>> Announcer: THE UPCOMING PROGRAM WAS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX OR ITS STAFF OR UNDERWRITERS.

♫♫ >>> GOOD DAY AND WELCOME TO "ABLE TO RAISE."

I´M YOUR HOST AMELIA HEADLY LAMONT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, AND TODAY I´D LIKE TO WELCOME A VERY SPECIAL GUEST.

HIS NAME IS KEMIT LEWIS AND HE IS A MARINE BIOLOGIST.

JUST SAYING THAT TO ME IS LIKE, WOW, THE OCEAN AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT´S AROUND US.

WELCOME, KEMIT LEWIS, IT´S SO GREAT TO SEE YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION AND I´M HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH YOU.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS TOLD BEFORE THIS INTERVIEW IS EVERYBODY KNOWS KEMMIT EXCEPT ME.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF?

>> AS YOU MENTIONED, MY NAME IS KEMMIT LEWIS.

I WAS BORN AND RAISED ON THE ISLAND OF ST. CROIX.

I GREW UP PRETTY MUCH ON THE BEACH.

I EVENTUALLY BECAME A MARINE SCIENTIST AND THAT´S JUST ONE OF MANY PASSIONS THAT I HAVE AND I LOVE, AND, YOU KNOW, I LOVE BEING HERE TO SHARE SOME OF THIS WITH YOU GUYS.

>> HOW DID YOU GET INTO MARINE SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION?

HOW DOES THAT COME TO YOU?

>> IT WAS THOSE SUMMER DAYS.

LIKE I SAID, IT WAS EVERY DAY 9:00 TO 5:00.

MY DAD WOULD TAKE MYSELF AND ALL MY COUSINS TO THE BEACH.

DRIVING THROUGH THE RAIN FOREST, THERE WAS ALWAYS SOME ADVENTURE WE WERE ON.

HE WOULD BUY SNORKEL GEAR, SO FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE I COULD SEE SEA TURTLES UNDERWATER, DOLPHINS UNDERWATER.

PEOPLE WOULD YELL SHARK AND WE ALREADY KNEW THE DIFFERENCE FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE.

THEN IT BECAME A PASSION FOR ME FROM THEN.

I DECIDED AFTER I LEFT THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL AFTER THE EIGHTH GRADE THAT I WOULD ATTEND THE ST. CROIX CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL.

AT THE TIME CENTRAL HIGH WAS THE ONLY SCHOOL IN THE TERRITORY THAT HAD A MARINE SCIENCE PROGRAM, SO THERE WAS MARINE SCIENCE I IN THE LAB, MARINE SCIENCE II WHERE YOU GOT CERTIFIED AND EVERY WEEK WE WERE ABLE TO GO DIVING IN A DIFFERENT SPOT AROUND ST. CROIX.

THAT CEMENTED IT FOR ME.

OKAY, THIS IS WHAT I´M GOING TO STUDY IN COLLEGE, AND HERE I AM.

>> PEOPLE WOULDN´T KNOW THAT CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL HAD MARINE SCIENCE.

IS THAT THE CASE NOW?

>> THEY UNFORTUNATELY LOST THE PROGRAM A YEAR OR TWO AFTER MY CLASS.

THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAD SIMILAR PROGRAMS LEADING MORE TOWARD THE EXTRACURRICULAR STYLE WHERE THEY HAD 16 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS CERTIFIED.

THERE WAS A SPECIFIC PROGRAM IN ST. THOMAS ALSO.

BUT WE JUST PERSONALLY WOULD GIVE UP MY SUNDAYS TO TEACH THESE STUDENTS.

WE HAD ONE FROM CENTRAL HIGH, ONE FROM ST. JOSEPH AND I THINK TWO FROM THE COMPLEX.

IT REMINDED ME OF WHEN I WAS A STUDENT AND OUR TEACHER HAD THE TIMES DOWN.

IN OUR ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE, I TOOK THESE STUDENTS OUT TO THE WALL OF CAMBAY AND BEING INVOLVED WITH INSTRUMENTAL PROGRAM.

THE STUDENTS GOT TO PLANT CORALS ON THE REEF AND WE GOT TO VISIT AGAIN AND SEE HOW THE CORALS WERE DOING.

I THINK IT´S ACTIVITIES LIKE THAT THAT GIVE STUDENTS ENERGY AND EXCITEMENT AROUND THE OCEAN SCIENCES, AND HOPEFULLY THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BRING IN THE NEXT PERSON IN THE FUTURE.

