
2-26-21: Journalists' Roundtable, Black History Month
Season 2021 Episode 42 | 27mVideo has Closed Captions
Journalists' Roundtable and Black History Month series with discussions on being Black.
Journalists' Roundtable will discuss the senate's battle with the county over ballot information, a push to increase Arizona's jobless benefits and the legislature's effort to control the Arizona Corporation Commission. Discussions on being Black women in Arizona, the challenges faced, and hopes for the Black community in Arizona.
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Arizona Horizon is a local public television program presented by Arizona PBS

2-26-21: Journalists' Roundtable, Black History Month
Season 2021 Episode 42 | 27mVideo has Closed Captions
Journalists' Roundtable will discuss the senate's battle with the county over ballot information, a push to increase Arizona's jobless benefits and the legislature's effort to control the Arizona Corporation Commission. Discussions on being Black women in Arizona, the challenges faced, and hopes for the Black community in Arizona.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship>> ACCORDINGLY, THE SENATORS HAVE THE POWER TO SUBPOENA MATERIAL AS PART OF AN INQUIRY INTO ELECTION REFORM MEASURES.
THE SENATE WANTS ACCESS TO THE BALLOT TO AUDIT THE RESULTS OF THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.
MORE ON THIS COMING IN THE ROUND TABLE.
>> WELL, YOU'RE ASSUMING THAT THE IDEA EVER DIED.
IF THAT CONTINUES ON, LOOK AT ALL THE POLLING, A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER, A MAJORITY OF REPUBLICANS IN THIS STATE AND AROUND THE COUNTRY BELIEVE THIS ELECTION WAS STOLEN.
THEY DIDN'T TRUST THE TESTING REQUIRED BY LAW, DIDN'T TRUST THE JUDGES THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FRAUD IN ARIZONA SELECTION.
THEY DIDN'T TRUST THE MARICOPA COUNTY AUDIT WHICH CAME OUT THIS WEEK AND CLEARED THE DOMINION MACHINERY.
PERHAPS IF THE ORGANIZATION THAT IS CONDUCTING THIS ELECTION IS THE SENATE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS, WHICH MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE DO BELIEF IT WAS STOLEN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY'LL BELIEF THAT.
PROBABLY NOT, BUT, YOU KNOW, I GUESS AT THIS POINT, WHAT CAN IT HURT?
>> WELL, WHAT IT CAN HURT IS NOW THIS BECOMES FUEL FOR THE LAWMAKERS TO PUSH THROUGH ALL OF THOSE BILLS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO QUOTE UNQUOTE CLARIFY AND TIGHTEN UP THE ELECTION PROCESS.
>> THEY'RE DOING THAT ANY WAY.
>> BUT NOW THEY'VE GOT THE FUEL.
NOW THEY CAN SAY LOOK, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS AUDIT AND WHAT I ASSUME THE AND YOU HAD DID WILL SHOW, YOU LET ME CHOOSE THE AUDITOR, I CAN CHOOSE WHAT IT WILL SHOW IS THERE ARE INHERENT WEAKNESSES PARTICULARLY WITH EARLY VOTING.
THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO LOOK AT THE ENVELOPES, THE SIGNATURE MATCH, THE HAND COUNTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE SOFTWARE, THE HARDWARE AND SAY THEORETICALLY PERHAPS THE JEWISH LASERS FROM SPACE AFFECTED THIS AND THEREFORE WE HAVE TO GO AHEAD AND TIGHTEN UP THE LAWS EVEN MORE AND EVERY TIME YOU TIGHTEN THE LAWS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A SITUATION WHERE GUESS WHO IS GOING TO GET AFFECTED.
>> WHAT YOU'RE DISCOUNTING IS THE IDEA OF WHAT THEY WENT FOR AND THE GOLD STANDARD.
THEY WANT TO FIND THIS FRAUD.
THESE REPUBLICANS LEGISLATURE AND REPUBLICAN PARTY OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN SCREAMING FOR FOUR MONTHS ABOUT FRAUD.
I THINK ANYTHING LESS THAN A FULL FINDING OF FRAUD CUTS INTO THEIR CREDIBILITY GREATLY, AND IN FACT, I WOULD EXPECT THAT IF NO WIDESPREAD FRAUD IS FOUND, THAT THESE PEOPLE SHOULD RESIGN.
