HELLO AND WELCOME TO TONIGHT'S EPISODE OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

I'M YOUR HOST, Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS AND I HAVE THE HONOR OF INTRODUCING YOU TO TO PUBLIC OFFICIALS WHO HAVE MADE TREMENDOUS IMPACTS ON THIS COMMUNITY.

HELEN HUDSON, THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN PRESIDENT OF THE SYRACUSE COMMON COUNCIL AND LINDA EARVIN, ONONDAGA COUNTY LEGISLATOR FOR THE 17th DISTRICT.

SO I WANT YOU TO GATHER YOUR FAMILY AND FRIEND.

THEY WANT WANT TO MISS TONIGHT'S EPISODE OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

WELCOME, LADIES.

I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS, BUT I'M SO EXCITED TO HAVE BOTH OF YOU HERE TOGETHER.

AND WHEN YOUR NAMES CAME UP, I WAS JUST LIKE, THIS IS GOING TO BE A MOMENT.

I WANT TO HEAR FROM BOTH OF YOU.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW YOU GOT TO WHERE YOU ARE.

>> I'LL START.

BEFORE WE START, I HAVE TO MAKE A CORRECTION.

I'M NOT THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN.

I'M THE FIRST FEMALE AFRICAN-AMERICAN.

>> LISTEN, OKAY.

THE FIRST FEMALE AFRICAN-AMERICAN MUCH I GOT IT.

>> BUT I MEAN, I THINK THAT FOR ME, GETTING TO THIS MOMENT WAS, YOU START WITH YOUR FAMILY STRUCTURE.

AND I'VE ALWAYS HAD A VERY STRONG FAMILY STRUCTURE OF STRONG WOMEN SEEING THIS PUSHED ME AND PROPELLED ME TO DO WHAT I WANTED TO DO IN MY LIFE.

I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BE IN THIS POSITION BUT I AM GLAD I AM, BECAUSE I THINK WITH WE ARE SITTING IN SEATS, WE ARE SITTING HERE TO BE EXAMPLES.

AND I'M NOT SITTING HERE BECAUSE I'M LIKE EGO STIFT CAL-- EGOTISTICAL.

I WANTED TO SHOW MY BABIES AND MY COMMUNITY, THAT REGARDLESS WHERE YOU COME FROM, YOU CAN BE AND DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO.

>> THAT'S TRUE.

>> AND YOU ARE DOING IT WELL, I THINK.

THE REPRESENTATION IS SO POWERFUL.

BECAUSE OFTEN TIMES IN OUR COMMUNITIES, WE DON'T GET THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, RIGHT?

OR WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THEM AND HOW OFTEN.

>> IT WAS NOTHING EVER DISCUSSED.

AND YOU SIT BACK AND YOU SAW IT AND PEOPLE WOULD SAY OH WELL, THEY'RE GOING TO DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

IT DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

WELL, IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE, WHEN WE ARE SITTING IN THESE SEATS, IT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

>> I GOT STARTED IN POLITICS BECAUSE OF MY CHILDREN.

I LIVE IN J.D., THE JAMES DEWITT SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SOME OF THE STUDENTS WERE PUT UPON DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE OF THEIR COLOR.

AND I RAN FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD TO MAKE SOME CHANGES AND TO GET PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE WHO LOOK LIKE THEM SO THEY WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE.

I WILL NEVER FORGET THE FIRST TIME ON THE BOARD, I FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS.

A GENTLEMAN LEANED OVER AND SAID WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

YOU ARE GOING TO BE SOMEWHERE EIGHT HOURS A DAY AND YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON WHO LOOKS LIKE YOU.

HOW WOULD YOU FEEL?

HE SAID I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT THAT WAY.

THAT'S WHY I'M SITTING HERE NOW SO I CAN MAKE YOU THINK ABOUT IT THAT WAY.

FROM THEN ON, I KEPT PUSHING TO MAKE THEM RECRUIT DIFFERENTLY.

>> WHAT TIME PERIOD WAS IT WHEN YOU DECIDED?

IT WAS LATE 80s OR 90s.

>> THAT WAS 90s.

