>> BRAUDE: TONIGHT ON "GREATER BOSTON," I'M JOINED BY THE DAUGHTER OF ONE OF THE 84 VETERANS WHO DIED IN THE COVID OUTBREAK AT THE HOLYOKE SOLDIERS' HOME, AND AN ATTORNEY REPRESENTING FAMILIES AND SURVIVORS, ABOUT THE SETTLEMENT THEY JUST REACHED WITH THE STATE, AND THE PAIN THEY STILL LIVE WITH.

THEN LATER, SOME OF THE PEOPLE BEHIND A NEW REPORT DETAILING HOW LATINOS IN MASSACHUSETTS ARE FACING ECONOMIC CHALLENGES GREATER THAN ANY OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE, AND GREATER THAN LATINOS NATIONWIDE.

WHY?

AND DO PEOPLE IN POSITIONS TO HELP SIMPLY NOT CARE?

PLUS, A LITTLE MORE ON ANOTHER LOCAL ISSUE OF FLAGRANT RACISM THAT WE JUST BRIEFLY TOUCHED ON YESTERDAY OUT OF EVERETT.

>> BRAUDE: TWO YEARS AFTER A COVID OUTBREAK TORE THROUGH THE STATE-RUN SOLDIERS' HOME IN HOLYOKE, KILLING 84 VETERANS AND SICKENING DOZENS MORE, WHICH A STATE INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT RECENTLY ATTRIBUTED TO "EXTENSIVE MISMANAGEMENT" AND "OVERSIGHT FAILURES" PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, MASSACHUSETTS HAS REACHED A $56 MILLION SETTLEMENT WITH VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

IF APPROVED BY A COURT, THE FAMILIES OF VETERANS WHO DIED OF COVID BETWEEN MARCH 1ST AND JUNE 23RD WOULD GET AROUND $500,000 EACH, ON AVERAGE, AND VETERANS WHO CAUGHT COVID BUT RECOVERED WOULD GET AT LEAST $10,000 EACH.

FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT REMEMBER THE DETAILS, AN INVESTIGATOR HIRED BY THE GOVERNOR FOUND THAT SOLDIERS HOME OFFICIALS MADE, "UTTERLY BAFFLING" DECISIONS ONCE THE VIRUS HIT, LIKE PUTTING COVID-INFECTED PATIENTS IN THE SAME ROOM AS THOSE WHO WERE TESTING NEGATIVE.

AFTER THE SETTLEMENT WAS REACHED, GOVERNOR CHARLIE BAKER SAID IN A STATEMENT THAT HE HOPES IT "BRINGS A SENSE OF CLOSURE TO THE LOVED ONES OF THE VETERANS."

I'M JOINED BY LAURIE BEAUDETTE, WHOSE FATHER, 83-YEAR-OLD NAVY VETERAN AND HOLYOKE NATIVE JAMES MANDEVILLE DIED IN APRIL 2020.

I'M ALSO JOINED BY THOMAS LESSER, ONE OF THE ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING THE VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

LAURIE AND TOM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

I APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.

YOU.

>> Braude: LAURIE, COULD YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR FATHER IN THE SERVICE, PLEASE.

>> MY DAD SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY.

HE WAS A SEAMAN, AND HE SERVED IN THE DETAIL UNDER THE KOREAN WAR.

HE LOVED IT.

HE USED TO TALK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME.

>> Braude: HE DID.

YEAH.

>> Braude: FOR THE TIME THAT HE WAS AT THE VETERANS HOME, 15, 16 YEARS PRIOR TO COVID, HOUSE OF HIS LIFE THERE?

>> WHEN HE INITIALLY WENT INTO THE SOLDIERS' HOME IN 2003, IT WAS FABULOUS.

I MEAN, THEY HAD GREAT LEADERSHIP, THEY HAD GOOD PROVIDERS, THINGS WERE JUST RUN SO MUCH DIFFERENTLY BACK THEN.

>> Braude: HOW OFTEN DID YOU VISIT HIM DURING THAT DECADE AND A HALF?

>> EVERY DAY.

>> Braude: EVERY SINGLE DAY?

YEP.

>> Braude: OKAY.

AND THEN MARCH 13th OF 2020 CAME, AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW HIM FOR A MONTH.

THE MONTH LATER, I THINK IT WAS APRIL 12th, WHAT HAPPENED?

>> YES.

WELL, ON APRIL 12th, I JUST -- I KIND OF FREAKED OUT BECAUSE IT WAS EASTER SUN STAY, AND THE DAY BEFORE, HOLY SATURDAY, HE WAS A ZOMBIE DURING FaceTime.

AND I HAD ONLY FOUND OUT BY ACCIDENT THAT HE WAS ON A COVID UNIT ON GOOD FRIDAY.

THEY DIDN'T EVEN CONTACT ME AT THE MEDICAL CENTER.

I WENT DOWN ON EASTER SUNDAY, AND I HAD TO THINK OF A WAY TO CREATIVELY GET INTO THE CENTER TO SEE MY DAD, SO I SENT AN EMAIL TO THE C.E.O.

RESCINDING HE FATHER'S DNR ORDER, AND HALF AN HOUR LATER A DOCTOR CALLED ME AND SAID WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE?

I SAID, I NEED TO SEE MY FATHER.

>> Braude: AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW HIM, CORRECT?

>> YES.

>> Braude: DID HE DIE ALONE?

WELL, ACTUALLY, HIS PHYSICAL THERAPIST CAME IN EARLY THAT MORNING AND NOTICED THAT HE WAS REALLY LABORING, HE HAD VERY LABORED BREATHING.

SO HE CALLED ME AFTER THE NURSE CALLED TO TELL ME HE HAD PASSED.

HE SAID I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW I SAT WITH YOUR DAD AND PRAYED WITH HIM.

IT WAS SO GRATEFUL TO HIM.

I SENT A NICE LETTER TO THE HOSPITAL ON BEHALF OF HIM.

HE MEANT A LOT.

>> Braude: GOOD FOR HIM.

SO, TOM, YOU REPRESENTED THE 84 FAMILIES.

WHO DID YOU SUE AND WHAT WAS THE ARGUMENT IN THE LITIGATION?

>> WE STARTED OFF BY SUING THE FOUR INDIVIDUALS AT THE HOLYOKE SOLDIERS' HOME WHO HAD THE ADMINISTRATIVE ROLES AND RAN THE PLACE.

ONE WAS THE DIRECTOR BENNETT WALSH.

ONE WAS THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR, A PHYSICIAN, DAVID CLINTON.

ONE WAS THE CHIEF OF NURSING, AND ONE WAS THE ASSISTANT NURSE.

WE BROUGHT A CIVIL RIGHTS ACTION BECAUSE WE FELT LIKE THEY HAD BEEN DEPRIVED OF THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.

>> Braude: MY UNDERSTANDING IS YOU SUBSEQUENTLY AMENDED YOUR COMPLAINT, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, TO INCLUDETHE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SUDDERS.

WHY DID YOU DO THAT?

>> TO BACK UP A SECOND, ONE OF THE ORIGINAL FIVE DEFENDANTS WAS THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FRANCISCO URENA.

>> Braude: WHY DID YOU ADD SUDDERS.

>> BECAUSE THE SECRETARY SAID I WAS TELLING MARYLOU SUDDERS EVERYTHING THAT WAS HAPPENING, AND IT WAS CLEAR HIS DEFENSE AT TRIAL WAS GOING TO BE WASN'T MY FAULT, IT WAS HER FAULT, SO WE WANTED THOSE TWO TO SORT IT OUT AMONG THEMSELVES.

>> Braude: IN THE SETTLEMENT, DID THE STATE ADMIT TO DOING ANYTHING WRONG?

>> NO.

>> Braude: WAS THAT A DEMAND OF THE OTHER SIDE THAT THERE BE NO ADMISSION OF WRONGDOING?

>> IT WAS CLEAR THERE WAS GOING TO BE NO ADMISSION OF WRONGDOING.

NOW, I HAVE TO SAY THAT'S FAIRLY TYPICAL IN PERSONAL INJURE LAWSUITS, BUT IT WAS CLEAR FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS ONE.

>> Braude: LAURIE, WHO DO YOU BLAME FOR THE DEATH OF YOUR FATHER?

>> I BLAME ALL THE ADMINISTRATORS ALL THE WAY UP TO THE TOP STATE OFFICIALS.

>> Braude: TOP STATE OFFICIALS.

WHO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

>> WELL, I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNOR DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS.

I THINK THEY ALL KNEW ABOUT IT.

>> Braude: YOU QUOTED, I BELIEVE -- I BELIEVE IT'S IN THE "BOSTON GLOBE" -- IF I'M WRONG, MY APOLOGIES -- AS SAYING THAT, AS SOON AS WALSH WAS PICKED, YOU KNEW THAT HE WAS THE WRONG CHOICE.

