1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 1: Right now, the COVID nineteen vaccines are available to millions 2 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:07,200 Speaker 1: of Americans, and soon they will be available to everyone. 3 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: This vaccine meansful. It will protect you and those you 4 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:18,439 Speaker 1: love from this dangerous and deadly disease. I want to 5 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 1: go back to work, and I want to be able 6 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:23,600 Speaker 1: to move around to visit with Michelle's mom the Hugger 7 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: and see her on her birthday. You know I'm really 8 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 1: looking forward to is going the opening day in Texas 9 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: Rangers Stadium with the full stadium lost enough people in 10 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: which self enough damage. In order to get rid of 11 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 1: this pandemic, it's important for our fellow citizens to get vaccinated. 12 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 1: I'm getting vaccinated. We college, we won't just pant to 13 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:49,159 Speaker 1: end as soon as possible, So we urge you to 14 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:52,199 Speaker 1: get vaccinated and when it's available to you, so roll 15 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 1: up your sleeve and do your part. This is our shot. 16 00:00:55,560 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 1: Now it's up to you. America is all aways been 17 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: at its best when we're looking out for one another 18 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 1: and pulling together and common calls. Now, with the development 19 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 1: of safe and effective COVID nineteen vaccines, we've got the 20 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 1: chance to rise to the moment again. I encourage every 21 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: American to get vaccinated as soon as it becomes available 22 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: to you, and to feel confident is Hillary and I 23 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:24,759 Speaker 1: did when we got ours, that it will protect you 24 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 1: and your loved ones and bring us all one step 25 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: closer to ending this pandemic. Over the last year, the 26 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 1: COVID nineteen pandemic has sent shockwaves through societies all around 27 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: the world, claiming nearly three million lives, creating economic upheaval 28 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:49,920 Speaker 1: and exposing systemic inequalities in areas like health and education. 29 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 1: Here in the United States, the pandemic has had another 30 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: particularly ugly ripple effect, and one that hasn't gotten anywhere 31 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: near the attention it is earths since the outbreak of 32 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: the pandemic, there's been a dramatic rise in hate crimes 33 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 1: against Asian Americans across our country. These have ranged from 34 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 1: verbal assaults, divine and attacks, many of which have been 35 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:20,079 Speaker 1: perpetrated against elderly people, with some causing death. In New 36 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: York City alone, there's been an increase in more than 37 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 1: eight hundred and anti Asian hate crimes reported in compared 38 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 1: with these attacks have been fueled both by scapegoating and 39 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:39,239 Speaker 1: xenophobic rhetoric from public figures, misinformation and outright disinformation, distributed 40 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 1: and amplified through online platforms and other means. Sadly, they're 41 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 1: also just the latest and a long and often overlooked 42 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 1: history of prejudice against Asian Americans, prejudice that they have 43 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:58,079 Speaker 1: faced throughout our nation's history. So why am I telling 44 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 1: you this? Because words matter, especially when they're spoken by 45 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 1: people in power. Stereotypes and slurs and misinformation and disinformation 46 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:13,320 Speaker 1: can have real, often horrifying consequences. The people being targeted 47 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 1: by this hatred and racism our friends, our family members, 48 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:23,360 Speaker 1: our colleagues, our neighbors, and it needs to stop. Today 49 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 1: I'm joined by a Congresswoman, Grace Ming of New York, 50 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 1: a leading voice in Congress who's using her platform to 51 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 1: raise awareness about these attacks, protect the Asian American community, 52 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 1: and address some of the other inequalities that have been 53 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 1: worsened by the pandemic. She recently altered the House resolution 54 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 1: condemning and denouncing all forms of anti Asian sentiments, including 55 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: those related to COVID nineteen. Congresswoman, thank you so much 56 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 1: for being here today, and thanks for all you're doing 57 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 1: to call attention to this important issue. Let's start because 58 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:07,200 Speaker 1: a lot of our people live in areas in America 59 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 1: who don't have which don't have a lot of Asian Americans. 60 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your district 61 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,840 Speaker 1: and what inspired you to run for Congress. Sure. Well, first, 62 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:22,840 Speaker 1: I wanna thank you, Mr President for uh an amazing 63 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:28,240 Speaker 1: legacy of service to our country and for providing hope 64 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: for so many across the country still to this day. UM. 65 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 1: And I'm honored to have this opportunity to come here 66 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 1: and have this discussion with your followers and fans across 67 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:45,559 Speaker 1: the country, and thank you for highlighting this important issue. UM. 68 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,479 Speaker 1: Just a little background about myself. I was born and 69 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:52,360 Speaker 1: raised in Queens, New York, UM, the daughter of immigrants. 70 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 1: My parents came to this country in the early seventies. 