THINGS FOR JOINING US ON CHICAGO TONIGHT.

BLACK VOICES.

I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN ON THE SHOW TONIGHT.

MANY BLACK HAVE BEEN FALSELY ACCUSED.

MAYOR JOHNSON REACTS TO ONE OF THE LARGEST POLICE MISCONDUCT SETTLEMENTS IN THE CITY'S HISTORY.

CAROL MOSELEY BRAUN WAS THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN EVER ELECTED TO THE U.S. SENATE 30 YEARS LATER, THE AMBASSADOR IS TAKING ON A NEW ROLE WILL TALK WITH HER ONE ON ONE.

AND ANOTHER FIRST BLACK WOMAN JOINS US.

OLYMPIC MEDALIST DENNY THOMAS IS IN CHICAGO TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY IN FIGURE SKATING.

CHICAGO.

TAXPAYERS WILL PAY 50 MILLION DOLLARS TO 4 MEN WHO SPENT A COMBINED 73 YEARS IN PRISON AFTER BEING WRONGFULLY CONVICTED OF THE 1995 DOUBLE MURDER BASED ON COERCED CONFESSIONS.

AFTER TODAY'S UNANIMOUS VOTE, THE MEN KNOWN AS THE MARQUETTE PARK FOR SAID NO AMOUNT OF MONEY COULD RETURN THE YEARS THEY LOST DUE TO CHICAGO POLICE MISCONDUCT W T TW NEWS REPORTER HEATHER SHARON JOINS US NOW FROM OUTSIDE CITY HALL.

HEATHER, LET'S LISTEN TO WHAT MAYOR JOHNSON TOLD YOU ABOUT THE SETTLEMENT.

MANY BLACK MEN HAVE BEEN FALSELY ACCUSED.

YOU HAVE SPENT, YOU KNOW, THEIR LIVES PRISON.

FOR A CRIME.

THEY DID NOT COMMIT.

YOU FORTUNATELY, THIS IS THE EXPERIENCE OF MANY BLACK MEN WHO WAS IT TO GET ACCUSED OF A CRIME OR THEY ARE REDUCED TO SOME SORT OF CARICATURE.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT OBVIOUSLY HAS TO BE DONE TO REFORM OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

BUT KEEP IN MIND THE CASE THAT WE'RE SETTLING AS A DIRECT RESULT OF PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS IGNORED.

THAT IS HE RIGHT KIND OF POLICE MISCONDUCT IN THE PAST.

WELL, JOHNSON PROMISED AGAIN TODAY TO CHART A NEW PATH FOR THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT WHICH HAS BEEN BESET OF BY DECADES OF SCANDALS CAUSED BY POLICE MISCONDUCT AND BRUTALITY.

THERE'S BEEN 7 FULL-THROATED EFFORTS TO REFORM THE CPD.

NONE OF WHICH HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND THE CITY IS IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH JUST 7% OF THE FEDERAL COURT ORDER KNOWN AS THE CONSENT DECREE, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO CHANGE THE DEPARTMENT'S CULTURE AND PERFECT MISCONDUCT LIKE THIS ONE LIKE LIKE ALLEGED IN THIS CASE FROM EVER HAPPENING AGAIN.

THIS IS ONE OF THE LARGEST POLICE MISCONDUCT SETTLEMENTS IN THE CITY'S HISTORY.

HEATHER, HOW DID WE GET HERE?

WHAT WENT WRONG?

WELL, THIS IS REALLY PART OF THE LEGACY OF FORMER COMMANDER JON BURGE, WHO TORTURED AND ABUSED HUNDREDS OF BLACK MEN'S FOR DECADES IN MANY CASES TO COURSE CONFESSIONS.

NOW THE DETECTIVES WHO OF OUR LIVES TO OF CAN COERCE THE CONFESSIONS IN THIS CASE, REPORTED TO BIRDS AND WERE TRAINED BY HIM.

AND THIS IS REALLY AN INDICATION THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS CASE TOOK PLACE 30 YEARS AGO, THE CITY IS STILL GRAPPLING WITH THE LEGACY LEFT BY BERGE AND THE OFFICERS THAT HE TRAINED.

HEATHER, THIS WASN'T THE ONLY POLICE MISCONDUCT LAWSUIT RESOLVE TODAY BY THE CITY COUNCIL TELLS ABOUT THE OTHER ONE.

