COMING UP ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

>> TONIGHT I'M HUMBLED TO INTRODUCE ASSEMBLYMEMBER PAMELA HUNTER.

>> THERE IS DEFINITELY POCKETS OF THE CITY OF SYRACUSE THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT BEHIND.

I REPRESENT IN A VERY DIVERSE DISTRICT.

>> ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE IN THE STATE.

>> THAT WILL ALWAYS REMAIN THE SAME OF WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE HAVE THE LEFT BEST THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER.

>> WE SEE IN THE STATE ASSEMBLY THERE IS A GREAT AMOUNT OF WOMEN AND WOMEN OF COLOR BUT THERE COULD BE MORE.

♪ I GOT A GOOD, GOOD, GOOD FEELING ♪ ♪ YEAH I'M UP ON A CLOUD AIN'T COMING BACK DOWN ♪ ♪ I GOT A GOOD, GOOD, GOOD FEELING ♪ YEAH ♪ ♪ I'M UP ON A CLOUD, AIN'T COMING BACK DOWN ♪ >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

I'M YOUR HOST Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS.

WE ARE HERE TO RECOGNIZE AND GET TO KNOW THE DIVERSE WOMEN SHAPING OUR REGION.

TONIGHT I'M HUMBLED TO INTRODUCE ASSEMBLYMEMBER PAMELA HUNTER.

SHE IS A VETERAN, A HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE, AND A REPRESENTATIVE OF ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE DISTRICTS IN THE NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY.

GATHER YOUR FAMILY, SEND A TEXT TO YOUR DEAREST FRIENDS.

THEY WOULDN'T WANT TO MISS THIS EPISODE OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

HI ASSEMBLYMEMBER PAMELA HUNTER.

HOW ARE YOU?

>> I'M WONDERFUL.

HOW ARE YOU?

>> I AM FANTASTIC.

I AM HUMBLED AND HONORED TO HAVE YOU HERE AND TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH YOU IN FRONT OF OUR AUDIENCE ABOUT YOUR WORK, YOUR EXPERIENCES, AND WE ARE GOING TO JUMP RIGHT INTO IT.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO ASK, WHAT MADE YOU PURSUE OR CHOOSE TO SERVE AS PART OF THE MILITARY?

AS PART OF YOUR LIFE'S JOURNEY.

>> IT'S A LONG STORY BUT IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING.

SO WHEN I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL WHEN I WAS 17 AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT LIKE NOT CLOSE TO 18, 17 AND SIX MORE MONTHS UNTIL 18 YEARS OLD.

>> DID YOU START SCHOOL EARLY?

>> YEAH.

>> GOT IT.

>> AS A FOUR-YEAR-OLD.

SO I WAS ABLE TO GRADUATE AT 17 AND SO I HAD TO GET MY PARENTS PERMISSION TO JOIN THE MILITARY BECAUSE ITS WASN'T-- BECAUSE I WANTN'T OLD ENOUGH YET.

I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

I WANTED TO BE A CHEF.

IT WAS MY LIFE LONG MISSION TO BE A CHEF.

I WOULD GET BON APPETITE MAGAZINE SUBSCRIMTIONS FOR MY BIRTHDAY AND I HAD TAKEN TWO YEARS OF BOCES AND CULINARY TRADE, ALL SET READY TO GO AND I WAS ACCEPTED AT JOHNSON AND WALES AND WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND RIGHT AFTER HIGH SCHOOL.

SO THE NEXT THING WAS JOINING THE MILITARY.

SO I ACTUALLY WENT INTO THE MILITARY TO BE A COOK.

IT WAS AWESOME.

WENT INTO THE MILITARY TO BE A COOK AND YOU HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL.

THEY TRAIN YOU.

THE MILITARY TRAINS YOU TO BE WHATEVER YOUR JOB IS.

I DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT BECAUSE I HAD SPENT THE LAST TWO YEARS.

>> IN BOCES.

>> I DON'T THINK I WOULD EVER DO THAT AGAIN.