>> WELL, OK, TWO QUESTIONS.
WHAT IS WIDESPREAD FRAUD AND THIS BE TWO AS YOU POINTED OUT EARLIER, THERE ARE GOING TO BE PEOPLE THAT IF THE ANGEL CAME DOWN AND LANDED ON THEIR SHOULDER AND WHISPERED IN THEIR EAR AND SAID THERE'S NO FRAUD, THEY'D STILL BELIEVE IT, SO FORGOT IT.
>> NO ONE'S GOING TO BE CONVINCED.
I DON'T CARE WHO SAYS WHAT, PEOPLE BELIEVE IT'S STOLEN AND YOU CAN'T TELL THEM OTHERWISE, END OF GAME.
THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE LIKE THAT.
SHE STILL WANTS A FORENSIC AUDIT, SO IT GOES.
LORI, SENATOR DAVID GOWAN HAD A BILL, YOUR VOTE AND MY VOTE NO VOTE?
>> THE LEGISLATURE HAS THE CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY, THIS IS HIS THINKING, TO DETERMINE THE MANNER IN WHICH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS ARE CHOSEN.
IN 1956, IT'S GOING TO BE BY POPULAR VOTE, WHOEVER THE VOTERS CHOOSE, THAT'S THE PERSON WHO GETS THE ELECTORS.
HE HAD THIS PROPOSAL WHICH MEANS IT WOULD GO ON THE BALLOT TO PROPOSE THEY WOULD TAKE A POWER BACK.
YOU AND I WOULD BE ABLE TO VOTE BUT IF THE LEGISLATURE DISAGREED WITH OUR SELECTION AS A STATE, THEY WOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO OVERRIDE THAT.
IN OTHER WORDS, DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, BUT IN THE END, IF YOU CHOOSE SOMEBODY THAT WE DON'T WANT TO BE PRESIDENT, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO VETO YOUR VOTE.
>> WHAT'S FASCINATING ABOUT THIS, THE REASON IT HAD TO GO TO BALLOT IS AS YOU POINTED OUT, IT'S THE STATUTORY AUTHORITY ABOUT WHO GETS TO VOTE BUT WHAT THEY NEED IS A CHANGE IN THE CONSTITUTION TO ALLOW THE LEGISLATURE TO COME IN IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ELECTION.
>> RIGHT.
>> HERE'S THE FASCINATING PART.
IT WOULD HAVE TO GO TOTAL VOTERS IN 2022.
OK, GREAT, PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT, PUT YOURSELF ON RECORD AS SAYING YOU KNOW BETTER THAN THE VOTERS AND WE'LL NOT ONLY TAKE CARE OF THAT MEASURE, WE'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU ALSO.
I THINK THAT ENDED UP LEADING TO HIM SAYING MAYBE I DON'T REALLY WANT TO PUSH THIS.
>> IS THAT WHAT LED TO HIM HOLDING BILL?
>> I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY HE WOULDN'T HAVE, WHY BRING IT UP AT THE END OF A MARATHON 12 HOUR HEARING IN SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMISSION, HE BRINGS THE BILL UP, SAYS HIS SCHPIEL ABOUT WHY HE'S DOING THIS, TAKES TESTIMONY AND AS SOON AS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP ABOUT YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO BE ON THE 22 BALLOT ALONG WITH YOU AND YOU SEEKING ELECTION, ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S WELL, I'M HOLDING THIS BILL.
WHETHER IT WAS THAT OR HE KNEW HE DIDN'T HAVE THE VOTES BECAUSE OF THAT, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD HAVE TAKEN IT ALL THE WAY TO A 12 HOUR HEARING IF YOU HADN'T PLANNED ON VOTING ON IT.
>> YOU HOPE THIS COMES BACK, DON'T YOU?
>> I DO.
I THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF LEGISLATORS ON RECORD NOW AS SAYING THEY THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE THE POWER TO DO THIS.
KELLY TOWN SEND TRIED TO OVERTURN THE RESULTS OF THE 2020 ELECTION.
SHE JUST COULDN'T GET IT INTRODUCED IN TIME BEFORE IT WAS A MOOT POINT BECAUSE BIDEN WAS ALL RIGHT INAUGURATED.
SHAUNA BULLOCK HAD A BILL TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR.
