TORI: TONIGHT, AFTER NEARLY TWO WEEKS OF NO SCHOOL, WHEN WILL THE NEW TEACHER STRIKE END.

ARE THESE STRIKES BECOMING THE NEW NORMAL?

SORT HEALTH CARE IS TEETERING ON FINANCIAL RUIN, WHAT BROUGHT THEM THERE AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR PATIENTS.

AND A POET, AUTHOR, SPEAKER, AND EDUCATOR U-MELENI MHLABA-ADEBO SHARES HER STORY FROM THE STAGE.

STUDENTS WERE HOME FOR THE NINTH SCHOOL DAY AS NEGOTIATIONS DRAG ON BETWEEN STRIKING TEACHERS AND THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE, THE STRIKE IS NEARLY TWICE AS LONG AS ANY OTHER OF ITS KIND IN RECENT STATE HISTORY.

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL COMMITTEES GLENN KOOCHER JOINS ME TO DISCUSS.

WE HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF STRIKES, SEVEN STRIKES ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS?

IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, IS THIS PART OF A LARGER TREND?

NEWTON IS EXCEPTIONAL?

A NEW RECORD.

GLENN: I THINK MORE DISTRICTS ARE FEELING EMPOWERED TO STRIKE AND THE PARENT UNION IS ENCOURAGING THEM TO EXERCISE THAT POWER.

AS A RESULT WE ARE SEEING HALF A DOZEN IN THE LAST TWO YEARS WHERE WE HAVE NOT SEEN A STRIKE SINCE 2005 BEFORE THAT, 1995 BEFORE THAT.

TORI: WE HAVE BEEN COVERING NEWTON EVERY DAY, WE SPOKE TO STUDENTS AND TEACHERS AND PARENTS AND WE ALSO SPOKE TO THE MASSACHUSETTS STUDENTS ASSOCIATION, THIS IS HIM TALKING ABOUT HOW COVID IMPACTED TEACHERS.

>> THE EDUCATORS DURING COVID FELT LIKE THEY WORKED HEROICALLY TO TRANSITION TO ONLINE LEARNING AND BACK INTO SCHOOL AND THE IMPACT ON THEMSELVES AND THE STUDENTS AND SEEING THE STUDENTS AND WHAT THEY HAVE SUFFERED.

I THINK IT HAS MADE THEM LESS PATIENT WITH ACCEPTING INEQUITIES IN THE SCHOOLS AS WELL AS LESS PATIENT WITH THINGS THAT HAVE GONE ON FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND HAVE BEEN UNADDRESSED.

THAT INCLUDES FIGHTING FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS LIKE THEY ARE IN NEWTON.

IT MEANS FIGHTING FOR LIVING WAGES FOR PARAPROFESSIONALS.

WHAT WE CALL EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS.

OR FAIR PAY IN GENERAL.

TORI: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?

COVID -- GLENN: COVID WAS HARD FOR EVERYBODY AND THE UNIONS DID WELL POSITIONING THEMSELVES AND GETTING THEIR TALKING POINTS AND STRATEGIES IN PLACE TO DEAL WITH COVID.

TEACHING IS A STRESSFUL PROFESSION.

IT IS HARD FOR EVERYBODY.

YOU HAVE TO BE ON ALL DAY LONG, YOU DID NOT GET TO TAKE TIME OUT FOR A LONG PERIODS OF TIME, PEOPLE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR MIGHT GET TO DO.

I DO NOT THINK THAT COVID ITSELF WAS THE STIMULUS FOR THE GREATER MEASURE OF EMOTION AND ACTION BY HAS GONE INTO NEGOTIATING THE HAS LED TO THE STRIKES.

DURING COVID, PEOPLE ADAPTED, THEY ADJUSTED, UPDATED A LOT OF PROMOTE EDUCATION WHICH DID NOT WORK VERY WELL BUT IT WAS THE BEST STRATEGY THAT WE HAD.

THE UNIONS WERE EXTRAORDINARILY ASTUTE FOR MOBILIZING THEMSELVES.

NOT UNTIL IT IS SAFE, WILL WE GO BACK TO SCHOOL.

THE MESSAGES WE WILL DECIDE WHEN IT IS SAFE BECAUSE WE ARE USING COVID TO SHOW YOU HOW POWERFUL WE CAN BE.

A BRILLIANT STRATEGY.

THE MTA HAS HAD EARLY AND STRATEGIES AROUND HOW IT HAS DONE, I COMMEND THEM FOR THAT.

