>>> 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 PROGRAMMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM, THE PETER J. PETERSON AND JOAN GANSZ COONEY FUND.

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE M. NELL FOUNDATION AND BY JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER, JOEY AND JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY, JUDY AND JOSH WESTON, DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION.

FUNDING FOR CHASING THE DREAM IS PROVIDED BY THE JPB FOUNDATION.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS PROVIDED BY SUE AND EDGAR WAUKENHEIM III.

>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO METRO FOCUS.

TONIGHT MARKS NIGHT TWO OF OUR CORONAVIRUS VACCINE COVERAGE, EYE ON THE VACCINE.

ALSO MARKS THE PREMIER OF OUR FOCUS SPOTLIGHT SERIES ON WHO IS RUBBING FOR MAYOR OF THIS GREAT CITY.

AS THE PANDEMIC RAGES ON, OUR FOCUS SHIFTS TO THE VACCINE ROLLOUT, AND QUESTIONS SURROUNDINGS ITS AVAILABILITY.

DESPITE PRESIDENT BIDEN'S ANNOUNCEMENT OF SOME 200 MILLION MORE VACCINES BEING PURCHASED, NEW YORK CITY FOLKS STILL HAVE QUESTIONS.

HOW MANY NEW VACCINES WILL HE GET.

WHEN WILL THEY BE AVAILABLE?

AND ALSO HOW CAN WE TELL WHO HAS ALREADY BEEN VACCINATED?

TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS, NEW YORK CITY COMPTROLLER AND DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR SCOTT STRANGER AS PROPOSED A FAIR SHOT NYC INITIATIVE, AIMED AT ENSURING THERE IS TRANSPARENCY, EQUITY IN THE VACCINE DISTRIBUTION PROCESS.

HE JOINS US NOW TO DISCUSS THE INITIATIVE AND HIS PLANS TO HELP STRUGGLING SMALL BUSINESSES AND THIS NOTION THAT HE IS RUNNING FOR MAYOR.

MR. COMPTROLLER, GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> GREAT TO BE WITH YOU AGAIN, JACK.

THANK YOU.

>> SO LET'S START WITH -- BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT TO TALK ABOUT.

LET'S START WITH THE INITIATIVE HERE.

FAIR SHOT NYC.

>> LOOK, WE GOT TO GET PEOPLE INOCULATED.

WE HAVE HAD A SLOW AND DISJOINTED ROLL-OUT.

IT IS TROUBLING BECAUSE THE ONE THING WE ALL KNEW WAS A VACCINE WAS COMING.

SO WE HAD BASICALLY MANY MONTHS TO PREPARE FOR THIS MOMENT EVEN AS WE WERE FIGHTING THE VIRUS.

AND THIS ROLL-OUT HAS BEEN VERY PROBLEMATIC.

WE HAVE THREE SEPARATE WEBSITES FROM TWO DIFFERENT AGENCIES THAT YOU SIMPLY CAN'T MAKE APPOINTMENTS FOR.

YOUR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS.

I'VE HAD MORE YOUNG PEOPLE CALL ME AND SAY, LOOK, I'M TRYING TO GET MY MOM AND DAD WHO ARE IN THEIR 80s ABLE TO COME IN.

AND THESE WEBSITES ARE CRASHING.

THEY'RE ASKING 51 QUESTIONS, UPLOADING INSURANCE CARDS.

THIS IS NOT HOW WE WILL BRING OUR CITY BACK ECONOMICALLY.

I SAID WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT FAIR SHOT NYC.

IT IS NOT THAT COMPLICATED.

IT IS OPENING UP VACCINE CENTERS.

WE HAVE TO HAVE A SITUATION WHERE WE CAN GET A SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT TASK FORCE TO TRACK AND REDISTRANSIBUTE VACCINE SUPPLIES.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GOING INTO EACH COMMUNITIES AND TRACKING THE PROGRAM.

NONE OF THIS IS HAPPENING.

THE MAYOR HAS TAKEN SOME OF MY SUGGESTIONS.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT A SINGLE, FUNCTIONAL ONLINE CITY PLATFORM.

WE HAVE TO DO OUR PART AS BIDEN RAMPS UP THE AMOUNT OF VACCINES WE'RE GOING TO GET.

BUT IT IS ONLY GOING TO BE GOOD ENOUGH IF YOU HAVE A REAL INOCULATION PLAN.

THIS HAS BEEN LAZY.

LIVES ARE AT STAKE, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO MOVE AND BE MORE NIMBLE AND STRATEGIC AS WE TRY TO INOCULATE MILLIONS OF NEW YORKERS.

>> YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON.

THAT IS THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, WHERE THERE SEEMS TO BE A RELUCTANCE TO ENGAGE IN THE VACCINE PROCESS OR THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN ENOUGH INFORMATION ABOUT IT.

HOW CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT?

>> WELL, THAT'S WHY I HAVE SAID TO CITY HALL MAKE THE VACCINATION DEMOGRAPHIC DATA PUBLIC, SO WE CAN SEE WHICH COMMUNITIES ARE RESPONDING TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A VACCINE.

IF PEOPLE ARE NOT RESPONDING, LET'S SAY IN CERTAIN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, LET'S TAKE THE CONTACT TRACING PEOPLE RATHER THAN DOING WORK THAT NO ONE IS REALLY DOING.

WE SHOULD SHIFT SOME OF THAT TO OUTREACH AND EDUCATION.

EVEN IF WE HAVE THE FIRST PASS INTO THE COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE ARE AFRAID OF THE VACCINE OR THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE, LET'S GO DOUBLE BACK TO THEM AND MAKE SURE THEY GET THE DATA AND INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED.

BUT, AGAIN, THIS IS ALL ABOUT A COMPREHENSIVE AND WHOLISTIC APPROACH TO INOCULATION.

NONE OF THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING, AND THAT'S WHY I SAID PREREGISTRATION, OUTREACH AND MAKE THIS WHAT IT IS, WHICH IS A RACE TO SAVE LIVES, WHETHER YOU'RE A 75-YEAR-OLD, A FRONT LINE PERSON OF COLOR WORKING IN OUR HOSPITALS OR WORKING IN DANGEROUS JOBS, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE GETS THE VACCINE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED.

IT MUST HAPPEN.

>> I THINK YOU UNDERSCORE THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT.

THIS IS NOT JUST A LOGISTICAL PROBLEM.

THIS IS A RACE TO SAVE LIVES, SO ALL THIS INFORMATION WILL BE HELPFUL.

>> BY THE WAY, THIS RACE TO SAVE LIVES STARTED THE DAY THE VIRUS ARRIVED.

THE FACT THAT WE ARE STILL IN A PLANNING PROCESS, AS OPPOSED TO A FULL-ON STRATEGIC PLAN, IT IS OUTRAGEOUS AND TROUBLING AND QUITE FRANKLY SCARY FOR SO MANY PEOPLE.

>> LET ME SHIFT TO ANOTHER COMPONENT OF THIS PANDEMIC HERE, AND THAT IS THE LOSSES, THE FINANCIAL LOSSES, SMALL BUSINESSES ESPECIALLY IN NEW YORK CITY.

I KNOW YOU ARE LOOKING TO TRY TO MAKE THE INFORMATION MORE READILY AVAILABLE TO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS NOW FOR THIS SECOND ROUND OF GOVERNMENT LOANS.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR THAT?

>> WELL, WE HAVE -- WHAT WE FOUND WAS ONLY LIKE 12% OF THE 1.1 MILLION ELIGIBLE BUSINESSES GOT PPP.

MEANING THAT 24% OF BUSINESSES IN NEBRASKA GOT THE PPP MONEY.

AND THE SECOND ROUND OF THE PPP MONEY HAS NOW BEEN OPENED AGAIN, SO WE HAVE TO DO THIS DIFFERENTLY.

THERE IS 2$284 BILLION AVAILABL.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITY OUTREACHES TO EVERY CORNER OF OUR CITY IN EVERY LANGUAGE, SETTING UP A HOTLINE, PHONE BANKS TO MAKE SURE OUR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES CAN NOW ACCESS THE PAYROLL PROTECTION PROGRAM, WHICH IS CRITICAL IN MAKING SURE OUR SMALL BUSINESSES CAN HOLD THE LINE IN THE MIDST OF THIS ONGOING PANDEMIC.

LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING.

IT HAS TO HAPPEN FOR US BECAUSE, BASICALLY, THIS MONEY WENT TO THE BIG COMPANIES, THE COMPANIES THAT WE KNOW ARE GOING TO COME BACK.

WHERE WE ARE STRUGGLING IS WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITIES.

WE HAVE LOST 500,000 JOBS IN THIS SECTOR.

MANY PEOPLE CAN SEE THE LOSS OF BUSINESSES IN SO MANY OF OUR COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS.

AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE PARTNERING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET OUR SMALL BUSINESSES THE INFORMATION AND THE HELP THEY NEED TO GO ONLINE AND GET THESE LOANS.

>> THAT NUMBER IS FAIRLY ASTONISHING.

WHAT A SMALL PERCENTAGE IT WAS OF NEW YORK CITY BUSINESSES THAT GOT ACCESS TO THIS.

WHY WAS THAT AND WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER THIS TIME?

>> WELL, NOW, RATHER THAN WAIT FOR THE SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE ENTREPRENEURS TO COME TO THE CITY AGENCIES, LET'S GO TO THEM.

LET'S GET TO KNOCK ON EVERY DOOR AND SAY, LOOK, IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE FILLING OUT THE APPLICATION, WE CAN HELP YOU.

IF YOU ARE NOT SURE WHAT THE PROGRAM DOES OR IT'S FOR YOU OR NOT FOR YOU, LET'S HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.

THERE HAS TO BE AN URGENCY JUST LIKE I FEEL THERE HAS TO BE AN URGENCY FOR INOCULATION.

WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET OUR FAIR SHARE, THE $284 BILLION THAT'S AVAILABLE, IT HAS TO COME TO OUR NEW YORK SMALL BUSINESSES.

IN THE FIRST ITERATION OF THIS MONEY, ALL THE BIG COMPANIES GOT THE MONEY.

NOW WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE OUR SMALL BUSINESSES GET WHAT THEY'RE OWED.

LET ME REMIND OUR VIEWERS, NEW YORK CITY SPENDS $22 BILLION MORE TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAN WE GET BACK AND WE NOW NEED TO GET OUR FAIR SHARE BECAUSE WE'RE AT THE EPICENTER.

WE NEED NEW YORK CITY TO COME BACK.

THE LONGER WILL TAKE FOR THE NATION TO COME BACK.

AND I'M NOT MAKING THAT UP.

THAT'S THE FACT.

THAT'S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE TO SEE.

>> ANOTHER ASTONISHING NUMBER, HOW MUCH NEW YORK CITY CONTRIBUTES TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT VERSUS HOW MUCH COMES BACK.

WE'RE TALKING TO NEW YORK CITY COMPTROLLER ABOUT SOME OF THE ACTIONS HE AND HIS OFFICE ARE TAKING WITH REGARD TO FAIR SHOT NYC TALKING ABOUT GETTING ACCESS FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TO THE NEXT ROUND OF FINANCING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE.

YOU HAVE BEEN VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN YOUR POSITION IN THE FIGHT FOR CLIMATE CHANGE.

AND AGAIN IN YOUR POSITION, YOU HAVE BEEN VERY ENGAGED IN WORKING WITH THE VARIOUS PENSION FUNDS IN NEW YORK AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO COMPANIES INVOLVED WITH WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS WHAT'S CALLED FOSSIL FUEL COMPANIES.

THERE ARE OTHER TITLES FOR THEM.

TELL ME WHAT'S TAKEN PLACE MOST RECENTLY WITH REGARD TO PENSION FUNDS.

>> WELL, LOOK, OUR PENSION FUND THROUGH THE TIRELESS EFFORTS OF MY OFFICE AND THE TRUSTEES OF OUR $200 BILLION PENSION FUND, WHICH, BY THE WAY, IS THE FOURTH LARGEST IN THE UNITED STATES, 14th LARGEST IN THE WORLD.

WE ARE NOW DIVESTING AN ESTIMATED $4 BILLION FROM FOSSIL FUEL COMPANIES.

IT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST DIVESTMENTS IN THE WORLD.

AND WE ARE GOING TO GET THIS DONE WITHIN A FIVE-YEAR TIME FRAME.

AND WE WORKED WITH OUR TRUSTEES WHO DID AN AMAZING JOB ON MAKING SURE THAT WE DO THE DIVESTMENT THROUGH THE LENS OF PROTECTING THE RETIREMENT SECURITY OF OUR CITY WORKERS.

WE KEPT THIS PROCESS ON TRACK.

WE WORK WITH INVESTMENT EXPERTS.

WE WERE THOUGHTFUL.

WE WERE DELIBERATIVE AND WE WERE FIDUCIARILY SOUND.

THIS IS HISTORIC.

IT WILL SIGNAL WE ARE NOT PLAYING AROUND WHEN IT COMES TO CLIMATE CHANGE.

WE DON'T HAVE DECADES TO GET THIS RIGHT.

WE HAVE TO FORCE THESE CLIMATE COMPANIES, THESE ENERGY COMPANIES TO REDIRECT THEIR RESOURCES SO WE ARE SHOWING THROUGH DIVESTMENT THAT WE KNOW THESE ARE BAD INVESTMENTS AND WE SIGNAL THAT AROUND THE WORLD.

ALSO I WANT TO ADD TO EVERYBODY IT IS NOT JUST WHAT WE DIVEST FROM.

IT IS WHAT WE INVEST IN.

AND AS PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WE ARE INVESTING IN THE GREEN ECONOMY TO CREATE RETRO FITTING JOBS, TO CREATE SOLAR ENERGY, SOLAR POWER, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE BATTERY DRIVEN ENERGY AS OPPOSED TO INVESTING IN OUTDATED PEAKER PLANTS.

AND SO I AM VERY PROUD OF THE WORK WE HAVE DONE.

OUR WHOLE TEAM WORKED ON THIS.

AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL PLAY A ROLE IN MAKING THIS ENVIRONMENT DIFFERENT FOR OUR CHILDREN WHO DESERVE CLEAN AND HEALTHY LIVING.

>> GIVEN THE NUMBERS INVOLVED HERE AND THE ASSURANCES TO THE PENSIONERS THAT THINGS WILL BE PROTECTED.

AS YOU SAID, THE REINVESTMENT IS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR THAT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT.

YOUR RACE FOR MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY, NOW, I DO WANT TO TELL YOU AND MAKE SURE OUR VIEWERS KNOW ALSO, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND A WHOLE SHOW WITH YOU SOME TIME VERY SOON WHERE WE WILL TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT, THE ISSUES AND POLICIES.

BUT WE WANTED TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT ALL THESE OTHER ISSUES TODAY.

BUT LET ME LEAVE YOU BY ASKING THIS QUESTION, AND YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR ANSWER TO OUR VIEWERS HERE.

AND I THINK THE FIRST QUESTION I ALWAYS ASK ANYBODY WHO IS RUNNING FOR OFFICE.

AND THAT IS, GIVEN HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO GOVERN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, AS MARVELOUS OF A CITY AS IT IS, WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE MAYOR?

>> WELL, THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY CHALLENGING MAYOR.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CRISES WE HAVE SO SOLVE AT THE SAME TIME.

WE HAVE A HEALTH CRISIS.

WE HAVE AN ECONOMIC CRISIS.

WE HAVE A SOCIAL JUSTICE PROBLEM IN THE CITY.

WE HAVE THE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE NATION.

AND WE'RE GOING TO NEED A MAYOR WITH VISION AND EXPERIENCE TO BRING THE ECONOMY BACK.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M OFFERING TO THE PEOPLE OF NEW YORK CITY.

AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TWO LITTLE KIDS AT MY AGE, A NINE-YEAR-OLD AND SEVEN-YEAR-OLD.

AND I LOOK AT THEM EVERY DAY I CAMPAIGN AND I THINK ABOUT THE KIND OF FUTURE THEY SHOULD HAVE IN THE CITY.

AND THEY'RE PRETTY LUCKY KIDS.

BUT I ALSO KNOW THERE ARE KIDS WHO ARE HOMELESS, DOING REMOTE LEARNING.

THERE ARE KIDS IN PUBLIC HOUSING AND THEY DON'T HAVE INTERNET ACCESS.

WE NEED A MAYOR WHO IS JUST GOING TO MANAGE THE HELL OUT OF THIS TOWN, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.

I GREW UP IN THE CITY.

I KNOW THE MAGIC OF NEW YORK.

I KNOW THE GREAT DIVERSITY OF THIS CITY.

BUT I WANT A MAYORALTY FOR EVERYONE.

WE NEED SOMEONE WHO CAN HIT THE GROUND RUNNING ON DAY ONE.

THAT IS ME AND I WILL TRY TO MAKE MY CASE.

>> WE WILL COME BACK, AN ENTIRE SHOW, AND TALK ABOUT THIS.

BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THANKS SO MUCH FOR SPENDING TIME WITH US AND HELPING US UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

>> THANKS, JACK.

TALK TO YOU SOON.

>> THANK YOU.

TAKE CARE.

>>> IN THE 1970s, THE SOUTH BRONX WAS LITERALLY ON FIRE.

THE SCALE OF THE DEVASTATION DURING THAT DECADE IS HARD TO FATHOM.

40 FIRES A DAY, ACCORDING TO ONE ESTIMATE.

A CONTINUOUS BLAZE THAT WOULD END UP DESTROYING 80% OF THE HOUSING STOCK IN THE AREA REDUCING ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOODS TO RUBBLE.

BUT JUST WHY AND HOW WAS THE SOUTH BRONX ALLOWED TO BURN TO THE GROUND?

IT IS A QUESTION THAT STILL TROUBLES LONG-TIME RESIDENTS AND THE SUBJECT OF A DOCUMENTARY.

DECADE OF FIRE FOLLOWS A BRONX BORN ACTIVIST AS SHE UNCOVERS THE UNTOLD STORY BEHIND THE FIRES, REVEALING SHOCKING NEGLIGENT AT EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT.

HERE'S A PREVIEW.

>> I GREW UP IN THE SOUTH BRONX IN THE 1970s DURING THE TIME OF THE FIRES.

LANDLORDS WERE BURNING OUR BUILDS FOR PROFIT, AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO REBUILD OUR HOMES.

A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE DISPLACED.

RESIDENTS AND GRASS ROOTS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO FIGHT BACK.

THESE WERE OUR HOMES.

THIS WAS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE WEREN'T GOING TO TAKE IT LYING DOWN.

>> AS PART OF OUR CHASING THE DREAM INITIATIVE, CODIRECTORS AND PRODUCERS OF "DECADE OF FIRE" JOIN US NOW.

LADIES, WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THIS WAS SUCH A POWERFUL DOCUMENTARY.

VIVIAN, I WANT TO START WITH YOU BECAUSE THIS IS VERY MUCH YOUR STORY.

TELL ME HOW DID THIS FILM COME INTO EXISTENCE?

>> JULIA ALLEN AND I, WHO IS OUR CO-PRODUCER WORKED TOGETHER IN THE BRONX DURING THE EARLY PART OF THE 2000s.

WE WERE PART OF THE 21st CENTURY SMALL SCHOOLS MOVEMENT.

WE WERE WORKING WITH THE CBO -- IN A CBO, SORRY, WORKING WITHIN A CBO TO START A SMALL SCHOOL.

WE WANTED TO WRITE A CURRICULUM FOR BRONX HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SO THAT THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT THEIR HISTORY IN THE BRONX.

BUT WE JUST KEPT TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE SOUTH BRONX DURING THE 1970s.

I KEPT TALKING ABOUT MY EXPERIENCES HOW I GREW UP AND JULIA ENCOURAGED ME TO WRITE ABOUT IT AND THEN EVENTUALLY SHE ENCOURAGED ME TO WORK ON A FILM.

SHE INTRODUCED ME TO GRETCHEN, AND THEN WE BEGAN FILMING FRIENDS AND TELLING OUR STORY ABOUT HOW WE GREW UP IN THE SOUTH BRONX AND WHAT THE CONTEXT WAS OF THE DAY BECAUSE FOR MANY OF US WE HAD A GREAT TIME JUST LIKE ALL KIDS HAVE A GREAT TIME DURING THEIR CHILDHOOD.

BUT THERE WAS THIS BACKDROP OF DEVASTATION AND NEGLECT THAT WAS EVER SO PRESENT IN OUR MEMORIES.

>> THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I THINK I FOUND SO ENGROSSING ABOUT THE FILM, YOU WERE ABLE TO GET SO MUCH FOOTAGE THAT YOU FELT LIKE YOU WERE THERE.

HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER ALL THESE PIECES THAT REALLY IT BROUGHT THE AUD YIENC INTO A SPACE THAT -- FOR ME, I DIDN'T GROW UP IN THE CITY, SO I WASN'T THERE, BUT YOU FEEL LIKE THAT WATCHING THIS FILM.

>> WHEN WE FIRST STARTED WORKING ON THIS FILM, IT WAS 2008.

SO IT WAS A TEN-YEAR PROCESS THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, THAT WAS OUR END GOAL.

BUT IT DEFINITELY WAS A HUGE AMOUNT OF WORK AND WE WORKED TOGETHER COLLABORATIVELY.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHILE I WOULD BE DOING THE FILMING OR THE EDITING, WE ALSO TALKED EVERY WEEK ABOUT THE STORY BECAUSE THERE IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF AMAZING FOOTAGE.

AND I CAN TELL YOU MORE ABOUT WHERE WE FOUND THAT, BUT I THINK PART OF WHAT DRAWS YOU IN IS THAT WE SPENT SO MUCH TIME REALLY FOCUSSING ON HOW TO LET THE VIEWER EXPERIENCE THIS STORY THROUGH VIVIAN'S EYES.

>> UH-HUH.

>> BECAUSE SO OFTEN THE BRONX IS PORTRAYED BY OUTSIDERS AS THIS OTHER PLACE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE?

AND WE REALLY WANTED TO BRING PEOPLE IN TO THAT EXPERIENCE OF LIKE THE ACTUAL LIKE LOVE THAT PEOPLE HAD FOR THE BRONX AND FOR THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS THERE, WHICH IS WHAT, YOU KNOW, INENTICED TH TO STAY AND FIGHT FOR IT WHEN ALL THIS STUFF WAS GOING ON.

>> IN ADDITION TO THE HEART AND SOUL OF YOUR STORY SPECIFICALLY, THIS IS ALSO VERY MUCH A HISTORY LESSON.

AND YOU LEARN A LOT ABOUT, AS I SAY IN THE INTRO, THE FAILURES OF GOVERNMENT AT EVERY SINGLE LEVEL.

LET'S GO BACK TO JUST ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES, AND THAT WAS THE RED LINING, THE CREATION OF THE SOUTH BRONX, IF YOU WILL.

WHY WAS IT SO IMPORTANT TO MAKE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW -- LIKE, FIRST OF ALL, WHY THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WAS INTENTIONALLY CREATED THE WAY IT WAS.

>> SO RED LINING BEGAN, ACTUALLY, IN BROOKLYN RIGHT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE 1900s, AND IT STARVED OFF NEIGHBORHOODS THAT BANKS OR POLICYMAKERS WANTED TO KIND OF GET RID OF, RIGHT?

SO WHEN IT CAME TO THE BRONX, IT BASICALLY CAME -- THE WAY THAT I INTERPRETED IT IS THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS A BAD BET BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE A GROWING NUMBER OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND PUERTO RICAN PEOPLE LIVING IN IT AND THERE IS NO USE IN SUPPORTING THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.

