I SEE U, Episode 89: Hope Is Stronger Than Pride with Karine Jean-Pierre

Eddie Robinson: A longtime advisor to President Joe Biden, Karine Jean-Pierre, has served multiple roles as a senior communication and political leader in Biden’s administration, and that a former President, Barack Obama, she recently made a stop in Houston to deliver the commencement address to all 2023 Rice University graduates.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Make sure they don’t forget idealism. Sometimes when you’re young, you’re very idealistic, and as you get older you lose that.

Eddie Robinson: I’m Eddie Robinson and stay tuned as I SEE U honors Pride Month and chats exclusively with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. We learn more about her journey and unguarded detail about her career as the first Black woman, the first gay woman, and the first immigrant woman to hold the position of White House Press Secretary.

Oh yeah. I feel you. We hear you. I SEE U.

You are listening to I SEE U. I’m your host, Eddie Robinson Karine Jean-Pierre was born to Haitian parents in the French region of Martinique before moving with her family to Queens, New York at the age of five. In addition to being one of Biden’s top senior advisors, she served on Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign and was a member of his staff when he was vice president.

Jean-Pierre also worked as a regional director for the White House Office of Political Affairs during the Obama administration, and served as Deputy Battleground States Director for Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign, a graduate of Columbia University. She published a political memoir in 2019 entitled, moving Forward, a Story of Hope, hard Work, and The Promise of America.

She recently visited Houston in May of 2023 to deliver the commencement address to the graduating class of Rice University. Members of the student committee at Rice nominated her to be this year’s commencement speaker, beating out hometown superstar, Beyoncé.

Karine Jean-Pierre: A little birdie told me that Beyoncé was also considered as commencement speaker. So I’m feeling extra grateful to be here today. That’s some tough competition right there, but I’ll try my best to live up to the Renaissance tour, and not disappoint the Beehive.

Eddie Robinson: This moment was also important as it served as the anniversary of the day when President Biden announced her historic appointment to her senior role at the White House.

An I SEE U is so grateful to the White House chief of staff and members of the press office, as well as the president of Rice University himself. Reginald DeRoche for providing I SEE U with the interview space as we conduct our exclusive interview just a few hours before she’d take the stage to give her speech.

It’s White House Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre. Karine, thank you again for being a guest on I SEE U.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Eddie. Thank you so much for having me. It is an honor to be on I SEE U. I SEE U from here.

Eddie Robinson: Oh.

Karine Jean-Pierre: So it’s so great to, to be here. Uh, and uh, thank you. It’s an honor. So thank you for, for have allowing me to have this conversation with you today.

Eddie Robinson: How are you feeling? Here you, you’re in Houston. Have you been in Houston before?

Karine Jean-Pierre: I have. I’m trying to, I’m trying to remember. Well, okay, so a couple of things. How am I feeling? I’m very sweaty and it’s hot outside and

Eddie Robinson: it is, it

Karine Jean-Pierre: is like smack me right in the humidity. Hit me right in my face. So there’s that.

So I’m just trying to get over that piece.

Eddie Robinson: Sure.

Karine Jean-Pierre: So I have to tell you the last time I was. In Texas was Uvalde. I believe that is the last time that I was in Texas. And I came to Texas, uh, with the president and the first lady after the horrible, horrible shooting that happened at the elementary school where we lost 19 kids and, and two adults.

And how devastating it was. And I just celebrated my one year announcement, uh, to this role that I currently hold.

Eddie Robinson: Congratulations

Karine Jean-Pierre: At the White House. So, and I’m, I’m sorry I’m going here, but let me just, just, just follow me for a second cuz it’s been on my mind.

Eddie Robinson: I’m following you. Yeah.

Karine Jean-Pierre: The first day that I did a, the briefing as a White House Press secretary was, On May 16th and two days prior was the shooting in Buffalo, and that was my first briefing.

So the last time I’ve been in Texas was on that really, really. Daunting, tragic day where we, where the president came to.

Eddie Robinson: Yeah.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Uh, mourn and, and offer comfort to the community. So that’s the last time I was in Texas.

Eddie Robinson: Well, you’re in one extreme to the next. That was tragic. But now this is very exciting because you’re in the process of speaking to thousands of attendees at Rice for their commencement address.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Thanks for reminding me, Eddie, about the thousands. Thank you.

Eddie Robinson: Yes.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Thank you. Thank you, thank you.

Eddie Robinson: Yes.

Karine Jean-Pierre: So I am honored, truly honored. I have had such amazing experiences in this role and, and I am to be asked, uh, to be a commencement speaker at a incredibly prestigious university To be asked to give some sort of message to

Eddie Robinson: Yeah.

Karine Jean-Pierre: The family and the students on this, on their special day is pretty wonderful. So I’m And and it’s also inspiring, inspiring, uh, as you were just saying. It’s a, it is a, it is a great day to celebrate with them, to be in front of them, to tell, give them a message of hopefully hope and idealism.

Make sure they don’t forget idealism sometimes.

Eddie Robinson: Yeah.