SO THE CITY WILL PAY 2 MILLION DOLLARS TO THE FAMILY OF RONALD JOHNSON.

THE 3RD WHO WAS BETTER KNOWN AS RODDY MAN.

HE WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY A CHICAGO POLICE OFFICER IN 2014, JUST 8 DAYS BEFORE A SIMILAR INCIDENT TOOK THE LIFE OF LAQUAN MCDONALD.

NOW IN THE MCDONALD CASE, THE OFFICER, OF COURSE, JASON VAN WAS CHARGED AND CONVICTED OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER.

THE OFFICER IN THIS CASE, GEORGE HERNANDEZ REMAINS ON THE FORCE TODAY HAS NEVER FACED DISCIPLINE HIS ACTIONS IN THIS CASE AND EARNS MORE THAN $110,000 A YEAR.

HEATHER, BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, WE'RE HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR.

WHAT HAS IT COST THE CONGO TAXPAYERS TO SETTLE THESE MISS POLICE MISCONDUCT IN LESS THAN 6 MONTHS, CHICAGO TAXPAYERS HAVE PAID 60 MILLION DOLLARS RESOLVE MORE THAN 50 CASES ALLEGING A WIDE RANGE OF MISCONDUCT AND THE CITY'S INSURANCE CARRIER HAS PAID OUT AN ADDITIONAL 45 MILLION DOLLARS, INCLUDING 29 MILLION DOLLARS IN THE CASE OF THE SO-CALLED MARQUETTE PARK FOR WE WILL HAVE TO SEE WHETHER THE CITY CAN EVEN COME IN UNDER BUDGET AND OR THE 82 MILLION DOLLARS.

IT SET ASIDE THIS YEAR TO COVER THE COST OF POLICE MISCONDUCT.

SETTLEMENTS.

THAT SEEMS UNLIKELY AT THIS 0, 6, MORE MONTHS TO FIND OUT.

HEATHER, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND YOU CAN READ HEATHER'S FULL STORY ON OUR WEBSITE.

THAT'S WTTA W DOT COM SLASH NEWS.

CHICAGO.

TONIGHT.

BLACK VOICES HE'S MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE SUPPORT OF THESE DONORS.

CAROL MOSELEY BRAUN MADE HISTORY IN 1993 WHEN SHE BECAME THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN EVER ELECTED TO THE U.S. SENATE OVER THE YEARS SHE'S WON A LOT OF POLITICAL HACKS, INCLUDING CONGRESSWOMAN IN COOK COUNTY RECORDER OF DEEDS.

AND OF COURSE, AMBASSADOR, SHE'S TAKING ON A NEW ROLE NOW AS THE CHAIR OF THE UNITED STATES AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION.

AND JOINING US NOW IS CAROL MOSELEY BRAUN.

AMBASSADOR, WELCOME TO THE SHOW.

WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU.

I'M SO HAPPY TO BE HERE.

THANK YOU.

SO AS WE MENTIONED, YOU BECAME THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO EVER BE ELECTED TO THE U.S. SENATE.

THAT WAS IN AND YOU'RE ONE OF ONLY 3 BLACK WOMEN TO HAVE EVER HOLD THE TITLE.

WE'VE ALL HEARD OF THE SECOND ONE WHO IS NOW VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS OF THE 3RD IS BUTLER, WHY HAVEN'T THERE BEEN MORE?

WELL, IT IS CULTURAL AND MOSTLY HAS TO THE FACT THAT WOMEN HAVE NOT BEEN GETTING ELECTED TO THE SENATE.

IT'S HIGHEST LEGISLATIVE BODY WE HAVE IN COUNTRY.

AND THERE'S BEEN A KIND OF CULTURAL BY 06:00AM.

WOMEN MAKING THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS?

SO I WAS GLAD TO BE PART.

I WAS HONORED CART OF THE LARGEST CLASS OF WOMEN EVER ELECTED TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE.

AND THEY WERE 8 OF OUT OF 100.

WHAT PROGRESS DO YOU THINK HAS BEEN MADE IN THAT KIND OF REPRESENTATION SINCE YOU TOOK OFFICE?

I THINK A LOT, I AND TO CHANGE.

