>> Ted: COMING UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, CONCERNS OVER THE RISE OF ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENTS AS FIGHTING INTENSIFY INTENSIFIES BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS AND WE'LL HEAR FROM THE MAYOR WHO RECENTLY TOURED AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN ATTACKED.

AND A PROFESSOR WHO HAS BEEN SELECTED AS A MACARTHUR FELLOW.

>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMONS.

FORMER PHOENIX CITY COUNCILWOMAN AND INTERIM MAYOR, WILLIAMS DIED AFTER A SHORT FIGHT WITH CANCER.

SHE WAS ELECTED IN 1989 AND SERVED AS INTERIM MAYOR THREE DIFFERENT TIMES, IN 1994, 2011 AND 2018 AND WORKED AT THE MARICOPA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OVERSEEING INMATES AT COUNTY JAILS.

WILLIAMS WAS CONSIDERED A STRONG, STEADY PRESENCE AT CITY HALL AND A VOCAL SUPPORTER OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, INCLUDING LIGHTRATE.

LIGHT RAIL.

THELDA WILLIAMS IS DEAD AT 82.

>>> REPORTS ARE SURFACING ONE OF THE HOSTAGES HELD BY HAMAS IS A 3-YEAR-OLD GIRL WITH FAMILY TIES TO ARIZONA.

THEY'RE REPORTING THE GIRL'S PARENTS WERE KILLED IN THEIR HOME ON OCTOBER 7th AND THE GIRL GIRL WAS IN HER FATHER'S ARMS.

SHE RAN TO A NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE WHERE SHE SHELTERED UNTIL GUNMEN TOOK HER, THE CHILDREN IN THAT HOME.

>>> ONE MORE HEADLINE, WEST VIRGINIA DEMOCRATIC SENATOR JOE MANCHIN TOLD NBC NEWS HE WOULD, QUOTE, ABSOLUTELY CONSIDER RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT NEXT YEAR.

THIS COMES A WEEK AND MANCIN SAID HE WOULD NOT BE RUNNING FOR REELECTION TO THE SENATE.

HE NEEDED ADDED PRESIDENT BIDEN'S POLICIES HAVE GONE TOO FAR LEFT AND IF DONALD TRUMP IS ELECTED, QUOTE, WE'LL LOSE DEMOCRACY AS WE KNOW IT.

>>> REPORTS OF ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENTS IN ARIZONA ARE ON THE RISE AS THE FIGHTING INTENSIFIES AND IT'S BEEN TRACKED BY THE ANTIDEFAMATION LEAGUE.

WE HAVE SARAH KADER FOR ADL ARIZONA AND FOUR JOINING US.

INCIDENTS IN ARIZONA, UP?

>> ISSUEINDEED, THEY ARE UP.

ADL TRAX TRACKS THIS AND LAST YEAR, OUR AUDIT SHOWED A 36% INCREASE NATIONALLY AND THE INCREASE WE'VE SEEN IN PAST MONTH HAS BEEN ASTRONOMICAL.

>> Ted: SINCE OCTOBER 7th, HAS THERE LITERALLY BEEN A SPIKE?

>> WE'VE SEEN A 316% INCREASE.

>> Ted: DO THEY ALWAYS CHANGE LIKE THAT WHEN THERE'S TURMOIL IN THE MIDDLE EAST INVOLVING ISRAEL?

>> THEY OFTEN DO.

WE SEE A DISTRICT LINK OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AND ANTI-SEMITISM IN THIS COUNTRY.

>> Ted: DO YOU SEE IT IN ARIZONA, AS WELL?

>> ALL OVER, ON CAMPUS, SING SYNAGOG AND JEWISH INSTITUTIONS.

>> Ted: ASSAULTS, VANDALISM, HARASSMENT, ALL OF THE ABOVE?

>> ALL OF IT ALL OVER.

>> Ted: WHAT ARE YOU SEEING MOSTLY?

WE'RE SEEING SWASTIKAS ON SIDEWALKS AND THREATS RECENTLY AND THERE WAS A LOCAL RABBI THREATENED HE WOULD BE EXECUTED AND EVERY JEW WOULD BE EXECUTED.

