>> JUST AHEAD ON BLACK ISSUES FORUM, COVID CASES ARE AGAIN ON THE RISE AND THE CDC IS REVISING THEIR ADVICE.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT REDISTRICTING AND CALLS TO CHANGE BUSINESS AS USUAL.

AND HOW SIMONE BILES' MOVE HAS US TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH IN SPORTS CULTURE.

STAY WITH US.

[upbeat synth music] ♪ >> WELCOME TO BLACK ISSUES FORUM I'M DEBORAH HOLT-NOEL.

TURNS IN THE NUMBER OF NEW COVID CASES AND DATA ON THE DELTA VARIANT BRING NEW CDC GUIDANCE ON BOTH FEDERAL AND STATE LEVELS AFTER STATING LAST WEEK THAT CORONAVIRUS WAS A PANDEMIC OF THE UNVACCINATED ON TUESDAY, THE CDC'S DIRECTOR DOCTOR ROCHELLE WALENSKY APPEARED ACROSS NEWS NETWORKS WITH A MESSAGE FOR THE COVID VACCINATED COMMUNITY, HERE'S WHAT SHE SHARED ON CBS THIS MORNING WITH GAYLE KING.

>> AND MOST OF WHAT WE'RE SEQUENCING NOW IS DELTA VARIANT AND DELTA IS JUST A DIFFERENT KIND OF BEAST, AS WE SAY.

YOU KNOW IT IS MUCH MORE CONTAGIOUS.

WE KNEW THAT ALREADY THE THING THAT'S IMPORTANT.

THE THING IS NEW DATA THAT WE'VE SEEN JUST IN THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS BUT CORROBORATED SEVERAL TIMES IS THAT IF YOU ARE VACCINATED AND YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE RARE BREAKTHROUGH INFECTIONS, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO PASS IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE.

80% OF OUR COUNTIES WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNT OF DISEASE HAVE ARE THE LOWEST AMOUNT OF THE VACCINATION IN THIS COUNTRY LESS THAN 40% OF THE PEOPLE VACCINATED.

SO THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THE REASON THAT WE HAVE SO MUCH DISEASE RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE IT'S GONE AFTER THOSE WHO ARE UNPROTECTED UNVACCINATED AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF TRANSMISSION THAT IS HAPPENING IN THIS COUNTRY IS A HAPPENING AMONG UNVACCINATED PEOPLE.

>> AS A RESULT CDC GUIDANCE FOR THE VACCINATED POPULATION NOW TODAY IS GET TESTED IF EXPOSE REGARDLESS OF YOUR SYMPTOMS, WHERE A MASK IN PUBLIC INDOOR SPACES AFTER EXPOSURE, AND IF TESTED POSITIVE ISOLATE AT HOME FOR 10 DAYS AND KNOW THAT YOU CAN TRANSMIT THE VIRUS.

IN RESPONSE TO THIS GUIDANCE, NORTH CAROLINA SENATOR PRO TEM PHIL BERGER WEDNESDAY SENT AN E-MAIL SUGGESTING THAT THIS WAS INFORMATION TO IGNORE OR ACCORDING TO A CORRECTION ISSUED BY SENATE CAUCUS POLITICAL LEADER DYLAN WATTS, THAT IT WAS INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE IGNORED.

OF COURSE FOR THE UNVACCINATED THE ADVICE IS TO FIND A VACCINE OR CERTAINLY CONTINUE TO MASK AND FOLLOW COVID PROTOCOLS FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY AND THAT OF THE COMMUNITIES.

I WANT TO INTRODUCE TODAY'S ROUND TABLE ATTORNEY JESSICA HOLMES.

ATTORNEY AND FORSYTH COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIR HAROLD EUSTACHE, AND LA'MESHIA WHITTINGTON OF ADVANCED CAROLINA.

SO PLEASED TO HAVE ALL 3 OF YOU.

AND I WANT TO OPEN UP WITH YOU JESSICA, WE KNOW THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN JUST ANNOUNCED A MANDATE FOR FEDERAL WORKERS TO GET THE VACCINE OR SUBMIT TO REGULAR TESTING IS THIS A CIVIL RIGHTS INFRINGEMENT?

>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.

AND FOR STARTERS TO BE CLEAR, IT IS NOT AN ABSOLUTE MANDATE.

FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNVACCINATED YOU MUST IF YOU CHOOSE TO CONTINUE TO NOT BE VACCINATED THEN YOU MUST SUBMIT TO WEEKLY OR POSSIBLY TWICE-WEEKLY TESTING, CONTINUE TO WEAR A MASK IN THE WORKPLACE, AND CONTINUE TO SOCIALLY DISTANCE IN ORDER TO PROTECT YOUR COLLEAGUES.

