♪ >> TONIGHT ON RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.

>> 200, 2 AND A QUARTER, TWO AND A HALF.

>> WHAT DREW A YOUNG MAN LIKE YOU TO ANTIQUES?

>> THERE IS NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT AND THAT'S WHAT I TRY TO EXPLAIN TO MY FRIENDS TODAY THAT I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH AN COLLEGE.

HOW CAN YOU BE INTO ALL OF THIS STUFF?

I'M LIKE IT'S COOL, IT'S HISTORY.

>> USED TO SHOW UP IN RHODE ISLAND SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

THAT IS A SIGNAL THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS IN EFFECT.

>> THE FUN THING ABOUT FISHING IS CATCHING FISH.

YOU CAN SEE WHAT KIND OF FISH YOU CAUGHT.

>> HOW MANY DID YOU CATCH TODAY?

>> ONE FISH.

>> I BECAME EXTREMELY DEPRESSED AND WITHDREW MYSELF OR MY FRIENDS, MY FAMILY.

AND EVENTUALLY TRIED KILLING MYSELF.

♪ >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.

I AM PAMELA WATTS.

MICHELLE: I AM MICHELLE SAN MIGUEL.

WE BEGIN WITH SOMETHING OLD AND SOMETHING MAYBE NOT SO OLD.

IF YOU THINK OF ANTIQUES AS DUSTY FURNITURE IN YOUR GRANDMOTHER'S CHINA SET, YOU BETTER TAKE A FRESH LOOK IN YOUR ATTIC.

PAMELA: TODAY, TRANSFORMERS, STAR WARS FIGURES AND POKEMON CARDS ARE COLLECTIBLES WORTH BIG MONEY.

ROAD ISLANDER -- RHODE ISLANDER TRAVIS LANDRY KNOWS ABOUT THAT FIRSTHAND.

HE'S A YOUNG MAN WITH AN OLD SOUL AND A KEEN EYE.

>> I LOVE THE ARTS AND HAT IS WHERE GROWING UP AS A LITTLE KID, I WAS LIKE OH MAN, I WANT TO SING, ACT, DO ALL THIS STUFF AND THEN I DEVELOPED A LOVE FOR ANTIQUES, COLLECTIBLES.

AND THEN I FIGURED HOW CAN I MERGE THESE TWO WORLDS.

>> CUMBERLAND NATIVE TRAVIS LANDRY GOT THOSE WORLDS TO MERGE BY JOINING THE TEAM ON ANTIQUES ROADSHOW.

>> THIS IS HOTTER THAN FIRE, THE DEMAND FOR THESE CARS IS UNCONTROLLABLE.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

>> I FEEL LIKE I DON'T WORK A DAY IN MY LIFE, I JUST PLAY WITH TOYS AND COOL STUFF.

I'M A NERD.

BUT I AM A DEDICATED NERD AND I HAVE TAKEN ALL OF THIS TIME TO STUDY AND PUT INTO THIS PRACTICE JUST LIKE SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO BECOME A DOCTOR OR A LAWYER.

>> LANDRY HAS BEEN PUTTING HIS KNOWLEDGE INTO PRACTICE ON ANTIQUES ROADSHOW SINCE HE WAS JUST 20 YEARS OLD.

NOW I 27, HE IS THE YOUNGEST APPRAISER ON THE LONG-RUNNING PROGRAM.

LANDRY IS OF THE GENERATION THAT CAN VALUE ITEMS SUCH AS MAGIC THE GATHERING CARDS, A PRECURSOR OF THE POKEMON CRAZE.

>> SO CUMULATIVELY, YOU ARE LOOKING AT AT AUCTION BETWEEN 65000 AND $100,000 IN TRADING CARS.

>> I HAVE A HUNDRED, LOOKING FOR 110.

AT ONE TIME, NOW 120.

>> HE SPECIALIZES IN MILLENNIAL, GEN X AND JANET SEE NOSTALGIA.

-- AND GEN Z NOSTALGIA.

>> 'S FULL-TIME JOB IS AS AN AUCTIONEER WHERE HE IS THE DIRECTOR OF POP CULTURE.

