>> Zea: I'M TIBISAY ZEA.

TONIGHT ON "GREATER BOSTON:" AS THE NATION CONFRONTS YET ANOTHER SPATE OF MASS SHOOTINGS, WE'LL HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE BEHIND A NEW BOSTON-BASED INITIATIVE THAT'S BRINGING VICTIMS TO EXPLORE SOLUTIONS AND TRANSFORM NARRATIVES OF GUN VIOLENCE.

THEN LATER, I'LL BE JOINED BY DR. JOSEPH BETANCOURT, THE NEW PRESIDENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH FUND, ON HOW HE PLANS TO TACKLE RACIAL AND ECONOMIC DISPARITIES IN HEALTHCARE.

--- >> ZEA: THE U.S. IS KNOWN FOR ITS HIGH RATES OF GUN DEATHS, BUT THE PAST WEEK IN PARTICULAR HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY VIOLENT.

SATURDAY, A GUNMAN OPENED FIRE IN MONTEREY PARK, CALIFORNIA, KILLING 11 PEOPLE CELEBRATING THE LUNAR NEW YEAR.

TWO DAYS LATER, ON MONDAY, ANOTHER GUNMAN IN CALIFORNIA SHOT AND KILLED SEVEN PEOPLE IN HALF MOON BAY.

AROUND THE SAME TIME, A MAN IN DES MOINES, IOWA, OPENED FIRE AT AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR AT-RISK YOUTH, KILLING TWO STUDENTS.

AND YESTERDAY, A MAN SHOT AND KILLED THREE PEOPLE NEAR A CONVENIENCE STORE IN WASHINGTON STATE.

FOUR MASS SHOOTINGS IN FIVE DAYS-- AND THOSE ARE JUST THE ONES THAT HAVE GOTTEN WIDESPREAD MEDIA ATTENTION.

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS ARE KILLED BY GUNS EVERY YEAR, AND ALL OF THEM LEAVE BEHIND FRIENDS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES THAT ARE FOREVER CHANGED BY THEIR LOSS.

HERE IN BOSTON, ONE LOCAL GROUP IS WORKING TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THEIR STORIES, PUTTING THE FOCUS ON THE PEOPLE FIGHTING TO OVERCOMING GRIEF, AND INTERRUPT THE CYCLES OF VIOLENCE.

THE ENGAGEMENT LAB AT EMERSON COLLEGE HAS PARTNERED WITH THE LOUIS D. BROWN PEACE INSTITUTE AND THE GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION CENTER AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL, FOR A THREE-YEAR INITIATIVE, CALLED TRANSFORMING NARRATIVES OF GUN VIOLENCE.

I'M JOINED NOW BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE ENGAGEMENT LAB, ERIC GORDON, AND JANICE JOHNSON, HEALING SUPPORT SERVICES MANAGER FOR THE LOUIS D. BROWN PEACE INSTITUTE.

>> Zea: ERIC, JANICE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE WITH US.

pSO, WHY DON'T YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS INITIATIVE.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

>> WELL, I CAN START.

TRANSFORMING NARRATIVES OF GUN VIOLENCE, WE STARTED IT ABOUT A YEAR AGO, ACTUALLY.

AND IT'S ABOUT CENTERING VOICES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE OFTEN BEEN EXCLUDE FRANCHISE STORIES OF GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR CITY.

AND DOING SO BY CREATING CONTEXT FOR COLLABORATION BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND EMERSON COLLEGE STUDENTS AND FACULTY.

AND ULTIMATELY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE NEW STORIES.

WE'RE TRYING TO ELEVATE STORIES THAT ARE ALREADY BEING TOLD, BUT ARE NOT BEING LISTENED TO.

AND WE'RE TRYING TO CO-CREATE POSSIBLE FUTURES AND THINKING BEYOND THE GUN, THINKING TOWARDS WHAT PEACE IN BOSTON LOOKS LIKE, AND DOING THAT THROUGH DIFFERENT KINDS OF STORY-TELLING.

>> Zea: SO THIS INITIATIVE IS CALLED TRANS FRONT WHEEL DRIVEING FRONT WHEELFRONT WHEELTRANSFORMINGVIOLENCETRANSFORMINGNARRATIVES ON GUN VIOLENCE.

