>>> TONIGHT, SOME TOP DEMOCRATS ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR POLITICAL LIVES AFTER NEW YORK'S CONGRESSIONAL MAPS WERE FINALIZED.

>>> AND FROM THE STREETS TO THE STARS, A BLACK ASTROPHYSICIST SHARE HIS REMARKABLE JOURNEY "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 AM JACK FORD.

AFTER MONTHS OF UNCERTAINTY, NEW YORK HAS FINALIZED ITS CONGRESSIONAL MAP WHICH WILL STAND IN PLACE FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS.

THOUGH THE DEMOCRATIC CONTROLLED LEGISLATURE DREW AN INITIAL VERSION OF THE NEW MAP, NEW YORK'S HIGHEST COURT RULED THAT UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND APPOINTED A SPECIAL MASTER TO INDEPENDENTLY CRAFT IT.

DEMOCRATS ARE UNHAPPY AS IT'S MORE FRIENDLY TO REPUBLICANS THAN THEY'D LIKE IT TO BE AND PITS POPULAR INCUMBENTS AGAINST EACH OTHER NOW.

JOINING US TO HELP BREAK DOWN WHAT THAT MAP MEANS FOR YOU, AND YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND, HOW THIS COULD IMPACT WHO CONTROLS THE U.S. HOUSE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES STARTING IN 2022, WE HAVE TWO FAVORITE GUESTS JOINING US, KATHERINE DeWITT, A REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR TO "NEW YORK NOW", AND ELLIS HANNIGAN, AND POLITICAL COMMENT CATER.

WELCOME TO BOTH OF YOU.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> GOOD TO BE WITH YOU, JACK.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> LET'S START OFF WITH THE WHOLE NOTION OF HOW ALL OF THIS HAPPENED.

KAREN, I'LL COME TO YOU FIRST AS THE PERSON WHO WAS ON TOP OF THIS UP IN ALBANY.

I SUSPECT SOME OF OUR VIEWERS ARE WATCHING SAYING, WAIT A MINUTE, WASN'T THERE AN ELECTION IN 2014 THAT SAID BY NOW WE WOULD HAVE A BIPARTISAN COMMISSION THAT WOULD HANDLE ALL OF THIS?

AND THE ANSWER TO THAT IS WHAT, KAREN?

AND HOW DID WE GET TO WHERE WE ARE NOW WITH A COURT AND A SPECIAL MASTER.

>> ACTUALLY, I HOPE VIEWERS DO REMEMBER THAT MUCH BACK TO 2014 CONSIDERING HOW MUCH HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN.

BUT YES, THERE WAS A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

IT WAS APPROVED BY VOTERS AND ESSENTIALLY MEANT TO -- GERRYMANDERING.

IT SAYS YOU CAN'T DRAW DISTRICTS TO FAVOR ENCUMBENTS OR DISCOURAGE CHALLENGERS.

THEY HAVE TO BE COMPACT DISTRICTS AND YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW A CERTAIN PROCESS THAT CONTAINS A INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION, WHICH IS KIND OF INDEPENDENT ONLY IN NAME, BECAUSE IT WAS SPLIT WITH FIVE DEMOCRATS AND FIVE REPUBLICANS.

AND SO THAT'S IN THE CONSTITUTION NOW.

ESSENTIALLY THE DEMOCRATS WHO HOLD SUPERMAJORITIES IN THE LEGISLATURE DID NOT FOLLOW THAT, AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE ENDED UP WITH A SPECIAL MASTER, BECAUSE THE COURTS, THE CASE WENT ALL THE WAY UP TO THE STATE'S HIGHEST COURT, AND THE COURT REALLY COULDN'T RULE AGAINST WHAT IS CLEARLY STATED IN THE CONSTITUTION.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE ENDED UP WITH A SPECIAL MASTER FROM CARNEGIE MELLON THAT NOBODY KNOWS THAT'S REDRAWN THE DISTRICTS.

THE ONE THING I'LL SAY ABOUT THE DISTRICTS IS THEY ARE QUITE SHOCKING, BUT THEY ARE MORE COMPETITIVE.

THEY'RE DEFINITELY MORE COMPETITIVE.

>> WE'LL GET TO THAT IN A COUPLE MINUTES.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW THEY'VE BECOME MORE COMPETITIVE.

ELLIS, A BIGGER PICTURE, HISTORICAL PICTURE HERE.

WE KNOW THE TERM GERRYMANDERING CAME FROM BACK IN THE 1800s IN THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS.

A GOVERNOR BY THE NAME OF ELBRIDGE DRURRY APPARENTLY CREATED A MAP SOMEBODY SAID THOUGHT THEY LOOKED LIKE A SALAMANDER BECAUSE IT WAS SO TWISTING AND TURNING, AND THEN WE GOT GERRYMANDERING.

HAS IT NOT BEEN SORT OF A TIME HONORED -- MAYBE HONORED IS NOT THE RIGHT WORD, BUT TRADITION IN POLITICS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY?

>> YES, AND ONE THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT HAS RECENTLY BLESSED.

TYPICAL BLUE STATE NEW YORK, RIGHT?

WE PASSED THIS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT SAYS WE GOT TO BE FAIR.

WE GOT TO BE FAIR.

NOW, IN RED STATES ACROSS AMERICA -- IN FACT, IN MOST OF THE COUNTRY, THEY'RE NOT HANDCUFFED THAT WAY.

THEY'RE CREATING DISTRICTS TO PROTECT EACH OTHER AND HAVE THE MOST SALAMANDERED, AS YOU DESCRIBED, SOME OF THESE DISTRICTS.

BUT HERE WE ARE IN NEW YORK AND OPERATING UNDER THIS SYSTEM THAT URGES THEM TO BE COPACT AND DOESN'T CARE ABOUT HISTORICAL RACIAL DIVISIONS AND DOESN'T GIVE ONE WIT IF DEMOCRATIC ENCUMBENTS GET THROWN INTO A DISTRICT TOGETHER, WHICH VIOLATES THE BIGGEST RULE OF POLITICS, WHICH IS SURVIVE.

WHICH IS WHY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS TRAIN WRECK RIGHT NOW.

>> ONE THING I WOULD ADD, JACK, IS THOUGH IT IS SHOCKING TO THE POLITICAL WORLD AND A LOT OF THESE INCUMBENTS, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE THESE JOBS FOR LIFE.

A LOT OF POLITICIANS HAVE MADE THEM THEY'RE JOBS FOR LIFE BY BEING ENTRENCHED, BUT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE COMPETITIVE.

THIS IS WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.

JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO BE HAPPENING IN ANY OTHER STATES BESIDES NEW YORK.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE SPECIFICS.

KAREN, I'LL COME BACK TO YOU.

YOU SAID AMONG THE OTHER THINGS IT'S MADE MORE COMPETITIVE.

I MENTIONED IN THE INTRODUCTION THAT IT'S TAKEN SOME INCUMBENTS AND PITTING THEM AGAINST EACH OTHER.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S GETTING A LOT OF HEADLINES, HAVING TO DO WITH REPRESENTATIVE NADLER, REPRESENTATIVE MALONEY.

EXPLAIN TO US HOW THAT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT.

>> WOW.

THAT'S GOING TO BE QUITE A KNOCKDOWN DRAG DOWN FIGHT.

JERRY NADLER ON MANHATTAN'S UPPER WEST SIDE.

MALONEY ON THE EAST SIDE.

IT'S JUST GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THEY'RE GOING TO GO HEAD-TO-HEAD.

NEITHER ARE BACKING DOWN.

IT DOES SEEM SHOCKING BUT THEY HAVE HAD THESE POSITIONS ALMOST FOR LIFE, AND I THINK IT IS ALMOST SHOWING IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A POSITION FOR LIFE, AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COMPETE AGAINST EACH OTHER.

WE HAVE TO SAME THING GOING ON UPSTATE IN A DISTRICT HERE NEAR THE CAPITAL REGION IN THE STATE'S SENATE.

YOU HAVE TWO REPUBLICAN STATE SENATORS, JIM TADISCO AND JORDAN.

THEY'VE FORGED THEIR OWN PATH, HAVE SOURCES OF POWER.

NOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE HEAD-TO-HEAD, BECAUSE TADISCO DOESN'T LIKE THE NEW DISTRICT THAT'S DRAWN.

HE WAS DRAWN OUT LITERALLY BY A FEW STREETS.

THAT'S A BIG FIGHT WITH SARATOGA COUNTY.

IT REALLY IS EXPLODING.

IT'S ACTUALLY BY THE DAY.

BY THE TIME THIS AIRS THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE JUMPED IN THE RACE JUST IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS, ALL KINDS OF POLITICIANS ARE CALCULATING ABOUT WHAT DISTRICT IS GOING TO BE THE BEST FOR THEM.

I SHOULD MENTION, SEAN PATRICK MALONEY, THE HUDSON VALLEY CONGRESSMAN WHO'S HEAD OF THE DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE, HE'S JUMPING DISTRICTS TO RUN IN A DIFFERENT DISTRICT, AND NOW HE'S GETTING BLOWBACK FROM PROGRESSIVES WHO SAY HE SHOULDN'T DO THAT, HE'S ENDANGERING THE DISTRICT HE LEFT.

SO IT REALLY IS EXPLODING IN A WAY WE REALLY DIDN'T EXPECT.

>> ELLIS, HOW ABOUT THAT?

THE NOTION OF -- TALK ABOUT REPRESENTATIVE NADLER AND MALONEY, THESE ARE CONGRESSIONAL POWERHOUSES.

AS KAREN SAID, THEY HAVE BEEN THERE FOR ABOUT 30 YEARS.

THEY HAVE SENIORITY AND COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.

AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY'VE GOT TO GO AFTER EACH OTHER HERE?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

LISTEN, I DON'T FEEL SORRY FOR ANY OF THEM.

THEY'RE ALL BIG BOYS AND GIRLS.

THIS IS A VOLUNTARY ARENA.

NOBODY MAKES YOU PLAY.

BUT THERE ARE WAYS NEW YORK IS DISADVANTAGING ITSELF THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

RIGHT?

IF ALL THE OTHER STATES ARE DOING THINGS TO THEIR POLITICAL SELFISH ADVANTAGE AND WE IN NEW YORK ARE DOING SOMETHING THAT'S FAIR, IT KIND OF MAKES YOU FEEL A LITTLE BIT LIKE A SUCKER, RIGHT?

PROTECTING THEIR MAJORITY DELEGATIONS WITH ALL KIND OF CRAZY GERRYMANDERING.

AND SAY WE'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS AND WE HAVE THESE BEAUTIFUL CHECKER BOARD COMPACT DISTRICTS.

I GUESS IT'S MORE FAIR IN A WAY, BUT IT'S ALSO SURE TO WEAKEN NEW YORK'S POWER POSITION IN THE NATION.

>> HOW ABOUT THAT?

KAREN, HOW ABOUT THAT?

WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS MIGHT BE HERE FOR NEW YORK'S POSITION IN THE STRUCTURE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

>> I THINK IT'S MORE THAT THE NEW YORK DEMOCRATS ARE PROBABLY GOING TO BE BLAMED IN DEMOCRATS LOSE THE HOUSE, BECAUSE I THINK THEY WERE HOPING TO GERRYMANDER THESE DISTRICTS TO GAIN A FEW MORE DEMOCRATIC DISTRICTS TO COUNTERACT THE GERRYMANDERING BY THE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURES IN TEXAS AND FLORIDA, AND REALLY THEY MISCALCULATED ON A HUGE SCALE, AND NOW WE DO HAVE ALL THESE COMPETITIVE DISTRICTS.

IF THEY'RE GOING TO CONTRIBUTE, IF DEMOCRATS LOSE THE HOUSE, THE DEMOCRATS'S MISCALCULATIONS ARE GOING TO BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

THAT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE THEM POPULAR WITH DEMOCRATS AROUND THE COUNTRY, THAT'S FOR SURE.

>> ELLIS, IT'S INTERESTING TO ME THAT -- AND HOPEFULLY TO OUR VIEWERS, TOO, THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NOTION -- HOW THE NOTION OF TRYING TO BE FAIR CAN ACTUALLY DAMAGE YOU IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS.

SHOULD WE BE TROUBLED BY THAT?

>> WELL, YEAH, BUT WELCOME TO GROWN UP POLITICS.

I MEAN, IT'S NOT FAIR.

I HATE TO BREAK THAT TO ANY OF OUR VIEWERS, BUT THIS IS A BUSINESS WHERE PEOPLE SCRATCH FOR EVERY IMAGINABLE ADVANTAGE AND HAPPY TO WALK THE LINE BETWEEN LEGALITY AND ILLEGALITY.

LISTEN, IT'S A PHILOSOPHICAL MORAL QUESTION.

IF YOU'RE FIGHTING AN OPPONENT WHO'S FIGHTING DIRTY, SHOULD YOU STICK BY THE RULES?

AND YOU KNOW, LISTEN, I'M NOT GOING TO ANSWER THE MORAL QUESTION FOR YOU, BUT I KNOW THE POLITICAL ANSWER.

THE POLITICAL ANSWER IS, BE AT LEAST AS DIRTY AS YOUR OPPONENT IS IF YOU WANT TO WIN.

>> IT'S INTERESTING, YOUR PARALLELS ARE, IF YOU'RE IN A BOXING MATCH AND YOU'RE FOLLOWING THE -- IF YOU'RE IN A STREET FIGHT, ONE SIDE IS GOING TO SAY, LET'S FOLLOW SOME RULES, I EXPECT THE OTHER SIDE IS GOING TO SAY, NO, NO, THIS IS A STREET FIGHT.

AND I THINK THE COMPARISON SEEMS TO PLAY OUT HERE FOR POLITICS.

KAREN, WE TALKED ABOUT PEOPLE JUMPING IN, AND NOW WE SEE THAT THE FORMER MAYOR, BILL DE BLASIO, APPARENTLY JUMPING IN.

WHERE IS THAT GOING TO BE AND HOW WOULD THAT PLAY OUT?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S PRETTY EXCITING, THE OPEN TENTH DISTRICT.

YOU HAVE BILL DE BLASIO, STATE SENATOR ALESSANDRO BIAGI.

PEOPLE MAY KNOW HER NAME FROM HER GRANDFATHER, MONDAIRE JONES WHO CAME FROM -- I'M GOING GET THIS MIXED UP -- WAS IT THE 17th OR 18th DISTRICT?

WHATEVER HIS ALT DISTRICT WAS, HE DECIDED HE DID NOT WANT TO RUN IN THAT ONE BECAUSE HE'D BE POLITICALLY DISADVANTAGED.

HE WANTS TO RUN IN THIS ONE.

I DON'T KNOW WHO ELSE IS GOING TO POP UP IN IT.

OH, RIGHT, GNU IS IN THAT ONE.

MAYBE I AM STARTING TO GET THEM MIXED UP NOW.

I JUST HOPE THEY KNOW WHAT DISTRICT THEY'RE RUNNING IN, BECAUSE IT IS GETTING REALLY VERY CONFUSING.

>> YEAH.

REAL QUICKLY, KAREN, THE NEW DATE FOR THE PRIMARY, BECAUSE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE IN JUNE.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT NOW HERE IN NEW YORK?

>> WELL, AS FAR AS WE KNOW FOR THE GOVERNOR, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, ATTORNEY GENERAL, COMPTROLLER, THAT IS STILL JUNE 28th.

BUT FOR CONGRESS AND THE STATE SENATE, IT'S GOING TO BE AUGUST 23rd.

AND THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE IS, YOU KNOW, TURNOUT.

ONE OF THE LAST WEEKS OF AUGUST?

IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT HARDER AND A LOT MORE -- >> THE IMPACT THAT COULD HAVE, ABSOLUTELY.

>> A LOT MORE UNPREDICTABLE.

>> LISTEN, THERE WAS A LOT FOR US TO UNPACK HERE.

DID A MARVELOUS JOB.

THANKS FOR DOING IT.

INTERESTING FOR US TO KEEP ON TOP OF, SO WE'LL TALK TO YOU SOON.

>> FUN.

THANKS.

BYE.

>>> SO, HOW DOES A BLACK CHILD BROUGHT UP IN SOME OF THE TOUGHEST AND MOST IMPOVERISHED URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE COUNTRY RISE THROUGH ACADEMIA TO BE AN ASTROPHYSICIST?

THAT'S THE LIFE STORY OF A WORLD RENOWNED SCIENTIST AND PROFESSOR WHO OVERCAME SEEMINGLY INSURMOUNTABLE ODDS TO BE WHERE HE IS TODAY.

IT'S A STORY OF DREAMING BIG AND ALSO THE MAGIC OF SCIENCE.

HE KRIEBS THAT JOURNEY IN HIS MEMOIR ENTITLED" A QUANTUM LIFE, MY UNLIKELY JOURNEY FROM THE STREET TO THE STARS".

HE JOINS US NOW TO TALK ABOUT IT.

DOCTOR, WELCOME.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPENDING TIME WITH US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THAT JOURNEY.

AND THEN I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE MESSAGES IN THE BOOK.

AND AGAIN, IT'S A MARVELOUS BOOK.

IT'S JUST SUCH A -- IT'S A WONDERFUL, COMPELLING READ.

AN INSPIRATION, CERTAINLY.

SO OFTEN TIMES, SPEAKING OF INSPIRATIONAL, WE'LL HEAR ADVICE GIVEN TO YOUNG PEOPLE THAT SAYS, YOU CAN GET THERE FROM HERE IF YOU REALLY WANT TO.

BUT I GOT TO TELL YOU, YOU LOOK AT YOUR STORY AND LOOK WHERE YOU GOT TO, AND AGAIN, THE HIGHEST LEVEL, WORLD RENOWNED SCIENTIST.

BUT THEN YOU LOOK AT WHERE YOU CAME FROM, AND YOUR FIRST REACTION HAS TO BE, HOW UNLIKELY IS THAT JOURNEY?

LET ME ASK YOU TO GIVE US A SENSE OF CONTEXT FOR THE CONVERSATION.

GIVE US A SYNOPSIS OF LITERALLY WHERE YOU CAME FROM AS A CHILD AND ADOLESCENT.

>> I GUESS WHEN'S SO UNUSUAL IS I MADE IT THROUGH ACADEMIA AND THERE WAS ZERO ACADEMIC HISTORY IN MY FAMILY.

MY FATHER DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL WHEN HE WAS 9 YEARS OLD.

HE WAS WORN IN RURAL MISSISSIPPI IN 1933.

MY MOTHER DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL WHEN SHE WAS 16 YEARS OLD, PREGNANT WITH MY OLDER SISTER.

MY MOTHER'S MOTHER ALSO DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL 16 PREGNANT AND SO DID MY OLDER SISTER BRIDGET.

SO NOT ONLY WAS I THE FIRST PERSON IN MY FAMILY TO GET AN ADVANCED DEGREE, I WAS THE FIRST ONE IN MY IMMEDIATE LINEAGE TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL.

ON TOP OF THAT, YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY WAS SOMEWHAT INVOLVE IN THE CRIME.

ON MY MOTHER'S SIDE, HER FAMILY HAD IMMIGRATED FROM NEW ORLEANS TO LOS ANGELES, AND IN MY GENERATION -- I WAS ONE OF THE YOUNGEST.

MY OLDER FIRST COUSINS WERE ALL MEMBER OF A NEWLY A MERGING SOCIAL CLUB IN LOS ANGELES CALLED THE CRIPS.

MY FATHER'S SIDE, THEY WERE FARMERS, HUNTERS, BOOTLEGGERS AND, MY FATHER LOOK IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL BECOMING A LARGE IMPORTER AND WHOLESALER OF MARIJUANA.

MY FATHER INCORPORATED ME INTO HIS BUSINESSES FROM THE AGE OF 9.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT HOW OFTEN YOU MOVE.

CONSTANTLY PACKING UP, GETTING INTO THE RED MAVERICK, YOU DESCRIBE.

>> YEAH.

>> AND DIFFERENT PLACES AND STARTING AGAIN.

>> YEAH.

>> AND YOU MENTION THE INVOLVEMENT IN THE WORLD OF CRIME.

AND THE TERM USED IN THE BOOK ABOUT BEING A GANGSTER NERD.

I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE EVER SEEN THOSE TERMS JUXTAPOSED.

TALK ABOUT YOU AS A CHILD, AS AN ADOLESCENT, AS A GANGSTER NERD.

>> YOU KNOW, I LOOKED AT MY LIFE WITH MY FAMILY AND MY COMMUNITY, I CALLED IT CRIME SCHOOL.

EVERY FAMILY WASN'T LIKE MY FAMILY.

WE WERE SORT OF OUTLIERS IN THAT WAY.

BUT THEN I ALSO FELL IN LOVE WITH BOOKS.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO ME, I DID MOVE EVERY YEAR FROM THE AGE OF 4 TO RIGHT BEFORE I TURNED 14, AND YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIVE WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

MY MOTHER WOULD LEAVE ME WITH OTHER PEOPLE TO LIVE, SO IN THE LAST 16 MONTHS OF THAT.

THE PERIOD I LIVED WITH NINE FAMILIES AND ATTENDED THREE SCHOOLS ACROSS FIVE STATES.

SOUTH CENTRAL LOS ANGELES, HOUSTON THIRD WARD, NEW ORLEANS EAST, NEW ORLEANS THIRD WARD, AND ULTIMATELY MISSISSIPPI.

I LEARNED HUMANS WERE DANGEROUS.

INSTEAD OF BONDING WITH HUMANS, I BONDED WITH BOOKS.

MY MOTHER WAS AN AVID READER.

AS A CHILD, YOU DO WHAT YOUR PARENTS DO, NOT WHAT THEY SAY.

MY MOM ALWAYS HAD A BOOK, SO I ALWAYS ENDED UP HAVING A BOOK.

I FOUND MYSELF IN BOOKS.

>> THERE'S A MOMENT, A STORY YOU TELL IN THE BOOK, AND SO MANY OF THEM ARE SO GRIPPING BUT THIS ONE IS ESPECIALLY GRIPPING TO ME.

AGAIN, IT'S YOUR EMERGENCE AS SOMEONE WHO IS FINDING A LIFE IN BOOKS BUT IS ALSO LIVING A LIFE ON THE MARGINS, AND MAYBE OTHER SIDE OF THE MARGINS.

YOU TELL THIS STORY ABOUT BEING IN HIGH SCHOOL AND YOUR HIGH SCHOOL GET AS NEW COMPUTER.

AND YOU'RE MEETING WITH THE SCIENCE TEACHERS, HAVE THEY HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO WORK THIS.

YOU'RE THE ONE THAT TAKES IT OUT OF THE BOX.

YOU'RE TALKING TO ONE ABOUT THE SCIENCE FAIR YOU WANT TO DO.

AND THE DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THE PROJECT IS -- I'M A HISTORY MAJOR/LAWYER/JOURNALIST AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

NOR DID THEY, WHICH I THINK IS FASCINATING.

THE ONE GOES, WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET HIM TAKE THE COMPUTER HOME.

HE'S SELLING WEED ON THE HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS.

TELL ME ABOUT THAT AND HOW THAT'S SYMBOLIC OF THAT PERIOD OF YOUR LIFE.

>> I WAS REALLY LUCKY.

I THINK WHAT'S SYMBOLIC IN MY LIFE -- I ALWAYS SAY I GOT BY ON HELP, HUES AND HOPE.

THE HELP SIDE DIDN'T ALWAYS LOOK LIKE HELP.

IT WAS A COINCIDENCE WHERE SOMEONE POPS INTO MY LIFE AND LEADING ME TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

BACK WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL I HAD A GIRLFRIEND NAMED ANITA PAGE.

HER MOTHER WAS A TEACHER AND, THEY BOUGHT HER A COMPUTER FOR CHRISTMAS WHEN WE WERE LIKE 16.

IN THE COUNTRY YOU DO WHAT'S CALLED COURTING, RIGHT?

YOU DON'T DATE.

YOU GO TO THE GIRL'S HOUSE ON SUNDAY, SIT THERE ON THE COUCH, OPPOSITE ENDS.

THE FAMILY WATCHES YOU FOR THREE OR FOUR HOURS AND THEN YOU GO HOME.

I'M THINKING, WHY AM I SITTING WITH YOU WHEN YOU HAVE THAT COMPUTER OVER THERE?

LET ME LEARN HOW TO COMPUTER.

>> LET'S COURT THE COMPUTER HERE.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

IT CAME WITH A LITTLE BOOKLET THAT TAUGHT YOU A BIT ABOUT THE PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE BASIC.

I TAUGHT MYSELF THIS PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE, AND LO AND BEHOLD, WHAT HAPPENS?

OUR SCHOOL GETS A GIFT OF IBM COMPUTERS, 5150, AND NO ONE HAD ANY IDEA WHAT TO DO WITH THEM.

