[ ♪♪ ] >> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS ON ARIZONA HORIZON, THE HOUSING CRISIS IS FORCED SOME TO CHOOSE BETWEEN PETS AND THEIR HOMES.

AND ON CRONKITE NEWS, HOW SOME BEEKEEPERS ARE FORTUNE SOME TO PROTECT THEIR HIVES.

THIS HOUR IS OF LOCAL NEWS BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FRIENDS OF PBS, MEMBERS OF YOUR PBS STATION.

THANK YOU.

>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME.

AN UPTICK OF COVID CASES AROUND THE COUNTRY IS NOT SHOWING UP AS OF YET IN ARIZONA AND CASES AS OF LAST WEEK ARE FLAT AND 10% OF WHAT THEY WERE DURING LAST YEAR'S PEAK AND SAME FOR HOSPITALIZATIONS, BUT COVID DEATHS ARE UNNERVINGLY HIGH, 80% OF PEAK NUMBERS AND BOOSTER SHOTS, THE WHITE HOUSE SUGGESTED THAT PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 60 SHOULD, QUOTE, DEFINITELY GET A FOURTH DOSE OF THE VACCINE.

>> I THINK PEOPLE OVER 60 CLEARLY BENEFIT THE DATA FROM ISRAEL TO ME IS STRONG AND I THINK PEOPLE OVER 60 SHOULD BE GETTING IT.

50 TO 59, THE DATA IS LESS CLEAR AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE DRIVEN BY RISK FACTORS, TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR AND THAT'S IMPORTANT.

PEOPLE UNDER 50, WE DON'T HAVE ANY DATA RIGHT NOW AND SO I WANT TO BE GUIDED BY EVIDENCE AND DATA ON THIS AND THEREFORE, PEOPLE UNDER 50, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY EVIDENCE AND I DON'T THINK PEOPLE NEED IT.

IF THE EVIDENCE CHANGES, WE WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE TO THE RECOMMENDATION.

>> THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE FOR A FOURTH DOSE IS INCOMPLETE AND RESEARCHERS AT THIS POINT DON'T AGREE ON WHETHER OR NOT THE SHOTS ARE NEEDED.

THE CDC IS EXPECTED TO UPDATE A TRANSPORTATION COVID MASK UPDATE LATER THIS WEEK AND IN AS THE FEDERAL MANDATE IS SET TO EXPIRE ON APRIL 18TH.

AND IN MOST PLACES AROUND THE COUNTRY, FACE COVERINGS ARE NO LONGER MANDATORY IN PUBLIC AREAS AND THE CDC SAYS IT'S COMING UP WITH A SCIENTIFIC FRAMEWORK FOR UPDATED REGULATIONS.

ONE MORE HEALTH NOTE, PEOPLE WHO ARE ANXIOUS OR INTROVERTED OR DISORGANIZED ARE MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP COGNITIVE DECLINE EARLIER IN LIFE AND THAT APPLIES TO A HIGHER LIKELIHOOD OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.

THEY EXAMINED TWO THOUSAND PEOPLE AND FOUND KEEPING ANXIETY AT BAY COULD ADD TWO YEARS OF COGNITIVE FUNCTION.

WORLD NEWS, THE WAR IN UKRAINE SHOWS NO SIGN OF SLOWING AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF RUSSIAN TROOPS ARE PREPARING FOR A MAJOR ASSAULT IN THE EASTERN PART OF UKRAINE AS RUSSIAN BOMBARDMENTS CONTINUE IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY.

THE UKRAINIAN PRIME MINISTER SAID TEN THOUSAND ARE DEAD IN THE CITY OF MARIUPOL WHICH HAS THUS FAR SEEN THE WORST OF THE RUSSIAN ASSAULT.

RECENT RENT AND HOUSING PRICE SURGES HAVE FORCED MANY PET OWNERS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THEIR HOME OR PETS.

WITH THAT IN BEHIND, ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS FORCED PET HOUSING AZ DESIGNED TO ASSIST THOSE WHO CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR PETS.

THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE ARIZONA ANIMAL WELFARE LEAGUE TOLD US MORE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE AS WE TALK ABOUT THIS, AND THIS IS ROUGH STUFF, TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE HAVING TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THEIR HOMES AND THEIR PETS AND BEFORE WE GET DOWN THAT ROAD, YOUR ORGANIZATION, PET HOUSING HELP AZ, AND PART OF THIS GROUP.

TALK TO US ABOUT THIS AND WHAT IT'S DESIGNED TO DO.

>> I'M WITH THE ARIZONA WELFARE LEAGUE AND ONE OF SIX ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS TO CREATE THIS ORGANIZATION WHO ARE IN THIS PREDICAMENT MAKING THIS PREDICTION OF HAVING TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THEIR HOME OR THEIR PET.

SO WHAT THIS WEBSITE DOES IS IT PROVIDES ALL KINDS OF RESOURCES.

IT PROVIDES -- IT ALLOWS THEM TO MAYBE HOOK UP AND MEET OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO COULD PROVIDE TEMPORARY HOUSING FOR THEM AND IT CONNECTS THEM WITH POTENTIAL RESOURCES INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, PET DEPOSIT, PET RENTS AND IT ALLOWS THEM TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT TENANT'S RIGHTS AND US COMING TOGETHER WITH SUPPORT FROM GOVERNMENT AND SUPPORTED BY THE CITY OF PHOENIX AND THE ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATION WITH THE COMMUNITY ITSELF TO STEP UP AND STAY, WE'VE GOT TO BEGIN TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM.

>> HOW LONG HAS THE GROUP BEEN AROUND?

>> WELL, WE STARTED LAST YEAR DURING COVID, BUT IT WAS ORIGINALLY THAT WE -- THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF THIS WEBSITE WAS BECAUSE WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE EVICTION MORATORIUM GOES AWAY AND THE CONCERN WAS ALWAYS THAT YOU WERE GOING TO SEE A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN EVICTIONS BECAUSE OF COVID.

WELL, TURNS OUT, HERE WE ARE ONE YEAR LATER AND WE ARE SEEING A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN EVICTIONS AND NOT BECAUSE OF COVID, BUT JUST BECAUSE OF THE MARKET BECAUSE RENTS IN PHOENIX HAVE GONE UP 30% AND THERE HAVE BEEN FIVE THOUSAND EVICTIONS IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR ALONE.

AND SO IT IS A REALITY THAT WE'RE SEEING AND A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO CONTACT US ARE IN THIS, THEY'RE DESPERATE, HAVING TO MOVE AND HAVE ANIMAL DON'T KNOW WHO TO TURN TO.

>> HOW ABOUT WHO TURNS TO SOMEONE AND HAS TO GIVE UP THEIR PET BECAUSE OF RENT PRICES AND HOW OFTEN ARE YOU HEARING THIS?

>> WE STARTED COLLECTING, TRACKING OUR CALLS IN APRIL OF LAST YEAR.

WE'VE GOTTEN OVER 525 CALLS.

THEY CALL US -- AND THEY'RE ALL RELATED TO HELPING, BUT THEY CALL US FOR BEHAVIOR AND NOW THEY'RE MOVING IN WITH A FAMILY MEMBER AND WE HAVE TWO DOGS AND HAVING BEHAVIOR ISSUES.

THE SECOND REASON, THEY'RE EVICTED AND THE THIRD REASON IS MOVING, WHERE PEOPLE ARE JUST PRICED OUT OF THEIR HOMES AND THEN WHEN THEY TRY TO FIND A NEW HOME, THAT NEW APARTMENT EITHER WON'T TAKE ANIMALS OR THEY'RE CHARGING THEM REALLY, REALLY HIGH RATE, LIKE MONTHLY PET DEPOSIT RATES AND NOW WE HAVE A PHENOMENON OF PET DEPOSIT.

PLUS AN EXTRA PET RENT.

>> I RENT AN APARTMENT AND I HAVE A DOG AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, MY RENT IS JACKED UP AND I HAVE TO GET OUT AND I CAN'T FIND A PLACE AND I DON'T WANT TO LOSE MY DOG.

>> RIGHT.

>> BUT I NEED TO FIND A PLACE THAT WILL WORK AND WHAT DO I DO AND WHERE DO I GO?

>> THAT'S IT.

