- COMING UP ON BLACK ISSUES FORUM, IT'S WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, AND TODAY WE'LL LOOK AT THE NEW POLICE REFORM BILL, REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE, VOTING RIGHTS, AND THE INTERVIEW WITH MEGHAN MARKLE AND PRINCE HARRY.

GET PERSPECTIVES ON THE WEEK'S HEADLINES THROUGH THE LENS OF BLACK WOMEN.

STAY WITH US.

♪ HELLO AND THANKS FOR JOINING US ON BLACK ISSUES FORUM, I'M DEBORAH HOLT NOEL.

THE NEWLY-SIGNED STIMULUS PACKAGE IS CERTAINLY GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION THIS WEEK.

BUT THE U.S. HOUSE ALSO RECENTLY PASSED A MASSIVE POLICE REFORM BILL, NAMED AFTER GEORGE FLOYD.

THE LEGISLATION'S PASSAGE COMES AS JURY SELECTION CONTINUES IN THE TRIAL AGAINST DEREK CHAUVIN.

THE FORMER OFFICER FACES SEVERAL CHARGES IN FLOYD'S DEATH.

HE'S PLEAD NOT GUILTY TO ALL OF THEM.

NO MATTER HOW THE TRIAL ENDS, IT'S UNDENIABLE THAT FLOYD'S DEATH HAD A GLOBAL IMPACT.

- AND ANYBODY WHO HAD EYES, AND A BLIND MAN WHO COULD HEAR ANYTHING THAT HE HEARD IN THAT VIDEO, THEY KNOW IT WAS WRONG.

- AMONG THE CHANGES CALLED FOR IN THE REFORM BILL - ENDING QUALIFIED IMMUNITY.

THAT CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO SUE MEMBERS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS.

HERE TO HELP US TACKLE THIS - AND A FEW OTHER RECENT HEADLINES - WE HAVE MARY C. CURTIS, A COLUMNIST FOR "ROLL CALL", AND HOST OF THE "EQUAL TIME" PODCAST.

ATTORNEY AND POLITICAL ANALYST JESSICA HOLMES.

AND COURTNEY NAPIER, A WRITER AND JOURNALIST.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US LADIES.

GUESTS: THANKS - I WANT TO GET RIGHT INTO LOOKING AT THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION, MARY, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT ITS FIRST TIME TO THE LEGISLATURE.

IN FACT, THERE WAS AN EFFORT TO GET IT PASSED BACK IN THE THE SUMMER DURING THE PROTESTS, BUT IT STALLED IN THE SENATE.

SO WHAT IS THE HOPE FOR ITS MOVEMENT NOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE BACKDROP OF THE PROTESTS?

- WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE THE PROTEST, BUT YOU DO HAVE THE BACKDROP OF THIS TRIAL, AND ALL EYES ARE ON IT, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH EVERYONE HAS OR MOST PEOPLE HAVE HAVE SEEN THAT VIDEO OF THE OFFICER, SHOWING THEM KNEELING ON GEORGE FLOYD'S NECK, STILL, PEOPLE ARE APPREHENSIVE BECAUSE IT IS VERY RARE IN THIS COUNTRY THAT A POLICE OFFICER IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE JURIES TEND TO GIVE THE POLICE OFFICERS THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND SAY, WELL, THEY HAVE DANGEROUS JOBS.

SO PEOPLE ARE STILL LOOKING AT THIS CASE.

AND THE POLICING, OF COURSE, THE GEORGE FLOYD JUSTICE AND POLICING ACT, WHEN YOU HAD REPUBLICANS DOMINATING THE SENATE, THERE WAS NO CHANCE IT WAS GOING TO GO THROUGH.

YOU HAD REPUBLICAN SENATOR TIM SCOTT HAVE A BILL THAT DID NOT HAVE ALL OF THOSE PROVISIONS IN IT, AND HE WAS PUSHING THAT.

BUT NOW WITH A DEMOCRATIC SENATE, THEY ARE LOOKING MAYBE IT WILL GET FURTHER.

BUT IT'S STILL, AS YOU SAY, VERY CONTROVERSIAL.

YOU HAVE THIS QUALIFIED IMMUNITY WHERE POLICE OFFICERS GENERALLY CANNOT BE SUED AND HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY IN ONE OF THESE KILLINGS AND IN ONE OF THESE CASES.