THREATS OF VIOLENCE AND WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF ANTI-SEMITIC WORDS ON CAMPUS AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

>> Ted: I WANT TO GET TO THAT CAMPUS SITUATION BUT ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENTS IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE?

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE VISIBLY JEWISH, MEANING THEY WEAR A Y ARCAMICA.

INJURYYOU'RE SEEING THIS TO SORT OF USE IT TO SAY, WOW, LOOK, LOOK WHAT JEWS ARE DOING AND WE SHOULD SPEAK OUT AGAINST THEM AND SO WHITE SUPREMACY TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THEIR RHETORIC AND SEEING IT FROM GROUPS THAT MAY BE SUPPORT PALESTINIANS WHICH, OF COURSE, BEING PRO PALESTINIAN DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO BE ANTI-SEMITIC AND ADL HAS SPOKEN ABOUT THAT.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF ANTI-ZIONISM AND CALLING FOR THE DEATH OF JEWS.

>> Ted: WHAT HAPPENED ON THE ASU CAMPUS HERE RECENTLY?

BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING DIFFERENT REPORTS AND I WANT TO VERIFY WITH YOU, WHAT HATCH HAPPENED?

>> THERE WAS A BDS RESOLUTION WHICH CALLS FOR THE BOYCOTT OF ISRAEL AND THERE APPARENTLY WAS NOT ENOUGH SUPPORT FOR THIS MEASURE.

THERE WERE JEWISH STUDENTS OPPOSING THE MEASURE AND TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS.

EVIDENTLY, ROCKS WERE THROWN AND THE MEETING WAS ABRUPTLY ENDED AND THEY POLICE LEAD THEM BACK TO THE HOUSE.

>> Ted: THE ROCKS WERE THROWN OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING?

>> THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.

>> Ted: THERE WAS A POLICE ESCORT AND WAS THIS AN ON-CAMPUS MEETING.

>> THE BUILDING IS ON MILL AVENUE IN THE HOUSE, ALSO.

>> Ted: SECURITY MEASURES AT THE HOUSE, AT SYNAGOG, WHAT'S GOING ON AND IS IT ENOUGH?

>> I THINK MANY JEWISH INSTITUTIONS HAD SECURITY BECAUSE WE'VE, YOU KNOW -- ANTI-SEMITISM IS SOMETHING WE FACE AND SEEING AN INCREASE ANYWAY.

BUT SINCE IN THE PAST MONTH, I KNOW MANY JEWISH INSTITUTIONS HAVE INCREASED SECURITY AND THE PROBLEM IS COURT.

COST AND MANY INSTITUTIONS CAN'T AFFORD IT.

WE HAVE THE SECURITY GRANT FUNDING THAT GOVERNOR HOBBS WILL BE RELEASING EARLY SO PEOPLE CAN APPLY.

SO IT'S JUST BEEN A HEAVY BURDEN ON A LOT OF JEWISH FACILITIES.

>> Ted: AS FAR AS SECURITY MEASURES YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF THE MONEY WERE THERE, I MEAN, HOW FAR DO YOU GO WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS?

>> IT DEPENDS ON HOW THIS CONTINUES TO EVOLVE.

WE'RE SEEING INCREASE IN ANTI-SEMITISM AND WE KNEW A MONTH AGO WE WOULD SEE THIS.

WE DON'T NOW THOUGH LONG THE WAR WILL CONTINUE OR HOW LONG THE SECURITY WILL BE NEEDED.

WE APPRECIATE SO MUCH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT AND HAVE SEEN THAT ACROSS THE STATE OF ARIZONA.

BUT THERE'S ALWAYS MORE NEED.

>> Ted: THE IMPACT ON JEWISH FAMILIES HERE, SO MANY HAVE RELATIVES, FRIENDS, PEOPLE THAT THEY KNOW IN ISRAEL.

JUST THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING AND WHAT ARE YOU HERE HEARING?

>> THE JEWISH COMMUNITY FEELS REALLY SCARED, SCARED AND VULNERABLE AND, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR HEADLINES, YOU SPOKE ABOUT A YOUNG GIRL WHO WATCHED HER PARENTS MURDERED IN FRONT OF HER.

SHE'S 3 YEARS OLD.

THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, MANY OF US ARE DESCENDANTS OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS AND THIS IS A HORROR TO HAVE OCTOBER 7th BE THE GREATEST LOSS OF JEWISH LIFE SINCE THE HOLOCAUST WITH 1400 DEAD.

