♪ >>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS" WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

"METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER, JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY, JUDY AND JOSH WESTON, DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION.

DR. P. ROY VAGELOS AND DIANA VEGELOS, AND THE MARC HAAS FOUNDATION.

>>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS," I'M JACK FORD.

AS WE CONTINUE TO ADAPT TO LIVING IN A WORLD WITH COVID, WE CAN ONCE AGAIN LOOK FORWARD TO LARGE-SCALE CULTURAL EVENTS, ALBEIT OFTEN IN NEW AND CHANGING FORMATS.

ONE OF THOSE MAJOR EVENTS, THE FAMED SUN DANCE FILM FESTIVAL S COMING UP LATER THIS MONTH.

AND IT WILL NOW BE A MOSTLY VIRTUAL AFFAIR.

BUT YOU CAN STILL WATCH DOZENS OF INDEPENDENT FEATURE FILMS, DOCUMENTARIES, AND SHORTS, RIGHT FROM YOUR OWN HOME.

THERE WILL ALSO BE SATELLITE SCREENINGS AT SEVERAL THEATERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL MAY WELL JUST HAVE, AS IT HAS NOTICE PAST, THE NEXT BIG SCREEN SENSATION FOR US ALL.

JOINING US TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THE UPCOMING 2022 SUN DANCE FILM FESTIVAL AND THE CHALLENGES COVID HAS BROUGHT IS ITS HISTORY MAKING DIRECTOR, TAB THAT JACKSON.

TAB THAT, WELCOME TO YOU, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> IT IS AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE, JACK.

I AM A HUGE PAN OF PUBLIC MEDIA IN ALL OF ITS FORMS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE ARE HUGE FANS OF SUN DANCE, BELIEVE ME.

WE MENTIONED BRIEFLY IS HE START THERE HAS BEEN A SHIFT.

THIS EXPECTATION WAS THIS WOULD BE BACK TO AN IN-PERSON EVENT.

TAKE US THROUGH THE DECISION TO SHIFT AWAY.

>> YES.

WE HAD -- AFTER THE SUCCESS OF LAST YEAR'S FESTIVAL, WHICH WAS ON LINE, WE WERE LOOKING AT REIMAGINING SUN DANCE FILM FESTIVAL AGAIN BY DOING A HYBRID, THIS TIME WITH IN-PERSON, FULLY BACK IN OUR HOME STATE OF UTAH.

AND WE HELD OUT THAT DREAM.

WE HAVE BEEN PLANNING IT FOR A YEAR, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU CONVERGE THE IN-PERSON WITH THE ON LINE EXPERIENCE?

AND WE WOULD COME UP WITH A -- I HAVE GOT THE SAY, OUR TEAM CAME UP WITH A PRETTY AMAZING PLAN AND THEN AS OMICRON BEGAN TO TRAVEL AND TRAVEL FASTER AND FASTER AND FASTER, WE WERE PUTTING IN ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF PROTOCOLS TO KEEP OUR FESTIVAL COMMUNITY SAFE.

AND ULTIMATELY, JACK, IT CAME DOWN TO SOME JUST REAL TALK WITH -- WITH OUR HOST CITY, PARK CITY, OF WHAT THEIR PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CITY COULD HANDLE.

AND WE WERE LOOKING AT THE PEAK OF THE OMICRON TRANSMISSION SURGE COMING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR FESTIVAL SOCIETY.

AT THAT POINT, WHEN WE LEARNED THAT DATA AND THE LATEST FIGURES ON TRANSMISSION, WE DECIDED THAT, ACTUALLY, WE JUST COULDN'T GO AHEAD RESPONSIBLY WITH THE IN-PERSON.

BUT BECAUSE WE HAD DESIGNED THIS DEVELOP TO BE BOTH ON LINE AND IN PERSON, IT JUST MEANT -- I SAY JUST.

IT'S QUITE A BIG JOB.

IT JUST WENT PIVOTING ALL TO ON LINE.