I'M LIKE, HEY, LET ME HAVE A CRACK AT IT.

I WAS ALSO A HIGH SCHOOL MUSICIAN, AND LUCKILY THE BAND DIRECTOR IDENTIFIED ME AS A TALENTED STUDENT.

I WOULD GO TO THE COMPETITIONS, AND HE ALLOWED ME TO TAKE THE UPRIGHT BASS HOME WITH ME.

I COULD CONVINCE THE SCIENCE TEACHER, MR. CROSS LET ME TAKE THE BASS HOME.

GIVE ME THE COMPUTER, AND I'M GOING TO PUT US ON THIS MAP.

IT TOOK CONVINCING BUT I HAD THE SUPPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL, THE VICE PRINCIPAL AND OUR LEADING SCIENCE TEACHER MR. BARBER.

AND THEY ALLOWED ME TO DO IT.

SO WHAT HAPPENS IS, AGAIN, IT'S A HUGE CONVINCE DEN.

THESE PROFESSORS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI ARE DOING OUTREACH.

THEY WANT TO HELP THE KIDS THAT NEED HELP.

I LIVE IN A COMPLETELY SEGREGATED SCHOOL SYSTEM.

THERE WAS HIDELBERG HIGH SCHOOL, MY PUBLIC SCHOOL, A MILE DOWN THE ROAD FROM THE PRIVATE ALL-WHITE HIDELBERG ACADEMY.

SO OUR SCHOOL WAS ACADEMICALLY CHALLENGED.

THE AVERAGE A.C.T.

SCORE IN MY CLASS WAS SEVEN.

NATIONALLY IT'S LIKE 15 OR 16.

SEVERAL PEOPLE IN MY CLASS BROKE THE RECORD.

COINCIDENTALLY, I HAD THE HIGHEST SCORE UNTIL MY YOUNGER COUSIN BROKE IT A FEW YEARS AGO.

BUT ANY WAY, THE IDEA HERE IS THAT I'M BEING A -- SIMULTANEOUSLY I'M BEING A GANGSTER AND A NERD.

BECAUSE AT THE END OF THAT TIME PERIOD WHEN I'M OUT THERE ON MY OWN, I LEARN IT'S BETTER FOR YOU TO PUNCH ME IN THE FACE THAN YOU TO PUNCH ME IN THE FACE, BETTER FOR ME TO INTIMIDATE YOU THAN YOU TO INTIMIDATE ME.

BY THE TIME I'M GOING A SCIENCE FAIR, I'M CARRYING MY OWN GUN.

I GOT MY OWN BUSINESS.

I WAS BEING PULLED IN TWO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT A COUPLE THINGS IN THIS THAT ARE SO VERY MOVING AND COMPELLING.

YOU MENTION THE COINCIDENCE OF PEOPLE.

AND YOU HAD A MARVELOUS PROFESSOR WHEN YOU GOT TO STANFORD GRADUATE SCHOOL THAT YOU TALK ABOUT.

YOU TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF RESILIENCE.

>> OH, YEAH.

>> WHAT DO YOU SAY TO YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WILL LISTEN TO YOUR STORY AND SAY, OH, MY.

AND YOU SAY, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT RESILIENCE?

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THEM?

>> THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK.

LIKE, YOU THINK YOUR LIFE IS MESSED UP, LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT IT TOOK FOR ME TO GET HERE.

BECAUSE PEOPLE -- YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS EQUATION, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE PEOPLE WITH, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN I WAS COMPLETING HIGH SCHOOL, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT COLLEGE WAS ABOUT.

I KNEW YOU WENT TO COLLEGE TO BECOME A DOCTOR, LAWYER, TEACHER OR ENGINEER.

I HAD NO IDEA WHAT AN ENGINEER WAS.

BEING AN ATTORNEY SOUNDED AWFUL, RIGHT, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH NEGATIVE PRESS ABOUT LAWYERS.

AND IT SOUNDS KIND OF BORING TO MY SCIENTIFIC MIND.

BEING A MEDICAL DOCTOR FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AT THIS TIME IT WAS LIKE BECOMING PRESIDENT, RIGHT?

IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT HIGHLY UNLIKELY FOR ME, RIGHT?

AND YOU KNOW, BEING A TEACHER SOUND LIKE, OKAY, I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.

I SEE THE TEACHERS AND ME.

THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANT TO DO.

SO I DIDN'T SEE A PLACE FOR MYSELF.

I THINK THAT'S THE THING -- IDENTITY IS SUCH A FACTOR IN DETERMINING WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO DO AND WHAT THEY WANT TO BECOME, SO THE FIRST THING IS JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, LOOK, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE RICH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE FROM A CERTAIN COMMUNITY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A HISTORY IN YOUR FAMILY, AND CHANCES ARE YOU HAVE BEEN PSYCHED OUT THINKING THIS AIN'T FOR YOU WHEN IT REALLY IS.

SO WHEN I TALK TO STUDENTS I ATTACK IDENTITY, BECAUSE THAT IS THE REALLY INSIDIOUS THING.

IF YOU LOOK AT MY STORY, A LOT OF WHAT I DID THAT WAS NEGATIVE FOR ME, I WAS ACTING OUT WHAT I THOUGHT THE WORLD WAS TELLING ME, THIS IS WHO YOU ARE, THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.

>> IN A SENSE OF, HERE'S WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM, AND YOU TALK ABOUT ARC HERE'S THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.

>> YEAH.

>> I'VE GOT ABOUT THREE MINUTES LEFT, SO I WANT TO GET TWO THINGS QUICKLY TO YOU, AND ONE IS THE POWER OF MENTORS, PEOPLE WHO SAY, I SEE SOMETHING IN YOU.

TELL US YOUR LIFE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AT EVERY STAGE IT HAPPENED FOR ME.

MY NAVY RECRUITER TO MY PEOPLE IN HIGH SCHOOL TO PROFESSOR McGINNIS AND BRUNO AND TEAL AT TUPELO COLLEGE.

YOU WANT THE HEAR HARD CORE MENTORING?

MY FIRST TWO SUMMERS IN COLLEGE I WAS HOMELESS.

THE SECOND SUMMER I'M SLEEPING IN A DORM ON A BARE MATTRESS.

I WOULD BREAK IN TO SLEEP THERE.

MY CLASSMATE TELLS ME I HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED TO THE SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA THAT I DID NOT APPLY FOR.

I CONTACT MY CHEMISTRY PROFESSOR, AND HE SAYS, YEAH, I RECOMMENDED YOU FOR THIS PROGRAM.

THEY GOT THEIR GRANT LATE IN THE YEAR, DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO RECRUIT.

I SAID, THANK YOU, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO GET TO ATHENS GEORGIA.

DOESN'T MATTER.

HE WENT IN HIS POCKET AND PURCHASED MY TICKETS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA WHERE I WAS INTRODUCED TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND THERE THE PROFESSOR BLEW ME AWAY AGAIN, BECAUSE I WAS JUDGED BASE ON THE MERIT OF MY WORK.

THEY TREATED ME WITH TRUST.

THESE ARE THINGS THAT HAD NEVER HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE, RIGHT?

SO I WAS, LIKE, RESEARCH IS THE PLACE FOR ME.

THEN I GO TO STANFORD UNIVERSITY, AND LO AND BEHOLD, THERE WAS A PERCENTAGE OF THE FACULTY THAT WAS LIKE, WHO LET THIS KID IN HERE?

YOU WOULD THINK A KID RAISED THE WAY I DID WOULD BE LIKE -- NO, SOME PEOPLE THERE'S HIERARCHY.

THEY WERE LIKE, HE'S NOT ONE OF US.

I WAS ROUGH.

I WAS ROUGH.

I WAS UNDEREDUCATED.

BUT I ALSO HAD THIS STRONG WILL.

I COULDN'T BE STOPPED, AND I HAD A STRONG MENTOR.

>> YOU AND I COULD TALK FOR A DAY ABOUT ALL THIS.

BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S "A QUANTUM LIFE, MY UNLIKELY JOURNEY FROM THE STREET TO THE STARS".

DOCTOR, YOU ARE PROOF THAT YOU CAN INDEED GET THERE FROM HERE.

>> WITH HELP.

>> WITH HELP.

WITH HELP.

AND THE RIGHT ATTITUDE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU ONCE MORE.

>> THANK YOU, SIR.

>> YOU BE WELL.

TAKE CARE NOW.

>> YOU AS WELL.

>>> "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 --