SHE DIDN'T WANT TO ASK VOTER'S PERMISSION, SHE WANTED TO CLAW BACK THE POWER ON HER OWN.
A NUMBER OF OTHER LEGISLATURE HAVE, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, GET THEM ON THE RECORD ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK OF THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE AND HOW MUCH THEY BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY AS OPPOSED TO SUBSTITUTING THEIR OWN JUDGMENT FOR HOURS.
>> JOBLESS BENEFITS.
IT SOUNDS AS IF THE LEGISLATURE HAVE SAID HEY, OUR JOBLESS BENEFITS ARE A LITTLE TO LOW.
>> HAVING COVID-19, AND 10, 11, 13% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE.
AS FOLKS READS, THE QUESTION I TRIED TO ASK DOUG DUCEY, COULD YOU LIVE ON $240 A WEEK?
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS ARE SUPPOSED TO COVER HALF OF WHAT YOU WERE EARNING IF YOU WERE FIRED THROUGH NO FAULT OF YOUR OWN.
THAT CAP HAS BEEN IN THERE SINCE 20004.
THERE'S THE POTENTIAL THREAT THAT THE PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT THE HIKE IN THE MINIMUM WAGE WOULD TAKE IT TO THE BALLOT, SO ALL OF A SUDDEN, REPUBLICANS GOT SMART.
IN THE CASE OF DAVID COOK, HE WANTS TO TAKE IT UP TO $300 AND WANTS AN INCREASE IN WHAT YOU CAN MAKE WITHOUT LOSING YOUR BENEFITS.
KAREN FAN THE SENATE PRESIDENT WANTS $320 AUTOMATICALLY AND UP TO $400 IF THE TRUST FUND THAT FINANCES THIS IS IN GOOD SHAPE.
THERE'S A LOT OF SENTIMENT FOR DOING SOMETHING BY ONES.
I THINK THEY'RE BEGINNING TO REALIZE THIS IS A POPULIST ISSUE, IT'S NOT GOOD TO SEE WE ARE THE SECOND LOWEST IN THE NATION BUT WE'RE AHEAD OF MISSISSIPPI.
>> SENATOR FAN DOES TAKE TO IT $320 A WEEK BUT ALSO PROPOSES TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF WEEKS THAT YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT FROM 26 DOWN TO 20 IF UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS UNDER 6%.
HER REASONING BEING THAT THERE ARE JOBS TO BE HAD IF THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS LOW AND THEREFORE SHOULDN'T NEED 26 WEEKS.
THAT IS IMPORTANT TO MENTION.
I DON'T GET YOUR HOPES UP THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE SEEING $400 A WEEK IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE UNEMPLOYED.
I THINK THE BILL REQUIRES THAT THE TRUST IS FULLY FUNDED AND THAT HASN'T HAPPENED FOR YEARS AND PROBABLY WON'T FOR YEARS TO COME.
I THINK YOU'D BE TALKING $320 A WEEK FOR 20 WEEKS.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE GOT TO STOP IT RIGHT THERE.
WE THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US, GOOD CONVERSATION, GOOD STUFF.
TAKE CARE.
>> WE'LL BE OUT WATCHING THE LAWMAKERS DESTROY DEMOCRACY FOR ANOTHER WEEK.
>> UP NEXT, WE CONTINUE OUR BLACK HISTORY MONTH CONVERSATIONS WITH AFRICAN-AMERICAN LEADERS.
>> ARIZONA HORIZON IS WELCOMING BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
TONIGHT, OUR GUESTS ARE ARTIST ANTOINETTE CAULEY AND ELIZABETH MONTGOMERY ARTS AND CULTURE REPORTER FROM THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN.
ELIZABETH, WE'LL START WITH YOU, BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?
>> BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS SOMETHING I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO EVERY YEAR.
I MEAN BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS EVERY DAY FOR ME, BUT I APPRECIATE THIS MONTH, BECAUSE IT GIVES US A CHANCE TO REALLY DEEP DIVE INTO WHAT BLACK HISTORY IS, AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT BLACK FUTURE IS AT THE SAME TIME, SO I LOVE BEING ABLE TO KIND OF PUT A HIGHLIGHT ON MY CULTURE AND KIND OF JUST DIVE INTO IT AND STEAL IT FOR A WHOLE MONTH.
THAT'S WHY I'M EXCITED.