PEOPLE ARE NOW A CUSTOM MORE CUSTOM TO WOMEN IN DECISION-MAKING ROLES OR CUSTOM TO FACT THAT WOMEN OUT HERE, YOU KNOW, CHANGING THE AND OF COURSE, VICE PRESIDENT IS VERY IS IMPORTANT HAVE PART OF THAT BECAUSE SHE'S TAKING SUCH AN AGGRESSIVE ROLE IN TERMS ACTUAL POLICY THINGS MAKE IMPACT WITH HIS LIES MAKE A DIFFERENCE HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO YOU KNOW, SOME FOLKS MAKE THE THAT RACE SHOULDN'T MATTER.

CANDIDATES IDEOLOGY, CANDIDATES FITNESS FOR THE IS WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT.

NOT YOU KNOW, HAVING A AMOUNT OF OF CANDIDATES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS.

WELL, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, 2 THINGS CAN BE RIGHT CAN BE TRUE.

THAT SOUNDS CONTRADICTORY.

AND THIS IS ONE OF THE PLACE WAITING, WHICH TRUE.

YOU WANT TO HAVE THE BEST QUALITY CANDIDATES, PEOPLE WHO CAN DO THE JOB.

AND WE HAVE REAL SENSE OF CONNECTEDNESS WHAT IT IS THEY'RE DOING.

IT'S NOT ABOUT THEM.

IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE THEY REPRESENT AND WHO ARE PREPARED AND ABLE TO REPRESENT THE ENTIRETY OF THEIR CONSTITUENCY.

THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

THIS AND THAT DOES RACE IT MATTERS A LOT.

BUT THAT ABILITY FUNDRAISE AS YOU THE ABILITY TO GET FOLKS OUT AND TO OVERCOME BIASES THAT ARE IMPLICIT THAT PEOPLE DON'T TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT KIND OF CLOSE TO WE'LL CALL IT AND YOU YOUR LIPSTICK, OF THING.

YOU KNOW, MOST THINGS AND AMONG WOMEN, BUT THEN DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH ON THAT POINT, THOUGH, YOU THERE'S BEEN NO BLACK WOMAN TO EVER BE ELECTED AS A GOVERNOR IN THE UNITED STATES.

WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THE SENATE.

THERE'S ONLY BEEN A HANDFUL KETANJI BROWN JACKSON, OBVIOUSLY MAKING HISTORY BEING THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO BE APPOINTED TO THE SUPREME DO YOU FEEL LIKE BLACK WOMEN AS CANDIDATES?

ARE THEY GETTING ENOUGH SUPPORT FROM THE WHICHEVER PARTY THEY MAY CHOOSE AND AND DONORS WHEN THEY'RE SEEKING ONE OF THOSE HIGHER OFFICE IS, WELL, IT'S IT'S A PROCESS AND GETTING A FUNDRAISING OPERATION, YOU HAVE PEOPLE TO ATTRACT THE TOWN OF PEOPLE WHO CAN DO IT.

AND FRANKLY, A LOT OF PROFESSIONALS IN THIS INDUSTRY I'M JUST WON'T TAKE ON BLACK FEMALE CANDIDATES.

THEY THINK THAT THEY HAVE LESS A CHANCE TO HAVE THE HEADLINES.

IT AND THE RAYS KIND OF MONEY THAT YOU'RE QUIET BECAUSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT IT'S NOT CAN TEND SEE A PENNY OF THAT.

IT ALL GOES TO THE CONSULTANTS TO PEOPLE WHO TELEVISION THEY FEEL OPERATION THAT GOES TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO DO DIFFERENT PARTS OF CAMPAIGN AND AND THAT'S MULTI-MILLION BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY.

AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD FOCUS ON.

THE FACT THAT IS MULTI BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY AND MINORITIES ARE NOT GETTING A FAIR SHARE OF IT IN SPITE OF PARTICIPATION IN THE ELECTIONS AND THE FACT THAT VOTING BEHAVIOR.

BUT EITHER WAY I WAS SOME HISPANIC EXPERTS ON THE RADIO TODAY.

AND AND AND AND THEY COMPLAIN HIM THINK PLATES BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET THE SAME ATTENTION EITHER THE ABILITY RAISE THE MONEY, THE KIND OF SUPPORT THE ASSUMPTIONS AND GO INTO IT.

IT'S ALL CULTURAL AT THE END AND THE END OF THE DAY.

AND SO UNTIL WE GET THE CULTURAL ISSUES SOLVED, WHICH WE'RE ALL WORKING ON.

AND THAT'S WHY YOUR SHOW IS SO OFFICIALLY WE'RE ALL WORKING ON GETTING THE CULTURAL ISSUES ADDRESS AND SOLVE THEM.