WITH A REMINDER, OVER 200 HOSTAGES MISSING, WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN THE HAND OF HAMAS BEING TORTURED AND STARVED AND GOD KNOWS WHAT.

AND SO IT'S TRAUMATIC.

IT'S TRAUMATIC FOR US THAT NO PEOPLE -- WE HAVE A JEWISH PEOPLE AND A FAMILY WORLD-WIDE AND WE FEEL THAT DEEPLY.

>> Ted: I SAW A RELIGIOUS LEADER, A JEWISH LEADER SAYING CONTINUE TO BE CAREFUL, BUT PLEASE DON'T HIDE.

DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT?

>> I ABSOLUTELY DO.

I THINK AS A COMMUNITY, WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT HOLDING BOTH JOY AND SORROW.

AT WEDDINGS, WE BREAK A GLASS TO REMEMBER THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM AS WE SAY MAZALTOF AND WE LIVE WITH PRIDE AND JOY.

AS WE FIGHT THIS FIGHT, WE HAVE TO DO SO NEVER GIVING UP AND I'M WEARING MY JEWISH STAR TODAY.

>> Ted: ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC?

>> I AM.

WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN HOPE AND 290,000 PEOPLE MARCHING YESTERDAY IN THE NATION'S CAPITOL TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM AND SUPPORT THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE A DEMOCRACY AND I BELIEVE THAT JEWS WILL CONTINUE TO BE FREE.

>> Ted: SARAH KADER, ADL ARIZONA, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND WE APPRECIATE YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Ted: UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, WE SPEAK WITH THE MAYOR OF PEORIA WHO TOURED AREAS OF ISRAEL ATTACKED BY HAMAS.

♪♪ >> NOVEMBER 28th IS GIVING TUESDAY, A SPECIAL DAY OF EVENTS AIMED AT MAKING A REAL IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

BY CONTRIBUTING TO ARIZONA PBS ON NOVEMBER 28th, YOU'LL BE MAKING A STATEMENT THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC MEDIA AND WANT TO SEE IT CONTINUE TO SERVE ARIZONANS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

VISIT AZPBS.ORG/GIVING TUESDAY FOR MORE.

>> WITNESS ONE MOMENT WHEN TELEVISION CHANGED THE WORLD.

>> PRESIDENT KENNEDY HAS BEEN SHOT.

>> WITH EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS AND UNPARALLELED COMPILATION AND REVEALING INTERVIEWS WITH THE REPORTERS.

THE STORY OF THE MEDIA AND THE MOMENT IT CHANGED FOREVER.

I'M YOUR HOST FOR "JFK, BREAKING THE NEWS."

MONDAY NIGHT AT 9:00 ON PBS.

>> Ted: PEORIA MAYOR VISITED ISRAEL TOURING AREAS ATTACKED BY HAMAS AND DESCRIBED ARIZONA HAIR-RAISING AND HUMBLING SEEING THE WORST OF HUMANITY.

MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Ted: WHEN DID YOU TAKE THIS TRIP?

>> ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO AND I WAS THERE FOR EIGHT DAYS.

>> Ted: WHY DID YOU GO?

I WASN'T AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN AND INDIVIDUAL AND I REALLY FELT THE CALLING.

I'VEI MAKE VESTS FOR MILITARY ALL OVER THE GLOBE AND DECIDED EARLY ONTO HELP AND ACTUALLY TRY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME VESTS.

SO I MET AND WITH TROUPES TROUPE TROOPS AND DID A CLASS FOR THE IDF TO WORK IN THE TUNNELS WITH THE PRODUCTS.

>> Ted: SO, AGAIN, NOT IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY BUT PRIVATE CAPACITY.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> Ted: WHEN YOU WENT OVER THERE AND THIS IS A DIFFICULT AND FLUID SITUATION, WERE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING IN THE WAY?

>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.

TO BE HONEST, IT WAS THE OPPOSITE.

I HAD MET WITH A RABBI IN SCOTTSDALE AND HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM AND A FOREIGN SECRETARY OVER THERE AND THEIR SECRETARY OF STATE COHEN AND I MET WITH THE RABBI OF THE COTEL, WHICH IS THE WESTERN WALL.

