TED: COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS, ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSES THE WEEK'S BIG STORIES INCLUDING CONGRESSIONAL HEARING ON THE STATE SENATE'S ELECTION REVIEW.

>>> ON CRONKITE NEWS, SCHOOL BOARDS ASK FOR FEDERAL HELP AFTER FACING THREATS AND VIOLENCE OVER COVID PROTOCOLS.

>>> AND ON "BREAK IT DOWN," A CONVERSATION ABOUT COLORISM IN HISPANIC CULTURE, ALL AHEAD IN THE NEXT HOUR OF ARIZONA PBS.

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

THANK YOU.

TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

CNN REPORTED TODAY THAT SENATOR KYRSTEN SINEMA IS NOT RETURNING SOME OF PRESIDENT BIDEN'S PHONE CALLS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.

THE REPORT ADDS THAT THE PRESIDENT IS, QUOTE, EXASPERATED AT SINEMA AND WEST VIRGINIA SENATOR JOE MANCHIN OVER REFUSAL TO BUDGE ON THE PRESIDENT'S SPENDING PLAN.

PUBLIC FACE OF THE WHITE HOUSE IS THE PRESIDENT ENCOURAGED.

>> HE FEELS THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO MAKE PROGRESS, THAT BOTH SENATOR MANCHIN AND SENATOR SINEMA ARE NEGOTIATING IN GOOD FAITH, THAT THERE'S A RECOGNITION THAT NOT ONLY DO SOME PEOPLE HAVE TO COME DOWN FROM EXPECTATIONS WHAT MIGHT BE IN A PACKAGE, BUT SOME OTHERS HAVE TO COME UP.

THAT'S WHAT COMPROMISE IS ALL ABOUT.

TED: OTHER NEWS TODAY IS COVID REPORTS SHOWS NOT MUCH CHANGE OF COVID IN ARIZONA.

JUST OVER 2700 RECORDED TODAY AND 37 NEW COVID-RELATED FATALITIES ON RECORD.

HOSPITALS SHOW BETWEEN 17 AND 1800 HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID WITH THE AVAILABILITY OF ICU BEDS AT RECORD NEAR LOW LEVELS WHICH CONTINUES TO BE A CONCERN.

>>> KIDS FACED THE SAME RISK FOR COVID AS ADULTS BUT KIDS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE ASYMPTOMATIC.

CHILDREN ARE ALSO LESS LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE SEVERE ILLNESS OR HOSPITALIZATION, BUT THE STUDY EMPHASIZED THAT THE CHILDREN PLAY A ROLE IN TRANSMITTING RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN COVID MITIGATION EFFORTS INCLUDING VACCINATIONS.

>>> HERE'S ANOTHER HEALTH STUDY INVOLVING EXERCISE.

RESEARCH OUT OF THE NETHERLANDS SHOWS PEOPLE WHO WORK OUT IN THE AFTERNOON EXPERIENCE BETTER METABOLIC RESULTS THAN THOSE WHO EXERCISE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE DAY.

THE STUDY LOOKED AT ONLY MEN AND THOSE DIAGNOSED OR ARE AT RISK FOR DEVELOPING TYPE-2 DIABETES.

RESEARCHERS AREN'T SURE WHY AFTERNOON WORKOUTS WORKED OUT BEST.

THEY THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH NATURAL BODY TEMPERATURE AND EATING BREAKFAST AND/OR LUNCH.

>>> THE U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT REPORTS EMPLOYERS ADDED FEWER THAN 200,000 JOBS.

SOME ANALYSTS ARE ENCOURAGED THAT THE ECONOMY'S STEADY EXPANSION IN THE SECOND HALF OF 2021.

NOTING CURRENT GROWTH IS STRONGER THAN RECENT RECOVERIES.

SEPTEMBER'S EMPLOYMENT NUMBERS SHOWED THE SECOND DISAPPOINTING MONTH OF JOB GROWTH.

>>> TIME FOR THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE.

JOINING US FOR A LOOK AT WEEK'S BIG STORIES, WE WELCOME RACHEL LEINGANG AND BOB CHRISTIE OF ASSOCIATED PRESS.

PANEL, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

RACHEL, START WITH YOU AND THE CONGRESSIONAL HEARING ON THE SELF-STYLED AUDIT.

