PRACTICES THAT PRESERVE LOUISIANA.

THE GOAL OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE REALLY IS TO ENSURE THAT OUR KIDS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN BE LEFT WITH A CLEANER PLANET.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THE FRED B.

AND RUTH B. ZIEGLER FOUNDATION AND THE ZIEGLER ART MUSEUM LOCATED IN JENNINGS CITY HALL.

THE MUSICAL FOCUSES ON EMERGING LOUISIANA ARTISTS AND IS A HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CENTER FOR SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.

AND THE FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE IN LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

WITH SUPPORT FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

IF WE ENCOURAGE AND WE INSPIRE, WE CAN SAVE SOME LIVES.

DEALING WITH HIV 40 YEARS LATER.

THERE IS NO WAY TO TELL SPECIFICALLY HOW MANY EVENTS TAKE PLACE ON ANY GIVEN DAY.

CYBER-SECURITY BECOMING A BIGGER THREAT.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH AND THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH ARE COMPLETELY SEPARATE.

A VETO OVERRIDE SESSION BECOMING MORE LIKELY AND A PRE-TEEN MAKING HISTORY.

HI, EVERYONE, I'M KARA ST. CYR.

ANDRE' MOREAU HAS THE NIGHT OFF.

WE BEGIN WITH NEWS ABOUT A FORMER LOUISIANA GOVERNOR, EDWIN EDWARDS, ENTERS INTO HOSPICE CARE.

HE MADE THE DECISION AFTER BEING RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL IN AN AMBULANCE.

HE ASSURED EVERYONE HE'S OKAY AND SAYS THIS IS THE BEST OPTION FOR HIS FAMILY AND NOT BECAUSE OF DECLINING HEALTH.

ALSO HAPPENING THIS WEEK, THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CONFIRMED 30 FULLY VACCINATED PEOPLE CAUGHT COVID AND DIED.

DR. JOSEPH KANTER WITH LDH SAYS THESE BREAKTHROUGH CASES ARE RARE, BUT WE WILL SEE MORE AS INFECTION RATES RISE.

HE RECOMMENDS EVERYONE GET VACCINATED TO REDUCE THE SPREAD.

AND NOW WE WILL LOOK AT OTHER NEWS MAKING HEADLINES ACROSS THE STATE.

LAWMAKERS ARE DEMANDING AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE PRACTICES OF THE LOUISIANA STATE POLICE.

THE LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS IS ASKING THE DOJ TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE POLICE VIOLATED THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

THEY WROTE A LETTER TO THE U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL SHOWING EXAMPLES OF WHAT THEY CALL GROSS MISCONDUCT.

IN CASES OF RONALD GREEN AND AARON BOWMAN.

TWO MEN THAT DIED DURING SCUFFLES WITH THE POLICE.

THE ACLU ALSO ASKED THE DEPARTMENT CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION TO LOOK INTO AGENCY TACTICS.

MORE SOLAR POWER IS IN THE WORKS FOR LOUISIANA.

FEW COMPANIES ARE LOOKING AT RURAL PARTS OF THE STATE TO BUILD SEVEN DIFFERENT PROJECTS, WITH AT LEAST THREE LOCATED IN UNINCORPORATED AREAS.

DEVELOPERS SAY 200 MILLION IN PROJECT MONEY, IN THIBIDEAUX AND BOGOLOUSA WOULS WOULD YIELD 200 MEGAWATTS OF POWER.

ANOTHER 145 MILLION IN SINGER WOULD YIELD ABOUT THE SAME.

THE DEVELOPERS SAY THE PROJECTS WOULD CREATE SEVERAL CONSTRUCTION JOBS.

THEY ESTIMATE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 160 TO 300 WOULD BE AVAILABLE.

IF YOU DON'T LIKE SNAKES, YOU MAY NOT LIKE THE NEXT STORY.

A 12-FOOT BURMESE PYTHON WAS ON THE LOOSE AT THE MALL OF LOUISIANA.

CARA ESCAPED HER ENCLOSURE AT THE BLUE ZOO AND SUCCESSFULLY HID FROM EVERYONE FOR AT LEAST FOUR DAYS.

IN A STATEMENT, THE BLUE ZOO WROTE THE STAFF CREATED A SAFE HOME FOR THE SNAKE, BUT SHE SLITHERED OUT AND ESCAPED ANYWAY.

WORKERS AND ANIMAL EXPERTS WERE CALLED IN TO FIND HER.