I MEAN, WE ARE TRYING TO PREVENT THOSE ANIMALS AND WE WANT TO KEEP THOSE FAMILIES AND ANIMAL IN THE HOME AND PREVENT THAT ANIMAL FROM COMING INTO THE SHELTER SYSTEM ALL TOGETHER.

SO WHAT WE ARE NOW ASKING FOLKS TO RAISE AWARENESS AND COME TO THE PET HOUSING WEBSITE.

THERE'S A SECTION THAT SAYS I NEED HELP OR I WANT TO HELP AND SO YOU CAN GO TO THE I NEED HELP SECTION AND IT'S BILINGUAL AND YOU GO TO THE I NEED HELP SECTION AND THERE'S AN ENTIRE CATEGORY THAT SAYS, I WANT TO FIND A TEMPORARY FOSTER HOME, WHICH IS A SCENARIO THAT YOU'RE GIVING US HERE, WHERE NOW WILL HAVE -- IT'S A WEBSITE WHERE INDIVIDUALS SIGN UP AND VOLUNTEER TO TEMPORARY ASSIST WITH TEMPORARY FOSTERING.

AND THEN IT WILL WALK YOU THROUGH.

YOU WILL HAVE THE OF COURSE OF BEING INTRODUCED TO INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN HELP YOU PROVIDE THAT TEMPORARY FOSTER HOME FOR YOUR PET.

OR IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN HELPING OUT, YOU CAN SIGN UP TO BE A TEMPORARY FOSTER MOM OR DAD.

>> I WAS GOING TO ASK, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED AND YOU WANT TO BE A TEMPORARY FOSTER MOM OR DAD, HOW BIG OF HOOPS AND HURDLES DO YOU GO THROUGH?

>> THE COMMUNITY -- IT'S A COMMUNITY-BASED SITE AND SO WE, CREATED THE PLATFORM, WHERE YOU CAN SHARE THE INFORMATION.

YOU CAN PUT PICTURES OF THE ANIMALS AND SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND HOW YOU WANT TO HELP.

THE INDIVIDUALS TAKE THAT INITIATIVE TO HELP THEM GET OUT OF THAT SITUATION.

AGAIN, THAT'S THE BIGGEST RESOURCE, TEMPORARY FOSTER HOUSING.

THEN YOU CAN REHOME IF YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP THAT PET AND YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF, AGAIN, NOT COMING TO THE SHELTER SYSTEM AND FINDING ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL WHO MIGHT BE WANTING TO ADOPT YOUR PET MORE PERMANENTLY.

>> INTERESTING.

HOW LONG DO YOU THINK THIS GROUP, THIS COLLECTION OF AGENCIES AND GROUPS WILL STICK TOGETHER WITH PET HOUSING AZ?

IS THIS SOMETHING TO GO ON TOGETHER HERE?

>> DEFINITELY.

I SEE THIS AND IT'S NOT RIGHT NOW.

THERE'S SUCH A HUGE NEED AND I DON'T SEE THIS ISSUE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY.

I THINK THAT'S WHY WE'RE BEING VOCAL AND TRYING TO RAISE AWARENESS AND HAVING MEETINGS WITH PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE UNLESS -- WHAT WE DON'T WANT IS THE ANIMALS TO COME INTO THE SYSTEM.

WE WANT TO PROVIDE MORE RESOURCES AND A WHOLE SECTION ON THE WEBSITE THAT LISTS, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU'RE IN NEED OF VETERINARY SERVICES BECAUSE YOU MOVED AND YOU HAVE HIGH VET BILLS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP YOU.

THERE'S A RESOURCE LIST BROKEN UP BY DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.

BUT I ENVISION THIS BEING A RESOURCE TO GROW, YOU KNOW, SPOT FUTURE.

>> ARIZONA ANIMAL WELFARE BEING AND THAT WEBSITE?

IS PETHOUSINGHEALTHAZ.ORG.

>> VERY GOOD AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, TED, I APPRECIATE YOU.

>> AND COMING UP AFTER THE BREAK, WE'LL HEAR ABOUT PROPOSALS TO INCREASE SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN LIVING UNDER KINSHIP CARE.

