KYLE EWING: My
name's Kyle Ewing.
I lead the Global Staffing
Programs team here at Google.
It's our job to identify and
develop top talent for Google.
So when I was asked
to be here tonight--
to sit here with these
guys and recognize
Michael's story, a former BOLD
intern, I was very thrilled.
I know we're all really
honored and excited to welcome
Michael-- to welcome both
Jhanvi and Ketaki Shriram,
the producers of the film, as
well as the director, Kevin
Gordon.
So please join me in giving
them a nice warm welcome.
[APPLAUSE]
So I think we all had the
pleasure of just watching
the film.
And those of us at
Google who've known you
were so proud of Michael
and his accomplishments.
But I'd love to hear more
about how you guys decided
to feature Michael
and his story.
KETAKI SHRIRAM: So Jhanvi and I
attended Stanford with Michael
as undergrads.
And when we heard he
was running for office
we were very
inspired and excited.
And so we met with
him over frozen yogurt
and asked him if he'd be
OK with us following him
on the campaign trail.
KYLE EWING: Excellent.
And what was your
reaction, Michael?
MICHAEL TUBBS: At
first I was excited.
But then I went home.
I talked to my campaign manager.
He said absolutely not.
You're too reckless.
They're going to catch you
in gotcha moments-- going
to ruin the rest of your career.
And then I remember
talking to my mom.
And she said absolutely, for
you, I refuse to be on camera.
I don't want them
asking me any questions.
I don't want to be interviewed.
And then if you
watch the movie it's,
really about my campaign manager
and my mom, which is so ironic.
They were so against it.
KYLE EWING: I love how the
campaign manager at many points
tried to mother you
too, throughout.
MICHAEL TUBBS: He still does.
KYLE EWING: Now,
Kevin, I understand
this was your first
feature-length documentary.
So how did you get
involved in the project?
KEVIN GORDON: I knew Jhanvi
and Ketaki through film school
at Stanford.
And they reached out to me
about working on the project.
And I had a background
in social justice work
and been looking for something
that would reconnect me
with that as well
my first project.
And when I heard
about Michael I just
knew it was going to be a good
fit and a really fun, exciting
piece of history to document.
KYLE EWING: And how
long from beginning
to end-- as far as when you
guys decided to make the film
and you had just
decided to run--
how long was that process?
JHANVI SHRIRAM: Almost
two and a half years.
KYLE EWING: Wow.
JHANVI SHRIRAM: We
started spring of 2012.
And we just premiered at the
Tribeca Film Festival in April.
So it was our first
public screening.
So we're starting to take
it out more places now.
KYLE EWING: Yeah.
I was going to ask, what's next?
I mean, Tribeca--
huge congratulations.
That's a huge accomplishment.
JHANVI SHRIRAM: Thank you.
We are taking it out
to film festivals,
doing special
screenings like this,
taking it to
schools, nonprofits,
and also seeking
distribution right now.
So we don't have any
public knowledge yet.
But hopefully soon
we'll be able to make it
to theaters or streaming
in other platforms.
KYLE EWING: Huge to take on.
I mean, the first
of a lot of things
for all of you-- first
time to run, first time
to produce to--
feature-length film.
Where were you
guys when you heard
that Tribeca had
invited you to premier?
KETAKI SHRIRAM:
We actually all--
we met up for
dinner in Palo Alto.
And we brought cupcakes.
Michael knows us now.
Whenever we bring
dessert, it means
something exciting's happened.
And so that was kind of
how we broke the news.
We were all very excited.
KYLE EWING: Congratulations.
Now Michael, you've become
an inspiration, I think,
from the beginning.
You've inspired youth
all over the place.
And I'd love to hear
how you're dealing
with your new-found
role model status.
MICHAEL TUBBS: It's difficult.
No, I think-- I've also
been incredibly blessed
because the film does a
good job of showing just how
humble my family
and friends are.
So my inner circle,
they don't care
whether Tribeca, or
Google Talk, or anything.
Nothing's cool enough
for them anymore, anyway.
So they really keep me
grounded and humble.
OK.
Don't get big-headed.
OK.
You just had homicide
on your street.
What are you doing about that?
OK.
These kids still can't read.
What are you doing about that?
So I'm always pushed
to really focus on it.
And I guess especially
because Stockton
is an incredibly complex
place, none of these
are easy things to solve.
So it's kind of hard to be
too caught up in yourself
when you have these issues
that are really difficult.
But I also think that
being a role model,
to answer your
question, because that's
what you asked me about--
being a role model.
I think in terms of
being a role model,
I like it because it keeps
you really focused on trying
to-- not being perfect--
I'm far from that.
But trying to be my
best self every day.
And then when I do mess
up or say something
I shouldn't have
said in a meeting,
I learned how to apologize
and model that as well.
KYLE EWING: You
talked a lot and I
knew you really demonstrated
how important it
is to build a
coalition of people
in the community to
really affect change.
Can you tell us more about how
you define civic responsibility
for yourself?
MICHAEL TUBBS: It's
funny, actually,
just to-- see I'm
not even answering
your questions [INAUDIBLE].
KYLE EWING: That's fine.
Whatever works.
MICHAEL TUBBS: I
wanted to say, in terms
of the coalition-building,
I learned a lot of that
actually as an intern
at Google, in terms
of building a
cross-functional team.