SHE WAS CURLED UP IN A TIGHT BALL IN THE CEILING.

WORKERS FINALLY GOT TO HER.

SHE WAS TAKEN TO THE VET SCHOOL TO BE CHECKED OUT.

WORKERS AT THE BLUE ZOO SAY THEY WILL BE BACK ONCE THEY TIGHTEN SECURITY AROUND HER ENCLOSURE.

IF YOU ARE IN NEW ORLEANS FOR THE 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND, A CELEBRITY MAY HAVE BEEN THE REASON FOR THE FIRECRACKERS YOU SAW.

ACTOR WILL SMITH SPENT 100,000 FOR THE ANNUAL FIREWORKS SHOW ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

SMITH WAS IN TOWN FILMING A MEDICAL CENTER CALLED "EMANCIPATION," WHEN HE FOUND OUT THE CITY WASN'T GOING TO POP FIREWORKS FOR THE HOLIDAY.

THEY CANCELED THE ANNUAL EVENT LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF COVID-19.

HE FOOTED THE BILL FOR ALL THE PYROTECHNICS, AND THE SHOW WENT ON WITHOUT A HITCH.

NEVER BEFORE HAVE LAWMAKERS SUCCESSFULLY VOTED FOR A VETO OVERRIDE SESSION, BUT THIS YEAR, SOME LEGISLATORS AGREE THAT IT IS A VERY REAL POSSIBLY.

GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS VETOED SEVERAL BILLS THAT LEGISLATORS SAY WERE ESSENTIAL.

A DIVIDE IS GROWING BETWEEN LAWMAKERS CALLING FOR THE VETO OVERRIDE SESSION, AND THOSE WHO THINK IT WOULD BE UNNECESSARY.

I SPOKE WITH REPRESENTATIVES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE SPECTRUM, AND HERE'S WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.

PRESSURE FOR ACTION IS MOUNTING AT THE CAPITAL AFTER THE SESSION ENDED IN JUNE, SOME LAWMAKERS WERE LEFT DISSATISFIED WITH WHAT HAPPENED OR WHAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

HOUSE GOP LEADER BLAKE MIGUEZ SAYS THE GOVERNOR VETOED SEVERAL KEY REPUBLICAN BILLS THAT WON BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

LAST FRIDAY, THEY VETOED, I BELIEVE, ROUGHLY 25 BILLS FROM THE HOUSE AND SENATE MEMBERS, ALL REPUBLICANS, THAT DEALT WITH THE BALANCE OF POWER, TRANSPARENCY, GOVERNMENT, PASSPORTS, EVEN SO FAR AS THE BILLS WERE LOCAL.

SOME OF THE BILLS WERE SUPPORTED BY BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, OVERWHELMING MAJORITY, IN SOME CASE, UNANIMOUS SUPPORT.

OUT OF THOSE BILLS THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT WERE THE FAIRNESS OF WOMEN SPORTS BILL, WHICH PASSED WITH TRANSGENDER GIRLS, PARTICIPATING IN GIRLS SPORTS, AND THE CONCEAL AND CARRY BILL, THAT WOULD MAKE THE PERMIT REQUIRED TO CARRY A GUN.

BOTH PASSED WITH FLYING COLORS ONLY TO BE REJECTED BY THE GOVERNOR.

JOHN BEL EDWARDS SAID EARLY ON HE WOULD NOT SUPPORT THE TRANSGENDER GIRLS BILL CALLING IT DISCRIMINATORY.

HE SAID HE WOULD NOT SIGN A CONCEAL AND CARRY BILL BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THE PERMIT WAS A GOOD BALANCE.

THE GOVERNOR'S DECISION IS TEARING THE CAPITAL DOWN THE MIDDLE.

THE WOMAN'S FAIRNESS IN SPORTS AND THE CONCEAL AND CARRY BILL, AFFECT MANY ACROSS LOUISIANA.

MANY SUPPORTED THE BILLS, AMONG OTHERS.

A VETO OVERRIDE SESSION IS THE ONLY WAY TO SETTLE THE DISPUTE.

HALF OF THE MEMBERS FROM THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE WOULD NEED TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE VETO SESSION FOR IT TO HAPPEN.

IT IS LOOKING LIKE THE SUPPORT IS BUILDING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM.

BUT AS SUPPORT IS MOUNTING, SO IS OPPOSITION.

REPRESENTATIVE KYLE GREEN SAYS THAT SESSION WOULD BE A WASTE OF TIME.

I THINK THE GOVERNMENT EXERCISED GOOD JUDGMENT IN VETOING SOME OF THE BILLS.

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE BILLS, MORE VETOES ISSUED, BUT YOU KNOW, THIS GOVERNOR HAS ALWAYS INDICATED THAT HE WOULD GOVERNOR FROM A CENTRAL POSITION AND ALLS WORKING IN A BIPARTISAN FASHION, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE'S DONE, IN STRIKING A GOOD BALANCE AND WORKING WITH MEMBERS AND OUR FRIENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE.

GREEN THINKS THE BILLS LAWMAKERS WANT TO OVERRIDE WOULD COME BACK AND HAUNT THE STATE IN THE LONG RUN.

TO HIM THE FAIRNESS AND WOMEN'S SPORTS BILL IS NOT AN ISSUE IN LOUISIANA.

SINCE THERE HAVEN'T BEEN REPORTS OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENING.

IF YOU LOOK IN LOUISIANA NOW, THERE IS NOT ONE SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE A TRANSGENDER WOMAN PLAYING AGAINST BIOLOGICAL WOMEN.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT HERE.

IT'S NOT HAPPENING IN HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE LHSSA HAS PROMULGATED RULES THAT PREVENT THAT.

ON TOP OF THAT, WHAT MESSAGE DO WE SEND TO OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO ARE TRANSGENDER?

WHILE IN THE CONCEAL AND CARRY ISSUE, GREEN SAYS IT'S JUST DANGEROUS, AND HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE.

ORGANIZATIONS AND LOBBY GROUPS ARE STARTING TO GET INVOLVED IN THE VETO OVERRIDE SESSION.

LOUISIANA PROGRESS ACTION IS WORKING AGAINST IT.

I WAS PERSONALLY NOT A HUGE FAN OF THE TAX REFORM COMPROMISE THAT CAME OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR, RIGHT.

NONETHELESS, IT DID REQUIRE BRINGING A LOT OF PEOPLE TOGETHER, IT IS A MASSIVE CHANGE TO THE SYSTEM.

AND IF THE GOVERNOR VETOED THAT, AND THEY DECIDED WE NEED A VETO OVERRIDE SESSION, WE CAME UP WITH THIS GIANT TAX REFORM, IT WAS BIPARTISAN, AND WE NEED TO DO A VETO OVERRIDE SESSION FOR THAT, I COULD UNDERSTAND THAT.

THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO ME.

I THINK WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING MORE ON HOW DO WE RAISE THAT MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME LEVEL FROM 48th IN THE COUNTRY, I THINK WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING MORE ON THAT, THAN OVERRIDING VETOES ON HARMFUL BILLS.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT ARGUMENT, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ARE PRESSING FOR IT.

THE LOUISIANA FAMILY FORUM IS FIGHTING TO OVERRIDE THOSE BILLS JUST LIKE REPRESENTATIVE MIGUEZ.

THEY WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO COMMENT.

BLAKE MIGUEZ SAYS WHETHER THE BILLS ARE OVERRODE OR NOT, IT WILL SET A PRECEDENT IN THE FUTURE FOR LAWMAKERS TO OPPOSE WHAT THEY THINK IS RIGHT OR WRONG.

OUR FOUNDING FATHERS SET UP THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT, THE LEGISLATIVE, EXECUTIVE, AND JUDICIAL BRANCH.

IT'S IMPORTANT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE THAT THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, AND EXECUTIVE BRANCH ARE COMPLETELY SEPARATE AND OPERATE INDEPENDENT OF EACH OTHER.

IF ENOUGH LAWMAKERS GIVE THEIR SUPPORT, THAT SESSION WOULD BEGIN ON JULY 20.

SEVERAL COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD ARE FIGHTING A HUGE CYBERSECURITY BREACH.

BIG BUSINESSES DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO VERY SENSITIVE DATA.

HACKERS ARE HOLDING IT FOR RANSOM AND DEMANDING MILLIONS IN EXCHANGE.

EXPERTS SAY WE CAN EXPECT MORE BREACHES LIKE THIS IN THE FUTURE, EVEN IN PLACES LIKE LOUISIANA.

I SPOKE WITH A TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST WHO SAYS THAT PREPARATION IS KEY.