>> GOVERNOR DUCEY PROPOSED RAISING THE STIPENDS WITH CHILDREN STAYING WITH RELATIVES KNOWN AS KINSHIP CARE AT A MUCH GREATER RATE THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

THE STATE PROVIDES A STIPENDS OF $75 A MONTH AND THAT SAME CHILD REPLACED WOULD RESEARCH MUCH MORE.

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH CHILDREN'S ACTION ALLIANCE.

DAVID LUHAN, WELCOME, AND GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT KINSHIP CARE HERE AND WHAT EXACTLY IT IS AND HOW IT COULD BE BETTERED, ESPECIALLY IN ARIZONA, COMPARED TO NONRELATIVE AND WE'LL GET TO THAT IF A SECOND.

DEFINE KINSHIP CARE.

>> SURE.

SO KINSHIP CARE WHEN A CHILD IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM GETS PLACED WITH A RELATIVE RATHER THAN WITH SOME STRANGER WHO IS A LICENSED FOSTER CARE PROVIDER.

WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS IS THAT WHEN CHILDREN GET PLACED WITH RELATIVES, KIN, IT MITIGATES THE TRAUMA OF SEPARATED FROM PARENTS AND PROVIDED BETTER OUTCOMES.

THE PROBLEM FOR TOO LONG IN ARIZONA, WE'VE BEEN PAYING THE RELATIVES FAR LESS THAN WHAT WE PAY THE STRANGERS, THE NON-LICENSED -- I'M SORRY, THE LICENSED FOSTER PARENT.

>> KINSHIP IS ARIZONA IS MORE THAN ELSEWHERE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IN ARIZONA, 52% OF CHILDREN IN THE FOSTER SYSTEM ARE PLACED WITH KINSHIP PROVIDERS, RELATIVES.

>> WOW, WOW!

THE MONTHLY STIPEND, LOOKS LIKE $75 A MONTH AND THE RELATIVE GETS $600.

>> IT MAKES NO SENSE.

AND WHAT THIS LEGISLATION THAT THE LEGISLATION IS CONSIDERING THIS YEAR WOULD RAISE THE STIPEND FOR A KINSHIP CARE FROM $75 TO $300 A MONTH PER CHILD AND THEN BY RAISING IT TO THAT LEVEL, AND ALSO STREAMLINING SOME OF THE LICENSING PROCEDURES SO THAT THESE KINSHIP FAMILY MEMBERS CAN GET LICENSED, IT WILL ALLOW US TO DRAW DOWN ADDITIONAL FEDERAL DOLLARS OF ABOUT 2 $10 PER CHILD.

SO IT'S A GOOD DEAL AND MAKES SENSE TO DO IT.

>> CLOSES IN ON THE NONRELATIVE.

>> WAS THE IDEA ORIGINALLY BECAUSE IT'S FAMILY, THAT'S KIND OF AN OBLIGATION AND SO THE STATE SHOULDN'T BE SPENDING THAT MUCH MONEY?

IS THAT THE REASONING?

>> I SUPPOSE.

I DON'T KNOW WHY WE SAW THAT DISPARITY TO BEGIN WITH, BUT IT MAKES NO SENSE.

AS I SAID, THE RESEARCH SHOWS YOU GET FAR BETTER OUTCOMES WHEN CHILDREN ARE PLACED WITH FAMILY MEMBERS SO, WE SHOULD BE COMPENSATING THEM THE SAME.

IT COSTS THE SAME TO TAKE CARE WHETHER YOU'RE WITH A LICENSED FOSTER CARE OR FAMILY, THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR FOOD AND CLOTHING AND COSTS THE SAME TO COMPENSATE THEM.

>> $24.4 MILLION AND THEN, AGAIN, BY, YOU KNOW, FOCUSING THAT MONEY, THAT LEVERAGES FEDERAL AND HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> SO THERE'S FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, BUT IN ORDER TO LEVERAGE THE FEDERAL DOLLARS, ONE, WE HAVE TO PAY THAT HIGHER STIPEND, AND NOT JUST $75.

AND ALSO, THE KINSHIP AND FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE TO BE LICENSED THROUGH A STREAMLINING PROCESS.

