Ebony Parson, 28, died September 14, 2013 in a Conway, S.C Bingo parlor, shot to death by an estranged lover who then killed himself with his own shotgun.

Ebony was one of nearly 20 people per minute who are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. Unfortunately, her abuser, a jealous former boyfriend, took her life.

In Ebony’s case, there were warning signs that she was in trouble. In fact, she called 911 so many times reporting abuse that they told her to stop calling or she’d be arrested.


October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so today we have with us on the Lean to the Left podcast Ebony’s sister, Gwendolyn Reed, founder of Ebony’s Hope, which she started a year after her sister’s tragic death.

The organization’s goal is to inspire, educate and help citizens and to reduce the number of domestic violence murders and other crimes.

“Had we known about several different things maybe we could have done something different,” Gwen says on the podcast. “And I, that's just how I feel. I, and Ebony Hope is my, ‘sorry’ to her. I don't know what else I could have done different to save my mom a baby.”

So, Ebony’s Hope, a 501c3 charitable organization that accepts contributions, works as a liaison between domestic violence victims and available community and governmental resources.

“Ebony Hope is just basically me wanting the community to know and citizens and victims to know that they're not alone. That there's resources here for family members to know that there's help out here in the community. So, they, they won't end up another Ebony. Because I don't want that for anybody.

“I cry for my sister sometime one or two times a week. I cry for my mom. Ebony Hope is my ‘daily sorry’. If I save one person, then I did okay with this tragedy.”

To help others, Gwen sponsors an annual community event to provide information and help, bringing together other organizations that support domestic violence victims. This year's event takes place on the lawn of the Old Courthouse on Main Street in Conway, SC, Saturday, October 29. More info here.

In Washington, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell let the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) expire rather than pass a measure to close the deadly "boyfriend loophole", which allows convicted domestic abusers to purchase guns. The bill had been approved by the House of Representatives, 263-158, with 33 Republicans joining all but one Democrat in passing it -- despite threats from the National Rifle Association.

Here are some of the questions we asked Gwen.

Q. First, can you recount for us what happened to Ebony and why?

Q. Had she been in an abusive relationship with this guy before that?

Q. Do you think her death could have been prevented?

Q. How did this affect your own life, and that of your brothers and sisters?

Q. You said that Ebony didn’t know what resources were available to help her, and that you didn’t either. So you’re trying to fix that with Ebony’s Hope, right?

Q. You mentioned that children are the uncounted victims and that a child who has witnessed domestic violence is more likely to become a victim or even an abuser. Explain that, please.

Q. What needs to be done to make things better?

Q. How is Ebony’s Hope helping?

Q. What can the community do to get involved?

Q. What are some of the resources available here in South Carolina and elsewhere to help victims of domestic violence?

Q. What should someone who is a victim of domestic violence do?

Q. You’re the co-author of Fortitude of an Overcomer. What is that?

Click here for the complete unedited transcript.

Deeper reading:

“I’ll Pray for You, A Christian Woman’s Guide to Surviving Domestic Violence.” -- Donna...

Show Notes



Ebony Parson, 28, died September 14, 2013 in a Conway, S.C Bingo parlor, shot to death by an estranged lover who then killed himself with his own shotgun.

Ebony was one of nearly 20 people per minute who are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. Unfortunately, her abuser, a jealous former boyfriend, took her life.

In Ebony’s case, there were warning signs that she was in trouble. In fact, she called 911 so many times reporting abuse that they told her to stop calling or she’d be arrested.


October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so today we have with us on the Lean to the Left podcast Ebony’s sister, Gwendolyn Reed, founder of Ebony’s Hope, which she started a year after her sister’s tragic death.

The organization’s goal is to inspire, educate and help citizens and to reduce the number of domestic violence murders and other crimes.

“Had we known about several different things maybe we could have done something different,” Gwen says on the podcast. “And I, that's just how I feel. I, and Ebony Hope is my, ‘sorry’ to her. I don't know what else I could have done different to save my mom a baby.”

So, Ebony’s Hope, a 501c3 charitable organization that accepts contributions, works as a liaison between domestic violence victims and available community and governmental resources.

