00:00This is a story that you had brought to me and were like, have you heard about this?
00:04And I've been like enthralled with this ever since.
00:08I love what Aaron is doing.
00:10Aaron Barnett, you've probably seen him because he's Aaron Worldwide.
00:14And he's been running the Pontiac streets, but also supplying us with a lot of history
00:19that I know I didn't know about the city.
00:21And apparently other people didn't know too.
00:23So we got Aaron in the building.
00:26How you doing?
00:27What up?
00:27What up?
00:28I'm doing good.
00:28How are you?
00:28I'm doing fabulous.
00:30Are your legs okay?
00:31How are you feeling?
00:31My legs are great.
00:32My legs are fine.
00:33I'm feeling good.
00:33Are we running today?
00:34We are.
00:35Okay.
00:35Wait, you're running today?
00:37Hold on, Aaron.
00:38Do you run every day?
00:39I run almost every day.
00:40I take Fridays off because, you know, even the Lord rested one day.
00:44Amen.
00:44It takes Fridays off.
00:48Aside from the running, okay, which is to me, it still boggles my mind that you're running
00:52this much.
00:52How did you come up with this idea?
00:54Because I love what you're doing.
00:56Yeah, so it started with my brother.
00:59He had an idea to run all the streets in Pontiac just to kind of do some community outreach
01:04and to kind of bring a positive light to the city.
01:08There was also a guy named Job in Chicago.
01:11He ran every street in Chicago.
01:13It took him a little bit longer than it's taken me to run Pontiac, obviously.
01:15Yeah.
01:16But he did that, and he was making content with it.
01:19So I thought I could marry those two ideas and, you know, do some community outreach kind
01:24of situation, but also tell some stories and tell some history.
01:27And we've gotten here, and it's resonated with people.
01:30So, yeah, it's pretty cool.
01:31And how many streets are we at right now?
01:34I think I told you 578.
01:36Do you know how many streets in Pontiac there are?
01:40Yeah, there's 765.
01:42So the fact that you're like, what, maybe 30% left, if not?
01:46Oh, my gosh.
01:46Sheesh.
01:47When did you start?
01:48I started in mid-June.
01:50But I started with a little head start because I've been running in Pontiac for a long time.
01:54So I started at like 15%.
01:56Okay.
01:57So I've added quite a few streets since I started in the summer.
02:00That's insane, though.
02:02Like, what has been, like, I can assume that with this process, you've also learned a lot
02:06about the city, too.
02:07What has been something that's been, like, the most mind-blowing part that you were like,
02:10wow, if I didn't do this, I don't think I would have known?
02:13That's a good question.
02:14I think a lot of it is just the legacy of how the racial, like, situation in the city
02:25shaped how the city is today.
02:27There were so many different things that happened in the past.
02:30And if you watch the videos, a little plug, if you watch the videos, you can get a history
02:34of how Pontiac evolved over the years.
02:37And so much of it has a direct correlation to what happens now.
02:41So I think that's a cool thing about talking about history is you get a good idea of how
02:45that history impacts the current time as well.
02:48So I think that's, like, something that it just sticks with me because I grew up in the
02:54city and I had to deal with some of the legacy of the things that happened.
02:59So, yeah, to be able to tell people about it and kind of give people a little more background
03:02on it, it's really cool.
03:04And it's an honor to do.
03:05And if you miss the whole point, like, Aaron, you're running the streets and talking about
03:09the history of that specific area.
03:12Probably what made that street be the way it is, running the way it is.
03:16Maybe it has a weird turn and everyone is like, what is it?
03:18There's a reason behind it.
03:20And you're kind of educating people about the city.
03:22Where do you get all the information from?
03:25Yeah, so when I started, this was just kind of like a fun idea, but it's turned into like
03:29a full research project at this point.
03:30So I'm putting, I tell people I put, you know, an hour or two of research into the stories
03:36because I just want them to be accurate and I want them to be compelling enough to, like,
03:40pique people's interest.
03:41So I'm, a big shout out to the Oakland Historical Society.
03:44They have so many of, so much great information in their archives.
03:48So I'm researching, I'm usually picking a area and then I'll build the story out from that.
03:55But sometimes I get comments on social from people and they tell me about things that I'd
03:59never heard of.
04:00So I do the research on those things and kind of dig a little deeper because I want to learn
04:04too.
04:05I love to learn.
04:06So this is a great way to gain knowledge and also share that knowledge with other people.
04:10So that's so cool.
04:11It's beautiful.
04:12So what else do you do?
04:14Because I feel like this can't, is this the full time that you're doing right now?
04:18No, I do a little bit of everything.
04:19I got a real job.
04:20I also do graphic design.
04:22I also run twice a week in Detroit with my run club.
04:25We run 3-1-3.
04:27I have a podcast because it's 2026 and everybody has a podcast.
04:30I have a podcast about running.
04:33I run marathons.
04:34I've done 11 marathons.
04:35I think that's like the layup because I've run so much.
04:37So it makes sense.
04:39But yeah, I do a little bit of everything.
04:40So this is just a natural progression into, I guess, me being more of a social media creator.
04:47I don't want to use that I word, but you know, something like that.
04:50You influence, though.