>> AND, YOU KNOW, WE MOVED OUT THERE BECAUSE WE WANTED A BIGGER HOUSE AND COULDN'T FIND A HOUSE WE NEEDED IN THE CITY.

I LOVE THE CITY.

WE MOVED OUT AND I KEPT THINKING I'VE GOT TO LET THESE FOLKS KNOW WHO I AM AND WHAT I EXPECT.

EACH TIME WOULD I GO EVERY YEAR TO THE SCHOOL AND SPEAK TO PEOPLE ABOUT THINGS, THE SUPERINTENDENT AND SPEAK ABOUT THINGS.

AND FINALLY SAID YOU CAN MAKE CHANGES BY BEING ON THE BOARD.

AND BEING IN THE PARENT TEACHER GROUP IS ONE THING BUT BEING ON THE BOARD IS MUCH BETTER.

SO I RAN.

AND I GOT MOST VOTES EVER BECAUSE I GOT ALL THE FOLKS WHO LOOK LIKE ME TO GO OUT AND VOTE.

THEY NEVER VOTED BEFORE.

THEY DIDN'T THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT.

THEY ALL VOTED AND I WAS THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO BE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD OUT THERE.

>> WHAT IS ONE OF THE LESSONS YOU ALL HAVE LEARNED THAT YOU WISH YOU WOULD HAVE KNOWN?

>> FOR ME, AND I THINK FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT'S GOING TO COME BEHIND US, YOU RUN FOR THESE POSITIONS THINKING I'M GOING TO GO IN HERE AND I'M GOING TO DO THIS AND I'M GOING TO DO THAT.

NO, YOU ARE NOT BECAUSE THERE ARE MANDATES CONNECTED TO EVERYTHING WE DO.

THERE ARE STATE MANDATES, THERE ARE FEDERAL MANDATES.

SO YOU ARE NOT JUST GOING TO GO IN THERE WILLIE NILLY AND DO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO AND WE WORK OFF OF A CHARTER.

SO THAT, TO ME, WAS VERY EYE OPENING.

BECAUSE I WAS ALSO ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT SAID, WELL I'M GOING TO GO IN AND CHANGE THIS.

NO, YOU'RE REALLY NOT.

>> THE OTHER THING IS YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO GET THINGS DONE.

IT'S ONE VOICE, NO MATTER WHAT THE BOARD IS, IF IT'S NINE PEOPLE, 12 PEOPLE, 17 PEOPLE, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

YOU ARE ONE VOICE AND YOUR ONE VOICE HAS TO CONVINCE OTHER VOICES TO FEEL THE WAY YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS.

AND YOUR PASSION IS GREAT.

BUT PASSION DOESN'T ALWAYS WIN THE RACE.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> YEAH.

>> THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE I THINK, AS I SIT AND I WATCH THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES IN WHICH MORE DIVERSE PEOPLE ARE RUNNING FOR OFFICE, I GET REALLY, REALLY, REALLY EXCITED.

AND THEN HELEN, AS YOU POINTED OUT, YOU'RE LIKE, I THOUGHT THINGS WOULD HAVE CHANGED ALREADY.

>> Dr. JUHANNA, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A SYSTEM THAT WAS REALLY NOT MEANT FOR US.

YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A SYSTEM THAT IS 100 YEARS OLD AND WE ARE CONSTANTLY PEELING BACK THE LAYER.

WE ARE PEELING IT BACK.

WE ARE MAKING HEADWAY, BUT THERE IS STILL A LONG WAYS TO GO.

BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN SO MANY BARRIERS PUT IN PLACE, THAT UNLESS WE ARE AT THE TABLE TO REMOVE THOSE BARRIERS, THEY'RE NEVER GOING TO GO AWAY.

>> AND THE OTHER THING IS, YOU KNOW, WE MAKE THE ASSUMPTION, AS MOST PEOPLE DO, THAT SOMEONE WHO LOOKS LIKE US IS GOING TO THINK LIKE WE DO AND THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.

SO HAVING THE NUMBERS AT THE TABLE ISN'T ALWAYS THE ANSWER BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE THE RIGHT NUMBERS AT THE TABLE.

>> RIGHT.