Karine Jean-Pierre: When you’re young, you’re very idealistic, and as you get older you lose that. Because you, you go through life and life is hard. It is hard.

Eddie Robinson: It’s so true.

Karine Jean-Pierre: But it is a special day, uh, to celebrate. I’m, I’m, I’m excited to be here.

Eddie Robinson: And you said you were asked by any chance, by the president, per se. I mean, there’s some Haitian roots going on, some there. What’s going on?

Karine Jean-Pierre: So here’s what I was told Eddie.

Eddie Robinson: Yeah.

Karine Jean-Pierre: So this is what I was told. I was told that the yes, I was in invited by the president, who is incredibly amazing. Has been fantastic,

Eddie Robinson: fantastic.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Has been in the role for the first time, the first Black president for this university.

Uh, he’s making history himself, has made history himself. And so I’m really thrilled that Reggie asked me to come, but he did tell me that the students get to vote,

Eddie Robinson: huh?

Karine Jean-Pierre: On who they want to be their speaker. I beat out Beyoncé.

Eddie Robinson: No way.

Karine Jean-Pierre: And beehive do not get upset with me. I love Beyoncé. I cannot wait to see the Renaissance tour to go see her do her fabulous thing. So you’re coming back in September. But yeah, so hey, that’s something a little, you know, a little, a little badge that I get to have.

Eddie Robinson: That’s fantastic.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Yeah. So

Eddie Robinson: put yourself in the year 1997.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Oh, good Lord.

Eddie Robinson: I mean, was that when you were, were, were you a senior at that time?

Karine Jean-Pierre: So I was not yet a senior.

Eddie Robinson: Okay.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Oh, 1997.

Eddie Robinson: Yes.

Karine Jean-Pierre: I was a senior graduating from college. And I gotta tell you, I was all over the place.

Eddie Robinson: That’s what I was wanting to know.

Karine Jean-Pierre: I was all over the place.

Eddie Robinson: Put yourself in their shoes.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Now, my gosh.

Eddie Robinson: As a senior,

Karine Jean-Pierre: Oh my gosh. And things have changed so much.

Eddie Robinson: Sure.

Karine Jean-Pierre: The world is so different than it was back then.

Eddie Robinson: Yeah.

Karine Jean-Pierre: And I was not sure what I wanted to do next. You were getting to the heritage and the connection between me and and Reggie. Yes, and there is a connection because we are both from immigrant families. I’m an immigrant myself. Uh, I believe he is as well. And you grow up. I grew up, I can only speak for myself.

With my parents wanting me to be a doctor or lawyer or engineer, one of those professions, because in their minds, that’s what you, that’s how you succeed.

Eddie Robinson: And so that’s what I did too. My pa, that’s mechanical engineering, Prairie View A &M.

Karine Jean-Pierre: There you go. There you go. And so I thought it was gonna be a doctor.

Eddie Robinson: Okay.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Went through my whole life, even through college. I was a pre-med, you know, did biology, did chemistry, did all of the things. And then here I am about to graduate and I’m like, wait. I don’t think so. My parents were thrilled. Not really, but, but yeah, and I, it took me a minute to find myself

Eddie Robinson: Okay.

Karine Jean-Pierre: And the advice that I give to young people.

Eddie Robinson: Yes.

Karine Jean-Pierre: I used to actually teach at Columbia University for about six, seven years. I, I taught a graduate school class, but I also had undergrad that registered and, and took my class, and they would ask me, how did you end up. Where you are right now, they always want a little bit of advice, right?

Eddie Robinson: Absolutely.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Obviously that what they should ask as as, as their professor, and I always say to them, follow your passion.

Eddie Robinson: Okay?

Karine Jean-Pierre: Follow what it is that you want in your heart to accomplish. What is it that you want to be? What is it that you want your legacy to be? Follow that, and if you are passionate about it, You will make it, you will succeed.

And so that’s what I would tell them. And that’s kind of, I had a zigzag to, to my, on my road to the place that I am currently.

Eddie Robinson: Sure.

Karine Jean-Pierre: It, it was all over the place. None of it makes sense. If you look at a, how I started at the beginning and you see now where I am. You, you would never, it doesn’t make sense that I am where I am.

Eddie Robinson: Wow.

Karine Jean-Pierre: But I just continued to believe in myself. I continued to, to be passionate about the work that I did. I made sure everything that I, that I took on, I loved and I love my job. I am the spokesperson.

Eddie Robinson: Mm,

Karine Jean-Pierre: the White House Press Secretary for the President of the United States, the leader of the free world most powerful politician in the world. The most powerful man in the world.

Eddie Robinson: Yeah.

Karine Jean-Pierre: I Karine Jean-Pierre, who is an immigrant, who is gay, who is black, who’s the first of many get to do that. And he chose me to do that. And you know, kudos to him.

Eddie Robinson: That’s right.

Karine Jean-Pierre: He said, Hey, I want you to represent me as my voice. And I think that’s pretty amazing.

Eddie Robinson: I SEE U. I’m Eddie Robinson and we’re chatting with White House Press Secretary and Presidential advisor Karine Jean-Pierre.

She spoke to I SEE U while she was in Houston to deliver the commencement speech to Rice University’s graduating class of 2023.

Let’s go deeper with how you’ve gotten to be the woman of color that you are now today based on how you were raised. Our show is based on a quote from an educator in Little Rock, Arkansas, and the quote is, you are a reflection of your people, regardless of what anybody says.

And so to me, that means that wherever you go, Whatever you do, people will see you. They will see you by your race. They will see you by your face. They will more than likely stereotype you and think that they know you, but they have absolutely no idea. I. What unique qualities about your background, your heritage, that lets people know who you are and what you represent as a woman of color?

Karine Jean-Pierre: So it’s such a great question. First of all, I stand on the shoulders of many. I stand on the shoulders of many. There were many before me who sacrificed for me to be here today. And that is something that I honor and will continue to honor every day and will never forget. So that is part of who I am.

Eddie Robinson: Okay?

Karine Jean-Pierre: And I will lift up every community that I represent as, as much as I can, and I carry that, right? I carry that on my shoulders. As I’m standing on so many shoulders.

Eddie Robinson: Mm-hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: And so that is something that I never forget. And here’s interesting though.

Eddie Robinson: Yeah.

Karine Jean-Pierre: I do think because I’ve been in the public eye even before this role for over, for many years, at this point, I do think people do know me a little bit.

Eddie Robinson: Right.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Because I’m very honest. I’m very frank. I don’t hide anything. What you see is what you get. Even when I’m at the podium.

Eddie Robinson: Mm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: What you see is what you get, right? You see my emotion. You see how I feel about something. You see how I’m fighting on behalf of this president on behalf of the American people.

Eddie Robinson: Okay.

Karine Jean-Pierre: I would not be in this job. Yes, the president put me in this job absolutely. And chose me to be the face of the administration, but I would not be working for him or have said yes to it if I didn’t believe in him, if I didn’t believe in the things that we’re talking about and the platforms that were, were, were, that were lifting up or the policies or the legislation.

So a lot of it is actually me.

Eddie Robinson: Mm-hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: And it’s so funny, a couple of the folks who work for me, they. When their, their friends tend to ask them what is she like? Is she really as nice and as friendly or as the way that we see her? And she says to them, yes, she is. So, I don’t think there’s anything that I’m hiding.

I think it’s, I, I am who I am, but there is a foundation that I was, that I was, that has built me. Right.

Eddie Robinson: Got it.

Karine Jean-Pierre: My mom, my dad, you know, we talk about. Me being an immigrant, I, I was raised in the us born in Martini, but my parents are Haitian.

Eddie Robinson: Wow.

Karine Jean-Pierre: And there is a deep history that we all need to learn about this country. Haiti, uh, the first Black Republic, uh, which is a feat amongst itself. Within itself.

Eddie Robinson: Yes.

Karine Jean-Pierre: In 1804, you know, These, the enslaved people were able to stand up and fight for their freedom. That means something. That stands for something.

Eddie Robinson: Mm-hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: And that is part of my, who I am, my ancestry.

Eddie Robinson: Sure.

Karine Jean-Pierre: The resilience, the courage. And that is, I believe, the Black community.

Eddie Robinson: Mm-hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: So there is something there that is definitely in my veins that makes me who I am. And my parents, my parents came to this country wanting the best for their kids, wanting to find that American dream, which is very hard. You know, we talk about the S American dream, but it’s very hard for many people.

That’s true. And they got here and it was difficult while, while the United States welcomed them. And it was a beautiful thing that we, they were able to come here. It wasn’t easy living check to check. Trying to raise three kids, trying to make sure they can catch a break or their kids can catch a break.

And so that’s what I was built on. I was built on resilience, courage, hope, love to make sure that you know, I can succeed. And I was able to do that. And it is because of them? Yeah, it is because of them.

Eddie Robinson: Coming up, we continue our conversation with one of the top senior advisors to the president of the United States, Karine Jean-Pierre. We learned more about why it was so important for her personally to live her life openly as a gay woman of color. What was it really like for her and her family when she came out to them as a teenager?

And how has she been able to navigate her professional career in politics, given the fact that she’s so open about it. And for the first time, we get a glimpse of Karine as a mother. We learn more about her family and how she feels about her nine year old daughter. I’m Eddie Robinson. I see you with more of our exclusive chat with White House Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre.

Here’s a quick moment from the 2023 commencement ceremony at Rice University with the speech given by Karine Jean-Pierre.

Karine Jean-Pierre: I want you to know that today is not only an achievement, but also is a testament, a testament to your strength, your grits, and your perseverance. Yes, you were determined to make it to the finish line, and guess what class of 2023 you did.

Now, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Told us we must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope. And through everything we have been through your class, your generation gives me hope, infinite hope. Hope is one of the most powerful tools we have. Hope is more than an emotion, more than a feeling, and certainly more than a vibe.

I know you guys like to use that word vibe. Hope is a disciplined and a practice for me, hope is a verb. Hope is action because when we hope for a better world, we create a better world.

Eddie Robinson: That was White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre delivering her commencement speech to all 2023 graduates at Rice University.

We’ll be right back.

If you’re enjoying this program, please be sure to subscribe to our podcast. I SEE U with Eddie Robinson. You can hear all the past episodes and be notified when new episodes are released. Also, please take a minute to give us a review or comment. We love getting feedback from our listeners.

This is I SEE U. I’m Eddie Robinson, and we’re so grateful to members of the White House Chief of Staff to allow us time to connect with Press Secretary and the assistant to the president of the United States, Karine Jean-Pierre. We’re meeting with her exclusively on the campus of Rice University here in Houston, Texas, and she’s just about to go on stage and deliver the commencement address to all 2023 rice graduates.

We continue our chat with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. Karine, you’re a pioneering voice in American politics today. You know, you’re the first Black woman, the first gay woman, the first immigrant woman to hold such a high position at the White House, and yet you stand firm and unapologetic and being open and about who you are.

And it’s admirable too because, I mean, I’m looking at my life. I graduated in 1995 from Prairie View A & M University as a mechanical engineer. Feeling hyped about wanting to leave Texas?

Karine Jean-Pierre: Mm.

Eddie Robinson: I felt like, you know what? In order for me to realize my dream, I had to get out of the state. I mean, it was intense.

Um, but during my college years, I was stressed. You know, I was feeling very embarrassed almost to, to, to not come to grips with being gay.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Mm.

Eddie Robinson: And I wanted to suppress that. And I looked at academia for for freedom and to not think about any of that. Can you recall how you navigated or maneuvered around, or perhaps even confronted the aspect of your life of being gay?

Because it seems like you’re extremely open about it. Did it enter your mind as to how you thought it would impact your life, your future in some way?

Karine Jean-Pierre: So that’s a really good question. Another good question, Eddie. Um, so it’s very nuanced, right? There’s so many layers to it.

Eddie Robinson: So many layers, especially with this community.

Karine Jean-Pierre: It, yeah. So you, I have always lived my truth

Eddie Robinson: mm-hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: And tried to to be who I am.

Eddie Robinson: Mm-hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: And one of the reasons why I did that is because I wanted to control my own narrative. And that’s why I came out so young. I wanted to control my story, my narrative, didn’t want anybody else to control it.

Eddie Robinson: Okay.

Karine Jean-Pierre: And then as time went by, I realized that there were people behind me looking for someone to look up to.

Eddie Robinson: Mm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: So then I became, you know, someone who was fighting for the community. And so I’ve had my transitions in it. One, one of them is being okay. I wanna tell my own story, control my narrative, and like, oh, no, wait Now. Now I’ve made it in a part of my life where I’m in the forefront, and now I have to make sure that I speak out because there are people looking up to me.

When I came out at 16 years old to my mom, my mom, my immigrant mom, who I love her so much,

Eddie Robinson: how did she react?

Karine Jean-Pierre: She. Did not react well, and it was incredibly hard. Now, I wanna say today my mom is all about me and my career, and my life, and who I am loves her granddaughter to death. Is, is happy to, for me to be in the LGBTQI Plus community.

She has come a long way, but at 16 it was very tough.

Eddie Robinson: Mm-hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: It was very hard and I think about it now. I didn’t have anybody to look up to. There was no one who looked like me, who was gay, who was queer, that I could look up to. No one, I can’t even think of one person. Same here. So I hope, my hope is now as I’m standing at the podium, as I’m on tv, yeah.

As in this big job that I have with the world on my shoulders, speaking for the President of the United States.

Eddie Robinson: No pressure.

Karine Jean-Pierre: No pressure at all that I hope that. You know, young people could look at me and say, wow, there are possibilities.

Eddie Robinson: Mm-hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: There she is. Not only is there visibility, but there’s possibilities. There are possibilities for me. I can be her and beyond. You know, I, that’s what I, that is what I hope.

Eddie Robinson: Yeah.

Karine Jean-Pierre: And that’s why I am so open.

Eddie Robinson: Yeah.

Karine Jean-Pierre: That’s why I speak, uh, the way that I do and I mention who I am and I’m very, very honest about it because I hope that if I help one person, then it’s all worth it.

It’s a bit

Eddie Robinson: modest too, because we’re talking first here. How does it feel to be the first. Black person and the first openly L G B T Q person to hold such a high position in the White House.

Karine Jean-Pierre: It’s an honor and a privilege. It truly, truly is. It is.

Eddie Robinson: This is historical.

Karine Jean-Pierre: It is historical. Somebody said to me, you know, you’re walking history every day.

Eddie Robinson: Mm-hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: You’re making history every day. You’re walking in history, you’re making history every day. Karine just know that and, and the other thing too is like, I’m not just the first Black person. I’m the first person of color.