>> GREAT, UNUSED MODELS.

>> WHAT DREW A YOUNG MAN LIKE YOU TO ANTIQUES?

>> THERE IS NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT AND IT'S FUNNY, I TRY TO SWING IT TO MY FRIENDS TODAY WHO ARE WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH IN COLLEGE, HOW CAN YOU BE INTO ALL OF THIS STUFF?

KNICKKNACKS, STUFF YOU COLLECTED.

I'M LIKE IT'S COOL, IT'S HISTORY.

>> HIS HISTORY REVEALS WHY HE IS SO AT HOME IN AN AUCTION HOUSE.

>> I GREW UP GOING TO AUCTIONS EVERY WEEK WITH MY PARENTS.

THEY COLLECTED POTTERY, MORE TRADITIONAL ANTIQUES.

THERE WERE SOME WEEKS WHERE HE WOULD GO TO FOR AUCTIONS IN A WEEK.

MONDAY NIGHT, TUESDAY NIGHT, THURSDAY, FRIDAY.

AND IF IT WAS A BIG AUCTION, IT WOULD BE LIKE A SATURDAY DATE SALE, ON-SITE AUCTIONS.

I WAS GOING THERE SINCE I WAS A BAD -- A BABY IN MY MOM'S ARMS.

>> 'S FATHER WAS A CAPTAIN ON THE POLICE FORCE.

THEY SHARED A PASSION FOR TREASURE HUNTINGAND LANDRY CAUGHT THE BUG.

>> I WAS HOOKED, ABSOLUTELY HOOKED.

I WOULD SPEND ALL OF MY TIME LOOKING FOR TOYS.

BEING DRIVEN TO WISCONSIN, MICHIGAN, DRAWING -- BUYING COLLECTIONS BECAUSE WE ARE ON THE HUNT FOR THEM.

IT'S ALL I WANTED TO DO ALL DAY LONG EVERY DAY.

>> IS IT AS FUN AS IT LOOKS?

>> IT IS.

I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER, SINCE I WAS 13 YEARS OLD.

>> THAT IS WHEN HE WENT FROM ACCUMULATING TOYS TO MAKING HIS FIRST BIG SALE.

HE BORROWED MONEY FROM HIS DAD TO BUY A BOUNTY OF TRANSFORMERS FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTOR.

>> SO I BUY IT FOR 700, THE COLLECTION.

SELL EVERYTHING FOR $1400, DOUBLE UP ON MY MONEY AND I GOT TO KEEP THE BEST PIECE.

THAT I STILL HAVE TODAY.

IT WAS IN 1984, WHAT THEY CALL IT PRE-RUB, NERD TERMINOLOGY FOR THE FIRST TRANSFORMERS THAT CAME OUT.

>> A CHANCE TO BE ON TV CAME ALONG, HOWEVER ANTIQUES ROADSHOW WAS NOT HIS FIRST RODEO.

>> MY NAME IS TRAVIS AND I HAVE BEEN COLLECTING TOYS FOR ROUGHLY ABOUT 10 YEARS NOW.

>> I REMEMBER THE AD.

DO YOU WANT TO BE PART OF A NEW REALITY TV SHOW?

I WAS LIKE OK, I GUESS WHY NOT.

I SAY MY NAME IS TRAVIS LANDRY, I COLLECT TRANSFORMERS AND IT WAS FOR A STORE AT THE DUTCHESS SHOW CALLED TOY HUNTER.

-- IT WAS FOR A SHOW CALLED TOY HUNTER.

>> HE BECAME A RECURRING CAST MEMBER ON THE TOY HUNTER, WHILE STILL A STUDENT AT MOUNT ST. CHARLES HIGH SCHOOL.

WHILE MOST PEOPLE SEE ANTIQUES AS A HOBBY, DID YOU EVER THINK YOU WOULD HAVE THIS AS YOUR CAREER?

>> I WILL NEVER FORGET, IT WAS MY FIRST YEAR IN COLLEGE.

I'M IN THE BACK OF MY CHEMISTRY CLASS AND THAT PREVIOUS SUMMER I BOUGHT MY FIRST PAINTING TO SELL.