>> YOU JUST EXPLAINED TO ALL OF US WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO TAKE CARE OF CORAL.

>> THAT´S A LOADED QUESTION.

OUR EXISTENCE AS A CARIBBEAN ISLAND TERRITORY THAT EXISTS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA WOULD COMPLETELY CHANGE IN THE ABSENCE OF CORAL.

THAT´S THE FIGHT WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW WITH THE ADVANCEMENT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, AND I ALWAYS MAKE IT CLEAR THAT CLIMATE CHANGE HAS ALWAYS OCCURRED.

THE RATE AT WHICH IT´S OCCURRING IS JUST AMPLIFIED BECAUSE OF US.

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ARE AMONG THE LONG LIST OF THINGS PEOPLE TRY TO SAY DON´T EXIST.

WE´RE LOSING OUR CORALS BECAUSE OF POLLUTION EVENTS, BECAUSE OF DREDGING.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ISSUES CAUSING OUR CORAL TO DIE.

IN THE CASE OF THE ELKHORN CORAL WHICH IS FEDERALLY PROTECTED AND LOCALLY PROTECTED ALSO, THE POPULATIONS HAVE CRASHED SOMEWHERE AT AROUND 90% OF WHAT THEIR LEVELS WERE.

>> WOW.

>> ONE OF THE ISSUES NOW -- A SIDE NOTE, ONE OF THE COOLEST EXPERIENCES I´VE HAD ON THE WATER IS SEEING CORAL THAT I PLANTED IN 2012 SPAWN IN 2017, SO THEY NATURALLY REPRODUCE.

AND THE CONCEPT WE HAD DEVELOPED THAT WE WILL BRING THESE CORALS FROM A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AREAS TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE AND ALLOW THEM TO NATURALLY REPRODUCE.

THE ISSUE WITH THE CORALS NOW WITH ELKHORN AND STAGHORN, THEY ARE SO SEPARATE FROM EACH OTHER NOW THAT THE CORALS CAN´T MIX, AND ESSENTIALLY THAT´S WHAT´S CAUSING THE CONTINUAL DECLINE OF BOTH SPECIES.

WE´RE ABLE TO JUMP-START THAT.

THAT´S WHY THOSE CORALS ARE IMPORTANT.

EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF FROM PROTECTION OF WAVE ENERGY, ESPECIALLY DURING HURRICANES, THE SEAFOOD WE ALL LOVE TO CONSUME AROUND THE TERRITORY.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER SPIRITUAL AND JUST THE SHEER BEAUTY OF NATURE THAT YOU MENTIONED AT THE TOP OF THE SHOW, IT WOULD BE AN UNFORTUNATE THING TO LOSE, BUT AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, NOT JUST LOSING SOMETHING THAT´S BEAUTIFUL AND MAJESTIC TO SEE ON THE WATER.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY DEFINES OUR WAY OF LIFE AS ISLANDERS.

>> LET ME MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.

YOU´RE SUGGESTING IF THE CORAL PRETTY MUCH STAYS WITHIN LIKE CIRCUMSTANCES, ELKHORN WITH ELKHORN, THEY DON´T TRY TO INTEGRATE.

>> THEY DO.

THE ISLANDS ARE SO SEPARATED, BUT THE MARINE RESOURCES ARE SO CONNECTED AND INTERTWINED.

SO YOU DO HAVE CORAL SPACES THAT HAS ELKHORN AND STAGHORN AND BRAIN CORAL AND SOME MAID CORALS, SOME STAR CORALS.

YOU HAVE GENERALLY IN A HEALTHY SITUATION, YOU HAVE THIS NICE MIX.

BUT WHAT´S HAPPENING IS YOU HAVE ALL THESE OTHER CORALS AND JUST ONE ELKHORN COLONY.

AND THAT CORAL ISN´T ABLE TO MIX WITH ELKHORN CORALS WHEN THEY ACTUALLY REPRODUCE.

ELKHORN, A, HAS TO FERTILIZE FROM ELKHORN B, AND THAT´S ONE OF THE HISTORIC ISSUES, NOT TO MENTION THE HURRICANE THAT HAS DAMAGED A LOT OF THE CORAL.

BEFORE HUGO WAS AN AMAZING PLACE AND THERE WAS OTHER DECLINE THERE, BUT STILL THE EVIDENCE IS THERE WHERE THERE IS JUST AN AMAZING PLACE.