Eddie Robinson: Right.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Man, woman, I’m just the first, right? And so, you know, I just hope that I do it in a way that people are proud of me, that I do it in a way that, you know, that I honor.

Yeah, the job as White House Press Secretary. But I also honor the people who helped me get here. But I also, um, honor the communities that I proudly, proudly represent.

Eddie Robinson: You know, this is fascinating in terms of. What we’re experiencing now in this world. How do you think students or perhaps even adults of a certain age should hold these components of themselves as they journey through their own lives?

These elements of identity as it relates to offering up or disclosing these parts of ourselves to others, our sexual orientations, our ethnicity, our race. Do you think it matters now, especially as we look into how measures of inclusion. And measures of diversity are being assessed and evaluated these days.

Karine Jean-Pierre: I think representation matters. I think it matters. Representation matters. If you look across the country as we’re talking about this community in particular, sure. The LGBTQI plus community, there are more than 600 pieces of legislation coming out of state houses that are attacking, attacking this community.

Attacking our children, attacking the parents of trans kids, attacking trans kids. It is vile. Because of who they are, because of who they want to be, because of who they wanna love.

And so, yeah, absolutely representation matters. It is important for us to speak out, to be seen, to be heard. And that’s what is one of the most important things about working in this administration, because you have a president and a vice president who wants to fight for this community.

Eddie Robinson: Mm-hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: And that’s what allows me to do what I’m able to do at the podium.

And that’s why it’s so important, and who is sitting behind that resolute desk. So yes, representation matters. Having your voice heard matters. Being out there and having a platform matters. Absolutely, absolutely. More now probably than ever.

Eddie Robinson: You know, the most rewarding aspect of my life thus far has been the birth of my son.

Karine Jean-Pierre: That’s a beautiful thing.

Eddie Robinson: Um, I, I had always wanted to be a father, but this happened through surrogacy.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Mm-hmm.

Eddie Robinson: And I’ve made it on the other side with the headaches and the challenges of the fertility business. Though I’m still paying for this and you know, I don’t have Anderson Cooper or Andy Cohen money, but he’s beautiful.

And then he is miraculous one year old right now. But what’s been the most rewarding aspect of your life thus far? Your, you know, has Whitney Houston puts it your one moment in time. What does that rewarding component of your lifes look like?

Karine Jean-Pierre: Do I have to, sing it,

Eddie Robinson: because that’s a really beautiful song and

Karine Jean-Pierre: I can never,

Eddie Robinson: I’m sure you ask never.

Karine Jean-Pierre: I do not have the vocals,

Eddie Robinson: the vocals for it.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Of, of our amazing, the amazing Whitney Houston.

Eddie Robinson: Well, what’s that one moment in time? That rewarding aspect of your life that you always have.

Karine Jean-Pierre: So I hope that I’m still

Eddie Robinson: back of your mind having,

Karine Jean-Pierre: I’m still gonna have amazing moments.

Eddie Robinson: Okay.

Karine Jean-Pierre: That’s what I hope. But as you’re speaking about your son and how beautiful that is and how amazing that process was for you and I, we were talking a little bit about this before we started this conversation.

Eddie Robinson: Yes.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Being a parent for me, Is the best job I will ever have. It is the most rewarding job that I will ever have, and I’m incredibly thankful and grateful, uh, to be the mama of this amazing, soon to be nine year old kid that I have at home. And it, it has changed me. It also, it’s, it’s as we’re talking about who I am and how I see the world.

Eddie Robinson: Yeah.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Her coming into my life has actually changed the way I view the world.

Eddie Robinson: Hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Because I do think about her and her peers and what type of world we’re gonna live, live for them. And everything that I do is very much through the lens of being a mom because I think about her first. And so, yeah, you know, that is.

That is the one of the most amazing experience, and I’m incredibly thankful, but I do hope, Hey, who knows what I’m gonna do next or what I’ll do down the road. Let’s hope that I continue to be a, a barrier breaker and open doors for people as much

Eddie Robinson: And there will be multiple rewarding experiences.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Yeah, I hope for that. But parenthood is. I have to tell you it’s, there’s nothing like it. And to be clear to folks who are listening, it is hard. It is hard. I don’t want, I don’t want

Eddie Robinson: shout out to the single mothers there, right? Single. But it’s single dad, good grief.

Karine Jean-Pierre: It is not roses and rainbows and you know,

Eddie Robinson: ice cream.

Karine Jean-Pierre: It is incredibly hard.

Eddie Robinson: It is

Karine Jean-Pierre: sleepless nights.

Eddie Robinson: It is

Karine Jean-Pierre: heartbreak, but it is. And even in those moments, there’s a lot of love.

Eddie Robinson: Absolutely.

Karine Jean-Pierre: And that’s what that matters.

Eddie Robinson: Absolutely. You’re listening to I SEE U. I’m Eddie Robinson and we’re chatting exclusively with White House Press Secretary and one of the top senior advisors to President Joe Biden. Karine Jean-Pierre.