IT'S CLEAR TECHNOLOGY WILL BE WITH US FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

THAT MEANS ALL OF THE CONVENIENCES AND ALL THE DANGERS WILL STICK AROUND, TOO, AND EXPERTS SAY THAT IT'S BEST TO BE PREPARED FOR THE WORST.

ON FRIDAY, RUSSIAN LINKED HACKERS TARGETED THE SOFTWARE COMPANY KASEYA BASED IN FLORIDA.

IT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN.

HACKERS CAN TAKE OVER A BUSINESS AND HOLD IT FOR RANSOM.

IN THIS PARTICULAR ATTACK, THE HACKERS ARE ASKING FOR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN EXCHANGE FOR THE COMPANY'S DATA.

EXPERTS ARE SAYING THAT IT'S LIKELY THESE ATTACKS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO GET WORSE OVER TIME.

THEY WON'T ALWAYS TARGET LARGE BUSINESSES.

INSTEAD, SMALL, MORE LOCAL ONES.

EVEN HERE IN LOUISIANA, ARE VULNERABLE.

THE CEO OF TRUST I.T.

SAYS WE HAVE SEEN THE BEGINNING OF CYBER-ATTACKS HERE.

THERE IS NO WAY TO TELL SPECIFICALLY HOW MANY EVENTS TAKE PLACE ON ANY GIVEN DAY BECAUSE THERE IS NO CENTRAL REPORTING REQUIREMENT.

AN INDIVIDUAL CAN GET HIT WITH RANSOMWARE OR A BUSINESS MAY GET HIT WITH RANSOMWARE OR A CYBER-BREACH, BUT THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE THAT UNLESS THERE IS A BREACH OF PRIVATE INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE TO REVEAL TOOK PLACE.

THERE WAS NOT AN ACCURATE NUMBER TO TELL US HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE REALLY FALLING VICTIM TO THESE ATTACKS, BUT ACCORDING TO SECULORE, AN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO DOCUMENTING BREACHES, LOUISIANA HAS SEEN 26 CYBER-ATTACKS FROM 2019 TO NOW.

MOST OF THEM TARGET LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, HOSPITALS, AND SCHOOLS.

HANSON SAYS THESE PLACES, ALONG WITH SMALL BUSINESSES, HOLD SENSITIVE INFORMATION THAT HACKERS WANT FOR ONE OF TWO THINGS.

RANSOM AND ESPIONAGE.

A LOT OF THEM ARE RANSOMWARE BECAUSE THE GOAL THERE IS FOR THE CYBER-CRIMINALS TO MAKE MONEY, RIGHT SO THEY ARE GOING TO ENCRYPT THE DATA ON THE COMPUTER, SHUT DOWN THE SYSTEM, AND HOPEFULLY, ALSO DELETE THE BACKUPS, WHERE YOU HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TWO THINGS, ONE GO OUT OF BUSINESS OR TWO, PAYING A RANSOM.

THE OTHER GOALS ARE ESPIONAGE.

S THAT IS REFERRED TO AS A SUPPLY CHAIN ATTACK.

THE GOAL IS NOT RANSOMWARE.

IT WAS FOR THE MALICIOUS SOFTWARE TO SPREAD ACROSS THE NETWORKS SO THEY COULD DO ESPIONAGE, YOU KNOW, GET THAT ON DATA AND SYSTEMS, SO THE GOAL WASN'T, THERE WASN'T EXTORTION, YOU KNOW.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT LATER.

BUT THEY HAVE TWO SEPARATE GOALS, ESPIONAGE VERSUS EXTORTION.

EVEN IF THE ODDS OF MORE CYBER-ATTACKS ARE GROWING, HANSON SAYS THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT YOUR SMALL BUSINESS OR PERSONAL COMPUTER.

THE FIRST THING IS OBVIOUS, YOU WILL NEED VERY STRONG ANTI-VIRUS SOLUTIONS.

THE STRONGER YOUR BARRIERS ARE, THE LESS LIKELY YOU GO BE HACKED.

THE SECOND LINE OF DEFENSE IS TO KEEP HIGH QUALITY BACKUPS.

A LOT OF TIMES WHEN HACKERS TAKE YOUR COMPUTER FOR RANSOM THEY TRY TO DESTROY THE BACK-UPS.

YOU HAVE NO OTHER OPTION BUT TO PAY UP.

NEXT, MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE TWO FACTOR THEY NOTCATION FOR YOUR DEVICES, THAT MEANS YOU HAVE A CODE TO DETERMINE IT'S YOU AND NOT A HACKER.