WHEN YOU SAY CULTURAL, YOU MEAN SORT OF THE RECOGNITION AND ACCEPTANCE OF OF SOMEONE ABOUT THE DIFFERENT CULTURE HAVING A CHANCE, HAVING A SHOT AT OFFICER AND EVEN GENDER.

I MEAN, GENDER PLAYS STRONG ROLE AS CULTURE.

I WAS JUST IN THE OTHER I'M WORKING ON A BOOK AND ONE THINGS ONE OF THE PARTS THAT I DID NOT PUT IT IN.

PUT IN THE BOOK FOR MYSELF.

BUT WRITTEN PREVIOUSLY WAS THAT ABIGAIL ADAMS, ONE OF OUR FOUNDING MOTHERS.

BUT HAD WRITTEN TO HAS BEEN SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO BE NICE TO 2 LADIES.

AND IT GOES BACK TO HASN'T CHANGED.

CHANGED AT ALL.

YOU KNOW, SO HE'S SHE WAS COMPLAINING TO THE WOMEN WERE GETTING MATT GUTMAN, SAME KIND SUPPORT THAT OTHER AMERICANS THIS ADAM DAY, ABIGAIL ADAMS IN THE 1700'S.

SO WE KNOW WE'VE COME A WAYS, BUT IT'S GOING TO FIGHT ALL ALONG THE WAY AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE POINT OF CONTENTION FRANKLY, A CHALLENGE.

BUT AND A LOT OF WOMEN, TOO.

I CHALLENGE BY IT.

SO, YOU KNOW, ON THE SUBJECT OF VOTING BEHAVIORS, PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, AS WE KNOW, STEADILY APPROACHING THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER SAYS THAT HALF OF BLACK VOTERS THAT THEY POLLED SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE BOTH CANDIDATES.

BOTH PRESIDENT TRUMP AND I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, PRESIDENT BIDEN AND FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP BUT COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CANDIDATES, OBVIOUSLY THAT THAT'S IN A PERFECT NOT PERFECT WORLD BUT PERFECT FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE SURVEYED.

THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.

BUT CAN PRESIDENT BIDEN RELY ON BLACK VOTERS IN THIS YOU NEVER DO THAT.

THE I WOULDN'T ADVISE HIM FOR HIM OR ANY OF THE CAN.

YOU DON'T RELY ON ANYTHING WHEN I RAN FOR STATEWIDE OFFICE.

MY VIEW WAS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE BASE.

IT WAS YOU GO AFTER THE VOTE.

YOU DON'T HAVE.

AND THEN THE FOLKS PEOPLE FROM WOLF, BOTH YOU WILL FALL IN PLACE IF THEY THINK YOU CAN WIN.

AND SO I WOULD GIVE THIS PRESIDENT BIDEN.

THE SAME RECOMMENDATION IS COUNT THE BLACK VOTE DON'T COUNT IT OUT, BUT COUNT ON IT TO COME IN AND BE THE SAME.

DID SAY THE DAY YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN TALK OF BLOGS FOR A WHILE IS WHAT THEY'RE CALLING A BLACK VOTERS LEAVING THE DEMOCRATIC IN FAVOR OF THE REPUBLICANS OR ANY OTHER.

MAYBE 3RD PARTY, FOR EXAMPLE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE RISE OF SOME FIGURES LIKE CANDACE OWENS.

HOW CAN BIDEN AND OTHER DEMOCRATS ENERGIZED THE BLACK VOTE IF THAT'S WHAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY NEED TO GO AFTER?

LOT OF IT DEPENDS ON EXPLAINING TO PEOPLE WHAT THE VOTE MEANS, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.

A LOT OF BLACK PEOPLE THAT I TALK TO DON'T THINK THEIR VOTE MATTERS.

AND SO YOU START THERE, THE BASICS THAT IT DOES MATTER.

AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND THIS IS WHY IT'S IMPORTANT YOU GET ENGAGED WITH THIS PROCESS AND THAT YOU VOTE I THINK'S GOING BACK TO BASICS, CONNECT WITH PEOPLE IN TERMS OF WHAT HE WHO ACTUALLY HAVE DONE AS OPPOSED JUST WORDS.

THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS IT'S ALL FASHION, BASIC POLITICS.