“Ebony Hope is just basically me wanting the community to know and citizens and victims to know that they're not alone. That there's resources here for family members to know that there's help out here in the community. So, they, they won't end up another Ebony. Because I don't want that for anybody.

“I cry for my sister sometime one or two times a week. I cry for my mom. Ebony Hope is my ‘daily sorry’. If I save one person, then I did okay with this tragedy.”

To help others, Gwen sponsors an annual community event to provide information and help, bringing together other organizations that support domestic violence victims. This year's event takes place on the lawn of the Old Courthouse on Main Street in Conway, SC, Saturday, October 29. More info here.

In Washington, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell let the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) expire rather than pass a measure to close the deadly "boyfriend loophole", which allows convicted domestic abusers to purchase guns. The bill had been approved by the House of Representatives, 263-158, with 33 Republicans joining all but one Democrat in passing it -- despite threats from the National Rifle Association.

Here are some of the questions we asked Gwen.

Q. First, can you recount for us what happened to Ebony and why?

Q. Had she been in an abusive relationship with this guy before that?

Q. Do you think her death could have been prevented?

Q. How did this affect your own life, and that of your brothers and sisters?

Q. You said that Ebony didn’t know what resources were available to help her, and that you didn’t either. So you’re trying to fix that with Ebony’s Hope, right?

Q. You mentioned that children are the uncounted victims and that a child who has witnessed domestic violence is more likely to become a victim or even an abuser. Explain that, please.

Q. What needs to be done to make things better?

Q. How is Ebony’s Hope helping?

Q. What can the community do to get involved?

Q. What are some of the resources available here in South Carolina and elsewhere to help victims of domestic violence?

Q. What should someone who is a victim of domestic violence do?

Q. You’re the co-author of Fortitude of an Overcomer. What is that?

Click here for the complete unedited transcript.

Deeper reading:

“I’ll Pray for You, A Christian Woman’s Guide to Surviving Domestic Violence.” -- Donna Wayles, interviewed on the Lean to the Left podcast.

"Fighting Violence Against Women & Children" -- Roger A. Canaff, former Special Victims ADA & author, interviewed on the Lean to the Left podcast.

"Trauma of a Pastor's Betrayal" -- Sandy Phillips Kirkham, author "Let Me Prey Upon You," interviewed on the Lean to the Left podcast.

Show Transcript

Gwen Reed's 'Daily Sorry,' the Consequences of Domestic Violence

[00:00:00] Bob Gatty: Ebony Parson, she's just 28 years old, died September 14th, 2013, in a Conway, South Carolina bingo parlor. She was shot to death by an estranged lover who then killed himself with his own shotgun. Ebony was one of nearly 20 people per minute who are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United. Unfortunately, her abuser, a jealous former boyfriend, took her life. October is domestic violence Awareness month. So today we have with us Ebony's sister, Gwendolyn Reed, founder of Ebony's Hope, which she started a year after her sister's Tragic Death. The organization's goal is to inspire, educate. Help citizens and to reduce the number of domestic violence, murders, and other crimes. Gwen, thanks for being with us today on the Lean to the [00:01:00] Left Podcast.

[00:01:00] gwen_reed: Thank you for having.

[00:01:02] Bob Gatty: So it's my pleasure. First can you tell us Gwen, what happened to Ebony and why did it happen?

[00:01:08] gwen_reed: Ebony was and killed by her strange boyfriend, as you said, 10 days prior to him killing her. Going inside that bingo, he had kidnapping, beating her. At the time of Ebony's death, the law deaths are in place now, Weren't in place resources wasn't as well known. We did what we know what to do Ebony to, for her to leave and live. Unfortunately he had it in him. To kill Ebony. I won't say so much to kill himself. I think that was an afterthought because three days before he killed Ebony, he let his family knew. That he was going to kill her and nobody told us. As I was saying, Ebony was sitting in a bingo parlor. 10 days after Kevin Register beaten and kidnapper was arrested and released bond a no contact clause in the bond conditions.

[00:01:56] However, he still to that bingo on that [00:02:00] night and blew put the shotgun to Ebony's head and blew it off.