71 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 1: My dad worked at a restaurant for most of my 72 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: child hood, so I didn't really see him much during 73 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 1: the week um or the weekend, but we always saw 74 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: him on Monday because that's the day he was off 75 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:13,360 Speaker 1: and that's when business at the restaurant was the slowest. UM. 76 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 1: And later on he became a restaurant owner himself. Small 77 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,800 Speaker 1: business owners, similar to the stories of so many immigrant 78 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 1: families across the country. Regardless of where they came from. 79 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:27,040 Speaker 1: And also in a lot of the rooms that I 80 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:29,040 Speaker 1: was in, there just weren't a lot of people who 81 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: look like me, not a lot of minorities, not a 82 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 1: lot of women. And so you know, I, unexpectedly, without 83 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:41,840 Speaker 1: any experience, decided to run for the state legislature. I 84 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 1: didn't win the first time I ran. I tried again, 85 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 1: and I won. I was there for a few years, 86 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:52,040 Speaker 1: and one night suddenly heard the news that my congress member, 87 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:57,279 Speaker 1: Congressman Gary Ackerman, was retiring, and we were shocked. He 88 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 1: had been there for about thirty years. So within about 89 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: thirty six hours, I went from helping to recruit candidates 90 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:10,719 Speaker 1: to being recruited myself. My husband playing a large role 91 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 1: in this uh suggesting that I give it a shot. 92 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 1: I thought he was crazy. I had just had two 93 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 1: young kids under the age of three at the time. 94 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:25,359 Speaker 1: Was probably the worst decision in terms of balancing mom 95 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:28,599 Speaker 1: life and work life, that I could have made. But 96 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 1: here I am, um, and so I'm proud to represent 97 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:37,160 Speaker 1: one of the most diverse districts in New York and 98 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 1: across the country. We have a little bit of everyone 99 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:44,279 Speaker 1: from everywhere. We have the best food, and I know, 100 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 1: President Clinton, you and your family are no strangers to Queens. 101 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: We we adopt you as one of our own. UM. 102 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:56,080 Speaker 1: And so I'm really privileged to represent a district that's 103 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:59,599 Speaker 1: completely within Queens. And every day is different, and every 104 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 1: day you hear new stories, and especially during this COVID pandemic. UM, 105 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:08,839 Speaker 1: we have seen the best of people, and we have 106 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: seen people go through the worst of situations, heartbreaking stories 107 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: from all corners of our county and our city. For 108 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 1: those who are listening who don't know, the New York 109 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 1: City Borough of Queens is the most diverse urban area 110 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 1: with three million or more people on Earth. It's amazing 111 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 1: there's somebody there from everywhere. But it has always been 112 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 1: the borough of New York with the largest Asian population. 113 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: And both Hillary and I have spent a lot of 114 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 1: happy days with various groups and Queens, as well as 115 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 1: eating a lot of good food. So let's begin at 116 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 1: the beginning. What do you think is the cause of 117 00:07:56,640 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 1: this sudden, absurd and violence against Asian Americans. Well, so 118 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: it's been about exactly a year actually since our quarantining 119 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 1: began here in New York State. UM, and when we 120 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 1: were hearing about the first cases of the virus, I 121 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:21,119 Speaker 1: think in March, but in the weeks ahead of that, 122 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:25,040 Speaker 1: before the virus actually came to us here in New York, 123 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 1: were were already hearing about a different sort of virus, 124 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:35,319 Speaker 1: that of discrimination and bigotry. We were hearing about people 125 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 1: being attacked in the subway, people shouting and blaming them 126 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 1: for bringing the virus over. UM. We heard about people 127 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 1: being afraid to go to your local Chinese take out 128 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:51,839 Speaker 1: restaurant because they thought you could catch the coronavirus by 129 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: going to a Chinese or Asian owned business. UM. And 130 00:08:56,520 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 1: it was really hurtful to hear the and president, the 131 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 1: leader of our country, former President Trump, using words like 132 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 1: Chinese virus and kung flu. And we continue to hear 133 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:15,120 Speaker 1: that language over the next few months and the next year. 134 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 1: And not only that, but we heard leaders of the 135 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:23,319 Speaker 1: Republican Party continued to use words like that, and they 136 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 1: kept using it, and we kept hearing about more and 137 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 1: more attacks, verbal to physical happening throughout the country. So 138 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 1: it's really been a really very heartbreaking year for the 139 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 1: Asian American community community who really grew up or came 140 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 1: to this country under the notion that if you just 141 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 1: blend in and fit in and stay invisible, be quiet 142 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 1: and do your job. You know you'll make it and 143 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 1: you'll be seen as American enough. And right now we're 144 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:58,679 Speaker 1: going through a sort of cultural transformation where we're saying 145 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:01,839 Speaker 1: to people, know, you have to get out of your 146 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:04,520 Speaker 1: comfort zone. You have to talk about what happened to you, 147 00:10:04,559 --> 00:10:08,880 Speaker 1: Otherwise it could happen two people you know after you 148 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:11,959 Speaker 1: in the future. You have to say it out loud 149 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 1: and report it to protect other people. Um and so 150 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: that's why you know, we're seeing so many incidents, over 151 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 1: three thousand reported and who knows how many haven't been reported. 