AND I SIGNED IT AT AUCTION.

I WATCHED IT -- I CONSIGNED IT AT AUCTION.

I WATCHED IT SELL AND I'M LIKE WHAT MY DOING HERE?

>> HE SWITCHED HIS MAJOR TO ART HISTORY AND WORKED AT BRUNO'S AUCTION HOUSE.

>> I WAS A PROFESSIONAL BUT I COULD HAVE FUN WHILE BEING A PROFESSIONAL.

WE ARE DEALING WITH TOYS, COMICS, AND COOL THINGS.

OF COURSE I'M GOING TO BE ENTHUSIASTIC, IT'S AWESOME.

I WILL HAVE A 30 MINUTE CONVERSATION WITH A GOFER IN MY BACKYARD.

I AM JUST HAPPY.

I LOVE MEETING PEOPLE, TALKING WITH THEM, ENTERTAINING.

ISSUE 52, THIS BOOK IS LITERALLY HOTTER THAN FIRE.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE IN THEIR ATTIC OR THEIR SELLER THAT THEY DO NOT REALIZE IS VALUABLE?

WHAT COULD YOU TELL THEM?

>> I KNOW THIS SOUNDS A LITTLE GENERIC, BUT REALLY ALL OF POP CULTURE IS HOT AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS WHETHER IT IS STAR WARS, TRANSFORMERS, G.I.

JOE, MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, HE-MAN, MY LITTLE PONY, PRINCESS OF POWER OR ORIGINAL NINTENDO GAMES, AND EVEN OUTSIDE OF THE TOYS, VINTAGE SNEAKERS, T-SHIRTS, VIDEO GAMES.

EVEN VHS TAPES ARE NOW BECOMING COLLECTIBLE.

>> DO YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO PLAY WITH TOYS WHEN YOU GREW UP?

>> NOT PLAY, COLLECT, BECAUSE IT'S WEIRD.

MY PARENTS AT CHRISTMAS TIME, THEY WOULD BUY ME FIVE OR SIX TRANSFORMERS OR WHATEVER.

I WOULD TAKE THOSE FIVE TOYS, GO DOWN TO MY BASEMENT AND PUT THEM ON THE SHELF.

JUST WANTED TO HAVE THEM.

I WOULD NOT PLAY WITH MY TOYS.

>> BEST TO SAVE EVERYTHING IN THE BOX.

>> YES.

KEEP IT ALL, DO NOT OPEN ANYTHING.

>> BECAUSE THEY ARE MUCH MORE VALUABLE UNTOUCHED.

WHAT HE COLLECTS THESE DAYS IS NOT WHAT YOU MIGHT EXPECT.

HIS VINTAGE VICTROLA PLAYS VINYL RECORDS FROM THE 50'S, MODERN ART MIXES WITH FEDERAL FURNITURE AND POTTERY.

LANDRY SAYS HIS HOME IS NOT CLUTTERED, IT IS CURATED.

>> MY TASTE IS ECLECTIC.

THE WAY I LIKE TO DO IT, I DO NOT COLLECT ONE PARTICULAR THING ANYMORE, I JUST TRY TO COLLECT THE BEST EXAMPLES OF ALL DIFFERENT THINGS ALONG THE WAY.

I JUST LIKE LEARNING ABOUT IT, BECAUSE THAT IS THE GREATEST THING ABOUT THIS JOB AND THE ITEMS IS THAT EVERY SINGLE PIECE HAS A STORY BEHIND IT.

>> AND A GOOD STORY IS WHAT HE IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR.

>> SO PRIME EXAMPLE, ONE OF MY FAVORITE ITEMS I HAVE EVER APPRAISED ON ANTIQUES ROADSHOW WAS AN AURORA PLASTICS GODZILLA MODEL KIT.

JUST FOR THE SHEER FACT THAT I WAS LIKE HOW DID YOU ACQUIRE THIS MODEL?

HE GOES I NEEDED SOMETHING TO BRING TO ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, SO I BOUGHT THIS FOR A DOLLAR AT A YARD SALE LAST WEEK.

I SAID REALLY?

THAT'S A THREE TO $500 MODEL KIT.

NOT GOING TO LIKE THE WORLD ON FIRE VALUE WISE, BUT THAT STORY.

WE LOVE HEARING STORIES.

THINGS NEED TO BE APPRECIATED, HISTORY NEEDS TO BE PRESERVED.

I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD COLLECT SOMETHING FUN.

IT IS SOMETHING AS MY DAD WILL SAY INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE, I WAS WORRIED ABOUT UNDERSTANDING TOYS AND LOOKING FOR THE NEXT FIND.

♪ >> UP NEXT, A BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH.

THAT IS ESPECIALLY TRUE OF OUR NEXT STORY, PART OF OUR CONTINUING SERIES, GREEN SEEKER.

WE VISITED THE SHORES OF ROSE ISLAND, WHERE A PROFESSOR CAPTURES BIRDS IN THE NAME OF SCIENCE.

>> THIS BIRD IS ACTUALLY VERY FAT, SO IT IS DOING PRETTY WELL.

MY NAME IS JIM CHASE, I AM A FETZER AT REGINA UNIVERSITY IN NEWPORT RHODE ISLAND.

-- I AM A PROFESSOR AT REGINA UNIVERSITY.

WHAT I HAVE BEEN DOING FOR 20 YEARS IS USING BIRDS TO LOOK AT POPULATIONS AND HOW POPULATIONS CHANGE OVER TIME.

THE FIRST INSTANCE OF BIRD BANDING IN THIS COUNTRY WAS JOHN JAMES AUDUBON WHO CAPTURED A BIRD ON ITS NEST WITH HIS BARE HANDS AND HE TIED A LITTLE STRING AROUND ITS LEG.

LO AND BEHOLD, THAT BIRD CAME BACK TO THE SAME NEST THE NEXT YEAR.

THAT'S WHAT BIRD BANDING IS.

YOU ARE BIDDING BIRDS AND YOU'RE MOST LIKELY TO FIND THOSE BIRDS IF THEY SURVIVE IN THAT LOCATION THE NEXT YEAR.

WE ARE GOING TO GO CHECK THE NETS.

I'VE GOT ONE THAT HERE AND THEN FOR OTHERS.

THE NIGHT BEFORE I PUT THE NETS UP IN LOCATIONS WHERE I THINK THE BIRDS ARE GOING TO FLY.

AND I PUT THESE IN THE SAME PLACE EACH WEEK.

AND RIGHT BEFORE DAWN, I OPEN THE NET UP.

AND IF THESE ARE SUCH FIND NETS, THE BIRDS CANNOT SEE THEM.

THEY HAVE BEEN FLYING BACK AND FORTH THROUGH THESE LITTLE CORRIDORS, NOTHING IN THEIR PATH, THEY DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT.

IT WOULD BE LIKE IF SOMEONE PUT AND NET IN YOUR DOORWAY.

IMAGO, A BIRD HERE.

THE BIRD GETS CAUGHT LIKE IT IS IN A HAMMOCK.

AND IT DOES NOT GET INJURED.

THEY ARE CALM, USUALLY.

I CHECKED PRETTY OFTEN.

SO NO BIRD IS HANGING FOR TOO LONG.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF VERY GENTLY GETTING THEM OUT OF THE NET THAT THEY JUST FLEW INTO.

THERE IS A SONG SPARROW, ANOTHER JUVENILE SONG SPARROW.

I PUT IT INTO A LITTLE BAG AND THAT HOLDS THE BIRD SECURELY UNTIL I CAN PROCESS IT BACK.

AND BRING IT BACK TO A CENTRAL BANDING STATION, WHERE I HAVE ALL MY TOOLS AND IT IS IN A SAFE PLACE.

NO DISTRACTIONS OR WHERE THE BIRD COULD GET INJURED.

THIS IS THE CAROLINA WREN THAT HAS BEEN EXPANDING ITS RANGE NORTH, PRESUMABLY WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AS A PART OF IT.

WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ON RHODE ISLAND 30 YEARS AGO AND HERE THEY ARE SUCCESSFULLY BREEDING.