AND SO, YES, THAT MANY REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS STILL SAY THAT IF YOU HAVE THIS, IF YOU TAKE AWAY THAT PROVISION, IT WILL KEEP POLICE OFFICERS FROM DOING THEIR JOBS.

AND, OF COURSE, YOU HAVE THE RELATIONSHIP WITH POLICE AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY COVER.

AND MANY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR ARE SAYING, WELL, WE WANT THAT PROTECTION, BECAUSE EVEN WITH THE PROTESTS, EVEN WITH GEORGE FLOYD, YOU STILL SEE THESE CASES HAPPENING AGAIN AND AGAIN.

- WE ABSOLUTELY DO.

AND JESSICA, I WANT TO BRING YOU IN TO ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT QUALIFIED IMMUNITY ITSELF IN THIS BILL AND WHAT'S DIFFERENT THIS TIME, OR HAS ANYTHING CHANGED?

- WELL, FOR STARTERS, IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING THE SORT OF KEY ELEMENTS OF THIS BILL, AS YOU NOTED, WITH QUALIFIED IMMUNITY, ONE THING IT DOES IS LOWER THE CRIMINAL INTENT STANDARD AND LIMITS QUALIFIED IMMUNITY TO HELP REMOVE BARRIERS THAT HAVE PREVENTED OFFICERS FROM BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE IN BOTH CIVIL AND CRIMINAL COURTS.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF I WERE TO COMMIT ASSAULT, I WOULD VERY LIKELY BE CHARGED AND FOUND GUILTY OF ASSAULT.

IF AN OFFICER IN THOSE SAME EXACT CIRCUMSTANCES COMMITTED ASSAULT, IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO EITHER SUE THAT OFFICER IN CIVIL COURT AND OR HAVE THE OFFICER FOUND GUILTY IN CRIMINAL COURT.

AND THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION BETTER MAKES IT MORE POSSIBLE TO REMOVE SOME OF THOSE BARRIERS SO THAT OFFICERS CAN BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE IN BOTH COURTS AS IT RELATES TO WHAT'S DIFFERENT.

I WOULD ARGUE NOT VERY MUCH.

WHEN THE BILL WAS PASSED INITIALLY BY THE HOUSE, IT WAS BEING DEFEATED IN THE SENATE, ALTHOUGH DEMOCRATS HAVE 50 MEMBERS OF THE SENATE.

NOW, I DON'T BELIEVE WE STILL HAVE ENOUGH TO PASS THIS LEGISLATION, WHICH IS VERY UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE IT'S QUITE NEEDED.

BUT I THINK IT FACES AN UPHILL BATTLE AS IT COMES TO PASSING THROUGH THE SENATE.

MCCONNELL RUNS A VERY TIGHT SHIP.

- WELL, THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION CERTAINLY ADDRESSES WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THERE'S BEEN A TRANSGRESSION.

BUT, COURTNEY, HOW MUCH DOES DOES THIS DO OR ANY LAWS OUT THERE DO TO HELP PROTECT FAMILIES FROM FROM VIOLENCE AND FROM FROM THE TRAUMA THAT WE'RE FIGHTING RIGHT NOW TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY, WELL, WHEN IT HAPPENS, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME RIGHTS TO HOLD THE PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE.

HOW ABOUT PROTECTION IN THE FIRST PLACE?

- YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

FIRST OF ALL.

BUT HONESTLY, IT REALLY DOESN'T IT'S REALLY A MIXED BAG ON WHAT IT'S CAPABLE OF DOING.

I KNOW ONE OF THE ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THIS BILL THAT'S TRYING TO BE THE MUSCLE IS TO WITHHOLD FEDERAL FUNDING.

AND THE UNFORTUNATE REALITY IS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SUPPLIES VERY LITTLE MONEY FOR MOST MUNICIPAL POLICE FORCES.

AND SO IT'S NOT A VERY STRONG IT'S JUST NOT A VERY STRONG BILL.

BUT I THINK THE LARGER ISSUE IS SAFETY AND PROTECTION HISTORICALLY.

AND ACCORDING TO STATISTICS DON'T REALLY COME FROM THE POLICE.

THEY ONLY SOLVE A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF THE CASES THAT THEY'RE CALLED TO SOLVE.

