>>> TONIGHT, RUSSIAN CYBER ATTACKS.

IS IT JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE TRI-STATE GETS ATTACKED?

AND HOW VULNERABLE ARE WE?

PLUS, WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT YOURSELF ONLINE.

"METROFOCUS" STARTS RIGHT NOW.

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

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- >>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS," I'M JACK FORD.

COUNTERTERRORISM OFFICIALS HAVE PUT THE NEW YORK AREA ON HIGH ALERT, TELLING NEW YORKERS TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR POTENTIAL CYBER ATTACKS EMANATING FROM RUSSIA.

EXPERTS WESTERN THAT WITH U.S. SANCTIONS CRIPPLING THE RUSSIAN COMPANY, RUSSIA COULD CHOOSE TO RETALIATE AT ANY MOMENT BY USING CYBER WARFARE AND NEW YORK COULD BE A PARTICULARLY ATTRACTIVE TARGET.

SO, JUST HOW VULNERABLE ARE WE TO CYBER ATTACKS?

WHAT CAN BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS DO TO PROTECT THEMSELVES?

AND ARE WE REALLY PREPARED FOR ATTACKS ON OUR CRITICAL IN INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE THE SUBWAY SYSTEM OR THE POWER GRID?

WELL, JOINING US TONIGHT TO HELP ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS IS GLENN GERSTELL.

HE'S A CYBER SECURITY EXPERT AND THE FORMER GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE NSA.

GLENN, WELCOME.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU, JACK.

>> LET ME START WITH THE BIG PICTURE QUESTION, AND THEN WE'LL GET DOWN TO SOME OF THE SPECIFICS I MENTIONED.

YOU RECENTLY WROTE A "NEW YORK TIMES" OP-ED PIECE WHERE YOU SAID YOU DON'T BELIEVE THE U.S. IS ADEQUATELY PREPARED .

WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THAT'S THE CASE?

>> THE SIMPLE FACT IS, WE'RE FACING A VERY SERIOUS ADVERSARY, A VERY SOPHISTICATED ONE, IN THE FORM OF RUSSIA, WHICH KNOWS HOW TO PENETRATE CYBER NETWORKS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

WE'VE SEEN WHAT THEY CAN DO ELSEWHERE.

AND ON THE OTHER SIDE, AMERICAN BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRY AND INFRASTRUCTURE AREN'T EVENLY -- AREN'T EVENLY ORGANIZED AND DON'T HAVE THE SAME LEVELS OF CYBER SECURITY PROTECTION ACROSS THE BOARD.

SOME SECTORS, SUCH AS THE BANKING SECTOR, THE FINANCIAL SECTOR, WALL STREET WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE NEW YORK ECONOMY, THEY'RE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE, BUT OTHERS AREN'T.

AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND, OF COURSE, WE'RE VULNERABLE AS A WHOLE COUNTRY, WE HAVE VERY UNEVEN LEVELS OF CYBER SECURITY.

PART OF THAT IS THE WAY OUR NETWORKS WERE ORGANIZED IN THE FIRST PLACE, PART OF IT IS POOR CYBER SECURITY PRACTICES, INSUFFICIENT CYBER SECURITY EXPERTS, A WHOLE LIST OF REASONS WHY WE'RE VULNERABLE, WE ALL KNOW THAT.

AND ON THE OTHER SIDE, AS I SAID, WE'RE FACING VERY SOPHISTICATED ADVERSARY.

WE KNOW HOW RUSSIA WAS ABLE TO TURN THE LIGHTS OFF IN UKRAINE IN 2014 AND 2015.

>> LET ME ASK YOU SOME FOLLOWUPS TO THAT.

WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT CYBER ATTACKS EMANATING FROM RUSSIA.

GENERALLY SPEAKING, ARE THEY WHAT WE REFER TO AS STATE-SPONSORED ATTACKS?

>> CERTAINLY THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT HAS ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS SPECIFICALLY CALLED IT OUT, THE GRU, WHICH IS THE ACRONYM FOR THE RUSSIAN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE UNIT, AS THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY BEHIND A BUNCH OF SERIOUS ATTACKS IN THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING SOLAR WINDS AND OTHER ATTACKS AROUND THE -- AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING THE RELEASE OF WHAT WAS THE MOST DANGEROUS CYBER SECURITY VIRUS THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN, IN 2017, WHICH WAS AIMED AT UKRAINE, BUT -- SPREAD ALL AROUND THE WORLD, CAUSING $10 BILLION OF DAMAGE.

SO, RUSSIA IS A VERY SOPHI SOPHISTICATED FOREIGN CYBER ADVERSARY THAT, IN SOME WAYS, IS PROBABLY A NEAR PEER TO THE UNITED STATES.

>> WHY DO YOU THINK, WITH ALL THE TALK ABOUT THIS, THAT AT LEAST WE HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANY OF THESE CYBER ATTACKS ON OUR STRUCTURES AND ENTITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS, AT LEAST YET?

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?

>> WELLING, A COUPLE OF THINGS.

FIRST OF ALL, LIKE THE SAYING GOES, DAY AIN'T OVER YET, SO, WE CAN'T BE SURE EXACTLY WHAT PUTIN IS GOING TO DO IN THE FUTURE, ESPECIALLY IF HE'S CORNERS OR HE FEELS HE HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO LASH OUT IN RETALIATION.

IN ORDER TO MAKE HIMSELF LOOK STRONG DOMESTICALLY.

OR IF HE FEELS HE HAS NOTHING TO LOSE.

OR HE'S ALREADY GOT SANCTIONS IMPOSED ON HIM, NOT GOING TO GET MUCH WORSE, SO WHY NOT JUST ENGAGE IN A CYBER ATTACK?

WE CAN'T RULE THAT OUT.

HAVING SAID THAT, I STILL THINK IT'S UNLIKELY.

WHY?

BECAUSE THE UPSIDE FOR HIM IS VERY MINIMAL.

THERE'S NO REAL STRATEGIC GOAL HE SERVES BY UNLEASHING A DESTRUCTIVE CYBER ATTACK IN THE UNITED STATES.

>> HOW DO YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY THAT, NO REAL STRATEGIC GOAL?

IS IT JUST CREATING INCONVENIENCE FOR US AND NOTHING MORE?

>> SO, THE RUSSIAN PATTERN IS TO TRY TO SPEW DISINFORMATION, TO SEW DECISION CORD, TO SORT OF THROW SAND IN OUR GEARS, SO TO SPEAK.

THEIR PATTERN IN THE UNITED STATES HAS NOT BEEN TO ENGAGE IN DESTRUCTIVE CYBER ATTACKS.

BY THAT, I MEAN USING CYBER TO OPEN VALVES IN A CHEMICAL PLANT, RELEASING POISONOUS GASES, OPENING GATES IN A DAM TO HAVE WATER GO DOWNSTREAM OR HITTING THE FINANCIAL SERVICES SECTOR AND CAUSING VISA AND MASTERCARD PAYMENTS TO SUDDENLY STOP.

WHETHER THEY'RE CAPABLE OF THAT, WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY, BUT WE NEED TO BE WORRIED ABOUT IT.

HE HASN'T DONE THAT BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED UPSIDE IN THE STRATEGIC SENSE AND THE FEAR OF RETRIBUTION.

HE KNOWS IF HE DOES SOMETHING THAT HAS REAL WORLD DESTRUCTIVE EFFECTS IN THE UNITED STATES, WE'RE GOING TO FIGHT BACK AND IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE IN THE BASIS OF A CYBER ATTACK.

>> YOU MENTIONED DIFFERENT ENTITIES THAT COULD BE TARGETED HERE.

WHAT ARE THE ONES THAT YOU WOULD KEEP YOUR EYES ON AS THE MOST VULNERABLE TARGETS IF THERE WAS TO BE SOME TYPE OF A CYBER ATTACK?

>> SO, I THINK THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF CYBER ATTACKS THAT THE KREMLIN COULD EITHER AUTHORIZE OR CONDONE.

I COULD EASILY SEE VLADIMIR PUTIN TELLING THE RANSOM WARE GANGS, OKAY, GUYS, GO AT IT.

AND THAT'S EVERY INDUSTRY, FROM A DRUG COMPANY TO A PIPELINE COMPANY TO YOU NAME IT.

I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS IMMUNE FROM A RANSOM WARE ATTACK.

ON THE QUESTION OF A PHYSICALLY DESTRUCTIVE ATTACK OR SOMETHING THAT DELETES DATA OR IMPEDES ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS GOING AFTER THE S.W.I.F.T.

BANKING NETWORK, THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE, THAT'S A LITTLE HARDER TO DO.

THOSE INDUSTRIES TEND TO BE VERY WELL-PREPARED.

THE ENERGY SECTOR AND THE BANKING SECTOR IN PARTICULAR HAVE PRETTY GOOD CYBER DEFENSES.

DOESN'T MEAN IT'S IMPOSSIBLE, BUT THEY'RE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE.

ON THE OTHER HAND, GENERAL MANUFACTURING, RETAILING, OTHER FORMS OF PAYMENT, THEY'RE ALL VULNERABLE.

>> LET ME GO BACK TO SOMETHING YOU SAID EARLIER IN RESPONSE TO THE FIRST QUESTION, WE WERE SAYING WHY YOU BELIEVE WE WEREN'T PREPARED.

AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FAIRLY SCATTERED APPROACHES HERE.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, STATE GOVERNMENT, INDIVIDUAL ENTITIES, BUSINESSES, PEOPLE.

WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE -- AND I SUSPECT THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE IT'S NOT AS IF THAT SIGNER ATTACKS ARE SOMETHING BRAND NEW.

WHY DO YOU THINK IT APPEARS THAT WE DON'T HAVE A CENTRALIZED, CONCENTRATED LINE OF DEFENSE FOR THESE TYPES OF ATTACKS?

IS THERE -- MAYBE THE FOLLOWUP IS, IS SUCH A THING POSSIBLE?

>> SURE, I THINK THE ANSWER TO THAT IS A LITTLE COMPLEX.

LARGELY ROOTED IN HISTORY AND LEGACY OF THE WAY THE CYBER PROBLEM MANIFESTED ITSELF.

IN THE EARLY DAYS, YOU KNOW, 20 YEARS AGO, THE DAWN OF THE INTERNET, THIS WASN'T A VERY BIG PROBLEM, CERTAINLY WASN'T A SYSTEMIC IC PROBLEM.

YOU GOT AN EMAIL -- >> OH, YOU MEAN THAT WASN'T ACCURATE?

THAT WASN'T TRUE WHEN I GOT THOSE EMAILS?

HUH.

>> I HOPE YOU DIDN'T SEND THEM TOO MUCH MONEY.

>> FORTUNATELY, MY WIFE IS SMART ENOUGH TO SAY, MAKE THAT GO AWAY.

>> ALL RIGHT, WELL, THAT'S GOOD.

BUT WE WENT FROM THAT TO SYSTEMIC ATTACKS, TO RANSOM WARE ATTACKS, TO SOMETHING FAR MORE DANGEROUS, INCLUDING BY OTHERED A VERVE SAYS LIKE IRAN, NORTH KOREA, AND WCHINA.

WE'RE NOT ORGANIZED TO DEAL WITH THAT.

THE WAY OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO DEAL WAS CYBER WAS TO SIMPLY BOLT ONTO THE CYBER RESPONSIBILITIES TO EXISTING GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.

SO, THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BANKS AND THE FINANCIAL SECTOR.

THE DEPARTMENT OF -- I'M SORRY, THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY AND THE ENERGY -- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENERGY SECTORS.

WE GRAFTED ON IN A VERY DISJOINTED, FRAGMENTED WAY, TO DISJOINTED AGENCIES.

AND IN CONGRESS, THE SITUATION IS EVEN WORSE.

THERE ARE OVER 80 COMMITTEES AND SUBCOMMITTEES WITH JURISDICTION OVER CYBER.

