>> Ted: NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, DEMOCRATS CLAIM VICTORY OB HOW TO EXPLAIN DONALD TRUMP LEADING PRESIDENT BIDEN IN THE POLLS.

>>> CONCERN OVER HOW PARENTS ARE SPENDING THEIR EDUCATION VOUCHERS AND A LOOK AT THE VISIT WITH LOCAL AUTHOR OF A NEW MEMOIR ABOUT GROWING UP IN A STRICT RAS RASTAFARI FAMILY IN JAMAICA.

>> THIS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM PBS, MEMBERS OF YOUR PBS STATION.

THANK YOU.

>> Ted: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA IS CONSIDERING CUTS TO ITS ATHLETIC'S PROGRAM DUE TO CASHFLOW PROBLEM DUE TO A FINANCIAL CRISIS.

ARIZONA REPUBLIC SAYING UNIVERSITY LEADERS HAVE FEWER DAYS OF CASH ON HAND AND THAT WHILE THE U OF A HAS INVESTED IN RESEARCH, THE UNIVERSITY DID NOT FOCUS ON GENERATING REVENUE.

NO WORD ON WHAT THE U OF A COULD BE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK.

THOUGH FOOTBALL IS CONSIDERED MORE TO BE SAFE.

>>> MORTGAGE RATES DROPPED THIS WEEK AND IT WAS THE BIGGEST ONE-WEEK DROP SINCE NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR.

THE AVERAGE FOR A 30-YEAR FIX IS 7.5% DOWN FROM 7.6% THE WEEK BEFORE AND ANALYSTS SAY THE RATES NEED TO FURTHER DECLINE TO GET THE HOUSING MARKET UP TO SPEED NOTICING THAT DESPITE THIS WEEK'S DROPS IN RATING, THEY'RE HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR.

>>> INITIAL JOBLESS CLAIMS ARE HOLDING STEADY ACCORDING TO THE U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT WHICH REPORTED TODAY THAT THE PAST TWO WEEKS SHOW THE SAME NUMBER FOR FIRST-TIME CLAIMS.

DIFFERENT STORY FOR CONTINUING CLAIMS WHICH ARE FILED BY THOSE WHO RECEIVED UNEMPLOYMENT FOR A WEEK AND THOSE NUMBERS ARE UP.

IT'S THE EIGHTH STRAIGHT WEEK OF INCREASES.

THOSE CLAIMS ARE ALSO AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS SINCE APRIL.

>>> WORLD NEWS ISRAEL ANNOUNCED IT WAS INSTITUTING REGULAR DAILY FOUR-HOUR PAUSES IN THE ATTACK ON GAZA TO ALLOW CIVILIANS TO FREE FROM NORTHERN GAZA TO THE SOUTH.

THEY EXPLAIN WHAT ISRAEL HAS BEEN DOING AND IT'S A RESULT OF PRESSURE BY THE U.S. TO ALLOW PALESTINIANS TO ESCAPE FIGHTING AND FACILITATE THE RELEASE OF 200 HOSTAGES HELD BY HAMAS.

THEY HOPE THE PAUSES WILL, QUOTE, CONTINUE FOR AS LONG AS THEY ARE NEEDED.

>>> A RECENTLY RELEASED "NEW YORK TIMES" COLLEGE POLL SHOWS DONALD TRUMP LEADING PRESIDENT BIDEN IN FIVE OF SETTLE BACKGROUND STATES INCLUDING ARIZONA.

THE POLL SHOWS THAT TRUMP'S LEAD DISAPPEARS IF HE WINDS UP CHARGED WITH A CRIME.

CHUCK, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS?

I MEAN THIS GUY HAS COURT CASES COMING UP AND HE IS STILL AHEAD OF THE PRESIDENT.

>> FIRST THING TO POINT OUT ON ANY POLL, IT'S A SNAPSHOT IN TIME.

IT'S A YEAR OUT FROM THE CYCLE AND SO, LET'S LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY.

SO IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE COUNTRY SUPER ENTHUSED THAT JOE BIDEN IS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT?

YOU HAVE AN AGE PROBLEM.

I THINK THAT'S COMMON SENSE AND AS YOU MENTIONED IN THE YOU RUN-YEAR, HOUSING AND FOOD PROBLEMS AND HOUSING PRICES UP AND FUEL PRICES ARE UP.

