COMING UP ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN..." >> I AM DELIGHTED TO INTRODUCE KARIN FRANKLIN KING.

>> THE MONOLOGUE AND POETRY FESTIVAL WAS SPECIFICALLY TO INSPIRE YOUNG VOICES.

WE CALL THEM WORD WARRIORS.

MY SIGHTS ARE SET ON THEATER.

IF THE ROLE WASN'T WRITTEN FOR YOU IN THOSE TIMES, YOU DIDN'T GET A PART.

YOU CAN LOOK AT THE THINGS MAYBE WE CAN CHANGE BY OUR ART.

WHEN YOU SHOW THAT YOU CARE AND YOU WANT TO LEARN, PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO SHOW YOU.

♪ I GOT A GOOD, GOOD FEELING, YEAH, I'M UP ON A CLOUD ♪ AIN'T COMING BACK DOWN ♪ ♪ I GOT A GOOD, GOOD, GOOD FEELING, YEAH ♪ ♪ YEAH, I'M UP ON A CLOUD, AIN'T COMING BACK DOWN ♪ GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "BEHIND THE WOMAN," SEASON 3.

I'M YOUR HOST, Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS, AND THIS SEASON, WE ARE FEATURING SOME INCREDIBLE WOMEN, SOME YOU MAY KNOW AND SOME YOU WILL GET TO KNOW, BUT EITHER WAY, WE CAN ALL DO MORE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THESE DIVERSE WOMEN ACROSS CENTRAL CENTRAL NEW YORK ARE ENHANCING THE REGION THROUGH THEIR RESEARCH, EDUCATION, ARTS AND LEADERSHIP.

AND WE CAN START WITH OUR GUEST JOINING US TONIGHT I AM DELIGHTED TO INTRODUCE AN ACTRESS, ACTIVIST, JOURNALIST, EDUTAINER KARIN FRANKLIN KING.

GATHER YOUR FAMILY, SEND A TEXT TO YOUR FRIENDS.

THEY WON'T WANT TO MISS THIS EPISODE OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

HOW ARE YOU?

>> HOLA.

>> HOLA, COMO ESTA.

>> I AM SO HAPPY TO SIT DOWN AND SPEAK WITH YOU.

I HAVE SERD SO MUCH ABOUT YOU AND THE IMPACT OF YOUR WORK ON STAGE AND I FEEL LIKE IN A REAL, REAL WAY, THAT YOU BLAZED A TRAIL UPON WHICH MYSELF AND MANY OTHER AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN HERE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK ARE ABLE TO WALK AND SO I'M HONORED TO HAVE YOU HERE AS HOST OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN" AND ALSO AS AN ARTIST AND EDUTAINER AND ALL OF THAT.

SO WELCOME.

>> IT'S A MUTUAL ADMIRATION SOCIETY BECAUSE I'VE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT YOU, SO I THINK I'M GOING TO START INTERVIEWING YOU RIGHT AWAY ALSO.

WHAT GOT YOU TO SYRACUSE NEW YORK,.

>> YOU KNOW, I NEEDED TO BE SURROUNDED BY SOME FOLKS THAT UNDERSTOOD WHERE I CAME FROM, UNDERSTOOD THE ARTS, UNDERSTOOD THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TELLING URBAN STORIES AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND TEACH DANCE IN SYRACUSE AND SO HERE I AM.

>> EXCELLENT.

>> NOW I'M GOING TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.

WHAT GOT YOU 1, INTO ARTS AND JOURNALISM AND EDUTAINING THE COMMUNITY?

AND HOW DOES THAT BRING YOU TO CENTRAL NEW YORK?

HOW DID YOU GET HERE.

>> O.C.C., ONONDAGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE GOT ME HERE.

HIGH SCHOOL IN BROOKLYN.

I DID LOTS OF SHOWS, MUSICALS, MY FAVORITE.

