CRYSTAL: HI, EVERYBODY.

I'’M CRYSTAL HAYNES.

YET ANOTHER CRISIS ON THE T, AND THIS TIME ANY FACTORING FAILURES ON THE GREEN LINE EXTENSION.

HOW BAD IS THE PROBLEM, HOW DID THE MBTA FAILED TO FIX IT BEFORE THE LINE OPENED, AND HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO FIX?

WE WILL DIG INTO ALL OF THAT.

PLUS, A LOOK BACK AT THE 15TH ANNUAL BOSTON ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL, AND HOW YOU CAN CELEBRATE ASIAN FILMS ALL YEAR LONG.

PLUS, THE RESTAURANT BRINGING SOUL TO THE SEAPORT.

GRACE BY NEAH AND ITS OWNER JUST HONORED BY THE BOSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL.

THE PROBLEMS PLAGUING THE MBTA'’S GREEN LINE EXTENSION ARE A LOT WORSE THAN WE PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT.

THE EXTENSION'’S RAILS ARE TOO NARROW AND ABOUT HALF OF UNION SQUARE BRANCH AND 80% OF THE TUFTS BRANCH WILL NEED TO BE FIXED.

IT IS A WHOPPING FAILURE IN CONSTRUCTION AND COMMUNICATION.

GOVERNOR HEALY'’S ADMINISTRATION IS BLAMING THE BAKER ADMINISTRATION, CLAIMING THAT PREVIOUS T OFFICIALS KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEMS AND DID NOT REPORT THEM.

OFFICIALS SAY THE EXTENSION IS STILL SAFE FOR RIDERS, BUT IT WILL NEED TO GO THROUGH EXTENSIVE REPAIRS, THE COST OF WHICH IS PROMISED WILL FALL ENTIRELY ON THE ORIGINAL CONTRACTORS PRETTY TO BREAK THIS ALL DOWN HIS FORMER -- IS CHRIS DEMPSEY.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

WAS THIS A SURPRISE TO YOU?

CHRIS: IT WAS A SURPRISE AND IT IS UNFORTUNATE.

THE ANALOGY IS YOU WENT TO IKEA, YOU GOT THE BOOKCASE AND YOU'’RE PUTTING IT TOGETHER AND SOMETHING SEEMS OFF.

THE SCREWS ARE NOT LINING UP, YOU MAKE IT WORK, YOU START PUTTING THE BOOKS ON THE BOOKSHELF, AND YOU JUST KNOW IT IS NOT GOING TO HOLD.

THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED HERE WITH THE GREEN LINE.

THEY GOT IT SET UP, THEY INSTALLED IT, THEY STARTED RUNNING TRAINS, BUT AS THEY HAVE DONE FURTHER TESTING THEY REALIZED THE TRACKS ARE TOO NARROW AND HAVE TO BE FIXED.

CRYSTAL: BUT THIS WAS AN ENORMOUS COST.

ALSO, COULDN'’T YOU FIGURE THAT OUT BEFORE HAND?

CHRIS: THAT IS WHAT IS TROUBLING HERE.

ALL THE WAY BACK IN 2021 THEY DID SOME TESTING ON THE RAIL YARDS IN MEDFORD THAT THEY BUILT AS PART OF THIS PROJECT AND HE FOUND THE TRACKS WERE TOO NARROW.

BUT INSTEAD OF USING THAT INFORMATION AND TESTING THE REST OF THE LINE THEY KEPT IT ISOLATED TO JUST THAT YARD.

FAST-FORWARD 1.5 YEARS TO NOVEMBER 2022, THEY WANT TO OPEN IT IN ABOUT ONE MONTH.

THEY DO MORE TESTING IN THE FIND THAT IN FACT THE RAIL IS TOO NARROW ACROSS THE ENTIRE EXTENSION.

THERE WERE 29 PLACES THAT WERE CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUES.

THEY FIXED THOSE.

BUT THE REST OF THE LINE, 50% OF UNION STATION LINE AND 80% OF THE TUFTS LINE, WAS TO NARROW.

THEY STILL DECIDED TO OPEN UP THE GREEN LINE EXTENSION ANYWAY IN DECEMBER.

IT IS FRUSTRATING TO THUS YOU ARE RIDERS -- OF THIS YOU ARE RIDERS OF THE GREEN LINE.

CRYSTAL: ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'’RE TALKING ABOUT THE SLOW ZONES IN THE BLUE LINE, RED LINE CONNECTOR THAT THE TEA AND THE CITY AND THE STATE WANT TO BREAK GROUND ON.

CHRIS: THAT IS IMPORTANT BUT WE NEED TO IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO EXECUTE ON THESE PROJECTS.

IT IS FAIR FOR THE PUBLIC TO HAVE DOUBT ABOUT THE MBTA'’S ABILITY TO MANAGE AND IMPLEMENT THE VISION WE HAVE FOR THE SYSTEM.

CRYSTAL: THAT WOULD MEAN THESE SLOW ZONES WILL CONTINUE, AT LEAST UNTIL THEY CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT.