HOUSE OVERSIGHT AND REFORM COMMITTEE, HUH?

>> CAN'T STAY OUT OF THE NATIONAL NEWS HERE IN ARIZONA.

SOME OF OUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ARE ON THAT PANEL AND SOME OF OUR LOCAL SUPERVISORS WERE THERE TO DISCUSS IT, AND ALSO KEN BENNETT, INVOLVED IN THE AUDIT.

DOUG LOGAN, THE CEO OF THE CYBER NINJAS DID NOT GO.

HE WAS INVITED, NOT SUBPOENAED.

HE HAD A CHOICE TO TURN DOWN THE INVITATION AND I BELIEVE WENT ON A RIGHT WING PODCAST INSTEAD.

TED: HE DID, BOB, AND SAID ON THE PODCAST, I DON'T TRUST THE AG OR SENATE TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT.

MY TRUST IS IN THE LORD.

>> UH, YES.

SO MR. LOGAN, AS WE'VE ALL REPORTED THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS, HAS FEELINGS HOW THE AUDIT SHOULD HAVE COME OUT.

HE DOESN'T BELIEVE, FROM WHAT HE SAID PUBLICLY, HE SEEMED TO HAVE A PRECONCEIVED OUTCOME FOR HOW THE AUDIT WAS GOING TO COME OUT AND DIDN'T COME OUT THAT WAY.

THE COUNT SHOWED THAT BIDEN WON, AND THAT'S WHAT YESTERDAY'S HEARING WAS SORT OF ABOUT.

IT WAS PRIMARILY CALLED BY DEMOCRATS WHO CONTROL THE HOUSE TO TALK ABOUT THE DANGER TO DEMOCRACY OF THESE TYPE OF THINGS, AND HOW THEY RODE THE FAITH IN OUR ELECTIONS, WHICH UP UNTIL THIS LAST YEAR, THERE HAVE NEVER BEEN QUESTIONS.

THE ELECTIONS ARE RUN PROFESSIONALLY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKERS.

FOLKS WHO DON'T HAVE A DOG IN THE HUNT AND JUST COUNT BALLOTS AND DO THAT, AND THE DEMOCRATS ARE VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS IS UNDERMINING THE TRUST IN ELECTIONS NOT JUST IN ARIZONA BUT ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

TED: RACHEL, YOU MENTIONED HOW THERE WERE ARIZONA REPRESENTATIVES HERE ON THE CONGRESSIONAL PANEL, INCLUDING ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, REPRESENTATIVE ANDY BIGGS WHO HAD THIS TO SAY ABOUT THE ELECTION IN THE MARICOPA COUNTY.

>> WHO WON THE ELECTION IN ARIZONA?

DONALD TRUMP -- >> WE DON'T KNOW, AS THE AUDIT DEMONSTRATES VERY CLEARLY.

.

>> WE HAVE ANOTHER ELECTION IN ABOUT A YEAR, DOES THIS COME UP FROM NOW ON OR WHAT?

TED: AND TO THAT END, WE SHOULD MENTION THAT MARICOPA COUNTY SUPERVISORS WERE AT THE CONGRESSIONAL HEARING AS WELL.

WE HEARD FROM A COUPLE OF THEM AND HERE'S WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY.

>> THE ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 3, 2020, IN MARICOPA COUNTY WAS FREE, FAIR AND ACCURATE.

>> THE 2020 ELECTION IN MARICOPA COUNTY, THE GENERAL ELECTION WAS THE BEST ELECTION WE'VE EVER RUN IN MARICOPA COUNTY, AND THE WAY THEY KNOW THAT IS THAT IT WAS THE MOST SCRUTINIZED ELECTION IN THE HISTORY OF MARICOPA COUNTY.

ELECTION EXPERTS SAID THAT.

MACHINE COUNTS CONFIRMED IT, HAND COUNTS CONFIRMED IT.

THE COURT SYSTEM RECONFIRMED IT.

TED: BOB, WE SHOULD MENTION THAT MARICOPA COUNTY YESTERDAY CAME OUT WITH BASICALLY A POINT-BY-POINT REBUTTAL TO EVERYTHING THEY COULD POSSIBLY FIND THAT CAME OUT OF THE SENATE AUDIT, CORRECT?

>> YEAH, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

THEY KNOCKED DOWN VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE ANOMALIES THAT THE CYBER NINJAS REPORT RAISED.

STUFF ABOUT VOTER REGISTRATION OR SIGNATURES NOT MATCHING OR SOME SIGNATURES NOT SHOWING UP OR TOO MANY SIGNATURES, TOO MANY ENVELOPES SHOWING UP.

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM, THEY POINT BY POINT SAID NO, NO, NOTHING TO SEE THERE, THIS IS THE FACTS OF THE CASE AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED.

INTERESTING, BILL GATES YESTERDAY, BILL GATES AND MR.

SELLERS ARE BOTH REPUBLICANS AND BILL GATES HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN REPUBLICAN POLITICS FOR A LONG TIME, AND HE'S AN ELECTION LAWYER AT ONE POINT.

AND WHAT HE SAID IS THAT THIS IS THE GREATEST THREAT TO DEMOCRACY IN HIS LIFETIME.

THESE AUDITS THAT ARE HAPPENING NOT JUST IN ARIZONA BUT STARTING UP IN PENNSYLVANIA AND OTHER STATES WHERE BATTLEGROUND STATES WHERE DONALD TRUMP LOST.

SO HE'S VERY CONCERNED, AND THE BASE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, THE TRUMP SUPPORTERS ARE NOT LISTENING TO THE FACTS.

MR.

SELLERS SAID THAT, HE SAID IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING.

YOU GIVE PEOPLE THE FACTS AND THEY PRETEND THEY DON'T HEAR THEM AND IGNORE THEM.

HOW DO YOU GET OVER THAT?

THAT'S WHAT MANY REPUBLICANS WHO HAVEN'T BOUGHT INTO THIS ARE THINKING RIGHT NOW, MOST OF THE DEMOCRATS.

TED: RACHEL, WE ALSO HAD THIS DR. SHIVA GUY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE REPRESENTS OR WHERE HE COMES FROM.

HE SEEMS TO GET ATTENTION AND AUDIT FOLKS SEEM TONG HE HAS AUTHORITY OF SOME KIND.

HE'S COMING OUT ACCUSING "ARIZONA MIRROR"'S JEREMY DUDA OF RACISM FOR THE WAY HE'S BEEN COVERED.

WHAT IS NEXT?

>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S NEXT AT THIS POINT AND I SHUDDER TO THINK ABOUT IT.

HE HAD RAISED CONCERNS OVER MARKING ON ENVELOPES THAT HE SAID WAS SUSPICIOUS, WHICH WAS A SAFEGUARD FOR ELECTIONS, AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW SOMETHING WORKS, DOES NOT MEAN THAT THAT THING IS NEFARIOUS, IT MEANS YOU NEED TO ASK QUESTIONS.

WHEN YOU GET ANSWERS, LISTEN TO THE ANSWERS, MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE, BUT AT THIS POINT, THERE'S NO SENSE OF SATISFACTION FOR HARDLY ANYONE INVOLVED.

TED: BOB, YOU AGREE WITH THAT?

>> THE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS NEFARIOUS THINGS AFOOT DURING THE 2020 ELECTION AND THAT'S WHY FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP LOST ARE UNCONVINCIBLE AT THIS POINT.

THEY BELIEVE THIS.

TED: YEAH, OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON.

THE CONGRESSIONAL HEARING MOVED ON, NOTHING EVER SEEMS TO BE SETTLED.

QUESTIONS ARE RAISED, ANSWERS ARE OFFERED, AND THEN MORE QUESTIONS, THE SAME QUESTIONS ARE RAISED.

GOVERNOR DUCEY, GOVERNOR DUCEY WAS REPRIMANDED BY THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT.

THE FEDS THIS WEEK.

TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> HE ANNOUNCED TWO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WERE AN ATTEMPT TO HIT BACK AGAINST SCHOOLS THAT HAD MASK MANDATES IN PLACE FOR COVID MITIGATION.

ONE OF THOSE ALLOWS PARENTS TO APPLY FOR FUNDS THAT WANT TO MOVE THEIR KID TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL AND THE OTHER WAS A REWARD FOR SCHOOLS THAT DIDN'T PUT MASK MANDATES IN PLACE.