I DID DAMAGE CONTROL FOR A LONG TIME IN CRISIS COMMUNICATION AND I GIVE THEM A LOT OF CREDIT FOR MOBILIZING AROUND COVID TO STRENGTHEN THEIR POSITION AS ADVOCATES FOR TEACHERS.

ADVOCATES FOR KIDS THAT THEY WOULD CLAIM, EVERYONE WAS AN ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN AT THAT TIME.

TORI: AT THE TIME, THEY MIGHT ARGUE THAT NOT UNTIL IT IS SAFE WOULD BE UNTIL THE CDC DETERMINED THAT THESE CONDITIONS ARE SAFE AND A LOT OF WHAT WAS COMING UP WAS THE HVAC SYSTEMS AND SCHOOLS WERE NOT UP TO DATE.

THE AIR CIRCULATION WAS NOT GOOD.

THEY TEACHERS IS SAYING WHY SHOULD I BE RISKING MY LIFE AS A FRONT-LINE WORKER?

GOING INTO THESE ENVIRONMENTS?

TWO -- FOUR THIS AMOUNT OF PAY, $29,000 A YEAR AS A PARAPROFESSIONAL WAS TO MARK GLENN: I WAS ELECTED TO THE CAMBRIDGE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

BACK THEN, IT WAS HVAC THAT PEOPLE COMPLAINED ABOUT.

THE ARCHITECTURE WILL TELL YOU EVERYBODY WANTS A BIG MONUMENT, EVERYBODY WANTS A GREAT STRUCTURE.

BY THE TIME THEY ARE GETTING READY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE HVAC, THE MONEY IS GONE AND IT DOES NOT WORK.

THE UNIONS HAVE SKILLFULLY USED THE VENTILATION PROBLEM TO ARGUE THAT CONDITIONS NEED TO BE BETTER.

HOWEVER, I WOULD STAND BY THIS, WHENEVER THEY COMPLAINED ABOUT VENTILATION IT WAS ONLY THE TEACHERS WHO ARE GETTING SICK.

THE BEST TEACHERS DID NOT GET SICK.

IT WAS A TACTIC.

IT WORKED VERY WELL.

I DO NOT THINK IT WAS AS TRUTHFULLY ARTICULATED AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

TORI: WHEN YOU SAY THE BEST TEACHERS WERE NOT GETTING SICK, WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

>> IN MY EXPERIENCE FROM MY SCHOOL COMMITTEE DAYS THEY TEACHERS WHO GOT SICK OR NOT THE BEST TEACHERS.

THEY WERE THEY TEACHERS WHO DID NOT LIKE TEACHING, THE PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE, THE PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN GETTING HARD TIMES FROM THE PRINCIPAL ABOUT SHOULD YOU STILL BE IN THE PROFESSION?

THE KIDS DID NOT GET SICK.

TORI: NOT GETTING COVID, THOUGH?

GLENN: COVID IS DIFFERENT.

I’M TALKING ABOUT HVAC.

TORI: IN REFERENCE TO COVID, I THINK THAT WAS A BIG PART OF IT AS WELL?

THE VENTILATION AND THE KIDS ARE IN THIS CRAMPED SPACE.

PEOPLE ARE MASKING AND THEY REFUSED.

GLENN: THE POINT IS WE WILL DECIDE WHEN IT IS SAFE TO GO BACK.

THAT WAS A TACTIC TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE WANT TO BE IN CHARGE AND WE SHOULD BE IN CHARGE AND TO SOME EXTENT WE ARE IN CHARGE AND WE WILL DECIDE WHEN WE GO BACK.

TORI: THE TEACHERS ARE SAYING THEY WANT TO BE IN CHARGE IF THEY ARE A PART OF THE UNION.

GLENN: THE EMPLOYEES HAVE THE RIGHT TO ARGUE THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE A MEANINGFUL SITE AND WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM ON THE JOB.

-- SAY IN WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM ON THE JOB.

TORI: WHAT IS THE LATEST ON NEWTON?

A FINAL AGREEMENT OFFER?

GLENN: AN OFFER MADE TODAY AND THEY ARE NEGOTIATING AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE MEDIATOR HAS PROCLAIMED THAT BOTH PARTIES HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATING IN GOOD FAITH.

GOOD FAITH DOES NOT MEAN CAPITULATION.

GOOD FAITH MEANS YOU COME TO THE TABLE AND YOU TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING AND YOU BARGAIN REASONABLY, THE OLD CONTRACT STAYS IN EFFECT UNTIL THE NEW CONTRACT IS NEGOTIATED.