[00:02:05] Bob Gatty: Oh my God. So this was a situation that had been ongoing. This guy. She was in a relationship with him. He was violent in this relationship. He was told to stay away from her. There was an order ordering him to stay away from her, and yet he did this. Is that correct? Is that what

[00:02:24] gwen_reed: That's exactly what happened. It was a escalating situation with Ebony. She had called her law enforcement several times. She was told that if she had called 9 1 1 anymore, she would be prosecuted

[00:02:34] Bob Gatty: Man. What?

[00:02:35] gwen_reed: For misuse of 9 1 1. I guess because she was going back, I don't know the details of that. I just knew that she was told not to call them anymore. 

[00:02:42] Bob Gatty: Oh

[00:02:44] gwen_reed: Tuesday before Ebony was killed, that Saturday enforcement was called because he was threatening her and he was walking around my sister house where we thought was a safe place and a part of it was no contact. But when police came in they mishandled a situation, what and what we see so often. [00:03:00] They were going to arrest Ebony until she, we had to, She, my siblings and her had to say wait, he's contacting me. And I think that's part of the reason the handling of various DV cases the knowledge of resources and, educating survivors. There was a lot of balls drop on Ebony behalf.

[00:03:18] I think I, even myself as a family member, I can say that, 

[00:03:22] Bob Gatty: can 

[00:03:22] gwen_reed: I saw the signs, but I chose not to really be like he, he's not, we think that hey, he will not try if E Ebony's one of 15 children. So you wouldn't think that this young man would, we had that misconception that he's not gonna come do anything cuz he know. We'll, it'll He would get his butt kicked, for lack of better words. But at the time of when they removed Kevin register's body out of that bingo parlor, he had shot Ebony in her back and in her head, he had shot himself one time. He still had 23 bullets on him, on his person for that shotgun. shotgun that Kevin a convicted felon [00:04:00] had reported, stolen and sold at a yard sale.

[00:04:03] So that is some of the things. I believe that we need to be educated on, on, on different things. I just believe that, had we known the resources as a family know not to let her do the things that she was doing, had she had a victim advocate, had we known about a safe haven?

[00:04:17] Had we known about several different things maybe we could have done something different. And I, that's just how I feel. I, and Ebony Hope is my, sorry to her. I don't know what else I could have. Different to save my mom a baby.

[00:04:32] Bob Gatty: Gwen, that must have thrown you into just a whole heck of a lot of guilt. You tried and you tried and you tried and yet, and that yet this happened. And so you turned that into Ebony's Hope, right?

[00:04:46] gwen_reed: I did. Ebony Hope is just basically me wanting the community to know and citizens and victims to know that they're not alone. That there's resources here for family members to know that there's help out here in the community. So they, they won't end up [00:05:00] another Ebony. Cuz I don't want that for anybody.

[00:05:02] I cry for my sister sometime one or two times a week. 

[00:05:07] I cry for my mom. I cry for. It's again, Ebony Hope is my daily, Sorry. If I save one person, then I did okay with this tragedy.

[00:05:22] Bob Gatty: Ebony's Hope is your daily.

[00:05:24] gwen_reed: It's my daily, sorry,

[00:05:26] Bob Gatty: Wow. Now, you said that Ebony didn't know what resources were available to her and that you didn't either now, and so Ebony's Yeah. So your organization is trying

[00:05:38] Help with

[00:05:38] that 

[00:05:39] What resources are you talking?

[00:05:40] gwen_reed: We didn't know about a, sorry,

[00:05:43] Bob Gatty: That's okay. Sweet. It's

[00:05:45] okay It's 

[00:05:46] gwen_reed: we didn't know about a victim advocate. We didn't know that. W

[00:05:51] Bob Gatty: was a victim advocate available

[00:05:53] gwen_reed: I think they,

[00:05:54] the after Ebony was killed, it was released officially that Ebony death was preventable. [00:06:00] and I asked by who? Cuz we did what we knew to do and that was the stand. So Ebony Hope is about, One, Ev I do several things throughout the years with victims with supplying resources Ebony's Hope. But on the last Saturday of October, I do a huge event on a courthouse lawn in Conway, where I've asked other organizations that help women and children men who's been victim in their family with domestic violence. It, it does no good to have the resources if the community don't know about it.

