CRYSTAL: HI, EVERYBODY.

I AM CRYSTAL HAYNES.

WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE RIGHT WING PUSHED TARGETING INCLUSION EFFORTS IN SCHOOLS.

ONE OF THEIR LATEST TARGETS, NEWTON.

SHE IS KNOWN AS A CLEAN MAKER.

AFTER DECADES OF HELPING ELECT WOMEN TO POLITICAL OFFICE, BARBARA LEE IS WINDING DOWN HER CAREER.

I WILL TALK TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ABOUT HER LEGACY IN MASSACHUSETTS AND BEYOND.

ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BATTLES HAVE BEEN RAGING BETWEEN PARENTS AND THEIR KIDS EDUCATORS LED BY A NUMBER OF RIGHT WING GROUPS WHO HAVE PUSHED TO MAKE SCHOOL CURRICULUMS AND DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES POLITICAL ISSUES.

THEY EVEN FOUND A HOME IN THE LIBERAL CITY OF NEWTON.

A NEWS INVESTIGATION HAS FOUND THAT NATIONAL GROUPS LIKE THE FOUNDATION AGAINST INTOLERANCE AND RACISM AND THE VIRGINIA-BASED PARENTS DEFENDING EDUCATION HAVE PUBLICLY ATTACKED MUTANT EDUCATORS, FILED LAWSUITS AGAINST THE SCHOOLS, AND EVEN ATTEMPTED TO SHUT DOWN ONE OF THE DISTRICT SCHOLARS PROGRAM.

I'’M JOINED NOW BY THE REPORTERS BEHIND THE STORY, GBH NEWS EDUCATION EDITOR, MEG WOOLHOUSE AND SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE , REPORTER PHILLIP MARTIN.

WELCOME SO MUCH TO THE SHOW.

PHILLIP: APPRECIATE IT.

CRYSTAL: WE KNOW THAT THIS IS BECOMING A PERVASIVE ISSUE ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAS WE HAVE TRACKED THESE SORT OF GROUPS POP UP.

TALK TO ME ABOUT HOW THIS STARTED.

MEG: IT STARTED BECAUSE WE NOTICED THAT THERE WERE PROTESTS HAPPENING IN AND AROUND THE SCHOOLS RELATED TO LGBTQ EVENTS.

AND THAT PEOPLE WERE TURNING OUT IN GREAT NUMBERS.

A NUMBER OF PARENTS RIGHTS GROUPS HAD FILED COMPLAINTS LAWSUITS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION COMPLAINING THAT THERE WHERE AFFINITY GROUPS IN THE SCHOOLS AND THE SCHOOLS WERE NOT TREATING STUDENTS FAIRLY, BUT WHAT WAS NOT KNOWN AND WHAT WE DELVE INTO AS REPORTERS WAS EXACTLY WHAT WERE THE FORCES AT WORK HERE?

THEY ARE EXTREMIST FORCES BASICALLY, THE FOUNDATION AGAINST INTOLERANCE AND RACISM HAS BEEN HAVING COFFEES AND REALLY WHIPPING UP PARENTS WITH THIS IDEA THAT ACADEMICS IN NEWTON ARE FAILING AND THEY ARE FAILING BECAUSE -- THEY ARE VERY EXPRESSIVE ABOUT THIS -- DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION PROGRAMS.

CRYSTAL: IN TALKING TO THE FOLKS FOR YOUR STORY, PARENTS AND OTHER COUNTER GROUPS COMING UP TO FIGHT AGAINST THIS, WERE THEY SURPRISED TO START SEEING THIS HAPPENING IN THEIR DISTRICT, ESPECIALLY AS WE MENTIONED NEWTON BEING A LIBERAL PLACE TO LIVE?

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THINGS HAPPEN ON A LOCAL LEVEL.

COMMUNITIES LIKE NEWTON OBSERVE THESE THINGS ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.

YOU SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN FLORIDA.

YOU SEE MOMS FOR LIBERTY WHICH IS AN EXPLICIT RIGHT WING GROUP, AND PARENTS DEFENDING EDUCATION, EXPLICIT RIGHT WING GROUP, THAT HAVE DEVELOPED A FOLLOWING, MORE THAN 200,000 AROUND THE COUNTRY COLLECTIVELY, AND THEN YOU HAVE OTHER GROUPS LIKE FAIR, WHICH IS THE FOUNDATION AGAINST INTOLERANCE AND RACISM, AN INNOCUOUS SOUNDING NAME.

HOWEVER, IT LEANS RIGHT.

