A Podcast Interview with Demon Thomas

We’re so pleased to be launching Season 3 of Woods & Wilds: The Podcast. In this episode with are joined by youth organizer Demon Thomas.

Demon Thomas is the former president of UNC Asheville’s Student Government Association and the student representative on the Board of Trustees. He was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, and received his degree in mass communication, sociology, and Africana studies. Demon is a fashion model and plans to further his education to become a film producer. Demon strives to become a TV entertainer who uses his platform to promote social justice. As a public figure, he aims to be a voice for the unheard and to ignite black pride amongst the youth. In addition to having served as class president at West Charlotte High, he also founded the organization UNCA Umoja (brother of unity), which is a club for men of color. He currently volunteers at Youth Transformed for Life (YTL). And he interned with the S.T.E.M. Fun-Packs initiative during the summer of 2021. To create tool kits for Black and Brown children in Asheville.

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Read the full transcript of our interview with Demon Thomas!

Full Transcript featuring Demon Thomas:

Elizabeth:
Hello everyone. It is me, Elizabeth Lashay with Slay the Mic. And I’m so excited to be joined by my amazing co-host.

Kimala:
I’m Kimala Luna from Dogwood Alliance. And we are here today with Demon Thomas. Demon Thomas is the former president of UNC Asheville’s student government association and the student representative on the board of trustees. He was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, and he receives his degree in mass communication, sociology, and Africana studies. Demon is a fashion model and plans to further his education to become a film producer. Demon strives to become a TV entertainer who uses his platform to promote social justice. As a public figure, he aims to be a voice for the unheard and to ignite Black pride amongst the youth. In addition to having served as class president at West Charlotte High, he also founded the organization UNCA Umoja, Brother of Unity, which is a club for men of color. He currently volunteers at Youth Transformed for Life, YTL. And he interned with the stem fund packs initiative during the summer of 2021 to create toolkits for black and brown children in Asheville. Welcome, Demon.

Demon:
Hello.

Kimala:
Hi. So let’s just launch right in. Demon, when did you first notice a relationship with nature?

Demon:
It would have to be; I would say, in maybe kindergarten, just wanting to go outside on the playground and interested in rocks and sticks and dirt and wood chips. I think that’s when my relationship with nature happened.

Elizabeth:
I love that. And I think going off of that question of when you found your love for nature when did you feel this empowerment in the world of activism?

Demon:
To answer the question, I believe it was in middle school. I come from a predominantly Black community. We had teachers that taught for Teach for America. One of my teachers wasn’t a Teach for America teacher, but she was just involved. I had the opportunity to go to a student city hall council meeting to advocate for education and teacher pay. And I was like, what, sixth grade trying to advocate for teacher’s salary. So I think that’s when my advocacy started.

Kimala:
That’s amazing. And your bio is incredible. I love the initiative and leadership you’re taking on Black pride and Black joy. Do you think that originated from your community or your family? Or where does that drive come from?

Demon:
It’s all in one. It grows as I get older. So it comes from my mom and my siblings telling me to keep reading, and keep drawing. It comes from my community teaching me about Black leaders and just showing their letters. So what I mean by letters is that many of my teachers were in the Divine Nine, a Black Greek life. And just them empowering me with education and seeing how well and involved they’re in the community. It enhanced my ability to uplift Black pride. And then, just being in college, taking African courses, and experiencing a culture shock. It just, my mind grows. My advocacy just grows. And then, just working with Black students at the YTL. It just, I don’t know, every experience I have; it just keeps growing my mind.

Elizabeth:
I think that’s really powerful and also shows who you are. And as an advocate, I know that environmental justice and climate change is rooted in our society, but we tend to not pay as much attention to them. So when I say climate justice and environmental awareness, how have you kind of intertwined that into how you show up in the world?

Demon:
Great question. So, for example, me working with DeWayne Barton from the Peace Gardens, learning about redlining, urban renewal, just seeing how gentrification is taking over, knowing that it’s hard to access resources, and putting things on a spectrum. I just like the idea of working, for example, working with DeWayne, whether that’s trying to organize an art show, whether that’s trying to get my hands dirty in the garden, whether that’s trying to come with other Black leaders on how can we, the policy work they’re trying to bring the highways in. Organizing, plays a huge role. I think that just knowing there are discriminations when it comes to the Black community with health and environment, it’s like how can I just save the world?

Kimala:
You founded UNCA Umoja, Brothers for Unity. What was the inspiration for that? What’s the role that you hoped it would fill? What was your original vision, and how has it manifested?