Karine, can you share with us the source from which your motivation, your encouragement, your energy, your drive, even when we see you at the podium, you know what’s happening in your internal wiring that keeps you going, that pushes you forward despite all of the craziness and the questions that are hitting you.

Multiple questions, and I know you just wanna sometimes scream Where’s that source? What’s that inspiration?

Karine Jean-Pierre: Angry Karine wants to scream? So

Eddie Robinson: where’s it coming from?

Karine Jean-Pierre: There’s so many, there’s so many places that it comes from. And honestly, it depends on the day, right?

There is, we follow a news cycle that changes every day. Sometime it doesn’t, sometime it kind of stays steady. But it is an active news cycle. And what I mean by that is, Sometimes somethings move you from the news cycle that pushes me forward. Right?

We started off this conversation. My first briefing was on the shooting that happened at a grocery store on a Saturday in Buffalo, New York.

That was a heavy thing to carry, to bring to the podium, but that was the energy that I used to go to the podium and. Unfortunately, there are devastating things that are happening in this country, in the world that we have to deal with head on.

Eddie Robinson: Mm-hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: And because again, that I work for President Biden, I work in this administration, we are at the forefront many times of dealing with a lot of tragedy, a lot of hardships or or ways that we’re going to change policies for the better.

Eddie Robinson: That’s right.

Karine Jean-Pierre: For communities that are incredibly vulnerable. And so those are the things that move me.

Eddie Robinson: Okay?

Karine Jean-Pierre: And it goes back to the question that you asked me earlier, and I answered in this way, which was, I would not be doing this job if I didn’t believe in the work that this president is doing. And that’s it.

I wake up every morning. Thinking, okay, all right. This is another fight that we’re gonna do this today. We’re gonna get, we’re gonna get this done, we’re gonna talk about these things. And that’s the motivation, right? Because there’s a lot of work to be done. There’s still a lot of work to be done. And so that is what moves me.

And yeah, there are times where I’m tired. I’m probably tired every day, Eddie, every day I’m tired. But I find that energy and I find it within myself, and I love the work. Because I know I tell my team all the time, I say to them, you know what? We are all superheroes because we are on the right side of history and we’re trying to do good.

We won’t always get it right and that’s okay. But we are on the right side of history and that matters.

Eddie Robinson: You know, I’m asking this next question because when people listen to I SEE U

Karine Jean-Pierre: mm-hmm.

Eddie Robinson: It’s different ethnicities, different races, and they all come at me with feedback as to, oh, I’ve learned so much.

Because I think what they’ve done is they’ve walked to a proverbial mirror and they’ve discovered, or at least had some sort of self discovery as to their own fingerprint. You know, what did I do to contribute to this in a subconscious way? And so, what I wanna ask you this is, has there been an incident or a moment in your life where it’s been a real challenge to get it outta your mind?

Perhaps it remains there in your head space to serve as motivation as a means to help you, you know, persevere through intense situations and circumstances. But is there a moment in your life that resonates? Perhaps it’s racist, perhaps it’s, you know, whatever kind of incident that it is. But it still is embedded in your mind and you just can’t seem to get it out.

Karine Jean-Pierre: So this is very interesting. So things don’t, things don’t live in my, my, my head rent free, right? There’s that saying they really don’t.

Eddie Robinson: I love that.

Karine Jean-Pierre: And sometimes things happen and I have to vent and I have to like get it out of my system.

Eddie Robinson: Okay?

Karine Jean-Pierre: And I call a friend and I’m like, I can’t believe this happened. And then it,

Eddie Robinson: okay.

Karine Jean-Pierre: And then it leaves my body. There is a story I do wanna tell, so, Today I think I was looking at President Obama’s speeches cuz he’s an, he’s an inspiration for me. Worked, working, and I also worked for him before, worked

Eddie Robinson: Absolutely.

Karine Jean-Pierre: And I landed on the speech that he gave in Boston in 2004 where he was kind of introduced to the world. Right.

As, as you know, future senator, future President Barack Obama.

Eddie Robinson: Mm-hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Nobody really knew who he was and gave one of the best, you know, convention speeches in history

Eddie Robinson: mm-hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Of the Democratic convention in history. The other one was, probably the other one that sat with me was Barbara Jordan.

Right. And there’s some others, but those are the two that I remember. And he starts off the speech by saying,

President Barack Obama: on behalf of the great state of Illinois, crossroads of the nation, land of Lincoln, let me express my deepest gratitude for the privilege of addressing this convention. Tonight is a particular honor for me because, let’s face it, my presence on this stage is pretty unlikely.

Karine Jean-Pierre: It is not lost on him that he should not be here tonight.

President Barack Obama: My father was a foreign student, born and raised in a small village in Kenya. He grew up herding goats, went to school in a tin roof shack. His father, my grandfather, was a cook, a domestic servant to the British. But my grandfather had larger dreams for his son.

Through hard work and perseverance, my father got a scholarship to study in a magical place. America that’s shown as a beacon of freedom and opportunity to so many who had come before.

Karine Jean-Pierre: So it goes back to, I take that very personally, it is not lost on me that I should probably not be standing at that podium again.