EVERY PERSON I TALKED TO AND WENT AND HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH, THEY WERE JOYFUL I WAS THERE.

THEY WERE JOYFUL AND I THINK VERY PLEASED WE WERE SHOWING THEM SUPPORT.

MOST PIPE PEOPLE THAT GO OVER FROM A POLITICAL NATURE ARE THERE ON THE GROUND FOR 24 HOURS.

THEY WANT TO GET IN, TAKE THE PHOTO-OP AND GET OUT.

I WAS THERE TO TRY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

>> Ted: WHAT DID YOU HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE YOU MET WITH AND DESCRIBE THE ATMOSPHERE, DESCRIBE WHAT YOU SAW.

>> SO THIS WAS MY SIX TRIP SIXTH TRIP TO ISRAEL.

I HAVE A DEEP LOVE AND RESPECT FOR THE ISRAELI PEOPLE.

IF YOU REMEMBER, IT'S NOT JUST THE JEWISH PEOPLE THAT DIED ON OCTOBER 7th.

IT'S ALSO JEWS, CHRISTIANS AND ARAB, ISRAELIS THAT PERISHED.

HAMAS TOOK EVERYONE, NOT JUST ONE OR THE OTHER.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT FOR ME, TO GO OVER THERE AND SEE WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED, IT LOOKED LIKE A SCENE FROM "THE WALKING DEAD."

SHOPS ARE CLOSED AND THINGS LIKE THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT TERRORISM AND THE ECONOMY IS COMPLETELY GONE.

KEEP ARE SHATTERED.

>> Ted: I SAW A QUOTE THAT SAID YOU WERE SHOOK TO YOUR CORE AND WE JUST SAW SOME OF THAT VIDEO.

>> I WAS.

>> Ted: AGAIN, THE ATMOSPHERE COMPARED TO PREVIOUS VISITS, CAN ISRAEL GET BACK TO WHAT IT ONCE WAS?

>> I BELIEVE SO.

THE VIDEO THAT YOU SHOWED IS A VIDEO OF THE FIRST SIDE OF THE FIRST ATTACK STARTING ON OCTOBER 7th AT 6:00 A.M. WHAT MY GOAL FOR THAT VIDEO WAS TO TRY TO SHOW FROM A CHRISTIAN STANDPOINT, NOT A JEWISH STANDPOINT, ABOUT WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

I WANT CHRISTIANS TO STAND UP AND ACTUALLY TRY TO PROTECT JERUSALEM.

IF WE DON'T PROTECT JERUSALEM AND WE DON'T PROTECT ISRAEL, WE TALK ABOUT DEMOCRACY.

WE TALK ABOUT DEMOCRACY AND HOW WE WANT IT IN THE KEVIN KEVIN STITT, BUTUNITED STATESAND IF THAT BASTION FALLS, IT FALLS NOT JUST IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

>> Ted: FOR THOSE CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE IN GAZA, PALESTINIANS IN GAZA, TAKING CASUALTIES AND IMPOSSIBLE TO GET A NUMBER THERE AND KNOW IT'S HAPPENING, WHAT DO YOU TELL THEM?

>> SO I WOULD TELL YOU THAT ONE, I'M GOING -- I WAS ROCKETED FOUR TIMES.

>> Ted: ROCKETS COMING FROM THERE?

>> AT US BECAUSE THEY KNEW AMERICANS WERE IN BARRI AND WE WERE ROCKETED FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES.

MY REVERSE QUESTION WOULD BE AND NOT TRYING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT IF SOMEONE IN THE NEIGHBORING CITY THREW A ROCKET AT YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

HOW DO YOU PROTECT YOUR FAMILY, COUNTRY AND WAY OF LIFE?

THERE WAS OUR U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY AND THE IDF IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN AS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND I'M NOT A SPOKENMAN FOR THE IDS AND WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO DO TO AVOID CASUALTIES AND WORKING TO AVOID CASUALTIES.

THE ISSUE IS HAMAS AS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION USING PEOPLE AS HUMAN SHIELDS TO DO THAT.

HOW ELSE DO YOU WANT THEM TO RESPOND?

THEY'RE DOING THE BEST THEY CAN TO TRY TO AVOID CASUALTIES.

