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Leading the Charge: Black Women Transforming Rodeo
Episode 192 • 3rd December 2024 • TonyTidbit: A Black Executive Perspective • TonyTidbit ™
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/Leading the Charge: Black Women Transforming Rodeo

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In this inspiring episode of the Black Executive Perspective podcast, hosts Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed welcome Valeria Howard Cunningham, the president, and owner of the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo. Valeria shares the journey of the world's only African American touring rodeo led by a black woman, discussing its challenging beginnings, her decision to continue its legacy, and the impactful team of black women who support her. She reflects on the resistance faced in a predominantly white and male-dominated industry, and the important community initiatives driven by the BPIR Foundation. Valeria emphasizes the importance of perseverance, community support, and the continuous effort to give back through educational retreats, wellness programs, scholarships, and more. The episode also highlights notable achievements such as significant prize money in rodeo competitions, partnerships with prominent organizations, and international recognition. Listeners are encouraged to adopt the LESS (Learn, Empathy, Share, Stop) approach to reduce discrimination and promote understanding.


▶︎ In This Episode

00:00: Introduction and Host Welcome

01:17: Guest Introduction: Valeria Howard Cunningham

02:22: Valeria's Background and Rodeo Beginnings

04:32: Challenges and Achievements in the Rodeo

06:09: The Origins of the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo

14:55: Overcoming Resistance and Building the Rodeo

25:11: Support and Community Impact

34:53: Reflecting on Achievements and Celebrations

37:30: Challenges and Perseverance in the Rodeo World

39:10: Community Contributions and Educational Initiatives

55:22: Partnerships and Expanding the Rodeo's Reach

59:22: Final Thoughts and Advice for the Next Generation

01:07:45: Call to Action: LESS - Learn, Empathize, Share, Stop

🔗 Resources

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:


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Transcripts

Speaker:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: You can

accomplish whatever you want to

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accomplish, and I am especially,

uh, biased to young women because

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we carry a lot of weight, um,

or heavy burdens, I should say.

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Because you're black, you're a woman,

and then you tried the rodeo, you

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know, so don't let anybody tell

you what you can or cannot do.

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Tony Tidbit: We'll discuss race and how it

plays a factor and how we didn't even talk

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about this topic because we were afraid.

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BEP Narrator: A Black

Executive Perspective.

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Tony Tidbit: Welcome to a Black Executive

Perspective podcast, a safe space where

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we discuss all matters related to race.

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Especially raised in corporate America.

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I'm your host, Tony Tidbit.

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Chris P. Reed: And I'm

your co host, Chris P.

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Reed.

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We want to start off like we most,

like we always do, by shouting out

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our partners at Code M Magazine.

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Code M Magazine, where their

mission is saving the Black family

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by first saving the Black man.

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That is Code M Magazine, two M's, dot com.

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Code M Magazine, dot com.

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Tony Tidbit: Exactly.

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Make sure you check them out.

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And check out today We have Valeria

Howard Cunningham, president and owner

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of the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo,

the world's only African American

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touring rodeo led by a black woman.

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Valeria will discuss the rodeo's

challenging beginnings, her decision

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to continue its legacy, and the

impactful team of black women.

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We're also exploring a significant

milestone since her leadership began

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in 2015 and the community initiatives

driven by the Black, excuse me,

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driven by BPIR Foundation, including

educational retreats, wellness

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programs, and how her team uses rodeo

to foster community empowerment.

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And cultural perseverance,

uh, persuasion, preservation.

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Chris P. Reed: And before we go

into that, I want to dig a little

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bit further into the person that

we'll be engaged with today.

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So let me just give you a little

more information about her.

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Um, and then she'll be able to

color that in with some, some,

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uh, notes and stories, I'm sure.

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But Valeria Howard Cunningham is

the owner and president of the

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Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo,

the world's only African American

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touring, uh, traveling rodeo.

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Additionally, she leads the Bill

Pickett Memorial Scholarship Fund.

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Before dedicating herself fully to the

rodeo, she was a senior vice president.

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A U.

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S.

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I.

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Insurance Corporation, one of the

largest insurance brokerage firms

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in the United States for leaders.

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Leadership of the rodeo began in 2015

after the passing of her husband, the

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rodeo's founder moved by the community,

the community's dedication to the event.

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She took on the role to preserve and

enhance its legacy under her guidance.

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The rodeo has reached new heights.

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It's completely thriving, including

the partnerships with prominent rodeo

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boards, a special event in Las Vegas,

and a live broadcast on national TV,

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including a historic broadcast on

Juneteenth Valeria is committed to the

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transfer to transforming the rodeo into

a platform that showcases the resilience.

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And the talent of black

women changing the face of

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traditionally male dominated sport.

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She believes in the power of community

to drive the organization forward,

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celebrating the impact and influence

of black women and blacks in the rodeo.

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Valeria Howard Cunningham, welcome to

a black executive perspective podcast.

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Valeria Howard Cunningham: Thank you.

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I am honored to be with

you gentlemen today.

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Chris P. Reed: Thank you so much So

let's start off by tell us a little

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bit about where you are currently

and where your family is and and

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uh, What's going on currently?

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Valeria Howard Cunningham: Well, I

am currently in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Okay.

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Which is where I live now.

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I moved from Denver, Colorado, to Atlanta.

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Okay.

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After Covid.

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Okay.

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Uh, my family is in California.

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Okay.

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Uh, my husband, my now husband's

family is also in California.

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Okay.

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Um, but his brothers and sisters are.

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Are out here in Georgia and my,

uh, family, some of my family

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is in Columbia, South Carolina.

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So we felt Atlanta was kind of.

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You know, close to everybody,

we could share each other,

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Chris P. Reed: right?

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Absolutely.

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I love

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Tony Tidbit: it.

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I love it.

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I love it.

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And so Valeria, we're excited.

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Number one, we're honored

for you to be here.

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I mean, as Chris went through your

bio, um, you have accomplished a

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lot more importantly, you've opened

up so many doors in the industry of

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rodeo, which we're going to dive into.

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And look, you've been on, um,

a lot of publications, you've

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done a lot of podcasts, Chris

talked about the television show.

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So you're in, you know, people

are looking to chat with you.

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You've chatted on a lot of platforms.

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So our question is, why did you want to

come on a Black Executive Perspective

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podcast to discuss this topic?

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Valeria Howard Cunningham: You know,

anytime I have an opportunity to share

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with our community about our journey

and why it's important, and mainly to

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encourage somebody else that's listening,

I want to take that opportunity.

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And so I thank you guys for creating

the, um, venue that you've created

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and allowing me to participate today.

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Uh, because, you know, I

don't get hung up on titles.

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I get hung up on how we can help

each other and lift each other up.