SO IT'S NOT AN ABSOLUTE MANDATE.

WE ALSO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BE MINDFUL OF RELIGIOUS AS WELL AS MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS.

SO IT'S NOT AN ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT FOR ALL FEDERAL EMPLOYEES TO BE VACCINATED.

IT'S JUST THAT IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO, THEN THERE ARE ADDITIONAL STEPS THAT YOU ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE IN ORDER TO PROTECT YOUR WORKPLACE, YOUR COLLEAGUES, YOUR FAMILY, AND THEIR FAMILIES.

>> SO THANK YOU JESSICA AND EVEN THOUGH THERE'S NOT THIS STRONG A MANDATE, MORE AND MORE PRIVATE INDUSTRIES, HAROLD, ARE COMING AND ISSUING A MANDATE FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES TO EITHER GET A VACCINATION, OR YOU KNOW, FACE THE CONSEQUENCES.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ADMINISTRATION AND ALL OF US ARE GOING TO BE FACING AS PEOPLE DON'T AGREE WITH THIS?

>> WELL WE'RE FACING A CRISIS AS FAR AS PEOPLE THAT DON'T, YOU KNOW, WANT THIS VACCINE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE OUT OF WORK.

AND SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE HEALTH CARE EMPLOYEES.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, HEALTH CARE EMPLOYEES ARE JUST ABOUT AS VACCINATED AS THE REST OF THE POPULATION.

SO WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE 40% OF OUR NURSES AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS BECAUSE THEY CHOSE NOT TO, YOU KNOW, GET A VACCINE WHEN MANDATED BY THEIR EMPLOYERS.

IT JUST - IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO - IT'S GOING TO COME TO SOME KIND HEAD.

YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND, I DO AGREE THAT ON THE LEGAL SENSE, I THINK THAT IT IS NOT A MANDATE.

I DO UNDERSTAND THAT.

I THINK IT IS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT.

I THINK THE COURTS AND HAVE BEEN CLEAR ABOUT THAT.

BUT I DO THINK THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE TENABLE SITUATION IF WE CONTINUE DOWN THIS ROAD.

>> LA'MESHIA, WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS IN YOUR OPINION WE'VE GOT TO CREATE A SAFER COMMUNITY.

ARE LEADERS DOING THEIR PART, DO THEY NEED TO BE DOING MORE?

>> WHEN THINKING ABOUT THE LANDSCAPE OF THE PANDEMIC RIGHT NOW, SO NORTH CAROLINA JUST THIS WEEK IT WAS REPORTED OVER 1,000 COVID-19 RELATED HOSPITALIZATIONS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE MAY ON.

AND SO FOR US IN THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES, IN COMPARISON TO OTHER STATES, NORTH CAROLINA HAS THE 3RD HIGHEST POPULATION AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE 3RD HIGHEST NUMBER OF TOTAL COVID-19 CASES.

SO THAT'S THE LANDSCAPE.

BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW OUR STATE IS RESPONDING.

THE MESSAGING IS STILL CONFUSING.

THE COUNCIL OF STATE IN JUNE, THAT FELL ALONG PARTY LINES, AS MAJORITY REPUBLICANS THAT VOTED TO END THE MORATORIUM FOR THE STATE RIGHT THAT WOULD INCREASE THE EVICTIONS OF RENTERS.

THAT WAS A MONTH BEFORE THE CDC MORATORIUM WAS SET TO END TOMORROW.

SO THAT MEANS MANY FOLKS WILL, GUESS WHAT, FACE HOUSELESSNESS.

SO HOW ARE WE, YOU KNOW, CREATING BARRIERS AS A STATE, BUT TELLING FOLKS TO STAY AT HOME.

HOW ARE WE HAVING TEACHERS AND STAFF LAST YEAR - PRESIDENT OF THE NCAE, TAMIKA WALKER KELLY, APPRECIATE HER LEADERSHIP, AND ELEVATE THAT - MANY STAFF THAT CAME INTO THE SCHOOL'S ADMINISTRATORS, GOING INTO SCHOOLS LAST YEAR, THE STATE DIDN'T PROVIDE MASKS, NOR DID THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

THEY WERE FEEDING THE PUBLIC.

SO WHAT LESSONS HAVE WE LEARNED?

IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE WE'VE LEARNED MUCH.

LAST YEAR WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED BEING ILL-PREPARED THIS YEAR WITH A 13 BILLION PLUS DOLLAR SURPLUS WITH THE STATE BUDGET THAT IS STILL SET TO BE - HASN'T BEEN VOTED ON - WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ACTUALLY CREATE PROVISIONS AND RESOURCES FOR LANDLORDS, TENANTS ALIKE, FOLKS ARE FACING HOUSELESSNESS, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING RESPONSIVE AND CONSISTANT IN MESSAGING.