[00:06:32] Ed Hope has at least liaison between the c. And the resources because want them to use it. I want a woman to leave and live. I don't a family years down the road to feel like how I feel or not. Just me. Again, Ebony was one of of 15 we're one of 15 born on a plant.

[00:06:54] We were, we grew up we grew up poverty, but we knew how to take [00:07:00] care of each. We knew how to get through with each other. And that's my biggest thing. It's, and even though it was 15 of us, I think each of us, all my mom, I never heard my mom holler, like my mother hollered at night. She came to that bingo par. 

[00:07:16] Bob Gatty: Oh 

[00:07:16] gwen_reed: The way that my mom hollered because my father was shot and killed. My mother was 29 years old with 15 of us. We knew how to stuck But the way my mother call out to God that night and ask, God, I never ask you for riches. I just ask you to take any these kids,

[00:07:32] And I don't wish that on 

[00:07:34] I don't wish. echoing of what I heard and walking my family to the sidewalk. And my sister witnessed Ebony being killed.

[00:07:45] Bob Gatty: Your

[00:07:45] sister 

[00:07:46] gwen_reed: sister was in the bingo when was killed. And we were minutes away. So all got there before,

[00:07:57] Bob Gatty: oh.

[00:07:57] gwen_reed: And we stayed they [00:08:00] wh until they took her away, we stayed.

[00:08:02] Bob Gatty: Oh

[00:08:03] Oh my God, I'm so sorry that this happened to you. It's just awful. But what you're doing, you should be really proud of what you're doing and I that Ebony's hope makes an impact for other people. Cause I know that's what you want.

[00:08:21] that is the legacy that you want for your sister,

[00:08:24] correct 

[00:08:24] gwen_reed: I do, I want I definitely wanna leave a le not to, Cause she created a legacy in life. What we wanna do with Ebony's hope is prevent, as much death, as much tragedy we could.

[00:08:39] Bob Gatty: How old were you when this happened? Cause you're not a, you're a young woman

[00:08:42] now so 

[00:08:43] gwen_reed: I was 30.

[00:08:44] Bob Gatty: happened Oh 

[00:08:45] gwen_reed: I'm 11

[00:08:46] I'm 11 years older than Ebony. She just looks like me.

[00:08:49] Bob Gatty: You're kidding

[00:08:50] me

[00:08:52] So that makes you 4 47. Ladies and gentlemen, if you are listening to this in [00:09:00]audio, this young woman looks like she's about 25

[00:09:02] years old

[00:09:03] So so that's why I'm so surprised at any. Let me see, where were we? You've got me all

[00:09:11] gwen_reed: I'm sorry,

[00:09:12] Bob Gatty: stuff. That It's okay.

[00:09:13] gwen_reed: I'm sorry. I

[00:09:16] Bob Gatty: Now. Now there, there was a state law passed in South Carolina dealing with domestic violence several years ago. Do you know about that? Is there more though that needs to be done, not just here, but around the country to help victims? To help prevent this kind of stuff.

[00:09:33] gwen_reed: That isn't a, the law that they in pass. It is a gateway and it is a start on making changes. We have, I think this the first year that South Carolina as a whole has been not in the top 10 of domestic violence in the country. We have, we are number 11 this year. In fact according to statistics, where we reran number 11.

[00:09:56] So there is the laws have made stiffer punishment under [00:10:00] certain circumstances. But again, I ju Does it do enough? Does it stop? It does it stop them? Does it stop them from. Beating them or does it help a victim? I can't say that it does. And there needs to be more, there needs to be so much more for victims.

[00:10:16] They need, we need to take some of the stigma off domestic that exists in our country, in our community, and in our state because losing people.

[00:10:24] Bob Gatty: You talked about stigma before when you said that in effect when you said that they were going to arrest Ebony. For calling 9 1 1 too many

[00:10:36] times 

[00:10:37] They didn't, Apparently they didn't believe her.