152 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:27,680 Speaker 1: This is not the first time that Asian Americans have 153 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: been targeted in America. Now, last October, you introduced legislation 154 00:10:33,040 --> 00:10:37,080 Speaker 1: to promote teaching of Asian American Pacific history in schools 155 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:40,560 Speaker 1: across our country. To what extent do you think there's 156 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:43,800 Speaker 1: a lack of awareness about the history of Asian Americans 157 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:48,560 Speaker 1: contributing to what's been happening. I've really started to think 158 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:52,960 Speaker 1: about this actually during the Black Lives Matters protests last year. 159 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 1: So our country is going through this pandemic. Then we 160 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 1: witnessed the murder of people like George Floyd, Brianna Taylor, 161 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: and the real, authentic hurt and pain that are black 162 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:13,480 Speaker 1: brothers and sisters were facing in this country. And what 163 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:17,960 Speaker 1: we saw, for you know, probably one of the first times, 164 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 1: was that the people at these protests and rallies weren't 165 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 1: just black people. They were Asians. They were Latinos, Native Americans, young, old, 166 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:33,880 Speaker 1: you name it, kids. And I started to be approached 167 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:38,080 Speaker 1: by a lot of Asian Americans, maybe older, maybe newer 168 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:41,640 Speaker 1: to this country, who asked why I and why Asian 169 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: Americans cared so much about George Floyd and the Black 170 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 1: Lives Matter protests, And I had the opportunity had to 171 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:56,319 Speaker 1: have really raw conversations, uncomfortable but important conversations with them, 172 00:11:56,360 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 1: you know, and realizing that gosh, you know, they didn't 173 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:03,560 Speaker 1: necessarily grow up in this country. They didn't have the 174 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 1: history lessons to learn about, even topics like segregation that 175 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:12,559 Speaker 1: we assume everyone knows about um. And this led me 176 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 1: to think that the history lessons that we as Americans 177 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 1: have learned in this country have not been complete. I 178 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:26,080 Speaker 1: barely learned about Chinese immigrants building the railroad. I barely 179 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:31,400 Speaker 1: learned maybe a paragraph about Japanese incarceration camps. I barely 180 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 1: learned about the slaves that built the US capital, the 181 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:38,959 Speaker 1: place where I work every single day. And I realized 182 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:41,720 Speaker 1: that to make long term change and the long term 183 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:46,320 Speaker 1: solution to addressing systemic bias and eduction and you know, uh, 184 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:51,359 Speaker 1: the infrastructure and equities, we have to talk about education. 185 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 1: We have to teach history in a more complete and 186 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:59,439 Speaker 1: accurate way. Um. And and that's why I propose this legislation. 187 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:02,920 Speaker 1: And I to give a shout out to now Secretary 188 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 1: Marsha Fudge and Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Haucus, Joyce Batty. 189 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 1: They're working on they've been working on legislation to have 190 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 1: black history taught more completely in our curriculum across the 191 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:21,360 Speaker 1: country as well. Um. But I think we have a 192 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:26,320 Speaker 1: real opportunity here me too. One thing I should have 193 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:29,839 Speaker 1: said at the beginning is that just a little fact 194 00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:33,040 Speaker 1: that's worth noting. While it is true that the first 195 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 1: reported case of the coronavirus came out of UHA in China, 196 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:46,040 Speaker 1: in fact, we now have evidence from tracing that the 197 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:51,080 Speaker 1: first coronavirus cases in America came from Europe. And look, 198 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 1: that's the way these things work. People want to understand things, 199 00:13:55,760 --> 00:13:58,439 Speaker 1: and we put each other in categories all the time. 200 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 1: But if it blinds you to our common humanity and 201 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:05,040 Speaker 1: to ordinary notions of justice, and even to looking for 202 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 1: the facts, then your society gets in trouble. And we've 203 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 1: been in a lot of troubles from the beginning of 204 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:18,840 Speaker 1: this country because we elevated categories over people. And when 205 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 1: you do that, you turn people into two dimensional cartoons, 206 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 1: and you get a big mess on your hands. And 207 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 1: people who feel they're in a dominant category are tempted 208 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:34,720 Speaker 1: to abuse others trying desperately to hold on to something 209 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 1: that they may be losing by their own behavior. And 210 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:44,840 Speaker 1: you've tried to expose all this. I'm really grateful. We'll 211 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 1: be right back. Let's talk a little about language and rhetoric, 212 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 1: um and over and over again. You were out there 213 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 1: warning the public and elected officials not to blame the 214 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:03,480 Speaker 1: Asian America and community for COVID nineteen. You condemn the rhetoric, 215 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 1: You condemn those who are stoking it and fueling these hatas. 