SO WHAT THE OTHER LEGISLATION IS, IS TO STREAMLINE THE ABILITY SO THE FAMILY MEMBERS CAN GO THROUGH THE LICENSING PROCESS.

I CAN GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

WE TALKED TO AN AUNT WHO WAS ASKED TO CARE FOR A COUPLE OF HER RELATIVES AND SHE LIVED IN A MANUFACTURED HOME AND IN ORDER TO GET LICENSED, SHE WOULD HAVE TO DO SEVERAL REPAIRS TO THE HOUSE.

AND DCS PLACED THE CHILDREN WITH HER, BUT BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T MAKE REPAIRS, SHE WASN'T LICENSED AND RECEIVED THE LOWER STIPEND AMOUNT AND IT MAKES SENSE TO MAKE THE CHANGE.

>> YOU MENTIONED STREAMLINING THE LICENSES PROCESS AND HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE NOW AND HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE WITH THE CHANGE?

>> WELL, NOW, I MEAN, IT CAN TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS AND SO, THERE'S SEVERAL TRAININGS THAT FAMILY MEMBERS GO TO AND CURRENTLY, IF YOU WANT TO GET THE LICENSE OR THE FOSTER PARENTS HAVE TO GO THROUGH EVERY PERSON IN THE HOUSEHOLD HAS TO GET A PHYSICAL EXAM.

THE BACKGROUND CHECKS ARE THE BIG THING.

EVERYBODY GETS FBI BACKGROUND CHECKS AND TRADITIONAL FOSTER CARE PARENTS HAVE TO GET THE FINGERPRINT CARD.

THEY DO THE FBI BACKGROUND CHECK AND WON'T HAVE TO GET THE FINGERPRINT CARD.

>> YOU MENTIONED IT'S IMPORTANT FOR KIDS AND HOW MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE WILL THIS REALLY MAKE?

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S A BEST PRACTICE.

IN ARIZONA, 52% OF OUR CHILDREN IN THE FOSTER SYSTEM AND PLACED WITH KINSHIP CARE.

AND SO, THIS WILL JUST -- AND WE KNOW THAT IT WILL PROVIDE BETTER OUTCOMES AND THINK ABOUT THE COSTS DOWN THE ROAD AND BETTER COSTS IN THE SYSTEM WILL RESULT IN SAVINGS TO THE STATE DOWN THE ROAD IF CHILDREN ARE COMING OUT OF THE SYSTEM IN A BETTER WAY.

>> WE MENTIONED HOW ARIZONA IS BETTER THAN KINSHIP CARE.

IS THAT SEPARATION MORE SO?

ARE WE SEEING MORE AND MORE OF THIS IN ARIZONA?

>> YES, YES, WE ARE.

AND THINK ABOUT IF YOU'RE A FAMILY MEMBER AND YOU GET THAT CALL FROM DCS AND YOU'RE NOT PREPARED TO TAKE IN THESE CHILDREN AND NOT PLANNING ON IT, AND SO, THAT'S WHY THESE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES MAKE SENSE BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT THESE ADDITIONAL COSTS ALL OF A SUDDEN AND WE SHOULD BE PAYING THEM THE WAY WE PAY LICENSED FOSTER PARENTS.

>> YOU'VE BEEN IN THE FOSTER SYSTEM A LONG TIME AND HOW DOES IT GOOD?

>> IT LOOKS GOOD.

LONG TIME CHAMPIONS AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE THIS YEAR IS GOVERNOR DUCEY MADE THIS A BIG PART OF HIS PLATFORM AS FAR AS DCS AND WE APPRECIATE THAT SUPPORT AND CONFIDENT IT WILL GET THROUGH.

>> THE CHILDREN'S ACTION ALLIANCE AND THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AHEAD OF U.N. RETCHING AGENCY DISCUSSING A MASS EXODUS OF UKRAINIANS FLEEING RUSSIA'S INVASION AND THAT'S COMING UP ON ARIZONA PBS.

>> AND ASU PROFESSOR PARKER RHODES JOINED US TO TALK ABOUT HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND WHAT'S AHEAD IN HER CAREER.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

THIS WILL BE A REAL TREAT.

