Thank you Reda Rountree (she/her), Jed, Education is a lamp, DC, Elphy, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app.

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Happy New Year (almost)! I’m back with a brand new episode of Research Over Mesearch, and trust me—you don’t want to miss this one. This week, I’m diving deep into the messy narratives swirling around “Somali-Minnesota fraud,” the complexities of American outrage, and even getting into what’s really going down with that “Iran declares war” headline. The streets have been talking, and I’m here to separate the facts from the dog whistles.

Here’s What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

* How Scandal Is Racialized:I break down how media and political systems use isolated instances—like the Somali daycare fraud story—to criminalize entire communities, while similar or bigger scandals in white communities don’t get the same heat.

* The Double Standard in Outrage:Ever notice how the government’s “moral outrage” about fraud is pretty selective? I unpack what happens when billions go missing at the Pentagon or the Trump Empire, compared to a few million in Minneapolis.

* Colonialism = Organized Scam:I give you a crash course in how global imperialism operates like a nation-state-level scam—exploitative narratives, historical context, and who actually profits.

* Immigration, Identity & Hyphen-Americans:Why do Black, Brown, and immigrant folks always have to answer for “their whole community,” but white folks get treated like individuals? I explain how this collective blame game works—and who really benefits.

* Manufacturing Consent & Hegemony:What does it mean when headlines tell you immigrants are stealing your cookie (while corporations have the whole tray)? I dig into “manufacturing consent,” American hegemony, and why it’s always wise to ask who’s writing the narrative.

Fun Fact From the EpisodeDid you know Elon Musk—an immigrant himself—has racked up over $38 billion in U.S. government contracts, subsidies, and loans? That’s way more than the combined wealth of all Somali Americans, but nobody’s calling him a “scammer.” Perspective, right?

I deliver the history, context, and language to help you navigate the headlines like a pro. Whether it’s breaking down the latest fraud drama or exposing the myths behind “wars” and interventions, you’ll finish this episode with a toolkit to decode political BS in all its forms.

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Let’s get there.

Do you want more prosecutions? Good. So do we.

When you hear certain politicians complain about “stupid Senate rules,” don’t get distracted by the phrasing. Listen to the fear underneath it. What they’re really worried about isn’t procedure—it’s power. They’re worried about what happens when people stop being passive. They’re worried about what happens when resistance becomes organized, funded, strategic, and unapologetic.

They’re worried about 2026. They’re worried about senators up for re-election. They’re worried about all 435 House seats being back on the table. They’re worried because they know a political reckoning doesn’t just show up at the ballot box—it shows up everywhere else first.

And let’s be honest about the environment we’re operating in.

Most of us are drowning in doom-and-gloom, hyper-capitalist fast news. The kind that’s designed to exhaust you. The kind that keeps you scrolling but never acting. The kind that convinces you everything is hopeless, irreversible, and already decided.

That’s not accidental. Exhausted people don’t organize. Overstimulated people don’t build movements. Burned-out people don’t resist.

So sometimes the most radical thing you can do is slow down.

Because drastic times call for drastic measures. And defeating fascism doesn’t happen accidentally—it requires defined resistance. Strategy. Intention. Follow-through.

And before anyone says “that’s unrealistic,” let’s talk about what’s already happened.

We’ve seen victories. Real ones. From boycotts of corporations like Target, Disney, and Home Depot, we’ve proven something important: collective action works. Money talks. Coordinated pressure matters. When people move together, systems respond.

That power didn’t come from waiting for permission. It didn’t come from politicians suddenly growing spines. It came from people deciding they weren’t powerless.

Now let’s be clear: this does not start and end with the ballot.

But voting still matters. In 2026, a lot of us are going to have to show up and vote—and when we do, we have to stand on it. Not just cast the vote and go home. Not just celebrate the moment and disengage.

Because if they try to rig it—if they try to suppress it, erase it, or steal it—we cannot respond with silence or civility theater. We have to be willing to flip tables. Metaphorically, structurally, collectively.