SO WHAT KEEPS YOU ALL MOTIVATED?

KNOWING THAT YOU ARE WORKING WITHIN A PROCESS, RIGHT?

LIKE THERE IS MANDATES, THE COLLABORATION.

ARE YOU ALL WORKING UNDER THAT SAME GUISE IN WHAT YOU DO, WORKING WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, OKAY, WHO ELSE IS THINKING LIKE ME?

>> YEAH, OF COURSE, YOU HAVE TO DO THAT.

YOU HAVE TO DO THAT.

AND MUCH OF WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT IS OUT THERE.

BUT MUCH OF IT HAPPENS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.

BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN YOU ARE TALKING TO PEOPLE ON THE SIDELINES SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A BILL I REALLY WANT TO GET PASSED BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT TO X, Y AND Z AND I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHY I'M DOING THIS AND I'M GOING TO COUNT ON YOUR VOTE.

BY THE TIME YOU'VE GOT ENOUGH OF THEM, YOU HOPE YOU HAVE ENOUGH OF THEM, THAT DAY OF RECKONING, THAT THEY WILL DO WHAT THEY SAID WHEN YOU TALKED TO THEM TO BEGIN WITH, BUT THAT KIND OF THING.

>> AND IT IS NEGOTIATIONS, BECAUSE WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT IT, YOU ARE A WOMAN, YOU ARE A MOTHER.

I'M A WOMAN, I'M A MOTHER, AS IS MISS LINDA.

AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT OUR COLLEAGUES, BE THEY BLACK, BE THEY WHITE, AS PARENTS, WE ALL WANT THE SAME THINGS.

SO ONCE YOU CAN CONVINCE OTHER FOLKS THAT WE ARE NOT TRYING TO GET ANYMORE THAN YOU, WE JUST WANT OUR CHILDREN TO HAVE A GREAT EDUCATION, WE WANT TO LIVE IN SAFE COMMUNITIES.

WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, BUY HOUSES AND THE SAME THINGS THAT YOU WANT FOR YOUR FAMILIES.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S AN ANOMALY.

IT'S JUST THE SAME BASIC PRINCIPLE THAT OTHER FOLKS HAVE.

>> I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT CONVINCING THEM, PERHAPS, IS HELPING THEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT WILL BENEFIT THEM.

MOST FOLKS WILL REACT IF THEY THINK IT'S GOING TO BENEFIT THEM.

SO WHEN YOU PUT IT IN THAT KIND OF FRAMEWORK, IT'S EASIER TO CONVINCE SOMEBODY TO JUST GO ALONG WITH YOU BUT THERE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE TIMES WHEN IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

YOU STAND ON THE FLOOR AND LET IT GO DOWN, BUT MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND WHY YOU ARE ON THE FLOOR TALKING ABOUT IT.

>> EARLIER THIS WEEK, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH HELEN AND LINDA TO TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC OFFICE.

LET'S SEE NOW HOW THEY THINK INCREASED DIVERSE REPRESENTATION COULD LEAD TO POLICY CHANGE.

YOU BOTH ARE TRAIL BLAZERS.

YOU HAVE MODELED WHAT LEADERSHIP LOOKS LIKE.

BUT THERE IS A NEW WAVE OF YOUNG DIVERSE FOLKS THAT ARE WOMEN, THAT ARE STEPPING UP TO RUN FOR OFFICE.

AND I WANTED US TO KIND OF HAVE A KITCHEN TABLE CONVERSATION, IF YOU WILL, ABOUT WHAT IT IS YOU ARE HOPING TO SEE FROM THIS NEW WAVE OF DIVERSE PERSONS RUNNING FOR ELECTED POSITIONS, RIGHT?

>> SO I GUESS I'LL SAY I'D LIKE TO SEE PEOPLE WITH HUMILITY AND COMPASSION FOR FOR THE COMMUNITY THEY SERVE.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE PEOPLE WHO WILL TALK WITH OTHER FOLKS TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY WANT AND WHAT THEY THINK, RATHER THAN TELL THEM WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO GIVE THEM.

I WANT TO SEE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY AND BEING THAT, BRING THAT PASSION THAT THEY HAVE TO THE FOREFRONT.