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE GREG STANTON REACHED OUT TO U.S. TREASURY AND SAID BASICALLY, IS THIS WHAT THIS IS FOR?

AND THE TREASURY HAS SAID, NO, ACTUALLY.

SO WHERE IT GOES FROM HERE, DUCEY SAID BASICALLY SUE US IF YOU WANT YOUR MONEY BACK, BUT THEY HAVE THE PAYCHECKS, THEY HAVE THE MONEY, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG YOU COULD DEFY WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THESE DOLLARS WERE.

TED: THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT DID SAY MAKE THIS RIGHT OR WE COULD CLAW THIS MONEY BACK.

>> YEAH, AND THEY CAN.

IT'S $163 MILLION TO SCHOOLS IF THEY DON'T HAVE MASK MANDATES AND IF THEY'RE IN PERSON, AND ANOTHER $10 MILLION FOR SCHOOL VOUCHER PROGRAM.

FOLKS WHO DON'T LIKE THE FACT THEIR SCHOOL WOULD HAVE MASK MANDATES OR QUARANTINES PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPOSED TO COVID.

THEY CAN TAKE $7,000 IN PUBLIC MONEY AND GO TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL.

THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT SAYS AND THE CARES ACT AND THE AMERICAN RESCUE ACT SAY THESE ARE COVID MITIGATION MONEYS AND THE GOVERNOR IS CLEARLY NOT FOLLOWING THE INTENT OF THE LAW THAT SAID WHEN HE PUTS THINGS IN PLACE THAT SAYS YOU'RE REWARDED FOR NOT HAVING MITIGATION STRATEGYS.

>> WITH THAT IN MIND, BOB, QUICKLY HERE, WHAT ARGUMENT DOES THE GOVERNOR HAVE?

I DON'T GET IT.

>> I DON'T THINK HE HAS A LEGAL ARGUMENT.

HE FIGURED, I THINK HE THOUGHT THAT IF NOBODY IS WATCHING, IT WILL BE SUCH A BIG DEAL IF THEY TRY TO TAKE THE MONEY BACK, I'LL GET AWAY WITH IT.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE GOVERNOR WAS THINKING, BUT CLEARLY IT GOES AGAINST THE DOCUMENTS HE SIGNED WHEN HE ACCEPTED THE MONEY, SAYS YOU HAVE TO -- THESE ARE FOR THESE THINGS, YOU CAN'T USE IT TO GET AROUND COVID MITIGATION BUT IT'S POLITICALLY GOOD FOR HIM BECAUSE A LOT OF THE REPUBLICAN BASE DOESN'T LIKE THE FACT THAT SOME SCHOOLS HAVE MASK MANDATES, AND SOME PARENTS, VOCAL CONSERVATIVE PARENTS DON'T WANT THEIR KIDS GOING TO SCHOOL IN A MASKED ENVIRONMENT, SO THEY WANT TO GO TO PRIVATE SCHOOL.

TED: RACHEL, WE SHOULD MENTION THE GOVERNOR IS AT THE TEXAS-MEXICO BORDER TO LAMBASTE THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION?

>> YEAH, TALK ABOUT THE BORDER CRISIS AND HOW JOE BIDEN IS DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT.

A LOT OF THE GOVERNORS WERE NOT IN BORDER STATES.

ONE WAS FROM A NORTHERN BORDER STATE, NOT AS MUCH OF AN IMPACT.

BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE CALL THIS BORDER THEATER.

A LOT OF PERFORMANCE OF IMMIGRATION REFORM AND THE NEED FOR A HARSH BORDER POLICY.

CERTAINLY THAT WORKS REALLY WELL FOR REPUBLICANS IN AN ELECTION YEAR AND I THINK WE'LL SEE A LOT MORE OF THAT.

DUCEY DIDN'T REALLY CALL OUT TRUMP A LOT FOR BORDER RELATED THINGS BUT NOW IT'S A DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATION, IT'S COMFORTABLE TO REPEATEDLY HIT ON THESE POINTS.

TED: THE GOVERNOR REQUESTED A MEETING AT THE WHITE HOUSE FOR WHICH PRESIDENT BIDEN SAID, THANK YOU, NO.

>> WELL, THE PRESIDENT DIDN'T RESPOND.

IT WAS CLEARLY A POLITICAL REQUEST.