AND THAT'S JUST SIMPLY NOT HAPPENING.

>> WELL, YOU KNOW THERE ARE SO MANY, LIKE YOU SAID, MIXED MESSAGES.

YOU'VE GOT THE CDC, YOU'VE GOT DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, EVEN UNIONS COMING IN NOW, SAYING WELL, YOU DIDN'T NEGOTIATE WITH US ABOUT MAKING A MANDATE FOR FEDERAL WORKERS.

SO YOU KNOW WHAT IS THE ENDGAME WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY MANDATES, UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS VACCINE OR RATHER THIS VIRUS HAS BEEN SO VERY POLITICIZED, AND EVERYONE IS WALKING A REAL CAREFUL LINE PARTICULARLY PRESIDENT BIDEN AND HIS ADMINISTRATION, WHAT IS THE ENDGAME, WHAT COULD BE THE STRATEGY, JESSICA WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> THE ENDGAME TO ME IS VERY SIMPLE, IT'S TO FOLLOW THE SCIENCE.

YES, THE MESSAGING HAS BEEN CONFUSING BUT I HEARD THE STATEMENT THAT AS OF RIGHT NOW WE'RE FIGHTING A DIFFERENT WAR EARLIER THIS YEAR WE HAD MORE OF THE ALPHA VARIANT OF COVID-19.

NOW WE'RE DEALING MORE WITH THE DELTA VARIANT THAT IS THE DOMINANT STRAIN IN NORTH CAROLINA RIGHT NOW AND DOMINANT STRAIN IN THIS COUNTRY.

IT IS AS TRANSMITTABLE AS THE COMMON COLD, IF NOT MORE SO.

SO WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT WAR AND WE HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT OUR SCIENTISTS ARE LEARNING NEW INFORMATION EVERY DAY, EVERY WEEK IT SEEMS.

YES IS CONFUSING.

BUT IT BOILS DOWN TO THIS: AND I'M SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE LISTENING TO THE VIEWERS, PROTECT YOURSELF.

NOT ONLY THAT, BE YOUR BROTHER AND YOUR SISTER'S KEEPER.

WHEN IT COMES TO THE UNIONS, YES, I DO THINK THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE INPUT BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND BETWEEN UNIONS THAT SAID WHEN YOU LOOK AT UNIONS, YOU HAVE THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS WHO ARE IN SUPPORT OF UNIVERSAL MASKS FOR ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS.

SAME THING WITH THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, THE NORTH CAROLINA AFFILIATE OF WHICH IS THE NORTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATORS.

SO ON ONE HAND, UNIONS ABSOLUTELY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH NOT BEING TALKED TO, OR THIS NOT BEING RUN BY THEM.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME THEY'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR THAT THEY SUPPORT VACCINATIONS AND WANT OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF ACROSS ALL OF OUR SPECTRUMS TO BE SAFE.

>> HAROLD, WHEN WE CONSIDER THE POLITICAL GAME HERE.

ARE BOTH PARTIES HERE PLAYING IT SMART WHEN IT COMES TO THE SAFETY AND SECURITY AND STRENGTH OF OUR ECONOMY AND THE AMERICAN FUTURE.

>> WELL, IT FEELS LIKE ONE SIDE IS TRENDING TOWARD MORE GOVERNMENT CONTROL, I MEAN, AND I THINK THAT YOU KNOW I THINK THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS LOOKING AT THIS AND SAYING WELL, YOU KNOW HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT YOU KNOW GOING BACK TO A LOCKDOWN AGAIN.

I MEAN ULTIMATELY WE WERE TOLD HEY, GO OUT AND GET YOUR VACCINE THAT WILL FIX IT, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE STILL BEING TOLD THAT WELL THE VACCINE IS - STILL PROTECTS YOU AGAINST THE DELTA VARIANT, BUT YOU KNOW WE MAY STILL NEED TO HAVE MANDATES WE MAY STILL EVEN TREND TOWARD A LOCKDOWN.

I THINK THAT'S THE CONFUSION FOR PEOPLE I THINK THAT'S THE FRUSTRATION.

SO FROM A POLITICAL SENSE, I THINK, I UNDERSTAND THAT - I'M NOT SAYING THAT BOTH PARTIES DON'T WANT TO KEEP US SAFE AND I AGREE WITH THAT, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE'VE GOT TO - THE SAFETY IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE DELTA VARIANT, IT'S ALSO ABOUT PEOPLE LOSING THEIR JOBS.

IT'S ALSO ABOUT PEOPLE BEING STUCK IN THEIR HOMES FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS ON END.

WE JUST CAN'T DO THAT.

>> IT'S A TOUGH PLACE TO BE.

>> THE REPUBLICAN PARTY'S IS THERE WITH THAT.

>> IT'S A TIGHT PLACE TO BE.

WE'VE GOT JUST ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT IN THE SEGMENT, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT IS A FINE LINE TO WALK.

WE DO WANT TO PROTECT JOBS.

WE WANT TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY.

BUT WHAT KIND OF LEADERSHIP IS NEEDED RIGHT NOW WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND TAKING THE NECESSARY STEPS?

>> RIGHT SO WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU KNOW STATE LAWMAKERS ACROSS THE U.S. HAVE INTRODUCED MORE THAN A 100 BILLS AND TO PROHIBIT EMPLOYERS FROM REQUIRING VACCINATION AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LEADERSHIP, THERE'S A DIVIDE.

THERE'S A CLEAR SPLIT WHEN IT COMES TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITIES, IT SHOULDN'T BE A PARTISAN DIVIDE, IT'S A SURVIVAL AND HOW DO WE KEEP OUR PEOPLE ALIVE.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OSHA PROTECTIONS THAT WASN'T ACTUALLY CREATED LAST YEAR FOR FRANCHISES OR CORPORATIONS TO REQUIRE SOCIAL DISTANCING, FOR THEM TO REQUIRE MASKS, SO THEIR FOLKS - WE NOT ONLY HAVE TO KEEP THEM EMPLOYED, WE HAVE TO KEEP THEM HEALTHY AND ALIVE TO COME BACK THE NEXT DAY TO BE EMPLOYED.

THE LEVEL OF JOB LOSS DUE TO PANDEMIC LEVEL HEALTH INSURANCE LOSS OVER HALF A MILLION PLUS FOLKS LOST HEALTH INSURANCE DUE TO COVID-19 AND ACTUAL JOBS DISAPPEAR NOT JUST FOLKS LEAVING WORK, ACTUAL JOB DEFICIT.

THOSE ARE THE KIND OF POLICIES THAT HAVE TO BE PUT IN PLACE ALONGSIDE THIS EMERGENCY VACCINATION.

WE HAVE TO ALSO HAVE EMERGENCY RELIEF FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO SURVIVE THIS PANDEMIC BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN IN PANDEMIC THIS IS JUST EXACERBATING THE STATE OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

>> EXCELLENT POINT.

ON THE POLITICAL FRONT, GROUPS ARE PAYING ATTENTION AS THE NEXT ELECTION CYCLE APPROACHES, AND THE RESULTS OF THE 2020 CENSUS INTRODUCE A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE.

NORTH CAROLINA GAINED A SEAT IN THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THAT WILL HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON REDISTRICTING.

DUE TO DELAYS CAUSED BY COVID HOWEVER, SOME MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS HAVE ALSO BEEN DELAYED.

SO A NUMBER OF IMPACTS.

JESSICA, YOU ALSO SERVE AS A REDISTRICTING CONSULTANT, WHAT CAN YOU SHARE ABOUT WHAT VOTERS NEED TO KNOW OR BE PAYING ATTENTION TO RIGHT NOW AS DISTRICT LINES ARE REDRAWN AND THESE ELECTION DATES GETS SHIFTED.

>> IF I HAD TO SUMMARIZE MY COMMENTS INTO ONE WORD, IT WOULD BE TRANSPARENCY.

VOTERS NEED TO LOOK OUT FOR TRANSPARENCY AS THESE MAPS ARE DRAWN, THERE SHOULD BE A VERY PUBLIC PROCESS.

WE ALSO HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT NORTH CAROLINA IS ONE OF THE MOST LITIGIOUS STATES IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

WHEN IT COMES TO REDISTRICTING AND LITIGATION REGARDING VOTING RIGHT.

WE HAVE TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF PARTISAN GERRYMANDERING AS WELL AS RACIAL GERRYMANDERING.

NORTH CAROLINA HAS A HISTORY OF DISENFRANCHISING BLACK VOTERS.

WE ALL KNOW THE STATEMENT ABOUT A COURT DECIDING THAT OUR GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAD TARGETED AFRICAN-AMERICANS WITH SURGICAL PRECISION.

SO VOTERS NEED TO BE DILIGENT AND WE NEED TO WATCH AND MAKE SURE THAT THE MAPS ARE COMPLIANT, THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE LAW, THAT THEY ARE NOT ENGAGING IN VOTER SUPPRESSION TACTICS, LIKE PARTISAN OR RACIAL GERRYMANDERING, AS WELL AS PACKING AND ANY ATTEMPT TO DILUTE THE BLACK VOTE OR THE VOTES OF MINORITIES ALL ACROSS OUR STATE.

AND THIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAS A HISTORY WITH DOING JUST THAT.

>> CAN YOU JUST SHARE BRIEFLY, WHAT WHAT YOU MEAN BY PACKING?

>> PACKING IS WHEN YOU CONCENTRATE A NUMBER OF VOTERS, TYPICALLY BLACK VOTERS OR VOTERS OF A CERTAIN PARTY INTO ONE AREA SO AS TO DILUTE THEIR VOTE IN OTHER AREAS, SO YOU PACK THEM IN AS A STRATEGIC METHOD TO DILUTE THEIR VOTE AND CONCENTRATE THEIR VOTE.

ONE EXAMPLE OF THAT IS TYPICALLY IN THE PAST WAS DONE IN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 1 ONE AND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 12, REPRESENTED BY CONGRESSMAN GK BUTTERFIELD AND CONGRESSWOMAN ALMA ADAMS WHERE THEY PACKED AND CONCENTRATED BLACK AND/OR DEMOCRATIC VOTERS INTO 2 DISTRICTS IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE THEIR OPPORTUNITIES - TO MAXIMIZE REPUBLICAN OPPORTUNITIES - IN OTHER DISTRICTS.

>> THANK YOU.

HAROLD, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT GERRYMANDERING AS JESSICA SAID HAS BEEN USED TO DRAW THESE LINES.

YOU KNOW WITH POLITICAL PARTISAN BIAS RACIAL BIAS AT TIMES AS AS COURTS HAVE DETERMINED, IS IT TIME TO DO AWAY WITH OR ADJUST THAT PARTICULAR PIECE OF POLICY?

WHAT CAN YOU SHARE ABOUT THE THE PRACTICE TO ELIMINATE THIS WORK?

>> WELL, I'LL SAY AS VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE FORSYTH COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY, AND I'M ALSO PART OF THE NC GOP's ELECTION INTEGRITY SPECIAL COMMITTEE, AND I DO THINK - I DO TAKE A FEW ISSUES HERE.

ONE, I THINK THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY CERTAINLY HAS DONE AS GOOD A JOB AS THEY CAN TO TRY TO DRAW THESE DISTRICTS.

REMEMBER FROM FROM PRIOR TO 2010, DEMOCRATS CONTROLLED THE NORTH CAROLINA HOUSE AND SENATE FOR NEARLY A CENTURY.

AND THEY GERRYMANDERED THOSE DISTRICTS EVERY SINGLE DECADE.

AND THE FIRST DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT AND THE 12TH DISTRICT THAT WAS REFERRED TO EARLIER, THAT 12TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, WHICH HAS BEEN THE MOST LITIGATED DISTRICT REALLY IN AMERICAN HISTORY, THAT WAS DRAWN BY DEMOCRATS IN ORDER TO GET MEL WATT A SEAT IN THE 90'S, AND NOW ALMA ADAMS HAS A SEAT.

BUT THAT'S - THAT WASN'T DONE BY REPUBLICANS AT ALL.

I THINK THE THE THING IS THAT THE WAY THAT I THINK THIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY FEELS IS THAT YOU KNOW THEY WON SUPERMAJORITIES ON DEMOCRATS-DRAWN SEATS IN 2010 THEN ATTEMPTED TO REDRAW THE BEST THEY CAN.

AND OF COURSE ANY TIME THAT A REPUBLICAN REDRAWS THE LINES, IT BECOMES A RACIAL ISSUE AND SOMEBODY SAYS THAT YOU KNOW IT'S BEING DONE TO TARGET MINORITY VOTERS.

I THINK IT'S - IT'S BEEN DONE THE RIGHT WAY.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW -- THINK ABOUT IT THIS WAY, FROM THE 1970S UNTIL NOW, THE LAST 10 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, A DEMOCRAT HAS ONLY WON ONE TIME IN NORTH CAROLINA IN 2008.

BUT YET THEY CONTROL BOTH HOUSES FOR FOR A 100 YEARS, HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?

THAT HAPPENS BY GERRYMANDERING AND DEMOCRATS WOULD DO IF THEY WERE IN POWER.

SO I SEE NO REASON TO GET RID OF IT.

>> SO WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO ANOTHER 100 YEARS PERHAPS OF REPUBLICAN CONTROL BECAUSE OF THE GERRYMANDERING AND PARTISAN GERRYMANDERING IS OKAY?

I MEAN, IT MAY BE - IS IT TIME TO REEXAMINE THIS, IS THE QUESTION ON THE FLOOR.

BUT LA'MESHIA, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTION THAT YOU KNOW IT'S A TIME TIME TO TAKE A LOOK.

WE'VE SEEN THAT BEHAVIOR OF THE DEMOCRATS WHEN THEY WERE IN POWER NOW WE SEE THE BEHAVIOR OF THE REPUBLICANS AS THEY'RE IN POWER.