SO WE STILL HAVE A FESTIVAL, WHICH WE ARE VERY RELIEVED ABOUT.

>> I FIND THAT VERY INTERESTING, THAT YOU HAD COME OUT OF LAST YEAR'S WITH A PLAN FOR A HYBRID.

AGAIN AS WE HAVE SEEN SO OFTEN, WE HAD PLANS, AND THEN IT GETS CHANGED.

>> YEAH.

>>> MENTIONED BRIEFLY WHAT THE FORMAT WILL BE THIS YEAR.

GIVE US A SENSE HOW IT WILL PLAY OUT AND HOW FOLKS, VIEWERS WHO ARE WATCHING TODAY, HOW THEY CAN PARTICIPATE.

>> WELL, WE WERE VERY EXCITED LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE THINKING, HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A FESTIVAL?

WHAT DOES A FESTIVAL MEAN?

AND THEN HOW DO YOU TRANSLATE THAT TO THE ONLINE EXPERIENCE?

TAKING WHAT WE LEARNED FROM LAST YEAR, THIS YEAR WE HAVE A WONDERFUL FESTIVAL PLATFORM AT FESTIVAL.SUN DANCE.ORG.

ON THAT FESTIVAL PLATFORM YOU CAN BOOK ALL OF YOUR TICKETS, YOU CAN FINDS THE PROGRAM, AND YOU CAN ALSO WATCH PRETTY MUCH EVERY SINGLE FILM, EVERY SINGLE FEATURE FILM WILL BE PLAYING ON THE ONLINE PLATFORM.

AND IT IS NOT JUST LIKE A STREAMING SERVICE WHERE THERE IS A LITTLE TILE THAT YOU CLICK ON IF YOU WANT TO SEE IT.

WE ARE DRIVING THE ENERGY TO MAKE AN OCCASION OF THESE WORLD PREMIERES.

SO YOU BUY A TICKET FOR A FILM.

AND YOU TURN UP AT AN APPOINTED TIME WHEN THE FILM IS GOING TO REMEIR.

THERE IS A WAITING ROOM LOBBY EXPERIENCE WHERE YOU CAN TALK TO YOUR FELLOW FILM--GOERS.

AND THEN AFTER YOU HAVE WATCHED THE FILM WITH EVERYBODY THERE IS A LIVE Q ANDA.

SO THE FILM MAKERS FROM WHEREVER THEY ARE NOW -- THEY HAD ALL HOPED TO BE IN PARK CITY.

BUT NOW THEY ARE DOING IT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES WIL BE ENGAGED IN A LIVE Q ANDA WITH THE AUDIENCE.

SO THERE IS THAT ENERGY, THE DIRECT INTERACTION, THE FEELING OF IF NOT GATHERING IN A SINGLE SPACE, WE ARE GATHERING TOGETHER IN A SINGLE MOMENT.

AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO THAT'S HOW YOU CAN SEE ALL THE FILMS, SHORTS, INDIE EPISODIC.

THE OTHER THING WE KNOW ABOUT A FESTIVAL IS IT'S A PLACE OF GREAT SOCIAL INTERACTION.

THAT WAS ANOTHER CHALLENGE OF TRYING TO DO THIS DURING OMICRON.

SO WE HAVE BUILT -- WE BUILT THAT LAST YEAR AND HAVE IMPROVED IT THIS YEAR.

IT IS SUPER FUN.

IT'S WHAT WE CALL SPACESHIP.

FROM YOUR LAPTOP OR EVEN WITH A VR HEADSET YOU CAN GO ONTO THIS SPACESHIP AND SOCIALLY ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE, ALL WEARING THEIR LITTLE AVATAR SUITS.

AND RUNNING AROUND.

YOU CAN TALK TO THEM THROUGH YOUR WEB CAM AND PROXIMITY AUDIO, CAN HAVE LITTLE CHATS.