THE OLD CONTRACT REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL THE NEW CONTRACT IS NEGOTIATED.

WHAT YOU DO NOT HAVE HIS NEW PAY RAISES.

THE OLD SALARY SCALE STAYS IN EFFECT AND THE STEP RAISES AND THE LANE RACES FOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, THEY STAY IN EFFECT.

THE REST OF THE CONTRACT, IT REMAINS AS IT IS AND YOU HAVE TO NEGOTIATE OVER NEW BENEFITS.

THAT IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE SETTLED.

TORI: THE OFFER THAT THEY GAVE WAS ADDRESSED TO UNIT C, THE PARAPROFESSIONALS WHO WERE GETTING PAID LESS THAN $30,000 A YEAR, RAISING THEM BY 4.8%?

EVERYBODY ELSE, ALL OF THE OTHER ASPECTS OF THEM BRINGING IN MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WOULD BE BASED LATER ON?

GLENN: WITH REGARD TO THE PARAPROFESSIONALS, MANY OF THE PARAPROFESSIONALS IN OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN GIVEN PAY RAISES AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ADDITIONAL HOURS.

I DO NOT KNOW OF A SINGLE TEACHER WHO DOES NOT VALUE THEIR PARAPROFESSIONAL WHO WORKS WITH THEM OR DOES NOT WANT ONE TO WORK WITH THEM.

THAT IS A WIN-WIN SITUATION FOR EVERYBODY.

THE SCHOOL DISTRICT GETS MORE TIME FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING FOR THEM.

THE PARA END UP WITH SIGNIFICANT RAISES AND HOURS WORKED.

TORI: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

STEWARD HEALTH CARE WHICH RUNS AT SEVERAL HOSPITALS ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS IS ON THE BRINK OF FINANCIAL COLLAPSE.

THEIR PATIENTS ARE PAYING THE PRICE.

FOR NATIONAL HEALTH CARE NETWORK OWES $50 MILLION IN UNPAID RENT WHICH IS ALREADY FORCING HOSPITALS IN MASSACHUSETTS TO CLOSE.

IN AT LEAST ONE OTHER HOSPITALS, -- AT LEAST ONE HOSPITAL MEDICAL EQUIPMENT WAS POSSESSED.

JESSICA HAS BEEN COVERING THIS FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE AND SHE JOINS ME NOW.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND YOUR REPORTING, YOU ARE THE FIRST TO BREAK THE STORY, WHAT IS GOING ON WITH STUART?

JESSICA: STUART HAS NOT BEEN PAYING VENDORS FOR SOME TIME, 40 LAWSUITS IN MASSACHUSETTS.

I WANT TO BE CLEAR, ONLY ONE HOSPITAL HAS ANNOUNCED CLOSURE.

THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE OPERATING THE FACILITIES BECAUSE THEIR LANDLORD IN A PUBLIC STATEMENT SAID THAT STEWART NATIONALLY WOULD BE LOOKING TO SELL OFF SOME OF ITS HOSPITALS IN ORDER TO RECOUP SOME OF THE DEBT THEY ARE FACING.

TORI: YOU DID THIS REPORT ON THE -- SHE WAS AFFECTED BY A PIECE OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT BEING RECALLED.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT?

JESSICA: SANGITA CAME, SHE WAS 33 WEEKS PREGNANT AND THEY ARE A BANGLADESHI COUPLE, THEY GOT THEIR PHD’S IN THE STATES AND WENT ABROAD FOR WORK AND CAME BACK FOR WORK.

SHE DELIVERED IN SAINT ELIZABETH’S MEDICAL CENTER IN THE MORNING, MONDAY AFTERNOON, WAS NOT FEELING WELL.

THEY DISCOVERED SHE WAS BLEEDING IN HER ABDOMEN AND TOOK HER IN FOR AN OPERATION.

IN THE OR, THEY REALIZED THAT THE COILS, THESE METALLIC THINGS THAT THEY INSERTED THROUGH THE VEINS WERE NOT THERE TO HELP THEM STEM THE BLEEDING.

THEY HAD TO TRANSFER HER TO ANOTHER HOSPITAL.

SHE DID NOT MAKE IT.

EXPERTS SAY IN THE CASE OF, OR YOU HAVE SERIOUS BLEEDING, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.

THE MANUFACTURER OF THE COILS, PENUMBRA HAD SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO REPOSSESS THEIR SUPPLIES AT THE HOSPITALS BECAUSE STUART HAD NOT PAID BILLS.