04:51But it's like, how are you?
04:53I ask that because I want to know how you're able to like multitask and like get all this together.
04:58Because if this is not the only thing you're doing and plus you're researching on top of that,
05:03like how are you able to make this all work?
05:06It's a lot of time spent looking at a screen, to be honest.
05:10My eye doctor probably doesn't like it.
05:12But yeah, it's just a lot of screen time.
05:15But just they say you make time for the things that you want to do, right?
05:19So just figuring it out.
05:21And like I said, the response has been so good, so positive.
05:23And it's bringing a positive light to a city that I care so much about.
05:27So I feel like I'm almost obligated to deliver the best possible stories I can.
05:33This really is like the best of all worlds because you break these down into little bites.
05:38So if someone just were to find you randomly, which, by the way, this is where you can plug.
05:43Plug, plug, plug.
05:43What's the name?
05:44Aaron X Worldwide on Instagram, on TikTok as well.
05:48And Aaron Barnett on Facebook if you were born in 1900.
05:55And yes, and he said what he said.
05:57I see that.
05:57And I agree.
05:58I too was born in the 1900s, so I'm not judging.
06:00Exactly.
06:01I say that lovingly.
06:02I love it because you can look, you can find in the middle, but I guarantee you're going
06:05to go back to the beginning and just start because it's just a little bite-sized information
06:10that you can process.
06:11You're almost done.
06:13Are you going to a different city next?
06:14That's what I was about to ask.
06:15Like what happens when you've reached the entire 700 and some streets?
06:19Because we can't be watching our favorite show and have a season finale and that's it.
06:23Exactly.
06:23We got to know there's a season two.
06:25Because I've been watching since video one, so I'm going to need a sequel.
06:28So I owe the audience that.
06:31People ask me that a lot.
06:32I'm trying to stay present and give my all to what I'm doing right now.
06:36I know I'm going to continue telling stories about Pontiac because Pontiac is a city that
06:42means so much to me being from there.
06:44So that'll continue.
06:45But I've had people reach out and say, you should do other cities.
06:48You should do other places.
06:49So we'll see.
06:50It's still pending.
06:51We're still figuring it out.
06:54Me and my brother, like I said, my brother, it was his idea to begin with and he's also
06:59doing it.
06:59So I think we'll put our heads together and we'll figure something out that keeps you guys
07:05tuned in and entertained.
07:06We appreciate it because the show must continue.
07:09And we got to get air in a small town.
07:11So like it's just one street.
07:13I'm here in Durand.
07:14Okay.
07:15There it was.
07:16Maybe like a Ferndale or Oak Park.
07:19Even smaller.
07:20Yeah.
07:21We got to go smaller than that.
07:23Two streets.
07:23That's it.
07:24Okay.
07:24I actually ran Lake Angeles.
07:25It's eight streets.
07:27Okay.
07:27I think I'm six of eight.
07:29Or maybe like Belal.
07:30How many streets is on Belal?
07:31Is that a lot?
07:32I ran them all.
07:32Okay.
07:35The better question is, we're having you run.
07:37Correct.
07:38Correct.
07:39Hey, I haven't run anywhere that wants to fly me out to run.
07:41I haven't ran there.
07:42So, you know.
07:43Amen to that.
07:44I know you said this isn't your full time, but this is the kind of idea I feel like where
07:49it could turn into you're the guy.
07:52And I hope that it does because the minute we started talking about it, this is genius
07:58and it's great.
08:00I appreciate that.
08:00That's a high honor.
08:03And like I said, it started from just a noble idea and I didn't even think it would go that
08:08far.
08:08It was kind of just specifically for the people of the city to have something to take pride
08:12in.
08:13Uh, we also have some other stories that get told, um, that aren't always the most positive.
08:18So, uh, no judgment to the people that tell those stories, but I wanted to, to have another
08:23perspective.
08:24So that's what it just started in earnest.
08:26And the fact that it's taken off and people are enjoying it, it just, it's the cherry on
08:30top.
08:31Love it.
08:31So in case people are living under a rock still and just still have not seen the greatness
08:36that is Aaron Barnett.
08:37Can you please let them know where they can find you again?
08:39Yep.
08:40So they can find me on Tik TOK, Aaron X worldwide.
08:43Uh, that's A A R O N X worldwide.
08:46Uh, you can find me on Instagram, that same handle.
08:48And then you can find me on Facebook as well.
08:50Aaron Barnett, B A R N E T T. And also look out for my brother too, Jared for love.
08:55That's my guy.
08:56That's my, my closest friend.
08:58So we both doing it.
08:59I'm trying to figure out when I can get to it.
09:01I don't know if I could do eight, 10 miles though, friend, but I can get to it with you.
09:05We can, we can do two or three.
09:06It's cool.
09:07You 10 K finishers.
09:08So, you know, we can, we can do whatever you want to do.
09:10Let's get back down to that too.
09:12We'll talk three later.
09:13Let's get back down to two.
09:14All right, Aaron.
09:15Thank you so much.
09:16Not for what you're doing, obviously, but for taking time to come in and talk to us about it.
09:20And hopefully this turns into something that you're doing full time, man.
09:24That'd be beautiful.
09:24Thank you for having me.
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