>> THANK YOU.

IT IS JUST NOT ENOUGH BY HEARING GUN VIOLENCE, GUN VIOLENCE, GUN VIOLENCE, YOU KNOW, THE GUN.

WE WANT TO PROMOTE CYCLES OF PEACE, CYCLES OF HEALING.

THOSE ARE THE NARRATIVES THAT WE WANT TO PUT OUT.

THROUGH OUR SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF PEACE THAT WE EMBODY AT THE PEACE INSTITUTE: LOVE, UNANIMITY, FAITH, HOPE, COURAGE, JUSTICE, AND FORGIVENESS.

AND WITH THOSE PRINCIPLES, WE WOULD LIKE THAT NARRATIVE CHANGED BECAUSE THE MORE YOU HEAR ABOUT THE GUN AND VIOLENCE, THOSE ARE THE NARRATIVES THAT STAY IN OUR HEART.

THOSE ARE THE NARRATIVES THAT STAY IN OUR BRAIN.

SO WE WANT OUR PRINCIPLES, THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES, WE WANT THAT NARRATIVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

>> Zea: SO BOSTON HAS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE LOWEST GUN DEATH RATES IN THE U.S. AND IT IS OFTEN LOOKED TO AS AN EXAMPLE OF GUN CONTROL AND PREVENTION.

BUT FOR THOSE WHO LIVE IN NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE DORCHESTER, ROXBURY, MATTAPAN, THERE IS A DIFFERENT STORY.

ACTUALLY, THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 700 SHOOTINGS IN BOSTON IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, AND 75% OF THEM HAPPENED IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM MOTHERS OF -- YOU KNOW, MOTHERS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR KIDS TO GUN VIALS.

>> YOU'RE NOT JUST DEALING WITH THE LOSS OF YOUR CHILD.

YOU'RE DEALING WITH HOW PEOPLE TREAT YOU.

WHEN MY SON WAS TAKEN, THEY TRIED TO SAY HE WAS A GANG-BANGER, HE WAS THIS OR THAT.

>> THERE WERE NO RESOURCES WHATSOEVER FOR ME OR MY FAMILY TO NAVIGATE THIS JOURNEY.

>> BECAUSE I ALWAYS SAY, YOU KNOW, HE WAS MY CHILD.

HE WASN'T NO SAINT, BUT THAT WAS MY CHILD.

>> SO WE'RE NOT JUST DEALING WITH THE LOSS OF OUR KIDS.

WE'RE TALKING WITH PEOPLE AND JUDGMENT AND PEOPLE SAYING THINGS THAT ARE NEGATIVE AND EVIL.

WE'RE THE VICTIMS, BUT WE'RE GETTING TREATED LIKE WE'RE THE PERPETRATORS.

>> I KNEW MY CHILD'S LIFE MATTERED, BUT I WAS STILL SUFFERING.

I FEEL LIKE HE WAS BEING REVICTIM MISSED IN DEATH.

IZED IN DEATH.

>> THE FILM YOU JUST SHOWED WAS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN STUDENTS AT EMERSON VIOLENCE, AND MOTHERS WHO LOST THEIR SONS TO GUN VIOLENCE IN THIS CITY, WHO SAT WITH OUR STUDENTS THROUGH THE ENTIRETY OF THIS SEMESTER TO CREATE THAT FILM.

THE STORIES THAT YOU HEAR ARE NOT JUST DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKERS INTERVIEWING SOMEONE AND GETTING STORIES FROM THEM.

THIS IS A COLLABORATION IN THE SENSE THAT FOR THE MOTHERS THAT WERE PARTICIPATING IN THAT CLASS, THIS WAS ABOUT THE STORY THAT THEY WANTED TO TELL.

AND FOR THE EMERSON STUDENTS, IT WAS ABOUT BEING ALONGSIDE THOSE MOTHERS SO THAT THEY CAN TELL THAT STORY.