I THINK A LOT OF PARENTS, WHEN THEY STARTED GETTING INVOLVED IN THIS ISSUE OF ACADEMIC CLIMB, AND THERE IS A PERCEPTIBLE DECLINE IN NEWTON AS THERE HAVE BEEN ANOTHER COMMUNITIES POST-COVID.

AS A RESULT OF THE COVID CRISIS, THEY LOOK FOR SOMEONE OR SOMETHING TO BLAME.

A LOT OF THESE THINGS START ORGANICALLY ON THE GROUND OR GRASSROOTS, AND THIS IS LARGELY A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION, BUT SOME PARENTS WITHIN THIS GRASSROOTS, A GROUP CALLED IMPROVE NPS REACHED OUT TO A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION, IN THIS CASE FAIR, AND REACHING OUT TO FAIR, THEY WERE LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE, AND WHAT THAT GUIDANCE AMOUNTED TO WAS BASICALLY, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW DO YOU -- WHAT DO WE CALL OURSELVES?

RATHER THAN INVOKING THE LANGUAGE COMPLETELY OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, THEY HAVE DECIDED TO ADOPT A TERM CALLED "PRO-HUMAN."

AS OPPOSED TO "ANTIRACISM."

MANY SAW ANTIRACISM AS TANTAMOUNT TO RACISM AND SAID WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IN PLACE OF DEI IS ANOTHER WAY OF ADDRESSING PROBLEMS IN THE SCHOOL THAT HAVE -- THAT WE RECOGNIZE MAY BE PROBLEMATIC AND THEY AGAIN VILIFY DEI WHILE EVOKING THIS NOTION OF COLOR BLINDNESS OR RACE NEUTRALITY OR PRO-HUMAN AS A WAY OF TRYING TO EXPLAIN THEIR OWN PROGRESSIVE POSITION.

THIS WAS POSITED AS A PROGRESSIVE POSITION BUT WHAT IT REALLY WAS WAS A POSITION THAT MILITATED AGAINST DEI, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION.

IT IS QUITE INTERESTING.

>> IT SEEMS LIKE IT'’S MORE OF AN INCLUSION TYPE OF ORGANIZATION BUT IT IS THE OPPOSITE OF THAT.

IT IS TRYING TO UNDERMINE SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT HELPS EVEN THE SCORE WITH UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS IN NEWTON, CORRECT?

PHILLIP: THAT'’S THE IDEA.

IN SPEAKING WITH SOME OF THESE PARENTS COME OFF THE RECORD, MOST WOULD NOT TALK ON THE RECORD.

HE SAID EXPLICITLY THAT THEY DO NOT BELIEVE THAT STRUCTURAL RACISM IS SOMETHING THAT EXISTS.

IF YOU COME FROM THAT POSITION -- STRUCTURAL RACISM IS DETERMINED OBJECTIVELY.

IT'’S LIKE SAYING CHINA CHANGE -- CLIMATE CHANGE DOES NOT EXIST.

IF YOU HAVE THE POSITION THAT STRUCTURAL RACISM DOESN'’T EXIST, YOU HAVE TO ASK, WHY DO WE NEED DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION?

THAT IS WHAT SOME OF THESE PARENTS WERE SAYING.

IN PLACE OF DEI, THEY ARE SAYING WE NEED A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO EDUCATION, SOMETHING THAT IS RACE NEUTRAL, WITHOUT RECOGNIZING THE STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS THAT EXIST WITHIN NOT JUST THE NEWTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUT MOST PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT BASICALLY ESTABLISH RACISM AND DISCERNMENT OF TORY POLICIES WITHIN THE SYSTEM.

YOU MAY HAVE VERY NICE PEOPLE, BUT YOU HAVE A STRUCTURE THAT BASICALLY STILL IS EMBEDDED -- I SHOULD SAY IT STILL IMBUES HIS TERMINATION WITHIN THE SYSTEM.

MEG: CAN I ALSO GET BACK TO YOUR QUESTION FROM BEFORE, TOO?

BECAUSE ANOTHER BIG FACTOR AND WHAT DREW OUR ATTENTION TO THIS -- TO NEWTON IN PARTICULAR WAS A GROUP OF PARENTS WANTED TO CREATE AN ADVISORY GROUP AND THAT ADVISORY GROUP WOULD BASICALLY WORK TO ADVISE THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE ON WHAT CURRICULUMS WOULD BE, ON WHAT KIND OF BOOKS STUDENTS -- ON ANY MATTER IN THE SCHOOLS.

IT TURNED OUT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE SUPPORTING THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WERE THE PEOPLE THAT TOOK THE GREATEST ISSUE WITH DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION PROGRAMMING IN THE SCHOOLS.

A LOT OF PARENTS IN NEWTON WERE GETTING WHIPPED UP, HEARING ABOUT ACADEMIC DECLINE.

YOU ARE A PARENT, YOU SPENT A LOT OF MONEY TO LIVE IN THE TOWN OF NEWTON, ON YOUR HOUSE, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU HEAR THE SCHOOLS JUST ARE NOT PERFORMING LIKE THEY USED TO.

IT'’S JUST NOT AS GOOD.

AND THE UNDERCURRENT THERE VERY STRONGLY WAS THAT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION PROGRAMS WERE TO BLAME.

AS PHILIP SAID, NOBODY CALLS THAT OUTRIGHT WHEN YOU CALL UP SOMEONE TO INTERVIEW, BUT HE UNEARTHED IN EMAIL THAT WAS BEING SENT AROUND BY THE PEOPLE IN THESE GROUPS AND MAYBE YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT, THAT SAID EXPLICITLY THAT THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT SCHOOLS WERE CONCERNED EXACTLY ABOUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION AND THE TEACHING OF WHITE SUPER MISSY.

PHILLIP: WHAT THEY CALL DIVISIVE -- WHITE SUPREMACY.

PHILLIP: WHAT THEY CALL DIVISIVE LANGUAGE.

THE EMAIL -- THE PROBLEM IS SOME PEOPLE WOULD NOT SAY IT ALOUD.

IT WAS ENCAPSULATED IN THIS EMAIL.

THIS EMAIL WENT OUT TO QUITE A FEW FAMILIES.

I'’M NOT SURE OF THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT QUITE A FEW.

IT ESSENTIALLY SAID THAT WHAT IS BEING TAUGHT IN THE SCHOOLS -- THIS IS SIMILAR LANGUAGE TO WHAT YOU WILL SEE IN FLORIDA -- WHAT IS BEING TAUGHT IN THE SCHOOLS IS RACIALLY DIVISIVE LANGUAGE.

BY TEACHING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF RACISM, BY TALKING ABOUT THE ROLE OF RACE IN OUR HISTORY, BY TALKING ABOUT RACISM AS SOMETHING THAT IS REAL IN TERMS OF STRUCTURES.

IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT CRITICAL RACE THEORY.

THAT IS NOT TAUGHT IN THE SCHOOLS BUT A LOT OF THIS FALLS UNDER THE RUBRIC OF MANY PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT CRITICAL RACE THEORY.

WHAT THEY ARE REALLY TALKING ABOUT IS ANY DISCUSSION OF RACE IS SOMEHOW OR OTHER CONSIDERED DIVISIVE, AS MOST PEOPLE SAY.

AND SO, IT IS QUITE INTRIGUING.

LET ME ALSO ADD THAT NOT ALL PARENTS WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT ACADEMIC -- I WOULD NOT EVEN CALL IT DECLINE.

THERE HAVE BEEN SOME UPS AND DOWNS IN TEST SCORES IN NEWTON BUT NEWTON IS STILL AMONG THE TOP SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE AND IN THE COUNTRY.

BUT AS MEG SAID, WHEN YOU PAID $2 MILLION TO LIVE IN NEWTON, YOU DON'’T JUST WANT TO BE AMONG THE TOP, YOU WANT TO BE THE TOP.

MANY PEOPLE COMPARE THEMSELVES WITH LEXINGTON AND THEY COMPARE THEMSELVES WITH BROOKLYN, SO YOU HAVE THIS COMPARISON GOING ON AND IF YOU ARE NOT AT THE VERY TOP, FOLKS CONSIDER THAT FAILURE.

BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS NONE OF THIS -- WHATEVER THAT DECLINE MIGHT BE, IT IS NOT AT ALL THE RESULT OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.

HOW DO WE KNOW THAT?

WE CONSULTED EXPERTS ON THIS ISSUE.

AND MEG CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.

CRYSTAL: PLEASE.

MEG: WE ASKED THE DEAN AT HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, ONE OF THE DEANS THERE, ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN NEWTON, AND IT TURNS OUT HE LIVES THERE.

[LAUGHTER] HE WAS ABLE TO CRUNCH THE NUMBERS.

AND WHAT HE FOUND WAS THAT OVER THE LAST DECADE, AP SCORES HAVE DROPPED A BIT, AND THAT THEY ARE -- IT'’S NOT ENTIRELY PANDEMIC RELATED.

