, in the conference that you went to, show that I belong in this space or show that you might need to approach me so that I can hear your story that you wanna share. Not so much of me sharing my story, but that you feel that I'm approachable and that you feel like, oh, let me comment on this about you. You know, I see that you're you're so tall and all of a sudden stuff. But let me let me just where'd you get that?
Jeronique:And then it looks like it starts the conversation. Yeah. So so thankfully shout out to million re. Thankfully, I I'm I'm dressed most of the time by someone who is just fascinated with making sure that I appear in a way that feels approachable to the the people who are around me.
Rob Lee:Me. That's great. And, you know, with with me, I try to I used to try to I used to be just heavy on the trolling. I I would wear security shirts. I would just wear different things just to have people who feel embarrassed in talking to me.
Rob Lee:I, like, I would have that. I only have one shirt that is so stupid. It's probably 20 years ago, but it pops in my head right now. He said, I had this shirt. I used to go to, like, hot top and get band band t shirts and things of that nature.
Rob Lee:The bands that I like, but band t shirts. And I had one that looked like it was covered in blood because I'm a jackass. And I remember my mother was like, you cannot wear that anymore. I was like, I'm gonna wear it. And I would on occasion because I wanna appease my mom.
Rob Lee:I like my mom not being happy.
Jeronique:Is that a thing is that a thing that's going on in the world? Wow. Wow.
Rob Lee:I'm very much an individual, so I remember pulling up for a job interview with that shirt, although I changed it to my dress shirt, but I had that on feeling like our rebel, and it looked wild. It looked like horror movie set, like, amount of blood on there, and it was just to troll. Because I was, like, I still have to be me. I still have to be rebel rebel. I still have to tell this story.
Rob Lee:Like, I mean, I'm a horror movie fan, so that's part of the story, and I think my response to it was my story kind of being suppressed and maybe modified for someone else's benefit. And I was just like, I'm a be a rebel, and I'm gonna do it in a place. I'm going to a job interview. I'm gonna do it in a place that I absolutely shouldn't, but because I need to because my voice and my story in this sort of, presentation is very important to me, I suppose.
Jeronique:Did you get the job?
Rob Lee:I did, actually.
Jeronique:Same. But
Rob Lee:I I I quickly put
Jeronique:it on. I mean, I'm
Rob Lee:I'm look. I'm really good at interviews. I don't know about podcasts, but I'm really good at interviews. So let let let's move into, towards current projects, more current projects. How how is it the creative process well, actually, let me step back.
Rob Lee:Moving towards, current creative projects, let's talk about the great eight fashion tour and how your creative processes evolve while know, preparing for the documentary and and and building it out.
Jeronique:Let's talk about the great eight fashion tour. First, let me just say, I just have to shine light on, 1, again, the distinct fashion community that exists in DC. It's called the great eight fashion tour because DC has 8 wards. Now What I've learned along this tour is that natives, they don't they don't think in terms of wards. They may say, like, I'm from uptown or I'm from from northeast or southeast or they but they don't think in terms of wards.
Jeronique:I'm still working to figure out where that concept came from and, you know, why it's popularized now for those of us who are non native. But that's just one of the things that I'm learning about the culture of the city. There are so many different forms of, like, speak or language in DC. DC, I don't know if you know, has a lot of its own verbiage and a lot of its own words that were were crafted here and created here and molded and and that come to life in the things that people wear or say. Mambo sauce, beating your feet.
Jeronique:Let me go back and say it again because it sounded so not not beating your feet. No. No. It's like cut that cut that Beat your feet. Beat your feet.
Jeronique:Beat your feet.
Rob Lee:We're gonna take your DC card away from you now.
Jeronique:Yes. They're gonna take my card. Oh my goodness. I feel so bad because I just I just said that so so wrongly. But, you know, it's I think that the the great eight fashion tour explores just a lot of these things that are 100% specific to DC and the things that have not just influenced the city as a whole, but have, like, taken space in other places around the world.