[00:10:40] gwen_reed: I I, at that time I, in depth of what Ebony told me, and this is just coming from what she told me, is that, I guess she had called him so many times and maybe she dropped the case or what have you. I would tell you as a family, We suspected a lot of things, but we didn't expect it. I suspected abuse because [00:11:00] like I said, I'm 11 years older than Ebony and we were, that was my baby. That was, and so she was a little and stuff and she started calling police and she was like, I was like, Ebony, he was on, She called me and he was walking around my sister house, beating on the.

[00:11:16] Bob Gatty: Oh geez 

[00:11:17] gwen_reed: And so I was like, Ebony, call the police. And I called my sister who was at work and told her to call her neighbor. And so she was like, she wasn't going the night that he had beaten, kidnapped her and she ran from their house. To my sister. That night law enforcement wasn't going to arrest him because he wasn't at the scene of the crime, but he kept riding by rearing up his truck. And so one officer, was like, No, we're not gonna do this.

[00:11:41] And he pulled him over and he arrested him on that night. Otherwise he wouldn't have been. The night that that Tuesday before Ebony was killed, under the conditions of his bonds, he should have been arrested. He should have been arrested for a broken condition, but he. He wasn't, They said they were gonna go to him and come back.

[00:11:59] [00:12:00] They never came back. And when they did, came back, they were picking anybody up off the bingo floor. So again, they did not come back. And I'm not beating down law enforcement because I don't think law enforcements is trained. For domestic violence cases we needs to be more training in that aspect or they need something, there needs to be something.

[00:12:18] There's a gap there. And again, I'm not beating them down, but I just say just as I feel I fail. Ebony Law, I, I believe the judicial system failed my sister way more.

[00:12:31] Bob Gatty: Oh that's apparent. So you say that you feel like they're not trained, so would you say that there needs to be more, For example counseling psychological assistance made available to the police departments who have to deal with these kinds of calls?

[00:12:47] gwen_reed: I do because even with law enforcement, again, I don't I'm not saying. Those individual I, what I will say is they're not And even for law enforcement, I will say this, that is very dangerous. [00:13:00] Here in Conway, we've lost law. Officer Gerald going to helping somebody in the DV system. He was shot and killed.

[00:13:07] So we've lost police. DV calls are one of the most dangerous calls. For an officer to go in. But oftentimes when they go into one and there is an act of violence or whatever, and it doesn't get they would either and be like, You go this way, you go that way. think there needs to be a training on how to properly address them to address the situation, again, can't forego that.

[00:13:32] Law enforcements have to protect their own safety too, because it is volatile and it could. We've seen it happen to her. We just saw it a couple of years ago in Florence where three officer were killed answering a, on a call. So we have to be very careful, there needs to be a little more in depth and education on hand to hand, how to handle these calls, how to handle the victims and that so that we don't re-victimize them.

[00:13:55] Cuz if you tell somebody who's getting their butt beat, if you call again, you're going to [00:14:00] jail, I'm not gonna call you again. I'm gonna take my behind, whoop it. I don't think that's right.

[00:14:04] Bob Gatty: Exactly. Now, so what are you guys, what's e Ebony's Hope doing to try to help this situation? I know you're having this event, October, you said October 27th

[00:14:16] in Conway Correct

[00:14:18] 29th,

[00:14:19] 29th. And it's a explain again what it.

[00:14:23] gwen_reed: It is on October the 29th. I'm having Ebony's Hope ninth Annual Violence Awareness Rally. And what I do is exactly what Ebony mission is I bring. Different organization in the community that help victims domestic violence are different things. we invite the law enforcement, we invite family Justice, who's our main headquarter.

[00:14:42] We invite rape crisis. We invite a number of therapists, different organization legal assistants, whatever it is that I that my sister needed to li to live. on that day, we bring, it's a completely free. We partner, we have games out there. We have the resources out [00:15:00] there. We have food out there.

[00:15:01] We give each shower a hat and glove. We do household baskets. It's a free day to get the, to bring the community with the resources so they know that they're not out here alone, that there's help out here. Even if you don't use it on a of that event, become educated on the resources out here. In Horry County, Georgetown County, or wherever. Here, there, here's help.