>> ANTOINETTE, AS FAR AS BLACK HISTORY MONTH, WHAT'S IT MEAN TO YOU?
>> SO, SIMILARLY TO WHAT ELIZABETH SAID, BLACK HISTORY IS ALL YEAR ROUND FOR ME BUT THIS IS A SPECIAL MONTH TO HIGHLIGHT OUTSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO OUR SOCIETY, TO THE WORD, REALLY, SO I THINK IT'S JUST A GREAT TIME OF CELEBRATION, AND HONORING, YOU KNOW, OUR ANCESTORS AND EVERYONE WHO LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR WOMEN LIKE US, PEOPLE LIKE US TO BE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY.
>> AND ANTOINETTE, WHAT GOT YOU INTO ART?
>> I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN PHOENIX.
WHAT GOT ME INTO ART, MY MOM'S FAMILY WAS VERY CRAFTY, AND I ALWAYS COMPARE THEM TO MARTHA STEWART LIKE CRAFTY.
EVERY SUMMER I WOULD SPEND THE SUMMER WITH MY AUNT AND SHE HAD A DIFFERENT ART PROJECT FOR US EVERY DAY.
THAT ESSENTIALLY GOT ME INTO THE ART AND IT GREW INTO AN ESCAPE TO GET AWAY FROM THE TURMOIL AND CHAOS OF THE DAY-TO-DAY LIFE AND I STUCK WITH IT, IT BECAME AN OBSESSION.
NOW I'M HALFWAY ACROSS THE WORLD, STILL PURSUING IT.
>> YOU'RE IN GERMANY RIGHT NOW JOINING US.
WHEN DID YOU REALIZE THIS IS SOMETHING I'M REALLY GOOD AT?
>> I HAD TO BE LIKE 14 OR 15, I FELT LIKE I HAD SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL AND THAT IF I QUIT, IT WOULD BE DOING LIKE A DISSERVICE TO THE PEOPLE I WAS MEANT TO INSPIRE.
I DON'T THINK I KNEW WHAT THAT MEANT AT THAT AGE BUT I'M SEEING IT NOW, EVERY DAY IN THE MESSAGES THAT I GET AND THE PEOPLE REACHING OUT TO ME AND THE IMPACT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO CREATE IN PHOENIX AND BEYOND.
SO, YEAH, REALLY YOUNG.
>> ELIZABETH, JOURNALISM, WAS THAT SOMETHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO DO?
>> I KIND OF LANDED IN JOURNALISM.
LONG STORY SHORT, I WAS HOMELESS FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS LIVING IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA, AND I WAS KIND OF SLEEPING IN MY CAR AND I KNOW I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING WITH WRITING, AND I WOULD PICK THIS PARKING LOT THAT WAS AT THE ATLANTA VOICE NEWSPAPER OUT THERE IN GEORGIA.
I WAS SLEEPING IN THAT PARKING LOT AND I REALLY WANTED TO BE IN THE BUILDING, SO I, YOU KNOW, STARTED INTERNSHIP THERE, AND WAS WORKING LIKE ALL WEEK GETTING PAID MAYBE $25 A WEEK AT THE START OF THIS, AND IT REALLY KIND OF JUST TOOK OFF FROM THERE.
I WENT TO THE ATLANTA JULY CONSTITUTION WHAT I WAS AN INTERN AS WELL AND SMALL PAPERS HERE AND THERE AND ENDED UP IN NORTH CAROLINA, AND JUST NOW I'M IN PHOENIX.
>> THAT'S INTERESTING, YOU SAY YOU ENDED UP IN PHOENIX FROM ATLANTA AND YOU WROTE A COLUMN ON THIS.
YOU WRITE WHEN YOU MOVE HERE, YOU FELT LONELY AND ISOLATED.
TALK TO US ABOUT THAT.
>> YES.
IN PHOENIX, I REALIZED IT CHANGED OVER THE YEARS BUT FOR ME, I'LL GO INTO A FRY'S GROCERY STORE AND I'M THE ONLY PERSON WHO LOOKED LIKE ME, SO IT'S VERY ISOLATING IN THAT FACT TO WHERE YOU CAN'T JUST GO OUTSIDE AND SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE YOU AND UNDERSTAND YOUR EXPERIENCE.
