>>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS" WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

"METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER, JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY, JUDY AND JOSH WESTON, DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION.

>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS," I'M JENNA FLANAGAN.

TO CELEBRATE ITS 50th ANNIVERSARY, PBS HAS SPENT THE PAST YEAR TRYING TO ANSWER ONE QUESTION -- WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN TO BE AN AMERICAN TODAY?

11,000 STORIES AND A GLOBAL PANDEMIC LATER, PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE STILL WEIGHING IN, AND THEIR ANSWERS COLLECTED AS PART OF THE STORYTELLING PROJECT "PBS AMERICAN PORTRAIT" CAPTURED THE REMARKABLE EVENTS OF 2020 THROUGH THE VOICES OF EVERYDAY PEOPLE FROM EVERY STATE AND EVERY TERRITORY.

SO THE MISSION, YOUR SUBMISSION, ARE NOW THE FOUNDATION OF THE FOUR-PART DOCUMENTARY SERIES FROM "PBS AMERICAN PORTRAIT."

TO ENSURE THE "NEW YORKER" STORY WAS PART OF THIS NATIONAL SERIES, SEVERAL KEY ORGANIZATIONS STEPPED UP AND HELPED US HERE AT "METROFOCUS" AND THE WNET GROUP GATHERED VIDEO SUBMISSIONS.

AND JOINING ME NOW ARE TWO DIRECTORS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.

FIRST UP WE HAVE LEONARD JACOBS, INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE JAMAICA CENTER FOR ARTS OF LEARNING.

LEONARD, WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."

>> HOW ARE YOU DOING, JENNA?

IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU.

>> AND WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY TARA DePORTE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF THE HUMAN IMPACT INSTITUTE.

TARA, WELCOME.

>> THANK YOU.

IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE.

>> FIRST, I JUST WANT TO START WITH I GEGS AN EVEN DEEPER INTRODUCTION FROM PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH YOUR TWO ORGANIZATIONS.

TARA, SINCE I JUST INTRODUCED YOU, CAN YOU TELL US WHAT IS THE HUMAN IMPACT INSTITUTE?

WHO DO YOU SERVE?

WHAT IS IT THAT YOU DO?

>> SURE.

WE'RE A BROOKLYN-BASED NONE FOR PROFIT AND WE'RE IN OUR TENTH YEAR, JUST FINISHING OUR TENTH YEAR, WHICH IS REALLY INTERESTING AND DAUNTING AT THE SAME TIME.

AND WE USE ARTS AND CULTURE AS A WAY TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO GET ENGAGED ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES AND TO REALLY MOVE BEYOND CONVERSATIONS TO ACTION IN PERSONAL WAYS.

>> OF COURSE.

AND THEN LEONARD, FOR PEOPLE WHO, AGAIN, MIGHT NOT FULLY KNOW WHO THE JAMAICA CENTER FOR ARTS AND LEARNING, WHAT THE ORGANIZATION IS, WHO YOU SERVE AND WHAT IS IS IT THAT YOU DO?

>> SO, WE'RE A CULTURE INSTITUTION IN SOUTHEAST QUEENS.

WE WERE FOUNDED IN 1972 WITH A MISSION TO PROVIDE ARTS AND CULTURE PROGRAMMING AS WELL AS ARTS EDUCATION TO THE RESIDENTS OF THIS COMMUNITY.

SO IT'S REALLY JAMAICA BUT THERE ARE 14, 15 COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING JAMAICA WE'VE BEEN SERVING ALL OF THESE YEARS.

WE'RE ALSO A MEMBER OF THE CULTURE INSTITUTIONS GROUP, WHICH IS A GROUP OF 34 CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT OCCUPY CITY BUILDINGS OR SIT ON CITY LAND.

SO WE ARE SUPPORTED BY THE CITY OF NEW YORK TO A GREAT DEGREE AND EXCHANGE FOR THAT, SERVE THE COMMUNITY DIRECTLY THROUGH ARTS AND CULTURE.

>> OF COURSE, THIS QUESTION MIGHT SEEM A BIT GLIB TO THE TWO OF YOU, BUT AS WE BEGIN TO -- OR NOT BEGIN BUT AS WE GET COLLECTIVE NARRATIVES OF WHAT IT IS TO BE AN AMERICAN, WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE VOICES FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY, NOT JUST IN GENERAL FOR AMERICA, BUT VERY SPECIFICALLY FOR NEW YORKERS?