AND SAFETY REALLY HAPPENS FROM WITHIN COMMUNITIES, STRONG SCHOOL SYSTEMS, STRONG SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES, MEDICAL CARE, MENTAL HEALTH ACCESS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS IS WHAT PROVIDES A REALLY SAFE AND PROTECTED COMMUNITY WHEN PEOPLE CAN SAVE AND PROTECT THEMSELVES.

- AND THAT'S ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION WE HOPE TO HAVE AGAIN ON BLACK ISSUES FORUM.

BUT ELECTION 2020 WAS CONSIDERED A BIG WIN FOR BLACK WOMEN, WHO, DESPITE VOTER SUPPRESSION TACTICS ERECTED FOLLOWING CHANGES TO THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, GOT OUT THE VOTE TO DELIVER THE ELECTION TO JOE BIDEN.

AND NOW NEW LEGISLATION CALLED FOR THE PEOPLE ACT HAS PASSED THE HOUSE ALONG PARTY LINES WITH HOPES TO RESTORE SOME OF THE LOSSES.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT AND THE FACT THAT THERE WERE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE IN 2013 THAT DRAMATICALLY REDUCED SOME OF THE PROTECTIONS THAT VOTERS HAD.

AND MARY, I WANT TO GO TO MARY AND JESSICA.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE CHANGES THAT HAPPENED?

WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT CHANGES TO THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT.

CAN YOU SHARE, MARY, SOME OF THOSE CHANGES THAT REALLY MADE IT A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT IN THIS LAST ELECTION AND IN RECENT ELECTIONS FOR VOTERS AND VOTERS OF COLOR.

- WHAT WE SAW IN THE SHELBY CASE, AS JESSICA WELL KNOWS, IN 2013, THAT THEY TOOK AWAY THE PRECLEARANCE PIECE OF IT, THAT PROVISION, AND THAT WAS KEY.

THAT MEANS THAT STATES AND COUNTIES THAT HAD A HISTORY OF DISCRIMINATION BEFORE THEY MADE A CHANGE TO THE VOTING LAWS, THEY HAD TO PRECLEAR IT WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT WHEN THEY TOOK THAT AWAY, YOU SAW A RUSH OF ELECTION AND VOTING LAWS AND RESTRICTIONS PUT ON AND IN NORTH CAROLINA HERE, OF COURSE, WE SURE THAT SAW THAT GIANT BILL THAT EVEN A FEDERAL COURT SAID SOME OF THE PROVISIONS DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AFRICAN-AMERICANS WITH ALMOST SURGICAL PRECISION BECAUSE THEY LOOKED BASICALLY IT WAS REVERSE ENGINEERED.

HOW DO BLACK PEOPLE VOTE THE MOST SAYING THEY REG - AND THEN THEY WENT AFTER THOSE AND WE SAW THAT.

DESPITE THAT, THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF SO MANY ACTIVISTS ON THE GROUND, AS YOU SAY, A LOT OF THEM BLACK WOMEN, STACEY ABRAMS AND MANY OTHERS, THAT THEY DID GET THE VOTE OUT.

- SO, JESSICA, I MEAN, DOES THIS FOR THE PEOPLE, BILL, HELP TO BRING SOME BALANCE AFTER ALL THE LOSSES YOU THINK?

- IF IT WERE TO PASS, IT'S CERTAINLY A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AS MENTIONED, SHELBY COUNTY VS. HOLDER, WHICH IS A LANDMARK CASE, AS WE ALL KNOW, FROM TWENTY THIRTEEN THAT REALLY OPENED THE DOOR IN TERMS OF RENDERING PRECLEARANCE ALMOST AFFECTED.

NORTH CAROLINA WAS ONE OF THOSE STATES THAT WAS COVERED BY PRECLEARANCE IN SEVERAL COUNTIES.

AND AGAIN, THE REASON THESE COUNTIES AND THESE STATES WERE COVERED BY PRECLEARANCE WAS BECAUSE THEY HAD A HISTORY OF VOTER DISCRIMINATION AND VOTER SUPPRESSION.

WE ALL KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THAT WORK WAS WAS BIRTHED RIGHT HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA IN OR AROUND THE JIM CROW ERA.

SO THIS LEGISLATION IS CERTAINLY A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO STEP IN.