SO, THAT'S THE WAY IT'S GROWN UP.

NO ONE ON A CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE WANTS TO GIVE UP JURISDICTION TO ANOTHER COMMITTEE.

AND YETD,, TO YOUR POINT, THIS A NATIONAL PROBLEM.

THIS CUTS ACROSS OUR ECONOMY ALL SECTORS.

THE SOFTWARE AND THE KINDS OF COUPLE PEWTERS WE USE, THEY'RE ALL COMMON.

IF YOU'RE USING WINDOWS 10, A DRUG COMPANY OR A DEFENSE CONTRACTOR, IT'S THE SAME KIND OF PATCH TO WINDOWS 10.

IF YOU ARE USING SALESFORCE OR SAP OR A PAYROLL SYSTEM, IT'S LARGELY THE SAME.

SO, WE SHOULD HAVE A UNIFIED APPROACH IN THE WAY WE DEAL WITH THE VULNERABILITIES, BUT WE DON'T.

WE'RE JUST NOT SET UP THAT WAY.

>> SO, THE BIG QUESTION THEN IS -- IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO GET TO A UNIFIED APPROACH?

DO WE HAVE THE POLICIC E IKTICA DO WE HAVE THE RESOURCES, PHYSICAL RESOURCES, FINANCIAL RESOURCES, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR US TO GET THERE?

>> JACK, THAT'S THE QUESTION.

I GUESS THE GOOD THING ABOUT THE CYBER SECURITY PROBLEM, IF THERE IS A GOOD THING, IS THAT WE KNOW HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

THIS IS NOT A MEDICAL MYSTERY WHERE WE CAN'T -- WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON OR WHY THE PROBLEM IS BEING CAUSED.

WE KNOW THE REASONS FOR CYBER INSECURITY.

WE UNDERSTAND THE TECHNOLOGY.

WE CREATED IT OURSELVES.

SO, WE KNOW HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

AND IF WE LOOK AROUND THE WORLD AND WE SEE WHAT OTHER COUNTRIES ARE DOING, LIKE-MINDED COUNTRIES, DEMOCRACIES SIMILAR TO OURS, THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, OTHER COUNTRIES, THEY ARE ADOPTING A CENTRALIZED MODEL.

THEY HAVE ONE UNIT WITHIN THEIR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENFORCING AND SUGGESTING UNIFORM RULES THAT APPLY ACROSS THE BOARD.

OBVIOUSLY THERE HAVE TO BE SOME ADAPTATION FOR INDIVIDUAL INDUSTRIES.

BUT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE PROBABLY COULD EMULATE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

GETTING THERE IS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE.

INDUSTRY IS GOING TO HAVE TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH THE IDEA.

IT'S GOING TO MEAN INCREASED REGULATION, PROBABLY A LITTLE MORE BUREAUCRACY.

THE BENEFIT WE GET IS A CENTRALIZED APPROACH, WHICH OVER TIME, WILL, A, CURE THE PROBLEM, OR LARGELY CURE THE PROBLEM, AND B, ACTUALLY BRING DOWN COST.

IT WILL BE A BETTER DEAL FOR OUR ECONOMY TO DO THAT.

>> LAST QUESTION FORRING YOU GOT ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF OR SO.

I SUSPECT THAT FOLKS THAT ARE WATCHING THIS AND LISTENING TO OUR CONVERSATION ARE SAYING, FIRST, I'M LEARNING A LOT OF THINGS THAT I DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE.

YOU'RE A WONDERFUL TEACHER.

BUT SECONDLY, THEY MAY BE SAYING, WHAT SHOULD I BE CONCERNED ABOUT, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

GOT ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT.

WHAT SORT OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE?

>> TWO THINGS.

ON THE MACRO LEVEL, I WOULD SAY, TALK TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN, INCLUDING YOUR REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS ABOUT THE NEED FOR US TO ADDRESS THIS AT A NATIONAL LEVEL AND TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.

I THINK THERE'S SOME MOMENTUM GOING ON IN THAT WAY, BUT EVERYTHING FROM CLUBS TO PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO LETTERS TO THE EDITOR WILL HELP GET THIS ISSUE MOVING.

AND THEN SECONDLY ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, WE SHOULD CERTAINLY PAY MORE ATTENTION TO CYBER SECURITY.

IF YOU HAVE AN EMAIL ACCOUNT, YOU SHOULD HAVE TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION ON.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, LOOK IT UP ON GOOGLE.

TAKE A COUPLE OF QUICK TRAINING COURSES ONLINE.

THERE ARE STEPS AN INDIVIDUAL CAN TAKE THAT ARE GOING TO BOOST YOUR SECURITY.

NOT MAKE YOU IMMUNE, BUT REALLY PUT YOU IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION.

>> THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

GLENN GERSTELL, THANK YOU FOR HELPING US UNDERSTAND THIS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU DOWN THE ROAD.

BE WELL.

>> JACK, THANK YOU.

♪ SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THIS ♪ ♪ WHO AM I TO DISAGREE ♪ I TRAVEL THE WORLD ♪ AND THE SEVEN SEAS >> SHE'S A DIVA, A ROCK ICON, AND A PHILANTHROPIST.

ONE OF THE DEFINITIVE SINGING VOICES OF OUR GENERATION, ANNIE LENNOX, HAS PROVIDED THE SOUNDTRACK TO MANY OF OUR LIVES.

BUT THERE'S MUCH MORE TO THIS MUSIC LEGEND, AND SHE'S GIVING BACK.

I RECENTLY HAD A CHANCE TO CATCH UP WITH MS. LENNOX, WHO WAS HONORED AT A 25th ANNIVERSARY GALA, AN INTERNATIONAL NONPROFIT FOCUSED ON FEMALE EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP.

ANNIE, I'D LOVE TO WELCOME YOU TO "METROFOCUS," THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING WITH US.

>> IT'S SUCH A PLEASURE TO SPEAK TO YOU, I MEAN, NO WORRIES ABOUT THE TIME.

>> YOU'RE BEING HONORED AT CAMFED FOR THE ADVOCACY WORK YOU'VE BEEN DOING THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER WHAT WAS IT THAT BROUGHT YOU TO ADVOCATING FOR WOMEN AND YOUNG GIRLS?

>> I THINK IT REALLY STARTED WHEN I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO COUNTRIES AND TO VISIT PROJECTS THAT WERE INITIATED BY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OXFAM, COMIC RELIEF, AND THE HIV/AIDS FOUNDAT FOUNDATION.

THOSE SORGANIZATIONS TOOK ME TO MALAWI, SOUTHERN AFRICA, WHERE I SAW AND UNDERSTOOD THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE OF WESTERN -- SO-CALLED WESTERN, DEVELOPED COUNTRIES AND POORER COUNTRIES WHERE GIRLS DON'T EVEN GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON THE BOTTOM-MOST RUNG OF THE LADDER IN TERMS OF PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT, SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT, ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT.

I SAW A VERY DIFFERENT WAY OF LIFE FOR GIRLS.

I SAW GIRLS WHO WOULD BE PREGNANT AT THE AGE OF 12, 11 OR 12, REALLY.

>> OH, MY GOODNESS.

>> AND HAVING REPRODUCTION FOR MOST OF THEIR TEENAGE YEARS, AND NO OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.

I STARTED TO UNDERSTAND THIS DISEMPOWERMENT AND IT WAS A THEME.

AND I WAS SO AFFECTED, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I JUST FEEL THAT AS THE SUFMOVEMENT STARTED YEARS A WE HAVE WORK TO DO AS WOMEN.

>> AS YOUR EYES WERE OPENED, YOU ACTUALLY CAME BACK AND STARTED YOUR OWN ORGANIZATION, CORRECT?

>> WE BECAME A CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION THREE YEARS AGO.

WE'RE A SMALL ORGANIZATION, BUT WE'RE VERY ASPIRANT.

WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE MONEY IN THE BANK, EACH ONE OF US CAN BE AN INFLUENCER IN THE WORLD AROUND US.

AMONG OUR FRIENDS, OUR COMMUNITY, THE PEOPLE THAT WE WORK WITH.

IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOUR MINDSET.

AND IF YOU HAVE THE SENSE OF WHAT IT IS LIKE FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS AROUND THE GLOBE, IF YOU SEE SOME OF THE FACTS, THEN YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT FEMINISM IS REALLY ABOUT ON A GLOBAL SCALE.

>> THE POINT THAT YOU JUST MADE THAT I THINK THE SO POIGNANT IS THAT EACH ONE OF US CAN BE AN INFLUENCER.

WE LIVE IN THIS CULTURE RIGHT NOW WHERE, YOU KNOW, THANKS TO SOCIAL MEDIA, SO MANY OF US CAN BE SO FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW, HOW IT IS THAT WE CAN GET MORE LIKES OR HOW IT IS WE CAN GET MORE POPULAR, BUT YOU'RE SAYING THAT IT'S ALSO POSSIBLE TOLL HARNES THAT FOR A POSITIVE.

>> IT'S MUCH MORE CHALLENGING.

I NOTICE, YOU KNOW, I'M ON INSTAGRAM, I LOVE INSTAGRAM.

IT'S NOT FOR SOCIAL CONNECTIONS, IT'S NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT, IT'S JUST THAT I LIKE TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS ON MY iPHONE.

I'M NOT A PHOTOGRAPHER, BUT I LOVE IMAGERY, SO I POST SOMETHING, AND I CAN WRITE A LITTLE MESSAGE TO SOMEONE AND THEN MAYBE OCCASIONALLY I'LL DROP SOMETHING IN ABOUT GLOBAL FEMINISM, ABOUT SOME INJUSTICE, ABOUT RAISING AWARENESS, PERIODS, POVERTY, WHATEVER IT IS, I HAVE A SMALL PLATFORM THERE.

IT'S RELATIVELY SMALL.

IF I WHRITE SOMETHING ABOUT A BEAUTIFUL FLOWER.

THERE WILL BE 20,000 LIKES, LET'S SAY.

IF I WRITE ANYTHING ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE, IT DROPS DOWN TO ABOUT 2,000.

AND I FIND THAT VERY INTERESTING.

IT'S AS IF PEOPLE ACTUALLY DON'T REALLY LIKE TO BE AS AWARE AS I DO.

ABOUT SOMETHING I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT.

>> I NOTICE THAT PEOPLE SOMETIMES CAN FEEL AWARENESS FATIGUE OR SOMETHING, THAT SOMETIMES THESE PROBLEMS CAN FEEL SO BIG, IT'S DAUNTING, I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

>> THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

>> YOUR CAREER, WHICH HAS SPANNED JUST SO MANY DECADES, I UNDERSTAND YOU STEPPED AWAY FOR A LITTLE WHILE TO FOCUS ON YOUR FAMILY.

HOW INTEGRATED IS THAT INTO THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING NOW?

>> BECOMING A MOTHER WAS A LIFE-CHANGING AND IS A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE FOR ANY WOMAN.

IT'S A TIME WHEN YOU ACTUALLY REALIZE IN A PROFOUND WAY THAT THE WORLD DOES NOT SPIN AROUND YOU, THAT IT NOW MUST REALLY REVOLVE AROUND A VERY, VERY VULNERABLE, YOUNG BABY THAT YOU ARE COMPLETELY RESPONSIBLE FOR.

IN EVERY SINGLE WAY.

AND THEN IT'S SO HUMANIZING, IT'S SUCH AN EQUALIZER, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEN YOU GO FOR A WALK IN THE PARK, LET'S SAY, AND YOU'RE PUSHING YOUR BABY IN THE STROLLER, AND THEN YOU SEE OTHER WOMEN IN DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES AND WE'RE ALL DOING THE SAME THING.

>> SO, I DO WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT BEING HERE TONIGHT AND BEING HONORED BY CAMFED.

WHY HERE TONIGHT?

>> WELL, THIS IS WHERE THEY'RE HAVING THE OCCASION OF THEIR 25th ANNIVERSARY.

>> YES.

>> AND IT'S A VERY BIG OCCASION FOR THEM.

I CAN IMAGINE.

TO HAVE STARTED, I GUESS, FROM VERYSBEGINNINGS, AS MANY NGOs START, WITH ONE ASPIRANT PERSON.

AND TO THINK THIS ONE ASPIRANT PERSON BEGAN THIS ORGANIZATION, IT'S CONTINUED FOR 25 YEARS AND NOW THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF GIRLS IN AFRICA THAT ARE CHAMPIONS AND LEADERS IN THEIR FIELD, BECAUSE THEY RECEIVED AN EDUCATION, THAT ARE GOING TO NOW, YOU KNOW, LIKE LITTLE SEEDS, MULTIPLY.

THERE'S A HUGE, HUGE CHALLENGE, A LACK OF EDUCATION AND EDUCATION IS THE KEY, FOR ANY KIND OF IMPROVEMENT, ANY KIND OF DEVELOPMENT.

WOMEN ARE THE KEY.

GIRLS ARE THE KEY.

THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE FUNDAMENTAL.

SO THE FACT THAT CAMFED ARE HERE CELEBRATING 25 YEARS, CELEBRATING ALL THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS AND GOING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE, WHERE THEY'RE HOPING TO ACTUALLY REACH 5 MILLION GIRLS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS -- >> OH, MY GOD.

THAT'S AMAZIAMAZING.

>> THOSE ARE THE GOALS.

THEY WILL SUPPORT MAYBE THREE GIRLS TO EACH ONE, SO IN THIS WAY, YOU CAN SEE THIS KIND OF SPREAD.

WHICH I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT.

THE FUTURE GENERATION OF YOUNG WOMEN COMING UP.

I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME VERY ARTICULATE, EMPOWERED, YOUNG, AFRICAN WOMEN REPRESENTING THEIR COMMUNITIES, THEIR COUNTRY AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO SEE.

>> WELL, THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE PERFECT KIND OF ORGANIZATION THAT FITS IN WITH YOUR PASSIONS THAT YOU'VE BEEN EXPLAINING TO US.

LISTEN, ANNIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SITTING DOWN WITH US, LIKE I SAID, I HAVE BEEN A FAN OF YOUR WORK FOR SO LONG.

BUT KNOWING SO MUCH MORE ABOUT YOU AND ADVOCACY THAT YOU'VE BEEN DONE, IT MAKES YOU EVEN MORE OF A DIVA IN MY EYES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> WELL THANK YOU.

I HOPE I'M NOT TOO MUCH OF A DIVA.

>> NO, THIS IS THE GOOD KIND OF DIVA.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> THERE WAS ONCE A TIME IN CHINA WHEN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS COULD GET AWAY WITH RAPE BY CLAIMING THEIR VICTIMS WERE PROSTITUTES.

THOSE VICTIMS WERE NOT JUST ADULT WOMEN.

THEY INCLUDED UNDERAGE GIRLS, BUT THOSE TYIMES ARE NO MORE.

WHEN SIX ELEMENTARY SCHOOLGIRLS WERE ALLEGEDLY ABUSED IN CHINA, ACTIVISTS AND HER COLLEAGUES DESCENDED SON THE DOWN TO PROTEST THE INJUSTICE.

THAT PROTEST GAINED INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION AND WAS RECORDED BY FILMMAKERS.

BUT WHAT STARTED AS A DOCUMENTARY FOLLOWING IT TOOK A FAR DARKER TURN, WHEN THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT GOT INVOLVED.

THE DOCUMENTARY EXPLORES THE SECRETIVE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND ITS SUPPRESSION OF SPEECH, SOMETHING AMERICANS MAY SOMETIMES TAKE FOR GRANTED.

>> WITH THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENTS WHO HAVE COME TO SEE ME AT 3:00 AND INVESTIGATE ON WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING DURING THIS SUMMER.

>> A FEW DAYS LATER, THE PROTESTS WENT VIRAL.

WITH SO MUCH ATTENTION FOCUSED ON THE CASE.

THE GOVERNMENT REACTED.

♪ >> JOINING ME NOW TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THIS, THE DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER OF THE DOCUMENTARY.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> SO, YOU HAD TO SHOOT THIS DOCUMENTARY QUIETLY USING HIDDEN CAMERAS AND STRATEGICALLY PLACED MICROPHONES.

THE GOVERNMENT WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT.

PEOPLE WHO HAVE ENGAGED IN SIMILAR ACTIVITIES LIKE THIS HAVE BEEN FOUND DEAD.

AND KNOWING ALL OF THE RISKS, WHAT WAS IT THAT STILL DREW YOU THAT MADE YOU FEEL AS THOUGH YOU HAD TO FOLLOW WHAT THEY WERE DOING WITH THIS STORY?

>> WHEN I WENT TO SHOOT, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

I THOUGHT I WASN'T POLITICAL AND I DIDN'T KNOW THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CHECK ME DOWN TO DIFFERENT CITIES AND INTERROGATE MY FAMILY.

AND WHEN THAT REALLY HAPPENED, I WAS SCARED, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS REALLY ANGRY, AS I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND OUT -- THIS IS THE COUNTRY THAT I CAME FROM.

>> WELL, I THINK WHAT WAS SO STARTLING, AT LEAST FOR MYSELF AS AN AMERICAN, SEVERAL PEOPLE MADE IT A POINT TO SAY ON C CAMERA, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME, THIS WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT.

AND I'M WONDERING, WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT THE POLITICAL CLIMATE IN CHINA?

>> SO, IN CHINA, PROTEST IS A TABOO.

IN MY WHOLE LIFE LIVING THERE FOR 24 YEARS, I HAVE NEVER SEEN A SINGLE PROTEST.

WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE IS SOME PROTESTERS WOULD BE FOUND DEAD THE DAY AFTER THE PROTEST.

AND THE GOVERNMENT WOULD ISSUE A REPORT SAYING, THIS PERSON COMMITTED SUICIDE.

AND IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE MISINGS, SHE AND HER COLLEAGUES, BEFORE THEY WENT TO THE PROTEST, THEY ASKED ME TO FILM ON CAMERA, I WON'T COMMIT SUICIDE, IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME, IT WAS THE GOVERNMENT.

AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.

>> DO YOU THINK THAT MAKING THIS FILM WILL HELP CHANGE NOT JUST THE PUBLIC'S PERCEPTION IN CHINA, BUT ALSO JUST THE PERCEPTION OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD OF WHAT IT'S LIKE LIVING IN CHINA?

>> YEAH, THAT'S ONE OF MY GOALS.

AND TO CODE ONE OF THE SUBJECTS IN THE FILM, SHE SAID, I DON'T UNDERSTAND, THERE ARE A LOT OF WELL EDUCATED, WELL TRAVELED PEOPLE, AND WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT CHINA, THEY SAY CHINA'S GREAT, THEY HAVE TALL BUILDINGS, WIDE HIGHWAY AND FANCY CARS AND THE ECONOMY IS STRONG.

BUT THEY DON'T KNOW THAT WE, AS CHINESE, WE ARE LIKE ANIMALS, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS.

>> SO, WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED NOW AND HAVING MADE THIS FILM, DO YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN GO BACK HOME AND IF YOU DO, WHAT DO YOU THINK MIGHT HAPPEN?

>> THAT'S A QUESTION I STILL DON'T KNOW.

I WISH THERE IS A LIST THAT I CAN CHECK IF MY NAME IS ON THE BLACKLIST AND IF I CAN GO BACK, BUT IT'S REALLY UNPREDICTABLE HOW THE GOVERNMENT WOULD REACT.

MY FAMILY IS STILL IN CHINA AND SO FAR, THEY ARE SAFE.

AND I'M HOPING THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE BEING SAFE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FIRST FOR MAKING THIS DOCUMENTARY AND ALSO FOR JOINING US ON "METROFOCUS."

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY --