BrotherHec got on the plane from New York and took it all the way out to Vegas. As the four hour flight contained much turbulence it did not give BrotherHec much time to really think about what he wanted this Christmas. He had so many gifts to give and so many people to thank for such a wonderful end to a year that was really An amazing personal year for him. He needed to find time to do all of that but he felt like he was so spread thin it grew redicilous for his own personal well being. 

When the plane finally landed it he looked out at all of the casinos and gasped in their beauty. The sights were magnificent and the streets were littered with people during the holiday season. His joy peaked and he was immediately thinking of how he could take some of this seasonal joy back home. 

As the driver slash had arranged arrived BrotherHec got in the vehicle and continued to drive around town. Taking the 95 to the lake mead exit he was able to be dropped off at a tiny little coffee shop. This is where he was immediately greeted by highpitcheric

HI BROTHER ARE YOU PROUD ME?! 

The noise was ringing in his head already. He couldn't help but feel that Eric was personally assigned to greet the New York leader. He shook the hand of Eric and smiled.

Well actually, I am. Did you say we were to go this way?

WELL...

Great let's go.

BrotherHec continued his walk into the shop and looked around. He immediately noticed @SpacePole sitting at the bar reading the paper on a football team in England and their massive success in the league. He saw Artus playing a game of chess with Bcp and watched as Fitzchivalry continued to organize the next round of fights. Still so many others walked around the coffee shop and were just hanging out for the time being. 

Axel and Disorder came through shortly after and nodded at BrotherHec. Eric walked hec over to a little table sitting him down he grabbed him a hot white mocha. During the fall BrotherHec would drink all the pumpkin shit. It was the best. 

WE ARE JUST WAITING FOR TWO MORE BROTHER! 

BrotherHec smiled and waited. Looking through the Las Vegas review journal he smiled. This was the city he was born and raised in and to see it flourishing he could not be happier.

finally the last two arrived. @camillabalisteri and conn showed up bearing gifts for their friends. Everyone seemed to be in a wonderful cheer during the holiday season. Finally slash spoke up.

Alright then, Hec has flown all the way out from New York to visit his immediate family for the holidays but he also desired to take some time to meet with us and pick our brains for a few. Go ahead BrotherHec.

BrotherHec smiled and sipped his coffee. He took off his coat and stood up. He loved public speaking and this was one of those times where he didn't look to give as much as receive. 

Recently it's been said that our streets are dying. I look around to try to find evidence of this and I could not. As my eyes gazed the streets I noticed something fascinating. Vegas! I don't believe I have ever been so infatuated with a cities street presence as I am today. My bloodline is not a well extended one as most of you know but I thought back to what my father and their fathers had talked about. It was always such an intense thing so many people with pointless discussions from time to time but that...that is not the case today.

Whatever Vegas is doing I can learn from and help my city and my crew to become better. Your members come out and ask philosophical questions or they are so willing to voice their opinion on issues that I am absolutely inspired by these youthful individuals. 

Now perhaps I could have privately asked you what your secret to success is in secret. Then it would have stayed a secret to me. The problem I find is that either in a day or a year I will no longer be here, that's how this thing goes, so if that's the case I want your secrets to be public knowledge. So to the several of you gathered I pose this question.

what makes you so active in the streets? How do you generate deeper activity from your city as a collective to take part in this place? How would you personally go about getting others to take more ownership of the streets? 

Why it was just yesterday I believe a young man from Vegas asked about time. He blew my freakin mind. He allowed me to voice my own thoughts and remember the value of time in my own life. His question had sparked a change in my life in the suit and out of it. Then it hit me, I want to be that kind of a leader.

So my dear friends I apologize for my excitement and interest. I desire New York to be as productive as Vegas. I desire the future to be this productive in the streets. So share with me my dear Vegas friends, your secrets to street success.

BCP welcomed BrotherHec back into city. Was always nice for people to pop in and remember their roots no matter how long it had been. Always nice seeing old faces pop back up. Getting up he takes a swig from his cup and starts to talk a little.

Well this is a interesting topic right here. I wouldn't say us here in Vegas are great speaks, but we do ok. We do have some fine ones. But to answer your question I tend to believe its two fold. Now not always has my bloodline always came out here and voiced anything. Sometimes they have stayed silent or rarely said a word. Other times, they say not allowed things and piss people off. I think its more the culture of our way of life at the moment. The fact that just because you say some things are not a auto bullet tends to help a lot. Also a lot more people seem to be flocking to the streets now. That that also helps. Not having just the same 4 or 5 people makes a difference.

Just my 2 cents on it. Hope it helps a bit.

"BrotherHec, I myself am not from a bloodline that is known for speaking in the streets, a fair few times you'd have seen some of my family speak but it was never that often. Slowly though I am progressing from that and becoming more and more active. Why? It's because I am surrounded by amazing people that love the streets and are not afraid to speak up.