WHEN YOU CAN STAND UNDERWATER AND LOOK UP AND THERE ARE CORALS TALLER THAN YOU, YOU´RE TALKING ABOUT HUNDREDS OF YEARS TO GET WHAT CAN BE WIPED OUT IN ONE STORM.

SO YEAH, OUR WORK AS MARINE BIOLOGISTS AND CONSERVATIONISTS ARE CUT OUT FOR US.

IT´S A TALL ORDER BUT WE´RE AT A POINT IN TIME WHERE WE CAN´T CONSTITUENT BACK AND THINK ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD DO, WE HAVE TO ACT.

THAT´S BEEN A BIG PART OF MY WORK.

>> I NOTICED YOUR T-SHIRT.

IT SAYS "KEMMET STRONG."

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT?

>> IN 2019 I BECAME ILL.

I TOLD MY FRIEND I WAS GOING TO ACUTE CARE.

I ENDED UP AT A HOSPITAL THAT AIRLIFTED ME HERE TO SOUTH FLORIDA.

I SURVIVED SEPSIS BUT THE MEDICINE THAT KEPT ME ALIVE, SUPPRESSORS, THEY TRANSFERRED OXYGEN TO MY ORGANS TO MAKE THEM HAPPY BUT DID THAT BY STRIPPING THEM FROM MY LIMBS.

I WOKE UP KNOWING I HAD TO GET HEAVY SURGERIES.

PEOPLE I KNEW IN HONG KONG, CHINA, EUROPE, THERE WAS JUST TONS OF ENERGY, LOVE, PRAYERS AND SUPPORT COMING MY WAY, AND I HAVE THIS CREW OF FRIENDS, CHARISMA, NADIA, GEMINI AND CHRISTIANA, THEY JUMPED ON LET´S FIGURE OUT HOW TO SUPPORT KEMMET AND GET HIM EVERYTHING HE NEEDS TO GET THROUGH THAT.

WHICH IS A PRETTY DARK PERIOD.

EVERY TIME I LOOK BACK THROUGH IMAGES AND REALIZE HOW FAR I HAVE COME NOW, IT´S BEEN AN INTERESTING JOURNEY.

BUT THEY MADE ME SEARCH AND THEY SAW SOME STRENGTH IN ME, AND THEY BELIEVED IN ME.

I BELIEVE IN MYSELF.

YEAH, I´M HAPPY TO WEAR THIS SHIRT.

>> IT LOOKS GOOD ON YOU.

I´M TOLD THAT YOU´RE QUITE A RENAISSANCE MAN.

SO IN ADDITION TO YOUR MARINE CONSERVATION WORK, YOU´RE AN ACCOMPLISHED PHOTOGRAPHY AND A PLAYER?

DANCER?

TELL US ABOUT YOUR OTHER PASSIONS AND WHAT INTERESTS YOU´VE DEVELOPED.

>> YEAH, I STARTED DANCING MY SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL.

I WAS LOOKING TO BE TRANSFERRED.

WE HAD A VERY COMPETITIVE TOP 25 IN OUR CLASS, AND MY LAST SEMESTER I JUMPED FROM NUMBER 5 TO NUMBER 3 IN MY GRADUATING CLASS IN 2000.

AND MY PROFESSOR AT THE TIME, LISA LENHARDT, AT THE TIME IN CENTRAL HIGH SHE WAS AN AMAZINGLY TALENTED, BEAUTIFUL PERSON WHO STARTED TO GIVE UP HER LUNCH PERIOD TO TEACH US.

WE WERE IN AN OLD COMPUTER LAB BECAUSE HER DANCE STUDIO HAD BEEN DESTROYED.

IN AN OLD COMPUTER LAB SHE STARTED TEACHING US BARRE BALLET AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE ART OF DANCE.

SO I CONTINUED ON IN COLLEGE.

I STUDIED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SAVANNAH STATE.

I WAS ABLE TO DO DANCE EXCHANGE WITH THEM EVERY YEAR.

I HAD THE ABILITY TO TAKE A CLASS WITH KATHERINE DUNHAM.

>> WOW.

>> THE LAST CLASS SHE TAUGHT WAS A MASSIVE CLASS AT ONE OF THESE BLACK INTERCHANGES IN HER 90s WITH A MIC, CHEWING OUT HER DEMONSTRATOR IF HE DID NOT SHOW US THE WAY SHE WANTED IT TO BE SHOWN.

I JUST FELL IN LOVE WITH IT.

I CAME BACK HOME, AND AFTER TONS OF SUMMER INTENSIVES, I TAUGHT THERE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

CHOREOGRAPHED PIECES FOR THEIR SHOWS.

I PLAYED TENNIS IN HIGH SCHOOL, THE LAST YEAR OUR SCHOOL HAD A TENNIS TEAM.

I LEFT THE ONE PERSON THAT PLAYED TENNIS IN THE SCHOOL.

I CONTINUED AT SAVANNAH STATE.

I PLAYED NUMBER 1 AND THEN NUMBER 2 IN OUR NCAA DIVISION 1 TENNIS TEAM AT SAVANNAH STATE.

BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE TOURING THE SOUTHEAST AND PLAYING WITH A NUMBER OF COLLEAGUES.

THE COOL THING ABOUT TENNIS IN COLLEGE OR HIGH SCHOOL IS THAT IT IS A TEAM SPORT, UP LIKE THE PROS WHICH IT´S VERY JUST YOU.

IF YOU MESS UP, IT´S ON YOU, BUT THAT WAS A COOL EXPERIENCE TO SHARE THE LOVE OF TENNIS WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

AND MOST OF THE TEAM IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA WERE FROM OVERSEAS, TURKS AND CAICOS AND OTHER PLACES.

I LOVE TO TRAVEL JUST AS MUCH.

I´VE BEEN TOLD I HAVE A GOOD EYE, SO I LIKE BEING PLACES AND SEEING THINGS FOR THE FIRST TIME AND BEING ABLE TO CAPTURE IT.

I HAVE REALLY COOL MEMORIES I´VE BEEN ABLE TO CAPTURE FROM MY 2018 CHRISTMAS TRIP TO EGYPT.

I HAVE REALLY COOL MEMORIES FROM A TRIP I DID IN SALMON ISLANDS.

EVERY DAY WHEN I WENT TO WORK, I HAD A CAMERA WITH ME, SO I WAS ABLE TO CAPTURE A FEW COOL THINGS HERE AND THERE.

I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT TRAVEL, EVERYTHING ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY.

>> WELL, SCUBA DIVING AND SNORKELING IS A PRETTY EXPENSIVE UNDERTAKING.

HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO MANAGE THAT?

>> MOST OF THE DIVES THAT I´VE DONE, WE´RE TALKING ABOUT NOT JUST THERE BUT GUAM, SAMOA, JAMAICA, THE D.R., HAITI ALONG WITH PLACES WHERE WORK HAS SENT ME TO HELP INSPIRE, THINK ABOUT RESTORATION OR BE STRATEGIC ABOUT IT.

AS IT GOT POPULAR, IT BECAME THE NEW THING THAT EVERYONE WANTED TO DO AND THERE WERE, AGAIN, TONS OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR IT, BUT AGAIN, EVERYONE WANTED TO DO IT.

EVERYONE DIDN´T HAVE THE SAME RIGOR OR FRAME OF MIND IN THINKING ABOUT HOW TO MAXIMIZE EFFORT AND BE TRUE TO THAT.

BUT THEN I ALSO, IN AUSTRALIA FOR ONE OF 7-DAY DIVE CREWS, THAT WAS A COMPLETELY FUN TRIP.

THE EGYPT TRIP WAS A COMPLETELY FUN TRIP.

THERE WAS NO WORK, JUST REALLY NICE DIVES.

AND, YEAH, I MANAGED -- >> ALL OF THIS WAS FOR WORK?

EGYPT AND SALMA ISLANDS.

>> EGYPT AND SALMA WERE THE ONLY TWO FUN TRIPS.

EVERYWHERE ELSE, COLOMBIA, JAMAICA, ALL THOSE OTHER AMAZING PLACES WERE ME DOING WORK.

WORK HARD, PLAY HARD.

>> WHERE ARE YOU WORKING NOW?

>> I´M WITH THE PARA INSTITUTE FOR MARINE SCIENCE NOW.

I´M BASED HERE IN FLORIDA, AND WE CURRENTLY DO A BIT OF WORK IN THE BAHAMAS AND HOPE TO BRANCH OUT TO SOME OF THE OTHER CARIBBEAN ISLANDS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

IT´S A REALLY COOL TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT I´VE BEEN COLLEAGUES WITH FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

SOME OF THE COLLEAGUES THAT IN THE BAHAMAS WERE THE FIRST ONES TO LEARN AND PARTNER WITH FOR RESTORATION EFFORTS THERE.

SO, YEAH, IT´S A GOOD CREW.

I´M EXCITED TO BE USING MY MIND AGAIN FOR GOOD.

YEAH, A LOT -- I´VE GONE THROUGH SOME REALLY FUNKY STAGES IN MY LIFE, ESPECIALLY AT THE BEGINNING OF BLACK LIVES MATTER WHERE PEOPLE NEED US.

PEOPLE NEED HELP.

PEOPLE NEED ENERGETIC THINKERS.

PEOPLE NEED GOOD TROUBLEMAKERS, AND AT THE SAME TIME I WAS HAVING TO DEVELOP A WAY TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT THE WORK THAT I DID WITH CORALS, FISHERIES AND SEA TURTLES BUT SOMEHOW CONNECTED WITH PEOPLE AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE NINE YARDS.

I´VE GOTTEN PAST THAT, AND IT IS, LIKE I SAID IN RESPONSE TO ONE OF YOUR FIRST QUESTIONS, OUR WORLD WITHOUT A HEALTHY OCEAN AND WITHOUT HEALTHY REEFS, HEALTHY FISH SPECIES IS, YOU KNOW, A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PLACE, A PLACE I DON´T EVER WANT TO IMAGINE AND A PLACE WE SHOULDN´T CREATE FOR THOSE THAT WILL FOLLOW US IN THE FUTURE.

>> I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DO PROGRAMS AS WELL THAT EDUCATES THE COMMUNITY, AND ONE I WAS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN WAS THE SUBJECT OF GENTRIFICATION.

>> I HAVE SOME COLLEAGUES THAT THEY DEVELOPED POL TALKS AT MY FRIEND´S BAR A FEW YEARS AGO.

>> POLY TALKS?

>> YEAH, IT WAS JUST SHOW UP AT THE BAR, HAVE A BEVERAGE AND LET´S TALK.

COVID HAS FORCED US TO BE VIRTUAL.

AND IN DOING SO, IT GAVE ME BETTER ACCESS TO PARTICIPATE WITH MY FRIENDS WHO I WOULD SEE JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY ON ST. CROIX AND THEN DON´T SEE PHYSICALLY AND IN PERSON EVERY DAY LIKE I USED TO.

SO FRANK ROBINSON AND SUMMER CECILY BROWN, I CREATED THIS THING AND IT´S PRETTY MUCH EVERY WEEK OR SO.

WTJX ALSO, WE JUST HAVE REALLY GOOD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT GENTRY FICTION, ABOUT EQUITY, ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY, AND WHAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT TO CREATE FOR EVERYONE.

THE VERY LAST CONVERSATION WE HAD, THE TOWN HALL STARTED TO ASK QUESTIONS AND WE SEE ANSWERS THAT WE KNEW THE PUBLIC KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON.

SO WE STARTED THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE SHOULD LOOK LIKE, AND I HOPE THAT -- I KNOW THAT LISTENING TO AN AUDIENCE BASE ISN´T HUGE, AND WE´RE NOT REACHING -- LIKE WE´RE PREACHING TO THE CHOIR, BUT I HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE´LL WAKE UP AND REALIZE WHAT WE HAVE AND PEOPLE WILL RALLY AROUND THE IDEA, THE CONCEPT THAT WE DESERVE BETTER, AND WE CAN HELP CREATE WHAT THAT BETTER TOMORROW LOOKS LIKE.

>> WHAT DO YOU SEE ARE THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES THAT THE ISLANDS FACE?

>> THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE IS LACK OF LEADERSHIP, AND THAT´S BEEN A COMMON THREAD FOR A NUMBER OF DECADES NOW.

THE REASON WHY A LOT OF THE DECISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AND THAT ARE BEING MADE CONTINUE TO NOT BE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF THE VIRGIN ISLAND.

WHEN YOU THINK OF ALL THE SYSTEMS THAT EXIST THAT ARE BROKEN, THAT AREN´T FUNCTIONING THE WAY THAT THEY SHOULD, THAT HAVE NEVER FUNCTIONED THE WAY THAT IT SHOULD, THERE´S A LOT TO BE SAID ABOUT COLONIALISM AND WHERE WE STAND RIGHT NOW AS AN UNEQUAL PREDATORY OF THE UNITED STATES, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED STATES TERRITORIES.