THESE FOLKS DON'T NOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES, SO WE MIGHT AS WELL LEAVE THEM THERE.

THAT MEANT THAT FOLKS WERE NOT PROVIDED WITH ANY LOANS.

THERE WERE NO RESOURCES TO HELP BUILD OR RESTORE, MAINTAIN THE BUILDINGS.

A LOT OF THE ELECTRICAL FIRING.

THEY COULDN'T SUPPORT THE NEW APPLIANCES COMING INTO PLAY AT THAT TIME LIKE HAIR DRIERS AND HEATERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THERE WAS NO WAY TO GET NEW SERVICES.

WHAT RED LINING MEANS IS YOU DRAW A RED LINE.

>> LITERALLY, YEAH.

>> AND YOU DECIDE NOT TO PROVIDE.

THE GOVERNMENT DECIDES ALONG WITH PRIVATE ENTITIES ALONG WITH PUBLIC ENTITIES DECIDE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PROVIDE ANY ECONOMIC SUPPORT TO THAT AREA.

AND THAT DEVASTATED THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE NEEDED ECONOMIC SUPPORT.

EVERY COMMUNITY NEEDS ECONOMIC SUPPORT.

AND WHAT THAT DID IS IT JUST -- ALL THE BUILDINGS BEGAN TO RUN DOWN AND PEOPLE COULDN'T GET OUT AND PEOPLE COULDN'T SORT OF MAINTAIN.

WHEN SOMEONE BUYS A HOME NOWADAYS, YOU GET A LOAN.

YOU WANT TO FIX IT.

YOU KNOW, YOU REFINANCE AND YOU DO SOMETHING.

YOU KNOW, THERE WAS NO ECONOMIC INCENTIVE TO SUPPORT THE SOUTH BRONX.

>> AND OF COURSE THE FILM ALSO ADDRESSES THERE WAS NO ECONOMIC INCENTIVE, AT LEAST ON THE PART OF THE LANDLORDS TO SUPPORT.

AND, SO, HAS THAT EVER BEEN PROVEN BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT THAT LANDLORDS WERE INTENTIONALLY BURNING THESE BUILDINGS OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN MORE COME TO UNDERSTOOD.

PEOPLE NOW FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHAT MOST LIKELY HAPPENED.

>> WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW DURING THIS PERIOD IS THAT THE CITY WAS CUTTING BACKFIRE SERVICES ACROSS THE CITY, SO IT WAS CUTTING BACK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO RESPOND TO FIRES AND THEY CUT DRAMATICALLY THE NUMBER OF FIRE MARSHALS WHO -- WE TALK ABOUT THIS IN THE FILM.

FIRE MARSHALS ARE THE PEOPLE THAT SHOW UP TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE SUSPICIOUS FIRE.

THE NUMBERS FAIR OVER TIME, BUT IT WAS WOEFULLY UNDERSTAFFED.

SO A NUMBER OF THE FIRES WERE NOT INVESTIGATED.

IT IS DIFFICULT TO KNOW THE CAUSES OF ANY OF THESE FIRES BECAUSE IT HAPPENED FOUR YEARS AGO AND NOBODY EVER MADE IT -- TOOK DOWN RECORDS OF WHAT HAPPENED.

BUT THERE WERE A HANDFUL OF PROSECUTIONS AND THERE WAS A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION BY FEMA, ACTUALLY.

INTO THE PROCESS OF LANDLORDS AS WELL.

WE FOUND THIS RESEARCH BY VIVIAN GOES INTO DIFFERENT ARCHIVES AND DIGS IT UP.

IT IS NOT OUT THERE.

IT IS NOT IN THE PUBLIC MIND THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS A PRETTY WIDESPREAD PRACTICE AT A CERTAIN TIME.

BUT ANECDOTALLY IT WAS WELL KNOWN.

>> ACTUALLY, VIVIAN, AGAIN, SO MANY REASONS WHY THIS FILM IS IMPORTANT.

AND IT ADDRESSES THE ISSUE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE SOUTH BRONX, INTERNALIZED AND BLAMED THEMSELVES FOR THE FIRES.

AND THERE IS ALSO FOOTAGE OF CITY OFFICIALS AT THE TIME SAYING IT WAS THE FAULT OF THE PEOPLE IN THE SOUTH BRONX.

AND THIS FILM LAYS OUT A CASE FOR WHY IT'S NOT.

WHY THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE PEOPLE SHOULDN'T BE BLAMING THEMSELVES.

WHY WAS THAT SO IMPORTANT?

>> BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT CURRENT DAY.

YOU WALK AROUND.

I WORK IN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND WE SEE YOUNG PEOPLE CARRY A LEGACY THAT DOESN'T BELONG TO THEM, THAT THEY COME FROM THE SOUTH BRONX, SO THEY COME FROM SOME, YOU KNOW, POOR NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO THE NARRATIVE THAT IS THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM IS THAT POOR PEOPLE ARE POOR AND THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE RUN DOWN BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR NEIGH NEIGHBORHOODS.

THAT'S WHAT WE OFTEN HEARD.

WE WERE BLAMED.

IT WAS ARSON.

RIGHT?

THAT'S WHAT WE OFTEN HEARD.

AND THAT IS A VERY NEGATIVE AND INTERNAL EMOTION.

BUT THAT'S A MESSAGE THAT MANIFESTS ITSELF IN ANGER OR FEAR OR, YOU KNOW, SELF-BLAME OR EVEN LIKE SELF-ESTEEM.

PLENTY OF US, WE KNOW THAT LANDLORDS WERE BURNING THEIR BUILDINGS, BUT WE WERE BLAMED.

YOU KNOW?

I TALK ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME WITH PEOPLE FROM THE SOUTH BRONX OR WITH MY FRIENDS.

ANYWHERE I GO, I SAY I'M FROM THE SOUTH BRONX.

PEOPLE SAY, OH, DO YOU CARRY A KNIFE?

ARE YOU SAFE?

THERE IS ALWAYS THAT STIGMA.

THAT'S THE MESSAGE WE CONSTANTLY RECEIVE FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD.

AND EVEN WITHIN OURSELVES, RIGHT, BECAUSE WE WERE LIKE, OH, YEAH, WE WERE THE ONES WHO BURNED IT.

BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

AND I THINK THAT FOR ME IT WAS SO REVELATORY TO UNDERSTAND AND REVEAL THE FACTORS THAT RED LINING STARVED AND ZAPPED OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE.

URBAN RENEWAL.

WHITE FLIGHT.

YOU KNOW, THE IDEA THAT FIRE HOUSES WERE CUT AT A TIME WHEN WE WERE BURNING AND THEN WE GOT BLAMED FOR THAT.

BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE PROTECTION WE NEEDED.

BUT, YET, WE GOT BLAMED FOR BURNING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS?

>> UH-HUH.

>> THAT IS VERY IMPACTFUL.

AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WALK AROUND THINKING, WELL, I DON'T LIVE IN A SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD.

I'M FROM THIS PLACE CALLED THE SOUTH BRONX.

PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ME OR PEOPLE SEE ME A DIFFERENT WAY.

SO WE NEEDED TO TELL AND KIND OF WHAT WE CALL FLIP THE SCRIPT ON -- >> OH, DEFINITELY THE FILM DOES THAT BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO YOU ADDRESS OR LAY OUT THE REASONS WHY THERE SHOULDN'T BE SELF-BLAME BUT ALSO THE RESILIENCY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AFTER THE FIRES, HOW PEOPLE CAME TOGETHER AND DECIDED, WELL, IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET HELP, WE'RE GOING TO REBUILD OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

>> BECAUSE WE WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.

WE ACTUALLY SAVED THE SOUTH BRONX.

>> LADIES, I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS FILM.

THIS IS A CRUCIAL RETELLING OF THE HISTORY THAT I THINK HASN'T BEEN GIVEN THE ATTENTION IT SHOULD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS FILM.

>> THANK YOU.

>> FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT US AT METROFOCUS.ORG.

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

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM, THE PETER J. PETERSON AND JOAN GANSZ COONEY FUND.

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

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