216 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 1: But talk about how that rhetoric and language of people 217 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 1: who could command of public following contributed to this. How 218 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:21,040 Speaker 1: did you see it and how did you think that 219 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 1: it contributed to the coronavirus causing a spike in anti 220 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 1: Asian sentiment. Well, when I first heard the former president 221 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:35,000 Speaker 1: use words like Kung fluent Chinese virus, I was really horrified. 222 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 1: And every time he said it, I thought, Okay, this 223 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:41,680 Speaker 1: will be the last time. He couldn't possibly continue to 224 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 1: use it. UM, And even the w h O, the 225 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 1: World Health Organization, even his own Secretary of Health suggested 226 00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 1: that we don't use words like that, but he continued UM. 227 00:15:55,960 --> 00:16:00,520 Speaker 1: And So while racially motivated harassment of Asian and Americans 228 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 1: is a longstanding issue and certainly didn't start last year, UM, 229 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 1: but since COVID nineteen began, the incidents have been, you know, NonStop. 230 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 1: And when you have a leader in this country who 231 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 1: has a tremendous platform use words and fuel um false 232 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 1: facts and and misinformation about the virus UM. And it's 233 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:35,960 Speaker 1: perpetuated by the leaders, the top leaders of the Republican 234 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 1: Party in the White House and in the Congress. What 235 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:46,720 Speaker 1: happens is people Asian Americans are getting shoved, assaulted, spat 236 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 1: on UM. Just two days ago, in a park right 237 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:54,760 Speaker 1: near my house, a mom was out with her baby 238 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 1: and a man came up to her, spat at her direction, 239 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:04,000 Speaker 1: spat in her direction three times in front of her baby, 240 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:08,879 Speaker 1: and said, Chinese virus go home. And this happened, you know, 241 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 1: five ten minutes from my house. So as a parent, 242 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:18,600 Speaker 1: as a mom, it just breaks my heart to have 243 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:21,679 Speaker 1: had to talk to my kids about this. I got 244 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 1: two middle school kids. UM, and it just it scares me. 245 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 1: It makes me angry. UM and it's just stems from 246 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 1: false information, UM and and cowardly acts. I think it's 247 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:39,520 Speaker 1: worth pointing out that this is not just a speech 248 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 1: she's giving. She represents a this week with a lot 249 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:48,119 Speaker 1: of Chinese Americans, I had a lot of other Asian Americans. 250 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 1: Asian American children represent of all of our school students 251 00:17:56,320 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 1: in New York City. And we've opened the schools again 252 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 1: and under certain strict protocols. But of those who have 253 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 1: returned to the classroom, fewer than twelve or cent or 254 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 1: Asian Americans. So we're about a third off. And how 255 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:15,879 Speaker 1: much of that do you think it has to do 256 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:20,680 Speaker 1: with the discrimination that's occurred. I think it has something 257 00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:23,560 Speaker 1: to do with it. I literally had a mom friend 258 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:27,639 Speaker 1: text me right before UM, I started talking to you 259 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 1: saying that it's so nice out it's too bad. I 260 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:34,280 Speaker 1: can't let my kids play outside. There's no way I'm 261 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:37,119 Speaker 1: letting them go to the park with all that's happening, 262 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:44,639 Speaker 1: and that's just heartbreaking to hear. UM. It's also you know, 263 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:49,880 Speaker 1: parents and educators play a huge role in combating against 264 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:55,160 Speaker 1: hateful rhetoric and bullying in schools, so they're also scared. 265 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:57,880 Speaker 1: Some are also scared to send their kids to schools 266 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:01,000 Speaker 1: because they don't want their kids to be made fun of, 267 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:03,959 Speaker 1: They don't want them to be bullied, and they know 268 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:09,840 Speaker 1: that conversations and things that are said could be hurtful. UM, 269 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:13,640 Speaker 1: And so that that plays a role into you know, 270 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:16,159 Speaker 1: some of this as well. Can you tell us a 271 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:19,399 Speaker 1: little bit about some of the community efforts that have 272 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:24,199 Speaker 1: been made to push back against the discrimination. You know, 273 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 1: I have been heartened to see so much support from 274 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:35,280 Speaker 1: other communities. So when I first introduced my resolution for 275 00:19:35,359 --> 00:19:40,159 Speaker 1: Congress to you know, um, speak out and condemn bigotry 276 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:45,800 Speaker 1: towards Asian Americans, some of the earliest supporters where Karen Bass, 277 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:49,719 Speaker 1: who at the time was the chairwoman of the Congressional 278 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:54,200 Speaker 1: Black Caucus, Hawking Castro, chair of the then then chair 279 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:57,560 Speaker 1: of the Hispanic Caucus, Uh Deb Holland, who is now 280 00:19:57,560 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 1: a secretary, name dropping on my super cool colleagues. Um. 281 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,199 Speaker 1: But they stood with us, and they stood, you know, 282 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 1: publicly at news conferences and at virtual events to condemn 283 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:15,880 Speaker 1: this sort of violence and bigotry. And I'm so thankful 284 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:19,920 Speaker 1: we we've had groups like the n DOUBLE A C P, A, 285 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 1: j C, A, d L, National Urban League, Black Student 286 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 1: Associations come out and condemn this. And even though I 287 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:32,120 Speaker 1: live in a really diversity in New York, too often 288 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 1: different communities are stuck within their own silos. We don't 289 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 1: have enough opportunities to get to work together and to 290 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:47,240 Speaker 1: truly appreciate each other. Um. And So even though it's 291 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:52,320 Speaker 1: largely stemming from these unfortunate incidents, I will say that 292 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:55,960 Speaker 1: it's really been beautiful to see how these coalitions have 293 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:59,960 Speaker 1: been building and expanding, and I think in the law 294 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:02,440 Speaker 1: own run, this will really make our city and our 295 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:05,800 Speaker 1: country stronger. I also want to point out that when 296 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 1: you introduced this resolution last year, they passed I think 297 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:14,119 Speaker 1: two hundred hundred sixty four. Now tell us why you 298 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:17,560 Speaker 1: reintroduce it. Why did you introduce it again? Since it 299 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:22,280 Speaker 1: had already passed, so we we did introduce it last 300 00:21:22,359 --> 00:21:26,680 Speaker 1: year past the House, and I was disappointed that one 301 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 1: and sixty four colleagues, Republican colleagues, couldn't vote for something 302 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 1: that literally was symbolic and it wasn't political at all. 303 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:42,600 Speaker 1: I made sure that the content of the resolution wasn't political. UM. 304 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:45,199 Speaker 1: And this year in Congress, we have a lot of 305 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:49,880 Speaker 1: new members. You know, last year, I guess for some reason, 306 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:54,119 Speaker 1: I didn't expect all these hateful incidents to continue and 307 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:57,240 Speaker 1: to increase. I kept thinking that the end was near. 308 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:01,280 Speaker 1: And this year we've seen more are incidents than ever 309 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 1: being reported and being reported by mainstream media. So we 310 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:09,600 Speaker 1: just felt that it was really important to once again 311 00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:12,800 Speaker 1: take a stance, especially with so many new members of 312 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:16,760 Speaker 1: Congress and with a new White House. UM, to take 313 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:22,160 Speaker 1: a stance and to remind people that your elected officials 314 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:25,800 Speaker 1: denounced this sort of discrimination. And do you think you'll 315 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:30,199 Speaker 1: get more Republicans this time? I hope so, I really hope. So. 316 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:33,879 Speaker 1: I think a lot of them are very sympathetic. But 317 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:38,840 Speaker 1: one of the unfortunate consequences of all this gerrymandering has 318 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:42,480 Speaker 1: been done is that most Republicans are in districts where 319 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:45,080 Speaker 1: they're more afraid of a primary than a general election, 320 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:49,480 Speaker 1: and everything's been turned into politics. I mean, there was 321 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:53,479 Speaker 1: a poll that came out today on the vaccines or 322 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:59,840 Speaker 1: recently done by Marris which said that percent of the 323 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:03,320 Speaker 1: people who voted for President Trump wouldn't take the vaccine 324 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:09,400 Speaker 1: even though he's taken it. We somehow have to recapture 325 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:12,439 Speaker 1: a sense of our common humanity and a feeling that 326 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:18,320 Speaker 1: some things are beyond politics. If every single issue is 327 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 1: a test of your partisan loyalty, it will all be blind. 328 00:23:24,119 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 1: Before long, we will be blind to anything that affects 329 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 1: someone else. And we have to ask people to go 330 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:36,560 Speaker 1: back to treating people as they would like to be treated, 331 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:41,639 Speaker 1: not necessarily as they feel they have been treated. And 332 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:45,120 Speaker 1: I hope you get more than three votes this time. 333 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 1: Me too, Me too. Let's talk about the larger impact 334 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:54,840 Speaker 1: on this. A lot of these events, including the violence 335 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:59,800 Speaker 1: against Asian Americans, have laid bare structural and equities, a 336 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:03,199 Speaker 1: loss the board, and it's all happening at once. I 337 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:07,439 Speaker 1: think that's one of the reasons that we're seeing this 338 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:12,080 Speaker 1: and one of the reasons I think what you're doing 339 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:15,199 Speaker 1: is so important is we've got to settle down and 340 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:19,160 Speaker 1: get people to accept joint responsibility instead of reflectively looking 341 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:22,639 Speaker 1: for someone to blame. That. That's true, and it plays 342 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:26,280 Speaker 1: a huge role in all of this. People, especially when 343 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:29,640 Speaker 1: times are tough, people look for a scapegoat. They need 344 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 1: a scapegoat, They need to have a better understanding of 345 00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:38,360 Speaker 1: why things are happening, UM, and to help explain the 346 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:42,200 Speaker 1: inequities that they face, whether it's to themselves or to 347 00:24:42,280 --> 00:24:47,320 Speaker 1: the people around them. And when you already feel like that, 348 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:54,400 Speaker 1: when you are vulnerable to that sort of frustration and anger, UH, 349 00:24:54,760 --> 00:24:59,439 Speaker 1: false narratives and false news from a leader with a 350 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:04,439 Speaker 1: large platform like the former president UM really adds fuel 351 00:25:04,560 --> 00:25:09,359 Speaker 1: to the fire. UM. And so that's why it was 352 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:13,919 Speaker 1: so so damaging UM two for him to sort of 353 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:18,720 Speaker 1: lean in on people who are desperate and looking for help, 354 00:25:18,760 --> 00:25:27,800 Speaker 1: looking for a scapegoat. We'll be right back. Let's talk 355 00:25:27,800 --> 00:25:29,760 Speaker 1: about another thing I know you care a lot about. 356 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 1: In the last year, almost three million American women have 357 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:39,040 Speaker 1: left our labor force, and these three million women were 358 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:42,439 Speaker 1: forced to choose between their jobs and either caring for 359 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:47,600 Speaker 1: children or other family members. By and large, so last February, 360 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:51,400 Speaker 1: last month, you introduced what you call the Marshall Plan 361 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 1: for Moms, which specifically aims to help mothers return to 362 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:59,480 Speaker 1: the workforce. Tell us a little about why you did it, 363 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:02,480 Speaker 1: what the bill doesn't, What do you think it would 364 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:08,480 Speaker 1: mean for economic recovery? Sure? Well, like you said, millions 365 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 1: of women have left the labor force entirely, about one 366 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:16,159 Speaker 1: million of those women or moms, they've been forced to 367 00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:20,720 Speaker 1: choose between their jobs and to care for people in 368 00:26:20,760 --> 00:26:23,960 Speaker 1: their own family, whether it's their kids or whether it's 369 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:28,439 Speaker 1: their their own parents and relatives. Um. I've been working 370 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:35,679 Speaker 1: on this Martiall Plan for Moms with Senator Klobachar, Senators Duckworth, 371 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:41,439 Speaker 1: and the former head of Girls who Code Rushima, so Johnny. Um. 372 00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:48,960 Speaker 1: And it is a resolution that hopefully will lift up 373 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:53,480 Speaker 1: the voices and the christ for help that moms are 374 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:59,119 Speaker 1: screaming out for help across this country. And we want 375 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:02,920 Speaker 1: to make or that as we come out of this pandemic, 376 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:06,520 Speaker 1: that we are doing whatever we can to reform and 377 00:27:06,560 --> 00:27:12,920 Speaker 1: to restructure this infrastructure of childcare and to help them 378 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:17,000 Speaker 1: return to the workforce if they want to, and to 379 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:23,960 Speaker 1: help stabilize the childcare industry. Um. You know, moms across 380 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:28,920 Speaker 1: the country have been facing a public health, economic and 381 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:34,720 Speaker 1: caregiving crisis. Especially moms of color have been pushed to 382 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:40,520 Speaker 1: the brink of economic, social, and emotional collapse during this 383 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:46,639 Speaker 1: past year. They're shouldering all these burdens childcare, remote learning, 384 00:27:46,760 --> 00:27:53,400 Speaker 1: remote work, telehealth, um and oftentimes without much support and 385 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:59,199 Speaker 1: in social isolation. And so look, moms are always fighting 386 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:03,720 Speaker 1: in uphill, bad at all against gender norms, um ratio 387 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:09,200 Speaker 1: and gender pay equity. But you know, this pandemic really 388 00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 1: exacerbated already struct existing structural inequalities UM and so our 389 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:22,080 Speaker 1: plan is really a framework for moms to help revitalize 390 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:26,040 Speaker 1: our moms in the workforce. We have an opportunity for 391 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 1: transformational structural change, and I really want Congress and our 392 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:36,840 Speaker 1: leaders in the government, corporate, all leaders to take advantage 393 00:28:36,840 --> 00:28:39,440 Speaker 1: of this moment. I think that some of the things 394 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:42,880 Speaker 1: in this relief bill that you just passed like a 395 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:47,000 Speaker 1: good beginning on that, including giving cash allowances to families 396 00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:50,360 Speaker 1: for the number of children they have, and talk a 397 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:53,240 Speaker 1: little about that, because most people just know about the 398 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:57,719 Speaker 1: check and where the income cut off is. But there 399 00:28:57,720 --> 00:29:03,520 Speaker 1: are actually some really remarkable innovative changes here. Definitely, I'm 400 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:07,840 Speaker 1: so thankful to our leaders President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, 401 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 1: Speaker Pelosi, my speaker, UM, Majority Leader Schumer, UM, and 402 00:29:15,640 --> 00:29:20,080 Speaker 1: of course on my colleagues in putting forth legislation the 403 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 1: American Rescue Plan that literally will help rescue families, including moms, 404 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:30,040 Speaker 1: including children. UH. This is a dramatic piece of legislation, 405 00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:36,080 Speaker 1: incredible steps to lifting families out of poverty. Literally. It 406 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:40,960 Speaker 1: includes money, I think about forty billion dollars to help 407 00:29:41,040 --> 00:29:47,280 Speaker 1: stabilize our childcare industry, so important. Expanding the child tax credit. 408 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 1: Families are going to get more than the fourteen hundred UM. 409 00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:57,560 Speaker 1: More money into families pockets. UM, vaccines in arms, UM, 410 00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:02,040 Speaker 1: the ability to open our schools back again. UM. Money 411 00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:06,840 Speaker 1: for internet access so our kids could have access to 412 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 1: a good education, UM in an equally accessible way across 413 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:15,520 Speaker 1: the country. So there's a lot for families. UM. We 414 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:18,520 Speaker 1: will continue to fight our Our fight is not over, 415 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:22,640 Speaker 1: but incredible steps and investments have been made with this 416 00:30:22,760 --> 00:30:28,120 Speaker 1: latest bill. I think it's important that we publicize this 417 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:30,720 Speaker 1: because this is one of the things that I think 418 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:35,400 Speaker 1: will help bring America back together again. Of all the 419 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:40,040 Speaker 1: advanced industrial economies, the United States historically has given the 420 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:44,920 Speaker 1: least support two families, and that the job of balancing 421 00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 1: work and family and supporting both. And I remember, I 422 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:53,320 Speaker 1: still believe that the most popular bill I ever signed 423 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:55,920 Speaker 1: was the very first one, the Family Medical Leave Law, 424 00:30:56,360 --> 00:30:59,720 Speaker 1: And that was way back in that was a generation ago. 425 00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:04,800 Speaker 1: And yet I was never able to persuade the Congress 426 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:09,360 Speaker 1: to pass an optional plan I offered that would give 427 00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:14,640 Speaker 1: states with stable unemployment funds the option to fund paid 428 00:31:14,760 --> 00:31:18,440 Speaker 1: leave out of that. So say a little more about this. 429 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:22,640 Speaker 1: This is really a big deal. Definitely, Look, our American 430 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:29,920 Speaker 1: Rescue Plan not only addresses the COVID nineteen pandemic and 431 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:33,959 Speaker 1: what we need to build back, but like President Biden says, 432 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:38,080 Speaker 1: we need to build back better. So with this bill, 433 00:31:38,560 --> 00:31:43,480 Speaker 1: uh is a tremendous first step in addressing a lot 434 00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:49,920 Speaker 1: of the systemic inequities and injustices that already exist to 435 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:55,200 Speaker 1: lift so many families, so many children out of poverty 436 00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:58,680 Speaker 1: so that they could have food. This there's an increase 437 00:31:58,760 --> 00:32:03,040 Speaker 1: in snap benefits for our kids as well. Kids are 438 00:32:03,040 --> 00:32:06,840 Speaker 1: going hungry and in my district, and you you see 439 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:10,640 Speaker 1: this around the country. You saw kids online at food 440 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:14,080 Speaker 1: pantries because their parents had to go to work, but 441 00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:16,960 Speaker 1: they still needed food they needed, even that one or 442 00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:22,160 Speaker 1: two meals a day that they couldn't afford UM. And 443 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:25,200 Speaker 1: so we're helping to feed kids, we're helping to lift 444 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:27,840 Speaker 1: them out of poverty. We're helping to give them internet 445 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:32,040 Speaker 1: access so that they could get a good education. But 446 00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:35,200 Speaker 1: you're right, we need to do more unpaid leave. There 447 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:38,080 Speaker 1: are moms, there are people who have had to leave 448 00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:41,880 Speaker 1: their jobs, whether they're taking care of their kids or 449 00:32:41,920 --> 00:32:46,440 Speaker 1: whether they're taking care of sick parents, elderly parents, um 450 00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:51,320 Speaker 1: who have had nowhere to go. And so it is 451 00:32:51,440 --> 00:32:55,680 Speaker 1: important as we rebuild, not just rebuild, but rebuild better 452 00:32:55,960 --> 00:33:01,080 Speaker 1: our childcare industry that people will feel that they have 453 00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:06,240 Speaker 1: a safe place, safe caregivers to take care of their 454 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:09,680 Speaker 1: own kids so that they could pursue a career if 455 00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:13,520 Speaker 1: they choose to UM. And that you're right, it's a necessity. 456 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:16,400 Speaker 1: It shouldn't be a luxury in America. Let's talk about 457 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:18,680 Speaker 1: another thing that the big piece of this, and I 458 00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:22,240 Speaker 1: know you're interested in it, that's closing the digital divide. 459 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:25,840 Speaker 1: We've been talking about doing this for more than twenty years, 460 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:29,480 Speaker 1: and my second term I went to Window Rock, a 461 00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:34,480 Speaker 1: Navajo reservation in northern New Mexico to recognize a young 462 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:39,840 Speaker 1: thirteen year old girl who had won an academic contest 463 00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:44,080 Speaker 1: and the prize was a computer. She lived on a 464 00:33:44,120 --> 00:33:48,480 Speaker 1: reservation and she didn't even have a telephone line to 465 00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:53,840 Speaker 1: hook her computer into. They're still twelve million children who 466 00:33:53,880 --> 00:33:58,520 Speaker 1: do not have access to affordable broadband in America, and 467 00:33:58,800 --> 00:34:01,520 Speaker 1: I believe it should be part of any infrastructure plan. 468 00:34:01,600 --> 00:34:03,880 Speaker 1: It's one of the cheapest things we could do in 469 00:34:03,920 --> 00:34:09,000 Speaker 1: a hurry that would bring both educational and economic opportunity 470 00:34:09,440 --> 00:34:14,000 Speaker 1: two people in some isolated urban areas, but in many 471 00:34:14,239 --> 00:34:17,840 Speaker 1: rural areas who just don't have access to it. So 472 00:34:18,920 --> 00:34:22,879 Speaker 1: I never thought about this necessarily as a New York 473 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:27,240 Speaker 1: City issue. I will say that when my kids started 474 00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:30,279 Speaker 1: going to school, though, you know, I remember one night 475 00:34:30,320 --> 00:34:32,759 Speaker 1: I said, you know, take out your textbooks, show mom 476 00:34:32,800 --> 00:34:36,239 Speaker 1: your textbooks. And they laughed at me. They said, what textbooks. 477 00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:38,880 Speaker 1: We don't want textbooks. It's all online. You go on 478 00:34:38,920 --> 00:34:43,520 Speaker 1: the website. Um, And luckily we had internet access, we 479 00:34:43,520 --> 00:34:46,360 Speaker 1: were able to click on the link and get get 480 00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:49,719 Speaker 1: his homework. But I will tell you and how I 481 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:52,680 Speaker 1: learned more about this was I spent the last four 482 00:34:52,760 --> 00:34:56,400 Speaker 1: years helping out at the d n C the Democratic 483 00:34:56,480 --> 00:35:00,799 Speaker 1: National Committee, and I traveled around the country free a bit. 484 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:04,120 Speaker 1: I went to over twenties states. I've gone to places 485 00:35:04,120 --> 00:35:12,080 Speaker 1: in Iowa, to Montana, um and even Arkansas. And I 486 00:35:12,160 --> 00:35:15,960 Speaker 1: met families who told me that they couldn't do their 487 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:19,240 Speaker 1: homework or they couldn't read the news on a regular basis, 488 00:35:19,840 --> 00:35:23,000 Speaker 1: that they would have to go sit in the parking 489 00:35:23,040 --> 00:35:25,960 Speaker 1: lot of a fast food restaurant or go to a 490 00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:29,719 Speaker 1: library if and when it was open to be able 491 00:35:29,760 --> 00:35:33,520 Speaker 1: to do their homework. And I started to learn more 492 00:35:33,520 --> 00:35:37,680 Speaker 1: about this issue. Mr Clyburne from South Carolina has been 493 00:35:37,719 --> 00:35:42,840 Speaker 1: one of my teachers, my professors UM and I learned 494 00:35:42,880 --> 00:35:45,600 Speaker 1: that even in my home state of New York, in 495 00:35:45,640 --> 00:35:50,320 Speaker 1: parts of upstate New York, they can't get reliable internet access. 496 00:35:50,600 --> 00:35:53,200 Speaker 1: And I learned that in New York City on a 497 00:35:53,320 --> 00:35:57,759 Speaker 1: good day of kids don't have access to the internet. 498 00:35:58,520 --> 00:36:01,320 Speaker 1: And so it was actually before pandemic that I started 499 00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:04,640 Speaker 1: working on this. I even joined me a city girl, 500 00:36:04,719 --> 00:36:09,200 Speaker 1: joined the Rural Broadband Task Force started by Mr cliburn Um, 501 00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:12,040 Speaker 1: and we made a lot of headway. And then COVID 502 00:36:12,160 --> 00:36:16,719 Speaker 1: hit and then the whole country suddenly realized how serious 503 00:36:16,880 --> 00:36:21,360 Speaker 1: a problem. This was on a good day before the pandemic, 504 00:36:21,400 --> 00:36:26,200 Speaker 1: twelve million kids didn't have access to the internet UM. 505 00:36:26,239 --> 00:36:31,040 Speaker 1: But then during the pandemic, millions more didn't have the 506 00:36:31,160 --> 00:36:34,759 Speaker 1: necessary access that they needed it. And so we were 507 00:36:35,040 --> 00:36:39,719 Speaker 1: really proud to work with Speaker Pelosi, with Clyburn, Chairman Polone, 508 00:36:39,719 --> 00:36:44,719 Speaker 1: and Senator Marquis and others to bring billions of dollars 509 00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:48,560 Speaker 1: UM and seven billion of it was secured in this 510 00:36:48,719 --> 00:36:53,040 Speaker 1: latest bill, the American Rescue Plan to help close this 511 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:57,080 Speaker 1: homework gap in the digital divide. And Mr Cliburn and 512 00:36:57,160 --> 00:37:00,480 Speaker 1: Senator Clobridge are actually just introduced legislation to and fuse 513 00:37:00,560 --> 00:37:04,120 Speaker 1: I think it's about two billion more UM for the 514 00:37:04,120 --> 00:37:07,839 Speaker 1: E rate program. So we are making tremendous progress. It's 515 00:37:07,840 --> 00:37:11,520 Speaker 1: a bipartisan issue. It affects everyone in America. We see 516 00:37:11,560 --> 00:37:14,399 Speaker 1: this now. It's a human right. It's like having electricity, 517 00:37:14,440 --> 00:37:18,640 Speaker 1: it's like having clean water. So we're excited. We're headed 518 00:37:18,640 --> 00:37:22,200 Speaker 1: in a good direction. We started the E rate way 519 00:37:22,200 --> 00:37:27,560 Speaker 1: back when I was president, and it's saved schools and 520 00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:32,080 Speaker 1: libraries in small areas, rural areas two billion dollars a 521 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:35,040 Speaker 1: year before I left office. Just having the E right 522 00:37:36,200 --> 00:37:38,719 Speaker 1: so the system is there, it just needs to be 523 00:37:38,760 --> 00:37:43,719 Speaker 1: made universal. And I think that this is one thing 524 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:46,360 Speaker 1: I believe you could get a lot of bipartisan support 525 00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:50,680 Speaker 1: for for people who are just listening in who never 526 00:37:50,760 --> 00:37:53,920 Speaker 1: thought about some of this the violence against Asian Americans 527 00:37:53,920 --> 00:37:57,200 Speaker 1: for example, or some of these other issues. We discussed 528 00:37:58,440 --> 00:38:01,960 Speaker 1: what advice can you give citizens who aren't in Congress 529 00:38:03,440 --> 00:38:07,440 Speaker 1: about what they should do to change the environment in 530 00:38:07,480 --> 00:38:11,160 Speaker 1: their communities, to get people talking about these issues and 531 00:38:11,239 --> 00:38:15,440 Speaker 1: to get people loving for not just closing the digital divide, 532 00:38:15,520 --> 00:38:22,440 Speaker 1: but closing the emotional divide that has led to so 533 00:38:22,560 --> 00:38:28,359 Speaker 1: much irrational reaction. That's a great term, um, you know, 534 00:38:28,520 --> 00:38:33,440 Speaker 1: speaking up and saying out loud on any platform that 535 00:38:33,520 --> 00:38:36,799 Speaker 1: you have, whether it's your family and neighborhood or whether 536 00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:40,520 Speaker 1: it's a large Twitter following that you might have. It 537 00:38:40,600 --> 00:38:43,920 Speaker 1: means so much to the Asian American community. We are 538 00:38:43,960 --> 00:38:48,640 Speaker 1: a community that, stereotypically but to some extent true, has 539 00:38:48,680 --> 00:38:53,120 Speaker 1: been encouraged to blend in and to stay quiet and 540 00:38:53,160 --> 00:38:56,840 Speaker 1: to be invisible. And so when people from other communities 541 00:38:56,840 --> 00:39:01,360 Speaker 1: are speaking up for us, it's incredibly power full, um, 542 00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:05,760 Speaker 1: and so impactful. And I think just on issues in general, 543 00:39:06,400 --> 00:39:10,480 Speaker 1: you know, I just want to say that never underestimate 544 00:39:10,560 --> 00:39:15,760 Speaker 1: the power of one on almost any issue, and certainly 545 00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:18,239 Speaker 1: on almost every legislation that I've worked on and that 546 00:39:18,280 --> 00:39:22,720 Speaker 1: I've passed. It comes from everyday people in my district 547 00:39:22,880 --> 00:39:26,840 Speaker 1: and across the country, someone who might not be an expert, 548 00:39:27,200 --> 00:39:30,520 Speaker 1: but detected a problem that they saw in their neighborhood 549 00:39:30,560 --> 00:39:34,040 Speaker 1: and their community. And if you do enough research, you 550 00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:37,000 Speaker 1: realize that that same little problem might be happening to 551 00:39:37,040 --> 00:39:41,560 Speaker 1: Americans all across the country. And it gives us tremendous 552 00:39:41,560 --> 00:39:44,759 Speaker 1: opportunity to be able to work together and to hear 553 00:39:44,880 --> 00:39:47,720 Speaker 1: from the everyday person. And that's how change is made, 554 00:39:48,040 --> 00:39:51,680 Speaker 1: one by one by one. Um. And so you know, 555 00:39:51,800 --> 00:39:56,520 Speaker 1: never doubt and never underestimate your power. A few years 556 00:39:56,520 --> 00:40:01,560 Speaker 1: ago in Berkeley, California, Yeah, I had one of my 557 00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:06,560 Speaker 1: Clinton Global Initiative meetings just for university students. I opened 558 00:40:06,600 --> 00:40:10,319 Speaker 1: the Florida Questions and I asked the students if they 559 00:40:10,360 --> 00:40:14,200 Speaker 1: add any questions they wanted to ask me, And one said, 560 00:40:16,280 --> 00:40:20,320 Speaker 1: what advice would you give to your twenty year old self? 561 00:40:22,640 --> 00:40:28,840 Speaker 1: And I said, never dise empower yourself, Never dis empower yourself, 562 00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:36,160 Speaker 1: never underestimate the ability to raise an issue, try to 563 00:40:36,200 --> 00:40:39,400 Speaker 1: get it right, don't shut out people who want to 564 00:40:39,400 --> 00:40:41,680 Speaker 1: have a discussion with you, who may disagree with you, 565 00:40:42,320 --> 00:40:47,359 Speaker 1: Just don't disempower yourself. And to me, that's the most 566 00:40:47,440 --> 00:40:52,080 Speaker 1: encouraging thing about the current moment. Uh A hundred and 567 00:40:52,120 --> 00:40:54,840 Speaker 1: fifty three million plus people voting in the last election, 568 00:40:54,920 --> 00:40:58,880 Speaker 1: people caring. Even the people who disagree with you and 569 00:40:58,920 --> 00:41:03,040 Speaker 1: me or nearly everything, they live in a country where 570 00:41:03,040 --> 00:41:07,799 Speaker 1: they're not dis empowered. In the last few years, the 571 00:41:07,920 --> 00:41:10,560 Speaker 1: leader of China has decided to stay there for life. 572 00:41:10,600 --> 00:41:12,960 Speaker 1: The leader of Russia is obviously trying to stay there 573 00:41:13,000 --> 00:41:16,760 Speaker 1: for life. We at least live in a place wherever 574 00:41:16,880 --> 00:41:19,360 Speaker 1: free to debate these things and try to work them through. 575 00:41:20,280 --> 00:41:25,680 Speaker 1: And I'm very grateful that's someone like you. I was 576 00:41:25,760 --> 00:41:30,360 Speaker 1: able to work her away into Congress. And uh, I 577 00:41:30,440 --> 00:41:32,600 Speaker 1: know you've been away from your kids more than you want, 578 00:41:32,680 --> 00:41:35,440 Speaker 1: but I bet they're doing fine, and I know they're 579 00:41:35,480 --> 00:41:38,279 Speaker 1: proud of you, and we certainly are. And I thank 580 00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:40,680 Speaker 1: you for your time today. Thank you, Mr President, Thank 581 00:41:40,719 --> 00:41:42,960 Speaker 1: you for all that you continue to do for this country. 582 00:41:43,560 --> 00:41:49,359 Speaker 1: Congresswoman Grace Mayn, thank you. Why am I telling you 583 00:41:49,400 --> 00:41:52,200 Speaker 1: this is a production of our Heart Radio, the Clinton Foundation, 584 00:41:52,480 --> 00:41:56,960 Speaker 1: and at Will Media. Our executive producers are Craig Monascion 585 00:41:57,360 --> 00:42:02,200 Speaker 1: and Will Manati. 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