Israel Baryeshua (IB) & Tiffany Briseño (TB)
Israel Baryeshua (IB): I’m a single father. I have two children. I actually grew up in Griffin Spalding County. If you’re born in that county, you have, like, a 16 percent chance of getting out of poverty. So I’m like the 16 percent.
Tiffany Briseño (TB): Mmhm.
IB: And I tell that to my children — there’s no excuses. It comes from within.
TB: And that’s something that I also convey to my children. My parents grew up with nothing. My mom didn’t have shoes, didn’t have food, that kind of thing. And you know, she’s the one kid that put herself through college as a single parent.
IB: Yeah. When you think about the future, what are you most scared of?
TB: I am just really nervous for my kids. Right? Like I feel like right now, everything is just mean and nasty —
IB: Yeah. Right. Instead of reacting with kindness —
TB: Yeah.
IB: Or compassion, people are quick to react with, I guess, hate.
TB: Hate.
IB: Or anger. And not just like me and you are doing, sitting here talking and try to understand perspectives.
TB: Yeah. Is there one thing that you respect about the way that I see the world?
IB: No. [Laughs]
TB: [Laughs] Fair enough.
IB: [Laughs] I think you said that you want the best for this country, and I respect that view and I agree with that view.
TB: Okay.
IB: Is there anything that you respect that I said today?
TB: That you’re a hard-working single father that wants what’s best for his children. And I think that that’s commendable and common between you and I for sure. So.
IB: Thank you.