HOW DID YOU REACH THAT CONCLUSION?

>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, HE WAS EXTREMELY IMMATURE AND HE ALWAYS HAD HIS CELL PHONE IN HIS FACE.

HE ACTED LIKE A TEENAGER, AND WHEN THEY HAD A WELL COMING RECEPTION AT THE SOLDIERS' HOME FOR HIM, HE TOLD HIS -- THE VETERAN RESIDENTS THAT HE WANTED TO BE CALLED LIEUTENANT COLONEL BENNETT WALSH.

ALL THE OTHER PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENTS, YOU KNOW, WERE VERY FRIENDLY AND ON MORE A FIRST-NAME BASIS AND TREATED THEIR ELDERS WITH RESPECT.

BUT HE JUST HAD THIS HUGE EGO.

>> Braude: AND YOU'RE QUOTED ALSO IN THAT SAME STORY AS SAYING YOU DIDN'T KNOW TILL MUCH LATER THAT WALSH WAS THE ONLY NAME FORWARDED TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF THE THREE NAMES THAT WILL BE RECOMMENDED.

WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO THAT?

>> I WAS SHOCKED.

I MEAN, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE BRICKS HERE IN SPRINGFIELD.

HIS FAMILY IS EXTREMELY POLITICALLY CONNECTED.

>> Braude: YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR WAS ON WBUR THE OTHER DAY.

WE'VE SPOKE BEEN WITH HIM THROUGHOUT THE YEARS BUZZ HE WAS ON BUR AND SAID HE TRIED TO CALL ROUGHLY 100 FAMILIES AFFECTED BY THE HOLYOKE SOLDIERS' HOME DISASTER, REACHED ABOUT 80 OF THEM.

WAS YOURS ONE OF THEM, LAURIE.

>> YES.

>> Braude: AND WHAT WAS THAT CONVERSATION LIKE?

>> VERY SCRIPTED.

>> Braude: WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> HE SAID THE SAME THING TO EVERY FAMILY MEMBER.

AND I WAS KIND OF O FENDED BECAUSE ONCE HE LEARNED MY DAD WAS A NAVY VETERAN, HE STARTED TALKING ABOUT HIS FATHER AND MONOPOLIZED THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE HIS DAD IS A NAVY VETERAN AND IS ALIVE IN A LONG-TERM CARE INSTITUTION IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE STATE.

>> Braude: TOM, I MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING THAT THE GOVERNOR SAID, AFTER THE SETTLEMENT WAS REACHED, THAT HE HOPED IT BROUGHT CLOSURE TO THE FAMILIES OF THOSE WHO DIED.

DID IT BRING CLOSURE TO YOUR CLIENTS?

>> WELL, I REPRESENT A LARGE NUMBER OF CLIENTS.

I HAD ABOUT 40 OF THE 84 NAMED PLAINTIFFS IN THE CLASS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE DECEASED AND, TO SOME DEGREE, JIM, I WOULD SAY THAT IT BROUGHT SOME CLOSURE TO SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE.

THERE'S NO AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT COULD REPLACE THEIR LOVED ONES.

>> Braude: SURE.

YOU KNOW, THEY ALL MADE THAT CLEAR.

IF THEY HAD TO PAY YOU HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO GET THEIR LOVED ONE BACK, THEY'D DO IT IF THEY HAD THE CAPACITY TO DO THAT.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, MANY OF THEM WERE PLEASED THAT IT DIDN'T GO ON FOR ANOTHER THREE YEARS.

THIS LAWSUIT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING.

>> Braude: YOU KNOW, TOM, STAYING WITH YOU FOR A SECOND, THIS MAY BE OBVIOUS, BUT I WANT TO ASK IT, REGARDLESS -- CAN YOU GENERALIZE ON BEHALF OF YOUR 40 CLIENTS?

DID THEY BELIEVE, AS A CLASS, THAT THE DEATHS OF THE PERSONS THEY LOVED WAS PREVENTABLE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> Braude: IF -- THEY BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS A TRAGEDY THAT DID NOT HAVE TO HAPPEN, THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.

IN THE BEGINNING, THE INSTITUTION BROKE THE FIRST RULE OF EPIDEMIOLOGY.

EP TEAMOLOGY TEN -- EPIDEMIOLOGY 101, WHEN YOU HAVE A PATIENT WHO HAS AN INFECTION, YOU ISOLATE THAT PERSON.

INSTEAD, THEY COMBINED A UNIT OF PEOPLE WHO HAD COVID WITH A UNIT OF PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T HAVE COVID, AND LET PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA WANDER AROUND THE INSTITUTION.

THEY DID IT IN VIOLATION OF ALL THE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES FROM THE C.D.C.

AND THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

>> Braude: LAURIE, YOU TOUCHDOWN YOU BLAME PEOPLE ALL THE WAY UP TO THE TOP, BOTH SERVING AT HOLYOKE SOLDIERS' HOME AND THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATION.

DO YOU BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE FURTHER ACCOUNTABILITY, AS I'M SURE YOU KNOW, MAURA HEALEY, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, BROUGHT CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER WALSH HIMSELF, THOSE CHARGES DISMISSED BY A JUDGE, THEY'RE ON APPEAL.

NO OTHER CRIMINAL CHARGES WERE BROUGHT AGAINST ANYBODY WHO OTHER WORKED AT THE SOLDIERS' HOME OR ANYBODY IN THE ADMINISTRATION.

SHOULD THERE BE FURTHER ACCOUNTABILITY OR SHOULD THIS 56 MILLION BUCKS ESSENTIALLY CLOSE THE DOOR AND ALLOW THE FAMILIES TO MOVE ON?

>> IT SHOULD BE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY.

LIKE TOM SAID, IT'S BASIC EPIDEMIOLOGY 101.

YOU HAVE A MEDICAL DIRECTOR, A DIRECTOR OF NURSING AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE CONTROL NURSE WHO MADE ALL THESE DECISIONS TO MIX HEALTHY VETERANS IN WITH SICK COVID VETERANS.

THEY DENIED THE STAFF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.

THEY ALLOWED STAFF TO WANDER FROM THE ALZHEIMER'S UNIT, WHERE THERE WAS COVID 19, INTO THE MAIN BUILDING, AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DON'T FOLLOW C.D.C.

GUIDELINES AND TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY.

>> Braude: YOU KNOW, TOM, A NUMBER OF PLAINTIFFS IN THIS CASE, I'M NOT SURE THEY WERE YOURS OR THE OTHER 44, MADE PRETTY GENEROUS COMMENTS ABOUT THE REASON THEY THOUGHT THIS WAS MOST IMPORTANT WAS NOT ABOUT THE MONEY FOR THEMSELVES, BUT TO SEND A WARNING SHOT, FOR LACK OF A BETTER EXPRESSION, IN THE HOPES THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.

ARE YOU CONVINCED, BASED ON WHAT YOU KNOW, WHAT LAURIE'S TALKED ABOUT, THAT THIS COULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN IN MASSACHUSETTS?

>> I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT I COULDN'T HAPPEN -- IT COULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

I THINK THIS IS A STATEMENT.

FIFTY-SIX DOLLARS MILLION IS A LARGE SUM OF MONEY THAT NOR ONE WANTS TO PAY OVER.

BUT WHAT I READ IS THERE'S A WAYS TO GO BEFORE THE GOVERNING STRUCTURE IS SET UP IN A WAY TO ENSURE THAT NOTHING LIKE THIS EVER HAPPENS AGAIN.

>> Braude: LAURIE, COULD YOU COMMENT ON THAT?

ARE YOU CONVINCED IT COULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN?

>> ACTUALLY, I DO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH A LOT OF THE STAFF MEMBERS AT THE HOLYOKE SOLDIERS' HOME, AND A SYSTEMIC POINT OF VIEW, NOTHING HAS CHANGED UP THERE, WHICH IS EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE I'M A PART OF THE HOLYOKE SOLDIERS' HOME COALITION, AND WE HAVE FOUGHT FOR $400 MILLION FOR A NEW FACILITY.

BUT A NEW FACILITY WITH PRIVATE ROOMS AND, YOU KNOW, HAVING IT BASED ON THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT IS JUST NOT GOING TO CHANGE ANYTHING IF THINGS DON'T CHANGE UP THERE.

>> Braude: WELL, LAURIE, FOR YOUR SAKE AND THE OTHER FAMILIES AND THE VETERANS THERE STILL, I HOPE CHANGE DOES COME AND I'M REALLY SORRY ABOUT THE LOSS OF YOUR FATHER AND LAURIE AND TOM, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Braude: THANKS FOR BEING WITH ME.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US HERE.

YOU SO MUCH.

>> Braude: A NEW REPORT IS SHINING THE SPOTLIGHT ON THE SERIOUS ECONOMIC DISPARITIES EXPERIENCED BY ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING COMMUNITIES IN MASSACHUSETTS: LATINOS.

AMONG THE FINDINGS: AS OF 2019, CLOSE TO A QUARTER OF LATINOS LIVED IN POVERTY IN MASSACHUSETTS, MORE THAN ANY OTHER GROUP IN THE STATE, AND ALMOST FIVE PERCENT MORE THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

LATINOS IN MASSACHUSETTS ALSO HAD HIGHER UNEMPLOYMENT RATES THAN MOST OTHERS IN THE STATE AS WELL, AND A HIGHER RATE THAN LATINOS NATIONALLY.

AND NEARLY A QUARTER OF LATINOS IN MASSACHUSETTS EXPERIENCED FOOD INSECURITY; WELL ABOVE THE RATES OF ALL OTHER GROUPS, AND ALMOST 8 PERCENT MORE THAN LATINOS NATIONALLY.

A STAGGERING AND APPALLING SET OF NUMBERS, BUT EVEN MORE DISTURBING IS WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE ROOT CAUSE OF IT ALL: MAJOR DISPARITIES IN K THROUGH 12 ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.

AND AS THE "BOSTON GLOBE'S" MARCELA GARCIA TOLD US ON BOSTON PUBLIC RADIO YESTERDAY, THESE GAPS HAVE BEEN THE TREND FOR YEARS, AND IT HASN'T BEEN GETTING NEARLY ENOUGH ATTENTION WHERE IT SHOULD.

>> WE'RE GONNA KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE DATA POINTS AS IF THEY'RE NEWS OVER AND OVER AGAIN UNTIL WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE LATINOS POLITICALLY REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY AND ELEVATING THIS ISSUES IN THE HALLS OF POLITICAL POWER IN MASSACHUSETTS.

>> BRAUDE: I'M JOINED BY TWO LEADERS OF THE GROUPS BEHIND THIS STUDY.

LORNA RIVERA IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE MAURICIO GASTON INSTITUTE FOR LATINO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC POLICY AT UMASS BOSTON.

AND JUAN FERNANDO LOPERA IS CO-CHAIR OF THE LATINO EQUITY FUND AT THE BOSTON FOUNDATION.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> Braude: LORENA LORNA, WHAT'S YOUR MAJOR TAKEAWAY?

>> AMONG THE THINGS YOU MENTIONED, LATINOS COMPARED TO OTHER SUBGROUPS IN MASSACHUSETTS AND NATIONALLY, YOU KNOW, HAVE THESE HIGH POVERTY RATES, HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT, HIGH RATES OF, YOU KNOW, FOOD INSECURITY, BUT OTHER ISSUES THAT COME OUT REALLY POINT TO HOW MUCH GEOGRAPHY MATTERS AND WHERE YOU LIVE IN THE STATE AND THE KINDS OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES, THE KINDS OF HOUSING -- AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A CRITICAL ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN ELEVATED IN THE REPORT BECAUSE LATINOS HAVE VERY LOW RATES OF HOMEOWNERSHIP.

SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, AS WELL, IS AFFECTING THEIR ECONOMIC MOBILITY, THEIR ACCESS TO HEALTH INSURANCE AND OTHER FACTORS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED THERE.

>> Braude: YOU KNOW, JUAN, I WANT TO PUT SOME FLESH ON THE BONES OF SOMETHING I MENTIONED IN PASSING TO ADD TO THAT LIST EDUCATION NUMBERS IN MASSACHUSETTS ARE JUST STUNNING.

LET ME PUT THEM UP.

EIGHTH GRADERS, LATINO EDUCATION IN MASSACHUSETTS, 28th 28th NATIONALLY IN RATING, 21st IN MATH, LOW-INCOME EIGHTH GRADERS 39th IN READING, 35th IN MATH.

THIS IS IN A STATE WHERE THE AVERAGE KID HAS JUST ABOUT THE BEST EDUCATION IN AMERICA.

IS THAT NOT THE ROOT OF ALL THIS EVIL, OR AM I MISSING SOMETHING?

>> NO, I THINK IT COMES DOWN TO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT ROOT BECAUSE CAUSE.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ARE THE BEGINNING.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, JUST THIS ISSUE IS ONE THAT CERTAINLY DR. RIVERA AND I WORRY ABOUT ALL THE TIME, BUT IT'S AN ISSUE THAT SHOULD WORRY EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT IN MASSACHUSETTS.

LATINOS ARE THE FASTEST GROWING DEMOGRAPHIC, AS YOU MENTIONED.

THERE'S 800,000 OF US, SO THERE'S SUCH AN ACID NARRATIVE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT WE'RE HOLDING THIS ISSUE ACROSS EVERY PUBLIC, PRIVATE SEGMENT OF OUR ECONOMY.

THE ECONOMIC DISPARITY FOR MASSACHUSETTS IS INEXTRICABLY LINKED TO THE DISPARITY IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> Braude: I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON THE GROWTH JUAN MENTIONED.

SINCE 1980, 92% OF THE POPULATION OFGOAT IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, ALMOST ALL OF IT, IS LATINO POPULATION -- GROWTH.

THE COLOR OF WEALTH STUDY IN BOSTON FROM 2015, I WOULD BET EVERY VIEWER OF THE SHOW WOULD RECITE WITHOUT ME PUTTING IT UP, BECAUSE WE'VE ALL HEARD IT THOUSANDS OF TIMES, WHITE FAMILIES WEALTH AVERAGE 247-GRAND, BLACK EIGHT DOLLARS.

PUERTO RICAN WEALTH EVEN LOWER THAN BLACKS, 3,000.

DOMINICAN FAMILY WEALTH ZERO, AND THAT IS NOT A TYPO.

UNLESS I'M WRONG, WHY HAVE THOSE TWO NUMBERS BEEN SO THOROUGHLY IGNORED IN THE RETELLING OF THAT SAD TALE FROM THAT RESEARCH?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK THAT, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE DATA, WE DON'T DO A PROPER ANALYSIS BY BREAKING IT DOWN BY SUBGROUPS.

EVEN IF WE SAY LATINOS, WE'RE NOT RECOGNIZING THAT DIVERSITY OF LATINOS, THAT THERE ARE PARTICULAR HISTORICAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT AFFECT THEIR MIGRATION, AND DOMINICANS IN THE D.R.

ARE REALLY STRUGGLING AND THEY'RE MIGRATING.

THEY'RE AT OUR BORDER RIGHT NOW, AT THE MEXICAN BORDER.

>> Braude: I KNOW THAT.

AND, SO, PUERTO RICANS, TOO, HAVE SUFFERED SO MUCH SINCE HURRICANE MARIA.

THE ISLAND IS IN A FINANCIAL MESS.

SO WE DON'T ALSO SEE, YOU KNOW, DISPLACEMENT OF PUERTO RICANS COMING HERE STILL, AS WELL AS ALL THESE OTHER CENTRAL AMERICAN GROUPS THAT ARE ESCAPING PORT PORCHTDY.

WE -- POVERTY.

WE DON'T CAPTURE THAT IN THE STATISTICS.

>> Braude: I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT WHICH WE DID BREAK DOWN, IN A SURVEY THAT PRACTICALLY EVERYBODY IN GREATER BOSTON HAS MEMORIZED, WE ALMOST NEVER HEAR IT BROKEN DOWN BEYOND WHITE VERSUS BLACK.

NEVER PUERTO RICANS OR DOMINICANS, AT LEAST, IN MY EXPERIENCE.

JUAN, WHEN MARCELA GARCIA, I PLAYED A SOUND FROM HER ON THE SHOW YESTERDAY, SHE SAID IT'S ALL ABOUT ELECTED POWER.

SHE MENTIONED THE GASTON INSTITUTE DID A STUDY, 68 TOTAL LATINOS STATEWIDE MOST ON SCHOOL BOARDS, ONLY EIGHT LATINO ELECTED OFFICIALS ON BEACON HILL, SIX IN THE HOUSE, TWO IN THE SENATE.

DO YOU SUBSCRIBE TO HER NOTION, IS THERE CAN BE A LOT OF TALKING, RESEARCH AND POLICY PROMULGATION, BUT UNTIL LATINOS HAVE POLITICAL POWER, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET FROM HERE TO THERE?

>> YEAH, CERTAINLY, I THINK THAT'S SPOT- ON.

REPRESENTATION MATTERS.

AND WE NEED LATINO REPRESENTATION CERTAINLY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, IN GOVERNMENT, IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AS WELL.

IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

I THINK POLICY MOVES -- CAN MOVE THESE TRENDS THAT WE'RE SEEING.

YOU KNOW, WE MAY THINK ABOUT THE GREAT WORK, AND SHE JOINED US LAST WEEK WHEN WE DID THE RELEASE OF THE BOSTON INDICATOR REPORT THAT WE'RE QUOTING THESE NUMBERS FROM, BUT SECRETARY ACOSTA, YOU KNOW, HAVING HER LIVED EXPERIENCE AND HER UNDERSTANDING OF THE LATINO COMMUNITY NEEDS, IT'S SO IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, SHE MENTIONED THE 220,000 JOBS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH THAT ARE CURRENTLY EXIST, AND MADE IT VERY -- MADE A VERY CLEAR CONNECTION TO IT.

THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO FILL THOSE JOBS IS BY HAVING MORE OF OUR LATINOS UPSCALING OUR LATINO WORKFORCE.

LATINOS ARE DOUBLE RATE OF UNEMPLOYMENT FROM THE STATE AVERAGE.

WE'RE DOUBLE UNEMPLOYMENT.

WE RELY DEFINITELY ON THE LATINO COMMUNITY.

>> Braude: THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY ON RECOMMENDATIONS, MORE ROBUST JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS, I KNOW, ARE PARTOV THE MIX.

JUAN, YOU WERE AMONG, I BELIEVE, THE 40-PLUS BLACK AND LATINO LEADERS YESTERDAY WHO SIGNED ON TO THIS HEALTH AND EQUITY COMPACT.

MICHAEL CURRY, ONE OF THE LEADERS OF THE LEAGUE OF COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS AND NATIONAL NAACP BOARD, WAS ON THE RADIO WITH US YESTERDAY.

THERE WILL BE SPECIFIC LEGISLATION PROPOSED NOT ONLY TO ADDRESS HEALTH INEQUITIES AS SUCH, BUT THE SOCIAL DETERMINATES THAT ESSENTIALLY CREATE OR AT LEAST HELP ADVANCE THOSE INEQUITIES, CORRECT?

SOMETIME IN 2023.

>> YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

NO, IT WAS -- IT'S AN HISTORIC MOMENT TO HAVE THAT MUCH REPRESENTATION, YOU KNOW.

IF YOU STATED 40-PLUS BLACK AND LATINO LEADERS IN HEALTHCARE SAYING WE HAVE TO SEIZE THIS MOMENT, WE HAVE TO ADVANCE HEALTH EQUITY TO POLICY, ALSO THROUGH EACH OF OUR INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATIONS.

IWHERE I WORK, THERE'S A LOT WE CAN DO AT THIS SYSTEM AND A LOT TO TAP INTO LATINO TALENT THAT'S OUT THERE.

BUT THIS CONTACT IS LOOKING TO MAKE THE SYSTEMIC CHANGE THAT'S NEEDED THROUGH POLICIES TO ADDRESS THE HEALTH DISPARITIES THAT HAVE EXISTED WELL BEFORE COVID WERE CLEARLY HIGHLIGHTED DURING COVID.

>> Braude: LORNA RIVERA, I MOVED HERE 30-SOME YEARS AGO -- AND I CAN'T SAY THE PRECISE DATE, MEANING TO "GREATER BOSTON" -- EVERY SINGLE GOVERNOR WHO'S BEEN IN OFFICE SINCE I MOVED HERE HAS TALKED ABOUT THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP AND WHAT A NIGHTMARE IT IS FOR KIDS OF COLOR AND WHAT THEY WILL DO ABOUT IT.

LOW-INCOME THIRD GRADERS, 39th IN READING, 35th IN MATH.

IS THERE ANY REASON TO THINK, IN OUR FINAL MINUTE, THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY EVER GOING TO BE ADDRESSED OR WE COULD BE HAVING THE ASSUME GROUNDHOG DAY DISCUSSION A YEAR, TEN YEARS FROM NOW?

>> WELL, I MEAN, I CERTAINLY THINK THAT WE DO NEED TO DO LOT MORE WITH OUR ENGLISH LEARNERS.

NOT ALL LATINOS ARE RECENT IMMIGRANTS, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE ENGLISH LEARNERS IN OUR STATE THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD APPROPRIATE BILINGUAL EDUCATION, NATIVE LITERACIES.

WE NEED MORE ENGLISH E.S.L.

CLASSES, LONG WAITING LISTS FOR FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE MORE EFFECTIVELY.

THE FAMILIES NEED ACCESS TO ENGLISH.

