>> Braude: TONIGHT ON "GREATER BOSTON": A LOOK AT THE MISSISSIPPI ABORTION CASE THE SUPREME COURT JUST AGREED TO HEAR, AND WHAT IT COULD MEAN FOR THE FUTURE OF "ROE VS. WADE" AND THE RIGHT TO GET AN ABORTION RIGHT HERE IN NEW ENGLAND, WITH SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY LAW PROFESSOR RENEE LANDERS.

THEN, THE LOCAL LATINO EQUITY FUND AND A PUSH TO RAISE $10 MILLION TO MAKE HEALTH CARE AND ECONOMIC GROWTH MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES HIT HARDEST BY COVID.

TWO LEADERS JOIN ME: MASS GENERAL'S DR. JOSEPH BETANCOURT AND INCOMING DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION OFFICER OF BETH ISRAEL LAHEY HEALTH, JUAN LOPERA.

AND, FINALLY, "BOSTON GLOBE" TRAVEL WRITER CHRISTOPHER MUTHER JOINS ME ON WHERE HE'S BEEN, AND WHERE HE'S SET TO GO, NOW THAT HE'S FULLY VACCINATED.

>>> SINCE DONALD TRUMP PUT NOT ONE, NOT TWO, BUT THREE NEW JUSTICES ON THE SUPREME COURT, RIGHT-WING POLITICIANS AND ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN CHALLENGING ABORTION RIGHTS AT THE STATE LEVEL IN AN EFFORT TO GET THE COURT'S NEW CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY TO CHIP AWAY AT THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS ESTABLISHED NEARLY 50 YEARS AGO IN THE LANDMARK CASE "ROE VS.

WADE."

AND SOON THOSE EFFORTS WILL BE PUT TO THE TEST.

YESTERDAY THE JUDGES DECIDED TO TAKE UP A CASE ABOUT A NEW MISSISSIPPI LAW THAT LOOKS TO BAN MOST ABORTIONS AFTER 15 WEEKS OF PREGNANCY -- TWO MONTHS EARLIER THAN THE CURRENT LEGAL LIMIT.

AND THE WHITE HOUSE HAD THIS RESPONSE: >> OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, CRITICAL RIGHTS, LIKE THE RIGHT TO HEALTH CARE, THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE, HAVE BEEN UNDER WITHERING AND EXTREME ATTACK, INCLUDING THROUGH DRACONIAN STATE LAWS.

THE PRESIDENT AND THE VICE PRESIDENT ARE DEVOTED TO ENSURING EVERY AMERICAN HAS ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, INCLUDING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE.

>> Braude: SO HOW LIKELY IS THE SUPREME COURT TO STRIKE DOWN, OR GREATLY NARROW, THE PROTECTIONS OF "ROE VS. WADE"?

AND WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY DO?

I'M JOINED BY SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR AND CONSTITUTIONAL LAW EXPERT RENEE LANDERS, WHO'S ON THE PLANNED PARENTHOOD LEAGUE OF MASSACHUSETTS' BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

>> Braude: RENEE, IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU AS ALWAYS.

>> IT IS GREAT TO SEE YOU, TOO, JIM.

>> Braude: CAN YOU DO 30 SECONDS ON WHAT RIGHTS "ROE VS. WADE" ESTABLISHED IN THIS COUNTRY?

>> SURE, JIM.

SO "ROE VS. WADE," IN 1973, WAS A CASE RULED THAT A WOMAN AND HER DOCTOR COULD DECIDE TO TERMINATE A PREGNANCY.

IT ESTABLISHED KIND OF A SLIDING SCALE ON THE -- WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE TRIMESTER FRAMEWORK.

WITHIN THE FIRST TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY, A WOMAN AND HER DOCTOR COULD DECIDE TO TERMINATE THE PREGNANCY WITH VERY LITTLE INTERFERENCE WITH THE STATE.

IN THE SECOND TRI MESTER, THE STATE WAS ALLOWED TO HAVE REGULATIONS FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE WOMAN.

IN THE THIRD TRIMESTER, MORE EXTENSIVE REGULATION WAS ALLOWED, UP TO AND INCLUDING PROHIBITING ABORTION ENTIRELY.

>> Braude: HOW WOULD THE MISSISSIPPI CASE CHANGE THAT?

