"The Network" with Michael Prejean

He came within 215 votes of a College Station City Council seat. Now he's back on the ballot.

Tre Watson is a fifth-generation College Station native whose family roots run back to Sterling Street, and a former student of host Michael Prejean. In this first episode of The Network's Policy, Political Discourse & Elections Series, Tre breaks down how generational families lose inherited homes, what Texas Senate Bill 1567 changed about the "No More Than Four" occupancy rule, the tension between the City of College Station and Texas A&M, and why a city law only takes four votes.

We also walk the Funky Four Corners (spiritual, physical, mental, and financial), including what it took to come back after crying over a razor-thin loss.

📌 Texas voter registration deadline for the Nov. 3, 2026 election: Monday, October 5. Check your status at votetexas.gov.

⚖️ The Network is an educational show. A candidate's appearance is not an endorsement by the host, The Network, or any affiliated business. Candidate statements are their own views.

🎙️ Recorded at Funky Four Podcast Studios

👉 Subscribe so you never miss an episode📲 IG: @the_network_podcast

⭐ Rate us 5 stars on Apple Podcasts: [link]— Campaign contact info as provided by the candidate —Social: @Tre4CSCC |

CHAPTERS

1:18 Meet Trey Watson – Candidate College Station City Council, Place 5

2:23 Educational disclaimer2:47 Flowers While They Can Smell

3:44 Moses Sterling: Five Generations of Roots

5:09 Teacher & Student, 20 Years Later

6:37 Sterling Street: Then vs. Now

9:15 When the Neighborhood Changed

10:26 Homestead Exemptions & Losing Family Land

12:19 SB 1567 & the "No More Than Four" Rule

17:38 Who Owns Student Housing?

19:02 First Time at the City Council Podium

21:40 The Rental Inspection Fight

24:08 From the Podium to the Ballot

24:47 Election Night 2024: Short by 215 Votes

28:02 Does One Vote Matter? 30% Turnout

28:45 0-for-5 on Endorsements

30:16 Protecting Older Neighborhoods

33:29 Texas A&M's Growth – Who Benefits?

34:29 "City of College Station, Not the City of A&M"

38:11 Talking to Student Renters

40:15 What A&M Does Well

41:41 How a City Law Gets Passed: Four Votes

43:00 What Being "The First" Would Mean

46:21 Funky Four Corners: Spiritual

47:36 Funky Four Corners: Physical

48:13 Funky Four Corners: Mental – Crying, Then Coming Back

50:50 "Radical" – and in Good Company

52:39 Funky Four Corners: Financial

55:02 Rapid Fire

57:37 Voter Registration Deadline

58:52 Good Medicine: Go for a Walk

1:00:35 Sterling Street, 20 Years From Now

1:01:24 You Didn't Ask: You're Loved

1:03:10 Speak Up, Speak Out, Come Together

1:07:18 Make Love the Culture

#CollegeStation #LocalElections #TheNetworkPodcast

She works with women who have been called "too emotional" their whole lives — and she's here to tell us why that messaging is dangerous.

Labria Law is a licensed therapist and founder of Oak & Anchor Resilience Center in Houston, Texas, where she builds safe spaces for Black women to process trauma, life transitions, and self-identity — without shame.

In this Women's Health Series episode, Labria drops gem after gem — including why "Be Strong" can do more harm than good, why your strongest emotions are actually boundary signals, and what to do when the volume of life exceeds your capacity.

This isn't just for women. This is for everyone who loves one.