TARA, I WILL START WITH YOU.

>> SURE.

I THINK A LOT OF OUR ARTISTS AND CULTURE CREATORS AS WE CALL THEM ARE THE ONES THAT ARE SHARING THE STORIES OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR LIVES AND OUR DAILY STRUGGLES AND OUR SUCCESSES AND INNOVATIONS.

SO I THINK INCLUDING THEM IN THESE CONVERSATIONS IS SO IMPORTANT, AND ALSO IF WE LOOK BACK IN THE PAST YEAR IN 2020 AND ONGOING, WE'VE CERTAINLY SEEN OUR ARTS COMMUNITY AND INSTITUTIONS STRUGGLE IN WAYS OF HAVING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO NOT ONLY KEEP THEIR DOORS OPEN BUT TO SURVIVE BEYOND THIS, PAY RENT, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND CERTAINLY WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION, ARTISTS ARE ONES THAT ARE REALLY THINKING CREATIVELY ABOUT SO MANY OF THE ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ARE NOT ONLY MAKING BEAUTIFUL, ENGAGING WORKS OF ART BUT ARE ENGAGING OUR COMMUNITIES TO DIVE DEEPER INTO ISSUES OF SOCIAL JUSTICE, CLIMATE AND SO MANY OTHER TROOPICS.

>> OF COURSE.

AND LEONARD ALSO TO YOU, AGAIN, WHY IS THE ARTS COMMUNITY'S VOICE SO CRITICAL TO PROPERLY -- AND I GUESS IT SOUNDS KIND OF RIDICULOUS TO SAY, TO PAINT AN AMERICAN PORTRAIT, BUT I GUESS SERIOUSLY, WHY?

>> OR SKETCH AN AMERICAN PORTRAIT OR HUM AN AMERICAN PORTRAIT.

LISTEN, NEW YORK IS NOT NEW YORK WITHOUT ARTS AND CULTURE, THAT'S JUST THE BOTTOM LINE.

IT'S THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL LIFE-BLOOD OF THE CITY AND I WOULD ARGUE FROM THE STATE.

THERE'S NO RECOVERY FROM THE PERIOD WE'RE LIVING THROUGH RIGHT NOW WITHOUT ARTS AND CULTURE.

IT DRIVES THE ECONOMY BUT MORE THAN JUST THE ECONOMY, IT DRIVES OR SORT OF DEFINES WHO WE ARE AS NEW YORKERS.

PEOPLE COME HERE BECAUSE OF OUR INSTITUTIONS.

PEOPLE BECAUSE HERE FOR ALL OF THE PROGRAMMING.

AND ARTISTS -- AND I THINK THIS IS THE REALLY KEY THING AND BUILDS ON WHAT TARA WAS SAYING, ARTISTS HAVE ALWAYS POINTED THE WAY TOWARDS PROGRESS.

IT GOES BACK TO THE ENLIGHTMENT AND RENAISSANCE.

ARTISTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE LIGHT AT THE END OF A DARK TUNNEL.

ARTISTS HAVE ALWAYS POINTED THE WAY TOWARDS WHAT IS GOOD AND RIGHT AND JUST AND NEXT.

SO IT IS RIGHT NOW.

AND, THEREFORE, IT'S THE PERFECT QUESTION BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO DO WHAT TARA AND I DO, IT'S KIND OF A NATURAL QUESTION.

LIKE IT DOESN'T TAKE A LOT OF -- SHOULD WE INVOLVE ARTISTS IN THIS?

YOU KNOW, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT ARTISTS DO.

ARTISTS SPEAK CREATIVELY TO THE MOMENT.

>> OF COURSE.

>> AND POINT THE WAY FOR THE REST OF SOCIETY, EVEN WHEN IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE.

>> SO ONE OF THE POINTS TARA BR BROUGHT UP IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK CAN FREQUENTLY GET LOST WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ARTS AND THAT IS THE ARTS HAVE JUST BEEN ABSOLUTELY DECIMATED BY THIS VIRAL PANDEMIC.

NOW SO OFTEN, WHEN DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE PANDEMIC HAPPEN, IT'S VERY NUTS AND BOLTS LIKE JOBS AND DOLLARS AND CENTS AND WHAT IT'S DOING TO THE STOCK MARKET AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY INCLUDE THE TYPES OF PERHAPS NOT JUST NARRATIVES BUT PERSPECTIVES THAT ARTISTS ARE GOING TO BRING TO ANY SITUATION.

LEONARD, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, AND YOU SORT OF TOUCHED ON IT ALREADY, BUT WHAT IS IT THAT'S SO UNIQUE THAT ARTISTS CAN BRING TO ANY OF THESE MASSIVE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY OVER WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN 2020 THAT MIGHT BE GETTING MIXED WHEN YOU FOCUS JUST SO HARD ON BOTTOM LINE NUMBERS?

>> WELL, JOBS AND ECONOMICS AND DOLLARS AND CENTS ARE ARTS AND CULTURE ISSUES THEMSELVES.

ARTISTS EAT.

THERE MAY BE A MISCONCEPTION THAT ARTISTS DON'T BUT ARTISTS STILL EAT AND THEY DO PAY RENT AND THEY DO CONTRIBUTE MIGHTILY TO THE ECONOMY.

I KNOW THIS IS NOT JUST AN ECONOMIC CONVERSATION, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT NUMBERS BOTH NATIONALLY AND AT THE STATE LEVEL AND CITY LEVEL, ARTS CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT, I WOULD PUT ALL OF THOSE IN ONE BASKET, IS A HUGE ECONOMIC DRIVE.

AND SO FROM THAT POINT OF VIEW ALONE, SINCE YOU MENTIONED IT, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE ARTISTS IN THIS CONVERSATION.

WELL, I MEAN TARA, LIKE WHAT YOU DO IS SO DIRECTLY RELATED TO IDEAS OF SOCIAL JUSTICE, RIGHT.

AND WHERE ELSE IS THAT -- WHERE ELSE IS THAT MUSCULARITY AND ENERGY GOING TO COME FROM, BUT IF NOT FROM THE ARTS RIGHT NOW, RIGHT?

THE ONLY OTHER THING I WAS GOING TO SAY, JENNA, YOU MENTIONED THE STOCK MARKET.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY ARTISTS ARE IN THE STOCK MARKET, I IMAGINE A LOT WOULD LIKE TO BE, BUT THERE ARE ALSO A LOT WHO THINK ARTS CONSTITUTE AN INVESTMENT AND I DON'T NECESSARILY MEAN A FINANCIAL INVESTMENT.

THE FOUNDATIONS AND CORPORATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO CONTRIBUTE TO NOT FOR PROFITS LIKE THE JAMAICA CENTER FOR ARTS AND LEARNING OR FOR TARA'S ORGANIZATION UNDERSTAND THAT THAT LARGESS IS AN INVESTMENT OF WHO WE ARE AS PEOPLE, AND THAT IT PAYS DIVIDENDS IN THE FORM OF THE WORK AND IN THE FORM OF A SERVICE THAT IT PROVIDES TO THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

SO SOMETIMES IT'S BUYING STOCK, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S LEVERAGING CAPITAL BECAUSE IT BENEFITS SOCIETY AS A WHOLE.

I TOTALLY MADE THAT UP OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

>> IT WAS VERY ELOQUENTLY PUT, WHICH AGAIN I THINK IS INDICATIVE OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO.

TARA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ON?

>> YEAH, AND THANK YOU, LEONARD, FOR REALLY SHOWING HOW MUCH THE ARTS COMMUNITY CONNECTS WITH OUR ECONOMY AND WITH THE STRENGTH OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

I WOULD ADD ON TO THAT, THAT I THINK MORE THAN ANY TIME -- OR MOST TIMES IN MY LIFE, WE'RE SEEING THAT A LOT OF THE SYSTEMS THAT WE'VE BECOME VERY DEPENDENT ON AREN'T WORKING FOR MANY, MANY PEOPLE.

AND WE'VE SEEN THAT IN THE PAST, IN 2020 AND WE'VE SEEN THAT IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF TURMOIL IN OUR COUNTRY.

AND WE NEED TO THINK CREATIVELY ABOUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO RECOVER.

WE NEED TO THINK DEEPLY AND CREATIVELY ON THE RISKS THAT OUR COMMUNITIES, INEQUITABLE RISKS THAT OUR COMMUNITIES EVER FACING, THAT COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, THE FRONTLINE COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T HAVE RESOURCES TO BOUNCE BACK, THAT ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PAY RENT.

AND RENT IS DUE IN THE SPRING.

WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO THINK OF NEW SYSTEMS AND NEW WAYS TO INNOVATE IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND WHAT BETTER PEOPLE TO BRING US TOGETHER FOR THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAN OUR ARTISTS, THAN OUR CREATIVES, THAN THE MINDS THAT THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX.

AND FOR US AS AN ORGANIZATION, WHAT WE DO IS PAIR THEM THEN WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERTS IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN POLICY, ET CETERA, SO THAT YOU HAVE A COMBINATION OF THE DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE OF EACH OF THESE OF THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM, OF OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM, POLICING, ET CETERA, WITH THE PEOPLE WHO CAN PUSH US TO BE LIKE IMAGINE IF.

BUT WHAT IF WE DID IT THIS WAY?

AND THAT TO ME IS WHAT'S SO EXCITING, WE NEED BOTH.

WE NEED EXPERTS IN THERE.

WE CAN'T EXPECT AN ARTIST TO SUDDENLY BECOME AN ECONOMIST.

AND VICE VERSA.

BUT IF WE CAN BRING THOSE TWO EXPERTISE TOGETHER, I THINK WE SEE A LOT OF POTENTIAL FOR GOOD GROWTH.

>> SPEAKING OF THE IDEA OF GOOD GROWTH, DO EITHER ONE OF YOU SEE WHAT 2020 HAS WROUGHT AS PERHAPS BEING A CHANCE TO REBUILD IN A BETTER WAY?

THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS OF PEOPLE SAYING FROM THE ASHES WE HAVE A CHANCE TO REALLY REBUILD OUR SOCIETY AND PERHAPS WHERE OUR VALUES LIE?

AND LEONARD, IF YOU WANT TO -- >> WE BOTH TOOK A BREATH, AS YOU CAN SEE.

SURE, I WILL BEGIN.

I WOULD SAY IT DEPENDS ON THE DAY.

I THINK LIKE MANY OF US, THE OPTIMIST AND PESSIMIST, THERE'S ONE ON EACH SHOULDER AND ONE GETS LOUDER DEPENDING ON THE MOMENT.

BUT I WOULD SAY CERTAINLY, WE HAVE FOR ONE I THINK IT'S VERY HARD TO BE APATHETIC THESE DAYS.

I THINK WE'RE VERY MUCH IN THE PAST YEAR OR SO, FOR THOSE OF US THAT HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF NOT SEEING SOME OF THE ISSUES AS MUCH THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IN OUR SOCIETY, INCLUDING CLIMATE CHANGE AND RACIAL INJUSTICE, WE CAN'T SAY WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING ANYMORE.

AND I THINK THAT IS REALLY GOOD.

APATHY IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST BARRIERS TO ACTION AND THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE THINK OF A LOT, HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE TO THINK BEYOND, WELL, I GOT TO DEAL WITH EVERYTHING ELSE IN MY LIFE.

I WOULD THINK THAT'S ONE GOOD THING.

AND I THINK ANOTHER IS WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, WE DO NEED TO BREAKDOWN TO BUILD UP AND TO QUESTION THINGS BECAUSE WE'RE SO AS A SPECIES WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, STATUS QUO IS OUR COMFORT ZONE.

AND SO WE ARE ALL -- I THINK I FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT I CAN SAY MOST OF US ARE VERY MUCH OUT OF OUR COMFORT ZONE RIGHT NOW.

AND I THINK THAT IS A GOOD THING.

BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING COMFORTABLE WITH A LOT OF THINGS THAT AREN'T GOOD TO FEEL COMFORTABLE ABOUT.

LEONARD, I'LL PASS IT ON TO YOU.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> I'M FEELING VERY COMFORTABLE RIGHT NOW, EVEN THOUGH IT'S THE SORT OF UNNATURAL THING WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT EACH OTHER ON SCREENS, RIGHT?

I LIKE THE NATURE OF YOUR QUESTION, JENNA, VERY MUCH.

IT'S DIFFICULT THOUGH TO WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND THINK ABOUT HOW ONE PERSON CAN SORT OF TACKLE AND CONQUER THESE VERY LARGE MACRO FORCES THAT WE'RE LIVING WITH EVERY DAY.

SO ONE OF THE GREAT ADVANTAGES OF WORKING WITH A COMMUNITY-BASED CULTURE INSTITUTION IS WE KIND OF MICRO DOWN.

WE LOOK AT OUR COMMUNITY, OUR MISSION, OUR BOARD, OUR STAFF, ALL OF THE PROGRAMS, ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE AND WE THINK, WELL, WE CAN'T NECESSARILY CONQUER -- USED THAT WORD A SECOND TIME -- ALL OF THE DISTURBING MACRO FORCES WE WERE CONFRONTED WITH DURING 2020 BUT WE CAN TAKE THE STEPS THAT WE CAN TAKE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO DO THE WORK THAT WE SHOULD DO IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THOSE ON A MICRO LEVEL.

SO WHEN WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THE TECHNOLOGY TO DO WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW, WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, WE'RE REGARDING THIS OVER ZOOM, RIGHT, IF WE WERE DOING PROGRAMMING AT OUR PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, WE CAN PUT 400 PEOPLE IN THE HOUSE AND DO A PROGRAM AND THAT'S GREAT.

WE WANT TO GET BACK TO THAT AND WE WILL DO THAT.

BUT WHAT THE COVID CRISIS FORCED US TO DO IS SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO OUR WORK, WE CAN DO OUR WORK DIFFERENTLY.

AND IN A POST-COVID WORLD WE CAN STILL PUT 400 PEOPLE IN A THEATER, BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INCLUSION, AND WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT THAT IN THIS CONVERSATION, WE CAN BE TRULY INCLUSIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

PEOPLE WHO MAYBE DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES FOR WHATEVER REASON OR NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THE KIDS AT 8:00 BUT WANT TO TUNE IN, IF YOU WILL, TO WATCH X, Y AND Z.

WE CAN LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE IT A MUCH MORE, IN OUR CASE, FOR NOT FOR PROFITS, A MUCH MORE INCLUSIVE EXPERIENCE FOR THE KINDS OF PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER.

THERE DON'T HAVE TO BE WALLS AND BARRIERS.

WE CAN LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE OUR PROGRAMMING AVAILABLE FOR MORE PEOPLE.

AND THAT'S A REALLY GOOD THING.

THAT'S WHERE LARGER CONVERSATIONS GET TO HAPPEN, I THINK.

>> MAY I?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY BEYOND TECHNOLOGY, I THINK AS LOOKING AT OUR COMMUNITIES AND HOW DO WE BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER SAFELY AND BEYOND THE SCREEN AS WELL, BECAUSE I THINK VERY FEW OF US WANT TO LIVE ONLY IN THE SCREEN.

AS YOU SAID, WE WANT TO RETURN TO COMING TOGETHER.

IT'S FORCED US TO THINK OF OTHER WAYS WE CAN BRING OUR PROGRAMMING TO COMMUNITIES.

YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, WE ENDED UP TAKING A TRADITIONAL GALLERY SHOW THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR OF CLIMATE ARTISTS AND PUTTING IT IN EMPTY STOREFRONTS ACROSS THE CITY SO IT WASN'T BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER ALL AT ONCE BUT SO PEOPLE CAN SEE IT WHEN THEY'RE MOVING AROUND.

SO I THINK IT'S EXCITING BOTH TO HAVE THAT PUSH FOR EXPLORING WHAT WE CAN DO VIRTUALLY BUT ALSO HOW DO WE USE COMMUNITY SPACES, HOW DO WE USE PARKS?

HOW DO WE USE OTHER SPACES THAT WE HAVEN'T THOUGHT OF AS THEATERS OR THOUGHT OF AS GALLERIES TO REALLY BRING PROGRAMMING TO THE COMMUNITY AS OPPOSED TO BRINGING COMMUNITIES TO OUR PROGRAM.