AND THEN HE ALSO FOUND THAT FEWER STUDENTS ARE TAKING THE AP EXAM.

BUT AS HE REITERATED IN HIS NOTE, THERE IS NOTHING -- THERE IS NO THREAT OF THIS THAT RELATES TO DEI AS THE CAUSE OF THIS SLIP IN ACADEMICS.

OBVIOUSLY, THERE CAN BE A ZILLION DIFFERENT REASONS FOR THIS.

IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO GET THAT FEEDBACK FROM HIM.

PHILLIP: IF I CANNOT, IT IS -- CAN ADD, IT'’S NOT TO SAY THAT DEI IS SACROSANCT.

FOR EXAMPLE, AS POLICY, AS THE WAY IT IS IMPLEMENTED, THAT THESE THINGS CANNOT BE CRITICIZED.

WE SPOKE WITH THE HEAD OF THE U.S. SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, ONE OF THE FOREMOST THREATS ON EDUCATION IN THE COUNTRY.

HE HAS SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE ASPECTS OF DEI BUT ALSO BELIEVES THAT STRUCTURAL RACISM IS SOMETHING THAT IS A REAL PROBLEM, OBJECTIVELY DETERMINED, AND THAT THERE ARE WAYS OF CREATING DEI PROGRAMS THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY EFFECTIVE, AND HE DOES NOT SEE NEWTON AS BEING IN CONTRAVENTION TO THAT, THAT NEWTON NORTH HIGH SCHOOL HAPPENS TO BE LED BY A FELLOW NAMED HENRY TURNER, THE PRINCIPAL, WHO IS AN EXPERT ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.

HE CAME INTO HIS JOB IN 2016.

THAT WEEK, THE SCHOOL HAD EXPERIENCED A RASH OF ANTISEMITIC INCIDENTS WHICH HE ADDRESSED.

HE HAD EXPERIENCED YOUNG MEN DRIVING AROUND CAMPUS FLYING CONFEDERATE FLAGS.

THOSE ARE SYMPTOMATIC OF THE PROBLEM.

WHAT HE HAS CHOSEN TO DO IS TRY TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM STRUCTURALLY.

THE INEQUITY IN GRADES, INTEGRATING, THE SCHOOL HAS NOT SOUGHT TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF TRACKING SO NOW, TRACKING IS SOMETHING THAT IS IN THE PAST, I UNDERSTAND, AT LEAST IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS.

THEY HAVE DEVELOPED GREATER EQUITY AMONGST STUDENTS AS OPPOSED TO TRACKING STUDENTS.

THE NOTION OF PUTTING PEOPLE INTO VARIOUS TRACKS ACCORDING TO PERCEIVED ABILITY.

CRYSTAL: IN THE LAST 30 SECONDS OR SO, I WOULD ASK, OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS SO MUCH TO UNPACK WITH THIS ISSUE.

WHAT IS NEXT IN TERMS OF STORYTELLING?

WOULD YOU PRESENT THIS DATA TO SOME OF THESE GROUPS?

MEG: THAT IS SUCH A GOOD QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE WITH THE COMMITTEE ELECTIONS HAPPENING IN MASSACHUSETTS TOMORROW AND AROUND THE COUNTRY, I THINK THIS IS A RICH TERRITORY FOR FURTHER REPORTING.

I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT SOME OF THE BELLS THAT RANG FOR US.

WHEN YOU SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN A COMMUNITY WHO DON'’T NECESSARILY HAVE CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOLS BUT ARE WEIGHING IN SO HEAVILY ON THESE ISSUES, WHICH IS WHAT WE SAW IN NEWTON -- A LOT OF PEOPLE AT THE FOREFRONT SPEAKING UP ABOUT THIS AND BRINGING THE POLITICS OF DEI INTO THE CONVERSATION DID NOT ACTUALLY HAVE STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOLS.

I THINK THERE IS A FEELING OF -- A SENSE OF WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

AND HOW CAN THE COMMUNITY RESPOND?

I THINK THAT WAS WHAT HENRY TURNER WAS LEFT TO DO BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF RUMORS AND INNUENDOS AND FALSE STATEMENTS THAT WERE BEING MADE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

ALL OF THAT IS RIPE FOR FURTHER REPORTING AND TO SEE WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT WITH SOME OF THE GROUPS AND PARENTS RIGHTS GROUPS AROUND MASSACHUSETTS AND BEYOND.

STAY TUNED.

CRYSTAL: ABSOLUTELY.

WE WILL BE WATCHING.