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Tony Tidbit: Well I, listen,

I love that and if everybody

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had that type of attitude.

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There'll be a lot of uplifting going on.

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Right.

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That's But you, you have uplifted a lot.

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So are you ready to talk about it?

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'cause we are ready to dive into

your story and all the things.

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Valeria Howard Cunningham: Let's go.

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I'm always ready to talk.

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Tony Tidbit: Alright, let's talk about it.

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Chris P. Reed: You know what, I think what

we should start is at the beginning and

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um, that's always the best place to start.

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Tell us, um, how you.

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found out about this or how you became,

uh, understanding of Bill Pickett

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and, um, the rodeo as a whole, because

from what it sounds like, you didn't

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grow up in the, the Western kind of,

you know, frontier lifestyle, I mean,

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by your accent and everything else.

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I mean, it just seems a little different.

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So it's kind of offsetting.

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I would love to know the origins of

the Bill Pickett invitational rodeo.

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Valeria Howard Cunningham: Absolutely.

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It's a kind of funny story.

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Um, I was actually traveling back from

Columbia to Denver, Colorado, uh, when

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I met, um, the founder of the Bill

Pickett Invitational Rodeo, Lu Vason

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and, um, He, we were on an airplane and

we were chatting and he asked me about

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a rodeo and I didn't know what a rodeo

was, so I was quite embarrassed about

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that, um, but anyway, he told me what

he was doing, um, we started dating and

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as we started dating, he invited me to

his first rodeo, which was in August.

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Of 1984 However, I had

tickets to michael jackson.

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Um, so i'm afraid to tell

you that michael won out

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Tony Tidbit: And

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Valeria Howard Cunningham: I missed the

first real Bill Pickett invitational

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rodeo however after that, um, I

did as we dated more and I started

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getting uh acclimated To what he was

doing You Um, I was exposed to rodeo.

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Believe me, I had gone back

and done the research so I

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knew what a rodeo was by then.

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Uh, but I got acclimated and one of

the things that stood out to me is that

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the incredible talent that it takes for

these contestants to do what they do.

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Um, you know, and I was

kind of like everybody else.

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You never saw black cowboys or cowgirls

on the television or movie theaters.

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Um, you didn't read about

them in the history books.

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So, I was quite impressed to

see that there were so many

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black cowboys and cowgirls.

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And so let me back up just a little bit.

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Um, Lu Vason, who is the founder, had gone

to a rodeo in:

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um, to Cheyenne Frontier Gates, and it

is called the Grandfather of Rodeos.

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And when he went there, he noticed that he

did not see anybody that looked like him.

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So he came back and did his research.

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Um, he found in his research that

there were thousands of black cowboys

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and cowgirls across the country, but

they were not given the opportunity

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to perform on certain platforms.

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He met with a lot of different, um,

black historians, like Paul Stewart,

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at the, uh, African American Heritage,

um, Rodeo in Denver, Colorado.

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And just learned everything he could about

blacks in the development of the West.

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Uh, he reached out to other people

across the country, stock contractors,

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black stock contractors, to learn more.

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And after he, uh, was doing,

as he was doing his research,

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he said, You know what?

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This story needs to be told.

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I am going to create an African

American Rodeo Association, and I am

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going to allow that association to

educate people, entertain people, and,

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um, he stu he did that by creating

the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo.

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Now, when he started the first rodeo,

it was not called Bill Pickett.

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It was just called the Black Rodeo.

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And doing his research He learned

about who Bill Pickett was, and he

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reached out to the Pickett family and

asked if he could name the rodeo, uh,

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after Bill Pickett, because the world

needed to know who Bill Pickett was.

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And the family graciously agreed

and gave permission, and ever since

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then, um, the rodeo has been called

the Bill Pickett Invitational.

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So that gives you a little

history about how it started,

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Chris P. Reed: right?

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Let me say something that I think may

have escaped you and maybe it hasn't

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but you talked about you learning of a

rodeo doing your research and you talked

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about he Learning going to Cheyenne

Wyoming and seeing the rodeo and then

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doing his research for all of our

younger viewers There was no internet.

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He didn't Google that he

had to go read up on that.

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And it was painstaking for you to come

back in 84 and learn about something.

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It wasn't just, you get on your phone

and you type in a word and it gives

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you everything people's opinions of.

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You know, this thing is, you really

had to, you really liked this man.

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So, you know, you had

to go and do the work.

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Valeria Howard Cunningham:

You had to go to the library.

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Chris P. Reed: You had to go to the

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Tony Tidbit: libraries, encyclopedias

that are 20 years old, right?

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By the time you get them.

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Valeria Howard Cunningham: You,

you had to do your research

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and you are absolutely correct.

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You know, we forget about the old days

where things were not at our fingertips

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You had to work to educate yourself.

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It did not come easy.

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You had to talk to people.

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You had to seek people out.

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You had to read books.

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You had to, um, spend time in a life.

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Um, yeah, that's what it was all about.

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But we were in that generation About

um, maybe educating ourselves about

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things that we didn't know about

and not, and I am very thankful that

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you couldn't, you didn't have this,

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Tony Tidbit: right, right,

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Valeria Howard Cunningham: push a button

and somebody tells you what to do.

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What you ought to think are what maybe

you ought to know, um, and then spending

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time with the people in the rodeo,

learning, hearing their stories, learning

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what they were about their struggles,

um, it just made you appreciate.

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Uh, these black cowboys and cowgirls

and want to tell their stories, want to

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provide them a platform, uh, like no other

platform that they had been provided.

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Right.

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And that was one of Lu's, um, main

objectives is to create a platform

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that they had never been on.

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Now, they did a lot of backyard rodeos.

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You know, but that's backyard.

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He wanted them to go into venues and

buildings and that they've never been in

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and open doors for them to, um, progress

to the next level of the association.

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I can tell you at the beginning,

we were like a feeder ground.

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People would come and rodeo with

our, um, association, learn.

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Uh, their skills or, you know, um,

just get better at what they're doing.

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And then they would leave us and

go to the white rodeo associations.

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And that's good.

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That wasn't a bad thing.

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That was a great thing because then

we're introducing black cowboys and

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cowgirls to a much larger audience.

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Tony Tidbit: Right.

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Right.

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You know, it's interesting because, again.

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When we talk about what your husband

started, your, your former husband,

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um, and you talked about how it's

important, um, to have a platform to

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share the stories that the Cowboys

and Cowgirls was going through.

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I would love for you to share the

story of what you guys were going

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through in terms of the resistance.

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That you dealt with, because here's the

thing now, I've been to Cheyenne, Wyoming,

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okay, and I, I, I just sit here and think,

the courage, that when he said he went

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to a rodeo in Cheyenne and he didn't see

anybody look like him, I'm just amazed

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that he even went.

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Tony Tidbit: Okay.

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And then the resistance of trying to start

something, that history has erased, right?

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I don't think a lot of people who

were coming to those rodeos knew about

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the black cowboys and, and people

before them and the buffalo soldiers.

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And then the Mexicans and the Native

Americans who actually were the,

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at the forefront when it came to

lassoing and, and all the things

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that you do from a rodeo standpoint.

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So now, You're trying to break in

to an industry that's a hundred

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percent white, I would imagine.

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Okay.

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And more importantly, you want

to elevate the people whose

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voices are being silenced.

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Okay.

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And then to be able to do

that, where there's nothing

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you could look at as a guide.

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All right.

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To say, this is the

handbook of how to do it.

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All right.

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Talk to us a little about, because.

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The average person dealing with

that type of, um, you know, that's

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how you can also call it insult.

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You can also say it's insurmountable.

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Wouldn't want to pick up that, that cross

and carry that cross because they had

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a million reasons why it wouldn't work.

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So talk a little bit about that

resistance that you guys went

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through in those early days.

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Valeria Howard Cunningham: Absolutely.

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And, and, um, I'm glad you brought that

up because the journey has not been easy.

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Um, when Lu and, and you have to

know his background to understand it.

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He was a concert promoter.

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Um, he put groups together

like the Pointer Sisters.

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He was the manager of Whispers.

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I mean, he promoted, uh, black, uh,

entertainment all across the country.

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But one thing you, when he said he

was going to do something, it was

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going to happen, irregardless of

who said it wasn't going to happen.

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And, uh, when he made the decision

that he was going to create this

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rodeo association, the first thing

you would be surprised at is that

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the black, his black friends and

community, uh, was very negative.

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They were constantly

telling him he was crazy.

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He was not going to be successful.

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Nobody was going to attend.

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Um, you were just, you know,

barking up the wrong tree.

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It was just the constant

negative, negative, negative.

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And he did not let that deter him.

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Um, he forged ahead.

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When I talked about the first rodeo

in Denver, it was sold out and it

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got a lot of people's attention.

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He couldn't get sponsors.

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For that rodeo because first thing

we're talking about:

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doing something for the first time.

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It's not proven.

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Nobody's gonna give you any money because

they don't know if one person's going to

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show up or 3000 people are gonna show up.

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Tony Tidbit: Right?

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So

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Valeria Howard Cunningham: now you are out

there just betting on, uh, beyond unknown.

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After he did that first show,

he was able to convince.

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Um, some sponsors and I'm not going

to call anybody's name, um, but some

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sponsors to support which they did.

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But let me share this with you because

he wanted to sing a black national

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anthem and have a black American

flag in the opening of the rodeo.

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It caused chaos to the nth degree.

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And, um, corporate was saying, you can't

do that, we're not going to support you.

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Um, so,Luiu beiLuiu said, take your money

and put it where the sun doesn't shine.

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Tony Tidbit: I love it.

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Valeria Howard Cunningham: And,

you know what, they, um, acclimate,

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but

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Tony Tidbit: Okay.

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Valeria Howard Cunningham: In a much less,

Um, wait, so you have to, lesson that I

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learned from that is that everything has

to be managed and you have to learn from

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every experience that you go through.

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Now he was pissed off, so you take him

in, you sit him down and breathe deeply

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because you can't make this happen.

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Without their money.

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Tony Tidbit: So true.

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That's

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Valeria Howard Cunningham:

the reality of life.

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Tony Tidbit: That's so true.

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They

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Valeria Howard Cunningham: control

everything and you can't make

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this happen without their money.

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So how do we do what we need to do

and try to keep everybody happy?

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We figured it out.

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Um, and we still had the African American

flag, the black flag, because we were

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not going to compromise on that subject.

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Um, as things.

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People began to accept it as they saw

a number of people that were supporting

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the rodeos around the country.

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He expanded.

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At one time, Lu was doing 13 rodeos,

and I was learning more of the business,

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and I was I'm that person that will

challenge you and anybody else.

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Um, okay, you're doing all these

rodeos because you want everybody

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in the United States to be exposed.

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But, some of these shows

aren't making any money.

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You're losing your shirt.

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And, you've got to evaluate

the business aspect of it.

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And so, finally I was able

to get through to him.

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And he decided, okay, I'm in.

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What, what do we do?

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What don't we do?

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And we were able to create a circuit

with support, uh, of the communities.

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And then with that support of the

community, the sponsors continue

349

:

to support RK9 as new supporters.

350

:

I tell anybody that asks this

question, the journey was not easy.

351

:

There were times that we got many

conversations about, we don't

352

:

have the money to move forward.

353

:

So it would have been very easy for

us to say, okay, it's done, it's over.

354

:

But we didn't.

355

:

We found a way to do it

personally, uh, until the rodeo

356

:

was able to sustain itself.

357

:

Chris P. Reed: You come off to

me as a very conscientious, level

358

:

headed, well thought, uh, person.

359

:

And it seems like you've

always been that way.

360

:

And he was a maverick,

like you said, you know.

361

:

He, he, he was a, he

was ahead of his time.

362

:

Let me say, both of you,

both of you, congratulations.

363

:

And, and, and I appreciate the fact that

you guys were, So ahead of your time

364

:

in this, we're going to do it our way.

365

:

We're going to make our own path.

366

:

Um, but as trailblazers, it's interesting

that your influence in the business world.

367

:

Was able to meld into what he

was doing as a visionary leader.

368

:

And you guys work so well together

and that's a wonderful thing, but I

369

:

know that you have cowgirls, you spoke

with cowboys and cowgirls earlier.

370

:

And so you have steer wrestlers

and calf ropers and, you know, uh,

371

:

bulldoggers and things like that.

372

:

But of the women that you've assembled

since you've taken over, um, this, this

373

:

wonderful panel of, of, uh, intellectuals.

374

:

That actually lead this charge

into the next generation to expose

375

:

this to communities like he wanted

and to carry out his vision.

376

:

Are any of them cowgirls?

377

:

Because you're not a cowgirl.

378

:

You more of a business Maverick

kind of mogul type chick.

379

:

Tony Tidbit: I mean, that was

a fortuitous flight, right?

380

:

Because you, he met

exactly what he needed.

381

:

Right.

382

:

Exactly.

383

:

Right.

384

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: Well, you know,

I believe that God always put, uh, the

385

:

right people together at the right time,

not at our time, but at the right time.

386

:

So if I could back up and just

share, um, the journey and

387

:

what I mean by the journey.

388

:

Is that, uh, Lu became ill and he was

not able to travel with the rodeo.

389

:

So I was kind of the front person for the

rodeo and I got to know everybody, the

390

:

cowgirls, the coordinators in each market.

