A chat with the Bernie Sanders campaign, a deeper look into the casting controversy surrounding"Ghost in the Shell", do public defenders have an implicit bias?
Making California’s communities of color ‘Feel the Bern'
How do you make California’s communities of color ‘Feel the Bern?’
The Golden State is a must-win for Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders. The Vermont senator lags Clinton by over 700 delegates, who needs just 143 delegates to clinch the nomination. While Sanders admits that he faces a daunting climb, enthusiastic supporters continue to canvas the state ahead of the June 7th primary.
California could present his biggest challenge yet, as one of the most diverse electorates in the country. For more on the plan to crack California, Take Two spoke to Arturo Carmona, national deputy political director for the Bernie Sanders campaign. Carmona specializes in minority outreach.
Back in November, Bernie Sanders held a rally in Northern Nevada aimed at wooing Latino voters. There was a mariachi band, posters in Spanish, but few Latinos. Analysts said breaking through would be an uphill battle for him. Now, many polls show Clinton and Sanders nearly neck-and-neck with Latino voters nationwide. What’s changed?
Starting in Nevada, we surprised the country by winning the Latino vote in Nevada. We went on to win many other Latino electorates, from Colorado to Illinois, to many other states. And that has — basically — been our consistent message that connects with Latinos — particularly with younger and middle-aged Latinos, which represent — demographically — the largest majority of the Latino population … We’ve been winning those voters consistently. The message about economic justice, about taking care of workers, taking care of university students, providing healthcare for all as a right, not a privilege; that message has resonated, in addition to our very progressive and bold immigration platform that has really connected with immigrant families.
(Note: Hillary Clinton won the Nevada primary.)
During the 2008 primary, then Senator Obama lost the Latino vote to Hillary Clinton by a margin of nearly two-to-one. Analysts have called Latinos Clinton’s “firewall.” What were some of your tactics for getting Sanders noticed with Latinos?
We’ve had a very culturally competent approach to our messaging. We’ve embraced bilingual communications … We’ve had a real army of grassroots volunteers, from high school students to undocumented immigrants, to dreamers, to older and middle-aged Latino families … When you’re talking about California, our message and our campaign are perfect for the state. It’s a campaign that’s focused on people; that’s focused not on the political establishment or corporations in this country, not having a super PAC. So all of these issues combined make California a prime state for us and a state we intend to win.
Sanders is gaining traction with Latinos, but an independent field poll released last month shows that Clinton has a wide lead among black voters. Sanders has struggled with black voters across in primaries the country. Why is he having trouble breaking through?
Well look, we’ve seen that with African American voters, we’ve consistently continued to improve. The fact is that Senator Sanders came from a state that is primarily white and has built relationships with the African Americans. We’ve progressively done better. And let’s face it, Secretary Clinton had a very long standing relationship with the African American community … Our agenda, every time we talk to African American voters, really connects. Whether you’re talking about criminal justice issues or closing down private prisons, to [the] treatment of police abuse … by far, our platform is the strongest and clearest.
Press the blue button above to hear the full interview.
Black tar's dangerous rise: from Mexico's heroin fields to the streets of LA
A potent form of heroin, known as black tar, is flooding the market in Southern California and could signal an alarming trend in the nation’s opioid epidemic.
Deaths from heroin overdoses have quadrupled in the U.S. from 2002 to 2013, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The flow of black tar from Mexico has inundated the U.S. and can be found as close to home as the tents of Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles.
In a recent investigation by VICE News, reporters took an in-depth look into how the business of heroin operates in Mexico, and how the Mexican government is trying to combat the problem. VICE News producer Daniel Hernández spoke with Take Two about his experience following the impacts of black tar from the poppy fields of Guerrero all the way to the streets of L.A.
In Guerrero, Mexico’s second-poorest state, Hernández spoke to farmers and members of the Mexican military tasked with destroying acres of opium-producing flowers.
One farmer, speaking in Spanish, described the production of heroin and the role that local farmers play in a complex web:
“We just sell what we grow here in town. The guy who processes it is the one who gets the most benefit. Not us, the farmers. We don’t have any choice because the government doesn’t provide us with any jobs. How are we supposed to make a living?”
This is a region where there’s “no cell phone coverage, no police presence, [and] there were armed groups,” Hernández says.
Still, the Mexican military has made attempts to stymie the creation of heroin, with soldiers hacking away with machetes and burning piles of poppy plants.
“The army comes in, might destroy a couple of acres, but just over the ridge here or just over the river there, there are 10 more acres. There’s just so much of it being grown everywhere,” he says.
As for the lives of the people in these drug-producing villages, they are much like any other in Mexico.
“Their lives are very modest,” Hernández says.
The difference is that here they live under an umbrella of fear that a rival cartel or group will infiltrate them at any moment.
That’s exactly what happened in one remote town that Hernández visited. By the time he got there along with the required “armed federal agents” — which he says were essentially guys in plain clothes with big guns — the town had been ravaged by violence and turned into a ghost town:
“There’s peace in a little village that is a drug-producing village, but at any minute, another group, another gang can come in and say, ‘OK now we’re in charge, and if you don’t listen to us, we’re going to burn down houses, we’re going to kill the men, rape the women.’ All things that happened in that town.”
Meanwhile, the drugs that are a result of the farming done in the remote, poor regions of Mexico eventually make their way to the U.S. and into the tents of those living on Skid Row.
“This drug has really just flooded the country, and it’s everywhere, everywhere, everywhere,” Hernández says. “I think there is a huge challenge, and just a huge lack of awareness of how integral Mexico is to the United States’ current opioid problem.”
The Drug Enforcement Agency is often playing catch-up in their attempts to put a stop to the flow of heroin into the country, which can be difficult.
“This is a drug that will get you hooked the second you try it. It was so easy to get, and that was, again, pretty alarming,” he says.
Watch the VICE News investigation into this world of heroin that keeps Mexican farmers living in fear — and some of the homeless on Skid Row shooting up.
https://news.vice.com/video/the-rise-of-mexican-black-tar
LA moves to require farmers markets to accept food stamps
Update: The Los Angeles City Council voted Friday to direct the city attorney to draft an ordinance making it mandatory for all farmers markets to accept EBT cards (the electronic equivalent of food stamps). The vote was 11-0 with four council members absent.
Every Sunday morning, the Hollywood Farmers Market pops up at the corner of Hollywood and Ivar. It’s one of about 60 farmers markets that regularly appears in the city of L.A.
Shopper Kris Jones is a regular at this market. “Vendors here have a lot more information about what makes their food healthy,” she said. “I like that you can ask questions and get answers. Going to your local grocery you don’t always get that.”
Another bonus for Jones--she’s able to pay for her produce at this market using CalFresh Electronic Benefits Transfer, or EBT, the government assistance program formerly known as food stamps.
According to County data, well over a million people in the L.A. area rely on CalFresh to buy groceries each month. Even more are eligible for the program but haven’t enrolled.
But according to the Los Angeles Food Policy Council, more than half of farmers markets in L.A. don’t accept EBT.
“It seemed very curious to us that farmers markets, which we all love, are not as inclusive to our low income neighbors as they could be,” said Clare Fox, executive director of the L.A. Food Policy Council.
Fox’s organization is working with the L.A. City Council to make EBT a requirement at all farmers markets in L.A.
Through the CalFresh program, farmers markets can get a no-cost, wireless point-of-sale device from the state--it’s a lot like a portable credit card reader. Shoppers can swipe their EBT card at the manager’s booth in exchange for vouchers that they can use at the market’s produce stalls.
Albert Tlatoa, with the South Central Farmers Cooperative has been working at farmers markets throughout L.A. for 10 years. He’s worked at some that do accept EBT and some that don’t.
“It’s a different system for each market, each organization runs their farmers market differently. We would like to take it, but we don’t take it all the time,” he said.
He said when he can accept EBT, he definitely sees more business.
The Food Policy Council says that’s a common story. Their research suggests farmers markets that add EBT typically see an increase in revenue. Programs like Hunger Action Los Angeles’ Market Match, which provides matching funds to some EBT shoppers to incentivize shopping at farmers markets, often bring even more business to vendors, Fox said.
Even so, some markets have been reluctant to adopt EBT. Fox said many simply don’t know about the program. And getting the program set up takes a lot of paperwork.
“For farmers markets that have mostly volunteers, or a lot of turnover in staff, some of the smaller operations, that might be hard to do,” Fox said.
But City Councilman Jose Huizar, who’s backing the ordinance, said those are minor issues compared to citywide health concerns.
“If you have a farmer’s market that doesn’t have EBT, that individual who uses it is going to to go to a local store that perhaps doesn’t have fresh fruit and vegetables, so at the end of the day this is going to allow for a healthier individual with the use of EBT and a healthier Los Angeles,” Huizar said.
Huizar is optimistic that, if passed, the ordinance could go into effect within six months.
The City Council will face some challenges. Some farmers markets take place in parks, others on streets, and others on private property, so there’s no one-size-fits-all permitting process that would make it easy to enforce an EBT law across Los Angeles.
Fox said the law wouldn’t be a silver bullet solution to the city’s food access problems. There are still many more farmers markets in affluent neighborhoods than in low income areas. But Fox said, “It sends a very strong message that the city is taking proactive steps toward addressing the crisis that we see around obesity, diet-related disease, and access to healthy food facing low income communities and communities of color.”
For shoppers like Jones, the more healthy options, the better. “One of the big draws for me is being able to come here and get fresh local fruit and vegetables and all that and use my card,” she said.
The Illusionists: the documentary that explores the costs of beauty on a global scale
Beauty - so the saying goes - is in the eye of the beholder.
Yet, media images of tall, thin, flawless and beautifully coiffured men and women can skew how we see ourselves. So, it's no surprise that the industry of looking good is worth around $460 billion dollars worldwide.
But what are people spending their money on?
A new documentary called The Illusionists explores the many costs of beauty on a global scale.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak22UNcDa1k
It's screening at the Orange County Museum of Art
Earlier, host A Martinez spoke with the filmmaker, Elena Rossini about what inspired her to make the film.
To hear the full interview, click the blue play button above.
The complicated history of racial representation in Japanese media
A debate has broken out over Scarlett Johansson's casting in the role of Major Motoko Kusanagi, a key character in a live action adaptation of the popular anime series, Ghost in the Shell.
Fans in the U.S. are upset that a white actress will play the role of character that many see as Japanese.
Problem is, the creators say that Kusanagi was never meant to be Japanese so they don't understand what all the fuss is about.
For more on the complexities of race and representation in Japanese media, Take Two's A Martinez talks to Emily Yoshida, entertainment editor for The Verge.
Yoshida says that there many fans of Ghost in the Shell in Japan had no problem with Johansson's casting. In fact, they saw it as favorable since she better reflected the character's kewpie eyes.
In fact, those eyes are more indicative of a conscious effort on the part of Japanese artists and creators that goes all the way back to post-World War II, when the company was working harder to appeal to Western audiences.
Yoshida wil explain why it may not be easy for Japanese fans to recognize certain Hollywood casting decision and why it's can be hard to pinpoint the race of certain anime characters, especially Major Kusanagi.
To hear the whole interview, click on the player above
What White House guidance on transgender access to school restrooms means for CA
Today the Obama Administration announced that all schools must allow transgender students to use the restroom that matches their gender identity.
The move comes amid a legal fight with North Carolina over its law (House Bill 2) which says people must use the restroom that matches the gender on their birth certificates.
Brad Sears, Executive Director of The Williams Institute at UCLA Law, joined Take Two to explain what the White House's message to schools means for California.
Interview highlights:
What does the guidance say?
It's from the Department of Justice and from the Department of Education and I think it really helps clarify what former guidance and case law has pretty clearly already established which is that transgender students are entitled to be safe and secure at schools. And that includes being able to use all facilities and programs consistent with their gender identity.
Is it enforceable?
It's enforceable in two ways. First of all when an individual student or the student's parents bring a lawsuit because the student's been discriminated against, courts will defer to this guidance. The second is that this is tied to federal funding. There's been a lot of talk about federal funding for North Carolina in light of HB 2, and I think this is the federal government saying if you are accepting federal dollars, your programs and facilities have to be open to all students.
What does this mean for schools in California?
I think California can be proud that it's been a leader on this issue. The great thing about this guidance is it's not only here what you need to do, it's here's how to do it, and there's an attachment with a lot of specific policies that school districts around the country can use. LA Unified's policy is set up as an example, a couple of other California cities, and California passed a statute that basically required everything that this guidance requires in 2013.
To listen to the full interview, click the blue player above.
Implicit bias - how it might play a role in the courtroom
Implicit bias ... its the belief that deep inside of our subconscious, we make quick decisions or opinions that can have an affect on our conscious mind.
Everyone has them, but could implicit bias have an affect in the legal system in interactions with lawyers and judges?
Many researchers are starting to believe that it can.
The American Bar Association is developing a program designed to have judges, prosecutors, and public defenders address implicit bias and how it might enter into the decisions they make. Part of the program are videos of established legal minds, coming to terms with the bias that they were not even aware of.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/165006635
We talk about it with Paulette Brown, President of the ABA.
Yuyi Morales on the art of children's picture books
The new children's book "Thunder Boy Jr." is all about a little boy who's not so happy about his name.
He's named after his dad, Thunder Boy Sr., but wishes that he had his own name. Something that Thunder Boy Jr. says "sounds like me."
The book is written by Sherman Alexie and illustrated by Caldecott Honor-winner Yuyi Morales.
Morales is a Mexican-born author and artist who got her start in children's literature in San Francisco where she learned English by reading children's books at the public library with her young son.
She's here in L.A. this weekend to deliver this year's Frances Clarke Sayers Lecture at UCLA's Graduate School of Education and Information Studies.
She sat down with Take Two's A Martinez to talk about "Thunder Boy Jr." and how she first got started writing and illustrating children's books.
To listen to the full interview, click the blue player above.
Eurovision finally lets the U.S. in on the fun
If you're more in the mood to stay in this weekend, we've got a little something for you
The Eurovision Song Contest is coming to the United States.
"The Eurovision what?" you ask?
It's a music contest like no other with an audience of 200 MILLION
BUT: Only our European cousins have had access - that's until now.
Tomorrow at noon, we can all join in the joys of Eurovision here in the US - it'll be screened on the LOGO.
Take Two's A Martinez was joined by Ellin Stein.
She's a journalist and fillmmaker who's been writing about all things Eurovision from London...