Jeronique:So in creating this documentary, this short film about professionals or fashion professionals in the city and their backgrounds and what what brought them into the fashion landscape or the fashion world. I think what we learned more is we learn more about how DC became the city that it is now today. We learn a lot about the culture that is I don't think you can suppress suppress it fully because it's always gonna stand out and shine in different ways. It'll always stand out and shine in the, you know, the ways that the restaurant scene happens or the way that, you know, DC has a lot of, of murals and stuff on the buildings and things of that sort. And I think that when you when you go on this tour or this journey in this short film, you see how much fashion exposes you to places in the city that you never knew existed, people in the city who, again, are super talented and just a different different ways that people speak who are actually official DC people or DC natives.
Jeronique:DC people or DC natives. I had to restate that because it there was a giggle on it. Right. So my creative process has evolved because, basically, what has happened is I started the journey, and to be honest with you, I was like, oh, okay. I'm just gonna find 8 people in DC, and we're just gonna tell their story, and that that'll be it.
Jeronique:But when I tell you that one fashion story leads to another fashion story, it leads to a deeper fashion community, leads to, like, all of these powerful things, all of these powerful ways that fashion is actually being used in the city to influence not just culture but just to influence, like, the the different things that are happening around schools and the kids and things of this sort. And so when you when you come in with this concept of what you wanna do and it grows along the journey, then I think that that adds to the way that you evolve. So I've evolved because I've learned that, like, storytelling does nothing for the people who are hearing or seeing the story if it doesn't take them on a unique journey. And DC's fashion pieces takes you on this unique journey.
Rob Lee:In in in sticking with creative process, I I know for myself, I hate starting. I I I try to put it off. I don't I'm not a procrastinator, but, you know, as we got on, it's just like, I don't just go immediately into questions. Like, here's a bunch of questions for you. You ready?
Rob Lee:It's more of, like, let's talk. Let's, you know, massage into the conversation and, you know, you let the guest know, hey. The mic is on. We're recording, but this is more so for to get comfortable in a conversation more often than not meeting people for the first time. This is essentially like blind dating with creatives.
Rob Lee:Right? And we all get these different nerves and all of that stuff when we're going in. And I only got really got that through doing it, but starting is always a challenge. It's like breaking the ice. So for you in developing the great eight fashion tour, what was the most difficult part for you?
Jeronique:I think the most difficult part for me in developing the great a fashion tour is, 1, when you're having these conversation with these conversations when you're having these conversations with these highly creative and unique individuals and people and they are sharing their stories, The most difficult part comes in when you are asking yourself the question of, am I being fully respectful to the story that needs to be told here? Am I actually telling this story in the fullness that it could be shared? Is it superficial the way that I am crafting this? And so I think the most difficult part is just making sure that, 1, the story is being honored in a way that it should be honored. Like, the story is being told in the way that people should hear and feel like, oh my goodness.
Jeronique:This I thought it was just a shirt.
Rob Lee:Yeah.
Jeronique:I thought it was just, you know, some pants. But, no, this is coming from a creative who witnessed, like, so many unique things growing up and through witnessing those things, decided that, you know what I wanna do? I wanna take this, and I wanna put it I wanna put it on a hoodie. Yeah. Or you know what I wanna do?
Jeronique:I wanna take this, and I wanna make, like, a dress that nobody has ever seen before in a way that nobody has ever seen it. And and their stories get weaved into those pieces that they're making.
Rob Lee:Oh, you did there?
Jeronique:Yeah. But we don't get to hear them because it's like, oh, that's cute. That's beautiful. That's oh, wow. But we don't get to hear, like, there is an actual story.
Jeronique:Not just like, oh, I saw this fashion. I saw this, like, pink fabric at the store. Yeah. And I decided to get it, but, no. You know, my my grandma it's a story of, like, my grandma was a a seamstress, and she made sure that no matter where like, we couldn't even go to the corner store or the grocery store without being dressed to the nines.
Jeronique:Because if we went out of the house and we looked in a certain way, then people would would see us in a certain way, and then we wouldn't get the respect that we deserved or we would get treated like we were less than valuable in that particular place or space that we were in. And so we had to wear clothes in a certain way just so people understood. Hey. These people are respectful. And so the story is deeper than that, but I don't wanna expose those stories without you watching the documentary.
Jeronique:If I give up too much, you might not go and watch it. But but it's just it's going deeper into, like, the experience that happens before those clothes make an appearance in the world outside of the creator.
