Cassie
Appearances
20/20
Bad Rap: Party's Over
We began to see her more in the public as Diddy's girlfriend and less as the artist Cassie.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
Yeah, I think... That's something we're still building our capacity for that in this union, but we definitely do have relationships with other trans union activists and organizers. Yeah. We're affiliated to Workers United, which is affiliated to SEIU. So obviously that's kind of the most direct and easiest way for us to get in touch with other trans folks that are in the labor movement.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
Get support, get feedback, get ideas and share in turn what's been working for us. But it is a capacity we want to build out even further. Because we are going to need that solidarity between and among labor unions in order to form a coherent response. I mean, as you're saying, the response hasn't been working.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
The kind of problem solving we're seeing from a lot of politicians basically amounts to sidestepping the issue, pretending it doesn't exist. You know, maybe not throwing trans people under the bus explicitly by actively supporting our elimination from public life, but certainly not standing up and defending us.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
And unions are one of the only ways that working people can come together in large groups and pool resources. for political activity. And we know there are a lot of problems with how many unions currently do that. But for those of us who are very committed to struggle for equality, that's not going to compromise and throw some group under the bus.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
we understand that we have to get involved and be part of labor in order to improve how labor does politics in this country. If we want people to stand up and defend trans rights and defend trans healthcare and defend our ability to exist in public life, then we have to be the ones to do it. We have to do it.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
And getting involved in your union is one of the only accessible ways that trans people are going to be able to build that kind of political capacity and find allies.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
trans people are getting that opportunity to actually drive our own liberation. And there's just so few places in society where we get that. That's been one of the most exciting things about being part of this union for me. And yes, you should consider going to work at Starbucks and unionizing it.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
And certainly, you know, to directly plug a little bit, if there are baristas in your audience, they absolutely should go to our website. I think there will be a link like in the description of the episode or something. Go visit our union's website, get in touch with an organizer and start organizing it. I know it can sound daunting in theory. What does it mean to start organizing my workplace?
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
But there is a template. There's a plan. We've done this a bunch. We've done it at over 500 stores, at least 512 at this point nationwide, which is pretty incredible, especially to have done all that without yet having even secured our contract. So we have a good template for how to win. And if you just get in touch... then people will reach out to help you.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
And that does include professional staff, but it also includes people like us who are workers that will be peer-to-peer, worker-to-worker organizers because that's what this campaign has been built on from the beginning is workers organizing each other. So yeah, I mean, there's really truly never been a time that's better than now and also never been more essential.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
It's never been more needed than now. So this is the time. if you're not a barista or you can't become a barista, then we still really need people to sign a solidarity pledge with our union and get involved that way as allies, as supporters. Community support is always critical to union struggles.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
We are bargaining our contract with Starbucks right now, and community support is a huge part of what's going to get us you know, the contract that does deliver the kind of protections and benefits we're looking for, that does set a precedent for what trans-inclusive union organizing and union bargaining can look like in this country.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
It's kind of a terrifying responsibility sometimes, but the thing about this union is because it is one of the exciting bright spots in American labor right now, I do think a lot of people are looking to us to figure out, well, what are they doing? What's working? What's going well? And I certainly think the results we get for trans workers in our union have some precedent setting importance.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
So it is really critical, even if you're not in this union, even if you don't work at Starbucks, to support this struggle because it will have ripple effects. There will be ramifications for American labor and for the struggle for trans liberation as a consequence of how things turn out with us. So yeah, we could really use your support.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
Yeah, you really can. And I mean, you know, at my store... I was the only trans person at my store. And despite being a transsexual communist, I was able to organize a successful election at a store that includes half of people being Trump voters.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
The idea that you have to hide or diminish yourself or that because you're trans or otherwise marginalized, that it's impossible for you to build that solidarity is with your coworkers and come together for your common issues, it's just not true. People understand their own economic liberation.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
Even if they don't fully just yet, there's always an intuitive level that you understand you're getting screwed over. You can tell that the system is not set up fairly and it's not set up for you to succeed as a working person.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
And with the right conversations, with the right information, with the right relationships and solidarity that you build with someone else, people can be brought to understand what the solution is and that the situation you currently live under with shareholders and capitalists stealing all of this value from you is unacceptable and that there is a way to fight to get back what you've earned with your labor.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
So for those of you who are listening, you don't have to hide who you are politically or personally to do that work, to bring people along. And in fact, if we do hide who we are, then we're not really going to be getting people all the way to where they need to go.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
You know, we're not going to build a movement of people committed to liberation by sidestepping issues and hiding pieces of who we are and saying that, oh, well, you know, trans liberation is not really important. That's not how we're going to build a durable coalition. I think this is a problem that politicians in our country keep making.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
It's a mistake they keep making of thinking they can ignore or downplay certain issues, tensions within their coalitions to keep those coalitions together. But when you ignore it, you don't address it. It just blows up later in the end anyway. Yeah, get involved. You really have nothing to lose and nothing, you know, except your chains not to be...