[00:15:20] Bob Gatty: Where exactly in Conway will this

[00:15:23] be 

[00:15:23] gwen_reed: It's hold on. The old courthouse lawn at 1201 Third Avenue South. It's the old Horry County Courthouse in common.

[00:15:31] Bob Gatty: Okay. All right. Good. Now Aside from that, how can the community get involved with helping out the situation?

[00:15:40] gwen_reed: The community can get involved with. Ebony Hope is basically I do get some donation, but it's mainly fun through myself and I put 20% of my business income into that business so I can provide. Emergency shelter, assistance if they need to go to school. If I can't partner with the adult education that helps us out with educational goals [00:16:00] what have you, they can get involved with knowing with, they can come out and just support. There will be a lot of a lot of the clienteles that I've and victims and their family will be on the ground. They're not point. But it is a day that, we wrap ourself around the community. We, the people in the community help the victims. So they feel like they're not alone. I don't point them out and say, Hey, it's this and that.

[00:16:23] Because I, what I've learned is that I. Women are more likely, women are, men are more likely to get the resources in a fun environment. So that's what Ebony Hope is on that day. We bring everybody out to just educate the community to be a part of it. however they can, if they wanna donate to Ebony's Hope and it's calls that is If they wanna volunteer 

[00:16:47] Bob Gatty: Okay 

[00:16:48] gwen_reed: That is available as well. Currently looking for more volunteers because it gets tiring. It gets a lot.

[00:16:54] Bob Gatty: How can people reach out to you to either donate or volunteer?

[00:16:59] gwen_reed: They can reach, [00:17:00] they can call me at (843) 450-4976. To they can via PayPal at Ebony's Hope four 20. At gmail.com or make a checkout to Ebony. Or dis donate supplies or you don't have, we do the trunk or treat. So there is an opportunity to participate in that trunk or treat. We make it really fun. So the way that we have it structured is that it's a trunk of treat, but it's so that an abuser won't come out there and cut. It's structured under family fun. So it's a safe environment. So if somebody pick up that flyer and say, Oh, you're going to chunk of treat, they'll see that. Opposed to everything else, it's, we sign kids up for Christmas at that event. We do a number of things. We do.

[00:17:49] Bob Gatty: Is e's hope a chair, an official charitable

[00:17:52] organization 5

[00:17:53] 0 1 3.

[00:17:55] 0 1 3

[00:17:55] gwen_reed: all donation is tax deductible to Ebony, so

[00:17:59] Bob Gatty: Okay. [00:18:00] That's important. Alright, so let's see here. If someone is a victim of domestic violence Gwen, what should they do?

[00:18:09] gwen_reed: if you're an adamant dangers, please call nine one. 

[00:18:13] Bob Gatty: Okay 

[00:18:14] gwen_reed: if you 9 1 1 and get law enforcement out there, the next step is to call domestic violence hotline or your legal office. Could you see me to call your, We have a national hotline. And we also have local services here, but your first point of contact will be your, I'm getting a number for the hotline.

[00:18:38] I don't have it on high on hand, so I didn't wanna give them the wrong number. I had some of it, but I did not wanna give it. Okay. If you're not, if you, if 9 1 1 and you just wanna report and see what resources that, that is available to you, you can call the National Violence Hotline and that number is one eight. 7 9 9 7 2 3 3.

[00:18:59] Bob Gatty: Okay [00:19:00]

[00:19:00] gwen_reed: we also have family justice here in Orry and Georgetown County. That service, I think Orry, Georgetown in Williamsburg County. But that national hotline, no matter where you are in the world, if you call that they will put you in contact with your local assistant.

[00:19:16] Bob Gatty: Okay

[00:19:17] That's really important because we have listeners all over the place and Not just in South

[00:19:23] Carolina

[00:19:23] But I know that everyone , who cares about this kind of tragic situation will be touched by your story. Gwen, and what you're doing now, you're the co-author of Fortitude of an

[00:19:39] What is What

[00:19:40] gwen_reed: Fortitude of An Overcome is a book of collective alter of other writers who have been through something in their life. And so collectively, 11 of us got together and wrote the fortitude of an Overcomer and the experience that we had encouraging people that, with perseverance their termination, that you overcome anything.