History doesn’t change because people were polite. It changes because people were persistent.

Here’s the part I want people to really hear. Nobody can do everything. But everybody can do something.

Maybe your role is protesting.Maybe it’s organizing behind the scenes.Maybe it’s creating content that informs and mobilizes.Maybe it’s running for office.Maybe it’s funding movements so the people doing the work can keep going.

Resistance doesn’t look the same for everyone—and it doesn’t have to. What matters is participation. Commitment. Refusing to opt out because you think your contribution is “too small.”

It isn’t.

Education is an elevation. Awareness changes posture. Knowledge changes confidence. And confidence changes outcomes.

So if you’ve been tired, overwhelmed, or numb—I get it. That’s by design. But this is your reminder that you still have agency. You still have leverage. You still have a role.

It’s time to lock in.

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I live in Texas, and I watch our communities struggle in real time. Our power grids fail. Our schools are underfunded. Our cities can’t guarantee clean water or basic sanitation. And yet, somehow, there’s always money available when it comes to international interests. That contradiction isn’t accidental—it’s political. Budgets don’t lie. They expose exactly who matters and who doesn’t.

I need to be clear about something: this isn’t theory for me, and it’s not detached analysis. This is about how power actually moves—and who it moves for.

When I hear elected officials like Ted Cruz openly say that defending the interests of Israel is a top priority of their work in Congress, I don’t hear “strong leadership.” I hear a warning bell. Because representation is supposed to flow from the people who elected you—not from lobbyists with blank checks and foreign policy wish lists.

For me, all of this connects. Foreign allegiance, misused tax dollars, and curriculum erasure aren’t separate problems—they’re symptoms of the same system. A system that tells Texans to tighten their belts while asking them to stay silent. I refuse that silence.

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Three Things Every Texan Needs to Sit With Right Now

I want to lay out three takeaways that I believe every Texas professional—and every engaged citizen—should be paying attention to. These aren’t abstract talking points. They directly affect how we’re represented, how our money is spent, and what our children are taught.

1. Elected officials and foreign allegiance

One of the most uncomfortable realities I keep pointing to is how some of our elected officials openly frame their priorities. When U.S. Senators like Ted Cruz publicly declare that defending the interests of Israel is among their top responsibilities in Congress, it raises serious questions for me about representation and accountability.

I’m not talking about casual support or diplomacy—I’m talking about a stated hierarchy of concern. When millions of dollars in lobbyist funding are involved, Texans have to ask: Who is really being represented? And whose needs get pushed to the side when foreign policy becomes more urgent than local survival?

2. Texas tax dollars and misplaced priorities

I also can’t ignore where our money is going. Texas has enormous unmet needs—education, infrastructure, public health, disaster preparedness. We’ve all lived through grid failures, water crises, and cities struggling to maintain basic sanitation.

Yet, time and time again, billions of dollars are redirected toward international causes while essential services here at home remain underfunded. As someone rooted in Texas, I find it deeply troubling that reliable energy, safe schools, and functioning cities are treated like optional expenses instead of non-negotiables.

Budgets are moral documents. They tell us exactly what leadership values—and who they’re willing to leave behind.

3. Education and curriculum shifts

Finally, there’s what we’re teaching our children. Texas students are increasingly being asked to learn about international conflicts, including Palestine, even as critical parts of local and state history are quietly removed from the curriculum.

I’m not opposed to global awareness. But I am concerned when students know more about far-away conflicts than about the histories, struggles, and movements that shaped the very communities they live in. What we choose to teach reflects our leadership’s priorities—and what they choose to erase says just as much.

Why this matters

None of these issues exist in isolation. They intersect in real ways that shape everyday life for Texans—how safe our neighborhoods are, how educated our kids become, and whether our voices actually matter in the halls of power.

If you care about where public funds go, who elected officials are truly accountable to, and what values are being passed down to the next generation, then this conversation isn’t optional. It’s necessary.