PEOPLE WANT TO SEE SOMETHING IN THE ECONOMY AND YOU HAVE THE STRIKE GOING ON.

YOU HAVE UKRAINE, THE WAR IN ISRAEL AND YOU HAVE THIS MASSIVE CONFLICT.

THERE'S A LOT OF TROUBLE RIGHT NOW.

AND IF YOU'RE THE LEADER A PARTY AND YOU'RE THE GUY, NOBODY IS HAPPY.

[ Laughter ] >> NOBODY IS HAPPY WITH THE OUTCOME.

I THINK HISS HIS NUMBERS ARE DEPRESSED BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THAT CHOICE.

I DON'T LIKE THAT CHOICE.

BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU GET TRUMP AND TRUMP NEVER GOT ABOVE 50% IN ANY OF THE POLLS AND I'VE NEVER SEEN HIM GET ABOVE 50%.

AS WELL, IF HE'S CONVICTED, WHICH I THINK MOST PEOPLE BELIEVE HE WILL, THAT WILL FURTHER DETERIORATE HIS POSITION.

>> Ted: AS FAR AS A BIDEN-TRUMP MATCHUP AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS CONVINCED THAT WILL BE A MATCHUP, IS IT WHAT BIDEN IS DOING WRONG OR TRUMP IS DOING RIGHT OR IN THE NETHER REGION.

>> I THINK IT'S RATED DOWN ON BIDEN AND THE HOPE THAT SOMEBODY ELSE WILL RUN, THAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO SAY, I WANT TO VOTE FOR BIDEN BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T ENTHUSED ABOUT THAT.

BUT THE LIKELIHOOD, LESS THAN A YEAR FROM NOW, NEXT SEPTEMBER, THAT'S A CLEAR CHOICE.

THAT WILL BE THE CHOICE.

I THINK THAT WILL BE THE CHOICE AND PEOPLE WILL BE CONFRONTED WITH THAT REALITY RATHER THAN BE THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE AND I THINK THAT SHAPES AN ELECTORAL CYCLE.

>> Ted: THIS SHOWS BLACK AND HISPANIC VOTERS MOVING AWAY FROM BIDEN.

WHY?

>> I MEAN, HE'S GOT A PROBLEM ON IMMIGRATION.

THERE'S NO PROBLEM ON THAT.

IT'S THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE IN OUR POLLS HERE IN ARIZONA THAT WE DO.

PEOPLE CITE RELATION NUMBER ONE AND REPUBLICANNED AND REPUBLICANS AND A BUNCH THE DEMOCRATS.

IT'S A BROKEN IMMIGRATION SYSTEM AND MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF FRUSTRATION.

IF THEY CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT, MAYBE THAT WILL HELP HIM AND THAT'S A PART OF THIS DISCUSSION OF THE CURRENT BUDGET RESOLUTION PROCESS THAT'S GOING ON BACK THERE.

>> Ted: BLACK AND HISPANIC VOTERS, ARE THEY LEAVING THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OR ARE THEY LEAVING JOE BIDEN?

>> I THINK THERE'S STRESS THERE WITH THE PARTY.

I THINK THERE REALLY IS.

EACH PARTY HAS ENORMOUS CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW.

THE PARTY AS WE'VE SEEN, EVEN IN THE RECENT DAYS ON THIS PALESTINIAN-ISRAELI THING, THERE'S ELEMENTS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY THAT ARE PRO-PALESTINE WHICH AREN'T POPULARLY SUPPORTED AROUND THE COUNTRY AND YOU TEND TO GET A REACTION FROM PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY.

THERE'S A LOT OF IDENTITY POLITICS STILL INVOLVED WITH THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY THAT IS A TURNOFF TO A LOT OF BLUE COLLAR VOTERS THAT HAVE BLACK TRADITIONAL VOTERS TURNED OFF BY THAT, AS WELL.

>> Ted: LET'S TALK ABOUT TUESDAY'S RESULTS, THE OHIO VOTE ON ABORTION, RUMBLINGS IN ARIZONA?

>> YEAH, THE REPUBLICANS CAUGHT THE CAR.

[ Laughter ] >> AND NOW THEY'RE DEALING WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO THEY DO?