BUT THAT´S COMPOUNDED WITH THE FACT THAT WE NEVER HAD LEADERS THAT HAVE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE DESERVE BETTER, OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES BETTER, AND LET´S MAKE IT HAPPEN.

LET´S BE FORWARD-THINKING AND LET´S TRY TO ADDRESS A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE, THE ISSUES OF WAPA, OF HEALTH CARE.

I LOOK AT THE NEW SENATE BUILDING UP IN CROIX THAT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING BROUGHT FROM ROME AND THEN I LOOK AT THE HOSPITAL.

THERE IS AN ISSUE THERE.

THE FACT I´M STILL IN FLORIDA AND I CAN´T MOVE HOME BACK NOW, IT´S SOMETHING THAT I THINK ABOUT EVERY DAY.

EXAMINE IF OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM WAS ANYWHERE NEAR WHAT IT SHOULD BE, THERE IS A VERY GOOD CHANCE THAT I WOULD STILL BE THERE AND I WOULD NOT HAVE SUFFERED AND I WOULD HAVE ALL MY LIMBS.

THE ISSUE OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM, IT GOES ON.

AGAIN, IT ALL COMES BACK TO WHAT WE HAD AS OUR LEADERS IN THE TERRITORY THAT REALLY DON´T ADVOCATE FOR EVERYONE´S SUCCESS.

IT´S SAD.

I HOPE THAT ONE DAY IT CHANGED, AND I THINK THAT NEXT GENERATION WILL HAVE TO BE THAT CHANGE.

THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF US IN MY GENERATION -- >> YOU´RE PRETTY YOUNG.

>> THERE´S SOME WISDOM DOWN THERE.

>> HOW DO YOU SEE YOUNG PEOPLE ADDRESSING IT?

WHAT CAN YOUNG PEOPLE DO?

WHAT CAN WE DO?

>> WE HAVE TO GET TO THAT POINT.

IT´S A SAD SITUATION, IT´S A SAD DAY THAT WHEN WE HAVE TO MEMORIALIZE GEORGE FLOYD THE WAY THAT WE DO.

I CAN´T IMAGINE WHAT HIS FAMILY GOES THROUGH EVERY DAY, AND THERE´S BEEN A LOT OF UP-TONE MESSAGES THANKING HIM.

NONE OF THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME, HOWEVER, I HOPE WE DON´T GET TO THAT POINT IN THE TERRITORY WHERE THEY HAVE TO BE THAT INSANE AND THAT TELEVISED OF AN ISSUE FOR US TO JUST SAY, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH AND WE DESERVE BETTER.

I HOPE THAT OUR YOUTH START TO, YOU KNOW -- WE CAN´T REST ON WHAT OTHERS IN THE PAST MAY HAVE RESTED ON.

THAT INFORMATION WASN´T AVAILABLE TO US.

WE´RE LIVING IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ERA WHERE WE´RE BOMBARDED WITH TOO MUCH INFORMATION AT TIMES.

>> RIGHT.

>> WE NEED TO START FOCUSING ON GETTING THE RIGHT INFORMATION OUT THERE ON WHO IS AVAILABLE TO DO BETTER FOR US AND STARTLE -- START ELEVATING THOSE PEOPLE.

IT´S MY HOPE WE START VOTING ON PLATFORMS AND POLICIES AND WE START REALLY SPEAKING.

WE DON´T NEED TO PROTEST IN THE STREET, BUT WE CAN PROTEST IN THE BETTER ONE.

WE´LL HOPE THAT THEY WILL.

>> IN THE MINUTE WE HAVE LEFT, ARE THERE ANY PARTING WORDS?

I THINK YOU´VE ALREADY DONE THAT, BUT WHAT CAN YOU DIRECT YOUNG FOAM, SAY, IF THAT I WANT CAREER IN POLY TALK.

>> IT´S COMPLETELY I AMLY.

THAT WOULD BE ONE OF MY FIRST POINTS IS THAT WE DO HAVE A FLAM.

THERE OTHER PEOPLE TO TRAVEL ISLANDS OF THE BEECHTD.

I THINK THAT´S THE BIGGEST THING WE NEED TO DO MOVING FORWARD IS ASSESS THE INFORMATION THAT WE READ AND THINK CRITICALLY ON YOUR OWN.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

THIS WAS AN ENLIGHTENING SITUATION, AND I HOPE I GET TO MEET YOU SOMEDAY.

>> LIKEWISE.

>>> FOLKS, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING US.

TAKE CARE AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.