TORI: THEY HAD NOT PAID BILLS AND RENT AND HER STORY IS SO HEARTBREAKING BECAUSE I THINK IT IS A KEY EXAMPLE OF A MUCH LARGER PROBLEM.

HOW BIG OF A CRISIS IS THIS FOR THE STATE AND HEALTH CARE ACROSS THE STATE?

JESSICA: NOT ONLY HAVE PATIENTS NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET NECESSARY HEALTH CARE IN THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, BUT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MONTHS, PATIENTS HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS TRYING TO GET APPOINTMENTS AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET THROUGH TO THEIR PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS, ONE SAID THEY DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO ANSWER PHONES OR RETURN PHONE CALLS.

PATIENTS COULD NOT GET SURGERY SCHEDULED OR CANCELED.

THEY DID NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY MEDICAL EQUIPMENT.

DOCTORS WERE PULLED OUT OF FACILITIES BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS.

THESE HAVE BEEN PERSISTENT CHALLENGES THAT HAVE HAMPERED HEALTH CARE AROUND THE STATE AND PUTTING PRESSURE ON THOSE WHO STAY TO ACCOMMODATE THE CARE THEY ARE NOT GETTING ELSEWHERE.

TORI: THIS WOULD AFFECT OTHER HOSPITALS AS WELL?

THERE HAS BEEN SOME PUSHBACK FROM THE INTERVENTION FROM STATE LEADERS, MASSACHUSETTS CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION EARLIER, LAST WEEK, THEY WROTE A LETTER SAYING A BRIEFING ON STUART’S FINANCIAL POSITION, THEY WERE ASKING FOR THE STATUS OF FACILITIES AND PLANS TO ENSURE THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SERVED ARE NOT ABANDONED.

THEY HAVE NOT DISCLOSED WHAT THEIR FINANCIAL SITUATION HAS BEEN TO THE STATE.

THERE HAS BEEN SOME INTERVENTION FROM THE STATE LEADERS, YOU WROTE ABOUT ELIZABETH WARREN SUSPICIOUS OF THEIR CLAIMS.

THEY SAID THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY MONEY AND THEY HAVE DONE THIS IN OTHER PLACES BECAUSE OF MEDICAID TELLING?

THAT IS THE LINE FROM STUART?

JESSICA: STEWART IS BLAMING FINANCIAL PROBLEMS ON REIMBURSEMENT RATES.

IT IS TRUE THAT THEY HAVE A HIGHER MIX OF PATIENTS IN THEIR HOSPITALS ON MEDICAID AND MEDICARE THAT REIMBURSE LAKES AND THEIR COMMERCIAL REIMBURSEMENT RATES ARE LOWER THAN THE ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTERS IN THE STATE.

STUART HAS POINTED TO THOSE AS THE REASON WHY THEY ARE FACING FINANCIAL PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGED LEGISLATORS TO FIX THOSE THINGS.

OTHERS, WARREN AND OTHERS, CONGRESSWOMAN JOHANNA SAID THAT STEWART HAS CLOSED FACILITIES IN TEXAS MOST RECENTLY, CITING THE SAME CONCERNS BUT STUART IS A FOR-PROFIT SYSTEM THAT WAS FORMED THROUGH A PRIVATE EQUITY VENTURE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT ROLE THE PRIVATE EQUITY GROUP LAID IN THE DECISIONS -- PLAYED AND IT TRULY JUST MEDICAID THAT IS THE SOURCE OF FINANCIAL DISTRESS?

TORI: LET US HEAR FROM BOY TO HER HAND AT A CONGRESSIONAL HEARING -- FROM LORI AT A CONGRESSIONAL HEARING.

>> YOU SAY THAT -- EARLIER THIS MONTH IT WAS REVEALED THAT THE COMPANY HAS MISSED RENT PAYMENTS TO AN OUTSIDE LANDLORD THAT ACTUALLY OWNS THE PROPERTY AND BUILDINGS THEIR FACILITIES OPERATE IN.

IT IS LOOKING MORE LIKE THIS IS PART OF A DANGEROUS STUART PRIVATE EQUITY PLAYBOOK.

TORI: WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS?

WHAT DOES THE HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW?

THERE ARE MULTIPLE THINGS GOING ON.

THERE IS A LOOMING CRISIS.

THEY HAVE UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH TO KIND OF EXPLAIN WHAT IS GOING ON.

PATIENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN AFFECTED.

IF I’M A PATIENT, AND I REGULARLY GET MEDICAL HELP OR I GO TO A MEDICAL PRACTICE THAT IS RUN BY STUART, OR SHOULD I BE DOING NOW?

JESSICA: THE FIRST THING IS FOR PATIENTS NOT TO PANIC.

THE ONE CLOSURE IN MASSACHUSETTS IS A REHAB HOSPITAL AND HE LANDS FOR OTHER HOSPITALS HAVE NOT BEEN MADE CLEAR, OR NOT ANY CLOSURES ON THE DOCKET -- THERE ARE NOT ANY CLOSURES ON THE DOCKET.

MAY HAVE FOLLOWED THOSE RULES AND THEY GAVE 60 DAYS NOTICE OPPOSED TO THE 90 DAYS NOTICE, WE WOULD HAVE NOTIFICATION OF A CLOSURE.

PATIENTS SHOULD STAY IN TOUCH WITH THEIR DOCTOR AND TALK TO THEM IF THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT ACCESSING MEDICAL CARE, PRESCRIPTIONS THEY NEED MORE URGENTLY, LIKE AN ANNUAL DOCTOR’S VISIT, IF YOU ARE CONCERNED, KNOWING WHERE YOU WOULD GO IN AN EMERGENCY, SOMETHING TO SHIFT, THE BIGGEST THING IS TO NOT PANIC WHILE WE GET A BETTER GRASP OF WHAT THE LAY OF THE LAND IS.

STUART TO TELL REGULATORS THAT -- DID TELL REGULATORS THAT THEY HAD AND OF THE MONTH UNTIL THE LENDER WAS PRESSURING THEM TO HAVE A PLAN.

THERE WAS NOT CONFIDENCE THAT THE TIMELINE WAS TRUE.

AS OF TODAY WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PLANS FOR STUART.

WE ARE WAITING TO SEE WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE STATE LONG-TERM?

TORI: A LOT OF THE DOCTORS ARE CONCERNED BECAUSE HE REPORTED THAT DOCTORS HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO OTHER HOSPITALS TO ASK IF THEY CAN BE TRANSFERRED.

YOUR COLLEAGUE WROTE RECENTLY ABOUT A POSSIBILITY OF MASS GENERAL BRIGHAM ABSORBING STUART.

WHERE IS THAT PLAN AT?

IS THAT A REALITY THAT LOOKS LIKELY?

>> I THINK PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TO THEM AS A SAVIOR GIVEN THEIR SIZE AND SCOPE IN THE STATE.

WHETHER THEY TAKE ON SOME OR ALL OF STUART FACILITIES I THINK IS UNCLEAR.

I THINK IT IS UNLIKELY THEY WOULD TAKE ON THE MASS MAJORITY.

THEY MIGHT PLAY A ROLE IN SOME KIND OF SITUATION MOVING FORWARD.

STUART HAS TOLD STATE OFFICIALS IT HAS INTEREST IN TRANSFERRING OWNERSHIP TO OTHER HEALTH SYSTEMS BUT IT IS UNCLEAR IF THEY WANT TO PLAY THAT ROLE AND TO WHAT DEGREE THAT THEY MIGHT.

A LOT OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE UNDERWAY AS WELL RIGHT NOW.

AS YOU MENTIONED, IN THE INTERIM, DOCTORS, THERE ARE A NUMBER WHO HAVE STUCK WITH A STUART HEALTH COMMITTED TO THESE COMMUNITIES.

IN A NUMBER OF THEM ARE TRYING TO JUST CARE FOR THEIR PATIENTS.

IN ORDER TO DO THAT THEY ARE ASKING FOR CREDENTIALS FROM OTHER HOSPITALS TO DO SURGERIES.

THEY ARE TRYING TO CARE FOR PATIENTS AS ALL OF THIS HAPPENS AND AS WE WAIT TO SEE WHAT OTHER HEALTH SYSTEMS MIGHT BE IN THE MIX, WHAT STUART DECIDES, EVERYONE IS WAITING FOR STUART TO MAKE THE NEXT DECISION AND REACT FROM THERE.

TORI: THE DOCTORS MIGHT BE ABLE, LIKE YOU SAID, PATIENTS SHOULD REACH OUT TO THEIR DOCTORS, IF THEY HAVE A PLAN FOR TRANSITION, IT CAN BE A PART OF THAT, I DO NOT KNOW.