LET'S GET, AS RACHEL SAID, POLITICAL THEATER, AND YET A BUNCH OF REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS TO LAMBASTE THE PRESIDENT ON THE WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS.

I DON'T THINK PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS GOING TO DO THAT.

THERE HAS BEEN A BIG SURGE IN BORDER CROSSINGS SINCE BIDEN TOOK OFFICE.

HUGE SURGE, BUT TO SAY THAT THESE THINGS WERE HAPPENING PREVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THEY LAID OUT A 10-POINT PLAN.

THE FIRST TWO POINTS WERE TRUMP POLICIES THAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION MAINTAINED.

TITLE 42, WHICH IS AUTOMATICALLY SENDING PEOPLE BACK TO MEXICO WITHOUT ALLOWING THEM TO APPLY FOR ASYLUM.

TO THE OTHER ONES WHO ARE, AGAIN, BIDEN POLICIES, TRUMP POLICIES THAT BIDEN HAS CONTINUED.

HE'S STRUCK WITH THIS HUGE SURGE ON THE BORDER AND HOW DO YOU STOP IT?

TED: BEFORE WE HAVE TO STOP OUR CONVERSATION, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THEATER, SOME ACTIVISTS FOLLOWING SENATOR KYRSTEN SINEMA INTO A REST ROOM HERE ON CAMPUS HERE AT ASU BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY CAN'T GET AHOLD OF HER, CAN'T GET A RESPONSE OTHERWISE.

RECORDING THIS, IT WENT VIRAL.

RESPONSE TO THIS WAS A LOT OF FOLKS SAYING UNACCEPTABLE INCLUDING SENATOR SINEMA.

>> IDEALLY YOU DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW ANYONE INTO A BATHROOM FOR ANYONE.

IN THIS INSTANCE, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF FRUSTRATION WITH THE STANCES THAT SENATOR SINEMA HAS HAD AND THE LACK OF ANSWERS THAT SHE'S PROVIDED TO THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED GET HER ELECTED.

A LOT OF THE ACTIVISTS WHO ARE UPSET WENT FROM DOOR-TO-DOOR TO GET HER ELECTED AND SHE HASN'T BEEN AS CLEAR ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY IN THE BIDEN SPENDING PLAN HE'S NOT OKAY WITH, WHAT'S HOLDING HER BACK, AND NOT COMMUNICATING MUCH WITH CONSTITUENTS ABOUT IT.

USED TO BE PEOPLE HAD TOWN HALLS REGULARLY AND PEOPLE, POLITICIANS ARE OFTEN BERATED FOR NOT HAVING TOWN HALLS.

NOT A LOT OF TOWN HALLS IN GENERAL.

NOT A LOT OF COMMUNICATION BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN POLITICIANS AND THE COMMUNITY.

TED: 30 SECONDS, BOB.

>> WELL, I'LL TELL YOU, SINEMA IS GETTING HERSELF IN A PICKLE HERE.

SHE WAS ELECTED WITH THE HELP OF THE PROGRESSIVE WING OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND THE MODERATE WING OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND A LOT OF INDEPENDENTS, AND IF SHE DOESN'T DO SOMETHING, SHE'S GOING TO GET PRIMARIED, AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THAT.

I THINK SHE'S COMFORTABLE SHE'LL BE ABLE TO SURVIVE, THAT OTHERWISE SHE WOULDN'T BE DOING THIS, BUT IT'S STARTING TO LOOK BAD.

WE STARTED OFF THE TOP OF THE SHOW WITH HER NOT RETURNING THE PRESIDENT'S PHONE CALLS.

SHE TALKS ABOUT COMPROMISE BUT YOU HAVE TO COMPROMISE WITH EVERYTHING.

TED: WE CAN'T COMPROMISE WITH THE CLOCK, GOT TO STOP IT RIGHT THERE.

BOB CHRISTIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH, RACHEL LEINGANG, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

TED: COMING UP ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," A LOOK AT SUICIDE RATE AND LACK OF MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AMONG HISPANICS.

.

TED: THIS SUNDAY IS WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY.

IT'S A SPECIAL DAY FOR CARLOS GALINDO ELVIRA, FOR CHICANOS POR LA CAUSA, HE WROTE ABOUT SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND LACK OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SUICIDE IN THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.

HE SPOKE TO "HORIZONTE"'S JOSE CARDENAS.

>> YOU'VE BEEN A GUEST ON OUR SHOW AND ALSO BEEN A GUEST WHEN WE FOCUSED ON HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, WHICH WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, AND TEND TO FOCUS ON THE POSITIVES OF THE LATINO CULTURE, BUT THE HISPANIC HERITAGE INCLUDES THINGS THAT AREN'T SO POSITIVE, ONE BEING A RELUCTANT TO DEAL OPENLY WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

>> THANK YOU, JOSE, FOR INVITING ME BACK AND HAPPY TO BE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS SUBJECT WHICH IS PERSONAL TO ME, BUT SHOULD BE PERSONAL TO ALL OF US IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY.

>> SO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THE HESITANCY THAT LATINOS HAVE TO TALK OPENLY ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, TO TALK OPENLY ABOUT SUICIDE.

>> CULTURALLY, WE'RE NOT ENCOURAGED TO TALK ABOUT THE SUBJECT, NOT SOMETHING THAT COMES UP AT THE KITCHEN TABLE, NOT SOMETHING THAT COMES UP AT FAMILY GATHERINGS.

IT'S MEANT TO BE PRIVATE AND NOT BE DISCUSSED.

ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE A LATINO MALE, THERE ARE CERTAIN EXPECTATIONS.

DON'T CRY, DON'T SHOW EMOTION, AND DON'T SEEK HELP.

YOU'RE THE HEAD OF THE HOUSEHOLD OR THE MAN OF THE HOUSE, SO THOSE EXPECTATION, THE SOCIAL MOREAYS SEEK HELP AND GET HELP.

>> LATINOS NEED THEM MORE THAN ANY OTHER GROUP.

THE RATE OF DEPRESSION, FOR EXAMPLE, IS HIGHER AMONG LATINOS THAN NON-LATINOS AND OTHER MENTAL ILLNESSES, SAME THING.

>> THERE ARE FACTORS THAT LEAD TO THAT.

FOR EXAMPLE, LEGAL STATUS IN THE UNITED STATES, THINK OF OUR FARMWORKER BROTHERS AND SISTERS WORKING IN THE FIELDS KEEPING FOOD ON THE AMERICAN TABLE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

THERE ARE REAL ISSUES THAT CAN LEAD TO BARRIERS TO GETTING THE TREATMENT NEEDED TO NORMALIZE ONE'S LIFE.

>> ONE THING THAT JUMPED OUT AT ME WAS 2018 CDC STATISTIC ABOUT YOUNG LATINO BOYS AND LATINO GIRLS, ONE IN FOUR, SUICIDAL IDEATIONS?

>> YES, AND COMPOUNDED FURTHER IF THEY HAPPEN TO BE PART OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY WHERE, YOU ADD TWO TABOOS IN ONE.

THE ISSUE OF SUICIDE AS WELL AS SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

THAT DOES NOT MAKE FOR A GOOD COMBINATION AND LEADS TO HIGHER NUMBERS.

AGAIN, IF WE TALK ABOUT IT, WHETHER IT'S AT THE KITCHEN TABLE OR WITHIN OUR HOMES AROUND THE LIVING ROOM, PERHAPS WE CAN SEE LOWER NUMBERS AND MORE ACCEPTANCE QUITE FRANKLY ON BOTH ISSUES.

>> AND IN TERMS OF TALKING ABOUT IT, YOU RECENTLY DID, IN A QUITE MOVING EDITORIAL IN THE REPUBLIC, YOU TALKED ABOUT YOUR OWN SITUATION.

>> RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, IT TOOK ME AWHILE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT I DID NEED TO SEEK TREATMENT.

LUCKILY AND FORTUNATELY, I HAD A FRIEND WHO DIDN'T JUDGE, PROVIDED ME ADVICE AND LISTENED TO ME, AND MANY TIMES THAT IS THE KEY IS LISTENING.

I FIGURED OUT QUICKLY THEY JUST WANTED TO BE HEARD, AND THAT LED FOR ME TO BECOME MY OWN CASE WORKER.

TO GO THROUGH THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH MAZE.

I GOT THE HELP I NEEDED AND NOW I WANT TO HELP OTHERS.