WE GOT FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE VANS, THESE ARE UNIQUELY MARKED SO THAT EACH BIRD HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE NUMBER.

UNFORTUNATELY IF A BIRD HAS HAD A WINDOW AND DIED AND SOMEONE FOUND IT, AND THEY REPORTED THE NUMBER, WE WOULD KNOW -- I WOULD KNOW IT CAME FROM HERE, WHERE IT WENT.

AND THE PERSON WHO FOUND IT WOULD KNOW WHERE IT WAS LAST BANDED.

SO THAT INFORMATION IS JUST CRITICAL.

A RECENT STUDY BY THE CORNELL LAB WHICH CAME OUT ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO SHOWED A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT LEVELS OF EVIDENCE THAT SONGBIRDS FOR BIRDS IN GENERAL, BUT SONGBIRDS ESPECIALLY, ARE IN SIGNIFICANT DECLINE SINCE 1970, ABOUT 30% YOU ARE BIRDS.

SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, 30% FEWER BIRDS.

IF YOU ARE LISTENING TO THE BIRDS SINGING, IF YOU WERE HERE IN 1970, THEY WOULD BE 30% MORE BIRDS SINGING.

AND BILLIONS OF BIRDS LOST.

WE HAVE LOTS OF IDEAS AS TO WHY.

THESE BIRDS ARE BEING LOST.

SO WHEN THE CAROLINA RENT BEGINS TO SHOW UP IN RHODE ISLAND SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THAT IS A SIGNAL THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS HAVING AN EFFECT.

BIRDS MOVING THEIR RANGES.

THIS IS A GOLDFINCH.

THEY ARE BRILLIANTLY PATTERNED BIRDS.

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I MEASURE VERY QUICKLY IS THE WING CORD, WHICH GIVES AN IDEA OF BODY SIZE.

BECAUSE BODY SIZE IS NOT THEIR BODY SIZE TO RATIO.

THE LAST THING I MEASURE IS THERE MASS BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE THEY ARE MOST LIKELY TO ESCAPE.

LET THIS GUY GO.

IN BETWEEN THOSE TIMES, I AM LOOKING AT MEASURES OF THE BIRDS AGE AND SEX.

IF IT IS A FEMALE IN THE SUMMER, I CAN TELL YOU IF SHE IS SITTING ON EGGS NOW OR HER EGGS HAVE A SICKLY -- SHE IS DONE SITTING ON EGGS AND SHE HAS YOUNG OUT OF THE NEST.

THE BIRDS BELLY, WHAT THEY GET IS A PATCH.

THEY LOSE THE FEATHERS ACROSS THE BREAST AND THAT IS WHAT THEY CAN SIT ON THE EGGS WITH.

BIRDS ARE A SPECIAL FASCINATION FOR ME BECAUSE THEY ARE COLORFUL, THEY ARE OUT DURING THE DAYTIME, RACING, YOU CAN IDENTIFY THEM BY THEIR SONGS, THEIR CALLS, AND THEN THE BIRDS BECOME LIKE THE CLASSIC CANARY IN A COAL MINE.

THEY BECOME A BELLWETHER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

SO THEY CAN TELL US A LOT ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON, EVEN BEFORE WE NOTICED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN RADICAL CHANGES HAPPENING, BIRDS BEGIN TO TELL US.

♪ >> AQUATIC SCHOLAR EUGENIE CLARK SAID SHARING THE FUN OF FISHING TURN STRANGERS INTO FRIENDS IN A FEW HOURS.

IN OUR NEXT STORY, WE MEET A MAN FROM COMMON TREE WHO WOULD MOST LIKELY AGREE WITH THAT.

FIVE YEARS AGO HE WAS FISHING IN A LOCAL POND WHEN A GROUP OF KIDS APPROACHED HIM AND ASKED IF THEY COULD BORROW ONE OF HIS FISHING GOALS.

THAT ENCOUNTER HELPED START A PROGRAM THAT HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF HUNDREDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE, NOT TO MENTION, HIS OWN.

♪ >> MY NAME IS JOHN, I AM THE FOUNDER OF KEEPING KIDS FISHING.