Demon:
So it started when I got to campus. I had fun branching out, and meeting new friends. But then, I realized, I was like, “Where are my brothers? How can I walk past these men on campus? How can we walk past each other and we not speak? Or why haven’t anyone before me thought about creating a group where we, as men of color, can just relate?” Because we have a corporate campus called Legacy, which is like a Legacy is similar to Umoja, sisters of unity. And it’s like, “Why there isn’t one for men. We need to be talking about our feelings.” And as a black man, toxic masculinity is real, and we need a place where we can be vulnerable. So that idea just came from me seeing that we didn’t have that. And knowing that the school said that you just need six people to do something gave me the courage.

Demon:
And now, what I love about Umoja is that the new president, Kameron Henson, he has revised the constitution. He made it to where the constitution includes trans men, so men who identify. So it’s like that, I don’t know, it’s just expanding. So it went from men of color to trans men, and that’s going to give a different perspective on how we can all unite. So I don’t know. And then, they’re trying to do things with DeWayne Barton now, and they’re trying to be more involved. They want to, like t-shirts. Umoja has went from two people coming to meetings to like 10 people thinking of events and stuff. So my mind and my heart is happy.

Elizabeth:
That makes me so happy. And I think, oh my goodness, one, I just admire you and how involved you’ve been, just at such a young age, even you saying being in kindergarten and going outside and playing and then seeing how this has evolved. You took something that was a seed, something that you felt like you needed in your campus, and created something that is a movement, something that is much larger than yourself. And my question to you is, what is a movement that you have seen, just in society, kind of branch out into something bigger that you want to be a part of or have been a part of or really excites you?

Demon:
I think the movement that I am currently trying to push or that I see that other people are doing, it goes back to education when it came to teacher’s pay. And now, it’s trying to revise the curriculum and adding, let’s say Afrocentric views. I think that I want to add to education because if we can get the youth, like at the young age, if the American system education, we can try to bring some representation involved within a curriculum that everyone feels represented. I think that education should reflect the population, and students are not learning about themselves. And I don’t know, I know that every school system is different, but I just know that movement with teacher’s pay like a lot, for example, a lot of teachers are getting, adding money, out of their own pockets to invest in school supplies. And I feel like that’s a movement, educating students. I feel like that’s a movement. Educating the youth is a movement that we often push under the rug. And I feel like that needs to be put at the forefront because when you’re educating students, you can talk about nature. You can talk about issues. You can educate them on how to grow plants or actually educate them on sex education. I feel like our education, that’s a movement that a lot of people don’t really realize.

Kimala:
Yeah. So just meeting you, you seem to have an innate understanding of liberation justice and are already doing that deep work. What is something that you feel you automatically understand about movement work that you wish more people understood?

Demon:
I wish people understood the people that are working for free that are not doing it for the money. They are doing it because they actually care. I feel like a lot of people don’t realize that a lot of people are affected by, let’s say, gentrification or police brutality. A lot of people need to realize that if you are not in that situation, that means you are privileged. And it’s okay because we all have privileges. Like, as a black man, as an educated black man, it’s a privilege that I have my degree. But it’s all about how do you use that privilege to help others? A lot of people are not realizing that the purpose of living and the purpose of life is to help others.

Elizabeth:
If you think back to the younger Demon, pick an age, pick any age that feels glorious to you. But what were some things that you received from your family or community that really nurtured your growth into the person you are today?

Demon:
I think that I would try, the age I would try to aim, I would always go back to middle school. And I say middle school because I actually enjoyed middle school. A lot of people didn’t enjoy middle school, but I feel like being an avid and that’s when college was put into my mind and that’s when you’re trying to set on what high school you go to. And I feel like, at that age, even when trauma starts, or a lot of things happened in middle school that made me realize that I am a leader. For example, it’s this thing called class president. So like Mr. President, it was this 10 year old boy, and he would make videos. And everyone’s like, “Oh, that’s you. That’s you.” Ever since I was young, people seen me as a leader. And I feel like, even now, in 2024 middle school, I think we need to have a graduation, something for class of 2024. Because I feel like, because them saying that, “Oh, I am a leader.” Or they see me on TV, or I don’t know. They boosted my self esteem, I just felt like. And it made me like, “Okay, maybe I need the student government. Okay, maybe the entertainment is what makes me, me.” I like making people laugh, and people will say that I’m funny, or I’m dramatic, or I don’t know. That really, I feel like those words really built me.

Kimala:
What is something you’re most proud of accomplishing so far? What’s one of your biggest accomplishments?