SO THE WAY THAT WE WORK IS BY FACILITATING THOSE CONNECTIONS, BY BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER WHO MAY HAVE VERY DIFFERENT LIFE EXPERIENCES SO THAT THEY CAN CO-CREATE SOMETHING BY ALLOWING SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES TO MEET WITH OTHER SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES SO WE CAN GET STORIES LIKE WHAT YOU SAW IN "QUIET ROOMS."

FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE DOING ANOTHER CLASS THIS SEMESTER IN COLLABORATION WITH ANOTHER ORGANIZATION CALLED "BOSTON UNCORNERED."

IN THIS CASE, WE'RE DEALING WITH MEN WHO, IN MOST CASES, WHO ARE OR WHO BEEN PERPETRATORS, AND BRINGING THEM INTO THE CLASSROOM TO TELL STORIES OF PEACE, AND TO TELL STORIES OF HEALING.

AND SO IT REALLY IS ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

AND,AND JANICE PARTNERED WITH A CLASS LAST SEMESTER, WORKING ALONGSIDE THOSE STUDENTS.

I'LL LEAVE THAT TO JANICE TO TALK ABOUT.

>> YES.

WE WORKED ON A PROJECT, "VIRTUAL PEACE PLAY."

WE HAVE A HEALING TECHNIQUE CALLED PEACE PLAY IN URBAN SETTINGS.

IT BRINGS FAMILIES, INDIVIDUALS, AND COMMUNITIES TOGETHER.

AND WE INVITE THEM TO REFLECT ON THEIR STRUGGLES AND STRENGTHS BY PLACING MINIATURES IN THE TRAY OF SCENES.

AND THEY CREATE SCENES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT AND TALK ABOUT THROUGH WORDS THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE LANGUAGE FOR BECAUSE OF THE TRAUMA IN THEIR LIVES.

YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PERPETRATOR OR THE SURVIVOR WORKING TOGETHER.

AND I REALLY WOULDN'T SAY THAT SURVIVORS AND PERPETRATORS WORK TOGETHER.

WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILIES.

AT THE PEACE INSTITUTE, WE ALSO HAVE A PROGRAM FOR REENTRY.

SO WE CONNECT SURVIVORS THROUGH REENTRY BECAUSE WE ARE ON BOTH SIDES.

OUR SURVIVORS ARE ON BOTH SIDES.

WE MAY HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS INCARCERATED, AND WE MAY HAVE SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN MURDERED.

SO WE DO BRING THOSE TWO GROUPS TOGETHER.

THROUGH THE FAMILY DYNAMIC, NOT THROUGH THE INCARCERATED PERSON THEMSELVES.

>> Zea: SO YOU'RE TEACHING JOURNALISM STUDENTS ABOUT MEDIA NARRATIVES ON GUN VIOLENCE.

WHAT IS THE NARRATIVE THAT YOU ARE HOPING THESE STUDENTS WILL BRING WHEN THEY BECOME PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS.

>> WELL, I'LL SAY WE'RE TEACHING MORE THAN JUST JOURNALISTS.

WE'RE TEACHING ASPIRING JOURNALISTS, BUT WE'RE ALSO TEACHING FILMMAKERS AND THEATER ARTISTS AND MEDIA ARTISTS.

AND WE WANT TO SEE THIS AS A NOT JUST PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISM, BUT WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND STORY-TELLING IN NEW WAYS.

AND SO LET ME GO BACK TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT JOURNAL.

ISM.

THE PROBLEM RIGHT NOW -- ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS WHAT GETS REPORTED ON IS THE INCIDENTS, THE GUN, THE DEATH, THE CRIME.

WHAT DOESN'T GET REPORTED ON ARE IS ALL OF THE HARM THAT PERSISTS AFTER THAT INCIDENT.

THE CAMERAS GO AWAY, THE REPORTERS GO AWAY, AND COMMUNITY HARM PERSISTS.

THOSE ARE THE STORIES THAT -- LIKE MS. JANICE HERE, WHOM I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM FROM MY TIME WORKING AT THE PEACE INSTITUTE, LEARNING ABOUT THOSE STORIES AND FIGURING WAYS TO ELEVATE THOSE STORIES SO THE NEWS CYCLE ISN'T SHOW SHORT, AND WE CAN BEGIN TO HEAL AS A CITY BY UNDERSTANDING GUN VIOLENCE AS MORE THAN JUST A SERIES OF INCIDENTS.