WHAT WE DO IS EACH SUNDAY, I USUALLY CHOOSE A LAKE BECAUSE IT IS A BIG SHORELINE.

I SET UP A TABLE, PUT FISHING POLES OUT, GET WORMS OUT, DEAR, MY DOCTORS, ANYTHING THAT THE KIDS WOULD NEED.

THE KIDS COME AND I SHOW THEM HOW TO FISH.

TOWARD THE END OF THE DAY, THEY TAKE THEIR FISHING POLES HOME WITH THEM.

>> I CAUGHT SEVEN FISH.

EIGHT.

AROUND THERE.

>> I TAUGHT MYSELF AT FOUR YEARS OLD.

MY DAD WORKED A COUPLE OF JOBS AND MY BROTHERS WERE INTO SOFTBALL.

I WAS NOT REALLY INTO SPORTS AT FOUR YEARS OLD SO I PLAYED ALONG THE SHORELINE.

THERE WAS A POND NEARBY AND I FOUND SOME STRING, I FOUND A HOOK AND THEN I DUG UP SOME WORMS AND I WAS ON MY WAY.

AND I REALIZED THAT THERE'S A LOT OF KIDS THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE ANYONE TO SHOW THEM.

>> THINGS ARE DIFFERENT NOWADAYS, SO THE KIDS ARE USUALLY ON THE PHONE.

IT IS NICE TO HAVE THE KIDS OUTSIDE DOING THINGS.

AND NOT ON THEIR PHONES, RIGHT?

>> ONE PERSON BROUGHT HER SON.

HE WAS A GAMER, ALWAYS IN HIS ROOM PLAYING HIS TABLETS IN THE GAMES ON THE COMPUTER.

SHE SAID SHE HAD TO DRAG HIM OUT OF THE HOUSE TO COME TO THE EVENT AND YET IT T-SHIRT ON THAT SAID I TOSSED MY GAME TO THIS?

HE CAME BACK NEXT WEEK WITH A FRIEND AND THE FOLLOWING WEEK HE CAME BACK WITH TWO FRIENDS.

NOW HE IS NO LONGER IN HIS ROOM, HE IS OUT FISHING WITH HIS NEW FRIENDS.

THIS HELPS ME BECAUSE I HAVE SEVERE DISEASE THAT CAUSES ANXIETY AND MANIC DEPRESSIVE DISORDER.

WHEN YOU SEE THE CHILD CATCH THEIR FIRST FISH, IT TAKES IT ALL AWAY.

>> WHAT I LOVE ABOUT FISHING IS CATCHING FISH.

BECAUSE YOU GET TO SEE WHAT KIND OF FISH CAUGHT.

>> AND HOW MANY DID YOU CATCH TODAY?

>> ONE FISH.

>> LAST YEAR, WE HAD A FUNDRAISER AT CAMP WESTWOOD IN COVENTRY AND A LITTLE GIRL HAD ONE OF HER FIRST FISH -- SHE HAD WON HER FIRST FISHING TROPHY.

SHE CAME UP WITH HER MOM AND ASKED IF SHE COULD GIVE ME A HUG.

I LOOK AT THE MOM AND A MOM NODS, SO I GAVE HER A HUG.

I SAID THANK YOU.

I SAID WHY WOULD YOU GIVE ME A HUG?

SHE SAYS YOU SEE THIS TROPHY.

I SAID YOU WON THE FIRST FISH.

SHE SAYS NO, YOU GOT THIS FORM IF YOUR DIASTER, HOW DID I GET THAT TROPHY FOR YOU?

YOU GIVE ME A FISHING POLE, YOU SHOWED ME HOW TO USE IT, YOU SHOULD BE HAD A CAST AND REEL IT IN AND HOW TO PUT THE BAIT ON.

AND I CAUGHT THE FIRST FISH.

YOU DID THIS, YOU CAUGHT ME THAT FIRST FISH.

I WAS REALLY, REALLY TOUCHED.

SO THIS GIVES ME A GOOD FEELING, KNOWING THAT I'M GIVING THEM SOME EDUCATION AND HOPEFULLY, SOME MEMORIES TO CARRY ON.

THERE YOU GO.

THAT'S ALL SET.