AND BY THE TIME IT WAS A CHOICE OF GOING TO COLLEGE OR GETTING A REGULAR JOB, STAYING IN NEW YORK, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, I WAS JUST FINE STAYING IN THE CITY.

I KNEW I WAS GOING TO BROADWAY OR TO HOLLYWOOD SO THAT WAS THE PATH.

HOW I WAS GOING TO GET THERE, ONE NEVER KNEW.

HAD A WONDERFUL GUIDANCE COUNSELOR WHO HELD UP A BROCHURE FROM ONONDAGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, THEY WERE JUST STARTING A DRAMA DEPARTMENT.

I APPLIED, THEY TURNED ME DOWN.

MY GRADES WERE NOT GREAT.

MY MOTHER AND THE GUIDANCE COUNSELOR SAID GO AND TALK TO THEM.

I THINK ONCE YOU TALK TO THEM, YOU'LL GET IN.

AND DEAN BROWN MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH ME.

I TALKED WITH HIM AND HE WAS CONVINCED THAT WITH SOME TUTORING, ET CETERA, I COULD MANAGE COLLEGE.

IT WAS A STRUGGLE.

BUT I KNEW I WAS IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT I WOULD REALLY THRIVE IN IF I WERE GIVEN THE CHANCE AND I WAS GIVEN A CHANCE.

>> I'M FOND OF TELLING PEOPLE THE STORY IN HIGH SCHOOL HAVING TO GET RID OF MY NEW YORK ACCENT.

YOU KNOW WHAT NEW YORKERS ARE LIKE.

>> I DO.

>> I TALK LIKE THIS ALL THE TIME.

>> I LOVE THAT ACCENT.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHEN I HEAR IT, IT BRINGS OUT MY JERSEY ACCENT SO THAT'S OKAY.

>> WHEN I GO HOME, I LOVE TO TALK TO FOLKS.

ANYWAY, LISTEN TO ME, I'M STILL USING IT.

I HAD TO GET RID OF THAT ACCENT.

HAD TO HAVE A CLEAN SLATE SO THAT YOU COULD USE OTHER ACCENTS IF I NEEDED TO.

I COULD BE COCKNEY IF I NEEDED TO.

I COULD GO TO A SOUTHERN ACCENT IF I NEEDED TO.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

BUT YOU CAN'T DO THAT IF ALL YOU DO IS TALK LIKE A NEW YORKER.

>> RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.

>> MY FRIENDS, WHEN I WOULD TALK THIS WAY, WHY YOU WANT TO BE WHITE?

NO ONE HAS A MONOPOLY ON TALKING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

SO I HAD A LOT OF FRIENDS THAT WERE, IN A WAY, AGAINST WHAT I WAS TRYING TO ACHIEVE.

>> DID YOU FIND THAT PARTICULARLY, WHEN WOULD YOU GO BACK TO NEW YORK ON SCHOOL BREAK OR DID YOU FIND THAT HAPPENING REGARD REGARDLESS WHAT COMMUNITY WERE YOU IN?

I COULD DEFINITELY RELATE.

PEOPLE ARE LIKE WHERE EXACTLY ARE YOU FROM BECAUSE YOU DON'T SOUND LIKE YOU WERE FROM X, Y OR Z.

AND SO I CAN TOTALLY-- AND I GUESS YOU ARE COMING TO THAT POINT FROM A PERFORMANCE STANDPOINT AND WANTING TO BECOME AN ACTRESS.

BUT THAT CAN HAPPEN.

>> ANYWHERE.

>> I WAS COMING FROM A PERFORMANCE STANDPOINT, A REALLY INTERESTING STORY.

I WAS ABLE TO GET A PART-TIME JOB WHILE I WAS AT SCHOOL.

THE REGISTRAR WAS WONDERFUL AND HER HUSBAND WORKED FOR THE STATE EMPLOYMENT OFFICE SO IN THE SUMMERS, I WOULD WORK IN THE OFFICE.