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
I mean, I just realized halfway through, I was like, well, I might as well finish the quote.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
When you fight for a collective bargaining agreement, a contract between union workers and their employer, you can fight for gender affirming care to be included in the health care that's provided and make sure that that health care is affordable and actually usable by the people working there and that their wages are adequate to cover out-of-pocket expenses, including travel expenses if you live in a state that's coming under threat.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
Having non-discrimination language in a contract that covers gender identity is a really critical way to improve, not just for yourself, but then also we talk about these things like hiring discrimination, right? if you get that kind of language in a contract at a union job, that's going to help everyone who comes after you.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
Because additionally, as a union, you have the mechanism of enforcement of a grievance and an arbitration procedure, right? That's sort of, you know, the critical, in addition to obviously all the kind of actions you can perform. And, you know, we can talk about what things might look like without the NLRA. But for now, we have grievance and arbitration procedures still.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
And even in states where there are legal protections against employment discrimination for trans people like here in California, the bar to defending yourself legally is obviously a lot higher, including financially, than defending yourself through a grievance procedure at a union job, right?
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
A grievance procedure at a union job is way more accessible to the average working person than hiring a lawyer and going through a legal system that is totally stacked against you and in favor of the wealthy. Having a union to defend you is
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
you know, with the collective resources of your union that you're a part of and having your shop steward or you be a shop steward and filing those grievances yourself, it's so much more accessible for regular workers to get enforcement when they are discriminated against. And that's obviously not only relevant for trans people, but it is certainly relevant for trans people.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
It's been a focus for us for a long time. Also in part because the initial, you know, our public, um, bargaining proposals that were released early on when we first formulated our demands included improvements to gender-affirming care at Starbucks. And part of that's because there were trans people involved in writing those initial demands, right?
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
And, you know, Neha was involved nationally in the campaign and had the opportunity and the encouragement to start track, you know, we have to be part of it, I think, is on some level, you know, the most basic prerequisite for everything that came after is because trans people have been involved with this campaign from the beginning.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
We do have so much support and solidarity from our coworkers and from our fellow union comrades. regardless of whether they're cis or trans. And I think part of that is because we've really showed up and done the work. This again goes to that kind of like false narrative of there's like some kind of contention between workers' rights and trans rights.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
It's like trans people have been super motivated to get involved in this campaign and fight for the rights and benefits for every worker at Starbucks.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
Other workers have seen that, seen the way we've been involved and dedicated, and that's given them the sympathy and solidarity to stand by us for an issue that affects us very directly and somewhat narrowly compared to a lot of the other things we're fighting for. So yeah, on some level, I think it comes down to unions are a place where trans people can
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
get involved in political life in a way that's hard to do in other parts of American political life. And you get to build that solidarity. And if you're there at the table, you have a chance to highlight the issues that are important to us. And if you're fighting for everyone else, they're going to want to fight for you too.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
Lots of different struggles have been highlighted in our campaign. You know, we have really made racial justice a major priority as well. I mean, obviously, economic justice is at the core of any union struggle. invested in making sure all workers are included in this movement and their specific concerns are represented as well as our general shared concerns.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
And as more and more things get taken away at the level of federal politics and state politics in many places, people will be looking for recourse. It's like, how do I get back the stability, the protections, the dignity, the power that I've lost? Particularly if, you know,
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
some of these folks are not super democratically accountable, people will be looking for how they can build power and how they can find security when the state is not providing it and when the state's actively undermining it, actually.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
And unions are one of the truly critical irreplaceable answers for protecting yourself, for protecting the people you work with, for protecting your community, and for taking back some of the things that they're trying to do.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
take away from you, whether that's on-the-job protections, whether that's economic equality, whether that is your access to trans healthcare, whether that's protections from racism or misogynistic discrimination in your job and harassment, all of these things, if the state steps away, people should and will look to labor organizing as the answer instead.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
I think you see that in our union. We have a lot of worker leaders who are trans. It's a noticeable, obvious fact about our union is that trans people have really been deeply involved since day one at all levels of this union.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
And I think part of that is because Starbucks has been associated as a place of economic stability and opportunity for trans healthcare for a community that has relatively few opportunities. I mean, if you're talking about 18% unemployment,
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
then you're talking about people who certainly are going to have difficulty getting employer provided health care, let alone employer provided health care that's going to include gender affirming care. Right. And so Starbucks has been held up as an opportunity for that for a lot of people. it's obviously drawn a lot of us to the company.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
Many of us started working there for that exact reason, and then have discovered in many cases that it's actually not so accessible. I can say in my case, It's definitely one reason I started working at Starbucks because I heard like, hey, if you want facial feminization surgery, go work at Starbucks. That was a community tip.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
And then it turned out that I made so little money that I qualified for Medicaid. And in California, where I'm lucky enough to live, for now, Medicaid covers those things and is more affordable and accessible than the Starbucks healthcare actually was. So I ended up relying on Medicaid instead.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
And I think a lot of us have felt and seen that dissonance between coming to this company, looking for opportunity, looking for a place that is inclusive and will hire trans workers, it says, and ostensibly offers trans health care.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
But then finding out where those gaps are and realizing, like, actually, it's better for me to stay on Medicaid, which is easy to do because I make so little money at this job. It takes that shine off. And I think, you know, our economic vulnerability as a group is precisely what drove a lot of us to seek improvements here. It's related to our transness, sure.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
But it's also like just fundamental working class issues. We need better wages. We need better health care. You know, that's something everyone benefits from and everyone can relate to.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
I mean, I'm honestly heartbroken. I'm surprised at how heartbroken I am over Richard, but I can understand the sentiment.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
Honestly, I would. I think I'd give it another try. Wow.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
No, he needs a better name. This is your opportunity to get it. Gertrude 2? I don't want any reminder of Gertrude. We have to call her something else.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
Oh, he's thriving. He is thriving and surviving.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
I was loving the French, but you know what? It's okay.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
Yeah, his name is Derek. How did you guys meet? Online. And our first day, we went to a super upscale mall here in this area. We've got like a fancy mall because it's spread out into two parts.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
You could, like, shop. You can drink. Yes. And it's, like, in public. If it gets weird, you're not alone. Right.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
So honestly, I felt like we hit it off like right off the bat. There was chemistry there. Good. We walked around just like looking at stuff, and we ended up going to like a nursery, not like the baby container, but like the kind of plant.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
I'm not like a super big plant person, but I really love looking at all the stuff they had. So like I'm into it. He was a little bit more into it than me. But I was really feeling it. Yeah. Because traditionally, like I haven't really been a plant person, but I had a lot of fun. Sweet. So he was knowledgeable. He obviously has plants. Yeah. And he was like, you know, I think we should do.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
I think we should pick out a plant for each other.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
oh that's cute and it's kind of forward thinking like it's like he wants to see if you could keep it alive you know what i mean yeah i think it's like when you have some like pick an outfit for you because it's like okay what do you really think of me let's see what you pick out based off what you think my personality is that's why you make someone plant a tree that's more of a commitment yeah okay that's an interesting idea i like it what did you pick out for him
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
So the one I picked was super cute. It was, like, very whimsical. It was called a figgety fig.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
Right, okay. So that's, like, literally what I'm getting to because... What he picked for me was a freaking snake plant.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
I didn't really think about it that way, honestly. I was like, should I be offended or something? Oh, because of the snake title? Is that why? Yes. I was just, like, surprised. You know what I mean? Because, like, the one I picked for him was flirty, cute, or whatever.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
I kind of just made a joke of it because it's like he's still buying me something, right? So I'm not going to be a jerk about it.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
Well, it was, like, so fun because we, after that, we went out for drinks because there was, like, a bar inside the mall. But we brought our plants with. And it was, like, super cute. And, like, everybody was, like, coming by and looking at them and saying, like, what's the story on this? Like, it was just funny. And the whole time I felt super comfortable. And, like, it even ended with a kiss.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
Yeah, me too. Especially since we even named our plants.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
So his plant was Gertrude. I love it.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
Okay. And my plan was Leif Erikson. Leif Erikson. That's so stupid.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
So I haven't seen him in five days. Five days.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
I don't know. Mine died pretty quick, so I don't know. Have you heard from him at all? Yeah. So there's been texting, but there's been no initiation of a second date. Okay. Okay.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
Sounds like CPR in the middle of the road.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
Oh. I cannot believe this. I can't believe this. Me too. She's dead. Did you try at least to bring her back to life?
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
Yeah, where is her body? I mean, my God.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
You were going to try and replace her?