I HOPE THAT I CAN BE A SPARK THROUGH MY GUEST COLUMN FOR PEOPLE TO SEEK OUT HELP, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE IN CRISIS.

>> ONE THING YOU TOUCHED UPON IN YOUR PIECE IS THE FACT THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT THIS OF YOU, I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR DECADES, AND YOU'RE ONE OF THE LAST PEOPLE I THINK WOULD HAVE THESE KINDS OF ISSUES.

WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE, FRIENDS OF YOURS, HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR, HOW COULD WE HAVE BEEN OF HELP?

>> I'VE GOT TO BE HONEST.

MOST PEOPLE WOULD NEVER HAVE GUESSED IT BECAUSE I WORE A MASK.

IT WAS EXHAUSTING, IT WAS ENERGY DRAINING, AND TIRING.

IT WAS THAT SMILE.

IT WAS THAT HITTING MY LINES IN MY SPEECHES.

SOCIAL MEDIA CONTRIBUTED TO ADDING TO THIS, ACTING AS IF EVERYTHING IS ALL RIGHT.

MEANWHILE IN THE DARKNESS OF MY MIND, IT WAS NOT, AND SO IT IS SOMETIMES THE LEAST PERSON YOU EXPECT, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE POINTS OF MY GUEST COLUMN, SEEKING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ASSISTANCE ISN'T LIMITED TO ONE GROUP OR ONE TYPE OF PERSON.

IT CAN BE ANYONE.

>> AND ONE OF THE ISSUES YOU TOUCHED UPON, YOU REFERENCED IT HERE, YOU TALKED ABOUT IT IN YOUR COLUMN IS ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE IN THIS AREA IS A PROBLEM FOR LATINOS, EVEN PEOPLE WHO ARE INTEGRATED INTO THE SYSTEM AS YOU ARE, GIVEN THE POSITIONS YOU'VE HELD IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S ONE OF THE BARRIERS THAT WE FIND WITHIN THE LATINO COMMUNITY IS ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, AND, YES, I WAS FORTUNATE, I STILL HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE, BUT IT TOOK ME 20 CALLS AND A VERY DETERMINED PSYCHIATRIC DOCTOR TO GET ME A THERAPIST.

FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME WHO DID HAVE THAT LEVEL OF PRIVILEGE, IT WAS STILL DIFFICULT.

I CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE FOR AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS NO HEALTH INSURANCE, DOES NOT HAVE AN ADVOCATE ON THEIR BEHALF TO SEEK ASSISTANCE.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO LOOK TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE EMBEDDED WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER YOU'RE LATINO, AFRICAN-AMERICAN, LGBTQ OR MUSLIM OR OF ANOTHER BACKGROUND, TO FIND THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SPEAK TO YOU AND CAN SPEAK FOR YOU ABOUT GETTING ASSISTANCE.

>> BUT IF YOU'RE NOT ACTIVELY LOOKING, HOW DO WE REACH PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING BUT AREN'T SHARING THAT SUFFERING WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE HELP?

>> ONE WAY I HOPE IS THROUGH THE OPPORTUNITY OF MY GUEST COLUMN IS THEY WOULD LOOK AT SOMEONE WHO THEY MAY NOT HAVE SUSPECTED OR THE FACT THAT NOT EVERYONE HAS TO BE OUTWARDLY PUBLIC LIKE I WAS.

I'M HOPING THAT I CAN BE ONE OF SEVERAL THAT CAN BE AN EXAMPLE OF THE SITUATION, AND THEN OTHERS IT WILL SPARK AN OPPORTUNITY IN THEIR MIND TO SEEK HELP.

ALL IT TOOK FOR ME WAS TALKING TO ONE PERSON TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY I WAS ON.

I'M HOPING THAT THROUGH MY GUEST COLUMN, I CAN BE THE ONE PERSON FOR ANOTHER PERSON TO CALL THE CRISIS LINE OR TO SPEAK OUT TO A FRIEND OR SEEK A RELATIVE OR A RELIGIOUS LEADER.

>> CARLOS GALINDO ELVIRA, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I SHOULD NOTE THAT OCTOBER 10 IS MENTAL HEALTH DAY.

>> YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.

>> THANK YOU.

YOU TOO.

.

TED: AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.