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🕐 CHAPTERS: 0:00 — Welcome to The Network1:04 — Meet Labrea Law: Houston's Safe Space Builder2:33 — Giving Flowers to a 5-Year-Old Hero4:19 — The Quiet Strength in Our Women5:07 — Black Woman Superhero Syndrome Explained 🔑5:42 — On Authenticity: What's Really On Repeat10:06 — Inside a Therapist's Week: What People Don't See11:33 — The Story Behind Oak & Anchor Resilience Center13:31 — Why Emotional Honesty Is Hard for Black Women21:29 — The Danger of Calling Women "Too Sensitive"22:01 — 💎 YOUR EMOTIONS ARE TELLING YOU SOMETHING (KEY MOMENT)23:08 — "Be Strong" Is Actually Harmful — Here's Why25:28 — How Women Can Begin to Undo the Damage28:39 — When Mom Isn't Well: The Ripple Effect31:12 — The Laundry Service Moment + When Volume Exceeds Capacity33:34 — The Funky Four Corners33:49 — Spiritual Corner: God Leaves the 99 for the One35:25 — Physical Corner: Take Care of What Takes Care of You36:45 — 💎 MOTIVATION COMES WITH MOVEMENT37:31 — Mental Corner: Just Because It Feels True...38:17 — Intuition vs. Trauma — How to Know the Difference39:20 — Financial Corner: Have Your Own40:06 — Financial Independence & Mental Health (Maslow's Hierarchy)41:12 — Rapid Fire + Word Association45:14 — Good Medicine: Don't Abandon Yourself47:44 — Legacy: What Do You Want Them to Say You Built?49:44 — You Didn't Ask: Very Little Grows in Comfort51:44 — Make Love the Culture

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💎 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:

✅ What "Black Woman Superhero Syndrome" actually is — and why so many women don't even see it in themselves

✅ Why saying "Be Strong" can disconnect women from the support they need

✅ How your strong emotions are a warning system — not a flaw

✅ The link between financial independence and mental health (Maslow's Hierarchy, explained simply)

✅ "Motivation comes with movement" — even 2 minutes counts

✅ When the volume exceeds your capacity — permission to get support

✅ How Labria's faith and personal journey through heartbreak, church, and an abusive marriage led to her own healing and her practice

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🎙 CONNECT WITH LABRIA LAW:

Instagram: @thetelecounselor

Oak & Anchor Resilience Center: [insert link]

📲 FOLLOW THE NETWORK PODCAST:

Instagram: @the_network_podcast

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-lie-be-strong-tells-black-women-licensed/id1518062276?i=1000775744877

YouTube: https://youtu.be/NmzgJRcBxAs

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📩 IF THIS EPISODE MOVED YOU:

Hit like. Subscribe. Drop a comment with your biggest takeaway.

And share it with one woman in your life who has been told she's "too much."

You never know — she might need it.

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#TheNetworkPodcast #WomensMentalHealth #BlackMentalHealth #MakeLoveTheCulture #TherapyIsForUs

Black Music Month is bigger than a playlist. It's a legacy and DJ Champ Lifestyle (Chandra Hampton) is one of its most powerful living examples.

In this Black Music Month episode of The Network with Michael Prejean, DJ Champ Lifestyle sits down for her third appearance to talk about:

🎵 How music has been the thread running through her entire life — from church choir to spinning at the Fillmore

🏆 The story of how DJ SCRATCH found her mid-set and said, "I need her on my team"

💪 Surviving breast cancer and the therapist moment that changed everything

🧠 Why acceptance — not strength — is the real gateway to mental health

💰 Cashing out her 401k and what compound interest taught her the hard way

🎤 Why Black music isn't just culture, it's EVERYTHING!

This is The Network — your spot for elevating mind, body, spirit, and finances. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

What does it actually cost women to keep showing up for everybody else?In this powerful episode of The Network Women's Health Series, host Michael Prejean sits down with Nicole Franklin Jones — Outreach Director for AVDA (Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse), certified life coach, and a 35-year veteran of domestic violence prevention across Houston, Texas. Nicole brings the kind of truth that makes you pull over on the side of the road and run laps around your car.She breaks down how domestic violence is a full-body health crisis — spiritual, physical, mental, and financial. She dismantles the myth of the "strong woman" and the dangerous silence it creates. She shares what she saw in her late mother's obituary photo that rewired how she sees everything. And she gives every woman listening something they've desperately needed to hear: Permission.Whether you're a survivor, a single mother, a caregiver, a daughter, or someone who has been pouring from an empty cup, this episode is for you. And if you're a man? There's a word in here for you too.

She survived a mass shooting, burned out at one of the world's largest retailers, and came out the other side as a Houston-based DJ, sound healer, and wellness founder.