Demon:
Actually, being SGA president at UNC Asheville. For me to come to, knowing my background, to conquer there and then conquer here and to rebuild black UNCA. Because I was told that since the [inaudible 00:13:10], the nineties, or since the nineties happened, there hasn’t been a huge black presence. And for me, to be little me and just me just always giving my opinions on things, and people actually coming to things that I put on and having professors actually email me and say they support me. And I don’t know, just having the support and just seeing, to build something, to plan something and see it come to life. That really, I don’t know. It gave me hope in myself because it’s like if I can invest in the school for all my peers, imagine I to do that in myself. So I would say being SGA president is a big accomplishment because not only was it a fight to be the fifth black president for the five… Wait. Five what? For five years, we had black president. So for me to be making history and then be part of history, I don’t know. That’s an accomplishment for me.

Elizabeth:
When you see yourself, and in your bio, I heard you were talking about entertainment and communication and modeling. The role of an influencer can be one that is you’re on all the time, and you don’t really always get to have that downtime. What do you do for self-care? What replenishes you?

Demon:
My family. Like going back home, even though I am in Asheville, every chance I get to go back home to Charlotte to be with family, it reminds me, it keeps me whole. Also, I have a journal of things I want to do. So I don’t know, I have to do things, such as even getting a haircut. The smallest things keeps me grounded. And I feel like when I go home and talk to family and see my nieces and nephews, that keeps me focused. When, I don’t know, have a haircut, I’m like, “Okay.” I’m feeling myself. That builds my confidence. And I feel like when I write, it’s just me and what I write. No one knows what I’m writing in my journal. No one knows what I plan to do in the future. So I just think that even with [inaudible 00:15:14] too, I just feel like there are certain things that I have to write down, so I’ll know and be reminded that I am me, and I am focused. And I am one with, I guess, me or community. I don’t know.

Kimala:
Well, if I could ask, what is some of your vision for yourself for the future? What are some of those things that you write down in your journal? Where do you see yourself going?

Demon:
I see myself really, really like critics and like the film industry not liking me. And I say that because what I’m trying to do is I’m trying to revise Black content, which means changing stereotypes, going against what white critics think about me, just centering it around Afrocentric people. So I just really have this mindset and this goal to really be, what’s the word, a mogul, so someone who is in my generation that are making change in representation. And by me being, doing that, that’s through film. So that looks like me talking about the Blasian community or me going to Honduras, talking about the Garifuna people, just really bringing different type of Black representation, because I feel like people, when they think of Black people, they only think of Black Americans, Africans, Haitians, Jamaicans. They don’t really think about Afro Latinx or Blasian communities. So I just think that a lot of people are not well versed, when it comes to Black people, and they think it’s just one. But really there’s so… I even miss some names when I think the Black communities. So it’s, so Black is just everywhere.

Demon:
And I feel like me even talking about representation, giving more darker-skinned women more roles, I just want to make a way where the youth can see themselves. And they can picture and like, “Okay, I like this movie because it’s funny.” Not because it like, for example, the Boondocks is violent, or Penny Proud is like one thing. I want a lot of Black youth to know they have options with the film. They have, they can see themselves everywhere. They can choose and be like, “Okay, I relate to this cartoon character.” And also, yes, I want them to know that they’re Black but also beyond them just being Black. I want them to show their talents. I want them to look at me and say, “Oh, if Demon can be this person, and if he can do this, and he don’t care what nobody thinks, I’m just like him.” So I just really want people to see themselves in me.

Elizabeth:
I love that. And you’ve, throughout this interview, you have had this conversation centered around youth. And so, I think what happens, when there is this advocacy, the adults tend to make decisions without looking at who’s in the room. So whose narrative is running and making decisions? What do you think is missing when we’re talking about what impacts youth? As the adults, and you are a young adult, but you’re closer than I am, so what is missing? What can we do?

Demon:
I think that we’re not asking, I want to say, kids because, like you said, close in age. I guess, we’re not asking the students like, “Who are you? What do you like?” Or we’re not bringing out their talents, so to say. I feel like we are missing that they are knowledgeable. They know more things, at their age, than I did. So I feel like, as their mentors, we aren’t really, I don’t know. I guess, we’re putting them at their age range, but mentally, we’re not really investing in them because they know a lot from technology, from social media. They are too well advanced for their own good, which is a blessing and a curse. But if we can try to add more valuable things to their mindset and say, “Okay, you like, let’s say, Lil Baby. Okay. What do you like about Lil Baby?” For example, I had, I made worksheets for the students at YTL, and I asked them, “Give me 20 songs and tell me your favorite artist and why you want to interview them.” Because we have to do things that they like, and we have to mold them into the things that we want them to be but include them and their interests.

Kimala:
So that segues really nicely into my next question. What music mostly impacts you? What’s your favorite music right now?