391

:

Um, you know, because now I'm pushing

the buttons and, and, and, um,

392

:

listening to what they want to do and.

393

:

Either saying yes or no.

394

:

So anyway, um, after Lu passed, I

have to tell you, I was like a deer

395

:

just staring in the headlights.

396

:

Um, but people from across the

country, excuse me, reached out to

397

:

me many different ways, telephone

letters, email, um, just asking

398

:

me not to let The rodeo go.

399

:

And it was interesting as I talked to

them or read their stories, how much the

400

:

rodeo meant to them and their families.

401

:

I mean, some people share it with

me that when they came to the rodeo

402

:

the first time, they were pregnant.

403

:

And then they brought their kids to the

rodeo every year since then, and now

404

:

their kids were having kids, and they

wanted them to, their grandkids, to have

405

:

the experience, and I'm going, wow, you

know, you never, I had never thought

406

:

about that, but that was, um, it was just

very impressive, and going, okay, This

407

:

rodeo has had an effect on our community.

408

:

So if I become selfish and say,

this wasn't my dream, I'm going,

409

:

I'm going to let it go.

410

:

I'm hurting the community.

411

:

So I decided, okay, what would

it look like if I forged ahead?

412

:

The women.

413

:

Around me, Margo Wade LeDrew, who

is, um, she was the coordinator in

414

:

Los Angeles, said, I got your back.

415

:

You're not on this journey by yourself.

416

:

My daughter in law, Sherry Vasan,

in Oakland, California, she's the

417

:

Oakland coordinator, says, we're

with you every step of the way.

418

:

Um, Cowgirls, Stephanie

Haynes, Denise Tyus.

419

:

Carolyn Carter, they all are like,

girl, we got you, don't worry about it.

420

:

What you don't know, you're

going to learn, we got you.

421

:

And so, you know, at that

moment, I felt I can do this,

422

:

I can do this.

423

:

And so we forged ahead and since 2015,

424

:

we have been on an incredible journey.

425

:

We have been like sisters.

426

:

We love each other, but we disagree.

427

:

We've had fallen outs, but at the

end of the day, we hugging and

428

:

making up and we're marching forward.

429

:

And so I hope that just gives you an

answer to your question, because I would

430

:

not have been able to do this without

the encouragement and the support.

431

:

Of these sisters saying

we can do this right now.

432

:

Don't get me wrong We need the men

433

:

because I need them out in that arena

taking care of things And I need them

434

:

to also impart knowledge, uh, to me,

uh, things that I need to be aware of

435

:

when I'm talking to stock contractors.

436

:

And remember all the stock

contractors were white stock contract.

437

:

Tony Tidbit: Now

438

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: talking

to a black woman, I can tell

439

:

you the first year, it was very

interesting because they thought I

440

:

was just another little pretty face.

441

:

That I didn't know what I was doing and

when we when it came down to Negotiating

442

:

they found out that sister girl Knew

what she was talking about and you know

443

:

what life has progressed um, but not

without challenges even when you are

444

:

trying to negotiate tv buys or radio

buys or whatever um People just assume

445

:

that because you're a black female,

you don't know what you're doing.

446

:

Tony Tidbit: Right.

447

:

So you have to

448

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham:

prepare yourself.

449

:

And to the audience, I would say to young

people, You can be anything you want to

450

:

be, prepare yourself, equip yourself,

451

:

and the sky is the limit.

452

:

Chris P. Reed: Let me ask you

this, because you assembled a

453

:

board of directors, uh, of women

that you trusted and that you grew

454

:

to love and that supported you.

455

:

But in the idea of, it was still male

dominated, it was still white dominated.

456

:

Correct.

457

:

Y'all really stacked the deck against

yourself being, Predominantly women, first

458

:

and foremost, let's just keep it real.

459

:

And then obviously black women,

black women, black, unapologetic.

460

:

Like you said, y'all still,

y'all ain't come off the flag.

461

:

Y'all didn't come off the, the, the

462

:

Tony Tidbit: black dudes was

dealing with a bunch of stuff.

463

:

If a husband Dylan,

think about black women.

464

:

Chris P. Reed: So, so with that

being said, and you talked about how

465

:

the, your people big upping you and

taking you under their wings, there's

466

:

no greater feeling than that when

you get that support, when you get

467

:

that, that envelopment of your folks.

468

:

But what was the moment where you

realized, man, we pulled it off.

469

:

Like I know there had to

be some trepidation in the

470

:

beginning like no question.

471

:

I understand you were

thinking I can do it.

472

:

I can do it.

473

:

But it's different when it actually

comes to truition when it actually,

474

:

you know, turns the corner and when

they finally start respecting you, man.

475

:

So what was that moment

where y'all realize?

476

:

Damn,

477

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: we was right.

478

:

Well, you know, you have to

understand the personalities.

479

:

Tony Tidbit: Okay.

480

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: Um, And I think

Margo, understanding her personality,

481

:

she is, she was trained by Mr.

482

:

Johnson from, uh, Ebony

Publishing Company,

483

:

Tony Tidbit: B.

484

:

P., B.

485

:

T., B.

486

:

T., yeah, yeah, yeah,

487

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: uh,

so, you know, she learned a lot.

488

:

She was buying, she was selling,

she was doing all of that.

489

:

And just when she and I would

have conversations, we would talk

490

:

about, um, you know, we need this

for sponsorship to make this work,

491

:

to lift it to the next level.

492

:

I got this.

493

:

We can make this happen.

494

:

Give me some time.

495

:

Let me think about it.

496

:

We're going to put it together.

497

:

She put it together.

498

:

We worked through it.

499

:

Let's add this.

500

:

Let's take this away.

501

:

Let's do this.

502

:

And she went out and she got the money.

503

:

I call her the bulldog because one

thing she knows how to do is say, okay.

504

:

And she is committed to this rodeo.

505

:

Sometimes I think more than me and she

owns the responsibility of making sure we

506

:

have the funds to do what we want to do.

507

:

She's a creative person.

508

:

She was, she's a lot by Lu.

509

:

She's creative.

510

:

Um, and she finds ways to finance

her creativity, if that makes sense.

511

:

So just knowing that I had that with, in

her and she came through and I would say

512

:

the first year that we were successful

in getting larger amounts of money.

513

:

Okay.

514

:

I'm like, I didn't have a major

515

:

celebration, really, it was

just, okay, we did this.

516

:

So if we did this, we can do more.

517

:

We can keep lifting and moving

and creating this rodeo to the

518

:

level of what we want it to be.

519

:

And I, to be honest with you, I don't

think we ever stopped and celebrated.

520

:

Tony Tidbit: Right.

521

:

Right.

522

:

We

523

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: just, uh, maybe

524

:

in a, in a quiet moment with each

other, we would say great job.

525

:

Good job.