In this episode of The Network, Coach P sits down with Megan "DJ Purple Smoke" Patterson, founder of Higher Frequency 432 Sound & Wellness, for one of the most powerful conversations in Funky Four Corners history.

🎧 WHAT WE COVER:

► The 2017 mass shooting that changed everything (3:20)

► What she had to UNLEARN to heal (5:08)

► What is sound healing — the science explained (16:24)

► Why your body is tuned to 432Hz (19:26)

► Why this work is CRITICAL for the Black community (31:28)

► How tithing changed her financial life (51:50)

► Good Medicine: The Heartfulness App (1:00:05)

► You Didn't Ask: Choose Better (1:05:01)

🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

- Heartfulness App: heartfulness.org-

DJ Purple Smoke on YouTube: DJ Purple Smoke- Second Saturdays @ Clay Family Eastern Glades — Houston Memorial Park

- YouTube search: "432Hz frequency healing"

📱 FOLLOW THE NETWORK:Instagram: @the_network_podcast

Subscribe + hit 🔔 so you never miss an episode.

#SoundHealing #BlackWellness #432Hz #TheNetworkPodcast #DJPurpleSmoke #HolisticHealth #NervousSystemHealing #Meditation #FunkyFourCorners #MichaelPrejean

This episode of The Network breaks down one of the most debated questions in American politics:

👉 Why do Black Americans vote Democrat?

Coach P sits down with Dr. Sharlene Sinegal-Decuir to unpack the historical, economic, and political factors that shaped voting patterns in the Black community—from Reconstruction to the Civil Rights era to today.

This isn’t opinion. This is context.

💡 In this episode:

The real reason Black voters shifted parties

The impact of the Great Depression & New Deal

Why local politics matters more than you think

The connection between politics, economics, and power

🎯 If you care about:

✔️ Black history

✔️ Civic awareness

✔️ Community empowerment...

This episode is for you.📲 Subscribe to The Network for weekly conversations on mind, body, spirit, and finances.

📲 Follow Dr. Sinegal-Decuir on IG: @dr.sinegaldecuirMost people know Madam C.J. Walker — but few know Annie Turnbo Malone, the Black entrepreneur who built a beauty empire before her.

In this episode of The Network, Dr. Sharlene Sinegal-DeCuir explains how Malone built a business from her kitchen, trained thousands of Black women, and created wealth for an entire community.

But her story also carries powerful lessons about protecting ideas, patents, business partnerships, and legacy.

If you're interested in Black history, entrepreneurship, and building generational wealth — this conversation is for you.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00: Podcast Opening – The Funky Four Corners

0:38: Guest Introduction – Dr. Sharlene Sinegal-DeCuir

1:22: Giving Flowers – The Mentor Who Changed Everything

2:35: Who Was Annie Turnbo Malone?

4:20: The Woman Who Built A Beauty Empire

6:05: Madam CJ Walker Connection

7:45: Lawsuits, Divorce & Losing Wealth

9:30: Lessons for Modern Entrepreneurs

11:15: Documentary vs Book Debate

12:50: Teaching vs Public Speaking

14:15: Why Everyone Needs a History Book

15:05: Final Wisdom + Subscribe CTASubscribe to The Network Podcast for more conversations on spiritual, physical, mental, and financial wellness.

📲 Follow The Network on IG: @podcast_with_prejean

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Subscribe to The Network." You never know — you might need it."

📲 Follow Prof. Ayers on IG: @ThoughtfulKingIn this powerful episode of The Network Podcast, Coach P sits down with Professor Michael Ayers to explore Black Liberation Theology, representation in scripture, and the sociological structures that shape identity.

Are there Blacks in the Bible?

Why were we “never meant to know”?

How does faith connect to social justice?

And is financial slavery keeping our community stuck?