Rob Lee:That that that makes a lot of sense. And even something as it's not considered in the fashion conversation because of it's something that's a commemoration. But, you know, if I see someone wearing a really striking, let's say, family reunion shirt for sake of argument, I might ask them, hey, you know, I I don't have any. I have one shirt that commemorate something. The only reason I have it is because it was for an award that I won and that they did the branding based on my podcast.
Rob Lee:That's the only reason I have that shirt. It's it has some connectivity to this sort of story. If I'm going back and talking about this arc, I can point at this shirt within the archive as part of telling that story. Here's a an aid for it. I I did this talk about 2 years ago in front of an audience, and it's, that that was what I was thinking about.
Rob Lee:I hate starting. That's that's what I literally that question starting. So the way that I got it over, you probably notice in this sort of
Jeronique:conversation, I try to use humor as a tool to
Rob Lee:get things over. When, I try to use humor as a tool to get things over. When, when I'm uncomfortable, I use humor. So
Jeronique:Laughing out of you.
Rob Lee:So so the thing I did, I get on stage, and I have a jersey that has a nickname on there, and it's ridiculous. It's a nickname that I gave myself. And so in it, the the the thing about this particular talk, it's about the idea, the concept of truth, of sharing the truth. So when I say it, right, I pull out the jersey and I'm holding it. People are like, why is he holding this jersey?
Rob Lee:So right there, I have this article clothing, something that I have custom. I had an artist customize chain stitch, all of this different stuff, and it has name on there, wave daddy, because it has that on the back, and it got a nice laugh out of it because this is like I was like, since we're being truthful, I'll share the truth with you guys. I give myself my own nicknames. Here's 1, and I pull out the shirt. So right there, it's framing what I'm gonna talk about for the next 20 to 30 minutes.
Rob Lee:And I'm using a piece of an article of clothing to help tell that story. And I think that there's the regionality to it and sort of the personal stories that are there using the, you know, sort of the the family reunion shirt. You know, you might ask a person, you see that family reunion. So what is it about that shirt? What what what what stuck out about that one?
Rob Lee:What was that the thing, you know? Was that like the last Christmas or the last holiday that that big mama was around? Or was that the holiday before you went to college or so on? And then you can actually have a person open up and go into their whole archive, you know, as far as something very personal. When you get to the sort of regional thing about it, you see someone walking around with, like, a nationals jersey or a Washington football team jersey.
Rob Lee:I'm still uncomfortable saying that. But you have them walking around with that on, but if they do something a little little interesting, a little different with it, like, let's say it's from a specific player or from a specific era or a specific type of that jersey. They might get, like, the, what is it? The, what's that you're saying? Chris Pirate?
Rob Lee:Get his, like, wizard's jersey. It had flowers on there and all of that, and it's like, oh, yeah. This was custom, bro. I got this in this way, or, you know, I got this Washington, like, football team jersey, and this was back in the day when John Riggins is on there. And I remember going to games with my dad.
Rob Lee:It's a million stories you can get out of something out of something as simple as what someone is wearing.
Jeronique:100%. And but first, we're not go we're not gonna go past this wave daddy situation because before I even comment on the the clothing pieces and the the talking points from this clothing pew, we have to go back to figure out what was that about.
Rob Lee:I was told I have daddy energy, and I'm an Aquarius. It's very it's very simple.
Jeronique:Oh my goodness.
Rob Lee:I was told I have daddy energy.
Jeronique:You know, I I honestly I I think I know about science, but I don't know enough about Aquarius. What is that? What month is that? It's on the month. January.
Jeronique:Oh, so it's like that.
Rob Lee:I'm a cusp now, and I got the Capricorn side too, and we're petty.
Jeronique:Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
Rob Lee:No. But it's, but it's definitely sort of one of the more unique signs in the the whole thing or have you, and the, the philanthropist of the, of the the zodiac, I've I've been told. Yeah, but definitely having having the dad, the dad energy and being wavy like an Aquarius. So let me just put these together and put it on a on a on a, jersey and see if that works. So that was the intent there.
Jeronique:Yeah. And and and I'm so glad that you spoke on that piece because DC won, it is a place where some of the most fascinating events and and things like that happen, like outside of funerals and birthday parties. You have, like, inaugurations. You have protests. You have, like, these, just these things that go on that change the world around us.
Rob Lee:Yeah.
Jeronique:And a lot of these places and events and things that you attend, they do have those t shirts and stuff. And that's that's one of the things that I like about BC because a lot of times, the t shirts are free. So you get to collect these historical pieces. It's not like merch that's being sold on a website or something like that because you are attending this this event or this protester. They're giving out these these pieces, and it it puts you in this space where if you hold on to them, then you can continue to, like, share those stories in the world around you, and you can share them from a first person perspective of I was actually there.
Jeronique:Oh, yeah. Let me tell you let me tell you how it actually happened. You know? So so I'm glad that that you spoke about that because that, I think, that is huge in the DC creative community. I was at an event where, people were were making things, and there's this one guy who had, like, the Washington, not the the Washington for a volume, the w had
Rob Lee:Yeah. Yeah.
Jeronique:Yeah. But but he put a word on it, and the word is DC lingo. Oh, yeah. Yeah. And for me, I was like, oh, I didn't say this out loud because I was like, yeah.
Jeronique:No. This is probably not what he meant. But in my head, I was like, oh, I wonder if if it means this. And there was a lady from, I don't know her full cultural background, but her appearance was one of a, I don't know the political correct way to say this, but she she just if if she had a application, she had checked one of those boxes to say it wouldn't be black or or Asian or Latino or anything like that. Uh-huh.
Jeronique:And so she went along the path of, like, correcting the terminology, and and come to find out, no. It was not. It was basically it's just like this Washingtonian native Washington thing that they say, and it has, it has a valuable meaning in the culture of the community. So watch the documentary to learn more. But but I I do think that oftentimes, I'm fascinated by the ways that fashion professionals in DC create language and lingo, and then they create the merch and the gear to represent, like, yeah, this was made in DC by DC.
Jeronique:I'm from DC. And you have to ask me, like, a question about that because I can guarantee you where you're from, you don't get it.
Rob Lee:No. I dig I dig that, and I think that's a really important sort of distinction there too where, you know, when you're preserving culture, when you're trying to, you know, sort of have this part, like, we have sort of the and we talked talked about it a little bit earlier. So that this is the public sort of veneer, the makeup version of it, and here's sort of the real thing, and the real thing often gets suppressed. You know, like, we we have that that same thing here. There are certain people, I would just say, from a PR standpoint that are like, we wanna push this is the narrative of what this place is.
Rob Lee:Like, even the whole thing of, like, keep Austin weird. And I was like, Austin's gentrified, you know, or keep Portland weird. And he's sort of like these these these slogans that we wanna be presented as this, but then certain parts of that community is left out. And I feel like we talk about whenever I hear certain cities that are certain that are kind of black or black folks are driving a lot of the culture and the significance in that way. They're all talked about in the same way.
Rob Lee:I I can count on I can do 1, 2, 3. I can count on one hand how quickly we're gonna get to the word vibrant, gritty, or something like that. And you you you just wanna say it is black and brown people that are there, but you don't wanna call it that because you almost have to to give it credit. Bunch of pearls. You know what I mean?
Rob Lee:But it's it's sort of that. And, you know, that's the thing that that kinda hooks me and captures me. And we we see it in sort of these underrepresented and and and unrepresented groups that their alter these micro cultures pieces of it are cherry picked and being put in front as this is what this place is and it's like, yo, that's gay slang, that's like from the queer community, that's from the black community, that's from and you guys did this homogeneous thing, and say this is what this place is about, and these are the clothes that they wear, and this is what they do, and it's just like, well that came from there, that came from there. Give credit to the the places that it comes from, But in terms of trying to preserve, sort of, the the culture and give credit for it, you know, it's it's that, and I think, you know, having a place that definitely has its own lingo, DC definitely has its own lingo, having it, you know, presented and getting giving credit to where the source of it is at, that's the responsible thing. That's the storytelling thing.
Rob Lee:I think you were you were touching on earlier about around the challenges, giving the story it's due and giving the people that are telling the story it's due. And that's what I aim for in doing this. I you know, there are times where I'll have folks come to me, hey. So you're gonna ask these questions, or you should do the podcast about this. Like, well, you could do one.
Rob Lee:I teach courses on it, I can train you how to do it, but you should do that one. I'm doing this one, and I like to give people the space to really articulate who they are. And before we get into sort of the rapid fire things, I got one more, like, sort of real question I wanna ask you, and it kinda, like, ties sort of, I think, a lot of what we talked about together. So where can folks check out the documentary?
Jeronique:So but they can check out the documentary is going to or following or tracking the documentary as it's being pieced together and updates is gonna be at astylecapital.com. That's astylecapital.com, astyleca pital.com. Just wanna make sure they had the spelling and everything correctly so they can follow and track the updates there. And we don't officially have, like, networks yet, but that's where it'll be or where you can track where what network it'll be on. Yes.
Rob Lee:So now I wanna move into and we'll be touching on that one more time because I always do shameless plugs at the very, very end. But, also, now these are the rapid fire questions. Got 3 of them for you.
Jeronique:Do I have to respond rapidly? Do I have to think?
Rob Lee:No. You don't. You don't have time to think.
Jeronique:To call now.
Rob Lee:But they they definitely cover territory that we've discussed though. Okay.
Jeronique:I made them very tailored to
Rob Lee:alright. So here we go. Here we go. And don't overthink these. It's like, it's like the thing of I said what I said.
Rob Lee:You know what I mean? Alright. So here's the first one. What is your favorite place in DC? You know, as far as, like, where you like where do you like to hang out?
Rob Lee:Like, where do you like to, like, you know, maybe grab a drink, grab a meal, you know, people watch?
Jeronique:I love that question because my answer might surprise you, but my my favorite place that I like to to people watch and hang out is the metro. It's the metro. And and I'm gonna I'm just gonna tell you now. I have gotten threatened a few times. My life has been put in jeopardy a few times, but and and I think that you find some of the most fascinating people
Rob Lee:Mhmm.
Jeronique:In the spaces where they're getting transported to whatever it is that they're doing or they're seeing or they're being
Rob Lee:Mhmm.
Jeronique:That you find, like, some of the most interesting ways that they go about their travels. So the metro is my is my favorite place to be. Now let me let me tell you what I don't like about the metro. I don't like the price at the Metro. You know?
Jeronique:Like, if you want me to contribute to your economy,
Rob Lee:It's great.
Jeronique:Allow me to get to where I need to go at no cost. So you want me to contribute? Like, let me go and no call. So if you ever go on the metro, I will say this, be careful. Not because of, like, of violence or, like, your life is in jeopardy or or danger and stuff like that, but be careful because you might leave that experience with this story that you will never see or hear anywhere else.
Jeronique:So
Rob Lee:Good. This is the next one I got for you. And this definitely circles back to one of the things. And this is this is almost a redemption opportunity for you here. What is your favorite piece of DC slang?
Jeronique:Oh my goodness.
Rob Lee:See, I'm here to
Jeronique:This is this is a redemption piece. I'm gonna have to say, I'm not gonna hold you. Now Yeah.
Rob Lee:We take that as well. We that's kinda ours as well.
Jeronique:I don't know about that one. I'm going, please. You you can can say that, but I think it started here in DC. You are it's the same battle that's going on with Mambo sauce. Like, there's a battle with, like, is it actually DC?
Jeronique:Is it? And I'm like, let me tell you something. I don't know, but I didn't know about Mambo sauce until I got to DC. So, you know. But I think that no conversation could be left with, like, favorite site slang without saying, Mo, you know.
Rob Lee:This this is that's that's the one I was hoping you were gonna say, because I I did an inter interview with, someone who has my namesake. He's like,
Jeronique:yeah, man.
Rob Lee:I'm a Moe.
Jeronique:I was
Rob Lee:like, oh, you know what that means, bro. But
Jeronique:I am
Rob Lee:from East Baltimore. We met in person before. I didn't know this about you. What is a Moe? And he's just like, you know, I was like, yeah.
Rob Lee:I don't know about that, bro. I got it.
Jeronique:It asked me like Moe here. People say Moe, and he was like, okay. Because because in Atlanta, it's Shawty. No. Maybe not anymore.