AND SO NOW THEY'RE RETREATING TO THIS 15-WEEK BAN ISSUE WHICH NOBODY REALLY LIKES BECAUSE YOU HAVE VERY PRO-LIFE PARTS OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY THAT AREN'T GOING ALONG WITH THAT AND THE MORE LIBERAL PARTS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND A LOT OF THE ELECTORATE THAT SAYS, HEY, MAN, THEY TOOK THAT AWAY FROM US AND PUT IT IN THE CONSTITUTION IN OUR STATES AND LET'S SECURE THAT RIGHT.

SO IT'S A DEAD-END PLACE FOR REPUBLICANS TO BE.

THAT ISSUE WILL LIKELY BE ON THE BALLOT OUT HERE IN ARIZONA.

THAT'S GOING TO BE A TURNOUT MECHANISM FOR DEMOCRATIC VOTERS, BACK TO THAT TURNOUT ISSUE.

SO IT'S A NO-WIN ISSUE FOR REPUBLICANS.

>> Ted: WE STILL HAVE THE COURT CASE AND THE HEARING STARTS NEXT MONTH.

>> IF YOU'RE A PART OF THE REPRODUCTION RIGHT'S ISSUE, ARE YOU CHEERING FOR THE BAN?

BECAUSE IF THAT HAPPENS, GAME OVER AND I THINK THE COURT KNOWS THAT.

>> Ted: THE VIRGINIA STATE LEGISLATURE, THEY TURNED BLUE AND IN KENTUCKY, A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR WHO WINS REELECTION.

ARE THOSE SMOKE SIGNALS, AS WELL?

>> I THINK SO.

WE ALL CAN FEEL IT.

WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CURRENT SPEAKER AND HIS SOLUTION TO THE IMPASSE WE HAVE IS TO CUT THE IRS BUDGET TO FUND AID TO ISRAEL.

THAT'S NOT AN ANSWER.

EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT'S NOT AN ANSWER.

THEY'RE NOT DEALING WITH REALITY.

WE'VE GOTTEN THROUGH THIS GIANT STRUGGLE WITH THE NEW SPEAKER AND WHO THEY REPRESENT.

YOU HAVE SIX REPUBLICANS PAIRED WITH ALL OF THE DEMOCRATS TO THROW THAT SPEAKER OUT.

BUT THEY'RE NOT RINOS.

BUT IT'S JUST A TOPSY TURVY POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT.

>> Ted: LAST QUESTION AND BACK TO THE ORIGINAL IDEA, COATTAILS, TRUMP, BIDEN, WHO HAS THEM AND WHO DOESN'T SO MUCH?

>> I THINK TRUMP HAS A CEILING HE CAN'T GET THROUGH AS I'VE SAID EARLIER.

I'VE NEVER SEEN TRUMP AT 16 GET ABOVE OR A MAGA CANDIDATE IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA GET ABOVE 50%.

THAT'S A PROBLEM.

I WOULD THINK IT'S MAYBE NOT A COATTAIL AND THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM WITH THE BIDEN CANDIDACY, IF THE ELECTORATE IS NOT ENTHUSED ABOUT THAT.

I'VE ALWAYS SAID DONALD TRUMP IS THE BIGGEST DEMOCRATIC TURNOUT MA SHOULDN'T ANDMACHINE AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WILL HAPPEN AND I EXPECT THAT WILL MAKE UP FOR THAT IF BIDEN IS THE NOMINEE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, NOT A LOT OF COATTAILS AND A LOT OF ROOM IN CHEESINGCHOOSING OF WHAT OUTFITS TO PUT ON.

>> Ted: WOULD YOU BE SHOCKED IF JOE BIDEN WERE NOT THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE NEXT YEAR?

>> I'VE PRIVATELY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.

I DON'T THINK IT'S A REALITY.

I DID SEE DAVID AXELROD JUMP ON THAT AND THAT SURPRISED ME, THAT A GUY THAT CLOSE TO OBAMA WOULD SAY CRITICAL THINGS OF THE PRESIDENT.

SO IT GOT ME THINKING, IS THERE A CONVENTION SURPRISE HERE?

>> Ted: YES, YES.