This conversation bridges theology, sociology, economics, and empowerment for African Americans seeking spiritual clarity and intellectual depth. The episode covers:

• Blacks in the Bible

• Colonization & identity

• Dominant ideology explained

• Love thy neighbor as thyself

• Financial freedom & credit myths

• Spiritual exhaustion

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 – Welcome to The Network: The Funky Four Foundation

1:11 – Who is Professor Michael Ayers? (Blacks in the Bible)

4:28 – Why We “Were Never Meant to Know”

8:38 – Sociology: Dominant vs Minority Groups Explained

12:41 – Colonization: Language & Religion

14:04 – Yeshua as Revolutionary

18:08 – Love Thyself First: Liberation Starts Within

21:32 – Coercive Identity Politics

30:40 – “I Don’t Want to Get Black” (Self-Perception & Colorism)

37:58 – Faith & Systemic Inequality

41:23 – Mental & Spiritual Exhaustion in Today’s Climate

44:13 – Vanity, Debt & Financial Slavery

48:26 – You Are in the Sacred Text

51:19 – Jeremiah 29:11 Testimony

1:07:18 – Financial Enslavement & Credit Score Myth

1:15:54 – Why Black Liberation Theology Is Misunderstood

Subscribe to The Network Podcast for more conversations on spiritual, physical, mental, and financial wellness.

📲 Follow The Network on IG: @podcast_with_prejean

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Subscribe to The Network." You never know — you might need it."

📲 Follow Dr. Sinegal-Decuir on IG: @dr.sinegaldecuirRedlining didn't end in the 1960s. It reshaped neighborhoods, schools, and generational wealth.

In this episode of The Network Podcast, Dr. Sharlene Sinegal-Decuir breaks down how housing discrimination created lasting inequality, and what our communities must understand to reclaim power.

TIMESTAMPS:

Subscribe to The Network Podcast for more conversations on spiritual, physical, mental, and financial wellness.

📲 Follow The Network on IG: @podcast_with_prejean

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Subscribe to The Network." You never know — you might need it."

Black music has always been more than entertainment—it has been education, resistance, and survival.In this episode of The Network Podcast, political scientist Dr. Najja K. Baptist breaks down how Black music teaches politics, how spirituality shapes resilience, and why silence itself is a political choice.

From church hymns to mumble rap, this conversation connects music, policy, health, money, and community through the lens of Black lived experience.If you’ve ever wondered why music feels like armor—or why history keeps repeating—this episode is for you.

📲 Follow Dr. Baptist on IG: @polarisdawg05

KEY THEMES IN THIS EPISODE:

• Black music as political education

• African spirituality and survival

• Policy → environment → lived experience

• Mumble rap as spiritual moan

• Political atrophy in Black America

• Community vs individualism

• Health, stress, and rest as resistance

• Why Black capitalism is insufficient

• Elders, scholarship, and liberation

• Music as memory, armor, and alarm

TIMESTAMPS

0:00–1:05 – Welcome to The Network & Funky Four Framework
1:06–2:58 – Guest Introduction: Dr. N.K. Baptist (Scholar, Author, Political Scientist)
3:00–5:40 – “Giving Flowers”: Family, Mentors, and Black Intellectual Lineage
5:41–10:00 – Church, Music, and the Formation of Black Identity
10:01–14:30 – Black Spirituality as Survival, Not Symbolism
14:31–18:00 – Mumble Rap, the Moan, and African Spiritual Expression
18:01–22:30 – Black Music as Political Education
22:31–26:00 – Music as Memory, Armor, and Political Transmission
26:01–30:00 – Policy Creates Environments → Environments Create Experience
30:01–34:30 – Poverty, Education, and Political Accountability
34:31–40:30 – Why History “Stutters” and Music Wakes Us Up
40:31–45:30 – Artists, Community Responsibility, and Political Will
45:31–50:00 – Elders, Scholarship, and Liberation Work
50:01–56:00 – Health, Stress, Rest, and Black Survival
56:01–1:00:40 – Political Atrophy & the Cost of Silence
1:00:41–1:06:30 – Money, Policy, and Why Black Capitalism Won’t Save Us
1:06:31–End – Community, Fear, and Rebuilding Together

📲 Follow The Network on IG: @podcast_with_prejean

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Subscribe to The Network." You never know — you might need it."