♪ >> NEXT IN OUR CONTINUING MY TAKE SERIES, WE HEAR FROM A BOSTON PLUMBER WHOSE REMARKABLE TRANSFORMATION HAS BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO MANY.

TONIGHT, HE GIVES US HIS TAKE ON BEING YOURSELF.

>> THE BENEFITS OF BEING MYSELF HAVE BEEN THE LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE FOR MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

AND BEING ABLE TO STAND ON MY OWN TWO FEET, KNOWING THAT THIS IS WHO I WAS MEANT TO BE.

HI, MY NAME IS COLE AND THIS IS MY TAKE ON BEING YOURSELF.

I AM A SON, I AM A HUSBAND, I AM A BROTHER, I AM AN UNCLE, AND I AM A PLUMBER.

MANY PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN I TELL THEM THAT I AM TRANSGENDER AND THAT I WAS BORN FEMALE.

I NEVER WANTED TO BE A BOY FROM ABOUT THE AGE OF FOUR YEARS OLD.

I NEVER REALLY FELT RIGHT IN MY BODY.

IT ONLY GOT WORSE AS I GOT OLDER.

I GRAVITATED MORE TOWARDS MASCULINE THINGS.

I SKATE BOARDED, MOSTLY ALL MY FRIENDS WERE GUYS.

AND I JUST DID NOT FEEL RIGHT IN MY BODY.

I TRIED TO SUPPRESS IT, BUT THAT ONLY MADE THINGS WORSE.

I BECAME EXTREMELY DEPRESSED AND WITHDREW MYSELF FROM MY FRIENDS AND MY FAMILY.

AND EVENTUALLY, TRIED KILLING MYSELF.

AND AFTER THAT, THINGS GOT BETTER.

I DECIDED TO TRANSITION.

WHICH MADE THINGS BETTER THAN I EXPECTED.

I DECIDED TO TRANSITION BECAUSE I NEEDED TO BE MY BEST SELF IN ORDER TO BE THERE FOR OTHERS.

IT WAS EXTREMELY NERVE-RACKING WHEN I FIRST CAME OUT, TO TELL PEOPLE THAT I WAS TRANS BECAUSE I DID NOT PASS OR MEET SOCIETY'S STANDARDS OF BEING A MAN.

I WAS FACED WITH SOME BACKLASH BECAUSE OF THAT.

IT LED TO EXTREME DEPRESSION ON MY END.

BUT NOW THINGS ARE BETTER, YOU KNOW, I HAVE BECOME A MORE COMFORTABLE IN MY OWN SKIN.

I AM A TRULY OPEN ABOUT MY TRANS IDENTITY.

ME BEING OPEN HAS LED TO OTHER PEOPLE REACHING OUT TO ME, TO TALK ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR JOURNEY.

FOUR THEM STARTING THEIR JOURNEY , IT HAS BEEN SUCH AN UPLIFTING EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT FOR ANOTHER PERSON.

I DO HAVE A FEW FAMILY MEMBERS THAT TOOK A WILD TO COME AROUND.

BUT NOW, THEY ARE SOME OF MY BIGGEST SUPPORTERS.

I AM REALLY THANKFUL FOR THAT.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE YOURSELF BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO BE OPEN.

AND TO STOP HIDING AND TO LIVE YOUR TRUTH.

TO BE BRAVE AND TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO FACE ANYTHING THAT COMES YOUR WAY.

MY ADVICE TO ANYONE LOOKING TO MAKE A CHANGE, WHETHER THAT BE A JOB CHANGE, MOVING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, STATE, OR EVEN TRANSITIONING, IS TO JUST DO IT.

LIVE YOUR TRUTH, LIVE YOUR HAPPINESS, DO NOT GIVE UP, AND DO NOT CARE ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK.

BECAUSE THE ONES THAT MIND DO NOT MATTER AND THE ONES THAT MATTER DO NOT MIND.

MY NAME IS COLE LOVE AND THIS HAS BEEN MY TAKE ON BEING YOURSELF.

>> AND NOW, WHAT IS ART?