[00:19:57] For me personally, it was. It [00:20:00] means in my section of it, I wrote about my sister's story. I wrote about some of my life plight. Because a lot of time people think that when you come before them with domestic or you come before 'em saying you can get over things that you can't. For me, I wrote about getting over Ebony's death and how hard it was for to be able to to look in the mirror every day. Because she looked like. And for me, I didn't think that I was beautiful. I thought that my beauty was tied up in Ebony. So Ebony was killed I searched for my beauty because I took her, I took her a college test. I took her high school GED test. I was there for her for whatever she was going through in her life.

[00:20:41] And so once they took her, I was like 

[00:20:44] Bob Gatty: Oh wait a minute Wait

[00:20:45] a minute. now. Are you admitting

[00:20:48] gwen_reed: I did I really took it. I went to, or Joyce, she was going for sonography and Ebony was like, Okay, go take this test for me. And I was like, Okay, Ebony, I'm gonna go, because we look alike. If you look at the pictures, we look alike. So I was [00:21:00] like, Okay, I'm gonna go. And she's My family calls me Tanya.

[00:21:02] She's like, All right, Tanya, go in there and act like me. like, Okay, gonna go in there and act like you. So I went and I took the test. So I got her classes and I brought her back. The classes that she got into. And she was like, I told you, go in there and act like me. And I'm like, I did. I missed some questions.

[00:21:17] She was like, You gonna take these classes right here online? Cause I told you to go in there and act like me. I'm take. So it was just so funny that, with her, it was just, that was my baby. We would stay up, sing stuff. So I just wanted them to know we just, just getting over, I, I promise you I would've never been out here on a public arena, had God not taken. Allow her to go. I would've been just happy in my little square of the world laughing and doing whatever she told me to do. Even though I was 11 years older than her, she was constantly saying, You're book smart, but you're, Excuse my French. Can I say it?

[00:21:50] Bob Gatty: You'd say what

[00:21:50] gwen_reed: She would say, You're book's smart, but you're green as hell. told you to in there and act like me. I did. So it was just, those are the things that bring tears to [00:22:00] my eyes. Just, 

[00:22:00] Bob Gatty: So this was a young . She's 11 years older than you, and she's telling you're green as

[00:22:07] gwen_reed: Yeah she I'm older. She was like, You're green as hell. Like you're book smart. And it's so funny because I know I'm book smart, but I, I'm a little but I had to, I didn't have to, cuz she had a lot of mouth. Ebony had mouth. She just, she was mouthy. She was going to tell you what it was that's what it was.

[00:22:24] But I. And I just I promise you, I miss my sister. I know my family, her niece is in it. It's, she was a handful. would, we had, as a family, we would have wrap off. Now my mom got 15 kids. Everybody sings but me. I sound like a dead dog. I started low budget records with Ebony. So my brother-in-law was a ceo.

[00:22:48] I was a executive director. We would have rappers send us their CEO and we would make them think that they got a label. But you had to sound awful. You couldn't come singing cuz I can't sing. some. And sister just wrote it's time [00:23:00] for a little budget remix. It's been so hard to get out there and just rap cut up like we used to because she's not here.

[00:23:05] I, we started that together late in the nighttime when we were up talking or whatever. We, I would just rap and I sound awful rapping as well, but it was happy music. It was that music that, it didn't have to sound good to you, it felt. We just had she was that one that would get me into, Come on Glen, we gonna go do such and such.