>> Ted: FOR THOSE AROUND THE WORLD SAYING CEASE-FIRE, WHAT DO YOU SAY?

>> GO FORWARD.

IF THIS HAPPENED IN THE CITY OF PEORIA AND I'M THE MAYOR, OBVIOUSLY, BUT IF IT HAPPENED IN THE CITY OF FEEDBACK PHOENIX OR TEMPE, YOU DON'T IS AN INCIDENT TO STOP.

THEY'RE TRYING TO DO A HUMANITARIAN CORRIDOR WHERE THEY'RE TRYING TO GET OPPORTUNITIES, BUT IF THEY STOP, THEY GIVE HAMAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ESCAPE.

THIS CAN NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN TO ISRAEL.

>> Ted: THE PEOPLE THAT YOU TALK TO OVER THERE, THEIR GENERAL SENSE OF THINGS AND THEIR MOOD?

THEY HAD TO BE IN SHOCK?

>> I WOULD SAY THEY HAVE -- IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE ALWAYS BEEN -- I LOVE ABOUT ISRAEL, IS THE SOLDIERS I MET WITH, THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND, THE NATIONAL PRIDE OF HOW THEY CAN ACTUALLY STAND UP AND KNOW IF THERE'S SORROW AND THERE'S SORROW.

BUT YOUR PREVIOUS GUEST TALKS ABOUT SORROW AND JOY.

THE JOYFULNESS IS THEY KNOW THEY'LL DEFEND THEIR COUNTRY.

>> Ted: LAST QUESTION.

DID THE TRIP CHANGE YOU?

>> I'M THE FATHER OF SIX SONGS SONS AND IT PUT IN PERSPECTIVE OF THE THINGS I'LL DO AS MAYOR FOCUSED ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT AND I REALIZE THAT THAT IS WHAT IS ACTUALLY NEEDED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PROTECTING OUR CITIZENRY IN OUR CITY AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

>> Ted: THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY.

>> THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

>> PEOPLE PUT THEIR FAITH IN PBS BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT'S CONSTANTLY DELIVERING QUALITY.

IT COVERS THE WHOLE OF THE UNITED STATES AND IT'S A FREE AND INDEPENDENT MEDIA.

>> I'M.

>> I'M TED SIMONS, HOST OF ARIZONA HORIZON.

>> WHAT ARE THE CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?

>> WE FEEL CIVIL DISCOURSE IS A RESPONSIBILITY.

>> WE DO AUTHENTIC REPORTING.

>> WE GIVE TIME SO YOU CAN HEAR VOICES ON ALL SIDES OF AN ISSUE.

>> THIS IS THE PLACE PEOPLE TURN TO FOR STORIES THAT MATTER.

>> AND THEY KNOW WHEN THEY WALK AWAY, THEY WILL HAVE LEARNED SOMETHING ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND THEM.

>> THAT'S WHY THIS MAKES PBS IMPORTANT FOR DAILY LIVES AND IN OUR WORLD.

♪♪ >> Ted: ALL EYES ARE ON ARIZONA AS THE POLITICAL SEASON KICKS INTO GEAR.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> CLASSICAL ARIZONA PBS, LISTEN TO CLASSICAL ARIZONA P BS IN SURROUND, ON THE GO AND DOWNLOAD THE APP TO LISTEN TO EXCLUSIVE DEVICES.

VIEW VIDEOS, PICTURES AND MORE AND KEEP UP ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

"CLASSICAL ARIZONA PBS" YOUR CLASSICAL MUSICAL CONNECTION.

♪♪ >> TONIGHT ON THE NEWS HOUR ISRAELI FORCES RAID THE AL SHI FA HOSPITAL IN SEARCHCH SEARCH OF HAMAS.

>> Ted: AMBER WUTICH HAS BEEN SELECTED FOR HER WORK ON WATER ISSUES AND WE WORK AMBER WUTICH TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

CONGRATULATIONS!

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> Ted: WHAT DID YOU THINK WHEN YOU TOLD YOU WERE A MACARTHUR FELLOW?

>> I THOUGHT THERE WAS A MINI-MACARTUR.

>> Ted: WHAT IS A MACARTHUR FELLOWSHIP?

