>> Ted: NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, A DISCUSSION ON EFFORTS TO INCREASE BLACK ENGAGEMENT IN POLITICS.

ALSO TONIGHT, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA'S SPACE INSTITUTE.

WE'LL HEAR HOW THE IDEA MUSEUM IN MESA IS WORKING TO MAKE ARTS MORE ACCESSIBLE.

THAT'S NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

>> Announcer: THIS HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FRIENDS OF PBS, MEMBERS OF YOUR PBS STATION.

THANK YOU.

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

I'M TED SIMONS.

GOVERNOR HOBBS TODAY WITHDREW HER NOMINATION FOR GOVERNOR CULLEN OF STATE HEALTH DIRECTION AS THEY REJECTED THE NOMINATION WITH SENATOR REPUBLICANS CALLING CULLEN, A QUOTE, TYRANT AS THE HEALTH DIRECTOR.

THE GOVERNOR CALLED THOSE AND OTHER CRITICISMS VISION, PERSONAL ATTACKS AND DESCRIBED THE REJECTION OF CULLEN AS, QUOTE, FOOLISH.

>>> ALSO AT THE CAPITOL, A BILL TO BAN THE USE OF TIKTOK ON DEVICES USED FOR STATE BUSINESS.

REPUBLICANS CITE WHAT THEY SAY ARE SECURITY ISSUES SAYING IT'S OPERATED BY THE CHINESE COM COMMUNIST PARTY AND THEY CITE SIMILAR SECURITY CONCERNS.

>>> NUMBERS SHOW THE ANNUAL INFLATION RATE AT 6.4% FOR JANUARY AND DOWN FROM DECEMBER, BUT IT'S HIGHER THAN WHAT ECONOMISTS EXPECTED AND THE COST OF FOOD, GASOLINE AND NATURAL GAS INCREASING AND IT'S NOT SLOW ENOUGH FOR THE FED TO DEFINITIVELY BACK OFF RATE HIKES IN THE FUTURE.

>>> AND WHILE SOME PRICES ARE GOING DOWN, THAT'S NOT THE CASE FOR EGGS.

PRICE OF EGGS HAS INCREASED 70% THE PAST YEAR WITH AN 8.5% INCREASE FROM LAST MONTH.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE PRICE INDEX REPORT AND HIGHER PRODUCTION COSTS AND AVIAN FLU TO BLAME AND SOME EGG PRODUCERS ARE RAKING IN RECORD PROFITS AND SOMETHING SPARKING DEMANDS FOR A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION INTO PRICE GOUDGING.

>>> THE WHITE HOUSE SAID TODAY THE FLEE IDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS SHOT DOWN SHOW NO EVIDENCE OF BEING A REAL THREAT TO THE U.S.

THE ADMINISTRATION ALSO SAID THERE'S NO EVIDENCE THAT THESE LATEST THREE OBJECTS WERE CONNECTED TO CHINA'S BALLOON SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM AS WAS A BALLOON OVER THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST EARLIER THIS MONTH.

THE ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS GAVE A PRIVATE BRIEFING TO THE FULL SENATE ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS.

>> THE BREAK-IN WAS HELPFUL AND I'M NOT UNNERVED BY ANYTHING AND CONFIDENT THIS WAS NOT AN ATTACK ON THE COUNTRY.

I THINK IT SERVED THE COUNTRY WELL TO HAVE THE PRESIDENT EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING ON.

>> I AM NOT IN ANY WAY AFRAID THAT WE ARE UNDER A THREAT OF ATTACK OR PHYSICAL HARM TO OUR HOMELAND.

THAT'S MY PERSONAL FEELING.

BUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE NEED TO BE REASSURED.

>> Ted: CHINA DESCRIBED THIS AS A, QUOTE, IMMATURE AND HYSTERICAL OVERREACTION.

>>> STUDENTS AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY AT A MAKESHIFT MEMORIAL AFTER A SHOOTING ON CAMPUS KILLING THREE STUDENTS AND CRITICALLY INJURING FIVE OTHERS.

POLICE SAY THE 43-YEAR-OLD GUNMAN DIED OF A SELF-INFLICTED WOUND.

AS FOR A MOTIVE?

>> WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT THE MOTIVE WAS AT THIS POINT.

WE CAN CONFIRM THAT THE 43-YEAR-OLD SUSPECT HAD NO AFFILIATION TO THE UNIVERSITY.