IT IS A QUESTION THAT MANY, EVEN ARTISTS THEMSELVES, HAVE ASKED FOR CENTURIES.

THIS WEEK, A NEW RHODE ISLAND PBS DIGITAL SERIES LAUNCHED.

ART INC. WILL EXPLORE THOSE QUESTIONS AND THE INFINITE EXPRESSIONS OF CREATIVITY.

TONIGHT, WE SHARE A CLIP FROM THE FIRST EPISODE.

♪ >> I THINK I WAS CURIOUS AS A KID WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO BE A LITTLE PERSON GOING THROUGH THE WOODS.

THAT WAS PRETTY UNIVERSAL REALLY.

WHAT KID IT DOES NOT LIKE TO GET DOWN ON THEIR KNEES AND CHECK THINGS OUT.

>> BEAT COR ARE CHARACTERSNS I MAKE OUT -- I WAIT FOR ANIMALS TO COME AND I TAKE PICTURES OF THEM INTERACTING WITH WILDLIFE.

THERE IS A WIDE VARIETY OF PERSONALITIES IN THE WORLD.

THEY TEND TO BE GENTLE.

THEY ARE ALMOST ALWAYS CURIOUS AND UP TO SOMETHING.

THERE ARE WARRIORS THAT ARE DEFENDING AGAINST SQUIRRELS.

THEY DEFINITELY ARE NURTURERS, THEY FEED THE WILDLIFE AND CARE FOR THEM.

>> YOU CAN SEE NEW EPISODES OF ART INC. EVERY WEDNESDAY ON RIPBS.ORG/ART INC..

FINALLY, NEXT WEEK, WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT HOW DAIRY FARMS IN RHODE ISLAND ARE ADAPTING TO A CHANGING INDUSTRY AS MILK CONSUMPTION HERE AND AROUND THE U.S. IS DECLINING.

HERE IS A SNEAK PEEK.

>> LOUIS ESCA VARS FATHER BOUGHT THE FARM DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION.

OVER THE YEARS, THE FARM HAS GROWN TO 98 ACRES AS THE FAMILY AMASSED NEIGHBORING LAND.

WAS IT HARDER THAN YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD BE TO KEEP THE FARM RUNNING?

>> IT HAS BECOME A MORE DIFFICULT EVERY YEAR.

AND IT IS GOING TO GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER.

>> WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?

>> MORE CHALLENGES.

WHERE PEOPLE DRINK LESS MILK.

>> FLUID AND MILK CONSUMPTION IN THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN ON THE DECLINE FOR MORE THAN 70 YEARS ACCORDING TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

IT HAS MADE IT INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT FOR THE ESCOBAR'S TO MAKE ENDS MEET.

THEY ARE ONE OF TENANT REMAINING DAIRY FARMS IN RHODE ISLAND.

>> AND I CAN REMEMBER ONE YEAR, WE WERE LOSING ABOUT $7,000 A MONTH.

AND WE WERE GETTING TO COME OUT HERE AND WORK 12 AND 13 AND 14 HOURS A DAY.

AND IS LOSING $7,000 A MONTH.

>> ARE YOU STILL LOSING MONEY?

>> WE ARE STILL LOSING MONEY, YES.

>> THE DAIRY FARMER DOES NOT GENERALLY CONTROL THE END PRICE OF HIS OR HER MILK, IT IS CONTROLLED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

THAT IS FAR DIFFERENT THAN ALMOST EVERY OTHER CROP THAT IS GROWN.

AND THAT'S A BIG PART OF THE EQUATION.

>> THAT IS OUR BROADCAST THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I'M AT MICHELLE SAN MIGUEL.

PAMELA: I'M PAMELA WATTS.

WE WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH ANOTHER EDITION OF RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.

UNTIL THEN, YOU CAN VISIT US ONLINE TO SEE ALL OF OUR STORIES AND PAST EPISODES.

AT RIPBS.ORG/WEEKLY OR WAS INTO OUR PODCAST, AVAILABLE ON ALL OF YOUR FAVORITE AUDIO STREAMING PLATFORMS.

THANK YOU, GOOD NIGHT.

♪ [CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY.

VISIT NCICAP.ORG]