>> WHERE YOU COULD SEE MAYBE THE PRESIDENT ACKNOWLEDGING AT THE CONVENTION THAT HE'S NOT READY TO DO THIS AND ASKING MICHELLE OBAMA AND LLOYD AUSTIN TO BE THE TICKET OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

[ Laughter ] >> THAT WOULD BE CRAZY, RIGHT?

WHEN I SAY THAT, AS I VETERAN POLITICAL PERSON, I KNOW THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA, RIGHT?

>> Ted: BUT A CONVENTION SURPRISE WOULD BE -- WE HAVEN'T HAD A CONVENTION SURPRISE IN A LONG TIME.

JEFF, ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE YOU.

>> THANKS, TED.

>> Ted: UP NEXT, HOW ARIZONA TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING FOR DOG TRAINING, SNOWBOARDS AND MORE.

♪♪ >> Ted: QUESTIONS CONTINUE REGARDING ARIZONA'S EIGHT TO EXPAND THE SCHOOL VOUCHER PROGRAM AND QUESTIONS AS TO HOW QUESTIONS AS TO HOW PARENTS USING THOSE FUNDS.

JOINING US IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE ARIZONA SOCIALS.

GOODASSOCIATION.FOR THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH ESA VOUCHERS, WHAT ARE THEY?

>> SO THEY'RE A DIRECT FUNDING TO PARENTS THAT TAKE THEIR STUDENTS OUT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS 11 AND ENROLL THEM IN EITHER PRIVATE SCHOOLS OR ALLOW THEM TO USE IT FOR PRODUCTS OR SERVICES TO HELP THEIR STUDENTS AT HOME.

>> Ted: HOW MANY ARIZONA STUDENTS ARE ENROLLED?

>> I THINK 76,000 OR 46,000.

I A LOT OF KIDS.

>> Ted: THE NUMBER KEEPS GETTING HIGHER AND TAXPAYER FUNDS FOR EACH STUDENT, 7,000?

>> THE VERY BOTTOM IS $6,000 FOR KINDERGARTENERS AND CAN GO UP TO $100,000.

>> Ted: A TOTAL OUT OF THE BUDGET, HOW MUCH LAST YEAR OR THIS BUDGET AND HOW MUCH IS EXPECTED?

>> EVERYONE'S ESTIMATES ARE WRONG AND AT THIS POINT, IT LOOKS LIKE WE WILL BE $400 MILLION FROM THIS BUDGET ALREADY IN THE RED.

>> THERE >> Ted: TWO-THIRDS OF THE FUNDING IS PRIVATE AND PEROQUIAL AS FAR AS LAW.

>> QUESTION.

>> Ted: WE'RE GETTING REPORTS, GOLF, NINJA LESSONS ARE ALL USED BY THIS MONEY AND IS THAT RIGHT?

>> I THINK THE REASON THEY CALL IT SAVINGS ACCOUNTS OR SCHOLARSHIPS IS THAT IT TAKES ACOR CREATES A SYSTEM FOR A VERY SMALL GROUP OF KIDS TO HAVE A VERY SPECIALIZED EDUCATION SYSTEM.

AND WE ALL KNOW THAT OUR COUNTRY WAS BUILT ON AN EDUCATED POPULOUS AND ALL THAT MONEY GOING FOR THESE STUDENTS IS BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

WHAT A PARENT CAN DO IS CLUES TO CHOOSE TO TAKE THAT MONEY AND OFFSET AND A LOT ARE CLOSE TO $15,000 OR THEY CAN HOME SCHOOL THEIR CHILDREN AND USE THEM FOR THINGS LIKE LEARNING TO SKI LIKE A PE CLASS.

>> Ted: TRAMPLE POETRAMPOLINE LESSONS AND WHAT'S THE OVERSIGHT?

>> PARENTS ARE GIVEN A DEBIT CARD AND THEY CAN USE IT WHEN THEY GO SKIING AND UPLOAD A RECEIPT AND TAG IT AS A PART OF A PE LESSON AND THEY HAVE A CURRICULUM THAT SAYS THAT SKIING IS PE.

>> Ted: BUT REALLY, HOW MUCH MONITORING IS GOING ON HERE?

>> WE HAVE BEEN 1 18 PEOPLE THAT ARE PAID TO OVERSEE THIS BUT THAT'S NOT NEARLY ENOUGH AND THE TRANSPARENCY IS EXTREMELY LIMITED.

THIS MONEY COMES FROM OUR TAXPAYER MONEY, DIRECTLY FROM THE GENERAL FUND.

>> Ted: SO FOR THOSE WHO SAY, YES, THAT'S WHERE IT'S COMING FROM AND THAT'S WHERE IT'S GOING BUT BETTER IT GOES THERE AS OPPOSED TO ADMINISTRATORS, PUBLIC SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION AND THESE THINGS BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO TEACHERS AND NOT SCHOOLS BUT THE WRONG PLACES OTHERWISE.

HOW DO YOU RESPOND?

>> THAT'S COMPLETELY INCORRECT.

THAT WOULD GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT SERVE EVERY STUDENT, GO TO A GRADE SCHOOL.

SO THERE IS NO REALITY THAT IT'S JUST GOING TO ADMINISTRATORS.

THESE ARE GOING INTO EDUCATOR'S POCKETS AND GOING SPOT INTO THE RESOURCES WE NEED.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT SNOWBOWL, I THINK ABOUT TEACHING WHERE 40 GIRLS SHOWED UP AND ONLY 17 JERSEYS.

I HAD TO CUT EVERYONE ELSE BECAUSE I ONLY HAD 17 JERSEYS.

I WOULD TAKE THEM HOME, WASH THEM AND BRING THEM BACK.

TO IMAGINE THAT MY STUDENTS WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO GET ON A BUS TO GO NO SNOWBOWL, YOU'RE SEEING THE CRITICS OF THE SYSTEM.

>> Ted: AS FAR AS LOW AND MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES, THAT IT DOES HELP THOSE FAMILIES, AS WELL.

>> NO DATA TO SUPPORT THAT.

IN FACT, TODAY CHICAGO ENDED THEIR PROGRAM BECAUSE THERE'S NO DATA TO SUPPORT THIS IS HELPING STUDENTS WITH THEIR OPPORTUNITIES.

>> Ted: I'M TRYING TO GET THE OTHER SIDE AND TRYING TO GET YOUR RESPONSE, BUT IT'S THE PARENT'S MONEY, IF THEY THINK THE TRAMPOLINE LESSONS AND GROOMING A DOG, THAT THESE AN EDUCATION THEY WANT KIDS TO HAVE, THEY HAVE THE MONEY AND USE IT.

AGAIN, DO THEY HAVE A POINT THERE IN THAT THIS IS THE PARENT'S AND FAMILY'S CHOICE?

>> I THINK THOSE PARENTS SHOULD HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES BUT THEY SHOULD PAY FOR THEM.

IF WE START PIECING OUT SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE, WHEN WILL THIS END?

PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD.

MORE IMPORTANT, ALL OF THE OUR TAXPAYERS GO TO FIRE DEPARTMENTS, ROADS, DO CERTAIN PEOPLE GET SPECIAL ROADS AND WE OFFSET THAT.

THIS IS PART OF LIVING IN A COMMUNITY AND A STATE.

>> Ted: WHAT'S NEXT?

>> WE'RE HOPING WE ROLL IT BACK AND CUT IT AND OUR UNION HAS ALWAYS BEEN AGAINST IT AND WE FUND GREAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

>> Ted: MARISOL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> I AM MONIQUE MARTINEZ IN THE NATIONAL ARMY GUARD.

WE HAVE A STATE MISSION TAKING CARE OF THE STATE FORM AND MORE SO, HUMANITARIAN TYPE MISSIONS.

OUR SECOND MISSION IS FEDERAL.

I GREW UP IN IN ARIZONA AND GROWING UP, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE?

I ALWAYS WANTED TO HELP PEOPLE AND I'M DIRECTLY HELPING PEOPLE THAT I KNOW.

FOR INSTANCE WHEN COVID HAPPEN AND FOOD WAS SCARCE AND OUR UNITS WERE ACTIVATED AND YOU COULD TALK TO ANY NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIER AND 100% TELL YOU, BEING ABLE TO BE A PART OF THE FIX AND THE SOLUTION, SO, THAT IS THE MOST REWARDING THING.

>> Ted: A NEW MEMOIR BY AN ASU ASSOCIATE ENGLISH PROFESSOR RECOUNTS EXPERIENCES GROWING UP AND BREAKING FREE FROM A STRICT RASTAFARI FAMILY.

WE SPOKE TO THE BOOK'S AUTHOR, SOPHIA SINCLAIR.

WAS THIS BOOK BREWING FOR AWHILE OR WAS THERE A SPARK?

>> IT WAS BREWING FOR AWHILE.

I ALWAYS SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A MEMOIR AND LIKE A LIFETIME IN THE MAKING.

BUT I FIRST STARTED THINKING ABOUT IT LIKE TEN YEARS AGO, A DECADE AGO AFTER I LEFT JAMAICA AND CAME TO CHARLOTTESVILLE TO DO MY MASTERS IN VIRGINIA.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME WHERE I FELT MY LEAVING OF HOME, THERE WAS A FINALITY OR A SHIFT IN MY LEAVING AND I BEGAN TO THINK ABOUT WRITING THIS STORY.

>> Ted: RASTAFARI, WHAT IS THAT?

WE KNOW ABOUT THE MUSIC AND THE VISUALS AND SURFACE STUFF.

WHAT IS IT?

>> YOU KNOW, A LOT OF RASTAFARI, THEY DON'T SAY IT'S A RELIGION BUT A WAY OF LIFE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE RASTAFARI FAITH IS BASED IN -- IT'S BORN OUT OF ANTICOLONIAL THEORY AND IT WAS BORN IN JAMAICA AND OUT OF BRITISH COLONIAL RULE AND BLACK JAMAICANS YEARNING FOR THEIR INDEPENDENCE.

AND THEY FOUND THAT INSPIRATION FOR THAT BLACK FREEDOM IN THE EMPORER AND THE ETHIOPIAN EMPORER, AND THE ONLY BLAKE NATIONBLACKNATION TO NEVER BE COLONIZED.

HE BECAME AN ASPIRATIONAL FIGURE AND A MOVEMENT.

IT WAS AROUND THAT IDEA OF BLACK LIBERATION TO AFRICA.

>> Ted: YOUR BOOK STARTS WITH A VISIT, WHICH IS BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND YOU FORGET HE WAS LIKE A DEITY FOR GOODNESS SAKES.

>> HE ARRIVED IN JAMAICA AND THIS WAS 30 YEARS AFTER THE MOVEMENT HAD BEGUN AND SO, THIS WAS HIS FIRST TIME LANDING IN JAMAICA AND THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF RASTAFARI WHO BLOCKED THEFLOCKED THE AIRPORT.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU SEE THEM MEET FACE TO FACE.

BUT WHEN WE ARRIVED, THEY SWUNG THE PLANE SO FERVENTLY, HE WAS SCARED TO LEAVE.

BUT WHEN HE DID, THE PRIME MINISTER IN JAMAICA LAID OUT THIS PRIM AND PROPER WELCOME PARTY AND A RED CARPET ROLLED OUT FOR HIM.

INSTEAD OF STEPPING ON THE RED CARPET, HE STEPPED ONTO THE MUDDY GROUND OF THE TARMAC AND TO THEM, IT MEANT EVERYTHING.

>> Ted: IT WAS A HUMBLE THING TO DO.

>> YES, THAT WAS HE WORKING ON THE SAME GROUND AS THEM.

>> Ted: YOUR FAR WAS A RASTAFARI WITH A CAPITAL "R." TALK TO HIM ABOUT HIM, YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.

THIS WAS QUITE A GUY AND YOU WERE RAISED UNDER QUITE A SITUATION.

>> I MEAN, YES, HE IS A VERY LEGEND AND BELIEVED DEEPLY IN THE DEEPER SECTORS OF RASTAFARI AND THIS GOVERNS THE WAY WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DRESS AND THE THINGS WE COULD EAT, WHETHER WE COULD HAVE FRIENDS OR NOT, YOU KNOW.

AND SO THE RULES WERE STRICTER ON ME AND MY SISTERS AND MOTHER THAN MY BROTHER.

WE HAD TO COVER OUR ARMS AND KNEES AND COULDN'T WEAR JEWELRY AND MAKE-UP.

THAT WAS THE CHOPPINGS OF BABYLON.

>> Ted: BUT YOUR MOM INTRODUCED YOU TO BOOKS AND WORDS.