SO BEFORE MY 18th BIRTHDAY, I HAD GONE TO BASIC TRAINING AND WAS AT MY PERMANENT DUTY STATION BEFORE I WAS 18 YEARS OLD AND THAT WAS IN ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.

>> MY MOUTH IS HANGING OPEN BECAUSE I'M JUST LIKE A LITTLE KID WITH ALL THESE GROWN-UPS IN THIS.

DIDN'T GET THE CHANCE TO DO THE TRAINING AND THE WHOLE, I JUST JUMPED RIGHT IN.

THAT'S WHAT I DO.

YOU JUST JUMP, RIGHT?

PREPARE YOURSELF AND JUMP.

>> PREPARE YOURSELF AND JUMP.

>> A LITTLE KNOWN FACT, PEOPLE WOULD NOT EVER KNOW ABOUT ME IS THAT I WAS ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO SKIP THE EIGHTH GRADE BECAUSE I WAS THE HIGHEST ACADEMIC LEARNER AND MY PARENTS WOULD NOT LET ME DO IT BECAUSE I WOULD THEN BE EVEN YOUNGER GOING INTO HIGH SCHOOL.

AND SO THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

>> THE THICK THAT I FIND INTERESTING ABOUT THIS PART OF YOUR LIFE IS THAT I HAVE A SOB GETTING READY TO GO OFF TO COLLEGE AND I'M THINKING, OH MY GOODNESS.

IS HE READY, IS HE READY?

AND IT SEEMED LIKE FOR YOU, YOU WERE LIKE THESE ARE YOUR CHOICES, COLLEGE IS NOT GOING TO BE IT SO WHAT IS IT THAT I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT DOING AND HOW CAN I DO IT IN THIS OTHER WAY IN MILITARY SERVICE AS A BROWN FACED WOMAN.

>> IT WAS A LOT.

>> NOT EVEN 18.

>> IT'S A LOT.

YOU ARE MAKING A HUGE LIFE CHANGE COMMITMENT AT A VERY, VERY YOUNG AGE, ALBEIT IT WAS ONLY THREE YEARS BUT THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME.

I HAVE A 22-YEAR-OLD.

ASKING HIM TO DO SOMETHING FOR A WEEK, A DAY...

SO I'M SAYING YOU ARE GOING TO SIGN ON THE DOTED LINE FOR THREE YEARS IS A HUGE COMMITMENT.

INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH WHERE I GREW UP THERE WAS NO DIVERSITY AT ALL BUT BEING IN THE MILITARY MY BASIC TRAINING AT FORT DIX NEW JERSEY I THINK IT'S A PRISON NOW BUT IT WAS PRISON-LIKE WHEN I WAS THERE, TOO THERE WAS LOTSD OF DIVERSITIES, LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO LOOKED LIKE ME SO ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU GO FROM A VERY NON-DIVERSE LOCATION THROWN INTO THE MIDDLE OF DIVERSITY AND I JUST HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE KIND OF PERSON TO MAKE IT WORK.

YOU FIND A WAY, YOU MAKE IT WORK.

>> I WAS GETTING READY TO ASK YOU, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU LEARNED FROM WANTING TO BE A CHEF, TO BEING IN THE KITCHEN AT 17 YEARS OLD ON A MILITARY BASE AROUND ALL THIS DIVERSITY.

WHAT IS ONE OF THE MOST CRUCIAL LESSONS THAT YOU LEARNED IN THAT EXPERIENCE.

>> WELL, FIRST, THAT I WASN'T GOING TO BE A COOK FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

COOKING FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE MEAL.

THAT RIGHT THERE WAS NOT GOING TO DO THAT ANYMORE.

BUT THE DISCIPLINE THAT IT OFFERS YUCK PEOPLE WILL CARRY YOU THROUGH YOUR LIFE.

BEING ABLE TO KNOW THAT WITH HARD WORK AND DISCIPLINE AND PREPARING YOURSELF FOR WHAT IS GOING TO BE NEXT, LIKE NO OTHER.

YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET THAT IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WITHOUT LIFE'S LESSONS AND EXPERIENCES AND I CAR CARRY THAT WITH ME ALL OF THE TIME BECAUSE THE CHALLENGES ARE DIFFERENT BUT THE PHILOSOPHY IS THE SAME.

PREPARE YOURSELF, BE READY FOR OPPORTUNITY WHEN IT COMES.

BE ABOUT TAKING CARE OF YOUR BUSINESS WHEN ADVERSITY HAPPENS, REMEMBER YOU HAVE TO HAVE CONFIDENCE AND STRENGTH AND PREPARE YOURSELF WHEN THAT COMES, WHETHER YOUR DRILL SERGEANT YELLING AT YOU AT 5:00 IN THE MORNING ARE CONSTITUENT ISSUES OR TRYING TO RALLY FOR A CAUSE.

IT ALL REALLY IS THE SAME.

>> PREPARATION.

PREPARATION AND WHEN YOU MOVED ON FROM THERE, AND NOW YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR ROLE IN BEING A PERSON THAT HAS SERVED IN ONE CAPACITY AND NOW YOU ARE SERVING IN ANOTHER STILL WAS ALL OF YOUR IDENTITIES WRAPPED INTO THAT WHAT OTHER THINGS HAVE PREPARED YOU TO DO THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING.

>> SO MY FAMILY-- I GREW UP IN SERVICE.

MY FATHER WAS A MINISTER AND HE WORKED WITH THE ORIGINAL POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN AND WE ARE STILL TALKING ABOUT THAT TODAY BUT THE ORIGINAL POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN WORKED WITH REVEREND ABERNATHY SO YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT SO IT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT SERVICE.

MAYBE NOT PASTORAL SERVICE BUT DIFFERENT KINDS OF SERVICE.

IT WAS ALWAYS THAT OUR GOAL, MISSION AND THINGS THAT WE LEARNED WHERE YOU WERE KIND AND HELPED OTHERS AND SO THAT WAS THE FOUNDATION.

IT WAS DIFFERENT FOR ALL OF US BUT THAT'S HOW I GREW UP THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE HELPING OTHERS, THE PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T HELP THEMSELVES AND IT JUST MANIFESTS AND LOOKS DIFFERENT FOR DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY BUT THIS IS THE PATH I CHOSE.

>> IN THE SPIRIT OF SERVING-- BEFORE WE CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION HERE LET'S LOOK AT AN EXAMPLE OF ASSEMBLYMEMBER HUNTER'S EFFORTS TO CHANGE NEW YORK STATE FOR THE BETTER.

>> WE ARE RIGHT NOW IN THE 120th ASSEMBLYMEMBER DISTRICT OFFICE.

ON GENESEE STREET IN CITY OF SYRACUSE AND THIS IS WHERE ALL THE CONSTITUENT WORK HAPPENS, WHERE LEGISLATION GETS PASSED WHERE PEOPLE COME TO THE OFFICE TO HAVE MEETINGS.

THIS IS BASICALLY GROUND ZERO FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE FOR THE 120th ASSEMBLY DISTRICT.

SO I AM IN MY OFFICE HERE IN THE DISTRICT OFFICE IN SYRACUSE ABOUT HALF THE TIME OF THE YEAR.

OUR LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS JANUARY TO JUNE.

LEGISLATIVE SESSION HAPPENS IN ALBANY AND SO I SPEND A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FROM JANUARY TO JUNE IN ALBANY PROBABLY TWO TO THREE DAYS A WEEK I THINK MOST PEOPLE THINK I'M USUALLY IN ALBANY, BUT I ACTUALLY SPEND THREE QUARTERS OF THE YEAR HERE IN SYRACUSE.

EVERY SINGLE DAY IS DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY, WHAT IS HAPPENING LEGISLATIVELY AND REALLY IF THERE IS A CRISIS HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY AND REALLY WHAT THE COMMUNITY AND CONSTITUENTS ARE TALKING ABOUT SO I COULD BE HAVING A MEETING WITH A NOT-FOR-PROFIT TODAY.