CHRIS: ON THE GREEN LINE EXTENSION THEY ARE GOING TO BRING IT BACK TO NORMAL SPEED.

THE RAILS RIGHT NOW ARE TOO NARROW TO MEET CONSTRUCTION STANDARD BUT OK FOR BASIC SAFETY.

THEY BROUGHT IT DOWN TO BASICALLY A WALKING SPEED FOR A COUPLE DAYS LAST WEEK, JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE BEING SAFE.

NOW THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH ADDITIONAL TESTING AT HIS BACK.

BUT IT WILL LEAD TO DISRUPTIONS.

WHETHER THAT HAPPENS AT NIGHT OR THE WEEKEND, RIDERS CAN EXPECT MORE DELAYS.

CRYSTAL: DO YOU EXPECT THIS IS JUST ONE OF MANY THINGS WE CAN SEE COMING DOWN THE LINE?

EVERYONE WAS SO EXCITED WHEN THIS EXTENSION OPENED AND IT WAS RUNNING.

AND NOW WE ARE HEARING ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS.

CHRIS: I HOPE THAT THIS IS THE LAST WE ARE GOING TO HEAR OF MAJOR STRUCTURAL ISSUES.

I DON'’T THINK WE ARE REALLY GOING TO KNOW FOR ANOTHER COUPLE OF YEARS.

AS YOU SAID, THIS IS A PROJECT THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT NOT JUST FOR SOMERVILLE AND MEDFORD, BUT THE ENTIRE REGION.

IT WILL TAKE A LOT OF CARS OFF THE ROAD, IT WILL PROVIDE NEW TRANSIT ACCESS FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS.

IT IS THE FIRST SUBWAY LINE WE HAVE OPENED IN MASSACHUSETTS SINCE THE LATE 1980'’S, EARLY 1990'’S.

IT HAS BEEN 30 YEARS.

WE NEED TO GET BACK TO A CULTURE WHERE WE ARE EXPANDING OUR CULTURE SYSTEM.

WE HAVE SOME OF THE WORST CONGESTION IN THE COUNTRY, WE HAVE REALLY BAD AIR POLLUTION FROM ALL THE TRAFFIC.

TRANSPORTATION IS ONE OF THE MOST FRUSTRATING ISSUES ALONG WITH HOUSING FOR MANY HOUSEHOLDS.

WE HAVE TO BE MAKING INVESTMENTS.

WE NEED TO DO BETTER.

CRYSTAL: DO YOU THINK THERE IS ALSO CONCERN FOR THE BUSINESSES THAT INVESTED IN THESE AREAS AROUND THE NEW GREEN LINE?

AND NOW, THEY ARE SEEING THAT THIS MIGHT BE AN ISSUE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

CHRIS: I THINK THAT IS RIGHT.

I THINK IF YOU ARE THE MAYOR OF SOMERVILLE OR MEDFORD YOU ARE SAYING, WIDOW MINUTE, OUR COMMUNITIES WERE STARTING TO ORIENT AROUND THESE LINES AND NOW WE CANNOT DO IT.

TRANSPORTATION CHANGE CAN BE VERY FRUSTRATING AND TAKE A LONG TIME.

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, IF YOU BUILD SOMETHING IN TRANSPORTATION IT USUALLY LASTS FOR 100 YEARS OR MORE.

SO IF WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A ROUGH START ON THIS GREEN LINE EXTENSION, BUT 10, 20, 30, 50 YEARS FROM NOW IT IS STILL WORKING, IT WILL BE IN INVESTMENT THAT WE FEEL PAYS OFF.

CRYSTAL: DO YOU THINK THIS ISSUE IS JUST ENDEMIC TO THE NEW GREEN LINE EXTENSION, OR SHOULD WE JUST CHECK ALL THE TRACKS TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NOT ANY OTHER ISSUES?

CHRIS: THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.

THERE IS A CHECK FOR THE WIDTH THAT THE T DEPLOYS ON ALL OF ITS RAILS THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM.

WHAT WE CAN TELL SO FAR FROM THE INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN SHARED IS THIS WAS AN ISSUE THAT HAPPENED IN THE FACTORY.

THESE RAIL TIES ARRIVED FROM THE FACTORY WITH THE PLATES PREINSTALLED AND THEY WERE PUT DOWN AND THE RAILS WERE PUT ON TOP OF THEM.

IT IS NOT SOMETHING THE MBTA WAS DOING, IT IS SOMETHING A PROVIDER FOR THE CONTRACTOR FOR THE MBTA WAS DOING.

AND SO IT CAME OUT OF THE FACTORY WRONG AND NOW IT IS BEING FIXED.

THERE IS NO EVIDENCE YET THAT THAT FACTOR HAS PRODUCED OTHER RAIL TIES FOR OTHER APPROACH OF THE MBA TA -- MBTA SYSTEM.

CRYSTAL: HOW DIFFICULT WILL IT BE TO GET THE CONTRACTORS TO MAKE GOOD ON THIS?

BECAUSE THAT COULD BE A CONCERN.