I WAS ON THE PHONE AND THIS WAS ONE OF MY JOBS WAS TO WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WERE GOING TO GET PART-TIME JOBS.

THIS WOMAN CALLED ON THE PHONE AND SAID WELL, WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE WOMAN YOU SENT US AND I SAID WELL WHAT EXACTLY IS THE MATTER.

WELL, SHE SAYS, THESE AND THEMES AND THOSE.

I SAID IS SHE GETTING THE WORK DONE.

SHE SAID YES BUT I DON'T LIKE THE WAY SHE TALKS.

I'M TALKING TO HER AND SHE DOESN'T REALIZE, SHE SAID WELL, SHE IS A COLORED GIRL.

AND I SAID WELL, SO AM I.

>> BUT BECAUSE OF THE WAY IN WHICH YOU SPOKE, THEY COULDN'T TELL THAT OVER THE PHONE.

>> NO.

SO MY SUPERVISOR WAS ON THE PHONE LISTENING AS WELL AND SHE IS JUST KIND OF SHOCKED TO HEAR THIS KIND-- DON'T BE SHOCKED, I MEAN, COME ON.

>> IF YOU DON'T MIND SHARING-- >> UH-OH.

>> I THINK THE POINT THAT YOU ARE MAKING, RIGHT, AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE ON THE PHONE WHEN YOU CAN'T SEE SOMEBODY, MAKING COMMENTS BASED ON WHAT YOU SOUND LIKE, NEVER THINKING THAT THIS COULD ALSO BE A PERSON OF COLOR.

>> THIS IS THE HEIGHTENED PERIOD OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

>> BUT THAT STILL HAPPENS TODAY.

>> AND THAT'S THE SAD PART, JUHANNA, YOU MUST GET THAT ALL THE TIME, TOO.

>> LIKE WHERE EXACTLY ARE YOU FROM?

YOU SPEAK SO WELL.

WHAT IS INTERESTING ABOUT YOUR STORY, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A GIRL FROM BROOKLYN THAT APPLIES TO COLLEGE-- OBVIOUSLY BRIGHT, HAS A LOT OF POTENTIAL.

DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THAT ON PAPER.

RIGHT AND EVEN GOING INTO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING WORKING FOR THE STUDENT EMPLOYMENT OFFICE AT O.C.C., THE WAY IN WHICH WE HAVE TO EVOLVE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES FOLKS ARE FORCED TO SWITCH AND FOR THOSE THAT DON'T, MAYBE RUNNING INTO SUPERVISORS LIKE YOU JUST DESCRIBED THIS YOUNG LADY THAT YOU HELPED GET PLACED, RIGHT AND SO IT ALWAYS BRINGS UP THIS INTERESTING THOUGHT FOR ME ABOUT HOW WE BECOME SUCCESSFUL OR HOW YOU NAVIGATE THOSE THINGS AND HOLD ON TO PART OF YOURSELF.

>> AND A BIG PART OF THAT, TOO, IS HAVING SOMEONE TO INFLUENCE YOU.

MY MOTHER PUT US GIRLS-- THERE WERE FOUR OF US.

WE WERE IN GIRL SCOUTS AND ONE OF THE MEETINGS THEY HAD, MISS NEW YORK STATE, A BLACK WOMAN, CAME TO THE MEETING AND I WAS FLOORED THERE WAS SOMEBODY THAT TALKED LIKE THAT.

MISS FRANKLIN, HOW NICE TO MEET YOU.

I WAS LIKE... STATUESQUE, LIKE YOU.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN YOU IN ANOTHER LIFE.

BUT I THINK YOU HEAR THIS ALL THE TIME, YOU CAN BE IT IF YOU SEE IT, FOR SO MANY OF OUR YOUNG LADIES AND SO FOR ME, THAT STUCK WITH ME AND I CONSTANTLY KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN I HAVE TO PRESENT OR BE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.