JEWEL PARKER-RHODES, GRANDMOTHER OF FANTASY, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THAT?

>> I WAS A LITTLE BIT SURPRISED, BUT I LOVE THE GRANDMOTHER PART BECAUSE I LOVE BEING AN ELDER.

I'M A GRANDMOTHER TO A LITTLE GIRL WHO IS FIVE YEARS OLD.

THE GRANDMOTHER OF FANTASY CAME FROM THE FACT THAT MY FIRST NOVEL WAS THE VOODOO QUEEN OF NEW ORLEANS WHO LIVED IN A 19TH CENTURY AND THERE ARE A LOT OF REPORTED MIRACLES SUCH AS WALKING ON WATER THAT MARIE LAVOE DID AND I THINK THE IDEA OF WRITING ABOUT NEW ORLEANS AND THE SPIRITUALUAL DIASPRA OF THE AFRICANS AND THE MAGIC, THAT WAS NEW.

THIS IDEA THAT I WOULD HAVE A BLACK WOMAN, YOU KNOW, WALK ON WATER, WHOA, IT WAS A NEW KIND OF GENRE.

I HAVE TO TELL YOU, TED, I SEARCHED ALL OF THE DAILY PICAYUNE NEWSPAPERS AND THERE IS AN ARTICLE IN WHICH SOMEBODY PROFESSED TO SEE HER?

A REPORTER WROTE ABOUT HER WALKING ON WATER.

>> WOW!

>> SO WHO KNOWS WHETHER IT WAS FANTASY OR NOT.

>> WHO KNOWS, INDEED.

YOU FOCUS ON AFRICAN-AMERICAN SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS AND HERITAGE FROM WEST AFRICA.

WAS THIS SOMETHING YOU SET OUT TO DO OR DID THE SPIRITS COME AND TALK TO YOU?

>> GREAT QUESTION!

MAYBE BOTH.

I WAS RAISED BY MY GRANDMOTHER AND SHE BELIEVED IN THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN ROOTS OF, YOU KNOW, FOLKLORE HEALING AND NATURAL REMEDIES AND SHE ALSO TOLD ME A LOT OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN STORIES.

SO SHE STEEPED ME IN TRADITION.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT BLACK PEOPLE WROTE BOOKS.

IT WASN'T UNTIL I WAS A JUNIOR IN COLLEGE THAT I SAW A BLACK AUTHOR IN THE LIBRARY AND READ HER BOOK BY GAIL JONES THAT I REALIZED I COULD BE A WRITER.

I WENT BACK TO ALL OF THE TALES AND ALL OF THE STORIES THAT MY GRANDMOTHER TOLD ME AND I BEGAN MY RESEARCH.

MY VERY FIRST NOVEL WAS THE IDEA THAT WHO WAS THIS VOODOO QUEEN?

MOST PEOPLE WILL SAY SHE WAS A FAKE, AND WHY COULDN'T SHE BE FANTASTIC?

I REMEMBER BEING AT AN ART'S COLONY.

I COULD FEEL A SPIRIT THAT I THOUGHT WAS MARIE LEVOE AND I WAS UNCOVERING THE SPIRIT POWER OF BLACK WOMAN THAT DIDN'T JUST START IN NEW ORLEANS THAT WENT BACK TO AFRICA AND WHEN SLAVES WERE BROUGHT TO AMERICA, THEY WEREN'T BLANK SLATES.

THEY BROUGHT TRADITIONS AND VALUES AND STORIES.

SO MY WHOLE LIFE IS DEDICATED TO TRYING TO TEACH ABOUT AFRICAN AMERICAN SPIRITUALTY AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN NARRATIVES AND SO THERE ISN'T ANY KID THAT GROWS UP LIKE I DID NOT KNOWING THAT THEIR STORY MATTERED, THAT THEY COULD WRITE ABOUT THEIR CULTURAL TRADITIONS.

I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I TEACH ETHNIC LITERATURE AT ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY AND I ALSO LOVE BRINGING IN EVERYWHERE'S HERITAGE.

I BELIEVE EVERYBODY HAS A STORY TO TELL AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO TELL IT.

>> SOME ARE MAGIC REALISM AND AS SO YOU HAVE TO BE A GOOD WRITER.