HAVING A ZOOM MEETING WITH A FOR-PROFIT TODAY, OUT IN THE COMMUNITY FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES FUNCTIONS WITH THE CONSTITUENTS AND THEN IN HERE WRITING LEGISLATION AND WORKING ON HOW TO ALLOCATE RESOURCES, I.E.

MONEY AND OTHER THINGS BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.

SO REALLY EVERY SINGLE DAY IS ABSOLUTELY DIFFERENT, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A VERY BOOKED SCHEDULE, WE HAVE TO BE FLEXIBLE BECAUSE ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN WHERE WE NEED TO CHANGE COURSE IN THE MANNER OF A DAY.

THE 120th ASSEMBLY DISTRICT, I SAY-- AND IT'S AN ABSOLUTE REFLECTION OF THE DIVERSITY THAT IS IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

IT IS TRULY ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE DISTRICTS.

WE HAVE URBAN, THE URBAN CORE HERE IN THE CITY OF SYRACUSE.

BUT OTHER URBAN AREAS IN THEIR TOWN CENTERS, URBAN-SUBURBAN.

WE HAVE OUR SUBURBAN AREAS.

I REPRESENT THREE TOWNS.

RURAL.

I DO HAVE FARMS IN THE DISTRICT.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT YOU CAN REPRESENT INNER CITY AND ACTUAL FARMS, TOO.

AND ONONDAGA NATION AS WELL.

SO REALLY THE GEOGRAPHY ENCOMPASSES A LOT BUT THE DIVERSITY AND FAK RIB OF THE COMMUNITY-- FABRIC OF THE COMMUNITY THAT I'M ABLE TO REPRESENT IS REALLY DIVERSE.

THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT A GREAT ASSEMBLY DISTRICT TO REPRESENT AND CHALLENGING.

I WOULD LOVE FOR THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY FOR THE CITY OF SYRACUSE, ALL OF THE CITY TO BE THRIVING.

THAT THERE IS DEFINITELY POCKETS OF THE CITY OF SYRACUSE THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT BEHIND AND I FEAR THAT THE GAP GETS WIDER AND MORE PEOPLE WILL BE LEFT BEHIND.

THAT'S WHY I FOCUS A LOT OF TIMES ON RESOURCES AND LEGISLATION THAT WILL HELP THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THAT POOL, ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE.

BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS BEING LIFTED UP.

BUT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT QUALITY EDUCATION, QUALITY OF LIFE, MAKING SURE PEOPLE HAVE, YOU KNOW, GREAT JOBS A WAY FOR THEM TO CARE FOR THEIR FAMILIES.

THAT WILL ALWAYS BE SOMETHING THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I PRIDE MYSELF ON FOCUSING ON EVERY SINGLE DAY AS FAR AS PUSHING LEGISLATION FORWARD AND RESOURCES.

AND REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS IN A YEAR, FIVE, 10, THOSE THINGS WON'T CHANGE.

THAT WILL ALWAYS REMAIN THE SAME OF WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE HAVE THE BEST THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT SERVICE.

YOU TALK ABOUT MAKING THINGS BETTER.

NOW THAT YOU ARE ON THE COUCH WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE PROVING IN THE-- SERVING IN THE STATE ASSEMBLY IN THE MIDST OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.

HELPING TO BRING OPPORTUNITIES TO CENTRAL NEW YORK PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, YOU KNOW, WE MET NOT TOO FAR FROM HERE WHEN, LET'S SAY THINGS HIT THE FAN AND TALKING ABOUT POVERTY IN 2015-2016 WHEN WE FIRST CONNECTED.

AND THEN NOT EVEN WITH ANY FORTITUDE, NOBODY KNEW, FOUR YEARS LATER TO BE IN THE MIDST OF ONE OF THE MOST PROBABLY HISTORICAL EVENTS IN OUR LIFETIME.

TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT IT HAS BEEN LIKE TO BE THAT VOICE, TO BE THAT WOMAN ON THE FLOOR ADVOCATING FOR CENTRAL NEW YORK.

>> IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE I REPRESENT IN A VERY DIVERSE DISTRICT,.

>> ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE IN THE STATE.

>> VERY, VERY.

AND THE REASON IT'S SO DIVERSE IS BECAUSE I HAVE URBAN, SUBURBAN AND RURAL AND ONONDAGA NATION.

I HAVE DAIRY FARMS AND I HAVE URBAN AREAS WITH HIGH POVERTY, OFTEN PEOPLE OF COLOR, HIGH POVERTY FOR CHILDREN.

I HAVE WAGE GAPS THAT ARE ASTRONOMICAL.

AND THROUGH THAT YOU THROW IN A PANDEMIC.

AND IT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST STRESSFUL TIMES, I'M SURE, FOR EVERYONE.

AND YOU REALLY HAD TO DIG DEEP EVERY SINGLE DAY TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE GOING THROUGH IT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY IS GOING THROUGH IT AND YOUR STAFF'S FAMILY IS GOING THROUGH IT, EVERY SINGLE DAY WE HAD TO MAKE SURE WE WERE THERE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT I REPRESENT IN THE 120th ASSEMBLY DISTRICT AND PEOPLE WERE CALLING EVERY SINGLE DAY ABOUT UNEMPLOYMENT.

THERE WAS FOOD DISPARITY LIKE YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN I SPENT EVERY SINGLE FRIDAY FOR MONTHS DOWN ON THE SOUTH SIDE PASSING OUT SANITIZER, MASKS AND FOOD BASKETS AND JUST TO SEE PEOPLE YOU KNOW, PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW, PEOPLE IN MERCEDES.

PEOPLE WALKING UP.

THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT NEED AND THAT HASN'T CHANGED.

COVID ENDED BUT THAT HASN'T CHANGED.

IT LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

THE NEEDS STILL THERE.

THE POVERTY GAP HAS INCREASED AND YOU ARE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT WITHIN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS WITH COVID.

YOU TALK TO ANYBODY FROM FAIR HOUSING YOU TALK TO ANYBODY WHO HAS DONE CENSUS WORK.

THE GAP OVER 10 YEARS EVEN MORE SO... >> HAS BEEN EXACERBATED.

>> AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TACKLING.

WE WERE TACKLING THROUGH COVID, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TACKLING RIGHT NOW AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE OKAY.

AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE NOT OKAY.

>> WE ALL REMEMBER HAVING TO MAKE THAT PIVOT AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, IT WASN'T JUST YOU.

YOU HAD YOUR STAFF AND HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT SERVING WHAT WERE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS WHEN WE WERE AT HOME, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS IF YOU CAN SHARE WITH SOME OF YOUR STAFF MEMBERS ABOUT HOW TO SERVE IN THE MIDST?

>> ALL OF A SUDDEN EVERYTHING WAS CLOSED.

I REMEMBER SCRAMBLING IN THE OFFICE.

EVERYBODY GO HOME AND WHAT DO YOU NEED?

WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM THE OFFICE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE SEAMLESS.

AND SO WE HAD THIS SYSTEM DOWN WHERE WE ROTATED PEOPLE IN THE OFFICE.

ONE PERSON WOULD BE IN THE OFFICE SO PEOPLE WEREN'T TOGETHER.

ONE PERSON WOULD BE IN THE OFFICE AND WE DID DROPS.

PEOPLE WOULD DROP OFF AT EACH OTHER'S HOUSES.

PEOPLE WOULD DROP THINGS AT MY HOUSE THAT I NEEDED.

LEAVE IT AT MY DOORSTEP OR I WOULD LEAVE IT AT SOMEBODY ELSE'S DOORSTEP.

THE CHAIN KEPT GOING AND GOING.

THEN WE WERE ABLE TO BE IN THE OFFICE.

BUT EVERYBODY HAD THEIR OWN SEPARATE SPACE.

NOBODY WAS, YOU KNOW, MINGLING BUT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.

WE NEVER STOPPED WORKING.

AND IT WAS ONLY PROBABLY TWO MONTHS THAT WE WERE OUT OF THE OFFICE.

AFTER NAT, WE WERE ALL BACK IN THE OFFICE.