YOU KNOW WE JUST CONTINUE BUSINESS AS USUAL.

>> RIGHT SO THE PURPOSE OF REDISTRICTING, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.

IT IS CONSTITUTIONAL.

SO FIRST WE HAVE TURNED REDISTRICTING, THAT IS LEGAL, IT'S WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN AFTER THE CENSUS RIGHTA?

THE CENSUS GIVES US THE POPULATION NUMBERS.

THE REDISTRICTING WE TAKE - OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TAKE THOSE NUMBERS AND THEN CREATE AND PORTION, YOU SEE THAT.

BUT OUR VOTING DISTRICTS AND THAT'S HOW WE BUT THAT'S HOW WE KNOW WHERE TO VOTE AND WHO TO VOTE FOR.

THEY'RE ALL 3 CONNECTED.

BUT HISTORICALLY OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE HAD TO FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND FOR THE FIGHT FOR REPRESENTATION AND THAT'S THE PART THAT WE CAN'T LOSE.

THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965 WAS WON, BECAUSE OF YOUTH ORGANIZING FROM S.N.I.P., FROM ELDERS, NAACP, OTHER FAITH LEADERS AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE NATION THAT LED TO THAT WIN.

BUT THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT WAS THEN AMPLIFIED BY ANOTHER WIN AT THE SUPREME COURT THAT WAS ONE PERSON ONE VOTE.

THAT WAS AMPLIFIED FROM THE PROTEST OF S.N.I.P.

PROTESTERS.

SO REDISTRICTING, US FIGHTING FOR FAIRNESS, HAS BEEN HISTORIC.

AND THEN WHEN THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT WHICH ALLOWED OUR VOTE TO BE FAIR, IT WAS ATTACKED IN 2013.

WE HAVE TO REINSPECT - WHY WAS IT GUTTED?

TO DILUTE OUR VOTE AND PREDETERMINE WHO TO VOTE FOR.

AND SO YES, COMPLETELY CORRECT, DEMOCRATS DID IT BEFORE REPUBLICANS.

REPUBLICANS ARE NOW TAKING THE LEAD.

LET'S BE FAIR BOTH PARTIES ARE AT FAULT.

WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A DEFICIT OF GERRYMANDERING.

WE HAVE IN THIS STATE 10+ HBCUs, HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.

IN 2016 JESSICA MENTIONED THESE DISTRICTS, CONGRESSWOMAN ALMA ADAMS, OVER HALF OF OUR STATE'S HBCUs WERE PACKED INTO ONE SINGLE DISTRICT, DILUTING THOSE STUDENTS VOTES AND THE COMMUNITIES WHERE OVER HALF OF OUR HBCUs COULD ONLY HAVE ONE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.

THAT DETERMINES THE LANDSCAPE AND THE POWER OF THE STATE, NO WONDER WE CAN'T WIN.

YOU CANNOT WIN WHEN YOUR VOTE IS RIGGED, AND YOU CAN NOT LEAVE PEOPLE OUT AND TELL US TO VOTE AND BE DISINGENUOUS BUT NOT TELL US THAT OUR MAPS ARE UNFAIR AND NOT INCLUDE US ON THE PROCESS OF THOSE MAPS AND PUBLIC COMMENTS.

>> MISS HOLT, ALLOW ME TO AFFIRM WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID IN ACKNOWLEDGING THE FACT THAT DEMOCRATS HAVE ABSOLUTELY ENGAGED IN GERRYMANDERING, REPUBLICANS HAVE ABSOLUTELY ENGAGED IN GERRYMANDERING, BUT I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE DEMOCRAT OR IF YOU'RE A REPUBLICAN.

IF YOU ENGAGE IN PARTISAN AND RACIAL GERRYMANDERING YOU ARE WRONG.

THERE IS NO EXCEPTION FOR EITHER PARTY, NO PARTY SHOULD ENGAGE IN GERRYMANDERING, EVERY PARTY SHOULD WANT - CHOOSE THE CONCEPT AND SPIRIT OF ONE PERSON ONE VOTE WHEN DEMOCRATS ARE IN POWER, WE TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE WANT AN INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION, BUT THEN DON'T DO ANYTHING.

THE OTHER PARTY, THAT EXACT SAME THING.

>> WHAT SHOULD BE SAID IS THAT IT'S THE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO HOLD OUR ELECTIVES ACCOUNTABLE.

>> THIS WEEK IN TOKYO, A MOVE BY GYMNASTICS STANDOUT SIMONE BILES ROCKED THE SPORTS WORLD WHEN SHE WITHDREW FROM THE TEAM FINALS, CITING A NEED TO FOCUS ON HER MENTAL HEALTH.