HE WAS NOT A STUDENT, FACULTY, STAFF, CURRENT OR PREVIOUS.

SO THAT IS AN UNKNOWN AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, WHY THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED.

I KNOW EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW THE MOTIVE AND WE DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER AND THAT'S THE HONEST TRUTH.

>> Ted: OFFICIALS DID SAY THE GUNMAN WAS CARRYING A NOTE THREATENING SCHOOLS IN NEW JERSEY.

>>> THE BLACK ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE OF THE ARIZONA DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHARGED WITH IMPROVING POLITICS FROM INCREASING VOTER TURNOUT TO MORE CANDIDATES TO RUN FOR OFFICE.

WE WELCOME TWO MEMBERS AND KARL GENTLES AND JACOB RAIFORD.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

JACOB, WE'LL START WITH YOU, DEFINE VOTER, BLACK VOTER ENGAGEMENT AND WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HEAR?

>> WELL, WHEN IT COMES TO THE BLACK ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE, THAT'S THE COMMUNITY AND IT'S FROM ADVOCATING FOR THINGS THAT IMPACT OUR COMMUNITIES TO FINDING AND RECRUITING AND INCUBATING POLITICIANS, AS WELL AS SERVING AS ADVOCATES FOR OTHER IMPACTED COMMUNITIES.

>> Ted: THERE IS AN ART, IF YOU WILL, TO RECRUITING PEOPLE AND GETTING MESSAGES OUT AND GETTING THAT GOING.

>> THERE IS AN ART ABOUT THIS AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE BLACK VOTES MATTER.

IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING ELSE, REMEMBER THAT BLACK VOTES MATTER.

THAT'S BECAUSE THEY VOTE IN THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF VOTING POPULATION OF ANY CONSTITUENCY.

IF YOU ARE WANTING TO WIN AN ELECTION AND YOU DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTE, YOU'LL PROBABLY LOSE.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU ENGAGE AND FIND WHERE THEY ARE, YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ISSUES ARE AND THEN YOU GO AND TALK TO THEM.

BY THE WAY, BLACK VOTERS CARE ABOUT THE SAME THING AS THE GENERAL POPULATION.

WE ALL CARE ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PRICE OF EGGS.

WE ALL CARE ABOUT THOSE THINGS.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU FIND THE CONSTITUENCY AND YOU TALK TO THEM AND YOU TALK TO THEM JUST LIKE YOU WOULD TALK TO ANYBODY ELSE, BUT UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUES IS IMPORTANT.

>> Ted: JACOB, MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIPS, I THINK, I SAW ON THE WEBSITE AS FAR AS THE COMMITTEE IS CONCERNED AND DEALING WITH THE PARTIES AND UNDERSTANDING, THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH YOU.

>> RIGHT.

SO WHEN YOU THINK OF MARICOPA COUNTY AS AN EXPECT, 4.4 MILLION PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY AND SO ABOUT 250,000 INDIVIDUALS, SO THESE INDIVIDUALS IN DIFFERENT WALKS US OF LIFE AND DIFFERENT ECONOMIC BRACKETS AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS NOT A MONOLITH TO ENGAGE WITH OUR COMMUNITIES AND BEING ABLE TO TURN THAT INTO POLICY, TURN THAT INTO POLITICAL INITIATIVES TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD AND CREATE REAL ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR COMMUNITIES HERE IN MARICOPA COUNTY AND THE POLITICAL PARTY AS A WHOLE.

>> WHAT I WOULD SAY, PICKING UP ON WHAT JACOB WOULD SAY, HE USED THE WORD "POLICY," IT'S CRITICAL WITH BLACK VOTERS.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VARIOUS ISSUES INCLUDING VOTER SUPPRESSION, ACCESS TO VOTING BOOTHS AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND A NUMBER OF THINGS, HOMELESSNESS AND THOSE ARE ALL POLICY-DRIVEN ISSUES.

SO WE'VE GOT TO TALK ABOUT THE POLICY IMPLICATIONS THAT ARE IMPACTING THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES.

IF YOU CAN DO THAT, THAT'S WHERE YOU FIND THE ENGAGEMENT AND THAT'S HOW YOU HAVE TO ENGAGE AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTERS.

>> Ted: YOU MENTIONED SUPPRESSION AND HOW BIG OF AN ISSUE IS THAT?

>> IT'S A HUGE ISSUE AND WE'VE SEEN THAT FROM 2016 OR SO.

AND WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING ABOUT THE SUPPRESSION ISSUE, NOT ONLY IS IT IMPACTING THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTE AND PEOPLE OF COLOR, IT'S ACTUALLY IMPACTING THE LARGER COMMUNITY.

SO IT'S AN ISSUE THAT IMPACTS ALL OF US.

NOW IT IS, SOME WOULD ARGUE, WE WOULD ARGUE, IT'S OVERLY TARGETED AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTERS FOR A REASON BECAUSE BLACK VOTERS VOTE AND THEY'RE REGISTERED AT THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF POPULATION AND THEY VOTE AT THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF POPULATION.

SO THUS THE ISSUE AND THE STRATEGY TO SUPPRESS THE VOTE.

>> Ted: REDISTRICTING, JACOB, HOW MUCH OF A FACTOR AS FAR AS FACTOR IS CONCERNED?

>> A HUGE FACTOR BECAUSE IT'S STRIPPING AWAY THE POLITICAL POWERS TO VOICE CONCERNS THROUGH ADVOCACY FOR POLICY CHANGE AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT WHEN IT COMES TO THE OVERALL STRATEGY AROUND MAKING MAKING SURE THE COMMUNITIES ARE REPRESENTED IN THE WHAT THEY SEE FIT.

SO NOT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION AND LOOKING TO SEE THAT POLITICAL POWER IS A FORM OF SUPPRESSION.

>> Ted: DEMOCRATIC PARTY THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE INVOLVED WITH AND ARE THEY AWARE OF THAT?

>> YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE NEXT REDISTRICTING RIGHT NOW.

PART OF THE ISSUE ABOUT REDISTRICTING IS REALLY ABOUT POLITICAL CONTROL AND POWER.

THE ONLY WAY TO GET CONTROL AND POWER OF THE ABILITY TO REDISTRICT IS TO BE IN CONTROL OF THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS.

IN ORDER TO DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO BUILD A STRONGER PARTY.

THAT STRONGER PARTY STARTS AT THE GRASS ROOT'S LEVEL IS THE PRECINCT AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND THAT'S PART OF OUR BIGGEST GOAL AND OBJECTIVE IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE PARTY AT THE PRECINCT LEVEL, WHICH IS THE BASE OF THE PARTY, WHICH IS THE BASE OF ANY POLITICAL PARTY.

>> Ted: YET, AT THE TOP OF THE LEVEL, SOME WOULD ARGUE, THE FACE OF THE ISSUES.

IDENTIFYINGBLACK CANDIDATES AND WHAT NEEDS TO IMPROVE?

>> THAT NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING NOT VIEWED AS THE BLACK COMMUNITY BUT AS AN ARIZONA ISSUES A A WHOLE.

THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IS PART OF THE ARIZONA EXPERIENCE AND GRAND TAPESTRY AND RACIAL REPRESENTATION.

SO THAT IS, AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE TREATED AS A UNIVERSAL ISSUE.

>> Ted: UNIVERSAL ISSUE BUT WHAT CAN BE DONE AS A MICROLEVEL AND FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON AND GETTING THEM OUT THERE?

>> MICROLEVEL, THE PARTY BASE ARE THE PRECINCT COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

BEING MORE AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEMBERS IN.

THAT'S WHERE YOU FIND YOUR PEOPLE THAT WILL RISE UP AND BECOME SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES AND GO TO CITY CONCIL AND UP THE CHAIN.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ENGAGE AT THAT LEVEL BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, THOSE FOLKS WILL LEAD THIS PARTY AND BOTH PARTIES, ACTUALLY, GOING FORWARD.

>> Ted: YAY OR NAY, OPTIMISTIC?

>> ABSOLUTELY OPTIMISTIC.

THERE'S A GREAT FOUNDATION, BASELINE FOR ENGAGEMENT NOW AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A VERY SUCCESSFUL 2024 ELECTION.

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

GOOD CONVERSATION.

UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, A LOOK AT HOW THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA'S SPACE INSTITUTE IMPACTS ARIZONA'S ECONOMY.

THE UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE'S OPERATION GENERATE AS MUCH OF AN ECONOMIC IMPACT EACH YEAR AS THE SUPER BOWL.

JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THIS SPACE RESEARCH IS TIM SWINDLE OF ARIZONA SPACE INSTITUTE.

GOOD ASTROYOUTO HAVE YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE INHAVING ME.WE'RE TRYING TO COORDINATE THE WHAT THE UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN DOING, A FANTASTIC SUBMISSION FOR YEARS.

THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE ON CAMPUS DOING THINGS AS WELL.

WE JUST WANTED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.

WE WANT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE REALLY DOING.

>> Ted: BUT THE NUMBERS, THE FINANCIAL IMPACT, THE REVENUE, DOES THAT SURPRISE YOU?

>> A LITTLE BIT.

WE NASA THAT WE WERE DOING A LOT OF BIG THINGS.

WE KNEW THERE WERE FINANCIAL NUMBERS ROLLING AROUND AND WE WERE HAPPY THEY WERE AS BIG BUT WEREN'T COMPLETELY SURPRISED.

>> Ted: GIVES US A BETTER IDEA, I GUESS, OF WHERE THIS REVENUE IS COMING FROM AND GENERATED.

>> WELL, MOST OF THE REVENUE IS FROM DOING THE BIG PROJECT, THE AUDACIOUS PROJECT.

WE HAVE A LOT OF TRADITIONAL FINDS IN THE LABORATORY WITH THE FEW PEOPLE WORKING WITH THEM AND WE DO SPACECRAFT THINGS AND BIG TELESCOPE THINGS WHERE THE THINGS THAT COST A LOT OF MONEY TO DO AND GENERATE A LOT OF ECONOMIC IMPACT.

THE WAY I ALWAYS PUT IT, IF WE LAUNCH A MILLION DOLLARS MISSION, WE DON'T LAUNCH ONE BILLION DOLLARS BILLS INTO SPACE AND HIRE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE TO BUILD THE SPACECRAFT WE LAUNCH.

>> Ted: JOBS ARE A MAJOR FACTOR, CORRECT?

>> WE HAVE OVER 9 BILLION PEOPLE WORKING ON SPACE STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA AND THOSE PEOPLE GENERATE OTHER JOBS AND THAT DOESN'T EVEN COUNT NONPROFIT AND FEDERAL INSTITUTIONS AROUND THE CITY AND STATE.

>> Ted: GRANTS, CONTRACTS, DONATIONS, THESE SORTS OF THINGS, BREAK THAT DOWN.

>> IT'S PRIMARILY GRANTS AND CONTRACTS.

THE LARGEST SOURCE OF GRANTS ARE THE NATIONAL -- NASA AND THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION.

WE GET SOME MONEY AND CONTRACTS.

WE BUILT SOME OF THE BIGGEST MIRRORS IN THE WORLD AND MANY ARE BUILT ON CONTRACTS.

>> Ted: WE TALKED TO SOME OF YOUR SCIENTISTS ABOUT A NUMBER OF MISSIONS, NASA MISSIONS.

BACK TO THE JOBS, TALKING NOT ONLY SCIENTISTS AND RESEARCHERS, BUT WHAT?

STUDENT, FACULTY AND TALKING ANCILLARY JOBS, TOO, TAKING CARE OF THESE PEOPLE?

>> YEAH, TALKING THE RESEARCHERS AND THE FACULTIES AND STUDENTS AND THE SCIENTIFIC STAFF AND EPPINGENGINEERS AND KEEPING TRACK OF WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING AND PEOPLE DOING COMMUNICATIONS, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE PUT THE MESSAGE OUT THERE.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE DOING THINGS.

>> Ted: YOU MENTIONED REVENUE AROUND THE STATE AND ECONOMIC IMPACT AROUND THE STATE AND IN THE TUCSON AREA, IT MUST BE HUGE.

>> IT IS.

TUCSON IS WHERE EVERYBODY IN TOWN KNOWS SOMEBODY WHO DOES SOMETHING RELATED TO SPACE.

BUT WE DON'T ALL KNOW EACH OTHER BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY OF US.

IT'S A BIG PART OF THE ECONOMY.

>> Ted: RETURN ON INVESTMENT, ABOUT 5-1?

>> SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WE GET ABOUT $20 MILLION FROM THE STATE PER YEAR AND WE BRING IN SOMETHING LIKE 100 OR 110 MILLION PER YEAR IN GRANTS, CONTRACTS AND PHILANTHROPY.

>> Ted: WHAT DOES THAT EQUATE TO AS FAR AS EXPENDITURES?

HOW IS IT GOING OUT?

>> WELL, THE EXPENDITURES, $120 MILLION AND THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION DOES A SURVEY TO SEE WHAT UNIVERSITIES ARE SPENDING ON EVERYTHING AND WHAT THEY CALL THE ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS, WHAT THEY'RE CALLING IT AND WE CALL IT SPACE SCIENCE.

THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA IS IN THE LEAD AND HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST 33 YEARS.

>> Ted: I SAW THAT AND THAT WAS AN AMAZING TIMELINE.

OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE TALKING MONEY, AND HOW DOES THAT TRANSLATE TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, TO LEARNING NEW THINGS AND RESEARCHING OUT BEYOND?

>> FOR US, THE BIG THING IS, WE WANT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND THE BEST WAY TO ANSWER THE QUESTION IS TO BE THE ONE BUILDING THE INSTRUMENT THAT IS GOING TO GET THE DATA.

AND SO FOR US, A LOT REASON FOR GOING AFTER TEASE PROJECTS IS SO THAT WE CAN BE THE ONE DEFINING HOW THE QUESTIONS GET ASKED SO THAT THEY ANSWER THE QUESTIONS WE WANT.

>> Ted: THERE'S A BIT OF POWER INVOLVED HERE, IS THERE NOT?

>> THERE IS AND PART OF IT IS CONVINCING PEOPLE WE'RE ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS THAT THEY WANT TO ASK, AS WELL.

THE BIG THINGS LIKE THE SPACECRAFT MISSIONS OR THE BIG TELESCOPES, WE'RE NOT THE OWN ONLY ONES USING THAT DATA AND SOME COMING INTO ARIZONA AND SOME USING IT FROM THEIR DESKTOP IN TOKYO OR WHEREVER.

>> Ted: THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ARE THESE NUMBERS, ARE THEY FLAT OR GOING UP?

>> WE HAVE A FEW BIG PROJECTS AT THE TIME AND THE JAMES WEBB CAMERA IS NOW BUILT AND LODGED AND THAT EXPENDITURE IS NOT AS HIGH.

WE'VE GOT A SPACE TELESCOPE TO SEARCH FOR HAZARDOUS ASTEROIDS IN A FEW YEARS.

IN GENERAL, WE'RE GOING UP AND THAT'S ALWAYS THE GOAL, BUT IT'S A STEADY STREAM OF ONE PROJECT REPLACING THE NEXT.

>> Ted: GOING UP IS A GOOD THING FOR SPACE PROJECTS.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> Ted: THE IDEA MUSEUM IN MESA IS WORKING TO MAKE ART ACCESSIBLE TO ALL AND FOR A NEW EXHIBIT TITLED "DESERT ROOTS" AND JARRAD BITTNER, WE WELCOME HIM.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> Ted: THIS IS AN INTERESTING PLACE AND TELL US MORE.

>> WE'RE LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN MESA RIGHT NEXT TO THE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY AND ALL THREE ARE OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE CITY OF MESA.

WHAT WE DO IS WE CREATE THESE INCREDIBLY CURATED ART EXHIBITED AND PAIRED THEM WITH LEARNING EXHIBITS WITH STEM OR LITERATURE OR ART MAKING ITSELF.

>> Ted: WHEN WE SAY IDEA MUSEUM, IT'S IDEA AND STANDING FOR?

>> IMAGINATION, DESIGN, EXPERIENCE AND ART.

>> Ted: IS IT A CHILDREN'S MUSEUM AT ITS HEART?

IT SOUNDED SOUNDS LIKE IT IS.

>> YOU YOURSELF WOULD HAVE AN INCREDIBLE TIME WITH THE AMAZING PIECES OF ART.

>> Ted: ALL KIDS, EVEN US BIG KIDS.

DESERT ROOTS AND I'M FASCINATED BY GLASSES ENHANCING IT FOR FOLKS WHO ARE COLOR BLIND.

>> THIS IS A RECENT ADDITION AND WE WANT THIS MORE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL AND WE DO KNOW THERE'S A POPULATION OR COMMUNITY THAT ARE COLOR BLIND AND WE'VE MADE THIS GLASSES AVAILABLE TO VISITORS.

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SEE COLOR, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ADD THIS EXPERIENCE TO REALLY LET THEM, THESE CHILDREN SEE WHAT THEIR PARENTS ARE SEEING.

>> Ted: HOW DO GLASSES WORK?

>> I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT.

>> Ted: THERE MAY BE A FILTER INVOLVED.

>> INCREDIBLE SCIENCE AND WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE THESE AS A RESOURCE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

>> Ted: THIS IS NOT THE ONLY RESOURCE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE VISITING TO HAVE AN ENHANCED EXPERIENCE.

>> WE HAVE MANY THINGS.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE THESE BACKPACKS OR KITS AND ALL STAFF HAVE GONE THROUGH TRAINING TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS OR FAMILIES ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM AND A LOT OF RESOURCES WITHIN THE MUSEUM AND AS YOU'RE SEEING THERE, THE KITS THERE AND WE HAVE HEADPHONES AND THE MUSEUM CAN BE EXCITING AND OVERSTIMULATING AND THE HEADPHONES DAMPEN THE SOUND AND THIS MIMMICKS LIKE YOU'RE GETTING HUGGED.

THIS WILL CALM A CHILD OR ADULT DOWN.

BEHIND THIS, WE HAVE PHYSICAL AREAS WITHIN THE MUSEUM THAT ARE AIMED TO SUPPORT FAMILIES ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUMS AND QUIET SPACES.

BEYOND THAT, THERE'S MORE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO MAKE THE MUSEUM WELCOMING AND ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL.

>> Ted: AUTISM CERTIFICATION IN THERE, TRUE?

>> ALL OF OUR STAFF AND INSTITUTIONS IN THE CITY HAVE GONE THROUGH TRAINING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SPACES ARE WELCOMING AND HAVE GONE THROUGH CERTIFICATION AND ALL OF THE TEAM, IT WILL SUPPORT FAMILIES ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM.

>> Ted: IS PART OF THE HIDDEN DISABILITY'S SUNFLOWER PROGRAM?

>> WE ARE.

>> Ted: TALK TO US MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM.

>> INDIVIDUALS CAN SELF-IDENTIFY IF THEY HAVE A NEED OR RESOURCE THAT THEY WANT TO MAKE MORE AVAILABLE AND MAKES IT MORE APPARENT SO PEOPLE CAN BE MORE AWARE.

IT'S A LANYARD TO CHECK OUT AT THE FRONT DESK.

>> Ted: WHAT IS THE DESERT ROOT'S EXHIBIT?

>> THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE STORY OF A SEED AND SO, AS YOU GO INTO THE EXHIBIT, WE HAVE ABOUT 50 DIFFERENT PIECES OF ART AND THIS MURAL BY JAKE EARLY IS A BEAUTIFUL OVERTURE.

THIS IS LOOK ACT THE JOURNEY FROM SEED TO FLOWER TO FRUIT TO EVEN GOING INTO A FARMER'S MARKET AND THAT COMPLETE CYCLE AND A FUN INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE THERE AND THAT IS A ROOM THAT'S ALL FULL OF LARGER THAN LIFE FLOWERS THAT YOU CAN INTERACT WITH AND EXPERIENCE.

IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT GIVEN WHAT'S HAPPENING IN ARIZONA.

AND IT ALLOWS KIDS TO LOOK AT OR FAMILIES TO LOOK AT THESE DIFFERENT PLANTS AND THE ECOSYSTEM THAT WE'RE A PART OF.

>> Ted: INNER ACTIVITY, THE BIG THING IN MUSEUMS.

>> IT'S ALL HIGHLY ENGAGING AND HANDS-ON LEARNING.

IT'S ALL ABOUT HANDS-ON LEARNING AND ENGAGING AT A DEEPER LEVEL.

>> Ted: HOW DID THE IDEA MUSEUM GET STARTED?

>> IT STARTED IN 1978 BY JOHN WHITEMAN AND FOCUSED ON INTERACTIVE LEARNING ON ART AND ABOUT TEN YEARS LATER, WE BECAME A PART OF THE CITY OF MESA AND CHANGED THE NAME TO "ARIZONA MUSEUM OF YOUTH" AND NOW TO THE "IDEA MUSEUM" AND BLURRED THE LINES OF WHAT IS ART AND SCIENCE AND WE TRIED TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION.

>> Ted: IT WORKS WELL.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE MUSEUM?

>> SO WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON RENOVATION AND A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IS LEADING UP TO ENHANCING THE QUALITY, FOCUSING ON LOCAL ARTISTS AND REALLY MAKING THE MUSEUM MORE INTERACTIVE AND ENGAGING AND WELCOMING.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS BUILD THE TRUST TO MAKE SURE THE MUSEUM IS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.

>> Ted: SOUNDS LIKE IT IS AND THE TRUST IS THERE.

JARRAD, CONGRATULATIONS AND CONTINUED SUCCESS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Ted: THAT'S IT FOR NOW AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING!

♪♪