>> OF COURSE, OF COURSE.

AND THAT SPEAKS TO ONE OF THE OTHER LARGE ISSUES THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS CREATED, AND THAT IS, OF COURSE, WHAT HAPPENS WITH E EMPTY STOREFRONTS IN COMMUNITIES, ET CETERA.

BUT I DO WANT TO TURN A LITTLE BIT AND ASK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT BOTH OF YOU ARE DIRECTOR OF, HOW ARE YOU FARING AS A RESULT OF THIS PANDEMIC?

JUST IN TERMS OF PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE THE WAY THEY USED TO, OUTREACH THE WAY YOU USED TO BE ABLE TO DO AND, OF COURSE, THE MOST CRITICAL LINE, FUNDING.

TARA?

>> WELL, I CAN SAY A LOT OF MY ANSWER TO THAT IS I'M NOT SURE.

I THINK IT'S HARD -- THERE ARE SO MANY PIVOTS THAT HAD TO HAPPEN AND I THINK WE'RE ON OUR THIRD PIVOT OF PROGRAMMING RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF THE PAST YEAR HAVING TO CHANGE HOW WE ARE THINKING OF IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMS, AND IN TERMS OF FUNDING, I'LL MAYBE START WITH THAT, WE KNOW FUNDING IS GOING TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE.

IT'S ALWAYS VERY COMPETITIVE.

WE DEFINITELY LOST A COUPLE BOARD MEMBERS BECAUSE OF WHATEVER HAS HAPPENED IN THETHEIR WORK OR LIFE OR THINGS LIKE THAT, AND THAT'S VERY RELIABLE LEADERSHIP AND ECONOMIC SUPPORT.

SO WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE HARD.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME I HAVE SEEN SOME PEOPLE AND ONE OF THE GROUPS THAT ARE BEST PREPARED FOR THIS ECONOMY ARE THROUGH THESE RISKS BECAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS LEAN.

WE DON'T HAVE MUCH OVERHEAD.

WE DON'T HAVE BIG BONUSES.

WE DON'T HAVE WHATEVER AMENITIES OTHER -- OTHER CAREERS HAVE.

SO MOST OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS, WE'RE MISSION FOCUSED AND WE'RE ABOUT CONNECTING WITH OUR COMMUNITY.

SO IN THAT, THAT BUILDS A RESILIENCE THAT WE HAVE COMMUNITY, AND WE HAVE FOUND A WAY TO BUILD EVEN WITHOUT THAT SUPPORT.

SO I THINK THAT'S EXCITING.

I HAVE MORE TO SAY, BUT, LEONARD, I WANT TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE AS WELL.

>> I WOULD SAY NO, THAT'S FINE, IT'S FUNNY.

I WAS JUST CHECKING THE OXYMORON DIFFERENCE AND BONUS AND NONPROFIT WERE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER.

>> THAT'S WHY I SAID AND OTHER THINGS.

MENT I DON'T EVEN KNOW THE TERM FOR OTHER THINGS.

>> IT'S TRUE.

WE'RE USED TO DOING A LOT WITH A LEVEL.

THIS INSTITUTION IS SUBSIDIZED TO A GREAT DEGREE BY THE CITY OF NEW YORK.

WE KNOW THE CITY HAS BEEN IN A VERY TENUOUS AND INCREASINGLY DARK FINANCIAL POSITION.

THERE WERE -- THERE WAS A LEVEL OF DEPENDENCE ON CITY MONEY THAT WE HAVE TO WEAN OURSELVES OFF OF FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE DECIDED TO DOUBLE DOWN ON OUR PROGRAMMING AND THE RESULT OF THAT HAS BEEN AN INCREASE FOCUS FROM INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WANT TO SUPPORT US THAT WE HAVEN'T EVEN NECESSARILY ALWAYS HAD TO REACH OUT.

WE DO LOTS OF FUND-RAISING TO INDIVIDUALS AND FOUNDATIONS, OF COURSE, AND CORPORATIONS, BUT WE'VE BEEN REALLY BLESSED BY INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO JUST PRESSED A LITTLE BUTTON AND SEND WHAT IT IS THEY CAN SEND.

SO WE HAVE IN TURN REDOUBLED OUR COMMITMENT TO BE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND BEING IN COMMUNICATION IN THE FOUNDATIONS THAT BELIEVE IN THE WORK THAT WE DO AND FIGURING OUT, WHAT ARE THE WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY TO KEEP THAT GOING?

WHAT ARE THE EXPECTATIONS OF US?

WHAT ARE OUR EXPECTATIONS OF THEM?

IN THE CASE OF THIS PARTICULAR INSTITUTION, I THINK WE'VE LEARNED MAYBE THE HARD WAY TO BE LESS DEPENDENT ON PUBLIC FUNDS.

HERE WE ARE ON PUBLIC TELEVISION, SO THE IRONY IS NOT LOST ON ME, BUT THE TAX BASE HAS TAKEN A HIT AS A RESULT OF COVID, AND THAT'S JUST A FACT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO MORE WITH LESS, BUT WE'RE NOT GIVING UP ON OUR MISSION.

AND IT'S FUNNY, TARA, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT YOUR 27 TIDBITS, AND I THINK WE'RE AROUND 24 OF 27.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY EXCITING IS WE HAVE TO REIMAGINE ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, WE HAVE MUSIC PROGRAMS, DANCE PROGRAMS.

WE HAVE A DANCE FESTIVAL THAT'S FUNDED STILL, THANK GOD, THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT OF THE ARTS BUT WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT, HOW DO YOU DO A DANCE FESTIVAL ON YOUTUBE?

AND WE FIGURED THAT OUT.

BECAUSE IT'S EITHER THAT OR GIVE ALL OF THE MONEY BACK TO THE NEA, WHICH WE WERE NOT VERY KEEN ON DOING.

SO YOU GO PROGRAM BY PROGRAM.

WE'RE STARTING A NEW THEATER PROGRAM HERE THAT'S NOT ABOUT LET'S DO A READING OF A 2 1/2-HOUR PLAY ON ZOOM.

HERE'S A GROUP OF NEW PLAYS WE'RE INTERESTED IN CULTIVATING, WE WILL HAVE A SCENE READ WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THE PLAY RIGHT, THAT'S WHAT IT'S CALLED, ET CETERA, ET CETERA AND IT'S BITE-SIZE AND PERFECT FOR ZOOM -- PERFECT FOR ZOOM IS ANOTHER OXYMORON, BUT PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO SAY LET'S MAKE THAT PIVOT AND WHO ARE THE FUNDERS, THE INDIVIDUALS, CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS THAT WILL LOOK AT THAT PIVOT AND SAY, THAT'S GREAT SERVICE.

THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO CONTINUE TO WORK FOR ARTISTS FOR ARTISTS, WITH ARTISTS ON BEHALF OF ARTISTS AND THEY WILL SUPPORT US A LITTLE BIT.

AND IT DOESN'T COST US AS MUCH TO DO A READ EGG ON ZOOM AS MUCH AS IT WOULD TO HAVE TEN ACTORS ON A STAGE, FOR EXAMPLE.

I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HAVE TEN ACTORS ON A STAGE RIGHT NOW BUT IF IT'S A CHOICE OF NOT BEING ABLE TO DO THAT AND DO NOTHING, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO NOTHING.

WE'RE GOING TO FINE ANOTHER DIGITAL ANALOG, ANOTHER OXYMORON, FOR WHAT WE USED TO DO.

AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT AND WE'VE BEEN BLESSED IN THAT WHILE WE HAD A LOSS OF INCOME CLEARLY, IT'S NOT BEEN EXISTENTIAL.

AND I SAY WE'RE DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

>> OF COURSE, OF COURSE.

AS YOU SAID, YOU WOULD LOVE TO HAVE TEN ACTORS ON STAGE, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU BOTH IN PERSON IN STUDIO.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE CAN'T DO THAT.

BEFORE I LET YOU BOTH GO, I WAS WONDERING OF THE STORIES THAT WERE SUBMITTED THROUGH YOUR ORGANIZATIONS, OR IF THERE'S ANY PERHAPS THAT DIDN'T GET SUBMITTED THAT REALLY TOUCHED, JUST TO GIVE PEOPLE A TASTE, ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR NARRATIVES THAT JUST REALLY STUCK WITH YOU THAT YOU WERE HEARING FROM PEOPLE WHO WORKED WITH OR THROUGH YOUR ORGANIZATION?