They are the reason I am becoming more and more active, and also why others in Las Vegas are too. Speaking freely in the streets is something we encourage here. I even believe there have been a few times where even Las Vegas men and women have even questioned their own.

Hearing all these people in the streets from Las Vegas, it makes me feel I have to try and keep up. As someone in power who should be setting an example, I feel I have to at least try and keep up with those that are not in power and those in power whom speak freely in the streets... Despite them supposedly being dead... Still not sure how MacKayla came up with that, but that's not what we are talking about here. Where was I again?"

Artus takes a moment to think where he was going with his speech, but being the forgetful person he is, he loses track.

"I know I haven't quite answered your question to street success, but I at least wanted to give my view on things. I feel my own success is based on those around me, doing things that a crewleader should be doing, so I at least try and make myself known and not a mute. Having daily speakers around me pushes me to be just a great as them.

Anyway, I have rambled too much and don't even know half of what I said, I hope you find my view interesting though."

Axel waited patiently as others gave their input. He also listened to their points of view. Hec had raised a very interesting topic of discussion and it had him eager to devour what lessons he could. He was always up for a good bit of info, some juice to get the cranium ticking over. Axel took a drag of his cigarette then after a cloud of smoke parted his lips, he got them to jabbering his about own point of view.

"I personally feel blessed to have made the connections I've made, to be working in this amazing city with these crazy fuckers. When I arrived the place was already buzzing. The City of Sin was already up to no good, in a good way, and were already seen as a presence amongst the people at the street level."

"This foundation has allowed me to add my bit, to join those already pushing this great city to be known out there, with the people."

Axel pointed toward the door, then took another drag and continued.

 "And it's not just us. I see faces from Chicago out and about more often than not. I saw Detroit getting in amongst it and even more talked about on the streets than us in Vegas. Just seeing others I've never met before out here discussing things, providing woven tales to people passing by, adding their own part to this vibrant atmosphere, that has been a massive influence."

"So I guess, my perspective on what makes us successful is the greater community as a whole. If it was only us out here talking amongst ourselves I'd probably get bored of it really quick. I'd just stay in cafés, like this one, and shoot the shit this way. Although we do have some highly talented individuals in our city, each city has their fair share too."

"Lastly, I feel that it's those in leadership roles, like Artus has spoke of, that really spur a city on to do great things with this platform. You have the late great Logan name that led the city to be such an inspiration to many, myself included. Here in Vegas you have so many names, which are in this room now, all at leadership levels pushing the name and presence of our great city and driving that success."

"I believe every city here has the potential to be seen on the streets, if those in positions to make that happen actually take the bull by the horns and do just that. Yourself included Brother, I believe just on this trip to Vegas alone New York will soon enough be another name on everyone's lips. And if I can help in anyway at all to help your city in this journey, just say the words, as once a sinner always a sinner."

Finally finishing his piece, his long ass rant, Axel gave a casual salute in the direction of BrotherHec.

Thank you BrotherHec, this really is quite the compliment.

I am lucky in that a lot of the guys within my family are comfortable with coming out here and making the voices be heard, mostly because we all have that unspoken law of backing each other up if needed. With that in mind it will empower others, particularly newer lines, to then come out and speak their mind due to feeling confident in that they'll have support from their peers or family.

My own participation comes from spending a lot of time here, street speaking is something I've always enjoyed doing so when I see a topic that seems worthwhile getting involved in, I'll try to add my own two cents. Though mainly because I like the sound of my own voice.

"It goes to show just how comfortable people are feeling, I think I have heard of two people from Las Vegas who have questioned the leaders here publicly in the streets. How often is it that you see members question their own leaders?

The confidence that Conn had showed to come out and say what he died without fear of his city turning a gun on him and or being punished is pretty remarkable. Like it has been said before, there was a time when his leaders would've just pulled out the gun and point blank shot him for being a dick.

God knows we all know FitzChivalry loves the sound of his own voice, you should hear him behind closed doors, can't get him to keep that trap shut."

Artus is right, in another time Conn's recent discussion around paranoia and some of the phrases he used would have ended up with a bullet in his head, these days we appear to be more lenient. I think it's evident that we are all promoting street speaking and healthy discussion in this day and age though. In regards to what you say though Conn, I do have to dispute what you've stated as the solid proof you state you had wasn't actually there for you to question the situation and while I do promote challenging us as leaders I do feel you need to double and triple check facts at times before you come at us. It's one thing challenging us, it's another if what you're challenging us on isn't correct. So you can come out here and state you had proof, but in truth you had one persons account of things, which in speaking with you appeared to be inaccurate.

This is something we have noticed recently, people often challenging the current crop of leaders on things that aren't actually true and without providing any factual evidence and/or going down the route of he said she said nonsense, it just makes the speeches a bit of a farce and this is when I find the challenging of leaders difficult to go along with.