A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS IS WHEN YOU LOG INTO YOUR EMAIL FROM ANOTHER DEVICE AND YOU GET A NOTIFICATION ON THE PHONE, ASKING YOU TO VERIFY WHETHER IT'S YOU.

AND LASTING, HANSON SAYS TRAINING GOES A LONG WAY.

INVESTING IN CYBERSECURITY TRAINING AND PHISHING, TRAINING AND TESTING OF YOUR STAFF BECAUSE A STAFF THAT IS WISE AND UNDERSTANDS WHAT PHISHING ATTEMPTS ARE AND WHAT SORT OF TACTICS THEY USE TO GET YOU TO CLICK ON LINKS AND OPEN MALICIOUS WEBSITES AND DO THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD NOT DO WITH YOUR COMPUTER, IF YOUR STAFF IS AWARE OF THOSE THINGS, THEY STOP DOING THOSE THINGS OR MINIMIZE THE OCCURRENCE OF THAT WHICH LOWERS YOUR ABILITY TO BE HIT SO AN EDUCATED STAFF IN TERMS OF CYBERCYBERIS REALLY IMPORTANT.

YOU STILL HAVE A SECURITY BREACH, MAKE SURE THAT YOU REPORT IT.

DR. JOYCE TURNER KELLER IS ONE OF LOUISIANA'S MOST ARTICULATE AND VOCAL VOICES ON THE SUBJECT OF HIV THE PANDEMIC IS NOW IN ITS 40th YEAR OF EXISTENCE.

MORE THAN 77 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BECOME INFECTED, WITH HIV DURING THAT TIME, AND MORE THAN 37 MILLION HAVE DIED.

LPB'S ANDRE' MOREAU SAT DOWN WITH KELLER TO HEAR HER VIEW ON WHAT'S CHANGED IN THE FOUR DECADES AND WHAT HASN'T.

WHAT HASN'T CHANGED ABOUT HIV IS THE STIGMA AND THE DISCRIMINATION THAT'S ATTACHED TO IT.

THE ALIENATION, THE RE," THE --E REJECTION.

SOCIETY IS STILL THINKING IT IS NECESSARY FOR ME TO DISCLOSE THAT I AM LIVING WITH HIV YOU KNOW, JUST THE DEFINITION, ITSELF, HOW PEOPLE PERCEIVE PEOPLE WHO ARE HIV POSITIVE AS, THAT HASN'T CHANGED.

WHAT HASN'T CHANGED IS THE MENTALITY AROUND HIV HOW PEOPLE SEEM TO WANT TO DIMINISH YOUR WORRIES, AND ESPECIALLY PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE FIELD OF HOOD RIVER, I HAVE FOUND THAT OFTENTIMES, WHEN I AM INVITED TO SPEAK, THAT THEY WILL PREFER TO PAY SOMEONE ELSE A DECENT SALARY.

LET'S SAY, A STIPEND.

BUT WHEN I AM ASKED TO SPEAK, USUALLY IT'S BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST THAT THEY WANT TO MAKE IT APPEAR THAT I OWE THE COMMUNITY SOMETHING BECAUSE I AM HIV POSITIVE, AND I SHOULD SPEAK AND JUST DO IT, FOR FREE.

BUT I CAN'T.

I MEAN, THAT DOESN'T PAY MY BILLS.

AND I KNOW MY WORRIES.

I AM MORE THAN A WOMAN LIVING WITH HIV I AM A PROFESSIONAL.

I AM A MOTHER.

I AM A WOMAN.

AND I BRING A LOT TO THE TABLE.

AND YOU HAVE BEEN OUT THERE.

I'VE BEEN OUT THERE.

AND I HAVE EARNED MY STRIPES.

I HAVE EARNED MY STRIPES IN A BUNCH OF WAYS.

I HAVE DEALT WITH DISCRIMINATION ON EVERY LEVEL.

IN THE CHURCH, I HAVE DEALT WITH IT IN POLITICAL SITUATIONS.

I HAVE DEALT WITH THE SAME REJECTION THAT ANYBODY ELSE DEALS WITH.

AND YET, PEOPLE STILL WANT TO DEVALUE YOU BECAUSE OF YOUR STATUS.

THAT HAS NOT CHANGED.

THAT HAS NOT CHANGED.