>> BEING INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY... >> BEING INVOLVED IS VERY IMPORTANT.

RUNNING FOR OFFICE DOESN'T-- YOU DON'T WAKE UP ONE MORNING AND SAY I WANT TO BE COMMON COUNCIL PRESIDENT... >> BECAUSE I THOUGHTS THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL DID.

>> DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.

YOU HAVE TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY, WORK IN THE COMMUNITY BEFOREHAND AND KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING WHEN YOU GET THERE.

RUNNING FOR OFFICE IS EASY.

SERVING IS HARDER.

TO SERVE, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

>> HELEN, WHAT ABOUT YOU?

>> I HEAR WHAT MISS LINDA IS SAYING.

I DO REALLY BELIEVE THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF YOUNG FOLKS THAT WILL RUN FOR OFFICE THAT WILL BRING THAT COMPASSION, THAT WILL BRING THAT EMPATHY BECAUSE I THINK BECAUSE IT WASN'T SHOWN TO THEM, THAT THEY'LL BRING IT FORWARD TO KEEP MOVING ONE ANOTHER.

I THINK THEY'LL HAVE A COLLABORATION WITH ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE JUHANNA, I WATCH YOU AND I WATCH THE YOUNG GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE.

AND I'M SEEING HOW THE SISTER CIRCLES AND ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE COMING TOGETHER.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO MOVE US FORWARD.

AND ON TOP OF THAT, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THERE ARE MORE TECHNICAL THAN WE WERE.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO JUST, TO ME, THEY'RE IN A PRIME POSITION TO REALLY JUST THE SKY IS THE LIMIT, REALLY.

SO I REALLY THINK THAT THIS YOUNG VOICE COMING FORWARD WILL BE OPEN TO HAVING JUST EVERYTHING OPEN UP FOR THEM.

BECAUSE MISS LINDA HAS KICKED DOWN DOORS.

I'VE KICKED DOWN DOORS.

WE'VE KICKED THEM DOWN FOR THEM.

SO NOW THEY NEED TO WALK THROUGH IT AND THEY NEED TO OPEN THEM UP FOR THE NEXT GENERATION COMING.

>> YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO REACH BACK AND BRING SOMEBODY WITH YOU.

YOU DON'T-- I'VE NEVER-- IT HASN'T BEEN THAT MANY OFFICES BUT I HAVEN'T LEFT AN OFFICE BEFORE REACHING OUT TO FIND SOMEBODY ELSE TO COME BEHIND ME.

WHAT IS SENSE OF ME DOING ALL OF THIS AND THEN THERE IS A VOID?

AND THEN NOTHING-- THERE HAS TO BE SOMEBODY WHO COMES BEHIND ME WHO SORT OF THINKS THE WAY I THINK.

>> THE WORK HAS TO CONTINUE BECAUSE WE ARE PEELING BACK THE ONION FROM 100 YEARS AGO.

ONION AIN'T ALLEGATION PEELED ALL THE WAY.

SO THE NEXT GENERATION COMING IN, THEY'RE GOING TO PEEL IT BACK SOME LAYERS, THE NEXT GENERATION PULLS BACK MORE LAYERS.

WE HAVE TO KEEP PULLING BACK THE LAYERS TO ENSURE WE GET RIGHT DOWN TO THE BULB AND THEN I'LL SAY WE MADE IT.

>> THE THING ALSO IS THAT BECAUSE OF TECHNOLOGY, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO TALK TO THEIR PEERS IN OTHER COUNTIES AND OTHER CITIES AND OTHER STATES WHEREAS WE HAD NOT THAT OPPORTUNITY PARTICULARLY WITHOUT TRAVELING SOMEPLACE.

IT'S GOING TO BE A NEW DAY.

>> AND ANY DAW.

AND THAT'S WHY I WAS SO INTERESTED IN HAVING THIS CONVERSATION CAN THE BOTH OF YOU BECAUSE I KEEP SAYING I'M NOT INTERESTED IN POLITICS.

WELL, WE WEREN'T EITHER.

WELL THAT'S NOT COMFORTING.