AND WE CAN GET RID OF THIS NARRATIVE -- AS YOU ALREADY MENTIONED BOSTON IS THE SAFEST CITY AND THE SAFEST STATE BECAUSE FOR SO MANY PEOPLE THAT IS NOT THE CASE.

WE NEED TO BRING THOSE STORIES TO THE CENTER OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE PER PECHPERPETPERPETUPETUALLY DEALING WITH THAT.

I SEE IT AS A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE CITY TO MAKE THAT CHANGE HAPPEN.

>> Zea: YEAH.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND HEARING THE NARRATIVE.

THE NARRATIVE IS ABOUT HEALING.

AND THE CONVERSATIONS -- JUST HEARING ABOUT THE VIOLENCE AND WHAT IS GOING ON IN OTHER CITIES, AND WHAT IS GOING ON IN BOSTON, IN THE MEDIA -- LIKE NOW WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT HOW DO WE HAVE THESE CYCLES AND CULTIVATE CYCLES IN THE HEALING PROCESS?

LIKE, WHAT IS THE HEALING PROCESS VOGUEPROCESS?

WHAT IS THE HEALING PROCESS IN THE LOUIS D. BROWN PEACE INSTITUTE?

THE SURVIVORS AND THE COMMUNITY NEED HEALING WITHIN.

HEALING WITHIN AND A PLACE TO GO FOR THE HEALING.

AND TO KNOW THROUGH THE MEDIA THAT THE HEALING EXISTS.

THESE PLACES EXIST.

WE HEAR ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE, AND THE NARRATIVE AND THE CHANGE OF THE NARRATIVE IS YOU HAVE THIS PLACE TO GO TO.

THE LOUIS D. BROWN PEACE INSTITUTE EXISTS.

THESE PARTNERSHIPS EXIST FOR YOU TO BE BEGIN YOUR HEALING JOURNEY, OR MAYBE TO EVEN HELP SOMEONE ELSE THROUGH THEIRS.

BECAUSE WHEN A HOMICIDE HAPPENS, 10 FAMILY MEMBERS ARE IMPACTED.

AND THE SCHOOLS ARE IMPACTED.

THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IS IMPACTED.

SO WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE AND SAY HEALING HAPPENS.

>> Zea: YOU HAVE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION CENTER AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL.

AND WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ONE OF THE DOCTORS WHO IS PART OF THIS INITIATIVE AS WELL.

>> Doctor: THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT KNOW HOW THIS MESSAGE IS DELIVERED ARE THE PEOPLE WHO DELIVER IT AND THE PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE IT.

WHAT WE THOUGHT THAT WE NEEDED TO SAY IS, HERE IS THE REALITY OF OUR LIVES, THAT WE DO 40,000 TIMES A YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES, AT LEAST.

IT IS A HORRIBLE PLACE TO BE, TO GIVE THE NEWS, AFTER YOU WORKED ON A CHILD FOR A HALF HOUR OR AN HOUR THAT DOESN'T SURVIVE A GUNSHOT.

AND YOU'RE GIVING THE NEWS TO A PARENT WHO IS LEAVING THE HOSPITAL WITHOUT A CHILD.

AND YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO SEE THAT PERSON AGAIN.

>> THERE IS A VERY SPECIFIC SOUND THAT A MOTHER MAKES WHEN YOU TELL HER HER CHILD IS DEAD.

AND THAT SOUND STICKS WITH YOU FOREVER.

>> Zea: WHAT ROLE DOES THE GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION CENTER AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL PLAY IN THIS INITIATIVE?

>> ABSOLUTELY A CENTRAL ROLE.

SO THE PARTNERSHIP STARTED WITH MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL, EMERSON COLLEGE, AND THE PEACE INSTITUTE.

AND THIS TRANGULATION HERE IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.