CHRIS: SO FAR I THINK THE T HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR ABOUT WANTING THE CONTRACTORS TO PAY.

WE DO NOT KNOW THE COST ESTIMATE YET, BUT I WOULD HOPE AND EXPECT THAT THE CONTRACTORS, THE PRIVATE THIRD-PARTY CONTRACTORS, WILL LIVE UP TO THEIR COMMITMENTS AND LIVE UP TO THEIR CONTRACT AND FIX THIS.

I THINK THE GREATER PROBLEM HERE IS WE DON'’T KNOW WHAT THAT DISRUPTION WILL BE.

IT'’S A RELATIVELY EASY -- EASY FIX IN TERMS OF TAKING THE PLATE OUT, MOVING A LITTLE BIT, AND PUTTING IT BACK IN.

BUT YOU ARE DOING THAT ON AN ACTIVE RAIL LINE, AND THAT IS WHERE THE COMPLICATION HAPPENS.

YOU CAN ONLY REALLY DO THAT WHEN THE LINE IS ENTIRELY SHUT DOWN.

IT IS SHUT DOWN EVERY NIGHT FOR A FEW HOURS BUT THAT DOESN'’T GIVE YOU MUCH TIME.

IT WILL BE FASTER AND MORE EFFECTIVE FOR THE MBTA TO SHUT DOWN THE ENTIRE LINE FOR DAYS OR A WEEK.

THAT WILL BE FASTER AT FIXING IT, BUT THAT WILL BE REALLY FRUSTRATING FOR THE COMPUTERS IN SOMERVILLE AND MEDFORD -- COMMUTERS WHO WILL NOW BE BACK ON SHUTTLE BUSES.

CRYSTAL: IN YOUR EXPERIENCE AS THE MBTA LOOKS TO CONTRACT OUT FOR MORE PROJECTS THAT THEY WILL MAYBE BE LOOKING AT ANOTHER LOOK ON HOW THEY CHOOSE CONTRACTORS?

CHRIS: THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

WHAT YOU WANT AT THE MBTA IS YOU WANT A TEAM OF LEADERS AND MANAGERS WHO ARE GOOD AT SEPARATING THE LEGITIMATE STRONG CONTRACTORS FROM THE WEAKER ONES.

WHO ARE GOOD AT UNDERSTANDING HOW TO GET GOOD VALUE FOR TAXPAYER AND FARE PAYER DOLLARS.

THAT IS THE MOST SENSIBLE THING.

IT'’S OBVIOUSLY A PLACE WHERE THE T NEEDS TO GET BETTER.

MOST OF THE MANAGERS WHO WERE LEADING THIS PROJECT INSIDE THE MBTA HAVE SINCE MOVED ON TO OTHER JOBS, OTHER PLACES, OTHER AGENCIES.

SO WE HAVE A NEW CROP HERE UNDER THE GENERAL MANAGER.

HE SEEMS TO BE TRYING TO PUT THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN PLACE AND I THINK WE HAVE TO GIVE HIM THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT, BUT THERE IS CLEARLY A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

CRYSTAL: WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS BACK-AND-FORTH WHERE THE HEALY ADMINISTRATION IS LIKE, EH, IT IS NOT OUR FAULT, IT IS THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.

IS THERE A BENEFIT TO ANY OF THAT?

CHRIS: I DON'’T THINK IT DOES ANY GOOD TO PLACE THIS BLAME, ESPECIALLY WHEN MOST OF THE PEOPLE HAVE MOVED ON.

I DO THINK IT IS INTERESTING FOR THE PUBLIC AND THE MEDIA TO DIG IN.

THE BOSTON GLOBE HAS FOUND SOME EMAILS THAT SHOW THIS ISSUE WAS REPORTED TO THE HEAD OF THE PROJECT.

THE HEAD OF THE PROJECT DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF IT.

SO THERE IS A DISCREPANCY THERE.

THAT KIND OF INSIDE BASEBALL IS INTRIGUING.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS INSTILL A CULTURE AT THE MBTA OF MORE TRANSPARENCY AND MORE OPENNESS, WHERE THIS STUFF IS NOT SWEPT UNDER THE RUG, IT IS NOT IN.

I THINK THE HEALY ADMINISTRATION UNDERSTANDS THAT.

THEY ARE NOT PERFECT, BUT THEY ARE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

CRYSTAL: CHRIS DEMPSEY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

NEXT UP, MOVIES HAVE THE POWER TO REFLECT OUR OWN EXPERIENCES BACK AT US, AS WELL AS -- AS WELL AS INTRODUCE US TO COMMUNITIES, CULTURES, AND CONCEPTS DIFFERENT THAN OUR OWN.

THAT IS THE MISSION OF THE BOSTON ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL, WHICH JUST WRAPPED UP ITS 15TH YEAR.

FEATURING OVER ONE DOZEN FILMS, DOCUMENTARIES, AND SHORT STORIES, THE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED EVENT HIGHLIGHTS MANY ASIAN AMERICAN FILMMAKERS IN THEIR STORIES IN GREATER BOSTON AND BEYOND.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE FESTIVAL AND HOW YOU CAN CELEBRATE ASIAN AMERICAN FILMS ALL YEAR AROUND, I AM JOINED BY THE FESTIVAL'’S DIRECTOR AND CREATIVE PRODUCER, SUSAN CHINSEN .