BUT I THINK I HAVE BECOME MORE KEENLY AWARE OF IT BECAUSE THE FOLKS THAT WERE MAYBE RUNNING LOCALLY, THEIR CAMPAIGNS WERE TALKED ABOUT NATIONALLY, RIGHT?

THE TWO YOUNG MEN THAT STOOD UP IN THE COURTROOM AND, WHETHER IT WAS KENTUCKY OR TENNESSEE.

>> TENNESSEE.

>> A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, 10 OR 15 YEARS AGO, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING YOU SAW IN THE PAPER OR YOU WERE THERE AND HEARD THE NEWS.

BUT IT'S INSTANTANEOUS.

>> EXACTLY.

>> WHICH IS REALLY GREAT.

BECAUSE LOOK AT, THEY HAD NO IDEA WAS THEY WERE DOING THAT WOULD AFFECT THE WHOLE COUNTRY, RATHER.

WHEN THEY STOOD UP.

THEY JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS SOMETHING FOR THEIR LOCATION AND THEY HAVE REACHED OUT ACROSS THE WHOLE COUNTRY.

>> AND IT STILL SHOWS US HOW MUCH FURTHER WE HAVE TO GO.

>> DEFINITELY.

>> THAT'S WHAT THAT SHOWS US.

AND I WANT TO GO BACK ON SOMETHING YOU JUST SAID.

YOU SAID I'M NOT INTO POLITICS.

AS I TOLD YOU EARLIER, NEERTSD WAS I.

-- NEITHER WAS I.

BUT EVERYTHING YOU DO IS POLITICAL.

WHERE YOU LIVE IS POLITICAL, OKAY?

WHAT YOU MAY PAY FOR A VEHICLE IS POLITICAL.

EVERYTHING THAT IS DONE IN THIS COUNTRY, IT IS POLITICAL.

SO IF YOU ARE NOT INVOLVED IN IT, YOU ARE GOING TO GET WHAT YOU GET.

>> YOU DON'T REALIZE YOU ARE IN IT.

>> RIGHT.

>> LOOK AT CHURCH.

THE WORST POLITICS THERE IS IS CHURCH POLITICS.

[LAUGHTER] YOU ARE IN IT AND DON'T REALIZE YOU ARE IN IT.

>> IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS, LIKE I SAID, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I ANTICIPATED IN THIS CONVERSATION, YOU WOULD THINK SOMEBODY WOULD BE LIKE, OH I WANT TO BE COMMON COUNCIL PRESIDENT.

OR I WANT TO BE A COUNTY LEGISLATOR.

THAT IT'S A GOAL.

BUT I THINK THE MOST POWERFUL THING YOU HAVE SAID IS NO, I WASN'T STARTING OUT TO BECOME THESE ELECTED POSITIONS, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU FELT YOU NEEDED TO DO, RIGHT?

>> AND SOME FOLKS CONVINCED US WE NEEDED TO DO IT.

[LAUGHTER] >> RIGHT.

>> WHAT DID THIS CONVINCING CONVERSATION LOOK LIKE NOW THAT WE ARE AT THE KITCHEN TABLE.

>> IT MAKES YOU THINK THAT EVEN WITH THE CONVINCING, IT'S LIKE, OKAY, I COME FROM THIS PART OF THE CITY.

AND ALL THE FOLKS AROUND ME, YOU FIGURE, ARE RED LINED.

LET'S TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT IT.

SO FOR ME TO DO THAT, I WAS ABLE TO GIVE THESE COMMUNITIES THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, I KNOW MISS HELEN.

I USED TO HIT SIT ON HER PORCH.

AND NOW LOOK WHERE MISS HELEN IS.

SO THAT WAS REALLY THE ONLY REASON I DID IT BECAUSE I WANTED TO SHOW MY BABIES, THAT REGARDLESS, YOU CAN JUMP IN THERE AND YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

>> AND THAT MAY BE THE DIFFERENCE NOW, BECAUSE WHAT I'M SEEING IN THIS COMMUNITY ACROSS THIS COMMUNITY, THE COUNTIES BEYOND THIS COMMUNITY, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, IS THAT MORE OF THOSE BABIES, PER SE, ARE STEPPING UP AND SAYING I WANT TO RUN FOR CONGRESS.

>> AND THEY SHOULD.

AND THEY SHOULD BECAUSE THEIR LIVES ARE AT STAKE AND THEIR CHILDREN'S LIVES ARE AT STAKE.

>> AND THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE CAN DO IS TO MENTOR OTHERS TO COME BEHIND US.

THAT'S-- I MEAN, IF I HAVE ANY LEGACY THAT I LEAVE WHEN I LEAVE THIS OFFICE, IT WILL BE THE FACT THAT I CAN LOOK BACK AND SAY YOU KNOW, I HELPED THAT YOUNG PERSON GET THERE OR FIND A WAY TO GET THERE.

OR I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REACH OUT TO SOMEONE AND TRY TO BRING THEM BEHIND ME.

THAT KIND OF THING.

THAT I LISTEN TO HELEN WHEN SHE CALLS ME ANY OL' TIME OF THE DAY AND HAS A QUESTION.

THAT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD.

>> OR WHEN A YOUNG PERSON CALLS YOU BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE DON'T LOOK AT-- THERE IS A WHOLE BIG DYNAMIC HERE.

I RECEIVED AN EMAIL LAST WEEK FROM A YOUNG MAN, AND HE WAS STARTING UP A BUSINESS AND HE CAME IN MY OFFICE.

HE SAT DOWN.

WE HAD A CONVERSATION.

I SAID BABY, LOOK, YOU NEED TO GO GET YOUR MWBE.

HE SENT ME AN EMAIL LAST WEEK AND SAID MAMA HELEN, THANK YOU FOR PUSHING ME IN THAT DIRECTION.

NOW HE IS A MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE.

SO WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM THAT BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW.

SO THAT'S THE VOICE THAT WE ARE.

THAT'S THE VOICE THAT WE HAVE.

>> AND THAT WILL BOTH BE POWERFUL LEGACIES TO LEAVE BEHIND BECAUSE I ADMIRE THE WORK THAT YOU BOTH ARE DOING AND THANK YOU FOR LEAVING THE TRAILS OPEN FOR US TO FOLLOW.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THAT WAS AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION AND ENGAGEMENT THAT WE HAD BECAUSE I THINK, LINDA, PICKING UP FROM THE POINT ABOUT PUTTING THINGS ON THE FLOOR, WORKING COLLABORATIVELY, GETTING IT OUT THERE, THINKING ABOUT WHAT FUTURE LEADERS NEED TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

>> SEE, FOR ME, AND I HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS A LOT LATELY.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MINORITY REPRESENTATION, I THINK WE MISS A LOT OF MINORITIES.

BECAUSE AT THIS STAGE OF THE GAME, IT IS NOT JUST BLACK FOLKS ANYMORE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IMMIGRANTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AND I'M REALLY PUSHING TO BRING THEIR VOICES TO THE POLITICAL FOREFRONT AS WELL.

AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT POLICY CHANGE CHANGING, WHO BETTER TO TALK ABOUT CHANGING POLICIES THAN PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN STUCK IN REFUGEE CAMPS?

I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK ON THAT.

THEY CAN.

BECAUSE I CAN'T-- I CAN SPEAK ABOUT WHAT I THINK I KNOW, BUT I CAN'T SPEAK INTELLIGENTLY ON IT BECAUSE I HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED IT.

>> THAT'S POWERFUL TO THINK ABOUT BECAUSE IN THE COMMUNITY LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CENTRAL NEW YORK OR ONONDAGA COUNTY, RIGHT, ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY LOVE ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY IS IT'S A LOT MORE DIVERSE THAN WE TEND TO REALLY CONSIDER AND OFTEN TIMES AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN... >> WE KEEP IT BLACK AND WHITE BUT IT'S NOT BLACK AND WHITE.

>> IF YOU ARE IN SYRACUSE, DEPENDING ON WHAT SIDE OF THE CITY YOU ARE IN, YOU ARE MEETING PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, RIGHT?

AND I THINK IT COULD BE REALLY BEAUTIFUL IF WE BEGAN TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT REPRESENTATION LOOKS LIKE IN A WAY THAT IS TRULY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMUNITY.

>> IT'S ALL LEVELS BECAUSE, UNFORTUNATELY, WE TEND TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, NATIONAL POLITICS AND COUNTY AND CITY, STATE.

BUT LIKE SCHOOL BOARDS, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT EARLIER.

SCHOOL BOARDS ARE NOT REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND FOLKS DON'T THINK ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS AND IF YOU LOOK AROUND THE SCHOOL BOARDS AND THE DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTY, YOU DON'T SEE ASIAN REPRESENTED AT ALL.

NATIVE AMERICAN, NO.

A SPATTERING-- OR IN THE CITY THERE ARE MORE BLACKS THAN ANY PLACE ELSE BUT OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, BLACKS NO.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO HELEN, YOU JUST POINTED SOMETHING OUT AND MOST OF WHAT YOU ARE SAYING REMINDS ME OF WHAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEANS.

SO I JUST WANTED A LITTLE MORE OF YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON, AS SERVING IN YOUR ELECTED POSITIONS, HOW DO YOU STILL WORK TOWARDS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT?

>> I BELIEVE IN BUILDING COMMUNITIES.

AND I DON'T CARE WHICH COMMUNITY IT IS.

I BELIEVE IN GOING TO THAT COMMUNITY.

I BELIEVE IN SITTING DOWN, HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.

LETTING THEM KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE AND LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY HAVE VOICES AS WELL.

SO AS FAR AS-- AND THAT'S IN THE DIFFERENT IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.

AND THEN WITH THE YOUNGER PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, I SIT DOWN WITH THEM AS WELL BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE BRILLIANT.

AND I THINK THAT IF WE CONTINUE TO NURTURE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO THEIR FULL POTENTIAL, WE ARE GOING TO SEE A TOTALLY DIFFERENT CHANGE HAPPEN ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.

SO I BELIEVE THAT YOU BRING IN EVERYBODY FROM EVERY DIRECTION, AND YOU SIT DOWN AND YOU HAVE A COHESIVE CONVERSATION.

AND THAT'S THE WAY THINGS START TO CHANGE.

>> WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE COMFORTABLE IF THEY'RE THE ONLY ONE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT TRAINED TO BE THAT WAY.

THEIR HOME LIFE IS A LITTLE COMMUNITY AND THAT'S FINE.

I MEAN I GREW UP IN A LITTLE SMALL VILLAGE AND MOST OF THE FOLKS I HUNG OUT WITH LOOKED LIKE ME.

BUT I WENT TO A SCHOOL THAT WAS PREDOMINANTLY WHITE SO I LEARNED HOW TO BE IN BOTH WORLDS AND UNDERSTAND THAT.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE SITTING AT THESE TABLES THAT WE ARE AT NOW, WE COULDN'T GET ANYTHING DONE IF WE JUST, ON OUR OWN DEVICES WITHOUT KNOWING ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT THE REST OF THE WORLD.

>> I LIKE WHAT YOU JUST SAID BECAUSE I USED TO ALWAYS TELL MY SON, YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO WALK IN BOTH WORLDS.

>> YOU HAVE TO.

>> THAT'S POWERFUL.

WE TALK ABOUT THAT DUALITY, RIGHT, UNDERSTANDING HOW TO NAVIGATE TWO WORLDS, AND WE ARE NAVIGATING TWO WORLDS ALL THE TIME.

>> AND IT'S EXHAUSTING.

>> YOU SAW I LEANED BACK.

[LAUGHTER] BECAUSE IT IS EXHAUSTING.

AND HAVING TO SOMETIMES CANS BRAIN-- AND HAVING TO EXPLAIN TO FOLKS THAT WE LIVE IN TWO WORLDS, IS SUCH HIVE HOOF IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS-- IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I FEEL AS A BLACK WOMAN STRIVING TO DO THINGS, I HAVE A HARD TIME TRYING TO FIND SPACES THAT UNDERSTAND THAT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND THEN IT'S EVEN WORSE BEING A BLACK WOMAN ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL IN THE POLITICAL FIELD.

IT BECOMES EVEN WORSE BECAUSE THERE ARE TIMES THAT YOU WANT TO-- THANK GOD I HAVE MISS LINDA, THERE ARE TIMES... >> I GO IT CALLS FROM MISS HELEN... MISS LINDA I GOT TO...

I SAY GO AHEAD AND VENT.

>> YOU ARE GOING TO JUMP AND DOWN AND SCREAM BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO UNDERSTAND IT.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO UNDERSTAND IT WHEN I TALK ABOUT AIM FUNDING OR UNDERSTAND IT WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE CONSTRAINTS OR THE DEFICIT OR THE STRUCTURAL...

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO UNDERSTAND IT.

SO I HAVE TO TALK TO SOMEBODY... [LAUGHTER] BECAUSE I HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT I CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH.

>> NOW I FEEL LIKE ONE OF THE THINGS-- NOW I FEEL LIKE I'M SAYING IT, THE YOUNGER GENERATION, IT'S VERY I.

AND.

>> AND THAT'S THE ONLY THING ABOUT BEING AN ELECTED POSITION.

IT'S NOT ABOUT ME.

IT'S NOT ABOUT HELEN.

IT'S ABOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE AND WE'RE ELECTED TO DO THAT.

AND IT'S NOT ABOUT WHETHER I FEEL GOOD ABOUT SOMETHING OR NOT.

IT'S ABOUT WHETHER IT'S THE RIGHT THING FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AND PEOPLE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> AND THEY DON'T.

THEY REALLY DON'T.

>> AND SOMETIMES YOU THINK YOU MISS THE MARK, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, IT MAY NOT NECESSARILY, LIKE MISS LINDA SAID, IT'S FOR THE MASSES.

SO YOU CAN BE MAD AT ME BUT I HAVE 1500 PEOPLE IT'S GOING TO AFFECT.

I HAVE TO GO WITH THE 1500 PEOPLE.

>> EXACTLY.

BOTH OF YOU WERE AT POINTS WHERE YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT WHAT'S NEXT.

AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S NEXT?

>> THE THING OF IT IS, WHAT'S NEXT IS JUST DOING WHAT I DO.

I WON'T BE DOING IT AS AN ELECTIONED OFFICIAL.

I WON'T BE CONSTRAINED BY HAVING TO BE AT A MEETING AT A CERTAIN TIME OF THE DAY.

BUT I WILL STILL BE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> I'M GOING TO SAY THIS.

WHAT IS NEXT FOR ME IS ONCE I'M DONE, I DO PLAN TO TAKE A YEAR DOWN BECAUSE I NEED TO KNOW WHO I AM AGAIN.

I'VE SPENT MY WHOLE CAREER CARING FOR OTHER PEOPLE.

AND I'VE BEEN CARING FOR 144,000 PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF SYRACUSE.

SO NOW I NEED TO KNOW WHO I AM AGAIN.

AND ONCE I DO THAT, I DON'T PLAN TO GO AWAY, BECAUSE I PLAN TO BE AS MISS GWEN SAYS, THAT HAND ON THEIR BACK BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO NEED SOMEBODY TO SHELTER THEM IN.

THEY'RE GOING TO NEED SOMEBODY TO SAY WAIT A MINUTE, BABY, YOU CAN'T DO IT LIKE THAT.

SO I WON'T BE GOING ANYWHERE.

BUT I'M GOING TO TAKE A BREATHER FOR A MINUTE.

>> RIGHT.

I LIKE THAT.

HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE A CLASS OR SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL WILL PULL TOGETHER TO COME AND TALK WITH MORE OF US.

I'M JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE.

I WANT TO THANK HELEN AND LINDA FOR JOINING ME THIS EVENING ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN" AND ALLOWING US TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEMSELVES AND HOW ABOUT HOW WE, AS A COMMUNITY, WITH DIVERSE REPRESENTATION, CAN HELP SHAPE OUR REGION AS WELL AS OUR OFFICES.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW TONIGHT'S EPISODE AGAIN, OR WATCH PAST SEASONS OF THE SHOW, GO TO WCNY.ORG/BEHINDTHEWOMAN.

MY NAME IS DR. JUHANNA ROGERS, AND ON BEHALF OF THE BEHIND THE WOMAN TEAM THANKS FOR WATCHING AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.