>> I'M STILL LEARNING THAT MYSELF, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS AN AWARD AND THERE IS AN $800,000 AWARD THAT COMES WITH IT.

>> Ted: THAT'S THE BEST THING TO UNDERSTAND, ISN'T IT?

BUT IT'S ALSO CALLED A GENIUS GRANT, FOR FOLKS CREATED IN THEIR FIELDS AND THE IDEA IS TO KEEP MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.

DOES IT GIVE YOU IMPETUS TO KEEP MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION?

>> I'M MOVING AS FAST AS I CAN AND QUESTIONED NEVER TO CALL MYSELF A GENIUS AND THAT'S THE UNOFFICIAL NAME.

>> Ted: THE FOCUS OF YOUR WORK AND THE REASON YOU'RE GETTING THIS FELLOWSHIP IS BASICALLY, WHAT, GETTING WATER TO PEOPLE AND SIMPLIFIED TO THAT?

>> YES.

SO THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD FOR MANY DECADES THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET WATER AND BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND INFRASTRUCTURE DECAY, WE'RE EXPECTING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE IN THIS SITUATION.

SO I WORK ON SOLUTIONS FOR PEOPLE OFF THE GRID OR WHOSE GRID IS NOT WORKING FOR THEM.

>> Ted: HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO JUST LITERALLY FIGHT WATER INSECURITY?

>> IT'S AN UPHILL BATTLE.

>> Ted: YEAH.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE REASONS?

>> WELL, WATER INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS MAINTENANCE AND YOU CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND IN A FEW YEARS, YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO MAINTAIN THAT SOLUTION.

>> Ted: WHAT ARE AREAS THAT YOU'VE DONE TO THE RESEARCH AND HELPED, WHERE?

>> MY EARLIEST WORK WAS IN BOLIVIA AFTER THE WATER WAR AND LAYERED APPROACHES HAVING MANY SOURCES OF WATER ARE BETTER FOR WATER-INSECURE COMMUNITIES INDEPENDENT.

>> Ted: GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE.

>> WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO BUY WATER FROM A WATER TRUCK AND HAVE A WELL THAT SUPPLIES WATER, AS WELL, AND CAPTURE RAINWATER.

THAT WOULD BE THREE LAYERS OF WATER PROVISION.

>> Ted: YOU'RE HELPING THESE FOLKS FIGURE THIS OUT AND IN THIS CASE, BOLIVIA AND IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.

HOW MUCH OF A MENTAL ASPECT IS IT FOR FOLKS WHO ARE LITERALLY NOT SURE WHERE THE NEXT DROP OF WATER IS COMING FROM?

>> IT'S A HUGE MENTAL ASPECT.

THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THE MACARTUR AWARD RECOGNIZES PEP PEOPLE CAN HAVE ANXIETY OR DEPRESSION WHEN THEY'RE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

>> Ted: THESE COPING CONDITIONS, ENOUGH PEOPLE FEEL THIS WAY AND TIED OF AND TIRED OF FEELING THIS WAY.

>> WE THINK WHEN PEOPLE FEEL THEY OUGHT TO BE SUPPLIEDED SOMETHING THEY'RE NOT, THIS IS WHAT CREATES THAT ANGER THAT MOTIVATES POLITICAL ACTION.

>> Ted: WHEN YOU DO THIS RESEARCH AND COLLABORATE TO A CERTAIN DEGREE AND HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT COLLABORATION?

>> IT'S EVERYTHING.

SO I'M AN ANTHROPOLOGIST AND ONE THING IS TO LEARN TO SURVIVE AS THE PIPE IN PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY DO.

YOU NEED TO PARTICIPATE WITH PEOPLE AND HEAR THEIR PROBLEMS AND LISTEN TO SOLUTIONS THAT MATTER TO THEM.

>> Ted: IS THAT SOMETHING YOU LEARNED ALONG THE WAY OR THAT CAME NATURAL TO YOU WHEN YOU FIRST HIT THE GROUND?

>> YOU KNOW WHAT, I WAS A GIRL SCOUT FOR A LONG TIME AND I THINK THOSE SKILLS OF LEADERSHIP AND LISTENING TO COMMUNITY AND BUILDING COMMUNITY ARE ESSENTIAL IN SO MANY RELMS.

I RUN A 20-COUNTRY STUDY AND I'VE WORKED ALL OVER LATIN AMERICA AND NORTH AMERICA.

OUR STUDY HAS SITES ALL OVER THE WORLD.

>> Ted: ARE THE GOAL POSTS MOVING WITH WATER SECURITY SIMPLY BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE?

>> THEY REALLY ARE.

>> Ted: TALK TO US ABOUT THAT.

>> NORMSLY.

ENORMOUSLY.

IN ARIZONA, WE'RE WORKING TO HAVE EXCELLENT WATER SERVICE AND COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE FACING PROBLEMS.

HERE IT'S TROUT DROUGHT AND WE HAVE HURRICANES AND MANY DIFFERENT STRESSORS AS CLIMATE CHANGE ADVANCES.

>> Ted: WHEN YOU ADDRESS THIS, BE IT FLOODING OR DROUGHT, HOW MUCH -- THIS IS A WARE A WEIRD QUESTION, BUT HOW MUCH IMPROVES BECAUSE YOU'RE THERE AND HOW LONG DOES IT STAY IMPROVED?

>> SO IF THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO IS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS HOW CAN WE WORK IT AND MULTIPLY THE EFFECT BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY IS THERE WORKING TOGETHER.

FOR THE KINDS OF SOLUTIONS, THE ENGINEERS HAVE HAD THESE SOLUTIONS IN MANY CASES 20 YEARS OR A DECADE BUT THE SOCIAL PIECE ISN'T THERE AND HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE TO COOPERATE AND MAINTAIN AND GROW THESE SOLUTIONS AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE WORK ON.

>> Ted: HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

>> IT DEPENDS ON THE COMMUNITY AND THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT ARE CREATING SOCIAL NETWORKS, CULTURAL NORMS AND INFORMAL ECONOMIES.

HELPING YOUR NEIGHBOR AND NOT CHARGING THEM, THOSE ARE THE MECHANISMS WE'RE LOOKING TO GROW.

>> Ted: YOU MENTIONED YOU WERE A GIRL SCOUT AND WHAT GOT YOU SO INTERESTED?

LET STICK WITH WATER AND YOU DO SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS SO I'LL STICK WITH WATER.

WHAT GOT YOU SO INTERESTED IN WATER?

>> I'M FROM SOUTH FLORIDA AND I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL DURING HURRICANE ANDREW AND IT WAS AN ENORMOUS HURRICANE EVENT.

WE HAD TO RESTORE WATER AND RELIED ON NORMS AND NETWORKS TO SURVIVE IN THE TIME AFTER THE HURRICANE.

IT ATUNED MY ATTENTION TO HOW DO COMMUNITIES RESPOND TO DISASTERS DISASTERS.

QUICK DISASTERS LIKE HURRICANES AND LONGER-TERM LIKE DROUGHTS WE DIDN'T KNOW.

>> Ted: COULD YOU FIND YOURSELF MAKING YOURSELF USEFUL OFF THE BAT THERE AND IS THIS SOMETHING THAT NEEDED ATTENTION?

>> IT CERTAINLY DOES.

>> Ted: WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS YOU'RE GETTING THE MACARTHUR FELLOW.

SURFACE THE FUTURE, IS IT WHACK AWHACK-A-MOLE?

>> SO IF WE GET THAT SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE PIECE RIGHT AND PEOPLE BUILDING THE SOLUTIONS COOPERATIVELY, IT'S NOT A WHACK-A-MOLE AND COMMUNITIES ARE SELF SUSTAINING AND ADDRESS THESE AS THEY.

UP.

>> Ted: $800,000 IN FIVE YEARS, WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH THAT MONEY?

>> WE'RE DOING SUCH IMPORTANT THINGS.

AS A PART OF THE ARIZONA WATER INITIATIVE, I'M LEADING THE WATER FOR ALL NETWORK AND WE WORK WITH THE HOUSEHOLDS TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS.

>> Ted: STICKING CLOSE TO HOME FOR THAT ONE.

>> I LOVE ARIZONA.

>> Ted: AMBER WUTICH, THE 2023 MACARTHUR FELLOW, THAT'S QUITE AN ACHIEVEMENT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Ted: THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I'M TED SIMONS AND YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING!

♪♪