>> AFTER "ROE VS. WADE," THERE WAS ANOTHER CASE IN 1986, AND IN THE CASEY CASE THE COURT CHANGED TO A DIFFERENT STANDARD.

IT SORT OF REFORMULATED FROM THE TRI TRIMESTER STANDARD.

SO THEY SAID THAT THE ABORTION COULD NOT BE PROHIBITED BEFORE FETAL VIABILITY.

AND FETAL VIABILITY IS SOMEWHERE AROUND -- THIS ISN'T A PRECISE MEASURE, BUT ABOUT 23TO 24 WEEKS, AND THE MISSISSIPPI LAW AT ISSUE IN WHICH THE CASE THE SUPREME COURT GRANTED A CERT, SPECIFICS AN ABORTION WOULD BE PROHIBITED IN MOST CIRCUMSTANCES AFTER 15 WEEKS.

>> Braude: EVEN THOUGH I WASN'T PAYING MUCH ATTENTION IN MY CONSTITUTIONAL CLASS AND LAW SCHOOL, I DID HEAR SOMETHING ABOUT PRECEDENT, AND I HEAR THE CHIEF JUSTICE TALK ABOUT ESTABLISHED LAW IN THIS COUNTRY.

47 YEARS THIS HAS BEEN THE LAW OF THE LAND.

HOW MUCH DOES THAT MEAN TO THE SIX CONSERVATIVE-LEANING MEMBERS OF THE COURT?

>> I THINK IT MEANS A LOT TO CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS.

AND WE SAW EVIDENCE OF THAT IN THE (indiscernable) CASE WHERE THE COURT DECIDED LAST TERM THAT THE COURT WAS PRESENTED WITH THE LAW THAT WAS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO A LAW THAT THE COURT -- A TEXAS LAW THAT THE COURT HAD STRUCK DOWN IN AN EARLIER CASE.

AND EVEN THOUGH CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS HAD DESCENDED IN THE EARLIER CASE, WHICH INVALIDATED CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS ON ABORTION, HE VOTED IN THE MAJORITY BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF THE PRECEDENT.

SO I THINK HE VALUES IT VERY MUCH.

I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH WE KNOW ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER JUSTICES, THE NEWER ONES THAT FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP APPOINTED, FOR EXAMPLE.

>> Braude: I HATE TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT WHY NOT?

WHAT IS THE WORST AND BEST-CASE SCENARIO IN YOUR ESTIMATION COME WHENEVER THIS DECISION IS RELEASED IN JUNE OF NEXT YEAR?

>> RIGHT.

SO I WOULD SAY THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO IS THAT THEY TAKE THE IMPLICATION AND TOTALLY JETTISON THE "ROE VS. WADE" AND DECIDE THAT THERE IS ACTUALLY NO RIGHT IN THE CONSTITUTION FOR WOMEN -- FOR A WOMAN TO TERMINATE HER PREGNANCY.

THAT IS THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO.

I THINK THE BEST-CASE SCENARIO WE COULD HOPE FOR IS THAT THE COURT DOES WHAT IT DID IN THE LAST TERM OF JUNE MEDICAL, AND SAY THAT IT DOESN'T WANT TO ALTER THE PRECEDENT, AND, THEREFORE, MIGHT IN INVALIDATE -- THE BAN ON ABORTIONS AFTER 15 WEEKS BECAUSE OF THE VIABILITY STANDARD ESTABLISHED IN CASEY.

>> Braude: I THINK I SHOULD HAVE ASKED YOU WHAT IS THE LIKELY SCENARIO, BECAUSE I HAVE A FEELING NEITHER IS?

>> YEAH, I THINK THE LIKELIEST -- WELL, THE THIRD POSSIBILITY IS THAT THE COURT -- PART OF THIS CHIPPING AWAY AT THE RIGHT TO ABORTION WOULD BE THAT THE COURT WOULD SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, 15 WEEKS, MOST ABORTIONS THAT OCCUR IN THE UNITED STATES, 90% OR MORE, OCCUR BEFORE 13 WEEKS OF PREGNANCY OR AROUND THAT TIME.

AND THAT THIS WOULD NOT PROHIBIT SO MANY ABORTIONS AND, THEREFORE, EVEN THOUGH IT WOULD CHANGE THE VIABILITY STANDARD, BUT IT WOULD UPHOLD THE LAW BUT NOT OUTLAW ABORTION IN THE EARLY STAGES COMPLETELY.

>> Braude: WE SHOULD ALSO MENTION THE STATES HAVE A SAY HERE.

I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE PEOPLE WITH THE WRONG IMPRESSION, EVEN IF THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO COMES OUT OF THE SUPREME COURT.

HERE IS A LIST OF U.S. STATES THAT HAVE LAWS PROTECTING ABORTIONS IF ROE WERE TO BE OVERTURNED.

NEXT IS A MAP OF STATES THAT HAVE CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS OF ABORTION, EVEN IF ROE IS OVERTURNED, AND THAT INCLUDES MASSACHUSETTS.

ON THE FLIPSIDE, THERE ARE STATES WITH TRIGGER LAWS, ABOUT 10 OF THEM, GIVE OR TAKE A LITTLE, WHICH IF "ROE VS. WADE" WERE TO BE OVERTURNED, AUTOMATICALLY WHATEVER PROTECTIONS THAT HAD IN PLACE WOULD BE REPEALED.

SO ESSENTIALLY, IN THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO IN TERMS OF THE SUPREME COURT, RENEE, WHAT WOULD MATTER IS WHAT STATE YOU LIVE IN OR WHAT STATE YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES TO TRAVEL IN.

SO THERE WOULD BE JUST BE UNEQUAL JUSTICE -- I DON'T MEAN "JUST," BUT THERE WOULD BE UNEQUAL ACCESS TO ABORTION AROUND THE COUNTRY.

>> THAT IS CORRECT.

I WANTED TO OFFER ONE THING: MASSACHUSETTS HAS SOME NEW STATUTORY ADOPTIONS FOR ANTICIPATING THIS SCENARIO.

ABORTION IS NOT EQUAL RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IN MISSISSIPPI, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS ONE ABORTION CLINIC THAT CONTINUES TO FUNCTION AS A LITIGANT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE.

AND AROUND THE COUNTRY, YOU KNOW, THE SITUATION IS QUITE DIRE IN MANY STATES FOR ACCESS TO ABORTION.

WOMEN HAVE TO TRAVEL LONG DISTANCES TO OBTAIN AN ABORTION.

>> Braude: RENEE, BEFORE YOU GO, MARGE MARJORIE EGGAN AND I HAVE BEEN SAYING ONCE A RIGHT IS ESTABLISHED, IT IS UNLIKELY IT WILL BE UNDONE.

>> YOU KNOW, I CAN'T THINK OF ONE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

I THINK THAT IN THE CASEY CASE THAT I WAS MENTIONING EARLIER, WHICH ESTABLISHED THE VIABILITY STANDARDS, JUSTICE O'CONNOR, AND HER OPINION IN THAT CASE, DEVELOPED A FOUR-PART TEST THAT THE COURT HAS SOMETIMES BEEN USING WHEN IT IS THINKING ABOUT WHETHER IT SHOULD OVERTURN A PRECEDENT.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE KIND OF -- THE COURT DECIDED IN CASEY, AND I THINK THAT THE FACTORS AND THE CONCLUSIONS THEY REACHED IN CASEY STILL MAINTAIN TODAY, THAT THERE IS NO REAL REASON WE SHOULD CHANGE THAT PRECEDENT.

THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL ALLIANCE INTEREST THAT SOCIETY HAS DEVELOPED THAT IF BIRTH CONTROL FAILS, THAT ABORTION IS A BACKSTOP.

SOMETIMES ABORTION IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE LIFE AND THE HEALTH OF THE WOMAN.

AND, ALSO, THAT THE LEGAL DOCTRINES, THE FACTUAL BASIS OR UNDERPINNING OF THE CASE HAS NOT CHANGED SUBSTANTIALLY.

SO ACCORDING TO THE COURT'S OWN CRITERIA, THERE IS REALLY NO BASIS FOR CHANGING THE PRECEDENT.

>> Braude: I HOPE THEY'RE LISTENING TO YOU.

GOOD TO SEE YOU, AS ALWAYS.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, JIM.

>>> RACIAL WEALTH GAPS HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM FOR AS LONG AS BOSTON HAS BEEN A CITY, BUT IN 2015 THE LOCAL FEDERAL RESERVE BANK LAID OUT ALL THE DETAILS IN A STUNNING REPORT CALLED "THE COLOR OF WEALTH."

IT FOUND THAT WHILE WHITE HOUSEHOLDS HAD A MEDIAN NET WORTH OF MORE THAN $247,000, OTHER RACIAL GROUPS HAD A LOT LESS, INCLUDING THE INFAMOUS $8 FIGURE FOR BLACK HOUSEHOLDS.

BUT MANY LATINO AND HISPANIC HOUSEHOLDS WEREN'T DOING MUCH BETTER, INCLUDING PUERTO RICAN FAMILIES AND THOSE IDENTIFIED AS OTHER HISPANIC, WITH A ROUGHLY $3,000 MEDIAN NET WORTH, OR AROUND 1% OF WHAT WHITE HOUSEHOLDS HAD.

AND FOR DOMINICAN FAMILIES, IT WAS ZERO.

FAST FORWARD TO TODAY, MORE THAN A YEAR INTO THE PANDEMIC THAT HAS HIT LATINO COMMUNITIES PARTICULARLY HARD, BOTH IN TERMS OF PERSONAL FINANCES AND PERSONAL HEALTH, AS THEIR SHARE OF THE PAIN OF COVID FAR EXCEEDS THEIR SHARE OF THE POPULATION.

THAT'S WHERE THE LATINO EQUITY FUND COMES IN.

IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2013 AS THE LATINO HERITAGE FUND, THE FIRST AND ONLY OF ITS KIND IN THE STATE.

AND NOW LOCAL BUSINESS LEADERS ARE LAUNCHING A CAMPAIGN TO RAISE $10 MILLION FOR THE FUND TO HELP BRIDGE THE GAP ON ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.

I'M JOINED NOW BY A CO-CHAIR OF THE FUND'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE, JUAN LOPERA, THE INCOMING CHIEF OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION OFFICER AT BETH ISRAEL LAHEY HEALTH; AND DR. JOSEPH BETANCOURT, WHO'S NOW JOINING THE COMMITTEE.

HE'S ALSO THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR EQUITY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SENIOR ADVISORY TO THE DISPARITIES SOLUTIONS CENTER AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL AND AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE AT HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL.

>> Braude: JUAN, DOCTOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH ME.

>> GREAT TO BE WITH YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Braude: JUAN, WHEN ANNOUNCING THE CAMPAIGN, THE PRESS RELEASED COVID-19 WAS OUR RECKONING.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> YEAH, FOR THE LATINO COMMUNITY, WE HAVE SEEN THE IMPACT ACROSS THE BOARD.

AND IN EVERY METRIC YOU LOOK AT, THE COVID CASES FOR THE LATINO COMMUNITY, ONE OF THE HIGHEST.

THE HOSPITALIZATION RATE, THE AGE AND ADJUSTED DEATH RATE, AND THEN THE ECONOMIC IMPACT DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED LATINO-OWNED BUSINESSES.

SO IT WAS QUITE THE RUDE AWAKENING, AND MUCH OF IT REALLY STEMMING FROM SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT HAVE PLAGUED OUR COMMUNITY FOR SO LONG.

JUAN, STAYING WITH YOU FOR A MINUTE, LATINO GROWTH IN THE POPULATION IN BOSTON, HAS ACCOUNTED FOR MORE THAN 90% OF THE TOTAL GROWTH OF BOSTON POPULATION OVER THE LAST 40YEARS.

YEARS.

BUT THERE IS NO COMMENSURATE GROWTH OR TANGIBLE PROGRESS.

WHY THAT DISCONNECT?

>> THE REALITY IS WE HAVEN'T HAD THE REPRESENTATION WE NEED.

WE HAVE NOT COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS WE NEED.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD ENOUGH PEOPLE IN POWER ROLES.

BUT THAT IS CHANGING.

THAT IS CHANGING WITH THE LATINO EQUITY FUND.

IT IS CHANGING WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE AMPLIFIED LAND.

AND SO I THINK WE ARE BEING HEARD, FINALLY.

>> Braude: DOCTOR, I WANT TO RETURN TO WHAT JUAN WAS TALKING ABOUT, SOME OF THESE STATISTICS, WHICH I'M SURE YOU KNOW FAR BETTER AND MORE PAINFULLY THAN I DO.

JUST PUT UP FROM THE MASS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, MASS COVID CASES, AS PER 100,000 POPULATION NUMBERS AND DEATHS, WHITES ARE 71% OF THE POPULATION, 25% OF THE DEATHS, ONLY 12% OF THE CASES.