SO WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE WAS OUT, WE WERE IN THE OFFICE BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE CALLING EVERY SINGLE DAY.

>> WITH NEEDS.

>> I HAVEN'T GOT PAID FOR A WEEK.

A MONTH, TWO MONTHS, THREE MONTHS.

CRYING LIKE REALLY, REALLY NEEDING AND SO BEING ABLE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE HERE FOR YOU.

I KNOW THAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH A REALLY, REALLY TOUGH TIME IN YOUR LIFE BUT WE ARE HERE FOR YOU AND WE ARE GOING TO WORK IT THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE TAKEN CARE OF THAT YOU GET THE BENEFITS YOU NEED, WHATEVER SERVICES YOU NEED AND YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT NOW, MORE MENTAL HEALTH MORE SUBSTANCE ABUSE.

THERE IS A LOT OF CALLING DIFFERENT AGENCIES TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE WERE CONNECTED WITH THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEEDED.

>> WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, RIGHT, THAT THE ABILITY TO PLAN AND THIS WAS A MOMENT WHERE PEOPLE SOME PEOPLE COULD AFFORD TO HAVE A PLAN OR YOU COULDN'T.

AND SO WE HAVEN'T SEEN EACH OTHER AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN I KNEW YOU WOULD BE HERE, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WITH ONE OF OUR YOU KNOW, LEADERS IN CIVIC AND GOVERNMENT SPACES, WHAT WAS THAT LIKE SO THANK YOU FOR SHARING.

I THINK I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO SOMETHING THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IS WHEN YOU NEED TO DIG DEEP, WHEN YOU MAYBE IN THE MIDST OF COVID ARE DEALING WITH SOME TYPE OF ADVERSITY, WHO ARE SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT YOU LOOK TO WHEN PAMELA HUNTER DOESN'T HAVE THE ANSWER?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE WITH MY COLLEAGUES YOU ARE IMMERSED IN THIS.

YOU ARE AWAY FROM HOME.

YOU ARE AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILY AND YEAH, YOU DO IT ON YOUR OWN, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO DO THIS.

WE WANT TO RUN.

WE WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS.

BUT IT IS A LOT.

OBVIOUSLY YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME AWAY FROM HOME AND EVEN WHEN YOU ARE IN TOWN, YOU ARE AWAY FROM HOME.

THERE ARE MEETINGS THAT HAPPEN AT NIGHT BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO SEE YOU.

SO I ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE SEE ME.

IT IS A GREAT PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS AND IT'S A HUGE SACRIFICE IN SOME WAYS, TOO.

AND SO BEING ABLE TO HAVE PEOPLE AROUND YOU, TO LIKE LIFT YOU UP AND GIVE YOU SUPPORT AND, YOU KNOW, MY HUSBAND WAS PHENOMENAL DURING COVID TALKING ABOUT LIKE NON-STOP HOURS UPON HOURS OF ZOOM HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, ON MY BACK PORCH AND WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT WORK AND SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PARTNER WHO REALLY UNDERSTANDS THAT KIND OF PUSH AND PULL THAT IT TAKES TO GET THROUGH YOU KNOW, THIS TYPE OF SITUATION.

AND MY HUSBAND HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL.

I DON'T HAVE A LARGE CIRCLE.

BUT THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN MY CIRCLE ARE LIKE A GREAT SUPPORT TO ME.

AND THEY'RE NOT LIKE, YEAH, YOU'RE GREAT.

EVERYTHING IS ALWAYS WONDERFUL.

THEY'RE LIKE HEY, CUT IT OUT.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE PEOPLE AROUND YOU WHO ARE NOT ALWAYS UP, UP, UP, UPLIFTING.

YES, WE NEED THAT BUT WE NEED PEOPLE AROUND US, TOO, LIKE HEY, MAYBE THINK ABOUT IT THIS WAY OR HEY, MAYBE TAKE A STEP BACK AND LOOK AT SOMETHING FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.

>> RIGHT.