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

SO 16 YEARS -- 15 YEARS.

IT MUST BE A LABOR LOVE.

SUSAN: HE REALLY HAS BEEN A PASSION PROJECT.

CRYSTAL: TALK TO ME ABOUT THE PROCESS IN TERMS OF GETTING FOLKS TO ENTER, HOW THE JUDGING PROCESS WORKS, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?

SUSAN: I TAKE SOME PRIDE IN THAT, IN THAT WE TYPICALLY DO NOT DO IT THE WAY MANY OTHER FESTIVALS DO.

OUR PROGRAMMING SCREENING COMMITTEE IS MADE OF WHAT I WOULD CALL COMMUNITY PEOPLE.

THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY FILM CRITICS OR ADVOCATES, OR STUDENTS OF FILM STUDIES.

THEY ARE REALLY PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE WATCHING THESE FILMS AND RATING THEM, JUDGING THEM ON HOW THEY CONNECT TO THEM.

CRYSTAL: DO YOU FIND THAT EACH YEAR THERE ENDS UP BEING A UNIFYING THEME, OR A THEME THAT JUMPS OUT?

OR IS IT REALLY JUST ALL OVER THE PLACE BECAUSE IT IS DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES?

SUSAN: IN THE PAST WE LIKE TO THINK WE HAVE HAD THEMES OVER THE PAST YEARS, AND WE CONTINUE TO USE ONE.

ONE WE ALWAYS LEAN TOWARDS IS RISING TOGETHER, AND THAT HAS BEEN ONE THAT HAS COME UP AGAIN THIS YEAR.

BUT IN PARTICULAR THE VAST DIVERSITY OF WHAT COMES INTO US IS HARD TO PINPOINT JUST ONE.

WE DID HAVE ONE THEME, PROBABLY MORE SURROUNDING ELDERS THIS YEAR THEN WE TYPICALLY DO, SO THAT WAS KIND OF NICE TOO.

CRYSTAL: WHAT WERE SOME OF THE STANDOUT FILMS THAT WERE SUBMITTED?

SUSAN: I CANNOT PICK TOO MANY, BUT I SAY WITHIN OUR DOCUMENTARY FILMS THERE WERE TWO THAT STOOD OUT.

ONE CALLED NURSE ON SCENE, TALKING ABOUT FILIPINO NURSES AND WHERE THAT HISTORY CAME FROM, AND WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCE DURING COVID HAD BEEN.

ANOTHER BIOGRAPHICAL ONE ON A PHOTOGRAPHER NAMED CORKY LEE ITEM NEW YORK.

I AM TRYING TO THINK OF THE EXACT NAME, BUT PHOTOGRAPHER LAUREATE, UNDISPUTED OF ASIAN AMERICA, ESSENTIALLY.

HE WAS A PHOTOGRAPHER THAT WAS -- THAT CAPTURED EXPERIENCES FROM VINCENT CHIN, TO0 COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS ALL ACROSS THE DIVERSITY OF ASIAN AMERICANS, BUT HAD PASSED AWAY DURING COVID.

CRYSTAL: WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT REPRESENTATION IN THE FILM INDUSTRY, WE KNOW THAT MINORITIES STRUGGLE, THEY HAVE THE SAME KIND OF SUCCESS OF OTHER GROUPS.

SO THIS IS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL STORIES, CREATE A PLATFORM FOR TELLING ASIAN AMERICAN STORIES.

SUSAN: YES.

I GREW UP HERE IN THE GREATER BOSTON AREA, AND IN THAT TIME PERIOD THERE WERE LOTS OF PLACES THAT WOULD FEATURE ASIAN CINEMA, OR STORIES ABOUT ASIA.

IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND STORIES THAT I FELT LIKE A CONNECT TO.

THAT HAD BEEN A BIG MISSION OF MIND IN TERMS OF WANTING TO HAVE MORE SPACE FOR THAT HERE IN BOSTON.

SO HENCE, THE FILM FESTIVAL WAS CREATED.

WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT IN TERMS OF UPLIFTING DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH TO ACTUALLY FEATURE THESE STORIES.

SO THAT HAS BEEN A HUGE DIRECTION OF US WANTING TO MOVE TOWARDS.

CRYSTAL: YEAH.

AND YOU BROUGHT US SOME SPECIAL MATERIALS HERE, TALKING ABOUT MOVIES IN, BY, AND ALSO INVOLVING ASIAN AMERICAN FOLKS.

SUSAN: YES.

THIS YEAR WITHOUT BEING OUR 15TH UNIVERSE RATE WE HAD TWO BIG BOOKENDS.

OUR OPENING EVENT WAS WITH JEFF YANG, AN OBSERVER, COMMENTATOR, EXPERT ON ASIAN AMERICAN CULTURE ACROSS AMERICA.

AND HE JUST PUBLISHED -- IS PUBLISHING A BOOK, IT IS COMING OUT OFFICIALLY TOMORROW, OCTOBER 24, CALLED THE GOLDEN SCREEN.

WE WERE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE HIM AND A FILMMAKER HERE WITH US.

SHE WAS THE SERIES PRODUCER FOR ASIAN AMERICANS, WHICH AIR HERE ON PBS LOCALLY.

HE IS PUBLISHING THIS BOOK, I CAN SHOW YOU.

THIS IS THE BOOK.

CRYSTAL: BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK.

SUSAN: IT IS AMAZING.

FOR THOSE AUDIENCES WHO MAY HAVE SEEN EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, IT IS THEMATICALLY BASED ON THAT.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ELEMENTS BASED ON THE ART THAT REFERENCES WHAT IS INSIDE OF THE BOOK ITSELF.

I WOULD JUST NOTE THAT THIS IS A BOOK THAT COULD NOT HAVE COME OUT 15 YEARS EARLIER.

I FELT THIS SYMBOLIZED A LOT OF THE WORK THE FILM FESTIVAL ITSELF HAS DONE.

MANY OF THE FILMS WE HAVE SHOWN, HISTORICALLY, ARE INCLUDED IN THIS BOOK.

IT'’S AN ANTHOLOGY OF A VARIETY OF FILMS THAT SORT OF -- IT IS CALLED THE GOLDEN SCREEN, THE MOVIES THAT MADE ASIAN AMERICAN.

FOR ME, I FEEL LIKE THAT REPRESENTS FOR MYSELF, HOW I CONNECTED FOR A LOT OF THE VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF THAT WORK ON THE FILM FESTIVAL, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND HOME HERE IN BOSTON.

BOSTON I FEEL LIKE IS A DIFFICULT CITY TO FIND YOUR PEOPLE AND YOUR COMMUNITY.

I KNOW A LOT OF THE VOLUNTEERS, A LOT OF OUR AUDIENCE MEMBERS CONTINUOUSLY COME EVERY YEAR BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY FIND.

BEING ABLE TO COME TOGETHER, I KNOW IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT DURING COVID.

WE GOT THROUGH IT THROUGH VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING, BUT ON THIS SIDE OF COVID, WE ARE ALL STILL HAPPY TO HAVE THAT WITH US TODAY.

I COULD CONTINUE GOING ON ABOUT THIS.

CRYSTAL: I LOVE IT.

IT ALSO BREAKS THE STEREOTYPES.

AS YOU MENTIONED, WHEN YOU THINK OF ASIAN AMERICAN CINEMA, I MEAN, LET'’S BE HONEST, WE THINK OF LIKE, KUNG FU MOVIES AND THAT KIND OF THING.

BUT THAT DOES NOT REFLECT THE RICH CULTURE AND THE DIASPORA OF ASIANS IN THE WORLD, BUT ALSO IN THE UNITED STATES.

SUSAN: CERTAINLY.

THERE IS ALSO THE STEREOTYPE OF MODEL MINORITY, AND WHAT A LIVED EXPERIENCE OF A PERSON WHO LOOKS LIKE MYSELF, THE QUESTION OF WHERE YOU COME FROM IS SOMETHING THAT MANY PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE MYSELF ARE OFTEN FACED WITH.

I THINK THESE FILMS ARE ONES WHICH PEOPLE THAT REPRESENT A VARIETY OF THE LIVED EXPERIENCES ARE ABLE TO ACTUALLY SHARE.

SIMILAR TO NURSE UNSEEN, COMING OUT OF COVID, THAT TOUCHED SO MANY PEOPLE, MYSELF INCLUDED, ABOUT THINKING HOW HAS AMERICAN HISTORY INTERSECTED WITH OTHER COUNTRIES OVERSEAS THAT HAVE REALLY IMPACTED LARGE SWATHS OF PEOPLE, AND EVEN THE HEALTH-CARE SYSTEM THAT WE ARE ALL BENEFITING FROM HERE.

AND THEY ARE NOT TALKED ABOUT, IT IS NOT DISCUSSED, IT IS NOT A VISIBLE GROUP OF PEOPLE.

AND IN MANY WAYS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS LIKE, OH, IT IS LONG OVERDUE FOR THEM TO HAVE A SPOTLIGHT, TO BE ABLE TO HEAR FROM THEM AND HEAR THEIR STORIES ABOUT WHY IT IS THIS WAY.

CRYSTAL: THERE ARE SO MANY CREATIVE'’S ALSO INVOLVED IN THE FESTIVAL.

THERE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE DOING HARD WORK, THERE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE ORGANIZING DIFFERENT PIECES OF THAT AS WELL.

SUSAN: YEAH.

THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

I WANTED TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT TOO.

WE ACTUALLY INVITED A LOCAL ARTIST TO JOIN US THIS YEAR TO FEATURE HIS ARTWORK.

HE IS A CLEAR FILIPINO ARTIST WHO OFTEN WORKS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS, BUT HE WAS GENEROUS ENOUGH TO WORK WITH US AND CREATE A PIECE OF ARTWORK THAT REALLY REPRESENTS THE JOY THAT WE ARE ALL LOOKING FOR, AND THE OPPORTUNITY OF HOW WE GATHER, TO REALLY REPRESENT OUR 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF BEING TOGETHER.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A PIECE OF WORK THAT HE HAD DESIGNED FOR US.

CRYSTAL: I LOVE THAT.

IF FOLKS WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT OUT TO THE FILM FESTIVAL, CAN THEY STILL GET A LINK OR STREAM SOME OF THE FILMS?

SUSAN: UNFORTUNATELY, IT WRAPPED YESTERDAY.

BUT IF FOLKS WANT TO GO OUT AND PICK UP A COPY OF THE GOLDEN SCREEN, IT IS A WONDERFUL WAY I FEEL YOU CAN GO THROUGH THE BOOK ITSELF AND GO THROUGH VARIOUS STREAMING SERVICES THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO.

I WOULD RECOMMEND ANY OF THE FILMS IN THIS BOOK, AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE COMMENTARY INCLUDED.

THERE IS BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK AND MESSAGES FROM FILMMAKERS, INCLUDING JOHN CHU AND DANIEL QUAN, LOCALLY FROM EMERSON COLLEGE.

I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND PEOPLE PICKING UP THE BOOK TO FIND STUFF, UNTIL WE COME BACK IN THE SPRING.

CRYSTAL: WE WILL BE WAITING FOR THAT.

SUSAN CHINSEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

AND FINALLY TONIGHT, NIA GRACE MEANS BUSINESS.

AND IT IS NOT JUST ME SEEING THAT.

IT IS ALSO THE BOSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL WHO NAMED THE RESTAURANT TO HER BETWEEN -- RESTAURANT TOUR -- AND THE NEW RESTAURANT ONE OF FIVE WOMEN WHO MEAN BUSINESS IN BOSTON.

THE RECOGNITION COMES A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE GRAND OPENING OF GRACE BY NIA, A SPEAKEASY LOUNGE WITH LIVE MUSIC AND A CREOLE-STYLE MENU WHICH ALSO MADE NIA THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN IN BOSTON TO OWN A SUPPER CLUB WITH A LIQUOR LICENSE.

NIA GRACE JOINS ME NOW.

YOU ONLY HOTTEST JOINT IN TOWN BECAUSE I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MANY EVENTS I SEE POP UP AND THEY ARE LIKE OH, WE ARE DOING IT OVER AT NIA'’S PLACE.

THAT IS AMAZING.

NIA: THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

CRYSTAL: OF COURSE.

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO HAVE THIS CONCEPT OF THE SUPPER CLUB, AND THEN HAVE IT BE SUCH A SET MASH -- SUCH A SMASH?

NIA: YOU ALWAYS HOPE THAT THE DREAM THAT YOU HAVE HER BUSINESS IS, ONE, GOING TO FILL A NEED OR A VOID OR SOMETHING THE AUDIENCE WANTS.

BUT THEN TO ACTUALLY SEE IT AND OVERWHELMINGLY RESPOND TO IT, I CANNOT BELIEVE IT.

WE THOUGHT WE WERE DEFINITELY GOING TO ATTRACT SOME OF OUR OWN COST -- OLD CUSTOMERS FROM DARRELL'’S.

WE THOUGHT WE WOULD GET SOME ACTUAL NEIGHBORS FROM THE SEAPORT.

BUT TO SEE IT PACKED FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS, YOU COULD NOT GET A RESERVATION FOR 30 DAYS.

I THINK THAT IS EXCITING AND I HOPE IT IS A TALE OF WHAT IS TO COME.

CRYSTAL: TELL ME ABOUT THE CONCEPT AND WHAT LED YOU TO WANT TO CREATE THIS UNIQUE SPACE.

NIA: IT HAS BEEN YEARS.

I HAVE BEEN IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

I USED TO WORK AT A DINNER CRUISE AND MUSICAL SPACE BACK WHEN THE SERVERS WERE STILL PERFORMING.

CRYSTAL: I REMEMBER THAT.

NIA: THAT WAS ME, ONE OF THOSE SERVERS.

I ALWAYS LOVED THE FUSION OF ENTERTAINMENT AND DINING.

I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED AND VALUED MY HOLIDAY DINNERS AND SUNDAY DINNERS WITH FAMILY, GETTING AROUND THE TABLE AND SHARING STORIES IN DIFFERENT MOMENTS.

WE USED TO WATCH THE KIDS DANCE AFTER DINNER WAS OVER AND IT IS A FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT.

I SAY ALL OF THAT BECAUSE IT FUELED MY DESIRE TO OWN THAT KIND OF SPACE.

MUCH LIKE MY FIRST ESTABLISHMENT I WALK IN AND IT SMELLS AND LOOKS FAMILIAR, THE MUSIC AS THEY ARE AND IT LOOKS -- WHEN IT CAME TO GRACE BY NIA WE WANTED TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

WE WERE COMING OUT OF THREE YEARS OF A VERY TRYING TIME FOR THE WORLD.