Demon:
So I have a favorite artist. I think Liz already know this, so I am a Nicki stan. A lot of people, they say crazy things, but I really like Nicki and her songs. If you guys really listen to her, it’s actually motivating. For you to make a way in an industry that was like you know, and for you to be from Trinidad and New York, and I don’t know. I just feel like there’s certain things that Nicki holds, especially and a Sagittarius, I understand. Sorry to throw in zodiacs. But with me, I just understand the drive that she has and that empowers me to make my own way in the film industry. If she can do that in the music industry, I can do it in the film industry. So she really, really empowers me to keep going. I like how she throws a little shade, but she also speaks positivity. And that’s kind of like me. So I just really, I don’t know, she really empowers me. I don’t know if that’s rap, pop, whatever, but whatever she does, she does no wrong in my eyes.

Elizabeth:
So as we intertwine everything that we were talking about today, like who you are, your identity, where you see yourself as an advocate, what you have learned from all of the courses at UNCA, and then moving forward into the next chapter of your life, what is some advice that you would want to give? Because I know you said you’re younger self, but let’s look at your future self.

Demon:
I think advice I want to give my future self, I think I would tell Demon have faith in yourself. I feel like, right now, just being young with social media, you get insecure. And you’re like, “Oh, how I’m looking, do people actually support me? Or do I need to help them out with this? Because if I don’t help them out, am I going to look like a bad person?” So I really need to have faith in myself. I need to stop worrying about… Well, I need to tell future Demon to don’t worry about who’s not supporting you. Don’t worry about… Don’t focus too much on negatives because there’s too many good things in your life, right now, that is positive. So don’t focus on the negative. And I feel like, currently, I always focus on the negative because I don’t know. It’s like you guys, I know you guys feel me when it like, even though there’s good things going on, but when something bad happens, or someone says this, it just replays in your head. And I don’t know if I should like say something or keep it to myself, but it hinders me because there’s many great things around me. And I think that I want to tell my future self to take a breath, look around, and take a, just really take in every good thing.

Kimala:
Do you ever find solace in nature in those moments? And if so, what does it look like?

Demon:
It looks like rain. So it looks like being outside on the porch. It looks like rain, the smell of rain. And it looks like less people. When it rains, it’s more, it’s like everybody’s in the house. So it’s just me, me outside taking in, I want to say, about myself, what I feel about myself. And it [inaudible 00:23:11] peaceful. Like, just right now, hearing the birds and seeing green trees and grass, it’s like, “Wow, we are moving too fast.” I need to just take a breath, smell the trees, listen to the rain. That looks like peace to me.

Elizabeth:
I can’t even think of another question after that. That was such a beautiful answer. I do, I know that we want to follow your journey, in terms of what you have going on next and find where we can support all the things that your identity kind of creates and morphs into as you gain more connections and experiences through your life. Where can we, if you have social media and you want individuals or listeners to follow you, where can we find you?

Demon:
You can find me on Instagram at _c.demon, which is correctly spelled Demon, D E M O N, underscore. And also, just to add to nature. Also, if you want to find me and my tribe, UNC Asheville, we’re doing a lot of great things, when it comes to environmental justice. We have a lot of events and programs around environmental and sustainability. So if you want to, I guess, follow me and see what it’s like. Take a trip to UNCA because a lot of people at UNC Asheville, who live in… Well, who go, live in Asheville, don’t really know about UNC Asheville. And it’s a public campus and very environmental friendly. We big on recycling. If you know someone who’s interested in trying to, I don’t know, talk about medicine or even vaccines, come to UNC Asheville and try to connect with us. Because even though we’re a small school, we’re big on community. We’re big on projects. And I always kind of shout out UNC Asheville because that’s my future soon to be alum, I guess, that’s how you say it.

Kimala:
Awesome. And so, it sounds like we’re winding down, but I would like to know if the world can manifest best for you, your community, your family, what would that world look like?

Demon:
That will look like changing the education system, actually investing in the education system when it comes to teachers and Black students. I’ll say, it looks like community. It looks like people who are at the top, now, in this current world, if you are sharing your resources, you can end world hunger. We can build more trees. There’s so many things in this utopia world that I’m thinking of that can be realistic. And I’m thinking even sharing, like just sharing resources. I think I said it already. What would that world look like? I would say opportunity for all, for everyone. The marginalized groups not being marginalized.

Elizabeth:
As we continue to speak to individuals and create this season three episodes, we’ve really taken a focus on wanting to tap into speaking to younger individuals because we realize that it does take us all. And those, who are seasoned, I like to say I’m marinating, and then those who are younger, we all need to be able to come together and just create the world that we really want to see and be in.

Kimala:
Absolutely. Thank you so much, Demon, for sitting with us today. All your answers were so beautiful. Just appreciate you. I’m excited to follow you on your journey.

Demon:
Thank you guys for having me, truly.