IT'S REALLY A HOLISTIC PROBLEM IN TERMS OF WHERE, ALSO, OUR LATINO MAJORITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ON THEIR RECEIVERSHIP, WALL OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS UNDER LEADERSHIP HAVE BEEN UNDER LATINO MAJORITY.

SO THERE'S SERIOUS STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS, AND WE DO HAVE FEDERAL FUNDING NOW THAT WE CAN TRY TO USE MORE EFFECTIVELY TO ADDRESS THESE INEQUALITIES.

>> Braude: BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, GREAT RECOMMENDATIONS.

I HOPE THE MONEY AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS MEET TIME SOON.

JUAN FERNANDO LOPERA AND DR. LORNA RIFF REMARKS THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Braude: FINALLY, I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON SOMETHING THAT CAME UP LAST NIGHT DURING OUR DISCUSSION ABOUT THE RACISM-FUELED MASSACRE IN BUFFALO, AND THE CONTINUED BELIEF BY FAR TOO MANY THAT THIS IS A DISTANT PROBLEM, AND THAT IT'S NOT A PROBLEM RIGHT HERE.

HERE'S A LITTLE BIT FROM THAT CONVERSATION.

>> IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE.

TO GO FROM, FOR EXAMPLE, FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL RECENTLY SHOUTING ANTI-SEMITIC, RACIST COMMENTS, INTO DESCENDING INTO WHITE SUPREMACY AND POSSIBLY EVEN JOINING THESE GROUPS.

>> AT SOME POINT, WHITE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY NEED TO CARRY THIS LOAD.

IT IS TOO MUCH TO ASK OF BLACK PEOPLE AND BROWN PEOPLE AND JEWS TO HAVE TO CONSTANTLY DEAL WITH THIS WHILE BEING TARGETED AND BURYING THEIR DEAD.

THIS IS NOT A BLACK PROBLEM, THIS IS AN AMERICAN PROBLEM.

AND I BELIEVE THAT ALL AMERICANS, INCLUDING WHITE PEOPLE WHO FEEL LIKE THEY CAN SIT ON THE SIDELINES BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT RACIST.

THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH ANYMORE.

>> BRAUDE: IT'S NOT.

AND TO THAT END, THERE'S A LOCAL EXAMPLE OF UNREPENTANT RACISM THAT DESERVES A LOT MORE ATTENTION THAN IT'S GETTING, IN EVERETT.

IT'S BEEN FOUR DAYS SINCE THE "GLOBE'S" STEPHANIE EBBERT PUBLISHED HER PIECE ABOUT A LEAKED RECORDING OF EVERETT CITY COUNCILOR ANTHONY DIPIERRO AND THE MAYOR'S SPOKESWOMAN, DEANNA DEVENEY, JOKING ABOUT ACCUSATIONS OF RACISM A YEAR OR TWO BACK.

IN THE VIDEO, DEVENEY ASKS DIPIERRO TO RECRUIT "ONE OF [HIS] DARK FRIENDS" FOR A POLITICAL EVENT, WHICH DIPIERRO THEN SAID HE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF.

IT'S ALSO BEEN MORE THAN TWO MONTHS SINCE WE LEARNED FROM THE "EVERETT LEADER-HERALD" THAT DIPIERRO SHARED A RACIST MEME WITH OTHERS IN THE CITY, REFERENCING THE N-WORD NUMEROUS TIMES.

FOUR MONTHS SINCE EVERETT'S ISN'T OF SCHOOLS ACCUSED MAYOR OF HAVING A RACIST AGENDA.

SAND WE'RE CLOSING IN ON TWO YEARS SINCE WE DISCUSSED RACISM AMONG FELLOW CITY CONCERNS -- COUNSELORS.

WHEN WILL THEY ACTUALLY PAY A PRICE?

HERE'S HOPING THEIR LARGEST EMPLOYER ENCORE BOSTON TAKES A BEIGE OUT OF THE DISNEY PLAY BOOK AND STEPS UP TO PUT POLITICAL PRESSURE ON THE POLITICAL LEADERS IN EVERETT WHO SEEMS TO THINK RACISM IS A CRIME PUNISHABLE BY NOTHING.

FOR MY PART, I WILL BE OFFERING A NIGHTLY REMINDER TO HAVE THE NOTHING THAT'S BEING DONE UNTIL AND UNLESS SOMETHING FINALLY IS.

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

U.S. ATTORNEY RACHAEL ROLLINS WILL JOIN ME.

PLUS, "BOSTON GLOBE" EDITORIAL -- THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

PLEASE STAY SAFE.

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgb