More Than Red: A Friendship with MaryAnn Riley

In this touching pre-production interview, the late Dr. Kenneth Myers Sr.—a beloved truth-teller and community leader—sits down with Sandy Shen to reflect on the life and impact of MaryAnn Riley, known affectionately as “The Lady in Red.” Shen shares how their friendship, which began in 1989, blossomed into a deep admiration for Riley’s tireless commitment to her community, her party, and her principles. Through laughter and heartfelt moments, Sandy paints a vivid portrait of a woman who leads by example, uplifts everyone she meets, and makes Spartanburg feel like home. This interview, now a tribute to both Dr. Myers and MaryAnn Riley, captures the legacy of two remarkable lives intertwined by purpose and service.

Transcript

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I said, I don't know anything about this, he goes, don't worry, just come, just follow me. Your cue. Hello, my name is Kenneth Myers Sr., I love to tell you the truth, and I respect and I forgive you the facts. We're here today with Ms. Sandy Shin, she's going to talk to us about her relationship with Mrs. Mary Ann Riley, Mrs. Mary Ann Riley is a very important person in this community. Share with us, Sandy, what's your friendship with her that has impacted your life, and what experiences you can share with us about Mrs. Mary Ann Riley. I met her when we first opened up the restaurant in Spartanburg back in '89. She and her husband; the mother is coming to eat with us. Gradually, we talked, and learned about she is involved in the Republican Party, but I'm such a busy person, you know, I don't think I have time for any of this, but by 2004, see that was 1989 to 2004, quite a time later, I got to know her really well, and also at the time, she invited me to come to her house. She asked me to, you know, to come see what they're doing. So I said, okay, but I don't understand, you have to teach me, she said, don't worry, you know, whatever you want to know, you know, you can call me and ask me, I'll tell you the answer, but come in and join us and see what we are doing. So that was nice of it for me to get out of the restaurant, you know, because when you are in the restaurant business, that's what you do. You deal with people every day, but you don't know the other things that are going on in the town, in the country. By joining the party and going to all these meetings and followers everywhere, you know, I learned a lot. Okay. Now Ms. Mary Ann Riley, she's very busy, she moves around, she has a lot of energy. How did you keep up with her, and what did you learn about Ms. Mary Ann Riley as you saw her move about? What did you learn about the community, doing the political thing and doing other things? What did you learn? At first, I learned, you know, you're living in a community, you don't, you know, keep it to yourself. You need to go out there and to see what you can do, not just for yourself, but also learn what you can do for the community. That's the first thing I learned from her. Okay. Yeah, because seeing her side by side, what she was doing, you know, she goes out there, if there's a big sale, she goes buy stuff, it's for her foster kids, right, or for sending out for the soldiers in the front, and these are the things I don't see. I heard about them, but once you see it, it's actually doing, and you say, 'okay, no.' So, when people talk about Ms. Mary Ann Riley, some people think she's just a woman, you know, she's a woman that's been in the Republican party, she's much more than that. Oh, she definitely is. She's much more than that. That's another reason, after watching her follow her beliefs, you know, and knowing her own principles and she would do whatever driven her to get the result, but she doesn't. She doesn't send somebody else out to do it; she does it. And what I've seen from Ms. Mary Ann Riley is that she's in a group of people, she's 'she' knows everybody. She's a friend to everybody. I think that's part of the reason why a lot of people are attracted to her. And she is such a fantastic role model, do you agree? Yes, and she is a fast thinker. Her mind comes quickly, she's sharp. As though I can say she's very sharp. Any little things, she makes, she will solve the problem. She'll get the results. That's excellent. Miss Marianne Riley has a passion, has commitment to the community. She's involved in everything. Do you think she's slowed up at all? Do you think she's slowed up at all? I have seen her since 1989 till now. No, we are trying to tell her to slow down. She's already had two, three episodes. Okay. With her heart. That's why we keep telling her, you need to slow down. But she can slow down. Well, Miss Marianne Riley, the reason why we are interviewing you is because she talks highly of you. She talks highly of folks she told us to interview. But you were coming from a position that you didn't know the history of politics in this community. No, I didn't. So that's evident that she's a great teacher. Now you realize she has a history of being an elementary teacher. Yes, I do know that, yes. Okay. Yeah, I know that. She's been teaching school for a while, but my background, same thing. I taught in Spartanburg for just three years at a private school for teaching children speaking Chinese. Yeah, we became real good friends because we had a lot to talk about. And whatever she knows, I'm a learner. I like to learn. You know, I like to know things that I don't know. And she's a great teacher. She teaches me. And to be living in South Carolina, I consider myself a South Carolinian, all right? The other day I had to fill out a form. You know, they have a form for me to fill out. And they were asking me, where's your hometown? I told the lady, I said, what am I gonna say? You know, I was born in China. Grew up in Taiwan. But I lived in South Carolina the longest. I have lived here 40 years. Wow, right? Right, that's excellent. So this is my hometown. I consider myself, this is where I'm from. It sounds like part of you that's identified with Spartanburg