BUT AS WAS NOTED, WE'RE SEEING, YOU KNOW, VOTER SUPPRESSION TACTICS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

AND QUITE FRANKLY, I EXPECT THOSE BILLS ANY MINUTE NOW TO COME OUT OF THE NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

JUST AS AFTER 2013, WE SAW A FLURRY OF BILLS THAT INCLUDED THINGS LIKE VOTER I.D.

AND ONE OF THE MOST PROGRESSIVE VOTING SUPPRESSION BILLS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY RIGHT HERE OUT OF NORTH CAROLINA.

- SO I THINK AS IT RELATES TO GOING INTO FUTURE ELECTIONS WITH REPUBLICANS IN CHARGE OF THE REDISTRICTING CYCLE, WE CAN EXPECT MORE VOTER SUPPRESSION, WE CAN EXPECT MORE GERRYMANDERING, AND WE CAN EXPECT TO CONTINUE TO LIFT OUR VOICES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE BALLOT BOX.

THIS NEW PIECE OF LEGISLATION DOES THINGS LIKE MAKES UNIVERSAL VOTING BY MAIL, ALLOWING FOR 15 DAYS OF EARLY VOTING, THINGS LIKE AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION, IN SOME CASES, THINGS LIKE RESTORING VOTING RIGHTS TO FELONS, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I TRULY BELIEVE IN, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT ONCE YOU SERVE YOUR TIME, THAT YOU SHOULD BE FULLY ENTITLED TO ALL OF THE RIGHTS AND BENEFITS OF BEING A CITIZEN IN THIS COUNTRY.

SO WHILE THIS IS CERTAINLY A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, EVEN IF IT WERE TO PASS, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD NECESSARILY STOP THE TRICKERY AND FOOLERY THAT WE CAN EXPECT FROM GOP LED LEGISLATURES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THE BATTLE WILL CONTINUE TO BE IN THE COURTS.

- JESSICA, THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING SO MANY DIFFERENT POINTS.

AND COURTNEY, CAN YOU SHARE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEBODY WHO'S HAD A LOT OF INTERACTION WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS, WHAT SOME OF THE IMPACTS OF THESE ROLLBACKS ON THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT WERE, AS YOU SAW THEM HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA IN THE RECENT ELECTION?

- YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

WELL, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT HAPPENED AFTER THE SHELBY V. HOLDER CASE OCCURRED IS THAT THERE WERE ALMOST A THOUSAND POLLING PLACES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT CLOSED AND THE MAJORITY OF THOSE WERE IN BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES.

SO ACCESS TO THE POLLS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MAJOR BARRIER FOR FOR OUR FOLKS AND FOR OTHER MINORITIES.

- FOR EXAMPLE, YOU WERE TELLING ME ABOUT THE CHAVIS HEIGHTS LOCATION.

- YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

IT WAS A LOCATION THAT IS A HISTORIC PLACE FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN RALEIGH TO VOTE.

AND THE OTHER THING THAT, YOU KNOW, HAPPENS IS, IS LACK OF NOTICE, LACK OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

YOU KNOW, AND ALSO A LOT OF THESE COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH, HAVE ISSUES WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, ISSUES WITH BROADBAND, ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT MAKE ACCESS TO THE POLLS DIFFICULT.

BUT ANOTHER THING TO HAPPEN THAT'S NOT EXACTLY RELATED BUT BUT IS ALSO AN ISSUE IS THE PROTECTION AGAINST VOTER INTIMIDATION.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN THE 80S WHERE THERE WAS A PROTECTION.

BUT IT WAS THE TIME FOR ITS ENACTMENT ENDED BEFORE THE 2020 ELECTION.

AND WE SAW ALL TYPES OF VOTER INTIMIDATION HAPPEN IN NORTH CAROLINA, NOTABLY IN GRAHAM, WHEN THE WHEN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE STOPPED A SOULS TO THE POLLS TYPE MARCH AND ARRESTED THE LEADERSHIP.

AND IT'S JUST BEEN A REALLY DIFFICULT TIME OVERALL.

- WELL, COURTNEY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO MAKE SURE THAT VOTERS HAVE THAT ACCESS TO THE POLLS AND THAT THE VOTE IS PROTECTED.

AND LADIES, I WANT TO GET YOUR VIEWS ON ONE MORE HEADLINE, BUT FIRST.

AMONG THE DISPARITIES THAT COVID-19 HAS HIGHLIGHTED ARE HEALTH DISPARITIES BLACK WOMEN EXPERIENCE.