STAY TUNED.

I LOVE THAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

PHILLIP: THANK YOU.

CRYSTAL: FOR 25 YEARS, BARBARA LEE HAS FOUGHT TO CHANGE THE FACE OF AMERICAN POLITICS AND ELECT WOMEN TO POLITICAL OFFICES LONG DOMINATED BY MEN.

HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS, SHE HAS HELPED LAUNCH THE CAREER OF SO MANY TRAIL BLAZERS INCLUDING GOVERNOR MOORE HEALY, SENATOR ELIZABETH WARREN, CONGRESSWOMEN KATHERINE CLARK AND AYANNA PRESSLEY, AND BOSTON MAYOR MICHELLE WU, JUST TO NAME A FEW.

IT ALL STARTED A QUARTER OF A CENTURY AGO WITH A GOAL OF HELPING ELECT THE FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

HER FIRST CAMPAIGN IN 1998 NAMED HILLARY CLINTON AS ONE OF SEVERAL NAMES PUT FORTH FOR THAT JOB.

LEE WOULD GO ON TO BE ONE OF CLINTON'’S BIGGEST DONORS IN 2016.

NOW, THE PHILANTHROPIST AND POLITICAL POWERHOUSE IS GETTING READY TO HANG UP HER HAT, ANNOUNCING PLANS TO WIND DOWN HER FOUNDATION AND HER WORK BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR.

JOINING ME NOW TO REFLECT ON HER LEGACY ARE AMANDA HUNTER, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BARBARA LEE FAMILY FOUNDATION, AND ERIN O'’BRIEN, AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT UMASS BOSTON.

WELCOME.

AMANDA COME IN RESEARCHING THIS, THIS IS A STAGGERING NUMBER HERE.

MORE THAN 200 WOMEN IN 37 STATES.

-- IN 37 STATES BARBARA HAS GOTTEN ELECTED TO OFFICE SINCE 1998.

INCREDIBLE.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW THE LANDSCAPE HAS CHANGED A LOT IN THAT TIME.

AMANDA: ABSOLUTELY.

THEY SAY YOU DO NOT OFTEN GET TO THANK YOUR HEROES AND I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO WORK WITH ONE OF MINE OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, TRULY, BECAUSE BARBARA REALLY HAS ALWAYS DONE THIS WORK BECAUSE SHE WANTS TO SEE A WOMAN PRESIDENT.

THAT IS REALLY HERBAL AND THAT NUMBER DOES NOT INCLUDE ALL THE PEOPLE SHE SUPPORTED WHO WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR ELECTIONS EITHER.

JUST TO SET THE STAGE, IN 1998, THERE WERE ONLY 63 WOMEN SERVING IN CONGRESS.

TODAY, THERE ARE 150, MORE THAN TWICE AS MANY.

THERE ARE ONLY THREE WOMEN SERVING AS GOVERNOR AND NOW, THERE ARE A RECORD 12, AND ONLY 18 WOMEN HAVE EVER BEEN GOVERNOR IN HISTORY, AND NOW, WE ARE UP TO 49 SO THERE IS STILL SOME ROOM FOR GROWTH THERE.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND, BARBARA'’S INFLUENCE IS TRULY EVERYWHERE.

CRYSTAL: THAT IS CERTAINLY FOR SURE.

ERIN, LET'’S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE BARRIERS TO ENTRY FOR WOMEN ESPECIALLY IN THE POLITICAL ARENA.

ERIN: A LOT OF THEM STILL REMAIN BUT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE BARBARA'’S HAS MADE A REAL DIFFERENCE.

WOMEN RUN FOR OFFICE LATER.

YOUNG PEOPLE START OUT AS EQUALLY INTERESTED IN POLITICS BUT AS THEY AGE, AS THEY GO THROUGH SCHOOL, WOMEN'’S AMBITIONS OR GIRLS AMBITION DROPS.

THAT IS BECAUSE OF POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION, NOT BECAUSE GIRLS ARE LESS AMBITIOUS FROM JUMP.

WOMEN START LATER BECAUSE THEY ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR FAMILY, BOTH THEIR KIDS AS WELL AS PARENTS SO THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF BARRIERS, BUT WHAT BARBARA AND THE FOUNDATION HAS DONE -- ONE OF THE BARRIERS IS NO LONGER THE IDEA THAT WOMEN SHOULD NOT BE RUNNING FOR OFFICE.

VOTERS ARE WILLING TO VOTE FOR WOMEN AND THEY DON'’T THINK ABOUT IT.