LEONARD, I'LL GO BACK TO YOU.

>> EASILY TWO-THIRDS OF THE AMERICAN PORTRAIT SUBMISSIONS THAT WE PROVIDED WERE FROM INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE UNDER 30 AND TYPICALLY EITHER IMMIGRANTS THEMSELVES OR FIRST GENERATION.

AND BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE THOUGHTS AND HEARING THEIR STORIES PUTS A LOT OF PERSPECTIVE WHERE WE ARE POLITICALLY NOW, AND IT WAS INCREDIBLY REFRESHING AND FRANKLY INSPIRING FOR ALL OF US.

I DON'T WANT TO SELECT JUST ONE BECAUSE I WANT YOUR VIEWERS TO WATCH ALL OF THEM.

>> OF COURSE.

>> IS BUT THEY WERE -- THE SOUTHEAST QUEENS IS ARGUABLY THE MOST DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE MOST DIVERSE BOROUGH AND HAVING THOSE VOICES AND AMPLIFY THEM AND GIVING THEM A PLATFORM, TYPICALLY BECAUSE THEY WERE IMMIGRANT VOICES FOR US, FOR YOURS AND FOR THE GROWING OPPOSITION, I PUT MY VOTE WITH THE TWO-THIRDS OF THE ONES THAT WERE SUBMITTED.

>> TARA, FOR YOU?

>> YEAH, I WOULD ECHO LEONARD WHAT IS REALLY EXCITING, AND THIS IS AN EXTENSION OF WHAT WE DO AT OUR ORGANIZATION, IS THE IDEA OF SHOWING OUR CONSTITUENTS HOW THEIR STORIES ARE IMPORTANT.

AND THAT'S WHAT THIS PLATFORM DID.

SHOWING THAT PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING, NOT JUST THEIR WORK BUT WHO THEY ARE AND WHY THEY DO WHAT THEY DO.

OUR STORIES REALLY COMPRISE EVERYTHING FROM ARTISTS THAT WE WORK WITH TO YOUTH ADVISERS TO SOME OF THOSE WONKY POLICY AND SCIENCE EXPERTS THAT WE WORK WITH AND I WOULD SAY THAT NECESSARILY STUCK OUT TO ME ARE ALWAYS THE STORIES THAT ARE WILLING TO BE MOST VULNERABLE AND REALLY SHARE AS MUCH OF THEMSELVES.

AND ONE WHO WAS A LONGTIME MENTOR OF MINE REALLY SHARED HOW THIS MOMENT AS A SCIENTIST, AS AN EDUCATOR, SHE IS JUST SO CERTAIN IN THE SENSE THAT SOCIAL JUSTICE HAS TO LEAD THE WAY THAT YOU CAN'T DO CLIMATE WORK, YOU CAN'T DO WATER WORK WITHOUT ADDRESSING RACIAL INEQUITIES AND THAT'S JUST A FOREFRONT.

ANOTHER ONE THAT REALLY STUCK OUT FOR ME IS ONE OF OUR ARTISTS FROM THIS PAST YEAR, WHO THIS AMAZING VIDEO, THIS BEAUTIFUL PIECE, SPOKEN WORD PIECE, ABOUT SHIFTING THE NARRATIVE OF HIS COMMUNITY, OF NOT LIKING WHAT HE HEARS OTHER PEOPLE SAY, AND ABOUT OWNING THE NARRATIVE OF STATEN ISLAND AND SHARING THE STRENGTH OF THEIR COMMUNITY.

AND I THINK BEING ABLE TO SHARE THAT TYPE OF ART ON THIS PLATFORM TO A NATIONAL AUDIENCE HAS BEEN REALLY EXPONENTIAL FOR HIS LIFE AND HOPEFULLY HIS CAREER, AND TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN IN A REALLY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, IT'S BEEN REALLY -- IT'S REINFORCED WHAT WE DO IS IMPORTANT SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE BUT I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, AGAIN, MY GUESTS LEONARD JACOBS, INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE JAMAICA CENTER FOR ARTS AND LEARNING, AND TARA DePORTE, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF THE HUMAN IMPACT INSTITUTE.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

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