See, I got you.
KYLE EWING: I like it.
[APPLAUSE]
KYLE EWING: But I think for me,
civic responsibility is number
one, making the right
decisions as an elected,
regardless of the
political consequences.
But number two is also about
empowering the residents
because Stockton
is 300,000 people.
I represent 50,000 people.
But it's a part-time job.
I can't be everywhere
in the district.
I don't live everywhere
in the district.
I don't speak Spanish well.
I don't speak Hmong well.
I don't speak Vietnamese well.
I don't speak all the different
languages in my district
that well.
So it's really about,
how do I engage everyone?
How do I engage with the
huge-- substantial undocumented
population in my
district so they're
part of the
decision-making process?
So in doing so, we've done
a lot of coalition-building
around improving outcomes
for Boys and Men of Color
around my district in terms
of our Reinvent South Stockton
coalition around organizing
the black community.
Because that's the only way in
our current political structure
in Stockton that the
work can get done.
Because I just can't
do it all myself
KYLE EWING: Yeah.
No, absolutely.
You've also referenced
in the film--
and since I've known
you and certainly read
a lot of great things about
you-- how Martin Luther
King really inspired you.
I'd love to hear more about
the civil rights movement
and how that's really influenced
your leadership style.
MICHAEL TUBBS: This is
going to be a long answer
but I think there's
a couple things.
My junior year-- junior
year was such a great year.
So I interned at Google.
Then I went to the White House.
Then I partied in Cape Town.
And then when I got back, I got
to reenact these freedom rides
with the original
freedom riders.
So I spent 10 days with the
original freedom riders.
And we went from
DC to New Orleans.
So we went to
Montgomery, Alabama,
where people beaten
in Montgomery
that-- it was just a really
very powerful and special time.
From them, I learned a lot.
the first thing was
that they were all 19,
20, 21, 22-years-old when
they were on this bus.
And Doctor King was
26 when he started,
when he led the bus
boycott in Montgomery.
So they were all really young.
And they would say things.
And there was one conversation
in particular-- a man,
Bob Singleton.
He's a professor at LMU now.
We brought him out to Stockton
for Black History Month.
And we were on the
back of the bus.
And we were cracking jokes.
And he was just staring at me.
So I'm staring back
at him, like OK.
I'll be good.
I'll be quiet.
And then he says, young man.
And I say, yes sir.
And he said, I was
arrested on August 4, 1961.
I said, OK.
And then he said, why
is that day important?
And I said, because
you were arrested.
And that's important
for my freedom.
I would not be on this bus if
you weren't arrested that day.
I heard you I was listening.
And then he laughed.
And then he said, on that
day, Barack Obama was born.
And then he said,
I was 19-years-old.
I had no idea that the
decision I made at 19
would pave the way 50
years later for a kid who
couldn't get a cup of
coffee to become president.
And then he said, what
are you doing today
so that 50 years from
now a kid in Stockton
has every opportunity you had?
And I was 20-years-old
at the time.
I was trying to figure out
life and what I wanted to do.
And that really stuck with me.
And then one of
my biggest mentors
is Marian Wright Edelman.
And she's the head of
[? the Children's ?] Defense
Fund.
She marched with Doctor King.
She was a-- first
African American woman
admitted to the
Mississippi state bar.
She practiced law
in Mississippi.
This huge civil rights
advocate that's been
active for the past 50 years
doing social justice work.
And I was able to be
[INAUDIBLE] programs
all throughout college.
So I would get these
nuggets of wisdom from her.
And the biggest one
she said was that it's
a privilege to
struggle for justice.
And I said, huh?
She said, it's a
privilege to struggle.
And she said, because you come
from a long line of struggle.
And she brought it back
from Harriet Tubman, who
couldn't read but
somehow knew how
to read the stars and outsmarted
everyone and freed people.
She just went down
throughout history.
And then she said, justice
work is like a baton.
It's a privilege to
be given the mantle
to keep the work forward.
So I've just learned a
lot from the civil rights
movement people in terms
of what I've studied.
But also those I've been able
to have a relationship with.
KYLE EWING: Yeah.
Well speaking of
influence, Kevin,
I'd love to hear-- I've heard
that directors will have
a vision when they
embark on a project.
And then when it's all said
and done for better or worse,
that vision has sort of shifted.
And it's played out differently.
Was there anything that's
different about the narrative
that we saw than what you
thought it might look like?
KEVIN GORDON: Yeah definitely.
I'd say stylistically,
I wanted the film
to fit into this long
tradition of political campaign
documentaries which are all
kind of that run-and-gun,
chasing the candidate
kind of look.
But as far as what we thought
the storyline was going to be,
we definitely
thought the opponent
was going to be a bigger
part of the story.
And he turned out not to be.
And the bigger challenge
was the problems
facing the city as well as
Michael's own transformation
over the course of the campaign.
And the other big surprise
was the campaign manager
because Nick, first
day when we were there,
he didn't even want
me to film the meeting
he was having with Michael.
He was like, oh, no,
it's too high level.
And then by the end he was
like, OK you can film just this.
And then it just kept
growing until he completely
opened up to us about
his entire life.
And I'd say his back
story and his motivation
was the biggest
surprise in the film.
And then Michael's
mom-- as Michael said,
she wasn't on board at first.
And she had this
really amazing ability
to sense when the
camera was on her,
even if I was on the
other side of the room.
She would just turn around.
I was like OK, OK, don't film.
But she gave us just enough
to have this tremendous arc
that I think's a beautiful
part of the film.
KYLE EWING: Yeah.
Yeah.
Can you guys tell us
about the title, True Son?
KETAKI SHRIRAM: Yeah.
We read about Michael being the
true son returning to Stockton.
And we thought that was a
really interesting parallel
and reflected a lot
of things in the film.
And we sat down and
had a discussion
about what the title should be.
And we were like, I
think True Son is it.
It started out as
the working title
and then felt like it
really fit with the vision
that we'd all been
thinking about.
KYLE EWING: Celebrate
with cupcakes or Froyo?
KETAKI SHRIRAM: There
were some cupcakes.
KYLE EWING: I figured.
KETAKI SHRIRAM: I have
a weakness for that.
KYLE EWING: I do want
to open it up soon so.
If you guys do have
questions start
thinking about-- we'll
get the microphone to you.
Because we do have some
interns here in the audience.
It's only fitting.
We've got Michael, who's
former BOLD intern.
And both Jhanvi and Ketaki
were former interns,
too-- YouTube and
Google X. I'd love
to hear some words of
advice that you might have
for some people
here who are interns
and what they can do this
summer to really take advantage.
MICHAEL TUBBS: Me first?
KYLE EWING: Sure.
MICHAEL TUBBS: Awesome.
I would say a couple things.
Number one have fun.
Google is such a fun place.
I had the time of my life here.
You thought I was
YOLO on the campaign.
I was in the kitchens.
I was on the slides.
I mean-- my boss is
here, Ms. [? Dogga. ?]
She can attest that I did work.
But I made sure I had a
good time while doing it.
I think Google really--
I think number two is
seek out opportunities
for growth
and to challenge yourself.
I remember by my
fourth week I was
leading new-hire
orientation by myself,
which is kind of terrifying
because I didn't know anything
about anything.
And these [? nuclears ?] were
asking all these benefits
questions about the 401(k)s
and their vacation days.
And I had to read through
the stuff on the Google
internal website.
But seriously, I think those
challenges really helped.
Also, number three, the people
you meet in the BOLD program
are probably the
most important part.
All my BOLD friends are here.
I still talk to-- we
talk to after BOLD.
I met some of my
best friends in BOLD.
And then even some of
the managers and people
I worked with I still
keep in contact with.
And they're really
smart, amazing people.
KYLE EWING: Michael walks in,
he's like, where's the MK?
You can take someone out of
Google but you can't take--
MICHAEL TUBBS: I was hoping we'd
be in [? Crid ?] because I used
to go-- they used to
have the Mexican food
with the free guacamole.
That was my
favorite-- free guac.
KYLE EWING: So opportunities
for leadership and guacamole.
KETAKI SHRIRAM:
Yeah I guess I would
say go to as many
events as possible
and meet as many
people as you can
who don't work in
your department.
I think that was the most
interesting thing for me,
was really getting out and
meeting all the other interns
and all the other
full-timers and just learning
about what they do.
Because everybody here has such
a unique and different role.
And that was, I think, some
of the biggest learning
opportunities for me
was just going to TGIF
and sitting next
to someone random
and just introducing myself and
learning about what they do.
JHANVI SHRIRAM:
And I will probably
echo the same sentiments.
It's just meeting the
people around you--
the ones on your left and right.
And I know I met Marjay--
who helped organize
this-- when I was an intern.
And you meet some of the most
creative and intelligent people
here.
And you never know it
sometimes because you're so
buried in your computers
or your phones.
And so sometimes it's
great to look up and talk
to the person next
to you, whether it's
in the MK or even here today.
The people are incredible.
KYLE EWING: Great.
Any questions from the
audience [INAUDIBLE]
he'll bring you the mic.
AUDIENCE: Hi, my name is
[INAUDIBLE] Jean Pierre.
And I'm also a BOLD intern.
And I want to thank you all for
doing the film because I know
it must have took a lot
of work, and then also
hearing your inspirational
story because I also grew up
from a single-parent household.
I'm from Brooklyn, New York.
And I also want to run
for office one day.
I change my mind every night.
My roommates, they laugh.
But coming from a
disadvantaged background,
and going to college,
and being in D.C.--
and engage myself with
political leaders.
I realize it's
really challenging
being in that
environment, and trying
to make your way into
the political sphere,
and trying to get
your foot in the door.
And I was wondering
what advice could you
give to aspiring civic
advocates or politicians
to be elected one day
in their community?
MICHAEL TUBBS: Man.
I forgot Google
people are smart.
So you guys are asking
smart questions.
[LAUGHTER]
MICHAEL TUBBS: I
think a couple things.
I think number one, it
has to be more than just
about an office or a position.
There has to be an issue or some
policy that really motivates
you because no one
likes politicians.
I don't like politicians.
if you're really
just a politician,
you're not my friend
[INAUDIBLE] to work with you.
The second thing I would
say is just be authentic.
I think oftentimes,
people think they
need to fit into
some sort of mold
of what it means
to be a politician.
But especially at a
really local level,
people value authenticity.
They value people who
can speak the truth, who
can say they don't know
when they don't know,
who will say they want
a mimosa at brunch when
they're at brunch with mimosas.
People value that.
I think number three--
and what I realized
and I think the
film does a good job
showing it-- is that the
relationships I built before I
knew I was running for
office were so helpful.
All the people that walked
and knocked on doors for me
were people I met, and
I was in high school,
and I helped tutor them, or
they were kids I had mentored,
or they were people
I had gone out with
and we had a good time.
So I think it's about really
caring about relationships
in the here and now.
And then number four,
I think it's also
about building
some sort of skill
set in terms of what can you do?
What have you done?
Because oftentimes
people look at past--
it's just like
looking for a job.
People look at
past success-- even
if it's on a smaller scale--
to illustrate future progress.
And I would say on
the skills I learned,
whether running my own
nonprofit in college,
or running my own summer
leadership program in college,
or working at Google,
on the smaller scale,
it's still the same skills
I use now as a politician.
And the last point
I would say is
get really good at
working with people
because-- I'm going to
tell you a funny story
and then I'm going
to stop talking.
Before I came here I was in a
meeting around a health care
clinic in my district with
two ultra-conservative, older
white men who, I love.
So they invite me in.
And then he gives me this
pen to take notes with.
It says The Factor.
And I'm like, this
a really good pen.
So I was going to
try to take it.
But I didn't want to
feed the stereotype.
So I say-- so I gave
him his pen back.
And he said, no
you could keep it.
It's my premium member
O'Reilly Factor pen.
I just look at him.
I don't like O'Reilly that much.
[LAUGHTER]
MICHAEL TUBBS: So I look
at him, whatever, it works.
And then he started-- and then
they both huddled in and were
like, "we're
ultra-conservatives."
And then I say,
oh I forgive you.
And we just started laughing.
And I say, I'm going
to write really
progressive legislation with
your O'Reilly Factor pen.
I share that story
just to illustrate
that oftentimes labels operate
as silos to stop people
from working with each other.
Because although we probably
don't agree on a lot of things,
we agree that people
in my district
need health care clinics.
And I'm glad I didn't let their
labels as ultra-conservative
stop me from spending an hour
and a half with them designing
a health clinic.
Because it's important.
I'm not sure what the
point was of that.
But yeah, that's my advice.
[LAUGHTER]
JHANVI SHRIRAM: And to
piggyback off of that.
We do have a YouTube
channel-- shameless plug--
youtube.com/truesondoc
where we've gathered a lot
of the process pieces of the
campaign that couldn't go
on into film to show
in a web series,
how do you build a
campaign as a 21-year-old?
So how do you do fund-raising?
How do you do canvassing?
How do you bring
people together?
And so we've got these short
snippets on YouTube as well.
MICHAEL TUBBS: So last thing.
You're smart, so stay smart.
Because no, seriously, because
oftentimes when people get
elected they become dumb.
Seriously, some of the things
they say just don't make sense.
Did you read the staff report?
So please just be smart.
Do your homework.
Do research.
Let data guide your decisions.
Because oftentimes people
make decisions off,
back when I was
a kid this works.
We're going to do this.
What does the research say?
A lot of people
don't do research.
AUDIENCE: So I'm Arthur Peters.
I'm a tech intern here.
And I found the film
very interesting.
And so one thing is--
first comment, which
is have you
considered re-editing
all the other footage
in this into a how-to?
Just have a how-to film--
Campaigning for Dummies,
or something.
You can get access
to the trademark.
Anyway, my other
question is, so you're
talking a lot about campaigns
and this sort of stuff.
And I really do want to be
involved in some of this.
But it's utterly terrifying
as someone who would rather
talk to a computer than a human.
So what can someone
like me-- who
is very good with
mathematics, engineering,
whatever-- what can I bring
to a campaign like this?
MICHAEL TUBBS: My
man, are you open?
Are you--
[LAUGHTER]
AUDIENCE: Well no.
I mean I'm an intern,
but thank you.
MICHAEL TUBBS: I think I'mma
talk a lot so [INAUDIBLE].
KEVIN GORDON: There's
definitely a place
for technology in campaigns.
Actually, at one point
Michael and his campaign
tried to be innovative
and have the first-- what
did you call it?
MICHAEL TUBBS: Google
Hangout Town Hall.
[LAUGHTER]
KEVIN GORDON: It was a Town
hall via Google Hangout, which--
MICHAEL TUBBS: It
was a disaster.
But we tried.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
KEVIN GORDON: That was
actually the saddest thing
for me was that that didn't
make it in the movie.
Because that was hilarious.
So I think there's
definitely some improvements
that we could have made.
JHANVI SHRIRAM: Google
Hangouts is awesome.
We used it a lot to
plan for the film.
Because we were all
in different places.
So it was successful
in some parts
of the film of the campaign.
KEVIN GORDON: I
just met somebody
who's got an app
called Organizer.
And they are turning everything
that Michael and his campaign
were doing into an app
that's unbelievable.
One of the biggest things was
they have walk lists, which--
Michael's campaign they
weren't even using them
when we first started.
But then there was
always a disaster
or often there was a disaster
because they were misprinted.
And it has the name of the
person you're talking to,
their address, their
previous voting history.
But now there's
an app that has it
all just on a phone
along with the script
right there for people to use.
So that really--
revolutionizing campaign work.
MICHAEL TUBBS: Absolutely.
Technology-- I
wish-- I was going
to try to get someone to teach
me how to code before here.
But I got here a
little bit too late.
I wish I had that skill set.
Because I feel
like a lot of stuff
I do could be a lot
more efficient if I just
knew the computer-y stuff to do.
So to your question,
I really think
there's a lot of things
with building apps,
with helping people use data
and analytics more effectively,
in terms of helping people
with their websites.
A lot of political websites
aren't really functional.
AUDIENCE: Oh my god.
It's so bad.
MICHAEL TUBBS: Man.
AUDIENCE: Big ones.
MICHAEL TUBBS: But my
website's high tech.
Everyone's not feeling it.
There's a whole, probably,
consultancy out there
of people who need really smart,
techie people to help them make
their campaign into
the 21st century.
That could be your tag
line, making campaigns
into the 21st century.
AUDIENCE: Thank you.
KYLE EWING: Anyone else?
The former manager--
MICHAEL TUBBS: Uh oh.
AUDIENCE: So Michael, you
could have done anything.
You've got such a passion
to affect change and also
this ability to
connect with people.
So what is it-- you could have
affected change in Stockton
in so many ways.
Tell us a little
bit about why run?
And why is this your
mechanism right now?
MICHAEL TUBBS: That's another
long-- I'm sorry you guys.
I don't really talk
this long all the time.
But these are very
thorough questions.
I think it was a couple things.
So my senior year I was
applying for things.
And after my cousin
was murdered,
I said I was going back
to Stockton one day.
But it was going to be in,
like, 2020 because I wanted
to make some money
like my mom said.
That was our secret plan.
Or not-so secret plan.
But then I was really
trying to think about,
what's the biggest way
to make an impact now?
And I figured interning
for someone or work
being as someone's staffer
could make an impact.
But being on City
Council, even if I lost,
is changing the narrative and
the course of the campaign--
would make a real change.
And I still could apply for
jobs and stuff afterwards.
So I think that for me,
that was the question.
Where can I make the
most impact right
now-- a 21-year-old
with no real experience?
And well, campaigns are really--
that's a real meritocracy.
You just have to get elected.
You don't really need
to know anything.
If you get 51% of the vote,
you're now making decisions.
So I thought, at
21-years-old that
was the biggest way I could
make an impact on the city.
Especially because
when I ran we had just
gotten to two years
of record homicide.
We had just declared bankruptcy.
It was really not
the place to be.
So I said, oh my gosh.
This would be-- I'm kind
of weird like this--
I was like, oh my gosh.
It would be a great opportunity
to affectualize some change.
But I'm not
convinced that's what
it's going to be
for me long-term.
I think at some point I want
to do some philanthropy.
Because I spend all my time
calling foundations and saying,
I need you to invest in this.
So I think there's a
role for philanthropy.
Also, I teach too, full-time.
So I think at some point
I want to open a school
or be a superintendent.
So I'm really just keeping
myself really open in terms
of where can I make
the most impact.
But I do think
through 2016, being
on City Council is probably
the biggest way to do that.
KYLE EWING: I have
a quick follow up
and then we'll hand it to you.
Quickly, on that, you
talk about impact.
And one of the things that
really struck me in the film
is you talk about
your life experiences,
to this point, really
teaching you to be optimistic,
and that things that
start out bad most of time
turn out good eventually.
You've just mentioned
Stockton's homicide rate.
It's down like 60%
since you've been in.
MICHAEL TUBBS: I wish
I could take credit.
I just came down
from Mount Sinai
with the ten commandments.
KYLE EWING: But what do
you attribute the change
to-- the decrease?
MICHAEL TUBBS: I do
have a small part in it.
And I will take a
little bit in that.
KYLE EWING: Take it.
MICHAEL TUBBS: I think that
number one, the community
got really serious
about the crime problem.
So we brought this thing
called Operation Ceasefire,
which is like the number
one, evidence-based,
not experience-based, not
just how-I-feel-based,
but evidence-- there's
research that shows it works--
based program.
And we had it
about a decade ago.
And it was working.
And then after we
got homicides down.
We let it go.
So this time we're
really-- I've been
adamant about
institutionalizing it.
So that's been really helpful.
And then this summer
we're opening this Office
of Violence Prevention that I've
worked close with the police
chief in designing to figure
out how to become the nation's
leader in evidence-based
violence prevention programs.
And we've also really
widened our thinking past,
we need to
incarcerate everybody.
We're just going to
throw them in jail
and that's going to
solve their problem.
But really look at some
of the root causes.
What's going on in the schools?
What's going on in the families?
And then using data
to predict things.
It's almost like people
analytics in terms of,
what are some of the triggers
that make someone likely to be
a victim or approached
for a crime?
And since we have
that data, we use it.
And I'm a nervous
so this is going
to be my quick [INAUDIBLE]
though we found out that of all
the homicide
victims and suspects
in Stockton, most of them
had been arrested six times
and were on
probation, or just off
probation, which means
we knew who they were.
We have contact with them.
And we have leverage
to bring them in.
So we finally used that
data to call them in
and say, hey we
know who you are.
We know what groups
you're affiliated with.
We know you guys are
beefing with this group.
Here are some job training.
Here's some tattoo
removal if you
want resources
and opportunities.
But if that doesn't work,
here's a U.S. attorney.
And surprisingly,
people take opportunity
when it's presented to them.
It's like, woah.
KYLE EWING: Novel, novel idea.
MICHAEL TUBBS: They don't
want to be gangsters.
KYLE EWING: [CHUCKLES]
Hey how's it going?
My name is Ally Bernstein.
I'm on the Diversity
Markets team here at Google.
And as one of the first people
that I met on my first day
at Google, I wanted to say ,
I'm very proud of Michael Tubbs.
You've come a long way.
I've been crying this whole day.
So thank you for
making me proud.
I have a question
for you, actually.
How have you thought about
ways to connect the problems
that you're solving
here in Stockton
to other cities that
are going through
the same exact problems?
Because I think it's
really important
that some of the lessons
that you're learning
are lessons that can
directly, immediately
be applied to areas such
as Oakland, Long Beach,
California, where I'm from,
and other major cities that
are having some of
these same issues.
So I wanted to get your
thoughts on what you guys were
doing to spread that knowledge.
MICHAEL TUBBS: I think
there's a couple things.
I'm kind of cautious because
one year or two years is cool.
But you need four or
five years to really
be like, this is working.
But generally-- I was just on a
panel with the mayor of Oakland
and I told her about Ceasefire.
We need to institutionalize
Ceasefire, do it right.
I was just at a conference
with the mayor of Compton, Aja
Brown, this amazing,
32-year-old, USC-trained
planner who is now
the mayor of Compton.
And I was telling her about some
stuff we're doing in Stockton.
And then there's a lot of
networks and conferences
and things that people are
so interested in Stockton
because of a lot of
challenges we face.
And we're kind of ground
zero for a lot of things,
whether it's municipal
bankruptcy, or water issues,
or homelessness, or we're
the foreclosure capital
of the world, or homicide.
We're really ground
zero for every problem
facing the country.
But it also gives
us an opportunity
to emerge as one of
the leaders in terms
of how you solve those problems.
So we've been doing a good job.
But I think once we have
some real concrete wins,
we'll do a better job of telling
our story and helping to scale.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
MICHAEL TUBBS: Go ahead.
KETAKI SHRIRAM: Sorry, go ahead.
MICHAEL TUBBS: No.
KETAKI SHRIRAM: Go ahead.
I was just going to say
with regards to the film,
we sort of have similar thought.
So we were really hoping to
screen the films in schools,
and churches, and prisons
in different communities
to try and really
get youth inspired
to take political
action or to even
aspire to higher education.
And when we were in New York we
screened the film at a prison
in Manhattan.
And I think for all
of us that was really
one of the most
moving experiences,
was seeing how people
responded to it
and how they were inspired
to make a difference.
So on the film end, that's
what we're thinking.
MICHAEL TUBBS: I'm
just going to say
that's a big reason
why I wanted it
and that's my big pitch
to people in terms of,
if you help Stockton, you're
really helping the country.
Because the problems
are concentrated here.
And you're not
going to find them
with as much intensity in
other places as you will here.
So help me here.
And then we'll
scale it everywhere.
So help me.
AUDIENCE: Hi.
My name's Jessica.
I went to UOP.
So Stockton has a
very, very close--
MICHAEL TUBBS: What year?
AUDIENCE: 2010 is
when I graduated.
Yeah.
So I was actually just there
for a wedding last weekend.
And it has a very special
place in my heart,
so incredible movie.
What was the job like in terms
of what you were expecting?
And then when you were
actually in the job,
how did that change?
MICHAEL TUBBS: Yeah
it's funny so last-- it
was a couple
screenings ago, someone
asked me, was it harder to
campaign or to be in office?
And I don't know.
I don't know.
Campaigning was hard
because all day every day--
but being in office is hard
because it's the same thing.
And now I can't just
point my finger and say,
this is what we should be doing.
Now I'm the person
that has to do it.
So if something's not
being done, it's my fault.
I have the agency to figure
out how to change it.
Probably the hardest part
is that the City Council--
we're so close to the people.
But a lot of things are actually
not in our jurisdiction.
So a lot of the things are
in the school district.
It's been kind of difficult
because you're held accountable
for a lot of things you
don't have direct power over.
But no one cares.
So I'm, like,
calling the county,
calling the school
district, getting
on everyone's nerves trying
to not do everyone's job.
But try-- I describe the job.
People say, what's
your job like?
And I say, my job is to get
people to do the right thing.
Which sounds very basic.
But that's literally my job.
I need the county jail
to work effectively.
So I need to work with the
sheriff to do the right thing
and make sure our county
jail is working effectively.
I need our neighborhoods--
it sounds it's difficult.
Though it's really impossible.
Because I have no leverage over
a lot of people I work with.
I'm just a councilperson.
But I'm not their
direct supervisor.
I can't-- I don't get to give--
do you guys still do OKRs?
Is that still a thing?
I don't get to do OKRs on them.
I just tell people when
they're not doing their job.
KYLE EWING: Maybe we
should have OKRs we--
MICHAEL TUBBS: No
that wouldn't work.
Who would get promoted?
I forgot your question actually.
AUDIENCE: No that was good.
Thank you.
KYLE EWING: There
was one back here.
AUDIENCE: I have two questions
that are purely curiosity.
Do you have to live
in District Six
in order to run for District 6?
MICHAEL TUBBS: Absolutely.
That's where I live.
AUDIENCE: So did Dell
live in District 6?
MICHAEL TUBBS: Yes.
So District 6-- we have this
part called the Weston Ranch.
And Weston Ranch is
beautiful, sprawling.
It's like two bedroom, not
two bedroom, two-story houses
that you would not even I think
it was in a bad neighborhood
because it's beautiful.
But it was also hit really
hard by the foreclosure crisis.
So there's a lot
of home invasions.
My mom's home was
broken into there a week
after the election--
and things of that sort.
So even within District
6 as well-- but
there's a south side
part of District 6
which is what the
film really showcased.
And then there's
Weston Ranch, which
is only about 14-years-old,
different income
levels and a little bit of
different challenges as well.
It's like a bedroom
commuter community.
So a lot of people that live
there work in San Francisco
and Oakland and
just commute back
because the housing is
cheaper in Stockton.
AUDIENCE: And my
second question is,
there's been a lot
of talk of what
you were going to do
to make the money.
What did you plan
on doing when you
went to Stanford to
make the big bucks?
MICHAEL TUBBS: I didn't
really have that planned out.
I just knew it was
going to happen.
So my freshman year I was
at Credit Suisse for a week.
And it was cool-- creating
[? stakes ?] in town cars.
But I was like, I don't care.
I was just like, I don't care.
I'm at this computer.
I'm just guessing.
I'm reading like, a
trading game and I won.
But I was literally guessing.
I was like, long, short,
long, long, short.
And I won.
That's how we got
in the recession
the first place I think.
Someone was doing
what I was doing.
So I decided that that
wasn't the move to me.
And then sophomore year, I
really loved my time at Google.
And then senior year,
I really thought
I wanted to be a consultant
and travel the world.
So I just didn't have a plan.
I just knew that
somehow-- and I was
going to find me a
tight, techie friend.
And we were going to come
up with some startup idea.
He was going to come
up with a startup idea.
I was just going to
talk about it for him.
And I would get acquired.
But I'm just on City Council.
But I'm happy.
I'm happy.
It's fun.
AUDIENCE: Great.
Seems like you're
doing great work.
Thank you.
AUDIENCE: Hi.
I'm Ory.
I'm a BOLD intern.
And I was wondering,
Michael, how you engage youth
as a City Council member still?
Do they help you in office?
So what is your relationship
like with youth today?
MICHAEL TUBBS: It's
really interesting
because now I'm old to people.
So I teach.
And I try to engage them.
But they really think I'm 35.
They never believe me.
Like, Mr Tubbs, you're 33.
What are you talking about?
Read Google.
I'm 23.
It's in there.
They don't believe me.
That's actually been
kind of a challenge
because it's kind of
hard to engage youth
in a meaningful way.
So what I've done-- I have
a really robust internship
program where they're
given a lot of autonomy.
And they-- I meet with
them once every two weeks.
For example, one of my
interns-- she's the best.
And she texted me today,
we have a book club meeting
on Wednesday.
What's the lesson plan?
Do I need to pick anything up?
Are we meeting tonight?
I was like, oh I'm at Google.
And she says, OK I got it.
So my interns are
really awesome,
self-assured young people.
And we have about
10 to 15 of them.
So we do a very intensive
leadership training,
skill building.
We bring different
people in and teach them
things like professional
emails, and how to respond,
people don't check
their emails, how
to respond to to your emails,
and things of that sort.
And also, I think I've
been really, really good
at doing different
events focused at youth.
There's always more
work that can be done.
So actually, Sunday,
no Friday, Friday
I had this amazing meeting with
these two young organizers who
were 18-years-old and
they were really pushing,
what are you doing for youth?
What are you doing for youth?
And I felt like I was the man.
I was like wait, woah
I'm the young councilman.
But they were really pushing me.
That was really inspiring.
And it was cool because
they felt they could push.
Because I had created
an environment
where it was expected
if we're meeting,
don't be nice and take pictures.
What do you need done and don't
be afraid to be pushy about it.
So I think we've been engaging
youth in non-traditional ways
and not really
organized and structured
outside the internship program.
If you have any
ideas let me know.
KYLE EWING: We've
got time for one more
question from the audience.
Yeah.
AUDIENCE: Hello, I'm Tim Keller.
I'm a software engineer.
I don't have a direct
connection to Stockton
besides driving to it now and
then and occasionally stopping.
I was wondering if you could
tell us more about what you've
been able to do for
Stockton and what
you think your legacy will be.
MICHAEL TUBBS: Absolutely.
I'm trying to get you guys
out of here at a decent time
but you guys keep asking
these great questions.
My focus in Stockton has
really been around recidivism,
violence prevention, and
specific things in my district.
So on the recidivism front,
I got 200-- I received,
excuse me, $250,000 from
California Wellness Foundation
to pilot this
back-to-work program.
And what recidivism is, is
that throughout the state
of California, when someone
gets in jail and comes out,
they have a 70% chance
of coming back in.
And especially in a
community like Stockton,
that could be a real
problem, especially
as we try to reinvent ourselves
to get past this crime problem.
So we partnered with the
California Wellness Foundation
and Michael G. Santos
Foundation to pilot
this back-to-work
program which is
the most simple but
beautiful concept ever.
Because oftentimes, when
ex-offenders get out
they go through these
job training programs.
But then they still
don't get a job.
So they spend a year,
they spend four months,
they spend three
months, and then
they're still unemployed
and now even more frustrated
because they went in with
this hope and expectation
that opportunity would
be made real for them.
They served their time.
They did this program.
So now it's this program
where they go through it.
And they get a job afterwards.
Wow.
But you understand what a
big deal that is for them.
And now we're also talking
to a couple foundations
in the Silicon
Valley to figure out
if we could teach coding
to some ex-offenders
Because it's really hard--
I think coding is the one
sector where skills
trump everything.
So we're working on that.
Number two, I was
able to get banning
the box legislation passed.
So now when people apply
for City of Stockton jobs
they don't have to disclose
whether they're an ex-offender
or not.
And that's a big deal because
research shows that just having
the question on the
application depresses people
from applying even if they
were qualified for the job.
And because of that now
the county's looking at it,
institution got changed, now
different private business
are doing the same.
I worked with the police chief.
We did this tougher
pawnshop ordinance
after all the gold
chain robberies.
So we sat down and
did a problem analysis
in terms of, what
was the problem?
It was because it was
really easy for pawnshops
to buy stolen goods.
So now I just added a level
of scrutiny and security.
So now it's not as
easy for someone
who's walking with
a stolen gold chain
to get straight cash for it.
We've started this Boys and
Men of Color Alliance, which
is very similar-- I co-founded
it and co-chair it--
which is very much the same vein
as Obama's My Brother's Keeper
initiative.
And we have the county, we
have the school districts,
we have almost every sector--
health, public health,
every sector that works
with young men of color--
we have them on the
same table every month
talking about how do we
each individually improve
our outcomes.
And we've seen great
changes from that.
We had our first select
committee hearing
which is where the state
legislator came to Stockton
to learn about the work
we were doing and how
to partner with
us on that front.
We have this We Live in South
Stockton coalition, which
for the first time has
gotten everyone who's
doing-- because you know how it
is in places that are really--
have a lot of challenges,
that everyone and their mom
wants to come help.
But it's never
coordinated or strategic.
So there's no real
outcomes for it.
So I worked with a couple
community partners.
We got all the non-profits,
all the churches,
we got all the players
on the same page
for the first time ever moving
towards this common vision--
agenda.
So we have some
things go-- today
two of the nonprofits
we're working with just got
half a million from Wells
Fargo to rehab old drug houses
and make them new houses
for home ownership.
So that's a win.
We have this summer--
see I'm going
to be quiet
[? again in a second ?] we're
doing this summer literacy
program at the housing
authority.
So myself, the University of
the Pacific, the United Way,
and the housing authority
is doing a literacy program
for first- through third-graders
in two of the housing
projects in Stockton.
So 100 kids are getting free
meals and extra literacy
training.
Because reading by third grade
is such a great indicator
for outcomes.
And all that stuff's
happened in two years.
And there's a lot more things
in the way and in the pipeline.
So it's been really
encouraging to know
that, although everything
that needs to happen's
not going to happen
in four years,
we have been able to
make some progress.
And we are making some change.
And we have to, especially
with the great job
they've done on the film.
The expectations are sky high.
So I refuse to have
no outcomes and just
a whole bunch of screenings.
So we're doing work to make sure
that when I come to a screening
I feel comfortable.
OK I can talk about things
because we're actually
doing work and not just
trying to be movie stars.
JHANVI SHRIRAM: And
certainly there's
people here that have skills
or are interested in helping
Stockton or some of
the initiatives we--
MICHAEL TUBBS: [INAUDIBLE]
JHANVI SHRIRAM: --talked about
so come up and talk to Michael.
And we're so excited about
continuing the dialogue
about the film.
So if anybody else has
questions or comments,
do come up to us afterwards.
And if you guys are
on social media,
subscribe to our YouTube
channel, follow us on Twitter.
We'd love to hear from you.
MICHAEL TUBBS: That's a
good thing Jenny and Whitney
because they were
here when I was here.
They were the intern bosses.
So thank you guys.
Love you guys.
You guys are awesome.
KYLE EWING: Well,
and actually, I
want to thank you guys for
bringing this story to light.
Jenny and I were actually
chatting last week--
really excited to have you here.
And we've been so
inspired by your journey.
And it really caused us to
think about others who've
come through the BOLD program
and people who really continue
to make an impact.
And we wanted to actually
present you with an award.
The first ever BOLD
Distinguished Alum Award.
And this really is
about people who
continue to make an
impact in their community.
Your tireless commitment
to Stockton-- it's
clearly better because of you.
And we're really excited to
present you with this award.
I'm going to make
Jenny come up here.
But you can just for now
sit there on the side.
Thank you.
[APPLAUSE]
KYLE EWING: Thank you.
[APPLAUSE]
KYLE EWING: Congratulations.
Thank you.
And thank you guys for reminding
us what inspiration looks like
and bringing his story to life.
Thank you.
JHANVI SHRIRAM: Thank you.
Thank you for having us.
KETAKI SHRIRAM: Thank
you for having us.
This was great.
Thank you so much.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
[APPLAUSE]