BUT IF YOU TALK VOTERS ABOUT WHAT THEY CARE ABOUT, THEN THEY'LL COME TO YOUR RESCUE.

O, LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR NEW ROLE.

YOU WERE APPOINTED TO SERVE AS CHAIR AS WE MENTION OF THE UNITED STATES AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION BACK IN APRIL.

BIG TASK TO TAKE ON.

IT'S A BIG CONTINENTS.

NOT EVERYBODY KNOW A LOT ABOUT AFRICA, RIGHT OF 54.

VERY DIFFERENT AND DIVERSE COUNTRIES ON THE ENTIRE CONTINENT.

DIFFERENT INTERESTS AND ISSUES AND WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FIRST PRIORITIES?

MY FIRST PRIORITY IS TO IS TO ENGAGE WITH AGENCY AND AND MAKE IT RELEVANT TO THE PEOPLE.

THE COMMON AND EXPLAIN TO AMERICANS WHAT TO AMERICANS, WHAT IT DOES AND WHY IT'S WELL, WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT THE SAGES BEEN AROUND SINCE THE 1960'S STARTING WITH THE KENNEDYS.

OTHER CANDIDATES RIGHT?

AND SO IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.

HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT IT?

AND I'VE BEEN IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE AND THEN AMBASSADOR, I DIDN'T EVEN I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS AGENCY.

AND SO IF I DID KNOW ABOUT IT, WHAT'S THE CHANCE OF SOMEBODY YOU KNOW, JUST GOING TO PICK THE KIDS FROM SCHOOL WOULD KNOW ABOUT CLOSE TO SO I THINK FAMILIAR RISING OF VOTERS WITH THE AGENCY, WHAT IT DOES, WHY IT'S IMPORTANT, PARTICULARLY SINCE THE RUSSIANS AND THE CHINESE ARE IN THEIR BIG TIME TRYING TO CURRY FAVOR WITH DIFFERENT AFRICAN NATIONS AND THEY'RE VERY DIFFERENT.

54 COUNTRIES USES A COKE AT IT THE MORE DIVERSE AND MISSISSIPPI AND FELT WELL.

ALSO, THERE'S LOTS OF LOTS OF CHALLENGES ON THE COMMENT, BUT I THINK WE STAND FOR OUR VALUES OF SUCH AND SO IMPORTANT THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

WE ENGAGE CONVINCING PEOPLE THAT VALUES OF DEMOCRACY, OF FAIRNESS OF MAKE MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO NOT JUST FOR US.

AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, YOU'VE HAD A VERY LONG AND IMPRESSIVE CAREER SPANNING 3 DECADES.

6 PRESIDENTS, OF COURSE, YOU'RE STILL AT IT.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF WHAT DO YOU FEEL THERE IS REMAINING WELL, I'M DOING IT NOW.

ACTUALLY.

I'M MOST PROUD OF THE FACT THAT THE PEOPLE OF ILLINOIS, 72, THE SENATE.

I MEAN, I I BROKE THROUGH A VERY THAT HAD BEEN THERE FOR YEARS AND BECAUSE OF PEOPLE ILLINOIS.

AND SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT AND GRATEFUL FOR IT.

YOU KNOW, I I KIND OF CAREER IT'S BEEN REALLY FUN.

I TRIED TO MAKE IT FUN.

AND THEN SOMETIMES IT WOULD MATTER THING TO LOT OF TRYING TO MAKE MAKE IT FUN AND CERTAINLY HAS TAUGHT ME A LOT OF LEARNING A LOT ABOUT THE WORLD.

THAT WE'RE AT A TIME ENJOYED HAVING YOU HERE.

AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND I I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU BACK WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH THAT BOOK THAT YOU MAY HEARD THAT AND IT DID NOT GET GET BY ME.

AMBASSADOR CAROL MOSELEY BRAUN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING TREATMENT UP NEXT, A NATIONWIDE EFFORT TO DIVERSIFY FIGURE SKATING COMES TO CHICAGO.

WE MEET WITH THE FOUNDER AND THEIR ALL-STAR GUEST.

IT WAS 1988 WHEN CROWDS WATCHED FIGURE SKATER DEBI THOMAS JUMP AND SPIN HER WAY TO BECOMING THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO WIN A MEDAL AT OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES.

BUT NEARLY 40 YEARS LATER, THE SPORT HAS YET TO SEE ANOTHER AFRICAN-AMERICAN WHEN A SENIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP OR ATTRACT MANY SKATERS OF COLOR.