THE AVERAGE PERSON WHO GOES TO CHURCH, BELIEVES THAT THEY ARE EXEMPT FROM HIV THEY THINK THAT THEY CAN PRAY IT AWAY, AND I AM A LIVING TESTIMONY THAT PRAYER DOESN'T STOP YOU FROM BECOMING INFECTED.

WHAT ABOUT SINCE THE WOMEN IN FILM SERIES YOU GO, YOU WERE FEATURED IN, WHAT DID THAT FILM SERIES TEACH PEOPLE?

WHAT DID TEACH -- I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED HERE IN THE CITY, WHEN I WAS SITTING UNDER THE BRIDGE DOING TESTING AND WORKING WITH THE HOMELESS POPULATION, SOME POLITICIANS, THE COMMUNITY LEADERS TOOK NOTE TO SEE THEMSELVES ON A GLOBAL LEVEL, WITH PEOPLE UNDER THE BRIDGE, LIVING, AND THEY SAW -- TRYING TO FIND PUBLIC HOUSING SO THAT IMPACTED THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY IN A GREAT WAY.

AND ALSO, THE CONVERSATION AROUND HIV BECAME A LOT LOUDER IN THE CHURCHES.

THE GENDER IDENTITY, YOU KNOW, BECAME AN OPEN CONVERSATION.

AND I MADE SURE THAT THAT WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE PEOPLE DESERVE TO BE LOVED.

I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE.

AND MY PREMISE, WHAT I BELIEVE, AS A MINISTER, IS THAT GOD IS INCLUSIVE.

GOD IS INCLUSIVE.

AND IF I AM ABOUT MY FATHER'S BUSINESS, THEN I MUST WALK THAT PATH AND BE EQUALLY AS INCLUSIVE.

SO THAT IS BEING BROUGHT INTO A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS, AND IT BEGAN TO OPEN DOORS TO WHERE PEOPLE BEGAN TO LET ME IN, AND THEY WANTED TO HEAR IT.

AND THEN THE SMALL GATHERINGS, AT THE KITCHEN TABLE, WHERE PEOPLE BEGAN TO SECRETLY CALL, SO THE CONVERSATION STARTED CHILDREN STARTED -- YOUNG PEOPLE STARTED HAVING A SAFE PLACE TO FALL.

SO IT OPENED SOME DOORS, OPENED SOME EYES, AND OPENED SOME EARS.

I'VE BEEN IN THIS FIGHT FOR 20 YEARS SINCE MY DIAGNOSIS.

I MEAN, FROM DAY ONE.

THE MINUTE I FOUNDED OUT THAT I WAS POSITIVE, I AM LIKE OKAY, HERE'S ANOTHER FIGHT.

I AM IN IT.

I AM NOT IN IT JUST TO FIGHT.

I AM IN IT TO WIN IT.

THERE ARE DAYS THAT I AM TIRED.

BUT I KNOW THAT IT HAS TO BE DONE.

SOMEBODY HAS TO DO THIS.

WHAT HAS CHANGED, ARE OUR MEDS.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE A WHOLE BUNCH OF PILLS NOW.

WE CAN TAKE ONE PILL, OR YOU CAN TAKE A SHOT, BUT YOU MAY HAVE TO TAKE EVERY THREE MONTHS.

SO THAT'S CHANGED, YOU KNOW.

SCIENCE HAS REALLY GIVEN US SOME HELP SO THAT HAS CHANGED.

THE WAY ADVOCACY IS DONE HAS CHANGED.

THE WAY THAT WE ARE SERVING OUR COMMUNITY HAS CHANGED.

AND I CAN'T ALWAYS SAY IT'S FOR THE BETTER.

ONE THING THAT CONTINUES, THERE IS NO CURE.

THERE IS NO CURE.

I SAY THERE IS NO CURE BECAUSE THERE IS MORE MONEY IN THE TREATMENT THAN THERE IS IN PREVENTION.

I MEAN, LET'S BE REAL ABOUT IT.

MEDICINES ARE SKY HIGH.

THE MEDICINE IS HIGH.

THERE IS A LOT, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THAT RESEARCH HAS TO BE PAID FOR.

ISSUE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES HAVE TO BE PAID.

EVERYBODY HAS TO BE PAID.

DOCTORS HAVE TO BE PAID.

IF THERE WAS A CURE, IF IT WOULD ELIMINATE THE JOBS, IT WOULD CUT DOWN ON THE REVENUE.

HOW DO PEOPLE AFFORD IT?

BEING SO EXPENSIVE?

IF I DIDN'T HAVE MEDICARE, I WOULD, BUT THERE ARE SOME OF THESE PRESCRIPTION PROGRAMS THAT HELP TO AFFORD THE MEDS.

THEY HELP TO AFFORD.

BUT, IF A PRODUCT IS 1,500 A MONTH, YOU GET 10% OFF OF THAT, BUT YOU STILL -- OR 40 OR EVEN 50%, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO AFFORD IT?

SO A BUNCH OF THESE PROGRAMS, THE PATIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, MEDICAID, MEDICARE, OBAMA CARE, SOME PEOPLE -- WE WOULD NOT HAVE MEDICAL CARE.

WHAT DO YOU SEE NEXT?

HOPEFULLY WHAT I WILL SEE IS A MORE COMPASSIONATE COUNTRY.

HOPEFULLY, I WILL SEE THE NEXT GENERATION.

TAKE UP THIS MANTLE, LIKE MY GRANDCHILDREN.

THEY ARE ALL CERTIFIED WITH HIV AND EDUCATION, AND IF WE EDUCATE, IF WE TEACH, IF WE EMPOWER, IF WE ENCOURAGE, AND WE INSPIRE, WE CAN SAVE SOME LIVES, AND WE CAN END THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV AND AIDS.

WE CAN STOP THE SPREAD OF IT.

AND WE HAVE THE TOOLS TO DO IT.

WE, AS LEADERS, SHOULD BE THE MENTORS THAT LEAD BY EXAMPLE, AND THAT'S HOW WE CAN END THE FIGHT.

GREAT STUFF.

LOVE YOU.

LOVE YOU, TOO.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

THANK YOU.

A GIRL IN LAFAYETTE IS MAKING HISTORY AS THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO WIN MISLAFAYETTE PRE-TEEN USA.

SHE DID NOT START PARTICIPATING IN PAGEANTS UNTIL SHE WAS 11 YEARS OLD, AND NOW SHE'S TAKEN HOME SEVERAL TITLES, AND SAYS SHE WON'T STOP UNTIL SHE'S MISS UNIVERSE, I AM INTRODUCING YOU TONIGHT TO HEAVEN BREAUX.

TONIGHT'S MISS UNIVERSE IS SOUTH AFRICA.

WHEN SHE WAS CROWNED MISS UNIVERSITY IN 2019 IT WAS A WIN FOR SOUTH AFRICANS.

YOU SEE THAT?

IT WAS ALSO A WIN FOR HEAVEN, WATCHING THE PAGEANT AT HOME IN LAFAYETTE.

ALL HER DREAMS HAVE COME TRUE JUST LIKE THAT.

TO SEE SOUTH AFRICA WALKING THIS RUNWAY IN THIS GOWN, IT MADE ME WANT TO BE LIKE HER.

MISS AFRICA'S LOOK WAS NOTHING SEEN BEFORE, HER HAIR WAS SHORT AND NATURAL, AND SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL ON THE STAGE.

WHEN SHE WALKED AWAY WITH THE CROWN, IT IGNITED SOMETHING IN HEAVEN, A MOTIVATION TO DO WHAT MISSED SOUTH AFRICA HAD CON, WIN.

SHE SAW HERSELF BEING MISS SOUTH AFRICA.

SHE WAS STUNNED BY THE WAY SHE WALKED ON STAGE.

THE CONFIDENCE THAT SHE HAD.

SHE WAS JUST LIKE, SO OVERWHELMED WITH IT, AND THAT'S WHEN SHE ASKED WHY CAN'T SHE DO IT?

AND YOU KNOW, I JUST THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR A MINUTE, AND I WAS LIKE, WHY CAN'T YOU?

HEAVEN'S MOTHER START FROM SCRATCH.

SHE DIDN'T KNOW THE FIRST THING ABOUT GETTING A CHILD READY FOR A BEAUTY PAGEANT, SO SHE TURNED TO THE ONLY PLACE THAT SHE KNEW COULD TEACH HER SOMETHING, I-84.

-- UITSELF TUBE.

-- THEY WATCHED UTUBE.

I WAS SO NERVOUS BECAUSE IT WAS MY FIRST PAGEANT, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO REALLY WALK AT THAT TIME.

SO, I HAD GONE ONSTAGE, AND THEN I JUST WENT OFF THE STAGE.

ALL THE REST OF THE GIRLS, WHEN THEY CAME ON, THEY WERE DOING THINGS WITH THEIR DRESSES.

AND THEN WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR CROWNING, EVERYBODY GOT AN AWARD.

DON'T FEEL TOO BAD FOR HEAVEN, THIS LOSS WAS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

SHE STILL WANTED TO HAVE HER MISS UNIVERSE MOMENT, AND IT WOULDN'T COME WITHOUT A BIT OF FAILURE AND A LITTLE PERSEVERANCE, WHICH SHE NEEDED FOR HER NEXT COUPLE OF PAGEANTS.

SHE TRIED ONE NOT LONG AFTER THE FIRST LOSS, BUT THAT DIDN'T GO SO WELL, EITHER.

THIS TIME SHE DID NOT HAVE THE RIGHT DRESS.

YOU NEEDED LIKE A GLITTERY DRESS.

BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

WE HAD TO GO ON AMAZON AND BOUGHT A DRESS FROM THERE.

IT WAS ANOTHER LOSS THAT SHE COULD USE AS MOTIVATION TO KEEP GOING.

AND AFTER THAT, SHE FINALLY GOT HER WIN.

THE CROWN OF THE 2020 -- IT WAS THE CONFIDENCE BOOST THAT SHE NEEDED TO GO ALL THE WAY.

BUT THE NEXT COMPETITION SHE PRACTICED FOR WAS IN THE BIG LEAGUES.

LAFAYETTE PRE-TEEN USA, THE STEPPINGSTONE FOR MISS USA PACKAGES.

IF SHE WON THIS SHE COULD BE MISS UNIVERSE DOWN THE LINE.

SHE WANTED TO TRY OUT FOR IT.

I SAID WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME TO PRACTICE TO GET IT RIGHT.

SHE WAS AGREEING TO GIVE 150%.

AND SHE DID.

SHE WAS CROWNED MISS LAFAYETTE PRE-TEEN USA.

IT WAS A MINI MISS UNIVERSE MOMENT.

THAT WIN MEANT EVERYTHING TO HER, AND HER FAMILY.

NOT JUST BECAUSE IT WAS THIS, BUT BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE THAT LOOKED LIKE HEAVEN HAD EVER DONE THIS BEFORE.

SHE WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO TAKE HOME THIS TITLE.

AT FIRST I THOUGHT THEY CALLED ME, FOR FIRST HER GNAT, DIRTY FORTHE FIRST HER, FOR THEE ALTERNANTE.

SHE WAS ONE OF THE ONLY BLACKS THERE, AND SHE WAS TELLING ME THAT SHE WISH THAT THERE WAS MORE.

I HOPED THAT EVERYTHING WOULD GET OUT THERE.

THIS LITTLE BLACK GIRL, COULD ENTER THE PAGEANT WORLD, AND YOU CAN BECOME A QUEEN.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE 13-YEAR-OLD?

IT'S EASY TO GUESS, MORE PAGEANTS, MORE TRYOUTS AND MORE WINS.

ALSO MAKING HISTORY TODAY, IS A 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL FROM HARVEY JUST TOOK THE WIN FOR THE SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEE.

ZAHEELA AVANT-GARDE IS THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND THE FIRST LOUISIANAN TO WIN THE TITLE.

HER WINNING WORD WAS MEREEAH, WHICH IS A TYPE OF TREE YOU CAN FIND IN ASIA.

BUT THAT'S NOT THE MOST UNIQUE THING ABOUT HER, SHE ALSO IS A GUINNESS WORLD RECORD HOLDER IN DRIBBLING BASKETBALLS.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL FOR THIS WEEK.

YOU CAN SEE OTHER LOUISIANA PROGRAMS YOU LOVE, AND LIKE US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM FOR EVERYONE AT LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING, I'M KARA ST. CYR.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, THAT'S THE "STATE WE'RE IN."

ENTERGY IS PROUD TO SUPPORT PROGRAMMING ON LPB AND GREENER PRACTICES THAT PRESERVE LOUISIANA.

THE GOAL OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE IS REALLY TO ENSURE THAT OUR KIDS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN BE LEFT WITH CLEANER PLANET.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THE FRED B.

AND RUTH B.B.

ZIEGLER FOUNDATION AND ART MUSEUM LOCATED IN JENNINGS CITY HALL.

THE MUSEUM FOCUSES ON EMERGING LOUISIANA ARTISTS, AND IS A HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CENTER FOR SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA, AND THE FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE IN LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

WITH SUPPORT FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.