I WANT THEM TO SEE THAT THERE IS A WAY TO HANDLE YOURSELF NO MATTER WHAT THE SITUATION IS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND IF THEY DON'T, RATHER THAN ADMONISH THEM OR CORRECT THEM IN FRONT OF EVERYONE ELSE, TEACH THEM ALSO.

CAN I TALK TO YOU FOR A MOMENT?

>> YEAH I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.

WE ARE GOING TO A HIGHLIGHT OF SOME OF THE WORK YOU DO IN THE COMMUNITY.

YOU ARE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT MODELING AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

YOU ARE ACTUALLY DOING THAT WORK, RIGHT?

YOU AND SONITA ARE TWO OF THE WOMEN THAT ARE LEADING SOME WORK IN HONOR OF SOME OTHER ARTISTS OF COLOR HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY BUT UNDERSTANDING HOW TO IMPACT YOUTH AS A PART OF IT.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR WORK.

BEFORE WE CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW KARIN IS USING PERFORMANCE ARTS TO EDUCATE AND ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY.

♪ HE WHO BELIEVES IN FREEDOM... WE WHO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM... >> WE ARE AT THE MUSEUM OF ART FOR THIS WONDERFUL INAUGURAL EVENT, THE JACKIE WARREN MONOLOGUE AND POETRY FESTIVAL.

IT'S NOT A THEATER THAT MOST ACTORS AND ACTRESSES ARE USED TO.

IT'S AN AUDITORIUM WHERE MOSTLY CONCERTS AND LECTURES TAKE PLACE.

BUT BOY, DID WE TURN THAT AROUND ♪ HE WHO BELIEVES IN FREEDOM... WE THAT BELIEVE IN FREEDOM... ♪ WE WHO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM... ... TO UP LIFT OTHERS AND FIGHT INJUSTICES.

SHE SAYS WHAT IS RIGHT IS RIGHT.

AND RIGHT IS NOT WRONG.

>> DEAR BROTHER MARTIN, I AM WRITING THIS BECAUSE THE CHILDREN ASKED ME TO.

THERE IS SO MUCH THEIR YOUNG SOULS YEARN FOR.

THEY BELIEVE IN THE DREAM, BELIEVE YOU ARE LOOKING LOVINGLY DOWN.

THEY BELIEVE YOU HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE POWER.

THEY SAY YOUR DREAM DID NOT COME TRUE.

>> THE MONOLOGUE AND POETRY FESTIVAL WAS SPECIFICALLY TO INSPIRE YOUNG VOICES.

WE CALL THEM WORD WARRIORS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE CALL JACKIE AS WELL.

>> I MEAN AS TIME GOES ON, WE WILL WELCOME ALL VOICES.

BUT WE REALLY FELT STRONGLY THAT WITH THE TIMES, AS THINGS ARE TODAY, WE NEEDED TO HEAR THE ROAR OF THE BABY LIONS.

>> NO, I'M TIRED OF BEING PEACEFUL.

PEACEFUL MAKES THEM COMPLACENT!

>>... OUR WAY TO THE... >> I SURVIVED.

... >> WE HAD A GOOD AUDIENCE BUT I WISH IT WERE OVER FLOWING SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT: WHAT WE CONSTANTLY SEE IS THE STRIFE AND THE ANGER AND THE NOT BEING ABLE TO GET ALONG IN A VERY VIOLENT WAY.

WE HAVE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE ANGER, THE HURT, THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THEIR LIVES BUT EXPRESSING IT THE WAY JACKIE SAYS.

USE IT AS A WEAPON.

>> I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS HOW WE BUILD COMMUNITY BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ALWAYS SAY IS YOUTH ARE MESSENGERS FROM THE FUTURE.

THIS COMMUNITY HAS STILL BEEN GROWING AND HAS FLAWS, HAS DONE A LOT OF PEOPLE WRONG, BUT IS ALSO TRYING TO RIGHT ITSELF.

SO WHEN YOU HAVE AN ORGANIZATION THAT CAN HELP TO PUT UP A MIRROR IN FRONT OF A COMMUNITY TO SAY THIS IS WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING LIKE RIGHT NOW HOW DOES IT LOOK TO YOU WE ARE ALSO INVITING THE COMMUNITY IN TO SING WITH US, TO LEARN WITH US, TO TALK WITH US.

AND I LOVE WHEN AT THE END OF A PERFORMANCE, YOU CAN BREAK BREAD TOGETHER AND YOU CAN TALK AND YOU CAN LOOK AT THE THINGS THAT MAYBE WE CAN CHANGE BY OUR ART.

>> ALL BLOOD RED AND FLOWING.

WE'RE WE'RE DROWNING IN OUR OWN BLOOD.

THE DREAM FROM OUR LIPS BLOOD, STREAMING DOWN OUR CHILD'S FACE WE CONTINUE TO BELIEVE... >> THAT WAS POWERFUL.

WHY DON'T YOU TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THE DECISION TO HONOR HER AND HOW YOU CAME TO KNOW HER.

>> WELL, OUR ORGANIZATION, THE PAUL ROPES FOREIGN MINISTER PERFORMING ARTS COMPANY IS IN ITS 40th YEAR AND ROPES AND SCHOLAR, AN ALL AMERICAN, A LAWYER, AN ACTOR, A CONCERT VOCALIST, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, DISCRIMINATED AGAINST, BUT HE IS KNOWN AS THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.

THERE IS A QUOTE FROM HIM WHERE HE SAYS I USE MY ART TO TEACH, TO CORRECT, WHEN HE DID CONCERTS, THERE WERE FOLKS WHO SAID SHUT UP!

JUST SING.

DON'T WE HEAR THE SAME THING ABOUT OUR ATHLETES?

SHUT UP, JUST PLAY.

WELL JACKIE EMBODIES THE SAME THING AS PAUL ROPESON, JACKIE WAS ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS, IN MY OPINION, OF THE ROPESON COMPANY SO WHEN SHE PASSED, WE WANTED TO HONOR HER.

SHE, JUST ABOUT THE SAME AS PAUL ROPESON, ACTIVIST, ACTRESS, WRITER, INTERNATIONALLY PUBLISHED POET.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND WHEN SHE PASSED, WE COULD NOT LET HER JUST GO.

HER SPIRIT, HER VIBRANCY, HER DIRECTIVES, HER WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.

SHE WORKED IN THE PRISONS.

SHE WORKED IN THE COMMUNITY CENTERS.

SHE WORKED IN THE SCHOOLS.

I MET A PARENT WHO WAS PART OF ONE OF THE WORKSHOPS THAT SHE HELD TO HELP THEM TO WRITE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

JACKIE WARREN MOORE MONOLOGUE AND POETRY FESTIVAL WAS TO HONOR HER AND WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS BUT WE ESPECIALLY WANTED TO GET OUR YOUNG PEOPLE-- I LOVE SONITA'S COMMENT, THE LITTLE LIONS.

SHE IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

THEY ARE OUR FUTURE.

AND JUST AS I SAID EARLIER ABOUT WANTING TO BE ABLE TO INFLUENCE THEM AND GET THEM TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN BE, WE FEEL THAT WITH THIS MONOLOGUE AND POETRY FESTIVAL, WE CAN HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.

WHEN WE HAD OUR INITIAL MEETING, AND ASKED THEM WHAT THEY WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, I WAS BLOWN AWAY.

IF JACKIE WERE AT THAT MEETING, JACKIE CRIED AT THE DROP OF A HAT, SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN TEARS JUST TO HEAR HOW SENSITIVE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE AND WHEN GIVEN THE CHANCE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES, HOW THEY CAN DO THAT.

>> YOUR FACE LIGHTS UP EVEN AS YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS AND AS I'M SITTING HERE WATCHING YOU TALK ABOUT JACKIE, I ALSO CAN'T HELP BUT RECOGNIZE THAT YOU ARE ALWAYS A PART OF THAT AGZ,-- A PART OF THAT LEGACY BEING SOMEONE IN YOUR CAREER FROM GOING TO O.C.C., LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR TRAJECTORY BEHIND THE CAMERA, IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA, ON STAGE, BEHIND STAGE BECAUSE YOU HAVE MADE SOMETHING OF YOURSELF.

BEYOND O.C.C.

IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT HAS LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR ME TO EVEN BE SITTING HERE.

>> VERY BLESSED, I HAVE TO SAY, VERY, VERY BLESSED.

WHEN I FIRST CAME TO SYRACUSE, I THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THIS COMMUNITY.

THEY DID NOT HAVE A SUBWAY SYSTEM.

MY FATHER SENT ME HERE LIKE A MONTH IN ADVANTAGE.

HE SAID YOU MIGHT WANT TO FIGURE OUT THE SUBWAY SYSTEM.

ALL WE KNEW ABOUT SYRACUSE WAS SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.

WE ASSUMED IT WAS A THRIVING METROPOLIS.

MY SIGHTS WERE SET ON THEATER, MY SIGHTS WERE SET ON RUBBING ELBOWS WITH THE STARS AND THE GOOD LORD HAD ANOTHER DIRECTION FOR ME SO WHEN I CAME TO SCURS AND WENT THROUGH O.C.C., OSWEGO, CORNELL, WENT BACK TO NEW YORK TO BE A STAR, DIDN'T HAPPEN.

IF YOU WEREN'T-- IF THE ROLE WASN'T WRITTEN FOR YOU IN THOSE TIMES, YOU DIDN'T GET A PART.

IT WAS MAIDS, IT WAS ANYTHING BUT A LEADING LADY.

SO I CAME BACK TO SYRACUSE AND GOT A JOB IN TELEVISION.

WCNY.

>> LITERALLY.

>> AND THEN I WORKED AT ABC AND HAD THE FIRST BLACK FEMALE DOING A DAILY TALK SHOW LIVE.

LIVE.

>> THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING LITERALLY LAID THE GROUNDWORK AND SO FOR ME SITTING HERE LISTENING, VERY AWARE, LIKE YOU COULD DEFINITELY BE SITTING IN THIS CHAIR.

>> LET'S JUST SWITCH RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I DO WANT TO INTERVIEW YOU YOU.

>> I THINK THAT WILL HAPPEN.

I FEEL LIKE THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND SETTING YOUR SIGHTS ON THE CITY, I THINK YOU SAID SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT ABOUT THE WAY THAT ROLES FOR WOMEN THAT LOOK LIKE YOU, MYSELF, AT THE TIME IN WHICH YOU WERE TRYING TO BREAK IN, REALLY HAD VERY SMALL MARGINS AS FAR AS AREAS COULD YOU GO AND TO THINK THAT YOU CAME BACK TO SYRACUSE AND FOUND THESE OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS SMALL METROPOLIS, SMALLER METROPOLIS, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT YEARS LATER LOOKING BACK ON IT.

>> IT'S A BLESSING.

YOU HAVE TO BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED SO I WAS PLANTED HERE AND THROUGH THAT SHOW THAT I DID, OPEN LINE IT WAS CALLED.

REALLY SIMPLE.

WE HAD A TELEPHONE.

WE HAD PEOPLE THAT WOULD CALL IN.

WE HAD A GUEST THAT WOULD RESPOND TO THOSE PHONE CALLS BUT SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPENED.

I REMEMBER VERY VIVIDLY A YOUNG LADY HAPPENED TO CALL AND WE FOUND THAT SHE WAS BEING ABUSED AT HER HOME.

THIS CAME ON THE TELEPHONE LINE.

WE HAD STARS THAT CAME INTO TOWN BECAUSE SYRACUSE STAGE WAS JUST STARTING AND SO IT WAS AN EQUITY THEATER COMPANY.

FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, EQUITY THEATER COMPANIES BRING IN HIGH PROFILED FOLKS.

SO THEY CAME ON THE SHOW.

AND SO I WAS ABLE TO HOBNOB WITH THE STARS AFTER ALL.

>> IT'S POWERFUL TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT.

HEY TALK ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES HERE AND SO TO HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT O.C.C.

AND MAYBE NOT GETTING IN AT FIRST BUT COMING, BEING PERSISTENT AND PER SUING THAT, GOING BACK TO NEW YORK, COMING BACK AND FINDING THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU COULDN'T GET THERE, PARTICULARLY AT THAT TIME AS A WOMAN OF COLOR, YOU HAVE FOUND THAT HERE.

AND NOW TO BE HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE PAY THAT FORWARD THROUGH PAUL ROPES.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY-- BECAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE TONS OF THEM OUT THERE, THE YOUNG GIRLS THAT ARE LOOKING OR BOYS FOR THAT MATTER, OR PEOPLE IN GENERAL, THAT ARE LOOKING FOR AN AN AND ASPIRING TO DO SIMILAR WORK, MAYBE TO BE ON TELEVISION, TO PERFORM ON STAGE.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THEM?

>> SO OFTEN YOU FEEL THAT IF I DON'T GET THE JOB THAT I WANT I CAN'T LEARN OR I CAN'T GROW.

I CAN'T BECOME WHAT I WANT TO BE.

I ALWAYS SAY PUT YOURSELF IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.

IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO WORK MORE ON YOUR WRITING SKILLS OR YOUR PRESENTATION STILLS WHETHER THE SCHOOLS ARE DOING IT NOW ON THE FIELD TRIPS OR ROAD TRIPS OR NOT, I THINK WHEN YOU SHOW INTEREST, AND YOU ARE E ABOUT SOMETHING AND THIS ISN'T JUST FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE.

FOR ANYONE WHEN YOU SHOW THAT YOU CARE AND YOU WANT TO LEARN, PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO SHOW YOU AND TO HELP YOU AND TO BRING AWE LONGE WOULD SAY FOR STARTERS, PUT YOURSELF IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.

DON'T ALWAYS FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO BE PAID FOR SOMETHING.

VOLUNTEER.

THERE ARE MANY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE PAUL ROPESON.

THERE ARE SCHOOLS, OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT IF THEY SAY AT SCHOOL WE NEED SOMEBODY TO INTRODUCE WHOEVER THAT'S COMING IN OR WHATEVER, VOLUNTEER.

SCARED TO DEATH, YOU MAY BE SCARED TO DEATH BUT DO IT, DO IT AFRAID.

I.

>> I WANT TO THANK KARIN FOR JOINING ME THIS EVENING ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN" AND ALLOWING TO US LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOU AND THE INCREDIBLE IMPACT YOU HAVE ON OUR COMMUNITY.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW THE SHOW AGAIN, VISIT US ONLINE AT WCNY.ORG/BEHINDTHEWOMAN.

MY NAME IS Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS AND ON BEHALF OF THE "BEHIND THE WOMAN" TEAM, THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

NEXT WEEK ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN..." >> ONLINE HONORED TO INTRODUCE JASMINE LIGHTBURN.

>> I WORK SPECIFICALLY WITH OLDER NEW AMERICANS.

>> PART OF OUR PROGRAMMING IS TO PROVIDE SOCIALIZATION AND ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES THROUGH THE DIFFERENT FIELD TRIPS THAT WE DO IN THE CENTRAL NEW YORK AREA: I THINK I'M INSPIRED BY THEIR RESILIENCE AND THAT HAS MADE ME A BETTER PERSON.

I'M GLAD TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HEALING, FOR COMMUNITY BUILDING, INTEGRATION INTO THE COMMUNITY, CHANGE IS GOOD.

IT MEANS YOU ARE GROWING.