Black woman, gay, queer, immigrant, all of the things, I shouldn’t be 34 people before me did not look like me. And so it is not lost on me that Im there and I represent so much to so many people, and statistically, I’m not supposed to be there. So that is something that I carry where you with me and lives in my, my kind of nervous system, my cells every day.

Eddie Robinson: Got it.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Right. Which is, which is I understand that what you see up there is not the norm.

Eddie Robinson: Mm-hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Guess what? We are going to make it the norm and I think it has become the norm in this past year. I think people look at me now and they’re like, okay, there goes the White House press station. And yes, I look different, but I think now in people’s heads, now you could love me and hate me and whatever, but you’ll say, that is the White House Press Secretary.

But that is something that definitely when he said it, I was like, yep, that is going to be true.

Eddie Robinson: Mm-hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: For, for a long time.

Eddie Robinson: That’s true. Yeah.

Coming up, we wrap up our conversation with Karine Jean-Pierre White House Press secretary and assistant to the President of the United States. We’ll find out more about what she thinks it’ll take to bridge a divided America. Despite the country being more gridlocked than ever as relates to social issues, politics, race and diversity, gender and the economy, plus, how has she been able to navigate through the criticisms of her role as White House Press Secretary, and why many have described her as being too kind of a person.

How does that make her feel? I’m Eddie Robinson. Our final segment of I SEE U comes your way right after this. We’ll be right back.

If you’re enjoying this program, please be sure to subscribe to our podcast. I see you with Eddie Robinson. You can hear all the past episodes and be notified when new episodes are released. Also, please take a minute to give us a review or comment. We love getting feedback from our listeners.

It’s I SEE U. I’m your host, Eddie Robinson. We’re chatting with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. She was in Houston recently to deliver the commencement address to all 2023 Rice University graduates. We continue our exclusive chat. What concerns, kareen or worries would you have about our future?

Karine Jean-Pierre: I think about my, my soon to be nine year old. And I have to say that because if she hears this, she’d be like, no, I’m, I’m not eight, I’m gonna be nine soon. Uh, but I think about my daughter. Yeah. And I worry, I worry about the world that we are living for her and her peers. But I’m also inspired, and I don’t know if you, you, you’ll, your son is one, you’ll, you’ll get to see this.

Eddie Robinson: Okay.

Karine Jean-Pierre: So I watch her with her friends.

Eddie Robinson: Hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: And it is the most interesting thing. It’s, I think that that generations looks, looks at us and like, why do you care about who’s black, who’s white, who’s raised? Like, why do you care about who loves whom like they are so free and open. More open-minded than I think any generation before us.

It is quite interesting to see listening to their conversations, hearing how they interact with each other. So I have hope in that is that we are, we have this group of kids, this generation that’s coming up where they are very stubborn, very strong, strong-minded, but also very open-minded and see the world differently than we do.

And I don’t know if it’s because, you know, they have us as parents.

Eddie Robinson: Sure.

Karine Jean-Pierre: A lot of them have same sex parents, a lot of them have interracial parents. So they are growing up in, in a very different eyes view.

Eddie Robinson: Right.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Than we did.

Eddie Robinson: That’s right.

Karine Jean-Pierre: So maybe that’s part of it, but outside of that, so I’m, I’m encouraged by that, but I am, I am really worried about what’s happening.

Eddie Robinson: Yeah.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Uh, and not just here around the world.

Eddie Robinson: Yeah.

Karine Jean-Pierre: You know, where are we headed and can we. Can we stop it? Can we get to a place where it gets better? And that’s what we’re trying to do in my job. That’s what the president’s trying to do. Can we get it to a place where we’re fighting for our democracy, fighting for the free press, you know, fighting to make sure that, uh, we don’t leave people behind, that we bring people with us, fighting for all of these things that are really part of, kind of the ethos of what this country is, and not lose that.

Eddie Robinson: What will it take Karine to bridge a divided America?

Karine Jean-Pierre: I think it’s gonna take time. You think about President Biden, I’m gonna bring him up because that’s what he ran on in 2020. Saving the Soul of America, the soul of a nation. Seeing and understanding the division that we saw that was certainly made bigger and made worse by the last administration.

Sowing hate opening up something that was really just tragic and horrific. And that is what we’ve been trying to do. We’re, we’re only two years in, but we understand that our democracy still needs a lot of fighting. What gives me hope?

Eddie Robinson: Yeah,

Karine Jean-Pierre: there is the midterms. We had an election where everybody thought it was gonna be awful.

Eddie Robinson: Right.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Everybody’s like, oh, this is not gonna be good. And what did we see? We saw Americans say, actually, we wanna fight. We want you all to fight for our freedom. We want you all to fight for our democracy, and that’s what we want. That’s the kind of America that we want. And that was a message that was sent to all of us, very loud and clear.

Eddie Robinson: Mm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: So that I think is important Data point. To where we’re heading as a country, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.

Eddie Robinson: Sure.

Karine Jean-Pierre: There’s still a lot of work to be done. So know, we’ll see, we’ll see where, what happens the next, these next couple of years. But we still have to fight.

Eddie Robinson: Yeah.

Karine Jean-Pierre: We still have to, we still have to speak out. Uh, we still have to be very clear of who we are as a country and who we want to be. We still have to really, I. Continue to communicate to vulnerable communities and let them know that we have their back and we’re fighting for them, and we have to put forth policies that continues to lift them up and build on those success that we’ve had in the last two years.

Eddie Robinson: You’re listening to I SEE U. I’m Eddie Robinson here chatting exclusively with Kare Jean-Pierre White House Press secretary. We’re grateful she’s here with us as we’ve taken some time to connect with her just before her scheduled commencement speech at Rice University in Houston. Kareen, we ask this to all of our guests, and it’s the very last question, and we want you to be as open and honest as you possibly can of all the accomplishments of all the accolades.

Here you are a year in having this announcement of you being at the podium, at the White House, the joys and challenges you’ve experienced in your life, in your career up until now.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Mm-hmm.

Eddie Robinson: What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned about yourself thus far?

Karine Jean-Pierre: I’m one of a kind. I’m a fighter, and while I may have my lows, I always get to the highs.

I’m a believer and I always try to see the best in people. One of the things people say about me is, I’m too kind, corre, you’re too kind.

Eddie Robinson: Mm-hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: You’re just too nice to people. And I’ve actually have taken that in and tried to examine that. I’m like, am I too kind? Am I too nice to people? And there’s probably some truth to it, but then I always look back at my career as you’re asking me about my career.

Eddie Robinson: Yeah,

Karine Jean-Pierre: I’ve gotten here because of who I am, and I will never change that. And if I’m too kind and that is a way that people see me, that’s okay. Kindness costs nothing.

Eddie Robinson: Mm-hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: It costs nothing. And so I am going to continue to move through this space, through my career as who I am. As who I am authentically, and I am one of a kind, and that’s okay.

I don’t have to give excuses to anybody. I don’t have to explain it to anyone because I, I used to do that.

Eddie Robinson: Hmm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: And I think I’ve come to a part of my career where I’m like, I don’t have to explain that to anybody. I am exactly who I am supposed to be authentically me. And that’s okay. And that took a long time for me to get to.

Eddie Robinson: Yeah,

Karine Jean-Pierre: that was not easy. It is not easy. You go through life and you apologize for this or you’re, you give excuses for this. And then finally you just get to a point where like,

Eddie Robinson: especially because of this,

Karine Jean-Pierre: right, because of how I look who I am. And I thought to myself, I’m not doing that anymore.

Eddie Robinson: Mm.

Karine Jean-Pierre: I am just not. And I think you kind of see it at the podium. You see this confidence because I’m not going to apologize for for it. Not got it. I’m just not gonna do it anymore. And that is the one of the biggest lessons that I’ve learned. Is to be authentically me. Authentically who I am. And that’s okay. That’s more than okay.

It goes back to we are enough. I am enough. I am enough. And folks who are listening, you are enough. And just know that. Just know that you are exactly who you’re supposed to be. You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be, and it’s okay.

Eddie Robinson: She’s one of the top senior advisors of the White House Press Secretary Kare Jean-Pierre, thank you so much for being a guest on. I SEE U.

Karine Jean-Pierre: I SEE U, Eddie.

Eddie Robinson: I SEE U too. Thank you again.

Karine Jean-Pierre: Thank you.

Eddie Robinson: I SEE U would also like to thank the White House Press office, as well as their Chief of staff, Jeff Falk, who’s with Rice University’s Public Affairs Office, as well as Rice University President Reginald DeRoches. Thanks to each and every one of you for making this interview possible.

Karine Jean-Pierre: My path hasn’t always been easy. It has had finite disappointment, but it has been defined by infinite hope. It’s been forged through the sheer power of will of not just myself, but the foundation of my parents and their parents, and the revolutionaries of Haiti. I stand before you today because my parents hoped.

The country of their birth hoped. The country they adopted, hoped, and I hoped I’m going to end where I started with Beyoncé. Of course, she said, don’t try to lessen yourself for the world. Let the world catch up to you. Class of 2023. Don’t ever lessen yourself. Stay hopeful, and remember hope is action. And don’t forget to thank the people who hoped for you and helped you along this journey.

Whether they’re your parents or your grandparents, or your aunties or your uncles, or your sisters or your brothers, your professors, your coaches. Your teachers growing up, or your friends, always thank them because they’ve earned this too. Congratulations. I cannot wait to see what you all continue to accomplish.

Thank you.

Eddie Robinson: Our team includes technical director, Todd Hulslander, producer Laura Walker, editors Mark De Claudio, and Jonmitchell Goode. I SEE U is a production of Houston Public Media. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter and subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen and download your favorite shows. I’m your host and executive producer, Eddie Robinson, and I feel you. We hear you. I SEE U.

Thanks so much for listening. Until next time.