SO IT JUST, YOU KNOW, BEING OUT IN DIFFERENT STORES OR IN DIFFERENT ROOMS AND MEETINGS, IT WAS JUST KIND OF LIKE I WAS THE ONLY ONE, AND SO WHEN I FINALLY FOUND THIS LITTLE POCKET OF THIS IS WHERE BLACK PEOPLE COME TO MEET AND AT THE BLACK MARKETPLACE, I WAS LIKE THIS IS HOME, THIS IS WHERE AND THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS WHOLE TIME.
YEAH, IT'S DEFINITELY DIFFERENT THAN ATLANTA.
>> YEAH.
I'M SURE IT IS.
ANTOINETTE, WAS WHAT SHE SAID RIPPING TRUE TO YOU?
>> TO AN EXTENT.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE ABOUT ME THAT I'M ACTUALLY HALF WHITE.
SO I'M HALF BLACK AND HALF WHITE, SO I WAS RAISED WITH BOTH SIDES OF MY FAMILY, I WAS RAISED WITH MY WHITE AND MY BLACK SIDE, SO WHILE I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THE NOTION I DON'T SEE COLOR, LIKE I UNDERSTAND IT, BECAUSE GROWING UP WITH DIVERSITY, YOU DON'T REALLY THINK ABOUT LIKE THE COLOR OF PEOPLE'S SKIN, SO IT WASN'T UNTIL I ACTUALLY WENT TO COLLEGE AND STARTED STUDYING AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY AND SOCIOLOGY THAT I REALIZED HOW FEW BLACK PEOPLE WERE IN THE VALLEY AND HOW MUCH OUR CULTURE ISN'T NECESSARILY HIGHLIGHTED OR CELEBRATED ON A BROUGHT SALE.
>> WELL, BLACK CULTURE IS CERTAINLY CELEBRATED ON A BROAD SCALE REGARDING TO MURAL OF JAMES BAD WIN.
TALK ABOUT THIS AND WHY YOU INCLUDED THIS.
JAMES BALDWIN WROTE A LOT OF THINGS AMOUNTED SAID A LOT OF THINGS.
YOU INCLUDED A QUOTE ON THIS MURAL, NOT EVERYTHING THAT IS FACED CAN BE CHANGED, BUT NOTHING CAN BE CHANGED UNTIL IT IS FACED.
WHY JAMES BALDWIN, WHY THIS MASSIVE MURAL, NINE STORIES TALL HERE IN DOWNTOWN PHOENIX, WHY THAT QUOTE?
>> IT WAS JAMES BALDWIN BECAUSE IT NEEDED TO BE JAMES BALDWIN FOR SURE.
I ACTUALLY HAD TAKEN A TRIP TO PARIS IN JANUARY, 2020, RIGHT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC AND LEARNED ABOUT HIM ON THIS BLACK PARISIAN HISTORY TOUR.
I WAS LIKE WHY DON'T THEY TEACH US ABOUT HIM IN SCHOOL.
WHEN THE BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTS STARTED HAPPENING, THAT IS A MOVEMENT AROUND FOR A WHILE NOW BUT ONCE THIS AWAKENING STARTED TO HAPPEN, MY FRIEND ASKED ME TO CREATE A MURAL AND WE THREW NAMES BACK AND FORTH AND I JUST FELT LIKE JAMES BALDWIN, HE SORT OF LIKE EMBODIES SO MANY DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT WERE IMPORTANT TO TOUCH ON BECAUSE NOT ONLY WAS HE A BLACK MAN, BUT HE WAS QUEER.
HE WAS AN ARTIST, BUT HE WAS AN AUTHOR, REACHING SO MANY DEMOGRAPHICS ALL IN ONE, AND THAT QUOTE SPECIFICALLY, I FELT LIKE 100% OOP PLIED TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE COUNTRY AT THAT MOMENT BUT IT ALSO APPLIES TO ANY PERSON WITH ANYTHING THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH, SO YEAH, THAT WAS, IT NEEDED TO BE HIM HANDLED DOWN.
>> ELIZABETH, WHEN YOU SEE THAT, YOU WERE THE FIRST TO REPORT ON THAT.
WHEN YOU SAW THE MURAL, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> I THINK IT'S AMAZING, BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO JAMES BALDWIN IS AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, YOU'LL SEE THAT MURAL IS HUGE, IT'S HARD TO MISS IT.
YOU MIGHT WARRANT WHO IS THAT.
YOU GO INTO A WHOLE 'NOTHER DEEP DIVE OF FINDING OUT WHAT THIS PERSON IS AND WHAT THEY STOOD FOR AND WHEN YOU FIND OUT REALIZE WOW, THIS IS A BIG, BIG DEAL AND THAT'S WHY THE MURAL IS SO IMPORTANT FOR PHOENIX, ESPECIALLY, BECAUSE WE NEED MORE OF THAT KIND OF BLACK CULTURE HERE AND JUST TO CELEBRATE IT A LOT MORE, SO I APPRECIATE ANTOINETTE FOR POSTING THAT MURAL AND I HEARD COMMENTS OF PEOPLE LOVING IT AND LOVING JAMES BALDWIN AND JUST HOW IMPACTFUL IT'S BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY.
>> LAST QUESTION FOR BOTH OF YOU, WE'RE KIND OF RUNNING OUT OF TIME HERE.
ELIZABETH, WHAT DOES BEING A BLACK WOMAN IN ARIZONA MEAN TO YOU?
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
BEING A BLACK WOMAN IN ARIZONA JUST MEANS THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THINGS TO DO BUT ALSO A LOT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
I'M JUST OUT HERE AS A BLACK WOMAN, AS A JOURNALIST TRYING TO MAKE SURE BLACK VOICES GET HEARD AND THAT VOICES LIKE ME, WE ARE LISTENING AND HEARING THEM AND JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT MY CULTURE IS CELEBRATED AND HIGHLIGHTED AND I'M GETTING -- I'M CONTRIBUTING EVERYTHING I CAN TOWARDS THAT, AS WELL.
IT'S A LOT.
IT'S A BIG SHOES TO FILL.
>> YES.
YES, I WOULD IMAGINE.
ANTOINETTE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?
>> I CAN SAY THAT BEING A BLACK WOMAN IN GENERAL IS A POWERFUL THING, AND BEING A BLACK WOMAN IN ARIZONA, I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T FEEL VERY POWERFUL.
YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE NECESSARILY MOST PEOPLE YOU'LL SEE IN ARIZONA, SO YOU STAND OUT.
I THINK IT'S A CHANCE TO JUST SHINE, I GUESS, AND BE YOURSELF AND KIND OF FOR ME PERSONALLY, KIND OF LIKE BE A TRENDSETTER OR A LEADER IN WAYS, YOU KNOW, IF I WASN'T A BLACK WOMAN, MAYBE I WOULDN'T STAND OUT AT MUCH.
>> JUST THINK THERE'S POWER IN IT.
>> WE CERTAINLY THANK YOU BOTH.
THIS IS A GREAT CONVERSATION.
WE LOVE DOING THIS SERIES.
THANK YOU AGAIN, BOTH OF YOU FOR JOINING US, TAKE CARE AND BE SAFE OUT THERE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND NEXT HALF HOUR ON CRONKITE NEWS, A DRIVING FORCE BETWEEN 28 NEW MURALS HONORING HISTORIC BLACK FIGURES IN DOWNTOWN PHOENIX.
>> A COUPLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS I HAD MEETINGS WITH AND THEY SAID MURALS NEED TO HAPPEN BECAUSE OUR BABIES NEED TO SEE THEMSELVES.
THEY NEED TO SEE THEIR CULTURE OUT THERE.
>> I'M KRISTA BLACKWELL, BORN IN THE 1960'S.
WHY AM I PROUD TO BE A BLACK AMERICAN?
WHY AM I NOT PROUD?
I CANNOT BE ANYTHING ELSE.
OUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WORLD, TO THIS COUNTRY, MY COMMUNITY, MY CHURCH, I LOOK AT BLACK, I SEE EXCELLENCE, I SEE OF COURSE THAT WE CAN IMPROVE BUT I ALWAYS SEE WHAT WE'VE DONE REALLY WELL.
I'M PROUD OF THE ART, THE MATHEMATICS, THE SCIENCE, THE WRITINGS, AND WE CONTRIBUTE EVERY DAY.
IF I CAN'T BE ANYTHING ELSE BUT PROUD.
I AM A PROUD BLACK WOMAN.
ARIZONA PBS CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
>> THAT IS IT FOR NOW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

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