And it’s worth listening closely—before these decisions become even harder to undo.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theconsciouslee.substack.com/subscribe

Hope you’re doing well and making it through this hectic holiday season! Conscious Lee here, and in case you missed this week’s episode, we had a ton to unpack—from defining “the white comfort zone” and questioning the authority around racial conversations, to breaking down how local politics, AIPAC, and education intertwine with our day-to-day lives (plus, a real talk moment about kids and analog clocks).

Here’s a rundown of what we covered:

🎙️ Episode Highlights

🏠 Daddy Duties & Real Life

You know it’s December when life gets wild—between birthdays, gingerbread days, and last-minute school recitals, I started this week’s show right after some serious dad time. Thanks for always giving grace and tuning in, even when we start a little late.

⚪ Defining the White Comfort Zone

We kicked things off with a deep dive into the “comfort zone of whiteness”:

* What does it mean?

Whiteness is more than just skin color. It’s a social location of power, privilege, and the ability to set the rules on how we talk about race.

* Why does it matter?

The comfort zone is the meta privilege—controlling which words are allowed (or banned!) and who gets to talk about race at all.

* Who gets disrupted?

Historically, any disruption to white comfort is met with backlash, especially as conversations about critical race theory, gender, and intersectionality become more mainstream.

📚 Conservative Contradictions & Racial Gaslighting

We discussed the hypocrisy at play: banning words like “racism” or “equity” from classrooms under the guise of protecting kids, while labeling tough discussions as “indoctrination.” It’s racial gaslighting—and it’s alive and well.

🗳️ AIPAC, Local Politics & Why It Relates to You

* Why should a Texan care about Israel/Palestine? Local budgets (like $154 million from Houston alone) are diverted to foreign aid when our schools, healthcare, and communities go underfunded.

* Weapons & Policing:

Texas leads in manufacturing weapons sent to Israel, and police departments train with Israeli forces—connecting global issues with local struggles for justice.

* What can you do?

Conscious Lee

urges us to focus energy on candidates like Cori Bush, who advocate for redirecting resources into the actual needs of our communities.

🕰️ Education Crisis: Kids Can’t Tell Time

In our final segment, we got real about how cuts to education and literacy have left some youth unable to read analog clocks. If you thought America’s education crisis was just about reading and math, think again. It’s time (pun intended) to demand more from our leaders.

🔑 Final Thoughts & Takeaways

Every episode is designed to give you the toolkit—the vocabulary and concepts—to break down what’s really going on in the world. Whether you’re arguing with family, organizing in your local community, or just trying to stay informed, “Research Over Mesearch” arms you with research-driven perspective.

Don’t Miss Out!

* Catch up on missed episodes wherever you get your podcasts—Spotify, Apple, or Substack.

* Subscribe to our newsletter for full write-ups and all referenced materials.

* Let us know what you want to hear more about! Your feedback, as always, makes this community stronger.

Thanks for being part of the movement!Education is elevation.

– Conscious Lee

P.S. Did this episode help put words to what you’ve been feeling? Forward this to a friend who needs to hear it.

Subscribe | Follow on Substack | Listen on Spotify | Join the Conversation on Twitter & TikTok

Thank you Laurel Fairchild, Michele Mason, Ciara Camara Raygoza, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app.

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JD Vance said, “The reality is kids do stupid things — especially young boys. Don’t focus on what kids say in group chats, focus on the real issues.”

But see, there’s another reality here.When it’s the boys in their community, it’s “let kids be kids.”When it’s the boys in our community, they’re old enough to be charged like adults.

The irony?The “kids” JD Vance is defending are only a few years younger than him.He’s 41, calling men in their late 30s “kids.”But when our 15- and 16-year-olds make mistakes — mistakes that don’t even come close to what those men said — they’re branded criminals for life.

Let’s talk about that.