and considered your home has a lot to do with your friendship with Marianne. With Marianne. Wow. Yes. You know, if you just, you run a business, okay? You're just a business person. You're just running about, you know, the in and out of your business. You overlook everything else. But knowing her taught me, you know, how to find my position in this community. To be part of it. And also to do something for it. And that's wonderful. Marianne Riley and her personality, and the people that she reached out to, mainly you, that shows you how she can grow this community just by her relationships with people like yourself. Yeah, and I believe there's not just me. There's a lot of others too. Right. There's a lot of people that speak very highly of this Marianne Riley because of the spirit that she has and the love that she has for people and the commitment she has for her family or community and her party. And she'll let you know that. And so I'm just grateful to be able to interview you. In closing remarks, what would be the one thing that you would say that's most impactful about Miss Marianne Riley in reaching people? Her action. Because she doesn't just talk about it. She acts upon that. And I think that's what's most impactful about Miss Marianne. We've been talking today about the life of Miss Marianne Riley. What a wonderful person she is. She's successful. She's achieved a lot. But the most important thing is she's touched many, many lives of the residents of Spartanburg, South Carolina. So I'm your host, Kenneth Myers, Sr. I love you enough to tell you the truth. And I respect you enough to give you the facts. And Sandy, thank you so much for being here today. For this interview. Aw, thank you for inviting me. You're welcome. Thank you. But that was good to see what we do with Eric. He cuts it up, the interview. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we talk it up, you cut it up, cut it up. Yeah, right. And you will be in the trailer as well. So before you come out to Dr. Terry, we'll put a trailer out for about a minute. And all the people that we interview, you'll hear spots of you talking. So you'll be there. But you do see that, right? You do see that everyone that you interview, they all go back to that. Oh, yeah. Back to that, right? Yeah, they love it. Yeah. They love it. I wouldn't be able, you know, if it wasn't because of her. Because of her, I met all these candidates for presidency. Wow. You know, I met them. Most people never get to do that. I know, that's another thing. Because she would drag me over there to have a photo with them. I wouldn't dare, you know, when there's 500, 600 people. Right. But she just dragged me, yeah. And she has that personality. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I just met her a couple of weeks ago with Eric and I. And she treated us like she's been known this 20 years. Yes. Come on, come on. Yeah. That makes you feel welcome. Yeah. And that makes you feel relaxed. And don't you wish there's more of Mary Ann Riley. Right. It makes everything just a happier environment. Yeah. There's no tension. Yeah. So if she sees you someplace, hey! Yes, she does, yes. So she's wonderful. She's a girl, what's your name? She's a great ambassador. Yeah. For the Republican Party, for the women, and for Sputnik. Yeah, she has, how do you say this, some people are so stuck up if they are very well popular. They're so stuck up, but not her. No, no, she's genuine. Yeah. She'll never be that way. Right. So I think any person that has a young daughter, deep in their heart, they want their daughter to have the personality traits, the kindness, acceptance, all of that. Yes, yes. So that's what makes Mary Ann Riley a superhero. That's what I call her. Yeah. She's a superhero. But she lives very modestly. Yeah. That's why I admire her. I truly, truly admire her, because she just, I don't know what to say. I'm so happy I met her. Right, she's a people's person. Yeah, but there's many people are people's person, but this one is very special. They don't have the gift. Yes, yes. She has the personal gift to meet somebody, but she's a person. Yes. And it's all designed to make them feel good about themselves. Yes. That's powerful. I saw her do work with the Veterans. And she loves all the Veterans. Yes. Everybody loves her. Yes, yes, yes. She lights up the room. Yes. And you had never imagined, right? Right. When you see somebody, you know, you know, just an ordinary person. Right? Who is this lady? Right. That's Mary Ann Riley. And that was her hat? Haha. I love her, was her hat. Yeah, we took 3-4 pictures of her with a hat. Right. She loves her hat. And she's such a, such a traditional Republican woman, you know, I'm serious, she's so funny. So if you want to know what a Republican woman is, look at Mary Ann Riley, that's the marketing part there. Mary Ann Riley, Republican women. And she's straightforward. She's kind, and she's not loud, but when she speaks, people listen. Right, she's not very loud, you're right. She's not like, raising her voice or something, but if Marianne is somewhere, Marianne is talking, everybody will listen. Because whatever she says, she doesn't talk nonsense. She really doesn't. And she's a leader. I don't know whether it's by default, or whether it's practice, but look at Marianne Riley, that's a leader. I go with her, I don't have to worry. Right. Like you walk with the cane. Yeah, I have no worry. If I go with her, if she tells me, you know, she's just a leader, I don't have to worry. She just calls me and says, Sandy, you need to do this, this will be good for you, I'll do it. So everybody that I talk to, one thing they say about Marianne Riley, is that they trust her. Yes. She's trustworthy. Yes. Yes. It's, you know, how wonderful it is, that just knowing her, it's a plus. Yeah. So, I want to thank you again. This has been Sandy Shin and Ms. Marianne Riley. And we look forward to talking about her some more. And we're going to take some pictures later on, so we can have pictures of you. Oh, okay. All right. So, thank you.