526

:

But in the next breath.

527

:

Okay.

528

:

What's the next step?

529

:

Tony Tidbit: Right.

530

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: Because

we don't get the opportunity

531

:

to celebrate like that.

532

:

You've always got to be 10 steps ahead.

533

:

And, and I will say this year.

534

:

Right.

535

:

Was the first year that we

actually celebrated everywhere

536

:

we went and felt good about it.

537

:

Tony Tidbit: That's awesome.

538

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: Sold out

every show across this country that

539

:

we, uh, the support we got, um, we

celebrated that because we felt what we

540

:

had created over the last nine years.

541

:

Got us to this point.

542

:

And we wanted to share and

celebrate with everybody else.

543

:

So I hope that answer your question

I can tell you for me personally I

544

:

felt very good about this year because

I did celebrate it was a hard year.

545

:

Um, first time a black rodeo added over

200, 000 in prize money and gifts Anywhere

546

:

in the United States, we did that, um,

and I felt good that we were able to do

547

:

that for the black cowboys and cowgirls,

that their journey with us for the last

548

:

40 years, they deserved something special.

549

:

Tony Tidbit: Right, right.

550

:

And we

551

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham:

were able to give that.

552

:

Tony Tidbit: Well, not only did you give

that, and so number one, I want to applaud

553

:

you and your team for Because in the way

you're so elegant and telling the story,

554

:

um, but at the day, I know it was tough.

555

:

Okay?

556

:

And for you, flat out, for you

to take over, um, and, and you,

557

:

and your team come together.

558

:

And that's great from a, a, a,

you know, a dream standpoint.

559

:

But then the reality, Uh, what

you're dealing with over and over

560

:

again in a space where there's not

a lot of people that look like you.

561

:

Okay.

562

:

That's tough to do.

563

:

And I love what you said earlier

when you said, Hey, when he passed

564

:

away, people came and was like,

we don't want you to give this up.

565

:

And what was your response?

566

:

Your response was, I can't be selfish.

567

:

If it was any time for you to say I'm

done and to be fair, let's be fair.

568

:

You could have easily, you did a lot.

569

:

So it wasn't that you were being selfish.

570

:

It just, it ran its course.

571

:

But for you to have that stick to it ness,

and more importantly, when they continue

572

:

to give to the community was beautiful.

573

:

So my question is.

574

:

Talk about some of the other things

outside of the rodeo, like your

575

:

foundation, college fund, retreats,

that you guys still contribute

576

:

and uplift people, Black people

all around the country, right?

577

:

That's outside of the rodeo.

578

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: Well, one

of the things that I think we as a

579

:

people have to remember is that when

someone gives something to you, You

580

:

should always get back and we had

been very fortunate, um, that as we

581

:

continued to rodeo 2015, 2016, 2017, um,

582

:

2018,

583

:

and I'm thinking 2019 was COVID.

584

:

Tony Tidbit: 2020.

585

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: 2020.

586

:

Okay.

587

:

So 2019.

588

:

Then we took, uh, two years off

589

:

Tony Tidbit: in 2020.

590

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: And I'll,

I'll share with you about:

591

:

Um, but then we started back up in 2022

and it's like, we didn't lose a beat.

592

:

The community was there.

593

:

They were ready.

594

:

They were supporting us.

595

:

So we have always had a nonprofit

foundation where we gave scholarship

596

:

in every city that we went to.

597

:

We try to identify.

598

:

Um, a young person who was graduating

from high school that was going to

599

:

college in some, um, profession that

could be used with a veterinarian, uh,

600

:

business, agriculture, whatever, um, that

we could give a scholarship to and help.

601

:

So we did that in 2023,

602

:

we realized as a result of COVID.

603

:

That we needed to do more

and we changed the name.

604

:

Our name of our foundation was the

Bill Pickett Memorial Scholarship Fund.

605

:

We were just focused on

scholarships, but we knew that we

606

:

had to do more with our community.

607

:

So we changed the name legally to

the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo

608

:

Foundation, because while we were

doing, we were, um, on time out.

609

:

We called it.

610

:

It was our obligation to still

feed our communities and want to

611

:

say, feed them, feed them about

our black cowboys and cowgirls.

612

:

Um, we did virtual rodeos for them.

613

:

We did videos of, uh, um, the cowboys

and cowgirls, even our young people, uh,

614

:

just educating people about, uh, rodeo.

615

:

We also educated people about COVID.

616

:

What you need to do your responsibility

to yourself and to others And that opened

617

:

the door to say, you know what we have

such a large audience Our impact can

618

:

even be larger So with that name change

we start focusing on wellness um suicide

619

:

violence domestic violence Providing

people the things that they needed to

620

:

know Uh, making sure they felt safe,

giving them, uh, input, information,

621

:

how to do what they needed to do.

622

:

Um, it was important that they

saw us as a community resource.

623

:

In 2023,

624

:

the latter part of 2023, The USDA awarded

us with a Grand, which opened the doors

625

:

for us to hold workshops with young

Americans in every city to educate them

626

:

about the opportunities that they don't

know about that exists in agriculture.

627

:

And with the USDA, it's like a

hidden gem that people hide from us.

628

:

And so, We're like, okay, we have

thousands of people that come to us.

629

:

I bet you we can get young

adults that want to learn more.

630

:

And guess what?

631

:

We've been very successful.

632

:

Um, we've had workshops in every

city that we've gone to this year.

633

:

We did a one week, um, retreat.

634

:

With 35 students, tell me that that

was interesting experience to have

635

:

35 young people for a whole week,

trying to entertain them, trying to

636

:

educate them, and just embody them,

um, about what's real and we did that.

637

:

And, um, I'm happy to say we forged.

638

:

Relationships that not only with them,

but with their parents, um, that they're

639

:

still calling us and we're getting ready

to do, uh, two additional workshops

640

:

here in Atlanta, because the parents

and the students were so impressed.

641

:

They've gotten their friends together now.

642

:

And they want them to be exposed to that.

643

:

That's what I mean about

giving back to the community.

644

:

We each have a responsibility to help

each other, uplift each other, and educate

645

:

us about things that we don't know.

646

:

Everybody is not going

to be a LeBron James.

647

:

Everybody is not going to be,

um, an Usher or a Beyonce.

648

:

That's all I have to say.

649

:

You know, so we need to create

realistic, um, awareness with our

650

:

young people of things that they

might be interested in, career

651

:

opportunities that exist in those things.

652

:

And so that's what we're doing.

653

:

We're all over the place,

654

:

Tony Tidbit: creating

655

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham:

new things every day.

656

:

Um, you know, I'm a 32 year.

657

:

Breast cancer survived.

658

:

So I make sure at our finals in, uh, D.

659

:

C.

660

:

in September that we are

focused on breast cancer.

661

:

Um, we also focus on prostate cancer.

662

:

Man, you know how you guys are.

663

:

You don't like to go to the doctor.

664

:

You wait until it's too late.

665

:

So we're, we're trying to

do those things that we can.

666

:

To say to them, we love you, you

love us, we love you, let's take

667

:

this information and do something

with it, take care of yourself.

668

:

Tony Tidbit: I love it, I love it.

669

:

You know, I gotta, you know, one of

the things I was sitting here as you

670

:

were saying all these things, um,

:

671

:

you were in the insurance industry.

672

:

Absolutely.

673

:

Okay.

674

:

And, you know, I'm just

sitting here just like, wow.

675

:

And 40 something years later.

676

:

You've been in the rodeo industry,

you've partnered with somebody that was a

677

:

maverick, and then you became a maverick,

and took that legacy to the next level.

678

:

BEP Narrator: If you like what you hear

and want to join us on this journey

679

:

of making uncomfortable conversations

comfortable, please subscribe to a

680

:

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on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify,

681

:

or wherever you get your podcasts.

682

:

Hit subscribe now to stay connected

for more episodes that challenge,

683

:

inspire, and lead the change.

684

:

Tony Tidbit: And then to your

point, now you're giving back.

685

:

So if you had to, and I know you say you

guys will celebrate as much or whatever

686

:

the case may be, and this year you were

able to celebrate, if you just took

687

:

a second and look back 40 something

years ago, 40 years ago, because it's,

688

:

you know, 84, 2024, what do you say?

689

:

What do you take out of that?

690

:

Because, you know, there's an

old saying, um, oh, and this

691

:

is just something I believe.

692

:

Is that God takes our weakness and makes

it a strength and sometimes where we

693

:

think our, we want to go, our life is

going, he has a curveball and throws a

694

:

curveball and if you're receptive to it,

right, you got to be receptive to it.

695

:

It takes you places that

you never thought of.

696

:

So can you speak to that a little bit?

697

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: I can and

I I can tell you personally gives me

698

:

excitement about the rodeo today is that

699

:

I would say in 2016 and 17.

700

:

I can't remember the exact year, but we

added some junior events um to the rodeo

701

:

Junior barrel racing junior breakaway

peewee barrel racing Now, we have four

702

:

to seven year olds competing, and the

juniors, they're seven to thirteen.

703

:

Now, when I see these kids,

704

:

I, I mean, it just melts your heart,

because they are so passionate about what

705

:

they do, and they never thought about,

Oh my God, I'm going to perform them.

706

:

Are compete in front of thousands of

people and they see the crowd standing

707

:

on their feet cheering them on.

708

:

Can you imagine being 5 years old or

4 years old or 6 years old or even

709

:

9 years old and experiencing that

thousands of people up celebrating

710

:

you and what you're doing.

711

:

Can you just imagine.

712

:

The encouragement that that's

giving those young people.

713

:

I get excited about that because

what we what we have done is we

714

:

have created our future champions.

715

:

They are never going to leave rodeo.

716

:

Trust me.

717

:

Um, they are excited.

718

:

They are out there.

719

:

They are becoming better at

their Events and their skills,

720

:

and they've formed this little

721

:

friendship sisterhoods and

brotherhoods with each other.

722

:

And, um, I, I get excited about seeing

that because I know every time I see

723

:

them, I'm seeing the future generation

of Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo.

724

:

One day, one or a couple of

those little kids are gonna

725

:

be leading this organization.

726

:

And that's what I celebrate

and I get excited about.

727

:

You know, I have two young ladies, uh,

Kanesha Jackson and Danesha Henderson.

728

:

I remember when their mothers were

competing with them in their bellies.

729

:

And they have grown up with the rodeo.

730

:

Each of them have their own kids now.

731

:

And their kids are those ones that I

just talked about, you know, so you,

732

:

you just see that and you know, Kanisha

and Denisha came to me last year and

733

:

they said, let's, we have this, this

idea that we would like to bring to you.

734

:

And I said, what is it?

735

:

They said, we want to do a live,

um, rodeo talk for the Bill

736

:

Pickett Invitational Rodeo.

737

:

With the contestants, before each

rodeo, we got to tell them, get them

738

:

pumped up, get them psyched, and, you

know, and they've done it consistently.

739

:

And they are creative and

they take ownership of it.

740

:

My two flag bearers that carry the

American flag and the black national flag.

741

:

Um, see Paris is 15 and Courtney is 14.

742

:

They didn't know each other.

743

:

And so we asked them to do this for us

because we didn't have anybody else.

744

:

If I try to get somebody else to do

that now, they, they not having it.

745

:

That's, that's, they are so proud of

that, and what they do, and, um, those

746

:

are the things that I get excited about.

747

:

Courtney and Paris didn't know

each other, uh, when Paris came

748

:

to the rodeo, now she's been

with the rodeo about five years.

749

:

Courtney was born in the rodeo, okay?

750

:

So she's been with us for 14 years, and

now Courtney and Paris are best friends.

751

:

One live in Arkansas, one

lives in Hempstead, Texas.

752

:

Just to see those girls at every

rodeo, loving on each other,

753

:

embracing each other, helping each

other with their horses and stuff.

754

:

They compete against each other,

755

:

but it's about the love.

756

:

I mean, you can't buy that anywhere.

757

:

And so those, that's my celebration.

758

:

Chris P. Reed: Over the years,

you've cultivated a passion.

759

:

Um, into something that has become

a workshop for animal husbandry

760

:

for, for black folks, uh, a venue,

a sporting venue, a league that

761

:

you own and manage for black folks.

762

:

Um, you've been able to, uh,

reach different states, different

763

:

people on different levels.

764

:

Obviously coming from Illinois, I remember

coming to Texas and my brother said,

765

:

man, it's black folks riding horses and

doing all this other stuff down here.

766

:

And he went to the black rodeo

and he was so excited about

767

:

it and went multiple times.

768

:

Um, in that.

769

:

I would just like to congratulate

and thank you, not just as a

770

:

pillar of the community, but Ms.

771

:

Valeria, you're a pillar of

the culture because you're a

772

:

historian for black folks as well.

773

:

You're helping us understand where

we fit into America, not just

774

:

black America, but America and the

cowboy heritage that we inherited.

775

:

And this goes on, and as you

said, you're passing this on.

776

:

As a historian would so you wear so many

hats and like you said, it's a lot of

777

:

things going on, but I want to applaud you

and thank you and your team for being all

778

:

of these things that we need at this time

in our history, in our place in the world,

779

:

as we're still trying to make our way.

780

:

You guys are just undeterred and

undaunted and just making it happen.

781

:

And so we definitely here at a

black executive perspective podcast.

782

:

Want to applaud and salute

you guys tremendously.

783

:

So thank you.

784

:

Can

785

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: I share

one thing with you that I left out?

786

:

Thank you.

787

:

It's very important.

788

:

Um, the 2020 cobit 2021 cobit still going

on and then i'm sure each of you have

789

:

heard of the pbr Professional bull riding

790

:

Tony Tidbit: bull riding.

791

:

Yep.

792

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: They are

a multi million dollar operation

793

:

um And they approach the bill

picket About partnering with them.

794

:

We did a show with them in Vegas

called showdown in Vegas in:

795

:

the MGM Grand, no other black Rundio

has ever been in the MGM Grand.

796

:

First thing you couldn't afford it.

797

:

We went in there, uh, with them in

that partnership, it was televised

798

:

live on national television by CBS.

799

:

On Juneteenth that year, which was

the same year that President Biden

800

:

made Juneteenth a national holiday.

801

:

Now you couldn't align the

stars any better than that.

802

:

So I must thank the PBR

because that was something

803

:

elevate the Bill Pickett

imitation of rodeo.

804

:

They were so excited about

the partnership on that day.

805

:

That they gave us, uh, offered us

a residency program in Fort Worth,

806

:

Texas, and we do four shows there

each year in partnership with the PBR.

807

:

We're now entertaining international

audiences, uh, this February

808

:

at our Black History Month

celebration there in February.

809

:

We had nine different

countries represented.

810

:

Um, we are live streamed on Pluto,

811

:

every rodeo.

812

:

They do Bill Pickett

Marathon on Juneteenth.

813

:

Every year.

814

:

I mean, if you just want it

rodeo, you can curl up on your

815

:

couch, get your popcorn, just

816

:

Tony Tidbit: chill out

817

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: and just

chill out for 24 hours, watching

818

:

the Bill Pickett imitation of rodeo.

819

:

So I am so thankful to them that they

saw value in what we were doing and

820

:

wanted to partner with us to help us.

821

:

Elevate.

822

:

I keep using that word.

823

:

Tony Tidbit: You

824

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: can't, you

can't forget where you came from and you

825

:

always must struggle to elevate yourself.

826

:

Tony Tidbit: So I, I

827

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: absolutely

wanted to talk about that partnership.

828

:

And in Denver, Colorado, with the national

Western stock show, Uh, in January, we

829

:

do what is called the MLK, uh, Rodeo,

which is live stream on the Cowboy Champ.

830

:

And, uh, we celebrate Rodeo

with Martin Luther King's

831

:

message of unity and justice.

832

:

So you can see that we use our platform

to deliver a lot of different messages.

833

:

Uh, throughout the years,

we rodeo and have fun,

834

:

Tony Tidbit: uh, with people.

835

:

That is awesome.

836

:

And so, I would like you to utilize

this platform as you have thus

837

:

far, and give final thoughts.

838

:

What would be some advice that

you would give, because you are a

839

:

giver, and you guys have been giving

for the last 40 something years.

840

:

What's some advice would you give?

841

:

a young person like yourself or a young

individual like your, your husband in

842

:

terms of them over starting something

that seems insurmountable and then being

843

:

able to move forward to overcome it.

844

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham:

Wow, that's, um, a loaded,

845

:

loaded.

846

:

And I, I kind of touched

on this previously.

847

:

And what I would like to say to young

people is just understand, um, that

848

:

no journey in life is on a tape.

849

:

And we have to start telling

ourselves that, you know, we've been

850

:

beat down So much, um, by society

as a whole, and sometimes just by

851

:

parents, I, don't get me wrong.

852

:

Right.

853

:

They're telling their kids

they're nothing, they're never

854

:

going to amount to anything.

855

:

You have to have confidence in yourself.

856

:

You have to decide what journey

you want for yourself, and then

857

:

prepare yourself for that journey.

858

:

Nobody is giving out anything.

859

:

Nothing is going to come easy.

860

:

Right.

861

:

So you have to prepare yourself.

862

:

So young people, do the work, do

the work, and then know if you

863

:

do the work, you can accomplish

whatever you want to accomplish.

864

:

And I am especially, uh, biased to young

women because we carry a lot of weight,

865

:

um, or heavy burdens, I should say.

866

:

Because you're black, you're a woman,

and then you tried the rodeo, you

867

:

know, so don't let anybody tell

you what you can or cannot do.

868

:

I, uh, was communicating

with one of our cowgirls.

869

:

I'm gonna just share this

with you very briefly.

870

:

She started the year and it wasn't going

well for and she had a couple bad rodeos

871

:

and she was so mad at herself, she said.

872

:

You know, I'm just gonna quit.

873

:

I said, you can't do that.

874

:

You can't do that.

875

:

And I know one of my staff

members, cowgirl staff member,

876

:

spent some time encouraging her,

telling her, you need to do this.

877

:

You need to do that.

878

:

You need to do this.

879

:

She listened and she came back.

880

:

She won the 2024 war.

881

:

Ladies Breakaway Championship.

882

:

Tony Tidbit: Awesome.

883

:

Awesome.

884

:

As

885

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: a result

of that, she just competed in Denver,

886

:

Colorado at the All Star Rodeo Theater.

887

:

She didn't win it, but she came in second.

888

:

I just talked to her yesterday to

say, I'm so glad you didn't quit.

889

:

Now, are you glad?

890

:

You didn't quit and she all she could

say was thank you for the encouragement

891

:

That's what we have to do for each other.

892

:

Tony Tidbit: Yes Yes,

893

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: lift each

other up not listen to the naysayers

894

:

not buy into the negative stuff Just

know whatever you want to do you can

895

:

accomplish If you prepare yourself

and you invest time and work into it,

896

:

people sometimes say, I want to do this.

897

:

Okay.

898

:

I know I want to do this, but they're

not willing to put in the work.

899

:

Guess what?

900

:

Nothing's going to happen.

901

:

You got to put in the work.

902

:

So that's my message.

903

:

Have faith.

904

:

In yourself, have faith in God

and just keep moving forward.

905

:

Don't let fear overtake your faith.

906

:

Chris P. Reed: I definitely

want to thank you.

907

:

And, uh, I'm sure on behalf

of the audience, thank you for

908

:

being emblematic of confidence,

coordination, and collaboration.

909

:

Because the one thing that you said

over and over again was it wasn't just

910

:

you, you reached out and you accepted.

911

:

Assistance and you were embracing

the community and you were

912

:

embracing partnerships and it's

not just one person doing it all.

913

:

And you were able to leverage that

by making sure that you tied in with

914

:

the right folks and you coordinated

your thoughts and make sure you

915

:

understood where you guys were headed.

916

:

And that's the greatest lesson

in all of this, and that actually

917

:

promotes the culture, right?