HISPANIC, AS LISTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, ONLY 12% OF THE POPULATION.

YET 38% OF THE CASES.

AND 17% OF THE DEATHS.

ARE WE MAKING PROGRESS ON THAT FRONT?

THAT'S FROM MAY 12th, BY THE WAY.

ARE WE MAKING PROGRESS THERE, DOCTOR?

>> Doctor: WE CERTAINLY ARE.

I WOULD SAY FOR BOTH JUAN AND I, BOTH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LATINOS, DEDICATED TO THESE ISSUES, WE'VE BEEN IN THE FIGHT SINCE DAY ONE.

I THINK THE NUMBERS ARE EASY TO EXPLAIN.

OUR COMMUNITY IS YOUNG, VIBRANT, HARD-WORKING, ESSENTIAL WORKERS, AND SO THE CASE RATES THAT WE SAW, I THINK WE FULLY EXPECTED THEY WERE IN THE EYE OF A PERFECT STORM FOR THE SPREAD OF COVID-19.

AS YOU LOOK AT THE DEATH RATE, CERTAINLY LOWER THAN THE CASE RATE, WE ARE TENDING TO BE YOUNGER, NEVERTHELESS, I THINK WE WERE HIT EARLY AND HIT HARD.

BUT IT IS GETTING BETTER, JIM.

I THINK WE'RE REALLY WORKING HARD AT TURNING THE CORNER AND GETTING TOWARDS VACCINES.

THAT IS OUR PATH TOWARDS NORMAL, AND THAT WILL TAKE SOME HARD WORK.

>> Braude: ON THE VACCINATION FRONT, THOUGH, DOCTOR, IS HESITANCY THE ISSUE, ACCESS THE ISSUE, OR IS IT BOTH?

>> Doctor: I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IT IS A A THREE-LEG THREE-LEGGED STOOL.

NUMBER ONE, WE WANT THEM TO KNOW THERE IS A VACCINE AVAILABLE, WHERE IT IS, NEEDING EDUCATION, AND NEEDING TO PAY FOR THE VACCINE.

THAT IS ONE LEG OF THE STOOL.

THE SECOND IS SCHEDULING AND AVAILABILITY.

ONCE PEOPLE KNOW IT IS AVAILABLE AND THEY KNOW THEY CAN GO AND GET IT DONE, WHAT ARE THE WAYS WE CAN FACILITATE SCHEDULING.

EARLY ON WE WERE USING OUR ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD.

YOU NEEDED TO GET ON THE COMPUTER.

CERTAINLY WITH THE DIGITAL DIVIDES, OUR COMMUNITIES WERE LIMITED.

SO FACILITATING SIMPLE, EASY WAYS.

AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO WALK-INS, AND THAT IS THE SECOND LEG.

AND THE THIRD IS BUILDING CONFIDENCE.

ADDRESSING MISTRUSTS AND MISCONCEPTIONS.

I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT WITHOUT ANY ONE OF THE LEGS, THE STOOL FALLS OVER.

WE CAN DO ALL OF THE WORK ON COMPETENCE AND HESITANCY, BUT IF IT IS NOT AVAILABLE, THE LEG IS NOT THERE.

>> Braude: JUAN, I KNOW YOU WERE PARTE OF THE PART OF THE EFFORT TO SHORE UP ONE OF THE LEGS WITH THE MOBILE VAX THING.

HOW IS THAT WORKING?

>> UNDER MY PREVIOUS CAPACITY IN HARBOR HEALTH, A COLLABORATION CAME TOGETHER WITH TWO LATINO-OWNED COMPANIES.

ONE DOES MULTIPLE CULTURAL MARKETING.

WE BROUGHT THAT GROUP TOGETHER REALLY THROUGH CONNECTIONS OF THE LATINO EQUITY FUND, WHERE ONE OF OUR MEMBERS IS A FINANCIAL ADVISORY TO BOTH OFADVISOR TO ONE OF THE COMPANIES.

WE WERE ABLE TO ADDRESS HEALTH EQUITY AND ECONOMIC RESOURCES.

IT FELL IN LINE WITH WHAT DR. BETANCOURT WAS MENTIONING.

WITH HAD BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND INFORMATION AND LANGUAGE IN A CULTURALLY COMPETENT WAY, AND WITH B.P.D.

TRANSPORTATION, THEY WERE ABLE TO USE THEIR VEHICLES, WHICH WERE USED FOR OTHER REASONS, AND WE PARTNERED TO GET THE VACCINE AND THE VAX VACCINATORS.

SO WE BROUGHT THE VACCINE TO THE PEOPLE, AND WE DIDN'T WAIT FOR THEM TO COME AND STAND IN LINE AND TAKE TIME OFF FROM WORK.

WE NEEDED TO BRING THE VACCINE TO THEM.

>> Braude: DOCTOR, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO A STUDY CAME OUT TALKING ABOUT WHITE RESIDENTS AND THE STEREOTYPES THEY HAD ABOUT BLACK PATIENTS.

THEIR SKIN WAS THICKER.

THEY WERE MORE RESISTANT TO PAIN, THINGS THAT WERE JUST STUNNING.

IS THERE ANY OF THAT STEREOTYPING, IN TERMS OF SERVICE, FOR THE LATINO COMMUNITY IN HEALTH CARE FACILITIES?

>> Doctor: YEAH.

I'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS IN THE AREAS OF HEALTH DISPARITIES.

SOME OF THE ASSUMPTIONS DO PLAY OUT, AND THE STEREOTYPES HAVE BEEN PROMULGATED OVER YEARS.

ABSOLUTELY.

WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT HUMAN BEINGS, WE MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT PEOPLE, THE LESS WE UNDERSTAND ABOUT THEM.

AND OFTEN SOMETIMES THE ASSUMPTIONS TEND TO BE NEGATIVE.

IT PLAYS OUT IN DECISION-MAKING AND RESOURCE DISTRIBUTION AND SO ON.

ONE THING WE WOULD LIKE TO SAY ABOUT THE LATINO COMMUNITY, THIS IS SA COMMUNITY THAT IS STRONG, IS RESILIENT.

AND WE WANT TO BE MOBILE AND BRICK BRING IT TO PEOPLE, OUR COMMUNITIES ARE VERY STRONG.

THEY GET AROUND ALL DAY, AND THIS IS MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE.

THEY HAVE CAPACITIES THAT ALLOW THEM TO BE A KEY PART OF THIS PANDEMIC, THAT GOT US THROUGH THE PANDEMIC THROUGHOUT THIS LAST YEAR.

>> Braude: JUAN, I ASSUME PART OF YOUR FOCUS IS UNON UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS, WHO IN MANY WAYS HAVE IT EVEN WORSE.

IS THAT CORRECT?

>> YEAH.

I THINK THE OUTREACH THAT HAS BEEN DONE IS VERY ATTUNE TO THAT, MAKING SURE WE ENGAGE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE USING PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY SO THAT THEY ARE TRUSTED SOURCES.

AND WE DON'T ASK FOR DOCUMENTATION.

WE WELCOME EVERYONE AS PART OF THE PROGRAM.

>> Braude: I WISH YOU BOTH LUCK IN YOUR WORK, PARTICULARLY WITH THE LATINO EQUITY FUND.

GOOD LUCK TO BOTH OF YOU, AND THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

NEXT UP, AS VACCINATION RATES RISE AND RESTRICTIONS ROLL BACK, PEOPLE ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE COMFORTABLE TRAVELING AGAIN.

THAT INCLUDES "BOSTON GLOBE" TRAVEL WRITER CHRISTOPHER MUTHER, WHO'S TWO SHOTS, AND SO FAR, ONE COUNTRY-- OR ONE ISLAND-- DOWN, WITH A LOT MORE IN STORE FOR THE REST OF 2021.

>> Braude: CHRISTOPHER, IT IS GREAT TO SEE YOU.

HOW ARE YOU?

>> I'M WELL.

HOW ARE YOU, JIM?

>> Braude: I'M GOOD.

MY ANALYSIS IS A TRAVEL WRITER WHO DOESN'T TRAVEL, IS SORT OF LIKE A TV HOST WHO DOES THE SHOW FROM HIS DAUGHTER'S BEDROOM.

THAT'S MY TAKE ON THIS.

YOU DID FINALLY TRAVEL AND GET ON A PLANE.

WHERE DID YOU GO AND WHY?

>> I WENT TO SOUTH CAICOS.

I WENT THERE SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THERE IS REALLY NO TOURISM THERE WHATSOEVER.

THERE IS, LIKE, A COUPLE OF PLACES.

I WENT TO ONE OF THEM.

THE POPULATION THERE IS ABOUT 1,000 PEOPLE.

THERE IS MORE DONKEYS AND AGAGUANIESUANAS THAN PEOPLE.

>> Braude: I'M MUCH MORE INTERESTED IN THE PLANE GETTING THERE, BECAUSE I'M TOTALLY FREAKED OUT BY THE NOTION OF DOING A PLANE THING.

MASKS ARE STILL MANDATED, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.

AND MIDDLE SEATS ARE NO LONGER MANDATED TO BE VACANT.

SO WHAT IS THE PLANE EXPERIENCE LIKE IN LATE MAY 2021?

>> ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS I WOULD TELL PEOPLE IS EVERYTHING THAT YOU REMEMBER ABOUT FLYING IS STILL THERE.

AND BY "EVERYTHING," I MEAN THE JERKS THAT YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH ON AN AIRPLANE.

[LAUGHTER] >> YOU'VE ROMANTICIZED TRAVEL, AND IT IS JUST AS BAD AS IT WAS BEFORE, AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT COVID.

BUT PEOPLE WERE REALLY GOOD -- AT LEAST THE FLIGHTS I WAS ON, THEY HAD THEIR MASKS ON.

MY PLANES WEREN'T FULL, AND I HAVE ALL OF THESE EXTRA MILES THAT I HAVEN'T USED IN MORE THAN A YEAR, SO I USED THEM TO PUT MYSELF IN EXIT ROWS.

AND MOST OF THE FLIGHTS, I WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE ROW.

SO I NEVER FELT UNSAFE.

BUT I'M THE PERSON WHO WEARS AN N-95 AND DOESN'T TAKE IT OFF WHEN I'M ON THE PLANE AT ALL.

>> Braude: WHEN YOU SAY IT IS NOT WORSE -- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW THE STORY IN THE "NEW YORK TIMES" ON MAY 7: "ONE RETURNING PILOT LOST CONTROL OF AN AIRCRAFT DURING LANDING, SKIDDED OFF THE RUNWAY INTO A DITCH.

ANOTHER JUST RETURNING FROM FER LOW FORGOT TO ACTIVATE A CRITICAL ANTI-ICING SYSTEM.

OTHERS FLEW AT THE WRONG ALTITUDE."

IT IS APPARENTLY NOT LIKE RIDING A BIKE.

WERE THE PILOTS PRETTY MUCH TOGETHER, OR WHAT'S THE DEAL?

>> I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER WHERE THEY WERE WITH ALTITUDES.

I THINK MINE WERE FINE.

>> Braude: BEFORE YOU DECIDED TO GET ON A PLANE, WE SPOKE ON THE RADIO RECENTLY, YOU SPENT TIME ON THE CAPE IN -- I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME, IN THE LARGE ALUMINUM HOUSES ON WHEELS.

WHAT ARE THEY CALLED?

>> THEY'RE CALLED AIR STREAMS.

>> Braude: AND THAT IS LIKE THE MOBILE THINGS, SORT OF LIKE AN R.V.-ISH KIND OF VEHICLE.

HAVE YOU IN PROVINCE TOWN AS WE'RE SPEAKING?

>> I'M IN PROVINCE TOWN RIGHT NOW AS WE'RE SPEAKING, REMOTE AND ON LOCATION -- >> Braude: YESTERDAY ON THE RADIO, WE SPOKE TO RON ANDERSON, WHO OWNS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES, THE CANTEEN, AND WE TALKED ABOUT PROVINCETOWN COMING OUT OF T&E PANDEMIC.

AND HE SAID HE DOESN'T THINK MANY, IF ANY, RESTAURANTS WERE CLOSED.

HOW IS PROVINCETOWN ON THE EXIT END -- I HOPE THE EXIT END -- OF THE PANDEMIC.

>> IT IS INTERESTING TO HEAR WALKING AROUND BECAUSE THE CONCERN LIKE EVERYONE ON THE CAPE IS BEING ABLE TO FIND PEOPLE TO WORK.

SO THAT -- BUT PEOPLE HERE ARE THRILLED THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS LIFTED ALL RESTRICTIONS AS EARLY AS HE IS GOING TO.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS INTERESTING IS LAST YEAR, I GUESS IT WASN'T QUITE GAY ENOUGH HERE FOR PEOPLE.

IT WAS THE YEAR THE STRAIGHT PEOPLE CAME IN.

SO THE WORDS THAT WERE GETTING TOSSED AROUND TODAY WAS THE REQUEER REQUEERIFICATION OF PROVINCETOWN.

>> Braude: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ROB SAID TO ME YESTERDAY -- TO ME AND MARJORIE -- THAT STAFFING IS SUCH A PROBLEM, AND IN ADDITION TO THE STAFFING PROBLEMS WE SEE HERE IN RESTAURANTS AND RETAIL, IT IS EVEN WORSE BECAUSE THERE IS NO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

HE AND HIS PARTNER HAVE BOUGHT TWO HOUSES AND HAVE BECOME LANDLORDS -- LANDLORD IN THE BEST SENSE OF THE WORK -- FOR THOSE WHO WORK IN THEIR RESTAURANTS BECAUSE THE HOUSING CRUNCH IS SO INTENSE ON THE CAPE.

>> YEAH.

WHEN E THINK YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT WAS ALREADY TOUGH, AND REAL ESTATE PRICES ARE SO HIGH, AND IT IS SUCH A SMALL TOWN, SO IT IS SORT OF A PERFECT RECIPE FOR DISASTER WHEN IT COMES TO BRINGING IN SUMMER HELP.

SO PEOPLE WERE SAYING TO ME, BE A LITTLE EXTRA PATIENT WHEN YOU'RE WAITING HERE.

>> Braude: THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID YESTERDAY, AND I HOPE PEOPLE TAKE IT TO HEART.

YOU OBVIOUSLY KNOW THE WAY TO TURKS AND CAICOS, BUT YOU OBVIOUSLY DON'T KNOW THE WAY TO SAN JOSE.

HERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR INTERVIEW WITH ONE OF MY FAVORITE PERFORMERS ON THE PLANET, DIONNE WARWICK.

HERE IT IS.

>> >> I THINK IT KIND OF LETS THEM KNOW THAT, FIRST OF ALL, I'M APPROACHABLE, AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN, AND NOW THEY KNOW FOR SURE I AM, YOU KNOW, AND THAT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD.

AND I WANT THEM TO KNOW, AND I'VE LET THEM KNOW, THAT YOU MAY BE LEARNING THINGS FROM ME, BUT I AM ALSO LEARNING FROM YOU.

>> Braude: THE GREAT DIONNE WARWICK IS 80, AND SHE HAS HAD AN EXPLOSION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

AND SHE IS GREAT TO FOLLOW.

WHAT IS THE TRAVEL ANGLE WITH DIONNE WARWICK?

>> SHE IS A LIVING AMERICAN LEGEND, SO I'M WRITING ABOUT THE U.S., AND THEREFORE THE TRAVEL.

I'M ESSENTIALLY A CRAZY DIONNE WARWICK FAN BOY.

AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO HER, AND I GRABBED IT.

ESSENTIALLY, I DID NOT LET HER "WALK AND BY" IS WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY, JIM.

>> Braude: THAT'S ALMOST AS BAD AS MY SAN JOSE REFERENCE.

CHRISTOPHER, HAVE FUN IN PROVINCETOWN.

NEXT WE'LL TALK ABOUT YOU ABOUT U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT RATING, AND THE GREAT DISENCHANTMENT YOU HAD ABOUT HOW THEY RATED THE BEACHES ON THE CAPE.

BUT IT WILL HAVE TO WAIT.

>> IT WAS GREAT TO TALK ABOUT DI DIONNE WARWICK.

>> Braude: IT WAS.

THANK YOU.

>> Braude: THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT, BUT COME BACK TOMORROW.

CHELSEA CITY MANAGER TOM AMBROSINO AND THE SHAH FOUNDATION'S JILL SHAH WILL JOIN ME ON WHY THEY SAY NEW DATA SHOWS THE CITY'S GUARANTEED INCOME PROGRAM, THE LARGEST IN THE COUNTRY, IS WORKING, AND WHY IT SHOULD BE REPLICATED IN OTHER STATES, AS WELL.

THAT AND MORE, TOMORROW AT 7:00.

THANKS FOR WATCHING, AND PLEASE STAY SAFE.

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org