Jeronique:Let me stop because the way the way it's coming out of my mouth, it doesn't even sound like the people would be they would they shun me. Like, why is she saying it like that? It's not shouting. It's not So
Rob Lee:here so I'll throw this your way. We use the term dummy here, and I don't even sound right saying it. Okay. Thank you.
Jeronique:So we We're on the same
Rob Lee:page, and I'll just post it up. So this is the last one I got for you.
Jeronique:Mhmm. And
Rob Lee:this is the one that trips people up surprisingly. Mhmm. What's the last movie you watched?
Jeronique:The last movie I watched was Bad Boys Bad Boys. Oh, what you gonna do? What you gonna do with that commodified you? But let me tell you something. Let me tell you, I watched it in a movie theater that I'm not gonna shame them, but I won't be going to that movie theater anytime soon just because it's very interruptive.
Jeronique:And and I love the Bad Boys franchise because Martin and Martin and Will Smith, they're so funny on the screen together.
Rob Lee:Yeah.
Jeronique:So, you know, I I love the trajectory of that the story that they created there. Yeah. I like to watch it uninterrupted. And the last one, Bad Boys 3, I watched it at least, like, 6 times in the movie theater. I kid you not.
Jeronique:I watched it in DC. I watched it in Atlanta. I watched it, well, a few times in DC, a few times out there. And so coming into the movie theater, when I came I went to see it the weekend it came out, which I think was last weekend, maybe the week before. Went to see it in a movie theater, and it was a dine in experience.
Rob Lee:Mhmm.
Jeronique:And they, like, they don't stop serving when the movie starts. They keep serving. You you know? So love the movie. Hated the interruptions.
Rob Lee:That's that's a good answer. That's a good answer. I've, definitely very particular about my movie going experience. And, yeah, we used to have a place up here that was really into that, and it was good as far as, like, having the the service and all of that stuff. But they were very specific about, yo, we not serving in here.
Rob Lee:You can come out and get your food after the movie has started. We're not doing any of that because, you know, lord Lee, that's the actual alias, lord Lee, Rob Lee. We I actually, I I I'll talk to so I'll put my hand on someone's chest, like, a little a little less of that. A little less of you talking during this movie. I'm trying
Jeronique:I'm trying to enjoy Venom Let
Rob Lee:There Be Carnage, and you are ruining my movie going experience, and the movie is bad. I'm just trying to enjoy the bad movie. So with that, there's 2 things I wanna do as we close out here. 1, I wanna thank you for coming on and spending some time with me and, just just being a great guest. And and 2, I wanna invite and encourage you to share with the listeners where they can find you, film, social media, website, all of that good stuff.
Rob Lee:The floor is yours.
Jeronique:You can find me watching you somewhere from, you know, a park bench, a metro seat, or things like that. I know you want me to tell you where you can find me on social media, but I will tell you that if you go to search for me on social media, you might find me, but you won't find me because I I have the platforms, but I just don't engage like I should. So so do definitely support it. Support me. I'm atjer0n I q u e everywhere out there.
Rob Lee:Yes. You are.
Jeronique:But if but if I update, it's gonna be at a very slow glacial pace and and except for YouTube. YouTube, I've I've tried to, like, post more on YouTube and stuff like that, but everywhere else is gonna be at a glacial pace just because no offense to anybody. I love what you all are doing. I love what you're creating. I love what you what you're posting.
Jeronique:But if you go back and you start this podcast over, what you're going to do, you're gonna listen to this one more than once because you're gonna wanna get these stories more than once. If you go back and and you listen to the top part, you'll hear that one of the things that initially inspired me was, you know, these photographs and these images that were irreplaceable, and they weren't it wasn't an abundance of these images. It was just like this this one image that you had to see. And I think for social media, we we post a lot and we post so much sometimes that those those one powerful images can sometimes get lost. But that's not what you guys wanna hear.
Jeronique:You just wanna hear where you can find me and where you can see me. And it's at my first name everywhere. I'm glad that you are going to go and support me on those platforms. Even if you're gonna post once every 5 years, I Even if you're gonna post once every 5 years, I appreciate that.
Rob Lee:And there you have it, folks. I wanna again thank Jeronique for coming on to the podcast, and I'm Rob Lee saying that there's art, culture, and community. In and around your neck of the woods, you just gotta look for it.