[00:23:23] And I'm like, All right. Or come on time. Come on girl. I'm like, Girl, I'm not going. she would always, you would think that she was the oldest. I was, I followed around. I did, I of followed her around. She just had big personality. In our family, she's just it's, I have 43 nieces and. She's just sorely missed and our family are cutting up rapping and it just don't fit for me. We still, they, we still get together, but for me it just seemed we had that empty chair, that empty, but she was, Oh my God, promise you those who met her know the love and aspiration. But those, the world really a [00:24:00]treat. He really took a. He really did. But you would've loved us. Rap. I'm gonna rap for you one time. I'm send it to you. Don't 

[00:24:09] Bob Gatty: Go ahead

[00:24:09] Go

[00:24:10] ahead Go ahead Oh

[00:24:13] do It Okay All right that's too bad ladies and gentlemen. You're missing out something, I'm sure. Now, where can people get ahold of this fortitude of an

[00:24:24] overcomer book 

[00:24:24] gwen_reed: is on Amazon. You can buy it off Amazon. It is. It was self-published by one of the authors or twa. She is a life coach. So we, it is an amazing book. It is amazing book for anybody who is, has been through, who feel like they can't get through. Stand to say that you know what? You can, It's you get you.

[00:24:46] Some people that just love you, love on. You can. really can. You can almost death

[00:24:54] Bob Gatty: pH Gwen, what kind of business do you have that you're able to fund[00:25:00]

[00:25:00] this program 

[00:25:01] gwen_reed: Which one?

[00:25:02] Bob Gatty: you What

[00:25:03] do, you

[00:25:03] Which one? How many

[00:25:06] do you have 

[00:25:07] gwen_reed: work, I literally am a worker. I'm not a big sleeper, so I work I do tax preparation, I do bookkeeping, and I do, have a cleaning service I believe that. 

[00:25:18] Bob Gatty: You have a cleaning

[00:25:19] gwen_reed: Yes. 

[00:25:19] Bob Gatty: You have people that work for you in this cleaning

[00:25:22] gwen_reed: I clean too. Yes. Yeah.

[00:25:26] Bob Gatty: So you are indeed a worker and you are putting 20%. I wanna make sure people understand this. This young woman is putting 20% of her business income into this Ebony's Hope program.

[00:25:40] So if she could do that, you guys can cough up a few bucks. So come on, let's do it. Let's send some, let's send some love to to Gwen and to Ebony's Hope. Okay. All right. Gwen, thank you so much. I really appreciate you being with us. You got anything else you wanna tell us before we sign off?

[00:25:59] [00:26:00] I made you

[00:26:00] cry a couple times 

[00:26:01] gwen_reed: I'm a cry baby but no, I didn't think I was gonna quiet. I was so ready for you. Then I got on here and it was like, Okay, here we go. Get in a bucket of water. but it, 

[00:26:11] Bob Gatty: Oh you did 

[00:26:12] gwen_reed: but I, apologize for that, but it's been nine years, but it feels like yesterday, especially with. The only thing else I would tell somebody, if you see something of, you think something is, I'd rather you be wrong than to be right and you sit in this place, because I had inkling and I thought I, but I was told you're just jealous cuz she's not around you as much.

[00:26:32] And I was jealous. So I was like, maybe. But had I listened to myself more so than, Hey you're just jealous cuz she's not under you. I don't know what would've happened, but I'd rather. Make a mistake with reporting it or saying something to them than for you to be burying baby sister. So if you see something, think something, do something. Don't be me.

[00:26:56] Bob Gatty: Okay. I hear some noises in the background. You got [00:27:00] some little kids running around or

[00:27:01] something 

[00:27:01] gwen_reed: Oh no, No babies. No babies. My baby's No 

[00:27:05] Bob Gatty: Oh, really?

[00:27:06] gwen_reed: No babies. No babies. Now I have with No Babies.

[00:27:11] Track 1: Okay.

[00:27:12] gwen_reed: Yes, but it might be,

[00:27:14] I don't know 

[00:27:14] Bob Gatty: Quinn. Oh, it knows. No big.

[00:27:17] gwen_reed: but

[00:27:17] I thank you for having me. I thank you for bringing awareness to domestic violence awareness to domestic violence. because we have to be more educated.

[00:27:27] I tell you, I will strengthen that bringing ki, making kids aware of it. A child that witness domestic is more likely to be an abuser or a victim. that's why I focus on a woman and the children. So just let the community know that if you see something, you do something. If there is a, you know that one thing may save a life.

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