THE CENTER FOR GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION, THEY'RE SEEKING -- YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BUILDING THE RESEARCH BODY -- THE MEDICAL RESEARCH BODY ON GUN VIOLENCE AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, YOU KNOW, GUN VIOLENCE AS A HEALTH ISSUE.

THEY WANTED TO WORK WITH US BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THE WAY THAT WE TELL STORIES IMPACTS HEALTH.

THEY WANT TO WORK WITH US BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, THE BRINGING PEOPLE FRONT AND CENTER INTO THAT TRANSFORMATION IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY FOR THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE HEALTH FIELD.

AND SO HAVING MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL AS PART OF THIS PARTNERSHIP SUGGESTS THAT WITHIN THE LARGER HEALTH COMMUNITY THERE IS A DESIRE TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE THAT OUR HEALTH INSTITUTIONS ARE, ARE MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS ARE CULTIVATING.

THAT BRINGING COMMUNITY VOICES INTO OUR MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENT IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT THEY CARE ABOUT AND ARE INVESTING IN.

AND THE HOPE THAT I SEE NOT ONLY FROM OUR PARTNERS AT THE MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL, AT THE CENTER FOR GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION, BUT ALSO AT THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION >> Zea: WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IT ON THE SCREEN.

SO YOU CAN NOTICE THAT 18% -- MORE THAN 18% OF HISPANICS IN MASSACHUSETTS, THEY DO NOT HAVE A USUAL SOURCE OF CARE COMPARED TO 8% OF WHITE PEOPLE AND 9% OF BLACK.

WHY DO YOU THINK, AS AN EXPERT IN HEALTH DISPARITIES -- WHY DO YOU THINK THIS IS HAPPENING?

>> Doctor: WELL, KNOW, I'M A DOCTOR, AND I'M PARTICULARLY FROM PUERTO RICO, SPANISH-SPEAKING, AND A LOT OF MY PATIENTS ARE LATINO.

I SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS: WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE IN OUR STATE BECAUSE IN OUR STATE WE HAVE VERY, VERY LOW PEOPLE WHO ARE UNINSURED.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE STILL KNOW THERE ARE MANY INDIVIDUALS, AND PARTICULARLY BLACK AND LATINOS, WHO FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.

EVEN WHEN ELIGIBLE FOR INSURANCE, MAE MAY NOT THEY MAY NOT HAVE IT.

OR THEY MAY WORK IN JOBS THAT DON'T PROVIDE EMPLOYER-BASED HEALTH CARE.

SO BLACK AND HISPANICS ARE TWO TIMES MORE LIKELY NOT TO BE INSURED.

EVEN IF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO INSURANCE, AS YOU DEMONSTRATED WITH YOUR DATA, YOU DON'T HAVE THE USUAL SOURCE OF CARE.

SOMEONE YOU IDENTIFY AS YOUR DOCTOR, AND THAT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

THOSE WHO HAVE A USUAL SOURCE OF CARE OR WHO ARE LINKED TO A PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER, REACH TELLS US HAVE BETTER OUTCOMES.

WE KNOW THAT MANY OF OUR LATINO PATIENTS ACROSS THE STATE MAY NOT HAVE A DOCTOR WHO SPEAKS THEIR LANGUAGE, MAY NOT HAVE A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER THAT UNDERSTANDS THEM.

THEY MAY HAVE TWO JOBS WHERE ACCESSING HEALTH CARE MAY REQUIRE THEM TO GO TO DIFFERENT SPOTS ON AN AS-NEEDED BASIS.

IT IS THAT SET OF ISSUES THAT THIS NEW LEGISLATION IS GOING TO AIM TO TACKLE, AMONG MANY, MANY OTHERS.

BUT HAVING A USUAL SOURCE OF CARE IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

>> Zea: IS IMMIGRATION STATUS ALSO A BARRIER FOR MANY PEOPLE, MANY IM IMMIGRANTS HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS TO ACCESS HEALTH CARE?

>> IT IS.

AND WE, AS A STATE, HAVE BEEN VERY PROGRESSIVE ABOUT THE HEALTH EQUITY CONCEPT.

WE'RE REALLY, ULTIMATELY, TRYING TO MAINTAIN OUR POSITION OF LEADERSHIP IN THE NATION, TO ASSURE WE PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY CARE FOR ANYONE, NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY ARE FROM.

IMMIGRATION STATUS CAN PLAY A ROLE FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT SEEK CARE BECAUSE THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS.

THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT COMING OUT OF A PANDEMIC, WHERE WE REALIZE THAT SOMETHING LIKE A VIRUS, COVID-19, DOESN'T PICK WHO IT IS GOING TO INFECT.

AND WE ALL COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY.

SO THIS IDEA OF MAKING SURE WE CARE FOR EVERYONE IN THE MIDST OF OUR COMMUNITY, IN THE THOUGHTFUL, PRACTICAL, COMMON-SENSE WAY, IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.

AND I THINK ADDRESSING IMMIGRATION STATUS AND INSURANCE STATUS IS GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT.

>> Zea: DR. BETANCOURT, YOU ARE ALSO PART OF THE COALITION THAT IS PRESENTING THIS BILL IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THIS BILL AND WHAT IT IS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH?

>> Doctor: CERTAINLY.

WE'VE HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE IN OUR STATE OF BEING REALLY PRO-ACTIVE IN THE AREA OF DISPARITY.

THERE IS GOING BACK TO THE EARLY 2000s UNDER MAY MENINO, UNDER DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP AT THE STATE AND CITY LEVEL, AND SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TAKING THE NEXT STEP.

COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, HAVING BETTER DATA ABOUT QUALITY ACCESS.

REALLY SAYING HOW CAN WE SAY AS A HEALTH EQUITY GROUP, 55 LEADERS WITHIN HEALTH CARE WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO THINK ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE FIXES AND APPROACHES THAT WE CAN ENGAGE IN TO ADDRESS THESE EQUITY ISSUES.

THERE IS A VARIETY OF THEM.

ONE IS CENTERING THIS CONCEPT OF EQUITY AT THE EXECUTIVE LEVEL.

CREATING A CABINET LEVEL EXECUTIVE OFFICE, DOING MORE ON COLLECTION OF DATA, MAKING SURE WE CAN FIX THEM WHEN WE FIND THEM.

AND REALLY FINANCIALING THINKING ABOUT WAYS FOR BETTER COVERAGE TO CARE FOR DIVERSE POPULATIONS.

REALLY THINKING ABOUT COSTS OF MEDICATIONS FOR CHRONIC DISEASES THAT DOES PROPORTIONATELY IMPACT COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

AND FOCUSING ON THINGS LIKE ISSUES RELATED TO EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING, AND FOOD INSECURITY.

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY EVERYTHING WE'RE AIMING TO DO WILL NOT JUST ADDRESS DISPARITIES AND ADDRESS IN EQUITY, BUT IT WILL FACE FOOD INSECURITIES.

>> Zea: DO YOU FEEL CONFIDENT THIS BILL WILL GAIN ENOUGH SUPPORT TO HOPEFULLY PASS IN THE FUTURE?

>> I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

I THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME.

WE HAVE AN ADMINISTRATION THAT IS FOCUSING ON EQUITY.

WE HAVE KEY LEADERS ACROSS THE STATE COMING TOGETHER LIKE NEVER BEFORE FROM DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES.

WE HAVE A BRAND NEW SLATE OF LEGISLATORS, WHO ARE OF DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, BLACK AND LATINO LEGISLATORS, SO THIS IS OUR TIPPING POINT AND IT IS OUR CHANCE TO LEAD, YET AGAIN, ON HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE IN THE UNITED STATES.

>> Zea: DR. BETANCOURT, DO WE HAVE ENOUGH DOCTORS AND NURSES AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS IN GENERAL FROM COMMUNITIES OF COLOR?

>> NO.

THIS HAS BECOME PARTICULARLY ACUTE AFTER THE PANDEMIC.

WE HAVE INCREDIBLE SHORTAGES IN THE HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE THAT IS IMPACTING OUR CAPACITY.

IT IS MAKING EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WAIT TIMES EXCEEDINGLY LOWER.

OUR HOSPITALS ARE BURSTING AT THE SEEMS.

SEAMS.

IT IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR DECADES.

WE KNOW THAT MINORITIES ARE ABOUT 30% OF THE POPULATION.

ONLY ABOUT 7% TO 8% OF THE PHYSICIANS ARE PHYSICIANS OF CLOVE.

AND CERTAINLY WE SEE THE SAME AMONG NURSES.

WE NEED TO BE MORE DELIBERATE IN BUILDING THAT PIPELINE, AND I THINK THAT WILL ADDRESS THAT USUAL SOURCE OF CARE DATA POINT YOU PROVIDED BECAUSE PATIENTS CAN FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE ENGAGING WITH A PROVIDER WHO MIGHT SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE AND CAN BETTER ENGAGE THEM.

THE ANSWER IS ABSOLUTELY NO, WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH IN THE HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE.

AND I THINK OUR HEALTH EQUITY IMPACT LEGISLATION WILL SUPPORT THAT AS WELL.

>> ZEA: DR. JOE BETANCOURT, THANKS.

THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT.

WE'LL BE BACK TOMORROW.

I'M TIBISAY ZEA.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

GOOD NIGHT.

♪♪ Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org >> TODAY WE'RE IN COPLEY SQUARE IN DOWNTOWN BOSTON.

USUALLY I'M THE GUY WHO ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS, BUT TODAY YOU ARE GOING TO ANSWER MY QUESTION ABOUT THE UNWRITTEN RULES, LIFE IN BOSTON.

>> NO RESPECTABLE BOSTONIAN CALLS IT BEAN TOWN.

>> PEOPLE CALL IT THE 617.

THAT'S THE AREA CODE.

>> IPE I'VE HEARD I'VE HEARD OF THAT, BOSTON, THE BEAN, BAKED BEANS, I DON'T KNOW.

>> I SEE THE MAILMAN, AND HE WEARS SHORTS.

YOU KNOW?

AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE WEAR SHORTS.

I GUESS IT IS A FAD.

>> I NEVER COULD GET INTO SHORTS IN THE WINTER, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME BOSTONIANS THAT CAN DO THAT.

>> IF YOU CAN HANDLE THE COLD, I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND WEARING SHORTS.

>> THE STREETS ARE UNLIKE OTHER CITIES.

OURS IS LITERALLY ALL OVER THE PLACE.

YOU COULD BE ON ONE STREET FOR A MINUTE, AND THAT STREET WILL LITERALLY TURN INTO ANOTHER STREET, AND YOU WON'T REALIZE IT.

THERE ARE A LOT OF ONE-WAYS, A LOT OF DEAD-ENDS -- >> DON'T DRIVE YOUR CAR FROM PLACE TO PLACE.

IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.

>> WHY IS THAT?

>> FIRST OF ALL, YOU CAN'T GET PARKING EVEN IF YOU WANTED IT, WHERE YOU WANT IT.

SECONDLY, YOU WOULD BE FORCED TO SPEND WHAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER A MORTGAGE FOR YOUR HOUSE TO GET A PARKING SPACE.

>> IT IS GOING TO TAKE YOU ABOUT AN HOUR TO TO GET ANYWHERE.

>> RELAX AND BRING A BOOK.

I FEEL LIKE IT IS A PRETTY ACCESSIBLE CITY BY FOOT.

>> THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHERE I ALMOST RAN PEOPLE OVER FOR JAYWALKING, AND THEN WE DO IT, SO... >> WHO WANTS TO GO FRO CORNER TO CORNER TO CROSS THE STREET.

IF I SEE IT IS CLEAR, I JAY WALK.

>> ONE THING THEY DON'T TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION: IRON DON'T CRY.

>> JAYWALKING IS PART OF OUR REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT.

PERSONALLY, I'M VERY GOOD AT IT.

I HAVEN'T LOST ANYBODY NOW IN THREE WEEKS.

>> THERE YOU HAVE IT.

DON'T FORGET TO LIKE AND PRESCRIBE.

LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU'RE CURIOUS ABOUT BECAUSE, HEY, I MIGHT JUST LOOK INTO IT FOR YOU.

I'M EDWARD B. HERWICK III.