YOU CAN'T JUST THROW EVERYTHING AGAINST THE WALL AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE CAPTIVATING THE READERS.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR CHIEF CHARACTER DOES X AND MAYBE A CHIEF CHARACTER SHOULD DO Y INSTEAD?

HOW DO YOU MAKE THOSE DECISIONS?

>> YOU'RE ASKING ALL HARD QUESTIONS AND ONE OF THE KEYS TO MY SUCCESS, I HAVE TO HEAR THE CALL.

I HAVE TO HEAR THE CHARACTER'S VOICE.

SOMETIMES I'LL WAKE UP FROM A DREAM AND THERE IT IS.

SOMETIMES I'LL BE WALKING MY DOGS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, I'LL JUST HEAR HOW PAGE ONE SHOULD SOUND AND READ LIKE.

SO I GET VISITED.

EVERYDAY IN FRONT OF MY COMPUTER, I THINK, WHAT WOULD IT HAVE FELT LIKE, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE BEEN THIS CHARACTER?

WHAT IS THE EMOTIONAL TRUTH AND SO A FICTION WRITER WRITES AND TELLS -- IT'S A LIFE OF A STORY, BUT I'M GOING FOR THE EMOTIONAL TRUTH OF WHAT THESE PAST HISTORICAL CHARACTERS MIGHT HAVE FELT OR BELIEVED IN AND I CHANNEL THAT.

I DON'T PLOT OR KNOW HOW THE BOOK WILL END, BUT I EMBODY IT LIKE AN ACTRESS AND TRYING TO PUT THE PASSION ON THE PAGE.

>> WE'RE RUNNING SHORT ON TIME AND I WANT TO ASK YOU, I KNOW THAT GHOST BOYS IS CURRENTLY MADE INTO A FILM AND ANOTHER OF YOUR BOOKS CLOSE TO BEING MADE INTO A FILM AND QUICKLY, THE CONCEPT OF ALL OF THIS IMAGINATION AND THIS SPIRITUALTY AND ALL OF THIS, YOUR WORDS INTO PICTURES, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?

>> I FEEL WONDERFUL ABOUT THAT AND, IN FACT, I ACTUALLY DID START MY CAREER IN COLLEGE AS AN ACTRESS.

SO I LOVE THE IDEAS OF THE THEATER OR OF THE FILM.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID THAT I WRITE, BASICALLY, LIKE A FILMMAKER.

SO GHOST BOYS ITSELF IS VERY, VERY VISUAL AND THAT HELPED PEOPLE GET SPOT STORY, TOO.

BUT GHOST BOYS IS ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL TRADITION OF ALL OF THE YOUNG INNOCENCE WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN MURDERED BECAUSE OF RACISM OR BIASED AND A CREW LOOKING FOR THE LIVING TO MAKE THE WORLD BETTER AND IN GHOST BOYS, JEROME FINDS IT IN A HISPANIC BOY AND WHITE GIRL NAME SARAH AND THEY USE THE SPIRIT AND THE DEAD AREN'T REALLY GONE TO USE THE SORT OF RELIGIOUS TRADITION OF WE HONOR ANCESTORS.

WE HONOR ELDERS BY LIVING THE BEST WAY WE CAN.

AND I EVEN TAKE THAT MESSAGE INTO MY BOOK WHERE I WRITE ABOUT 9-1-1 OR EVEN ABOUT RIGHT THIS MOMENT, THE THINGS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD.

EACH OF US WHO LIVES THE BEST WE CAN WHICH AS MUCH KINDNESS AND EMPATHY AND BE THE BEST PERSON WE CAN BE BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO DON'T GET THE CHANCE.

THAT'S TERRIBLE.

>> THAT'S A PERFECT PLACE TO STOP.

I COULD TALK TO YOU ALL DAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH AND CONGRATULATIONS IN ALL OF YOUR SUCCESS AND THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING WITH US.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> I APPRECIATE YOU.

I LOVE ARIZONA.

GOODBYE.

[ ♪♪ ] >> AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMOMS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

[ ♪♪ ] COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS, THE PRO'S AND CONS OF THE COUNTRY DOING AWAY WITH DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME.