(upbeat music) - Coming up next on NewsDepth, this Tennessee town unveils a memorial to black Civil War soldiers.

Plus, Japan's princess has a less-than-royal wedding.

Check out the world's largest solar power plant in the UAE.

And we meet Latinx children's author Frederick Luis Aldama.

NewsDepth is now.

(upbeat music) From princess to commoner, but still happily ever after?

Hello, everybody, I'm Margaret Cavalier, filling in for Rick Jackson, thanks for joining us.

The story of former Japanese princess Mako is the reverse of most fairy tales.

To marry her prince charming, she had to abdicate her royal position in Japan's monarchy.

"Abdicate" means to step down from the position as a leader in a country.

Mako married commoner Kei Komuro in a small ceremony last week.

The public there has been following the events closely and sharing their opinions loudly.

It hasn't been all well-wishes and that has put a lot of stress on the couple.

Selina Wang has more from Tokyo.

(crowd cheering) - Most Royal weddings are a time for celebration, (camera shuttering) but not this one.

Japan's Princess Mako gave up her royal title to marry her college sweetheart, Kei Komuro, without any fanfare.

Instead, they held a press event.

(Mako speaking in foreign language) - [Translator] I apologized for any burden I may have caused because of this marriage.

Kei's existence is irreplaceable to me.

(Kei speaking in foreign language) - [Translator 2] I love Mako.

I want to spend my one life with the person I love.

I would like to start a beautiful family with Mako and do whatever I can to support her.

- Media have been waiting outside of the closed event.

No live questions were allowed.

The palace said Mako felt strong anxiety just imagining answering the questions verbally, but in written remarks, the couple said they felt horrified and scared by the false information that's been taken as fact.

Their wedding was delayed for three years after rumors emerged about financial disputes involving Komuro's family.

The gossip spiraled, public opposition grew, even causing people to rally against their marriage in the streets, dividing the public.

(Man speaking in foreign language) - [Translator 3] People fear the image of the Royal family will be sullied.

(Man speaking in foreign language) - I have a hard time feeling genuinely happy for them.

- [Translator 4] I feel sorry for her.

I just want her to be happy.

- So does royal super fan, Fumiko Shirataki.

she's been staked outside of this hotel for hours, waiting to catch a glimpse of Mako.

81 year old shirataki has been chasing the Royals for 28 years.

Snapping tens of thousands of photos.

Even following the current Emperors and her daughter up the mountains on their private hikes.

Shirataki started crying when I asked her about Marco's marriage.

(Shirataki speaking in foreign language) - I feel a sense of relief she told me, that Mako is finally able to get married after three years of waiting.

Japan's Royal women are barred from the throne and if they marry commoners, they have to abdicate and leave the Royal family.

Mako is entitled to a 1.35 million dollar payment in taxpayer money to help her start a new life.

But she's not taking the money.

The couple will be moving to New York where Komora works at a law firm, escaping this backlash at home.

shirataki wishes Mako could have had the traditional Royal wedding, but even without the celebration for shirataki and many in Japan, this wedding will be unforgettable.

A reminder of duty and society's expectations clashing with love.

Selina Wang, Tokyo.

- Thanks Selena.

Mako and K aren't the first royal relations to give up positions and move to the United States.

The United kingdom's prince Harry and his wife, American actress, Meghan Markle, moved to the United States after stepping away from their Royal duties last year.

Sticking with international news, let's head to the United Arab Emirates.

The UAE in the middle east is a huge exporter of oil.

As we learned before the fossil fuel can hurt the environment, resulting in major water pollution and climate change.

But the UAE is also turning to clean energy sources.

It's home to the world's largest solar power plant and its starting to use nuclear power too.

Becky Anderson has a story.

Becky.

(upbeat music) - [Becky] Deep in these way hot desert lies an ocean of Silicon and steel.

Noor Abu Dhabi is the world's largest single site Solar power plant.

stretching over three square miles, it's at the heart of the UAE'S pivot from fossil fuels to clean energy sources.

- It reaches up to 49 to 55 Celsius in the summer.

- Othman Al Ali, the CEO of Emirates Water and Electricity Company in Abu Dhabi is one of the people leading this energy transition.

- We are on an ambitious path to increase the solar capacity connected to the grid by eight gigawatt by 2030, that will mean it delivers 50% of our energy in Abu Dhabi from clean and renewable sources.

- Is that realistic That target?

- Definitely realistic and definitely achievable.

Our plans are ready to be implemented.

- [Becky] Back in 2017, the nation pledged that half of its energy would be clean by 2050.

UAE is also investing in nuclear and when fully operational the four reactors here at the Barakah Plant will supply up to a quarter of the country's electricity needs.

- Nuclear energy is a fundamental part of UAE energy system.

It will provide about 40 to 50% of the UAE base load requirement and that going to be an absolutely carbon free energy.

- [Becky] The shift to clean energy around the world won't be cheap.

The UN's partner, Renewable Energy Agency says to meet the global push to keep temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees, the world will need to cough up more than $130 trillion dollars before 2050.

Significant sums have already been pledged, but convincing governments and markets that this all makes economic sense will be a big challenge.

- What our analysis also shows is for every million dollars spent in the energy transition technologies would lead to three times more jobs getting created.

So it's not just to makes sense in terms of climate action, but it's also makes sense in terms of economics and the politics of it.

[Becky] - While the UAE is yet to set a net zero goal, the Emirate sees the opportunities laid out by the International Renewable Energy Agency as key drivers for its future economic growth as it winds itself off its heavy reliance on fossil fuels.

And while OPEC's third largest producer will continue to sell oil.

This solar plant is evidence it has not just the ambition, but the means to chart a cleaner future.

Becky Anderson, Abu Dhabi.

- Thanks Becky.

For this week's poll.

We want to know what examples of clean energy do you see in your neighborhood?

Head online to choose any and all that you've spotted.

Solar panels, hybrid and electric cars, wind turbines, or none.

Hopefully no one will need to choose that last option.

Now how about a look at the results from last week's poll.

We asked if you were going trick-or-treating this year.

92% of you said, yep, you'd be participating.

I wonder if any of you chose to dress up as a superhero.

Always a popular choice, but you don't have to turn to comic books to find amazing role models.

Just flip through the pages of history.

One impressive figure you might not have heard of is Claudette Colvin.

When she was just 15 years old, Claudette refuse to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama.

This was in 19556, during the time of segregation.

Segregation is a forced separation of people based on their race.

The Civil rights Act of 1964 ended segregation in the United States.

Reporter Abby Phillip has Claudette story.

- My name is Claudette Colvin.

I was arrested in 1955 March the second for refusing to give my seat to a white lady.

Most people think that because Rosa Parks sit down on this bus seat and because she refused to get up, that that ended the segregation.

- [Abby] What actually ended segregation, bus segregation at least, started nine months before Rosa Parks is well-known protest.

When a 15 year old Claudette Colvin refused to give up her seat to a white woman, Parks was partly inspired by Colvin herself.

- I would be prepared to argue that was out Claudette Colvin, It is quite possible that we would not be talking about a Montgomery bus boycott or even the civil rights movement that we come to know.

- A lot of black people had a altercation with the bus drivers, but they got off the bus.

In my case, I resisted and I was defiant.

- Were you afraid?

- Was afraid?

No, I was a teenager.

Fear didn't come on me right there.

Fear then hit my mind until I was locked in the jail.

- [Abby] A year after Colvin was arrested for refusing to give up her seat, She and three other women became plaintiffs in a case.

Challenging segregation on buses in Montgomery, that ended up at the Supreme Court.

- [Berverly] The Broad versus Gale decision was the court case that made it illegal to have bus segregation in Alabama and all over the south.

- [Abby] Now 81, Colvin's story is still largely untold.

Unlike Rosa parks, she doesn't have a museum in Montgomery.

And even at the National Museum of African-American history in Washington, her presence is reduced to a single label, in the section on Rosa parks.

So why do you think that your story has been excluded from the jigsaw puzzle of history?

- They want to use the one that would be the image that Rosa parks would be more acceptable to the white community than a dark complexion teenager.

- The reason to achieve equal right?

- Rosa parks is the ideal candidate for the Montgomery bus boycott.

She's respected in the community, She's married, she's somewhat soft-spoken, Claudette on the other hand was fiery.

- People said I was crazy.

- Why?

- Because I was a 15 years old and was defiant and was shouting it is my constitutional rights.

- Even in the retelling of Rosa parks narrative, we did not capture really who Rosa parks is.

First of all, she's not old.

She's an activist.

She works for the NAACP.

And no one mentioned that she was a member of the Women's Political Council or that she had befriended and mentored Claudette Colvin.

- [Abby] Some historians say about the civil rights movement that a lot of women were not given their due.

- Oh.

Sure.

A lot of women, you don't hear that name mentioned.

- Do you think you were one of them?

- Yes.

I'm one of them.

I am one of them, but I'm glad that I'm here to see the change.

- Thanks Abby.

For not moving from her bus seat, Claudette was charged with violating the city segregation laws and attacking a police officer.

The first charge was a race from her records, but the second has remained.

Last week at the age of 82, she put in an official request to erase the crime from her record.

In Franklin, Tennessee, they're recognizing another African-American story that doesn't always get told.

That of the black soldiers who fought in the civil war to end slavery.

The city recently unveiled a new statue for their town square.

It joins a statue of a Confederate soldier.

Chris Davis has the story, Chris.