THIS AFTER THE ATHLETE'S RARE STRUGGLE IN PERFORMING AT HER PEAK DURING THE INDIVIDUAL ALL AROUND COMPETITION.

NOW SOME HAVE APPLAUDED HER BRAVERY TO PROTECT HER MENTAL HEALTH.

BUT I'VE HEARD DIFFERENT THINGS DEPENDING ON WHAT CHANNEL I'M LISTENING TO.

I HEARD CERTAIN THINGS ON ESPN AND THEN I HEARD DIFFERENT THINGS ON OUR NETWORK TELEVISION.

LET ME JUST OPEN UP WITH YOU HAROLD, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH BEING A GREATER PART OF THIS DISCUSSION AND ITS IMPACT ON SPORTS CULTURE?

>> GOOD FOR SIMONE BILES.

I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO TO HAVE THE BRAVERY TO DO WHAT SHE DID IT.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, SHE'S BEEN A GREAT REPRESENTATION OF TOUGHNESS AND COURAGE AS AN AMERICAN ATHLETE.

I THINK SHE'S PROVEN HERSELF AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL.

SHE OUGHT TO BE GIVEN EVERY BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.

I MEAN, I THINK THAT WHAT PEOPLE ARE MISSING HERE TOO IS THAT SHE'S BEEN PUBLIC ABOUT HER - HER BEING A VICTIM OF SEXUAL ASSAULT.

AND WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT ANYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING AT THE OLYMPICS TRIGGERED THAT.

SO I THINK THAT IF ANYBODY GETS THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT, IT'S CERTAINLY ONE OF OUR BEST ATHLETES OF ALL TIME, SHE'S PROVEN HERSELF.

SO I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT SHE HAS THAT SHE'S BRINGING THE ATTENTION OF MENTAL HEALTH.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL ATHLETES, BECAUSE THEY ARE PEOPLE.

AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT.

SO I THINK IT - I THINK IT'S A GREAT THING TO DO.

>> WOW AND YOU KNOW WHAT I WAS HEARING, LA'MESHIA, IS I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF THIS.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF - I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW THESE ARE THE ELITE ATHLETES AND THE EXPECTATION IS THAT YOU'RE POWERING THROUGH LAYERS AND LAYERS OF PRESSURE ON A REGULAR.

SO WHAT DO WE MAKE OF THIS?

NOT ONLY SIMONE BILES BUT YOU KNOW, NAOMI OSAKA WE'VE GOT PLAYERS IN THE NBA.

WHAT DO WE MAKE OF IT.

>> SO I DEFINITELY WANT - JUST PLUS ONE, HAROLD SAID, IN THIS MOMENT THAT WE SUPPORT SIMONE BILES.

LET'S ALSO TALK ABOUT SHE HAS A COMBINED TOTAL 6 OLYMPIC MEDALS AND 25 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MEDALS.

SO SHE DIDN'T NEED TO COMPETE, BUT THE REALITY IS SHE ACHIEVED THAT, AS ALREADY BEEN STATED, WHILE ENDURING UNDO STRESS AT THE HANDS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SHE TESTIFIED, RIGHT?

AND SHE'S CREATED SAFE SPACES FOR OTHER YOUNG GYMNASTS OF COLOR AND WOMEN GYMNASTS TO ACTUALLY PRACTICE SAFELY.

AND AT THE SAME TIME IN 2016, HER MEDICAL RECORDS WERE PUT ON PUBLIC, REVEALED SHE TAKES MEDICATION FOR ADHD AND THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO DISCREDIT HER AND SAY THAT SHE WAS USING MEDICATION TO AMPLIFY HER PERFORMANCE.

WHERE HAVE WE HEARD THAT BEFORE?

SO WE SEE THE BARRAGE OF ATTACKS THAT SIMONE HAS ENDURED FOR YEARS.

SO HER DECISION POINT, HER POWER IN STEPPING INTO THAT POWER TO SAY, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO EXTRACT FROM ANY MORE THAN I'M WILLING TO GIVE, TO ENTER MY BODY.

WE SEE ATHLETES THAT YOU MENTION.

THIS HAS BEEN HISTORIC THAT OUR ELITE ATHLETES HAVE ALWAYS DONE A PROTEST FOR THEMSELVES WHICH IS FOR OUR PEOPLE.

WE SAW THAT WITH JESSE OWENS, THE PROTEST MANY YEARS AGO.

AND WHAT DID HE COME HOME TO AFTER 4 GOLD MEDALS?

THE PRESIDENT NOT MEETING WITH HIM, DISCRIMINATION BUT HE STILL HELD IN HIS OWN.

AND GUESS WHAT REPRESENTED, WAS MISTREATED IN HIS HOME NATION, BECAUSE ITS EXTRACTION OF OUR TALENTS.