Because right now, in Texas, there are young Black students — real kids — fighting for their future. Fighting to get back into their universities after doing something reckless, dumb, immature — like kids do. But where was the grace? Where was the empathy?They didn’t get the “they’re just boys” excuse. They got punished. Publicly.They got dragged, not defended.

JD Vance wants us to “grow up” and “focus on the real issues.”But this is the real issue.When white men say racist, violent, or disgusting things, they get to be “boys.”When Black youth slip up, they get to be “felons.”

Let’s be honest: you can celebrate the man with the mustache in your group chat and still keep your job, still keep your title, still keep your dignity.But if one of us posts something out of line, you call our employers, cancel our scholarships, strip our humanity, and tell us to learn accountability.

Vance says he’s 41, a father, and that he grew up in a different world. He warns his kids to be careful online — to remember that some “scumbag” might leak what they say.But maybe that’s the problem — some of y’all never grew up. You just got older and kept the same playground logic: my mistakes are forgivable, yours are criminal.

We got brothers who’ve been in and out of jail since they were 15 for doing what these “grown kids” did in a group chat.And the system made sure they never got to recover.

So nah, JD — it’s not just about growing up.It’s about growing the hell out of the double standards that let some communities stay innocent forever while others are never allowed to be young.

Free the ones who never got to be boys.Because your boys — they’re damn near middle-aged men still being treated like children.

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This video is a bit longer than usual, I hope you watch the whole thing and sit with some of the conversations I had with Sunn m'Cheaux - we talk about the real weight of being seen, misunderstood, and consumed online. We go beyond cancel culture and clout to reflect on burnout, parasocial relationships, bipolar diagnosis, and what happens when followers confuse you for your content.

Follow @sunnmcheaux on YouTube

Twitter: https://twitter.com/theconsciouslee

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Website: http://theconsciouslee.com/

Conscious University: https://learn.theconsciouslee.com/homepage

00:00 Why We're Talking

01:15 From Professor to "Influencer"

04:22 The Illusion of Support

07:10 Tree & Fruit Metaphor: Humanity vs Content

10:03 Followers ≠ Community

13:48 Getting Dogpiled: Brick Incident & Trans Allyship

18:02 Burnout, Bipolar, and Emotional Labor

21:00 The Myth of Followers = Dollars

24:00 Managing Hate & Curating Comments

27:30 Interrogating Intent vs Impact

31:02 Platform Shifts & Creator Traps

35:00 When Your Humanity Gets Erased

37:12 The Real Cost of “Clapback Culture”

40:40 The Ethics of Engagement

44:50 Legacy, Philosophy & Intellectual Inheritance

48:15 Final Reflections on Creator Identity

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Standing in Galveston, I’m reflecting on the place where our people were told they were free—years late. Juneteenth didn’t mark the end of slavery, it exposed the lengths this country went to keep Black people in chains, even after the law said otherwise. From the 4th of July to the 13th Amendment, this video speaks on how American freedom was never meant for all of us.

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Conscious University: https://learn.theconsciouslee.com/homepage

#history #independenceday #juneteenth

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I was the keynote speaker at the National Debate Tournament, and here’s what I thought!

When it comes to debate, there’s levels to this—and these speakers operate at the top. From personal growth to political fire, they’re dropping insight, heat, and direct shots at the performative pundits ducking real competition.

This is raw strategy, lived experience, and unmatched rhetorical skill on full display.

If you think you’ve seen debate… think again.

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Conscious University: https://learn.theconsciouslee.com/homepage

#benshapiro #charliekirk #turningpointusa

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Education is elevation - If you only read one sentence today, let it be this: “States’ rights” is the political Swiss‑Army knife of oppression—ever‑useful, never out of style.

The same playbook is being beta‑tested on every front: LGBTQ+ rights, voting access, curriculum bans. If they can localize power, they can atomize resistance. “Let’s let the states decide” becomes “let’s let some people lose.”

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Conscious University: https://learn.theconsciouslee.com/homepage

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theconsciouslee.substack.com/subscribe