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
I mean, that's Gertrude, man. There's only one Gertrude. Yes.
Brooke and Jeffrey: Second Date Update
Second Date Update: Plant Me A Kiss
I am a good person. I thought she meant something to you.
Office Ladies
The Edge, Pt 2
Yes, I was walking around making eggs in my apartment alone going, but one man can do, another man can do. Just hyping myself up for the day.
Office Ladies
All About Pam Beesley
Ich glaube, so viele Fans, es ist, als Pam entdeckt, dass Michael ihre Mutter verheiratet hat. Oh, ja. Aber einfach das ganze Setup, dass man einen Freund hat, der nicht gut verheiratet ist, und du willst unterstützend sein, aber dann findest du heraus, in der schlimmsten Weise, dass du absolut nicht, du kannst nicht meine Mutter verheiratet haben.
Office Ladies
All About Pam Beesley
Yes, Jenna, I got you the calorie-free roses. Thank you so much, Cassie. I do love roses. And just to talk about books, I'm reading a book right now that Angela, I think you might really like. It's called The Backyard Bird Chronicles. And it's written by Amy Tan, who wrote Joy Luck Club.
Office Ladies
All About Pam Beesley
And it's just about her sitting in her backyard, learning all the birds and drawing them and just talking about their personalities.
Office Ladies
Webisode: Subtle Sexuality
This, my friends, is the powerful story of Subtle Sexuality, part-time band, full-time legend. Remember 2009? Music was headed in a wild new direction back then. Nobody thought the boundaries could be pushed any further.
Office Ladies
Second Drink: The Client with Melora Hardin
I didn't. I just guessed. Cassie. Which baseball player wears the biggest helmet? I don't know. The one with the biggest head.
Office Ladies
Bonus Christmas Episode with Brian Baumgartner
Oh my gosh, sorry. Is mousse munch just assorted popcorn flavor?
Office Ladies
Bonus Christmas Episode with Brian Baumgartner
What can it be? A basketball ornament. I love it.
Office Ladies
Bonus Christmas Episode with Brian Baumgartner
I truly love basketball, so you can't go wrong.
Office Ladies
Bonus Christmas Episode with Brian Baumgartner
Yeah, all the pictures look like creepy camping cameras.
Office Ladies
Bonus Christmas Episode with Brian Baumgartner
The reason why I got the gingerbread onesie is my friends every year, we do this thing called Rain Beer Games, which is beer pong. And we do it in the middle of the night and all dress up. And this year, my partner and I are going to be ginger gingerbread men. So we're going to wear red wigs with our onesies.
Office Ladies
Bonus Christmas Episode with Brian Baumgartner
I have a gingerbread onesie on that literally got delivered this morning.
The Ramsey Show
Skip the Scams, Build Real Wealth
And I work for a regional bank located out of Louisville.
The Ramsey Show
Skip the Scams, Build Real Wealth
That's amazing. Yeah. And so we knew at that point that we wanted to be debt free, but we weren't really doing anything to do that. It was just a dream. So I think it was January of 2021.
The Ramsey Show
Skip the Scams, Build Real Wealth
three we had kind of a financial conversation about okay what are our goals in the next two years what do we want to do two to three years and so knock it out yeah knock it out what's the house worth uh the house is probably around 275. and how much is in your old retirement mistakes
The Ramsey Show
Skip the Scams, Build Real Wealth
I think together we were just shy of $800,000. Nice. Okay.
The Ramsey Show
Skip the Scams, Build Real Wealth
Thank you, Steps Millionaires. Exactly. How old are y'all?
The Ramsey Show
Skip the Scams, Build Real Wealth
We didn't really know how to go about it. And so we looked at the baby steps, found we had already knocked out one, three, and four. Five wasn't applicable, but it's on the way. Nice.
The Ramsey Show
Skip the Scams, Build Real Wealth
And that was a big question that we had on the table was...
The Ramsey Show
Skip the Scams, Build Real Wealth
It's such a huge weight. I mean, going from even looking a couple years before we bought our home, renting, and just feeling like we were millionaires.
The Ramsey Show
Skip the Scams, Build Real Wealth
lighting our money on fire every single month or just flushing it down the toilet and now we're homeowners we own our home the bank doesn't own our home that's when we bought our home we were like the bank the bank bought our home yeah people are like your homeowners it's like not really the bank owns our home that's right we're homeowners and
The Ramsey Show
Skip the Scams, Build Real Wealth
That's still TBD. I mean, we just paid off the house and...