918

:

So that confidence, that coordination,

that collaboration promotes the

919

:

culture and we appreciate you.

920

:

Thank you so much for

sharing the story with us.

921

:

I'm sure many people learned a lot.

922

:

I know I did.

923

:

I know Tony did, and I'm sure

our audience would as well.

924

:

So.

925

:

We just want to make sure that we thank

you specifically in that way as we

926

:

move, uh, to the end of our episode.

927

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: Thank you.

928

:

You know, I, I, I tell people all

the time, um, I can be a tyrant

929

:

because my belief, if you're

going to do anything, do it well.

930

:

I don't do it at all.

931

:

And I don't accept excuses.

932

:

I don't accept, uh, mediocrity.

933

:

And so I was telling somebody

yesterday, you either not, uh,

934

:

learn to love me or hate me.

935

:

But that's okay.

936

:

I'm comfortable with either one of those.

937

:

Right,

938

:

Tony Tidbit: right.

939

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: Because

if you're not going to perform

940

:

at the level you need to perform,

you don't need to be on my team.

941

:

Tony Tidbit: Well, thank you.

942

:

Well, listen, sounds like my mother.

943

:

Because that's how my

mother brought us up.

944

:

So I love it.

945

:

That's the only thing we know.

946

:

But more importantly, to

Chris's point, thank you.

947

:

Um, and you stay right here because you're

going to help us with our call to action.

948

:

So I think it's now

time for Tony's tidbit.

949

:

So the tidbit is always based

on what we talked about today.

950

:

So today's tidbit is in the rodeo of

life Strength and determination are not

951

:

just the spurs that drive us forward,

but also showcase the power of a

952

:

visionary woman leading the charge in

a traditionally male dominated arena.

953

:

Commitment to lifting

others up along the way.

954

:

And that's what we heard today

about Valeria Cunningham.

955

:

And Bill Pickett rodeo invitation.

956

:

So we want to thank her for coming on

and sharing that power, that strength,

957

:

that determination, and that faith.

958

:

Before

959

:

Chris P. Reed: we get out of here,

we want to make sure that we remind

960

:

all of you to tune in to our weekly

segment, Need to Know With Nsenga.

961

:

This is a segment where Dr.

962

:

Nsenga Burton gives the Black Exegetic

Perspective podcast, a timely and

963

:

crucial Overview of topics that

mean a lot to our culture, to the

964

:

world, and to society as a whole.

965

:

So make sure you don't forget to

tune in each week to hear what she

966

:

has to say because it's powerful,

it's passionate, and it's poignant.

967

:

So make sure that you don't miss

that because you will regret it.

968

:

Tony Tidbit: Absolutely, absolutely,

definitely check her out.

969

:

And I hope you enjoyed today's episode.

970

:

Leading the charge, Black

women transforming rodeo.

971

:

Chris P. Reed: And then at this point

in time, as we do, we'd like to invite

972

:

you all to embrace and incorporate

our call to action, which is LESS.

973

:

L E S S.

974

:

And the L stands for learn.

975

:

Educate yourself on racial

and cultural nuances.

976

:

And expand your horizons and

expose yourself to things

977

:

that could make you grow.

978

:

As Ms.

979

:

Valeria talked about growth is

the goal in order to hand that

980

:

off to the next generation.

981

:

Tony Tidbit: Absolutely.

982

:

And listen, our goal is to decrease

all forms of discrimination.

983

:

So this is why less is important.

984

:

So after you learn.

985

:

Now, the E stands for empathy.

986

:

Now, you should be more empathetic

to your friends and colleagues

987

:

because now you understand what

they've been going through.

988

:

Valeria Howard Cunningham: And then

if I could say, the S is for sharing.

989

:

Share your insights to enlighten others.

990

:

I think I talked about that today.

991

:

And our obligation to lift people

up, enlighten them and help them.

992

:

So share, always share your insights.

993

:

Tony Tidbit: Absolutely.

994

:

Thank you, Valeria.

995

:

And the final S stands for stop.

996

:

We want to actively stop

discrimination as it walks in our path.

997

:

So if grandpa says something at the

Thanksgiving table that's inappropriate,

998

:

you say grandpa, we don't believe in that.

999

:

And you stop it right there.

:

01:09:16,779 --> 01:09:23,559

So if everyone can incorporate

less L E S S we'll build a more

:

01:09:23,609 --> 01:09:26,220

fair and understanding world.

:

01:09:26,620 --> 01:09:31,120

And we'll all be able to see

the change that we want to see

:

01:09:31,410 --> 01:09:33,870

because less will become more.

:

01:09:34,069 --> 01:09:36,270

Chris P. Reed: Want to make sure

that you guys continue to tune in,

:

01:09:36,300 --> 01:09:39,490

but more importantly, make sure you

go to the website, sign up for the

:

01:09:39,490 --> 01:09:44,000

newsletter, leave us reviews, give us

comments, give us, you know, your take

:

01:09:44,020 --> 01:09:47,200

on things that we should be speaking

on that we may not be aware of.

:

01:09:47,654 --> 01:09:50,415

Make sure that you give feedback on

things that you have heard because

:

01:09:50,524 --> 01:09:51,865

all of this stuff is expansive.

:

01:09:52,325 --> 01:09:54,434

It's so many meat on, it's

so much meat on the bone.

:

01:09:54,445 --> 01:09:55,505

Even for what Ms.

:

01:09:55,505 --> 01:09:57,835

Valeria told us today,

this, you know, can't all be

:

01:09:57,845 --> 01:09:59,535

encompassed into just an hour.

:

01:09:59,535 --> 01:10:02,095

So make sure that you give us

that feedback so we know where

:

01:10:02,095 --> 01:10:03,975

to guide this in the future.

:

01:10:04,315 --> 01:10:05,735

And Tony, where can they reach us?

:

01:10:06,130 --> 01:10:10,000

Tony Tidbit: Follow us on our socials,

LinkedIn X, Twitter, excuse me, LinkedIn

:

01:10:10,030 --> 01:10:16,790

X, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram at

A Black Exec for our fabuLus, beautiful

:

01:10:17,350 --> 01:10:23,280

guest, Valeria Cunningham, president owner

of the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo.

:

01:10:23,510 --> 01:10:26,170

We thank her for coming on

and sharing her perspective.

:

01:10:26,440 --> 01:10:31,480

For my co host with the most

crispy read, I'm Tony tidbit.

:

01:10:31,790 --> 01:10:33,170

We talked about it.

:

01:10:33,280 --> 01:10:34,280

We'd love you.

:

01:10:34,440 --> 01:10:35,290

And guess what?

:

01:10:35,520 --> 01:10:36,100

We're out

:

01:10:41,040 --> 01:10:43,600

BEP Narrator: a black

executive perspective.

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