AND I WANTED TO GET BACK A RENAISSANCE OF SORTS TO THAT TIME WHERE YOU COULD TAKE IT SLOW AND LET YOUR NIGHT GRADUALLY BUILD IN VOLUME.

AND SO COME IN FOR THAT COCKTAIL, SIT DOWN FOR DINNER, ENJOY YOUR SHOW, AND THEN WHEN YOU ARE ONTO DESSERT AND THE FINALE COCKTAIL, MAYBE YOU ARE DOING SOME DANCING WITH THAT.

SO MY INSPIRATION HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BUT PLACES I HAVE SEEN AND NOSTALGIA.

LIKE THE COTTON CLUB OR COPACABANA, THINGS HE USED TO DO IN OLD VEGAS.

I WANTED TO BRING THAT TO NOW BECAUSE I FELT LIKE WE NEEDED THOSE MOMENTS.

CRYSTAL: CERTAINLY YOU HAVE ALSO REVAMPED DARRELL'’S WHICH HAS BEEN IN BOSTON FOR DECADES.

NIA: YEAH.

CRYSTAL: WHAT IS IT LIKE TAKING ON SOMETHING LIKE DARRELL'’S?

WHERE PEOPLE KNOW IT TO BE ONE THING, BUT YOU WANT TO MODERNIZE IT SO IT CONTINUES TO LIVE THROUGH GENERATIONS.

NIA: IT IS A DELICATE DANCE.

AND SO IT IS THE CROSSROADS OF MAKING SURE THAT LOYALISTS LIKE MY PARENTS WHO ARE IN THEIR 70'’S AND 80'’S, THAT THEY STILL REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS.

AND THEN ATTRACTING THE NEW GENERATION OF COLLEGE STUDENT THAT ARE MOVING IN THE AREA SO THEY CAN FIND OUT WHAT IS.

AND THEN BEING ABLE TO SAY, I THINK BOTH OF THESE WORLDS CAN LIVE IN THE SAME SPACE.

WHEN I SAY IT IS A DELICATE DANCE, IT DEFINITELY IS, BUT IT IS ONE I HAVE TREASURED.

IT IS ALSO ONE I FEEL COULD ONLY HAVE BEEN DONE BY A FEW PEOPLE WHO REALLY GET IT, WHO REALLY KEEP KEEPING -- YOU REALLY GET KEEPING A LEGACY AND MAKING SURE ALL THE PEOPLE INVOLVED STILL HAVE A BUY-IN POWER AND ARE INCLUDED IN THE FUTURE.

CRYSTAL: YOU WERE NAMED ONE OF THESE WOMEN WHO MEAN BUSINESS.

YOU DON'’T SEE A LOT OF US IN THE SEAPORT OPERATING REALLY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE IN THAT SPACE AT SORT OF THE TOP OF YOUR GAME?

NOT SORT OF THE TOP OF YOUR GAME.

AND KNOWING THAT IT TAKES A LOT TO GET AT WHERE YOU ARE.

NIA: I WOULD SAY I AM STILL ON THAT INCLINE AND I CAN APPRECIATE THE FACT I AM GOING IN THAT DIRECTION.

BUT WHAT IT MEANS TO ME IS THAT WOMEN LIKE MY GRANDMOTHER, WHO I WATCHED AND WHO I ADMIRE, WE'’RE NO LONGER RELEGATED TO BEING THE SECRETARY OR THE SUPPORT.

IT MEANS THAT WE CAN LEAD, AND WE ARE VALUED, AND OUR OPINION AS WELL AS OUR THOUGHTS AND CREATIVITY ARE MORE THAN THINGS THAT SHOULD JUST BE KEPT ON PAPER OR IN OUR HEAD.

IT IS ALSO ABOUT BEING FEARLESS.

AT LEAST FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, WE SECOND-GUESS OURSELVES, AND OFTENTIMES TIMES WE JUST HAVE TO DO.

GRACE BY NIA FOR SURE IS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS WHERE I SPENT TWO TO THREE YEARS SECOND-GUESSING MYSELF.

WE WORKED ON THIS PROJECT FOR OVER TWO YEARS, BUT WE WERE THINKING ABOUT IT BEFOREHAND.

I FINALLY WAS LIKE, IT IS JUST TIME TO DO IT.

SO IT FEELS GREAT TO JUST DO IT AND WALK IN THE SPACE AND BE A ROLE MODEL FOR SO MANY, FOR THE PEOPLE I ACTUALLY WORK WITH ON A DAILY BASIS, AND FOR PEOPLE WHO JUST SEE ME ON THE STREET AND SAY, I AM SO INSPIRED BY YOUR STORY.

A COUPLE YEARS AGO I WAS RECOGNIZED AS MAYBE ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN BOSTON.

AND THAT WAS GREAT, AN HONOR I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE NEVER THOUGHT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

BUT WHAT IT MEANT FOR ME EVEN MORE IS SOMEONE WILL LOOK AT ME AND REALIZE IT IS NOW POSSIBLE.