THE RECENTLY REINTRODUCED MOMNIBUS ACT LED BY NORTH CAROLINA CONGRESSWOMAN, ALMA ADAMS AND OTHERS LOOKS TO FILL IN SOME OF THOSE GAPS THE BILL ALSO CONTINUES THE BROADER CONVERSATION ABOUT REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE.

HERE TO HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND THIS MOVEMENT I'D LIKE TO WELCOME MARCELA HOWELL, CEO OF IN OUR OWN VOICE AND OMISADE BURNEY-SCOTT CREATOR OF THE MULTIMEDIA PROJECT BLACK GIRLS GUIDE TO SURVIVING MENOPAUSE.

SO PLEASED TO HAVE BOTH OF YOU WITH US.

MARCELA LET ME OPEN WITH YOU.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT BLACK WOMEN WOMEN OF COLOR ARE EXPERIENCING THAT'S LED TO THE NEED FOR A REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE MOVEMENT?

- THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE.

REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE IS ACTUALLY A COMBINATION OF REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE THAT ADDED UP INTO REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE.

THE PHRASE WAS COINED 20 SOMETHING YEARS AGO.

AND IT BASICALLY LOOKS AT THE HUMAN RIGHT TO CONTROL OUR BODIES OUR SEXUALITY, OUR GENDER, OUR WORK, AND OUR REPRODUCTION AND IT IS A RIGHT THAT WE AS OUR ORGANIZATION IN HER OWN VOICE NATIONAL BLACK WOMEN'S REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE AGENDA WORKS ON EVERY DAY AND WE WORK ON IT THROUGH POLICY CHANGE.

AS A REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE ORGANIZATION, WE LOOK AT THE INTERSECTIONS OF RACE GENDER CLASS SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY COUPLED WITH WHAT WE WOULD CALL SITUATIONAL IMPACTS OF ECONOMICS, POLITICS AND CULTURE THAT HAVE ALL MADE UP THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF BLACK WOMEN IN AMERICA.

IN A MOMENT, I WANT YOU TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE SPECIFIC THINGS.

PARDON ME, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT THAT WOMEN OF COLOR ARE EXPERIENCING, BUT I DO WANT TO PULL IN A OMISADE AS WELL BECAUSE REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE IS A HUGE UMBRELLA AND I WANT YOU TO SHARE WHAT YOU'VE DECIDED TO FOCUS ON AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.

- ONCE AGAIN, THANKS FOR HAVING ME AS WELL AND I'M ALSO GLAD THAT I GET TO BE ON THIS PANEL WITH MARCELA BECAUSE I WAS INVITED BY IN OUR VOICES TO BE APART OF A LARGER BLACK RJ POLICY TABLE THINKING ABOUT THE SPECTRUM OF RJ AND I THINK ONE OF THE PIECES THAT DIDN'T OCCUR TO ME UNTIL TRUTHFULLY UNTIL I FOUND MYSELF IN THAT SPACE WITH WAS MENOPAUSE AND AGING.

AND IF I THINK ABOUT REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE AS A SPECTRUM.

I THINK ABOUT IT FROM THE MOMENT YOU TAKE YOUR FIRST BREATH TO THE MOMENT YOU TAKE YOUR LAST BREATH, AND HOW ARE YOU BEING SUPPORTED TO LIVE YOUR FULLEST LIFE, HOW ARE YOU BEING SUPPORTED IN YOUR BODILY AUTONOMY AND AGENCY AND HOW PEOPLE ARE ADVOCATING FOR YOUR RIGHTS NOT TO BE DISRUPTED BY SYSTEMIC OPPRESSION AND SO THE REASON WHY I STARTED BLACK GIRLS' GUIDE TO SURVIVING MENOPAUSE BUT BECAUSE I'M A BLACK OR SURVIVING MENOPAUSE, AND I KNEW THAT THERE WERE OTHER PEOPLE WHO NOT ONLY IDENTIFIES AS HETERO BLACK WOMEN BUT ALSO IDENTIFIED AS FEM OR IDENTIFY AS GENDER NONCONFORMING OR NON-BINARY WHO ARE ALSO NAVIGATING MENOPAUSE, AND TO NORMALIZE IT TO SUPPORT PEOPLE AS THEY'RE NAVIGATING IT AS A WHOLE PERSON WITH THEIR PERSONHOOD INTACT.

I FIGURED WELL WHY DON'T WE START HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE.

- THAT INCLUDES EVERYBODY AND AS A MATTER OF FACT MARCELA YOUR GROUP IN ALSO INCLUSIVE, VERY INCLUSIVE GROUP, AND I THINK THAT THAT PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE A WRONG IDEA AND MIGHT NOT EVEN STILL UNDERSTAND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE AND POLICY AND REPRODUCTION WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH BLACK WOMEN THAT HAS CREATED THE NEED I MEAN WHAT ARE SOME OF THE POLICY CONCERNS?

- WELL AS IT WAS SAID WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF THE OF FINALIZING THIS BLACK REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE POLICY AGENDA AND IT CUTS ACROSS ALL KINDS OF THINGS IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE RIGHT TO HAVE A CHILD, THE RIGHT NOT TO HAVE A CHILD BUT IT ALSO INVOLVES HOUSING, EDUCATION, ECONOMIC ISSUES, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES.

WE KNOW THAT FOR INSTANCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WE'VE SEEN WHAT HAPPENED IN FLINT WHERE BLACK FAMILIES EXPERIENCE HIGH LEVELS OF LEAD IN THE IN WATER BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE NOT AS CAREFUL IN TERMS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MAKING SURE THAT THEY WERE GETTING CLEAN WATER.

BUT THAT ALSO HAS TO DO WITH CLEAN AIR WE KNOW THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF BLACK KIDS HAVE ASTHMA.

WE ALSO LOOK AT ISSUES AROUND HEAT.

AND MATERNAL HEALTH THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF BLACK COMMUNITIES DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TREES SO THE HEAT IS HIGHER IN THOSE COMMUNITIES THAN WHAT WOULD BE IN A SUBURBAN SETTING WITH A LOT OF TREES AROUND AND THAT IMPACTS ON BLACK WOMEN AND THEIR MATERNAL HEALTH.

SO WE'RE ALL OF THOSE THINGS INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH.

WE'RE LOOKING AT POLICE VIOLENCE AGAINST BLACK WOMEN.

THE BLACK LIVES MATTERS STARTED LOOKING AT POLICE VIOLENCE AS IT PERTAIN TO BLACK MEN BUT THE REALITY IS THE SAY HER NAME PROJECT THAT'S WAS STARTED IT WAS TO SHOW THAT THERE IS A RACIAL JUSTICE.

THERE'S ALSO A GENDER JUSTICE LENS THAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT.

- ABSOLUTELY AND OUR IN OUR WRAP UP HERE I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO HEAR OMISADE TO SHARE HOW PEOPLE CAN HEAR YOUR PODCAST WITH SOME OF THE TOP OF THE RECENT TOPICS HAVE BEEN.

- SURE.

MY WEBSITE IS WWW.BLACKGIRLSGUIDETOSURVIVING MENOPAUSE.COM THERE'S A PORTAL THAT TAKES YOU TO THE PODCAST SPOTIFY, APPLE.

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT INCLUDE SOCIAL JUSTICE.

WE TALK ABOUT SEX WE TALK ABOUT PLEASURE TO TALK ABOUT INTIMACY.

WE TALK ABOUT RAGE, WE TALK ABOUT GRIEF, WE TALK ABOUT DEATH AND DYING, WE TALK ABOUT THE REINVENTION OF YOURSELF, WE TALK ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS AND WE TALK ABOUT OUR BODIES BODILY AUTONOMY BODY POSITIVITY SO THERE'S A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS TO KNOW THAT THERE'S NO SHELF LIFE ON BECOMING WHO YOU ARE AND THAT MENOPAUSE IS SIMPLY A PORTAL TO ANOTHER ITERATION OF YOURSELF.

- WELL IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE TOPICS ARE FOR WOMEN.

AND GIRLS OF OF MANY MANY AGES SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND MARCELA HOWELL THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING MARCELA AND OMISADE BURNEY SCOTT THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

- THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

- THANK YOU.

GETTING BACK TO OUR PANEL, EVEN IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW THE ROYALS, IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT TO AVOID HARRY AND MEGHAN IN RECENT DAYS.

IN A NEW INTERVIEW, THE COUPLE DETAILED THEIR EXPERIENCES THAT FOLLOWED THEIR MARRIAGE...

WHICH INCLUDED BOTH SUBTLE AND BLATANT RACISM.

- THE IDEA OF OUR SON NOT BEING SAFE, AND ALSO THE IDEA OF THE FIRST MEMBER OF COLOR IN THIS FAMILY, NOT BEING TITLED IN THE SAME WAY THAT OTHER CHILDREN WOULD BE.. - THE ROYAL FAMILY LATER EXPRESSED SYMPATHY FOR MEGHAN, BUT DENIED ANY ALLEGATIONS OF RACISM.

BUT THE INTERVIEW HAS SPARKED BROADER CONVERSATIONS IN THE REALMS OF RACE, MEDIA, AND MENTAL HEALTH.

AND SPEAKING FROM YOUR OWN PERSONAL VIEWPOINT, I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU, JESSICA.

DO YOU THINK THAT MEGAN WAS ABLE TO EXPLAIN TO VIEWERS SATISFACTION WHY SHE FELT SO ALONE?

- YES, I'LL START BY SAYING THAT IT'S WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH AND IT IS AN ABSOLUTE HONOR TO BE HERE WITH EACH ONE OF YOU WOMEN.

AND YOU KNOW, SOMETHING I SAID BEFORE WE ACTUALLY STARTED FILMING ABOUT THE NEED FOR US AS WOMEN TO FIX EACH OTHER'S CROWN.

IN THE CASE OF MEGHAN MARKLE, YES, I DO THINK SHE WAS ABLE TO EXPLAIN HERSELF.

AND I WANT TO COMMEND HER FOR TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND TALKING ABOUT HER SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY OFTEN DON'T DO.

THAT SAID, RACISM IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S NEW OR DISTINCT TO THE ROYAL FAMILY.

IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS NEW OR DISTANT HERE IN AMERICA.

THAT SAID, IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T EXCUSE THE BEHAVIOR OF THE ROYAL FAMILY IN THIS CALL-OUT CULTURE.

I BELIEVE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN THAT WE CALL OUT RACISM, REGARDLESS OF WHO IT IS IN THE ROYAL FAMILY, IS NO EXCEPTION TO THAT.

I ABSOLUTELY THINK THAT MORGAN EXPLAINED HERSELF CORRECTLY AND WAS CORRECT TO CALL OUT RACISM, EVEN IF IT WAS TO BE EXPECTED.

- BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CALL OUT RACISM AND I CONSIDER IT A FORM OF SUPPRESSION.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE FEELING THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE DON'T SOMETIMES HAVE PERMISSION TO CALL OUT RACISM.

I SENSED THAT IN THE INTERVIEW.

MARY, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT?

- WELL, I THINK IT'S JUST SO IRONIC, IT HAS COME THAT IT IS WORSE TO BE CALLED A RACIST, PEOPLE TAKE MORE OFFENSIVE THAT THEN THE RACISM ITSELF.

AND I DO WANT TO SAY ALSO I AM SO HONORED TO BE ON THIS PANEL BECAUSE MY COLUMN THIS WEEK IN ROLL CALL WAS ABOUT BLACK WOMEN IN THIS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, BECAUSE SO OFTEN WE ARE IGNORED OR WE ARE VILIFIED OR WE'RE PRAISED AS IN THE LAST ELECTION.

AND, YOU KNOW, BLACK WOMEN, WE NEED YOU TO SAVE THE WORLD.

AND WHAT WE AREN'T SEEING IS FULL HUMAN BEINGS WITH ALL OF OUR EMOTIONS.

WE'RE CALLED ANGRY.

WELL, SOMETIMES, YES, WE CAN BE ANGRY BECAUSE WE WANT TO HAVE THE FULL PALETTE OF EMOTIONS AND VULNERABLE, AS MEGAN WAS.

IT STRUCK ME HERE AS A PREGNANT WOMAN WHO WAS BEING BULLIED BY THE MEDIA AND SO FORTH, AND PEOPLE ARE SAYING, WELL, TOUGH IT OUT.

YOU'RE IN A VERY VULNERABLE, STRESSFUL POSITION.

AS SOMEONE WHO HAD A FAIRLY STRESSFUL PREGNANCY, THAT'S THE LAST THING YOU NEED.

BUT AND WE'VE SEEN THE FIGURES ON BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH THAT EVEN A FAMOUS BLACK WOMAN LIKE SERENA WILLIAMS HAS TO SAVE HER OWN LIFE.