>> YES.

>> Ted: THIS LITERALLY FREED YOU SO TALK TO US ABOUT THE PATH OF BREAKING FREE FROM SUCH A RIGID LIFESTYLE BY WAY OF WORDS.

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S MY FAVORITE THING TO TALK ABOUT BECAUSE I ALWAYS SAY THAT MY MOTHER CHANGED THE COURSE OF MY LIFE.

AND I MEAN THAT SO SINCERELY BECAUSE ESPECIALLY WHEN I SAT DOWN TO WRITE THE BOOK, I COULD SEE VERY DIRECTLY, TELLING ME HOW SHE DID THAT AND SHE HAD ME AND MY SIBLING READING BOOKS AND RECITING AND MEMORIZING POEMS AND HANDED ME MY FIRST BOOK OF POEMS.

SHE SAID I THINK THIS WILL HELP YOU AND LIKE THIS AND SHE WAS RIGHT.

FROM HER, MY GIFT, MY LOVE OF WRITING AND OF POETRY, IT BLOOMED.

>> Ted: HOW DIFFICULT WAS IT FOR YOU TO BREAK FREE?

OBVIOUSLY, YOUR MOTHER WAS COMMITTED AND DEVOTED TO YOUR FATHER, BUT STILL INSTILLED ALL OF THIS IN YOU.

YOU MOVED PAST IT AND HOW DIFFICULT WAS THAT?

>> IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT.

I THINK IT'S JUST AS DIFFICULT AS ANYBODY COULD IMAGINE WHEN YOU GROW UP WITH A CLOSE-KNIT FAMILY AND YOU GROW UP IN A PARTICULAR WAY FOR MOST OF YOUR LIFE AND MAKING A DECISION TO SAY, WELL, ACTUALLY I DON'T THINK THIS WAY OF LIFE IS FOR ME.

IT IS HARD TO DO THAT SEVERING.

THERE'S A TIME WHERE I FELT THAT IT WAS NECESSARY FOR ME AS A WOMAN BECAUSE I FELT DIMINISHED UNDER THE RULES OF AIRBNB RASTAFARI AND I WANTED TO CELEBRATE MY MOTHERHOOD INSTEAD OF BEING DIMINISHED BY IT.

>> Ted: WHEN YOU WERE WRITING THIS BOOK, WAS IT CATHARTIC OR EASY OR DIFFICULT?

>> IT WAS NOT EASY, BUT YOU KNOW, IT WAS CATHARTIC.

A LOT OF YOUR WRITING OF THE BOOK ITSELF I'VE FOUND TO BE HEALING.

I FOUND THAT IT GAVE ME A DIFFERENT VIEW OF MY PARENTS, A DIFFERENT VIEW OF MY FATHER.

SO IN THE WRITING OF IT, THE BOOK ITSELF BECAME ITS OWN CURRENCY FOR HEALING.

>> Ted: THIS IS A REMARKABLE STORY, BUT WHAT DO YOU WANT OTHERS TO TAKE FROM THE BOOK?

>> YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANTED THE BOOK TO BROADEN THE IDEA THAT PEOPLE HAVE OF OUR JAMAICA AND REVISE THE STEREOTYPES WHAT THEY THINK OF WHEN THEY THINK OF JAMAICA, BEYOND THAT POSTCARD OF PARADISE.

BUT WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR A YOUNG RASTA GIRLS OR WOMEN AND FOR WOMEN ANYWHERE TO KNOW THAT IF THEY EVER FELT THEY WERE STAUNCHED ON SILENCE OR ANY REPRESSION AND OUGHT AUTONOMY WAS TAKEN, THAT WHAT THEY SAY IS IMPORTANT AND THEY CAN SPEAK THEMSELVES INTO POWER.

>> Ted: YOU DID A GREAT JOB AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS BOOK AND CONTINUED SUCCESS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> Ted: YOU BET.

AND A PROGRAMMING NOTE, THE JOURNALIST'S ROUNDTABLE WILL MAKE WAY TOMORROW FOR A SPECIAL EDITION OF ARIZONA HORIZON.

IT'S OUR VETERAN'S DAY EDITION SO WE'LL SEE YOU THEN.

THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING!

♪♪ .