OUR NEXT GUESTS ARE NOW WORKING TO MAKE SKATING MORE ACCESSIBLE AND SHOW WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH MENTORSHIP SPONSORSHIP AND JOINING US NOW WITH MORE.

OUR JOEL SAVORY, FORMER FIGURE SKATER AND FOUNDER OF DIVERSIFY ICE FELLOWSHIP FOUNDATION AND 1988, OLYMPIC BRONZE MEDALIST DEBI THOMAS, THANKS TO BOTH FOR JOINING US.

LOOKING FOR CONVERSATION.

PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

DO STARTING WITH YOU FIRST.

OFTEN SHARED HER OWN STORY ABOUT NOT ALWAYS A FEELING WELCOME IN THE SPORT.

HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THAT?

WELL, FOR ME, I WAS VERY LUCKY BECAUSE I HAD A YOUNGER BROTHER WHO IS REALLY ANXIOUS AND EAGER TO FOLLOW FOOTSTEPS.

SO WE WERE ALWAYS TOGETHER ON THE ICE AT THE RINK.

SO I FOUND SORT OF SOLACE IS HAVING MY BROTHER THERE.

MY PARENTS ALWAYS BEING VERY SUPPORTIVE AND, YOU KNOW, DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, WHAT YOU LOVE.

AND YOU KNOW, GOING TO BE THERE FOR YOU.

AND TO REALLY JUST LOCKOUT INSIDE OUT EVERYONE ELSE THAT KIND OF PUSHING, YOU KNOW, YOU DOWN WITH THAT THE STEREOTYPES OF, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU AND THE ICE RINK SO YOU CAN DO IT.

SO I THINK THAT THAT COMMUNITY WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME.

TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STATE OF DIVERSITY IN FIGURE SKATING NOW.

AND YOU KNOW HOW YOU CAME TO CREATE DIVERSIFY EYES.

YEAH, UNFORTUNATELY, FIGURE SKATING IS VERY MUCH A MONOCHROMATIC SPORT.

SO REALLY JUST ONE SAY DUSTIN IS ON THE ICE RINK.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE.

I'M REALLY NOT MANY PEOPLE OF COLOR.

WE'RE STARTING NOW ON THANKS TO DIVERT BISON.

JUST A LOT OF EFFORT AROUND THE COUNTRY OF MANY SKEETERS TRYING REALLY PUSH THE FIRST CITY TO SEE SPRINKLES HERE AND THERE OF SOME DIVERSITY ON THE ICE.

AND YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AT CYPRESS, BASED ON THE SCENE AS WE'RE TRYING TO BRING MORE PEOPLE INTO THE SPORT.

SO WE HAVE IT AT A SKI RACER IS REALLY EXCITING THING BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE A COMBINATION OF PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE FROM OLYMPIANS LIKE TAI BABILONIA THOMAS TO CURRENT STARS LIKE STAR ANDREWS AND THEN THE NEXT GENERATION OF FIGURE SKATERS THAT ARE COMING IN AND WE KIND OF GUIDE THEM THROUGH A PATHWAY TO MEET THE STARS AND HAVE A GREAT FEEDBACK LOOP OF THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO.

AND I CAN HAVE A PATHWAY TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO GET THERE.

DEBI THOMAS, DID YOU REALIZE DURING YOUR SKATING CAREER THAT YOU WERE THE FIRST BLACK AT YOUR LEVEL IN THE ROLE THAT YOU WOULD GO ON TO PLAY IN THE HISTORY OF THE SPORT.

WELL, IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE SOME.

I GUESS I ACTUALLY DIDN'T REALLY FOCUS ON MY COMING UP THROUGH AND SOMETIMES I I SORT OF FEEL LIKE IT.

IF MY MOM HAD MADE THAT A FACTOR WITH THAT AFFECTED ME, WOULD IT HAVE AFFECTED ME NEGATIVELY?

LIKE WHAT I HAVE?

BUT CERTAIN LIMITATIONS ON MYSELF.

MORE, YOU KNOW, TAKEN ON ALMOST VICTIMIZATION SORT ROLE.

GO MY STORY IS REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE WHEN I FIRST GOT INTRODUCED TO FIGURE SKATING.

I MEAN, I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE OLYMPICS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

MY TOOK ME TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE SYMPHONY OPERA BALLET AND MUSICALS.

AND IT SHOWS.

IRONICALLY, THE PERSON APPEALED TO I SHOWED WAS THAT YOU NEED NOT FRED HU LOOKS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING LIKE ME.

HE WAS LIKE US IT.

WE'RE LEAVING HER LATER HOSE THAT'S WHO I DO LINES.

AND THAT'S YOU.

WHEN I FIRST STARTED SKATING, WHO I WOULD IMITATE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO IT WAS FUNNY.

MANY YEARS LATER WHEN I FINALLY MADE IT TO MY FIRST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AND THEY WERE ASKING ME HOW I GOT INTO SKATING.

AND I TOLD MY STORY ABOUT MISTER FRICK AND HE HE SAW IT ON TV AND WROTE TO ME AND SAID, THANK YOU FOR THE TRIBUTE.

AND YEARS.

YOU KNOW, LATER, I COUPLE YEARS LATER WHEN I WON MY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, I ACTUALLY DID VERY FAMOUS COMEDY NUMBER MAY WANT TO EASEL.

AND REALLY FOLLOWED IN MY IDOL'S FOOTSTEPS WHO, LIKE I SAID, LOOK, NOTHING YOU.

WELL SO THAT LIKE A BIT OF HIM SKATING.

AND OBVIOUSLY WE'VE ALL SEEN LOTS OF YOU SKATING AND THEY DON'T LOOK ANYTHING ALIKE.

AND SO I LOVE THAT STORY THAT BUT IT YOUR IDOL.

MEAN, I NOTHING ABOUT THE OLYMPICS OR ANYTHING.

YOU KNOW, DON'T EVEN REALLY THINKING ABOUT THAT.

I COULD BE COME THE BLACK, THE FIRST BLACK ATHLETE FROM ANY COUNTRY IN ANY SPORT TO MEDAL IN THE WINTER OLYMPICS.

I ALMOST DIDN'T GET A MEDAL.

I STATED SO BADLY IN FREE I WAS GOING GET THAT PROBLEMS MENTAL WELL, IT'S GOING TO BE SORRY.

I JUST WANT TO I WANT TO GET JOB BACK IN HERE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A FEW SINCE, YOU KNOW, SINCE YOU DID WIN THAT MEDAL AND CENTRA DID ACCOMPLISH ALL THAT, JOEL, WHY DO YOU THINK THERE HAVEN'T BEEN MORE BLACK AND BROWN SKATERS SINCE DEBBIE THOMAS?

WELL, W HAS BEEN SUCH A ICONIC PERSON IN THE SPORT AND WE'RE SO GLAD TO HAVE HER.

AND WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE SO MANY MORE SKATERS OF COLOR COME THROUGH.

THERE'S SAYS A LOT OF BARRIERS WITHIN THE SPORT RIGHT NOW, MANY OF WHICH IS VERY SYSTEMIC SO NUMBER ONE, THE SPORT IS INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE.

SO MANY OF PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE PRICED OUT OF THE SPORT.

NUMBER 2, THERE'S THIS BISON JUDGING MINDSET AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES MANY KIDS OF COLOR WOULD DO EXACT SAME ELEMENTS, SOMETIMES EVEN HARDER AND THEY FEEL THAT THEIR SCORES ARE MUCH LOWER.

SO HOW DO WE COMBAT THAT?

AND THEN THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY, THERE'S REALLY NO COMMUNITY THERE IN THE SPORT UNTIL FAVORS VICE FOUNDATION CAME ALONG THE COURSE BUT TO LOOK AROUND AND THE ICE RINK IN BEING THE ONLY ONE AND NOT KNOWING WHO IS REALLY IN YOUR CORNER, I THINK COULD BE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.

SO DIVERSE BY SUNDAY SUN WHERE, YOU KNOW, PUSHING FOR PROVIDING THOSE SPONSORS SETS MENTORSHIPS NETWORKS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO BROADEN THAT TO CONNECT US ALL AND TO HOPEFULLY GET US TO THAT NEXT LEVEL.

SO WE ARE SEEING SOME CHANGES NOW COURSE THAT WE JUST MENTIONED STAR ANDREWS WHO ALSO BE AT THE SKATE RAZOR THIS WEEKEND AND MANY OTHERS.

MY BROTHER, THE MANUAL WELL, AND YOU'VE ALSO YOU ALSO, YOU'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SKATERS AT HOWARD TO HELP THEM THEIR OWN TEAM, WHICH IS THE FIRST EVER AT AN HBCU.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN COACHING FOR A LONG TIME.