I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY BRAVE FOR HER TO TALK ABOUT THE MENTAL STRESS AND TO TALK ABOUT HOW SHE DIDN'T FEEL PROTECTED.

AND IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE WHILE MANY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM HAVE TAKEN THE SIDE OF THE CROWN, THE BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM HAVE SAID, WAIT A MINUTE, YOU KNOW, SHE IS SAYING IT, BUT WE LIVE IT.

WHILE PEOPLE FROM THE COLONIES LIVE THIS IN THE MEDIA, THERE'S VERY LITTLE MINORITY REPRESENTATION, WHICH IS ONE REASON WHY YOU SEE THESE, YOU KNOW, RIDICULOUS HEADLINES MAKING KATE MIDDLETON AN ANGEL AND MEGAN MARKLE THE DEVIL.

- IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HEAR YOUR RIGHT TO TO HEAR THOSE THOSE BLACK VOICES FROM AROUND THE GLOBE.

AND COURTNEY, I WANT TO BRING YOU IN, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IN A PRE CONVERSATION, WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BEING SILENCED AND BEING SILENT.

WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE WITH SILENCE OVER HER FEELINGS AND WHAT HAPPENED AND ON THE ISSUE OF RACISM?

- YEAH, AS SO ONE OF THE THINGS I DO IS ANTI-RACISM COACHING.

AND AS I'M SURE MY COLLEAGUES WHO I AM SO PRIVILEGED TO BE ON THE PANEL WITH TODAY, HAVE EXPERIENCED, WHEN YOU'RE IN PREDOMINANTLY WHITE SPACES, YOU HAVE TO MOVE WITH CAUTION.

BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS A RIPPLE EFFECT.

IT'S REALLY ABOUT WHATEVER.

I MEAN, IF YOU CAME OUT AND SAID THAT THE, YOU KNOW, HALF AND HALF WAS EMPTY IN A REFRIGERATOR, IF YOU SAY IT IN THE WRONG TONE, SOMEONE MIGHT LOOK AT YOU FUNNY, - [DEB] WHAT ARE YOU TALKIN' ABOUT?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY "HALF AND HALF?"

[LAUGHTER] - AND THIS IS NOT OUR FAULT.

THIS IS IMPLICIT BIAS.

THESE ARE THESE ARE EMBEDDED STEREOTYPES THAT OUR SOCIETY WAS BUILT UPON, THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE JUDGED.

WE'RE GOING TO BE PREJUDGED.

THAT'S WHAT PREJUDGING IS.

THE MEDIA PREJUDGED MEGHAN MARKLE AT EVERY STEP.

THEY DISCRIMINATE AGAINST HER.

THEY WERE AWFUL TO HER.

THEY WERE BIGOTED TOWARDS HER.

AND YET FOR HER TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT IT HAD TO BE A CALCULATED MOVE BECAUSE IT COULD BE A POWDER KEG FOR HER AND ESPECIALLY IN A VULNERABLE PLACE.

AS A PREGNANT WOMAN, I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, I AM IN A BIRACIAL MARRIAGE.

AND SO I HAVE EXPERIENCE MOVING THROUGH THE WORLD WITH, YOU KNOW, A SPOUSE WHO LOVES ME DEARLY.

BUT IN SPACES WHERE I'M NOT ALWAYS RECEIVED IN MY FULL SELF, AS MARY SO ELOQUENTLY SAID.

AND IT'S REALLY HARD.

IT IS.

IT'S A VERY HARD LINE TO WALK.

- AND THE SHAME IS THAT IT'S A LINE THAT HAS TO BE WALKED RATHER THAN BEING ABLE TO USE OUR VOICES TO SAY, EXCUSE ME, THAT WAS OFFENSIVE.

SO I AM GRATEFUL TO HAVE HAD ALL THREE OF YOU AND ALL OF THE WOMEN ON THE PROGRAM TODAY.

COURTNEY, JESSICA, MARY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

AND IF YOU WANT TO REACH OUT TO US ON TWITTER OR INSTAGRAM, JUST USE THE HASHTAG NCBLACKISSUES.

YOU CAN ALSO FIND OUR OTHER EPISODES ON PBSNC.ORG/BLACKISSUESFORUM.

I'M DEBORAH HOLT.

NOEL, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.