THEY ARE NOT JUST GOING TO VOTE FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE A WOMAN, BUT WOMEN ARE VIEWED AS VIABLE CANDIDATES AND THEY GET AS MUCH MONEY.

IT USED TO BE WOMEN HAD A HARDER TIME RAISING MONEY BUT AGAIN, VIA THAT FOUNDATION AND GROUPS LIKE EMILY'’S LIST, WOMEN CAN RAISE MONEY ON PAR WITH MEN.

CRYSTAL: WITH BARBARA WINDING DOWN HER EFFORTS, THERE HAS TO BE SOME SORT OF GROUP THAT IS GOING TO FILL THAT VOID.

CERTAINLY, THINGS HAVE GOTTEN BETTER.

WE ARE SEEING MORE WOMEN IN OFFICE BUT THEY WILL STILL NEED THAT PERSON WHO IS GOING TO SLIP THAT NO IN THEIR POCKET AND SAY YOU ARE SMART.

YOU SHOULD RUN, LIKE AYANNA PRESSLEY NOTES IN HARVARD.

>> YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

ONE REASON BARBARA STARTED THE FOUNDATION WAS TO DO NONPARTISAN RESEARCH TO UNDERSTAND VOTER BIAS WHEN IT COMES TO WOMEN'’S GENDER AND RACE IN SO MANY WOMEN AND ACADEMICS HAVE BENEFITED FROM THAT RESEARCH AND SHE HAS GIVEN LANGUAGE TO WOMEN'’S EXPERIENCES THAT DID NOT EXIST BEFORE, THINGS LIKE THE LIKABILITY TIGHT ROPE WOMEN HAVE TO WALK WHERE THE IMAGINATION BARRIER, BECAUSE A MAJORITY OF VOTERS STILL PICTURE A MAN WHEN THEY PICTURE A GOVERNOR.

WHEN BARBARA STARTED THIS WORK, PEOPLE WERE NOT TALKING SO OPENLY ABOUT THESE BARRIERS AND NOW, WE SEE IT EVERYWHERE, INCLUDING IN THE BARBIE MOVIE.

A LOT OF AMERICA FERRERA'’S INCREDIBLE DIALOGUE REFLECTED SO MUCH OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE OUT THE FOUNDATION -- AT THE FOUNDATION.

WE ARE PROUD WE HAVE INFLUENCED THE CONVERSATION.

AS PART OF THIS SUNSET ANNOUNCEMENT, WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE DISTRIBUTING SUPPORT TO A NUMBER OF COLLEAGUE ORGANIZATIONS.

WHEN BARBARA STARTED, THERE WAS NOT THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF GROUPS TO SUPPORT WOMEN LIKE THERE IS NOW.

AND BARBARA ANNOUNCED $2.5 MILLION IN SUPPORT TO A NUMBER OF NONPARTISAN AND EDUCATIONAL GROUPS THAT SUPPORT WOMEN RUNNING FOR OFFICE TO MIRROR OUR 25 YEARS OF WORK.

CRYSTAL: IT IS SO INTERESTING, THAT TERM HE SAID, THE IMAGINATION BARRIER.

AS YOU ARE READING THE ACCOUNTS, LIKE WE MENTIONED PRESLEY, IT DID NOT EVEN OCCUR TO THEM THAT THEY COULD RUN.

AND THEN HAVE GONE INTO THEIR OFFICES.

IN PRESLEY'’S CASE, WON REELECTION.

WHEN FROM AG FROM GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO BREAK THAT BARRIER WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE AND SORT OF THE ALSO -- THE PSYCHOLOGY OF POLITICS?

MEG: IT IS WHAT -- ERIN: IT IS VITAL.

WOMEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO NEED TO BE ASKED, TO BE ENCOURAGED.

THAT IMAGINATION.

BUT ONCE THEY ARE ASKED, LOOK WHAT WOMEN CAN DO HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS.

WHAT I LOVE IN PART ABOUT THE FOUNDATION IS, YES, IT MATTERS.

IT FEELS BETTER TO HAVE A GOVERNMENT THAT LOOKS LIKE THE CITIZENS.

INCLUDING WOMEN, WOMEN OF COLOR, SO THAT IS IMPORTANT, THAT DESCRIPTIVE REPRESENTATION, BUT WHAT THE FOUNDATION AND MYSELF AND SCHOLARS OF WOMEN IN POLITICS POINT OUT, IT'’S NOT JUST A FEEL-GOOD PREROGATIVE.

IT IS BECAUSE POLICY OUTCOMES CHANGE WHEN WOMEN ARE THERE.