THE FACT THAT YOU ARE LEADING AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HISTORY THAT HAS BEEN MADE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, DISCUSSIONS ON RACE AND HAVING BEEN CENTERED IN A LOST WORK AND THE WAYS IT'S PUSHING FOLKS TO THINK ABOUT THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.

BUT ALSO BEING A REPRESENTATIVE AT A TIME WHERE THERE ARE PROBABLY MORE WOMEN, DIVERSE WOMEN RUNNING FOR OFFICE, SERVING IN ELECTED CAPACITIES.

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS CHANGING?

IS SOMETHING CHANGING FOR YOU?

DO YOU FEEL THE ENERGY.

>> SHOULD ACCOUNT ALWAYS JUST BE IN THE MOVIES.

IT SHOULD BE REAL LIFE.

AND I DO SEE A SHIFT AND THEN SOMETIMES I SEE IT STALLING AND THEN IT PICKS UP AND THERN IT STALLS: IT'S INTERESTING OF ALL OF THE STATEWIDE REPRESENTATIVES IN CENTRAL NEW YORK AND JUST LOOKING AT IT ACROSS OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK CITY, THE PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT WHO ARE WOMEN, WHO ARE MINORITIES, OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK CITY MIND YOU, AND WE WANT TO INCLUDE LONG ISLAND BECAUSE THERE ARE A COUPLE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR MARKET LEADER CRYSTAL PEOPLES-STOKES IN BUFFALO, ONE PERSON.

WE HAVE ANOTHER MEMBER, A GENTLEMAN MEMBER SOME BUFFALO SO THAT'S TWO: WE HAVE ONE BLACK GENTLEMAN IN ROCHESTER.

THAT'S THREE.

WE HAVE ME HERE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK SO THAT'S FOUR.

: THERE IS NOBODY IN ALBANY AND THEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT FOLKS DOWN IN THE HUDSON VALLEY GOING DOWN INTO WESTCHESTER, THE CITY, NO SO REALLY OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK CITY, THE PEOPLE REPRESENTING YOU OF COLOR, THAT'S IT.

FOUR.

SO OUR NETWORK IS STRONG.

YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT 150 ASSEMBLYMEMBERS IN THE SENATE.

THERE ARE A COUPLE MORE, OBVIOUSLY IN ROCHESTER THEY DO HAVE A COUPLE OF FOLKS IN THE SENATE.

BUT JUST THINKING ABOUT IT.

THERE ARE 20 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, HOW COULD THIS BE.

IF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT BEING A FEMALE AND A VETERAN IN THE WHOLE STATE LEGISLATURE EVEN IN THE ASSEMBLY AND THE SENATE, I'M STILL THE ONLY ONE.

EVEN THOUGH YOU SEE ALL OF THESE PEEP AND THEY'RE ALL DOING GREAT, WONDERFUL THINGS THERE IS OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE EVEN AT THE HISTORIC LEVEL WE SEE IN THE STATE ASSEMBLY WHERE THERE IS A GREAT AMOUNT OF WOMEN AND WOMEN OF COLOR, BUT THERE COULD BE MORE AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE SUPPORTING AND UPLIFTING SO THIS THE THERE CAN BE MORE.

>> THERE NEED TO BE MORE.

THERE CAN BE MORE.

THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE.

THERE CAN BE MORE.

THANK YOU ASSEMBLYMEMBER HUNT ERR FOR JOINING ME THIS EVENING ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

IT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE TO GET TO KNOW YOU AND THE WORK YOU DO FOR THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW THIS SHOW AGAIN OR SHARE IT WITH A FRIEND, VISIT US ONLINE AT WCNY.ORG/"BEHIND THE WOMAN."

MY NAME IS Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS.

AND ON BEHALF OF THE "BEHIND THE WOMAN" TEAM, THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

>> STUDIES THAT WOULD TEST THE INTEGRATION OF PREVENTION LEARN MORE ABOUT MONIKA AND THE VITAL WORK SHE IS DOING TO REDUCE THE STIGMA AROUND SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND REMOVE BARRIERS TO TREATMENT AND PREVENTION.