THAT IS WHAT THIS MEANS FOR ME, IT IS POSSIBLE.

CRYSTAL: WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN OPENING?

LIKE YOU SAID, WE ARE JUST COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC WHERE RESTAURANTS WERE NOT DOING AS WELL.

NIA: THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WAS THINKING THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS RIGHT.

WE HAD NO MARKET DATA THAT CAN SHOW US WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET OUT OF A THREE YEAR PANDEMIC, OR AT LEAST GET TO THE TAIL END OF A THREE YEAR PANDEMIC.

AND WONDER, IS IT A GOOD TIME TO START A NEW BUSINESS?

WE COULD SEE SOME PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO PIVOT DURING THAT TIME.

RESTAURANTS WERE HIT THE HARDEST .

WE CAN TALK ABOUT HOW IT IS THE HARDEST INDUSTRY TO EVEN SURVIVE THE FIRST 18 MONTHS, LET ALONE FIVE YEARS.

AND AGAIN, IS THIS THE RIGHT TIME TO DO IT?

WHEN COSTS ARE HIGHER.

HERE IN BOSTON WITH OUR LIQUOR LICENSE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND JUST THE COST OF THAT, THAT IS ANOTHER HURDLE.

IT IS LIKE, ALL THESE THINGS ARE STACKING UP.

IS THIS THE RIGHT TIME TO DO IT?

THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE FEARLESS AND ARE ABLE TO DO IT AND JUMPED OUT THERE AND SAY, LISTEN, I GUESS IF IT FAILS, THEN THAT IS WHAT IT DOES.

BUT THE HARDEST THING WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT I NO LONGER WAS A PERSON WHO WAS GOING TO BE FEARFUL OF TAKING A CHANCE.

CRYSTAL: I AM ALSO THOUGHTFUL OF, YOU WERE TRYING TO CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE YOU COULD GO AND IT FEELS LIKE A FAMILY-STYLE ATMOSPHERE.

I WAS AT AN EVENT AT DARRELL'’S ONE TIME, AND MY SON WAS ON THE DRUMS IN THERE.

AND I HAVE SO MANY GIRLFRIENDS THAT HAVE BEEN IN GRACE BY NIA AND HAVE BEEN LIKE, I FEEL LIKE I BELONG HERE, WHERE I MAY NOT FEEL LIKE I BELONG IN THAT SPACE IN OTHER PLACES IN THE SEAPORT.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE CREATED THAT ATMOSPHERE AND MAKE PEOPLE FEEL BELONGED?

NIA: FOR ME, I ALWAYS SAY IT STARTS AT THE TOP.

MY PARTNERS, ED AND RANDY WITH BIG NIGHT ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, WE GET IT, AND WE GET IT COLLECTIVELY.

AND SO, WHEN YOU GET AT THE TOP, IT STIRS TO TRICKLE DOWN.

FOR OUR HIRING PRACTICES, THE KIND OF PEOPLE WE ARE LOOKING FOR, THE FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO MAKE IT, THAT IS WHERE IT STARTS.

IT STARTS WITH THE PEOPLE.

IF WE COME IN WITH THE RIGHT INTENTION WHERE WE CAN SERVE YOU, ABSOLUTELY.

THAT MIGHT BE THE FEELING YOU GET WHERE THIS IS JUST AN EXCHANGE, A TRANSACTION.

WHAT WE SPECIALIZE IN IS HOSPITALITY AT ITS HIGHEST LEVEL.

EVERY TIME YOU WALK IN, IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME, WE KNOW FOR SURE THIS WILL NOT BE HER LAST TIME.

WE ALSO WANT YOU TO FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE, AND YOU GET THIS REALLY GREAT HUG WHEN YOU WALK IN.

A PART OF IT IN WHAT MAKES IT SO SUCCESSFUL AND SOMETHING THAT IS RECEIVED BY SO MANY PEOPLE IS BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO THINGS VERY COMMON ABOUT WHAT WE DO.

WE ARE PROVIDING A REALLY GOOD COMFORT MEAL.

WE ARE DOING THAT IN A WAY THAT IS PRESENTED WELL, IN A VERY NICE ENVIRONMENT BUT IT IS FAMILIAR.

EVEN IF THERE IS SOME INNOVATION TO IT.

AND THEN THERE IS MUSIC.

AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN I LOOK AROUND THAT ROOM AND I SEE A 21-YEAR-OLD AND A 75-YEAR-OLD POPPING THEIR HEAD TO THE EXACT SAME BEAT, THAT IS A UNIFIER.

AND SO I THINK WHEN YOU WALK IN, WE TOOK THE BASICS OF OUR BUSINESS AND MADE THOSE THE ELEMENTS WE KNEW COULD UNIFY PEOPLE AND WE WRAPPED IT UP WITH THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT HAPPEN EVERY DAY.

CRYSTAL: YOU CERTAINLY ARE MAKING IT HAPPEN.

I APPRECIATE YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

THAT IS IT FOR TONIGHT, BUT WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK HERE TOMORROW.

I AM CRYSTAL HAYNES.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

GOOD NIGHT.

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