POLICY BECOMES MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WHOLE OF THE POPULATION, AND WOMEN BRING UP ISSUES THAT MEN MIGHT VOTE THE SAME ON BUT THEY PUT THEM ON THE AGENDA.

THERE IS A DIFFERENT AGENDA SETTING SPACE SO THAT IS WHY IT'’S NOT -- IT FEELS GOOD AND I LOVE FEELING GOOD, BUT IT ALSO MATTERS FOR DEMOCRATIC OUTCOMES AND THE KIND OF POLICIES TO BE REFLECTIVE OF THE WHOLE OF THE POPULATION HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS AND IN THE COUNTRY OF COURSE.

>> I'’M THOUGHTFUL OF THE CONVERSATION AROUND THAT WOMAN VOTER THAT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY MORE IMPORTANT.

I IMAGINE THAT YOU CAN ATTRIBUTE SOME OF THE IMPORTANCE TO THE WORK THAT BARBARA IS DOING WITH SOME OF THE OTHER NONPROFITS IN THIS INFRASTRUCTURE.

I WOULD LOVE YOU TO TALK A LITTLE BIT TO THAT.

AMANDA: IT IS SO IMPORTANT, AND WE FOUND IN OUR RESEARCH AGAIN AND AGAIN TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT WOMEN ARE NOT MONOLITHIC IN THE WAY THAT THEY VOTE AND WOMEN OFTEN, JUST LIKE ALL VOTERS, PRIORITIZE THEIR IDEOLOGY OVER VOTING FOR SOMEONE AS A RESULT OF THEIR GENDER.

BUT WHERE WE HAVE SEEN A BIG SHIFT IS WITH WOMEN'’S POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT.

EVEN AS BEING POLITICAL DONORS, EVEN GIVING A MODEST AMOUNT OF MONEY, ONE THING BARBARA HAS ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT IS EMPOWERING WOMEN TO BECOME INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.

WE DID RESEARCH ON WOMEN VOTERS WITH OUR PARTNERS AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY AND FOUND THAT EVEN THOUGH WOMEN REPORTED CONSUMING THE SAME AMOUNT OF POLITICAL NEWS AS MEN, THEY WERE 50% MORE LIKELY TO SAY THEY DID NOT FEEL PREPARED ENOUGH TO PARTICIPATE IN POLITICS, SO WOMEN STILL FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO BE OVERQUALIFIED, WHETHER THEY ARE JUST VOLUNTEERING ON A CAMPAIGN OR VOTING, BUT IT DEFINITELY COME AFTER 2016 WE SAW A BIG SHIFT IN THE WAY THAT WOMEN WERE PARTICIPATING AND I DON'’T THINK WE'’RE EVER GOING BACK.

CRYSTAL: AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT ELECTION, WHICH WE ALREADY KNOW HAS FRANKLY ALREADY STARTED, YOU SEE SOMEONE LIKE BARBARA SORT OF WINDING THINGS DOWN, THE ORGANIZATIONS TRYING TO STEP INTO THOSE VERY BIG SHOES, WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DO YOU THINK THAT WILL HAVE AS WE GO INTO THE NEXT ELECTION CYCLE AND ESPECIALLY EVEN TOMORROW WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, BOSTON, AND AS WE LOOK AT CONGRESS AND THE SENATE AND THINGS LIKE THAT GOING DOWN THE LINE HERE?

>> I SMILED IN PART BECAUSE I AM AN ALUM FROM THAT WOMEN IN POLITICS PROGRAM.

THAT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS INTERGENERATIONAL.

WE CANNOT ASK ONE PERSON TO DO IT ALL.

SHE DESERVES A BREAK.

AND TO PASS THAT BATON ON.

IMPORTANTLY, BARBARA AND OTHERS HAVE CREATED AN INFRASTRUCTURE.

I TEACH WOMEN IN POLITICS.

THAT IS NOT A COURSE I HAD TO FIGHT FOR.

IT IS A COURSE THAT IS RECOGNIZED AS IMPORTANT.

SO THAT FOUNDATIONAL WORK HAS BEEN DONE AND THERE IS A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS, WOMEN AND MEN, IN MY CLASSES, WHO CARE ABOUT SEEING WOMEN IN OFFICE SO I THINK WE SEE THAT.

IT'’S TIME FOR A GENERATIONAL SHIFT AND PASSING OF THAT BATON, BUT THERE'’S A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS, THERE IS A PLETHORA OF TALENT THAT IS WORKING TOGETHER AND NOT AGAINST ONE ANOTHER TO MOVE THAT FORWARD.

CRYSTAL: THAT IS FOR SURE.

AMANDA, I WONDER IF YOU CAN SHARE -- YOU PROBABLY HAVE MANY OF BARBARA'’S STORIES, BUT ONE THAT COMES TO MIND THAT YOU MIGHT THINK IS UNIQUE OR INTERESTING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR AUDIENCE?

AMANDA: THERE ARE SO MANY STORIES BUT AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET TO WORK WITH HER FOR OVER SIX YEARS, SHE IS SUCH A DELIGHT AS A BOSS AND AS A MENTOR.

WE WERE REMINISCING OVER THE WEEKEND THAT SHE ALWAYS HAD LIFE ADVICE FOR EVERYBODY AND EVEN THOUGH SHE IS ABOUT 5'’2", SHE MOVES VERY -- SHE WAS A BASKETBALL PLAYER WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER.

SHE ALWAYS WORE FLATS AND ENCOURAGED ALL OF THE WOMEN ON HER TEAM TO WEAR FLATS AS WELL AND JUST TO DO WHAT MADE THEM COMFORTABLE.

AND TO EMPOWER OURSELVES.

IT HAS BEEN REALLY AMAZING TO WORK IN THAT TYPE OF AN ENVIRONMENT.

I GREW UP IN MASSACHUSETTS.

I WAS ALWAYS AWARE OF BARBARA AND ALWAYS WANTED TO WORK FOR HER BUT I NEVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME ACTUALLY DOING SO.

WHAT A TIME IN HISTORY TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS WORK.

ERIN: MAY I SHARE QUICK ONE?

A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE WAS RUNNING FOR OFFICE, LOCAL CITY COUNCIL RACE, AND SHE CALLED ME AND SAID, DO YOU KNOW THIS BARBARA LEE?

I'’M LIKE, YES.

NOW MY WORK LIFE IS WITH MY FRIEND LIFE.

MY FRIEND KNOCKED ON BARBARA'’S DOOR, JUST A GET OUT THE VOTE EFFORT, AND BARBARA'’S LIKE, COME IN.

SHE COACHED HER UP JUST BECAUSE MY FRIEND WAS OUT DOING THE WORK , KNOCKING ON DOORS, AND BARBARA WORKED WITH HER AND HELPED HER QUITE A BIT.

SHE WALKS THE WALK BEYOND THE RESEARCH.

CRYSTAL: I WILL GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD HERE, AMANDA, IN THE LAST 30 SECONDS OR SO.

DO YOU THINK BARBARA REFLECTS ON HER OWN LEGACY OR ISSUE LIKE, HERE YOU GO?

HERE IS THE BATON.

AMANDA: LOVER WANTS TO BE CLEAR THAT SHE IS NOT TOTALLY LEAVING THIS WORLD.

SHE WILL STILL BE ENGAGED AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN, CHEERING PEOPLE ON, MAYBE WITH HER GRANDCHILDREN RUNNING AROUND NEXT TO HER AND MAY WEARING DIFFERENT OUTFITS, BUT SHE WILL STILL STAY ENGAGED.

I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST PARTS OF HER LEGACY IS BREAKING DOWN THE IMAGINATION BARRIER.

SHE HAS ALWAYS CALLED MASSACHUSETTS THE ORIGINAL OLD BOYS CLUB.

WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND, IT LOOKS PRETTY DIFFERENT AROUND HERE THAN IT DID WHEN BARBARA STARTED AND THERE'’S GOING TO BE A WHOLE GENERATION THAT WILL GROW UP NEVER REMEMBERING A TIME WHEN THERE WERE NOT WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR LEADING A STATE, LEAVING BOSTON, LEAVING CITIES AROUND THE STATE, AND THAT IS WHERE WE ARE GOING TO SEE TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE IN VOTER OPINION.

CRYSTAL: THANK YOU SO MUCH, AMANDA HUNTER, AND ERIN O'’BRIEN, FOR YOUR TIME.

AMANDA: THANK YOU.

CRYSTAL: THAT IS IT FOR TONIGHT BUT COME ON BACK TOMORROW.

ADAM REILLY WILL BE FOLLOWING KEY RACES.

SEVERAL OF THEM, ALL ELECTION DAY LONG.

HE WILL JOIN US BEFORE THE POLLS CLOSE.

THAT AND MORE TOMORROW AT 7:00.

Q.

SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.

GOOD NIGHT.

-- THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.

GOOD NIGHT.

♪