NORWOOD HOSPITAL, IT CLOSED FOUR YEARS AGO.

THEY HAD SEVERE FLOODING, THEY HAD BEEN UNDER CONSTRUCTION, THEY ARE A PART OF THE STUART SYSTEM, HOW WOULD THIS AFFECT THAT?

THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO OPEN IN 2025?

JESSICA: THE TIMELINE FOR NORWOOD IS UNCLEAR, THE CONSTRUCTION HAS BEEN SLOW GOING.

THEY HAVE SKILL IN THE GROUND, -- STEEL IN THE GROUND BUT I DO NOT KNOW IF THEY ARE MAKING PROGRESS, IT IS UNCLEAR IF NORWOOD WOULD EVEN CONTINUE.

WOULD OCCUPIED NORWOOD?

IF STUART WERE TO TRANSFER OWNERSHIP OR CLOSE IT.

THE CLOSURE OF NORWOOD AND THE CATASTROPHIC FLOODING THAT TOOK PLACE THERE IN 2020 HAS TAKEN PLACE IN A BROADER CONTEXT.

YOU HAD THE FIRE AT BROCKTON HOSPITAL, YOU HAD QUINCY MEDICAL CENTER TRANSITION TO SATELLITE EMERGENCY ROOM, THAT CLOSED IN 2020, ALL OF THOSE CLOSURES IN THE STATE HAVE PUT A TON OF PRESSURE ON THOSE THAT REMAIN.

SOFTWARE HEALTH ACCOUNT 274 LICENSED BEDS BUT ON AVERAGE THEY ARE SEEING 500 PATIENTS A DAY WITH PEAKS THEY GET UP TO 560.

FIVE MORE -- FAR MORE, THEY ARE DISASTER PLANNING ON A DAILY BASIS TO ACCOMMODATE THE VOLUME.

THAT IS HOW THESE CLOSURES HAVE ALREADY STRESSED THE REMAINING FACILITIES ON TOP OF THE CAPACITY CRISIS THE STATE IS FACING AT LARGE.

WHETHER OTHER FACILITIES CAN ACCOMMODATE COMING TO THEM DEPENDS ON THE REGION, BUT IT IS CERTAINLY A REGIONWIDE CRISIS ON WHERE STUART FACILITIES ARE.

TORI: THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORTING AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

JESSICA: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

TORI: WHAT IS IN A NAME?

FOR U-MELENI MHLABA-ADEBO, THE ANSWER IS A LOT, SHE SHARED THE MEANING OF HER NAME AND IDENTITY ON STORIES FROM THE STAGE AS PART OF A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH AT SHOW AND THIS ONE.

U-MELENI: MY MOTHER HAS A GREEN THUMB BECAUSE SHE GREW UP IN A FARM IN THE ZIMBABWE OR PERHAPS SHE JUST HAS THIS GIFT OF GIVING LIFE TO EVERYTHING THAT SHE TOUCHES.

WHEN WE GO ON LONG DRIVES IN IRAN BE IN ZIMBABWE, -- GO AMONG BRIDES IN ZIMBABWE, SHE HAS A SHOVEL AND A SMALL BOX, WHEN SHE SEES A SMALL PLANT OR A FLOWER SHE WILL STOP THE CAR AND GO OUT LIKE A BALLERINA AND WITH A GENTLE SURGEON’S PRECISION LIFT THE BEAUTIFUL PLANT OR FLOWER AND TAKE IT BACK HOME.

SHE TASKS ME WITH WATERING THE FLOWERS.

NOT TOO MUCH WATER, NOT TOO LITTLE.

ALWAYS WITH LOVE.

SHE TELLS ME THAT PLANTS HAVE FEELINGS.

AND FLOWERS TOO.

I CAN TELL FROM THE PARADISE OF OUR HOME THAT THEY LOVE HER RIGHT BACK.

THEY ARE THE LUCKY ONES.

I TOO AM LUCKY, LIKE FAMILY GREW IN THE SEAT THAT WAS MY MOTHER’S ’S BODY.

MY MOTHER WAS A FEW DAYS OVERDUE WHEN SHE HAD ME, THEY WERE STILL SOME THINGS I NEEDED TO DO.

SO MY FATHER SAID IN HIS NATIVE TONGUE, WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?

AND THUS, I HAD MY GIVEN NAME.

MY LIFELONG MISSION HAS BEEN TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ANSWER THAT MUCH LOADED QUESTION.

I WAS BORN IN A SMALL VILLAGE IN A SMALL TOWN, CALLED LEOMINSTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

I DO NOT KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT AT ALL.

ALL OF THE THINGS I AM TOLD ARE APPARENTLY I WAS REALLY OBSESSED WITH SESAME STREET, MY FIRST WORDS WERE JUICE, MOMMY, JUICE.

I SAW PICTURES OF MYSELF IN A PINK SNOWSUIT.

I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD WHEN WE MOVED BACK TO RHODESIA.

RIGHT IN TIME TO BE ON THE FRONT LINES A REVOLUTION.

I WAS TWO YOUNG TO KNOW.

YOUNG ENOUGH TO FEEL THE FEAR.

THE FEAR OF GUNSHOTS IN THE NIGHT.

THE SOUND OF’S SOLDIERS RUNNING THROUGH MY GRANDMOTHER’S FARM.

IT WOULD SLEEP IN CONCENTRATION CAMPS.

I WAS TOLD IT WAS TO KEEP US SAFE.

WE GAINED INDEPENDENCE IN 1980 AND I GREW IN THE NEW ZIMBABWE.

POSTINDEPENDENCE.

I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GO TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

I LOVE THE SCHOOL.

PARTICULARLY ENGLISH AND DRAMA AND MUSIC, AND MY TEACHERS NOURISHED THE CREATIVE LONGING IN MY SOUL AND I ALSO WENT TO SCHOOL IN SOUTH AFRICA AND IT WAS THERE I HAD ONE OF MY FONDEST MEMORIES OF MY HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER WHO FORCED ME INTO SINGING ANIN AND A SCHOOL VARIETY SHOW.

I USE TO SING AND THE SAFETY OF THE COCOON OF THE CHOIR BUT THIS TIME SHE WANTED ME TO DO A SOLO.

I THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT WHAT I SING?

TRACY CHAPMAN’S SONGS CAME INTO MY MIND AND I WANTED TO SING LAST NIGHT.

I REMEMBER THAT MOMENT WHEN I SING IT ON STAGE EVERYONE WAS QUIET.

AND IN THAT MOMENT OF, A STAR WAS BORN.

I REMEMBER DREAMING OF MARIAH CAREY SONGS AND I WILL BE ON THE AND PEOPLE WILL BE SCREAMING!

MY BROTHER HE WOULD BE THERE, I WOULD FIND HIS RESTLESS LEGS AND HE WOULD LISTEN TO MY GENIUS.

I HAD GRAND VISIONS THAN.

IS THAT WHAT GRAND TEACHERS ARE SUPPOSED TO INSPIRE?

I WAS THE SEED.

MY TEACHERS, THEY WERE THE WATER.

THE THING IS THAT THE ARTS WERE NOT REALLY A THING THEN.

I NEEDED TO CONCENTRATE ON MORE IMPORTANT THINGS LIKE MATH AND PHYSICS.

THINK ABOUT WHAT I WOULD DO AND BE IN THE FUTURE.

I WANTED SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

I WONDERED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I WENT INTO A NEW PLACE, NEW SOIL, WHAT KIND OF FLOWER WHAT I BLEW?

-- BLOOM?

I DECIDED I WOULD DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

I DECIDED TO COME BACK TO AMERICA.

ON MY OWN.

I REMEMBER THAT LONG FLIGHT.

I REMEMBER IT LIKE YESTERDAY.

I REMEMBER THAT TIME BECAUSE I WAS NOT TALKING TO MY MOTHER ALTHOUGH I DID MANAGE TO COERCE HER TO BRAID MY HAIR AND CORN ROAST BECAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE PEOPLE KNEW I WAS AFRICAN WHEN I LANDED.

YES I DID.

I REMEMBERED IT WAS SO COLD RIGHT OUT TO MY BONES AND MY BIOLOGICAL FATHER PICKED ME UP THAT DAY AND I REMEMBER AS WE WERE DRIVING TO NEWTON HE WAS TELLING ME ALL OF THE THINGS I WOULD EXPECT IN COLLEGE BUT ALL I COULD THINK OF IS I MISS THE SUN!

I MISS THE SUN.

I MISS THE SUN LIKE THE SOIL MUST MISS THE RAIN.

I HATE MISS THE ECHO OF MY LANGUAGE AND I MISS MY BABY BROTHER.

HE WOULD UNRAVEL ALTHOUGH MY CASSETTE TAPES!

I EVEN MISSED THAT!

THIS WAS NEW SOIL.

THIS IS A NEW PLACE FOR ME TO BE.

YOU SEE I WANTED TO CARVE MY OWN DESTINY AND MOST PEOPLE IMMIGRATE BECAUSE THEY ARE RUNNING AWAY FROM SOMETHING, IN MY CASE I WAS RUNNING AWAY FROM THE REPRESSIVE REGIME THAT WAS MY PARENTS.

THEY WERE STRONG AND STRONG AND BRILLIANT AND I WANTED TO BE SOMEWHERE DIFFERENT SO I CAME TO BOSTON AND THIS BECAME MY NEW SOIL.

MY NEW LAND.

WHERE I COULD JUST BE.

I HAVE TO ADMIT WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE, I WAS REALLY ANNOYED AT A COUPLE OF THINGS.

FIRST IS PEOPLE WHAT ALWAYS QUESTION WHAT KIND OF AFRICAN I WAS.

WHY DID I SPEAK ENGLISH SO WELL?

WHO TAUGHT IT TO ME?

DID I HAVE A PET LION?

THINGS LIKE THAT.

THEY WOULD WANT TO TOUCH MY HAIR WITHOUT PERMISSION, CHANGE MY NAME TO SUIT THEIR BALLOT, I DID NOT APPRECIATE THAT BUT HONESTLY, THERE WERE TIMES I ENJOYED MYSELF.

I TOOK PART OF JAZZ BAND AND MUSIC AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH IT IS ONLY IN AMERICA WHEN I CAME BACK I WAS ABLE TO RECLAIM MY NAME.

YOU SEE, NO ONE IN MY FAMILY CALLS ME U-MELENI:, THEY ALCOHOL MEET MELANIE OR DIFFERENT VARIATIONS DEPENDING ON THEIR MOOD.

IT IS ONLY WHEN I CAME TO AMERICA THAT I REALIZED I NEED A STAGE NAME.

I STARTED THINKING OF ALL OF THESE INTERESTING NAMES AND I TOOK A STEP BACK AND REALIZED WAIT A MINUTE, I HAVE AN INTERESTING NAME.

U-MELENI:, WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?

IT TOOK ME COMING BACK TO AMERICA TO RECLAIM MY NAME.

AND MAKES SENSE BECAUSE THIS WAS MY BEGINNING.

THIS IS THE PLACE OF MY BIRTH.

IN BOSTON I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LIVE OUT THE DREAMS I HAD AS A KID, THE DREAMS OF BEING A RIDER OR A PERFORMER, I DID NOT QUITE -- WRITER OR A PERFORMER, I DID NOT GET ONVOGUE, BUT I HAVE BEEN WARMLY LOVED AND RECEIVED AS AN ARTIST HERE IN BOSTON.

IN THIS SOIL.

YOU SEE, THE SEEDS WERE PLANTED IN AFRICA, BUT THE FLOWER BLOOMED AND CONTINUES TO BLOOM HERE IN BOSTON.

BOSTON HAS BEEN THE PLACE OF MANY FIRSTS, MY FIRST LOVE, I MARRIED HIM, MY CHILD WAS BORN HERE, MY FIRST JOB, SO MANY THINGS, YOU SEE, I AM A SEED.

I AM AN IMMIGRANT.

I AM AMERICAN.

WE ARE ALL SEEDS.

SEE THAT SCATTER AND FALL, THAT ARE YEARNING TO BLOOM, TO GROW, EVOLVE.

MY MOTHER TELLS ME THAT PLANTS HAVE FEELINGS AND FLOWERS TOO.

THAT REALLY WE ARE ALL SEEDS, JUST YEARNING TO GROW.

THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE] TORI: YOU CAN CATCH MORE STORIES FROM THE STAGE ON WORLD AND FRIDAYS AT A :00 ON GBH TWO OR ANY TIME ON THE STORIES FROM THE STATE FACEBOOK PAGE AND YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

IN TWO WEEKS YOU CAN CATCH A STORIES IN PERSON AT STORIES FROM THE STATE VALENTINES DAY SOIREE.

VALENTINE’S DAY IS TWO WEEKS AWAY.

GO TO GBH.ORG/EVENTS.

WE SPEAK TO THE AUTHOR OF THE WALTHAM MURDERS AND WHY SOLVING THE TRIPLE SLANG COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE BOSTON MARATHON BOMBINGS.

WE DIG INTO THE TERRIFYING AI PRINT TARGETING CELEBRITIES AND PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME.

THAT AND-- TREND TARGETING CELEBRITIES AND PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME.

THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT.

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