YOU MENTION YOUR BROTHER AND WHO'S GONE ON TO WIN SOME TITLES COMPETING INTERNATIONALLY AS WELL.

HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE SKATERS AND EDUCATE THEM ABOUT THE SPORT?

BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM DON'T EVEN SEE IT AS AN OPTION FOR THEMSELVES.

YEAH, YOU KNOW, EVEN TALKING ABOUT THE HOW ARE TEAMS LIKE MANY OF THEM DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY COULD ACTUALLY DO HOWARD FIGURE SKATING TEAM REALLY OPENED THE DOOR TO MANY OTHERS BEING ABLE TO SAY, HEY, I CAN SKATE YOUR COLLEGE STUDENT AND THEN ALSO FOR MANY OTHER I WANT TO COME INTO THIS YEAR.

YOU KNOW, THEY CAN SAY, WELL, I CAN HAVE A CAUSE THAT LOOKS LIKE WELL, YOU CONNECT MYSELF WITH FULL MONTH.

BIG.

I'M DEBBY THOMAS.

MAYBE I ACTUALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A FIGURE SKATER AT A NATIONAL OLYMPIC LEVEL.

DANNY THOMAS, YOU KNOW IT IN YOUR WORK WITH JOEL AND DIVERSIFY EYES.

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO A YOUNG SKATER WHO SAYS I WANT TO BE THE NEXT DEBI THOMAS OR WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT NEXT TO ENCOURAGE THEM AS WELL AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY CAN DO IT.

WELL, YEAH, WHEN WHEN I WAS COMING THROUGH SKATING, I THINK I DIDN'T REALIZE THE IMPACT THAT I HAD UNTIL I STARTED GETTING FAN MAIL FROM SKATERS AND MOMS AND AND AND I REALIZE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE THEY NEED TO IDENTIFY WITH WITH SOMEONE WHO LOOKS LIKE THEMSELVES AND BUT USUALLY WHAT I TELL KIDS IS LOOKS KNEW WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH LIGHT YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T MAKE OTHER PEOPLE SORT OF CS A CERTAIN WAY.

BUT MY MOM USED TO ALWAYS DOES TELL ME, YOU KNOW, SHE WOULDN'T SAY, OH, YOU DIDN'T GET WHAT YOU DESERVE BECAUSE YOU ARE BLACK.

YOU NEVER SAID THAT TO THROUGH MY ENTIRE CAREER.

IF I DID WHEN SHE WOULD JUST SAY WHAT YOU NEED TO GET THERE NEXT TIME AND GETTING BETTER AND BETTER AND EVENTUALLY GETS TO BE UNDENIABLE.

AND YOU KNOW IT TO BE FAIR.

VERY FEW PEOPLE MAKE IT TO THE OLYMPICS IN FIGURE SKATING IN ANY BRAINS WITH HYPERINFLATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT FIGURE SKATING IS PRICING MOST PEOPLE.

AND SO A LOT OF WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN WORKING ON IS.

OTHER WAYS TO MAKE FIGURE WHERE YOU CAN SORT OF GET.

SOME RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT.

THERE'S THERE'S A SCANNER AND SORRY.

WE WANT REMIND GO, NO, IT'S OKAY.

WE'RE JUST AT A TIME BUT I LOVE WHAT YOU SAID.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SEE SOMEBODY WHO LOOKS LIKE YOU TO DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, BUT I AM GOING TELL THAT THEY CAN GET MORE, THAT THEY CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS.

BUT IN THE MEANTIME, A THINK THE 2 OF YOU, DEBI, ANGELES.

AVERY, THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING THANK YOU SO AND AGAIN, AS JOE MENTIONED, THE SKATE RAZOR 2024 SHOW IS HAPPENING IN CHICAGO THIS SATURDAY.

YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

AND THAT IS OUR SHOW TONIGHT.

JOIN US TOMORROW NIGHT AT 5, 30 10 FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT.

LATINO VOICES NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT CHICAGO TONIGHT, BLACK VOICES, I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN STILL HEALTHY AND SAFE AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

CLOSED CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE ROBERT A AND CHICAGO PERSONAL INJURY AND WRONGFUL DEATH AND PROUD TO SPONSOR PROGRAM OFFERS ADVICE AND STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE THE