(jazz music) - [Chris] For the last 122 years.

A Confederate soldier has stood century over the square in Franklin.

- [Eric] Welcome to the historic Franklin and a historic day in our community.

- [Chris] But as of this weekend, he will no longer stand alone.

- I think this is Franklins proudest day and proudest achievement.

- [Chris] Beneath this tarp is the brain child of three pastors and a historian.

Together, they call themselves the fuller story.

- [Eric] There was resistance, but the resistance is crumbling.

This crowd is proof of that.

- [Chris] Their effort to erect a statue honoring African-American troops that fought in the civil war has taken almost as long as the war itself.

- What does this statute mean?

The statute means hope.

It means courage.,It means possibility, It means dignity, It means valor.

- [Chris] Many assumed, it was impossible.

- From the African Americans in the city, they they're like pastor.

And you know, we love you.

We know that you've got a good heart, but they ain't no way the city is gonna put a statue of a black man in downtown.

- [Chris] And yet this day, this movement proved otherwise.

- Things are not changing, they have already changed.

- [Chris] So in front of a crowd that could be counted in the hundreds, a new soldier officially began his watch.

- [Joe] 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Unveil.

March to freedom.

(crowd cheering) - [Chris] A sculpture of a black man designed and created by Onechu.

- Its such an honor for me to have had the opportunity to create piece.

It was an emotional piece because of knowing what it stands for.

- [Chris] The reaction was just what the organizers hoped for.

- I think it's wonderful.

It's something that will be here forever, that all of our grandchildren and generations will be able to know where we stand.

- I think it looks really cool.

- [Chris] That no matter your age or your race, a fuller story stands before you.

- Its just for us as African-Americans now to have something that's representative of us and being a part of the story.

I think it's very impactful for the old as well as the new.

- Thanks Chris.

Now, next week, there's a holiday about honoring all of our country soldiers.

Veterans day.

Veterans day is every year on November 11th, and as a time to celebrate the men and women who fought for our country.

The day was originally known as Armistice day in recognition of the end of world war one, which took place on November 11th of 1918.

Multiple years and several wars later, the holiday was renamed to celebrate the bravery and service of all veterans.

So for this week's question, we want you to write to us about a veteran in your life.

Be sure to tell us who they are, what branch of the military they served in and why they're special to you.

I can't wait to read your letters because they seem to be getting better and better each week.

Last episode, we asked you to share spooky short stories.

Let's get to reading and open up our inbox.

Manuel from SharonVille Elementary and SharonVille wrote, one day we were going to do trick or treat with my friend.

We went to a door and knocked on the door.

My friend's ear was turning into a werewolf ear.

When we went to the second door, he was almost a werewolf.

And then when we were going to the next door, boom.

He was so big he ripped his costume and I had to run home or he would eat me.

And I was so scared that I could not sleep.

After that, I never saw him again.

Gavin from Snow School in Berea sent us this story titled, Pumpkin's In The Night.

Normally, pumpkins just sit around and do nothing.

But tonight they are alive hahaha, the pumpkin spread their pumpkin guts and they play bowling games on the streets.

By morning all the pumpkin's returned to their porches and no one knows what pumpkin's do at night.

Here's one from Hannah at Mulberry Elementary in Milford.

Boom, a spaceship crashed on earth.

They did not come here to make friends, they came here to take over.

You can either stand with them or get killed.

You stand with them and live through the fight.

You will be escaping tomorrow with a spaceship that they brought.

You need to pack what you can.

Are you ready?

Emmy from St. Gabriel's school in Mentor wrote, it was a dark and scary night.

Emmy and her friends went trick or treating, but no one answered houses.

And when they got home, no one was there.

Then the power went out.

So they decided to sleep thinking their parents were at a party.

In the middle of the night.

Emmy heard some ghost noises like Ooh ooh, swoosh.

But when they woke up, the power was on and their parents were sound asleep, Emmy thought it was just a silly dream.

Finally, here's one from Ally at Cheshire Elementary in Delaware, Ohio.

Once upon a time I was walking in the woods and all of a sudden I heard a strange noise coming from behind me.

It sounded like leaves crackling.

I looked out of the corner of my eyes but I saw nothing so I kept walking.

I heard another strange noise but this time it was a howl.

I spun around, but nothing.

What is making these noises?

I said.

I kept walking, but I had goosebumps.

This time all of a sudden, I stopped and I felt something wet drop on my face.

I looked up and it was a werewolf.

Super stories everyone and not gonna lie, I'm a scaredy cat and had a hard time reading through some of them.

Y'all would make R.L.

Stine proud.

And now for this week sketchbook, we've got another author to share.

Frederick Luis Aldama.

Aldama is also a professor at the Ohio State University and specializes in Latinx culture.

His latest children's book is no exception.

The protagonist in his book, The Adventures of Chupacabra Charlie is based on Latinx folklorist.

but protagonist is a main or leading character in a book.

Normally a Chupacabra is a monster like creature, but Aldama wanted Charlie to be a friendly guy.

Take a look.

- My name is Frederick Luis Aldama and my book is called The Adventures of Chupacabra Charlie, and it set on the Mexico side of the US Mexico border, and it's this adventure where a Chupacabra little guy, 10 years old goes on an adventure with Lupe, they managed to get across the wall with the help of a talking coyote, snake, and other kind of magical mystical figures.

On the other side of the wall, they free the children that have been kept in these cages.

It's the kind of, you know, that the climax in the safe third scene of the story that allows it to kind of wrap up.

We creep around to the other side of the big rock and we spot the big people in green.

They spot us to flashing lights, Ladridos, gnashing teeth.

The ninos all shout corran, corran, corran.

Scattering in all directions we all escape.

People may think this is kind of easy to do to write kids stories, but it's like writing poetry.

There's a draft and mini-drafts and then each of those drafts you have to, you have a kind of big stone.

Then I kinda get my tools out and I start sculpting it a little bit, you know, choosing what is gonna be a part of this adventure.

And then there's bringing in the illustrator and a further kind of sculpting because you don't want the words and images and the language right, to replicate, to make redundant what is being shown with the visuals.

And then there's presenting it to an editor, but that is a huge long process.

So even something like this after I wrote it, further edits, all the illustration work, all of the back and forth with the press and editors at the press.

I would say a year and a half of work.

My new book coming out in January is called With Papa.

And so, yes, I'm definitely on this track of writing kids books.

And if I may, we need them and we need them coming from the kind of Latinex community, We need our stories, the stories that we heard, we need them in our libraries and our bookstores, we need them with our families because there's still a real scarcity of these books out there.

These stories, we have them and there are a lot of incredible writers and illustrators and artists creating them, but we're just not getting them published.

- Thanks to our Natalia Garcia for producing this weeks sketchbook.

Sticking with reading and writing, our NewsDepth A+ this week goes to an English and language arts class with an innovative and creative approach to learning.

Amherst junior high school ELA teacher.

Katie Schulich turn to her eighth grade students for ideas on how to encourage them to read and write more.

She asked them, what rights do we need as readers and writers.

Students put their ideas on colorful sticky notes and posted them underneath the prompt on their classroom wall.

Ms. Schulich compiled the answers and came up with the classes, reading and writing rights.

Number one on the list, books and writing topics of the student's choice.

Instead of working on a single class book together, students are given quiet reading time every day to read the book of their choice.

Maddie, a student in the class says she likes the change.

She says she is more interested in reading and even reads books faster.

Ainslie and other student agrees and says, choosing her books keeps her on topic more.

The students share their book recommendations on a virtual bulletin board and run a small library out of Ms Schulich's classroom.

Also on their list of rights, opportunities to write creatively.

That led Ms. Schulich to switch around her curriculum and start the year with creative writing rather than essay writing.

Ms. Schulich says she was inspired to change her approach after appropriately enough reading a book, she says the change was not easy, but says the feedback she's getting from parents is that students enjoy English and language arts more now as a result.

So Ms Schulich and your class, for putting your heads together to take ownership of your learning, you get this week's NewsDepth A+.

Very impressive.

Also impressive.

A drum roll, please.

This season's NewsCat poster is about to hit the printers.

Doesn't NewsCat looks so cute?

Teachers to get a copy of the poster mailed to your classroom.

Make sure you sign up for our weekly newsletter.

You can find the sign up right on the NewsDepth homepage.

Now we all know NewsCat is more than a model.

She's our cuteness correspondent.

So let's see what she's popped up for this week's petting zoo.

(drums cracking) (cat meows) NewsCat what you up to?

is she listening to the radio?

Oop must must've heard something she's off to work.

Wow.

She found a story about a tiny cow being featured in a calendar.

To see this little mover showing off her wheels, click the Petting Zoo button on our website.

(soft upbeat music) Thank you, NewsCat.

Alright.

Before I sign off, a quick COVID update.

This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is meeting to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine for kids.

One might even be approved by the time you're watching this.

So we hope to have a full update next episode.

And now as always, we want to hear from you and there are plenty of ways to stay in touch.

You can write to us.

We're at 1375 Euclid avenue, that's Cleveland, Ohio, zip code here, 44115.

You can email us@newstepsatideastream.org or you can tweet us.

Our handle is @newsDepthOhio.

Plus you can catch all of our special segments on YouTube.

Hit subscribe if you're old enough so you don't miss out on any of our new videos.

Thanks for joining us.

I'm Margaret cavalier.

We'll see you right back here next week.

(bright upbeat music) - NewsDepth is made possible by a grant from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation.

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