WE SAW LEBRON JAMES AND THE NFL TEAM, YOU KNOW MOVE OUT OF THE LOCKER NOT PLAY BECAUSE OF THE PROTESTS OF B.L.M.

WE'VE SEEN A COLIN KAEPERNICK, MARSHAWN LYNCH, SERENA WILLIAMS WHO ELEVATED MATERNAL MALPRACTICE IN MEDICAL HEALTH.

GUESS WHAT?

IT IS THE BURDEN OF OUR PEOPLE TO BE OPRESSED, IT SHOULDN'T BE THE BURDEN OF OUR PEOPLE TO PUT OUR TRAUMA ON BARE DISPLAY.

SO WHEN WE DO, WE HAVE TO STAND BEHIND THEM AND BESIDE THEM, BECAUSE THEY ARE US.

AND BECAUSE AS BLACK COMMUNITY, OUR PERSONAL AND SOCIAL LIBERTIES INCLUDE OUR RIGHT TO PROTEST, OUR RIGHT TO A FAIR VOTE AND OUR RIGHT TO ADEQUATE MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WAKE OF THE TRAUMAS OF THIS NATION LAYS AT OUR FEET, ON OUR BACKS, OUR FACES.

AND THAT IS WHAT SIMONE BILES REPRESENTS, IN ADDITION TO SHAKERI, IN ADDITION TO NAOMI, A LEGACY THAT THEY ARE CARRYING PROUDLY OF THEIR ANCESTORS AND ELDERS.

NOT DOING ANYTHING NEW, THEY'RE JUST TAKING IT ON TO THE NEXT AND THAT'S THE GOLD MEDAL.

>> YOU ALWAYS - YOU ALWAYS BRING IT HOME AND LAY IT OUT THERE.

YOU BROUGHT SOMETHING UP, I WANT TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS JESSICA, THE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE AND THE RULES THAT THAT ARE THERE ARE NOT FOR TODAY'S UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF HUMANITY.

THEY'RE BEING TARGETED - NOT TARGETED - BUT THE ATTENTION IS BEING DRAWN TO SOME OF THESE OLYMPIC RULES WITH REGARD TO WHAT YOU'RE WEARING, BUT ALSO TO PROTEST BECAUSE I THINK THE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE HAS SOME SORT OF RULING ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE ALLOWED TO DO IN PROTEST.

ONE YOUNG LADY, A GYMNIST, HAD HER FIST UP AT THE END, AND SHE HAD TO DEFEND THAT.

>> WE ALSO HAVE TO BE MINDFUL THAT EVEN OUR ELITE ATHLETES ARE HUMAN.

FIRST LET ME GO BACK - I'M IN THE AMEN CORNER AS TO EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID BEFORE ME AS TO THIS ISSUE.

>> AMEN, TOO!

>> THESE ARE STILL HUMAN BEINGS.

WE ARE PUTTING THESE ATHLETES UNDER TREMENDOUS PRESSURE AND SO I WANT TO CONFIRM AND AFFIRM THAT I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT SIMONE BILES ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT NAOMI OSAKA WHO WITHDREW FROM THE FRENCH OPEN DUE TO HER MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS AND ANY OTHER ATHLETES.

ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT AS YOU REFERENCED, THE FACT THAT YOU KNOW WOMEN IN SPORTS LIKE VOLLEYBALL AND IN GYMNASTICS BARELY WEAR MUCH OF ANYTHING.

AND SOME TEAMS ARE CHOOSING TO STAND UP AGAINST THAT.

SOME OF THEM ARE BEING FINED.

SOME OF THEM ARE BEING - BEING PUNISHED FOR DOING THAT.

BUT I HOPE THAT THEY CONTINUE THIS TREND OF BEING THE HUMANS THAT THEY ARE.

ABSOLUTELY.

IF ANYBODY AGAIN DESERVES ANY GRACE IT'S SIMONE BILES.

SHE IS THE G.O.A.T., THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME, SO IF ANYONE DESERVES ANY GRACE IT'S HER.

>> NO CONTEST HERE.

IT IS DEFINITELY A DIFFERENT DAY FOR SPORTS CULTURE IN AMERICA, AND HOPEFULLY WORLDWIDE.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU.

I WANT TO THANK TODAY'S GUESTS FOR JOINING US.

AND WE INVITE YOU TO ENGAGE WITH US ON TWITTER OR INSTAGRAM USING THE HASHTAG BLACK ISSUES FORUM.

YOU CAN ALSO FIND OUR FULL EPISODES ON pbsnc.org/blackissuesforum FOR FOR LISTEN ANY TIME ON APPLE iTUNES, SPOTIFY.

OR THROUGH THE PODCAST.

FOR BLACK ISSUES FORUM, I'M DEBORAH HOLT-NOEL.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

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