IT WAS AMAZING LAST YEAR SEEING PEOPLE LIKE REBECCA HALL AND EDGAR WRIGHT HANGING OUT IN THE THE SPACESHIP WITH THE FESTIVAL AUDIENCE.

AND THE SPACESHIP ALSO HOLDS THE GALLERY OF NEW FRONTIER WORK.

THIS IS VR, XR, ALL EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES.

SO THERE IS LOTS TO -- LOTS TO PARTICIPATE IN.

AND JACK, ALTHOUGH THE FILMS THEMSELVES ARE GEOBLOCKED TO THE UNITED STATES, THE SPACESHIP AND ALL THE CONVERSATIONS, TALKS, AND EVENTS, THAT ABILITY TO SOCIALIZE IS GLOBALLY ACCESSIBLE.

YOU JUST NEED AN EXPLORER PASS.

SO THERE'S A GREAT CONVENING OF A GLOBAL ARTIST AND AUDIENCE COMMUNITY THERE.

SO IT'S -- IT'S FUN.

WE ARE SAD NOT TO BE IN PARK CITY.

BUT THE ONLINE FESTIVAL WAS SUPER FUN LAST YEAR, AND I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE AGAIN.

>> I THINK IN SOME WAYS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS -- CLEARLY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE THERE IN PERSON?

OF COURSE.

BUT IN SOME WAYS YOU LOOK AT THIS AND IT IS FAR MORE EXPANSIVE AND PROVIDES FAR MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE SITTING IN THEIR LIVING ROOMS FOR PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T GO TO PARK CITY TO BE PART OF THE SUN DANCE FILM FESTIVAL AND SAY I CAN PLUG INTO THIS AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE FILM MAKERS WHICH CANDIDLY IN THE OLD FORMATS THAT WAS NOT GOING TO BE HAPPENING.

ONE OF THE HALLMARKS OF THE FESTIVAL IS THE PANEL SUGGESTIONS.

TALK ABOUT THEM IN THE NEW FORMAT NOW.

>> YES.

I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FEEL, JACK, BUT THIS MEDIUM OF TALKING TO EACH OTHER -- IT IS LIKE A CLOSE-UP SHOT, OR A MEDIUM CLOSE-UP SHOT IN FILM.

IT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY INTIMATE.

AND SO THE TALKS AND CONVERSATIONS -- FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE A SERIES CALLED CINEMA CAFE WHERE TWO ARTISTS ARE IN CONVERSATION.

THEY DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW EACH OTHER.

BUT WE WILL HAVE EVA LONGORIA, I THINK EMMA THOMPSON IS SLATED TO BE THERE.

THE INTIMACY WE CAN HAVE WITH PEOPLE WE KNOW VERY WELL OR PEOPLE WE HAVEN'T HEARD OF YET BUT WILL BREAK OUT.

THAT IS ONE THING TO LEARN ABOUT THE CRAFT AND HEAR ABOUT THE MAKING THIS WORK.

THE OTHER THING, IN OUR BIG CONVERSATION SERIES WE HAVE A DISCUSSION WHICH IS GOING TO BE FASCINATING.

KIMBERLY CRENSHAW, WHO IS ONE THE FOUNDERS OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY, DID AN INCREDIBLE PANEL LAST YEAR.

AND SHE WILL BE IN CONVERSATION WITH PROFESSOR DAVID BLIGHT, WHO IS THE STERLING PROFESSOR OF HISTORY AT YALE UNIVERSITY.

AND LAST YEAR THEY TALKED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED ON JANUARY 6th.

AND ACTUALLY, THOSE THREE WEDNESDAYS IN JANUARYS WHICH WERE INCREDIBLE FOR TESTIMONY ACCURACY AND WHAT IT MEANS.

THEY ARE REPRISING THAT CONVERSATION THIS YEAR, BUT TALKING ABOUT NARRATIVES.

WE ARE A FILM FESTIVAL, SO TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF NARRATIVE.

WHEN THE STATE GETS INVOLVED IN TRYING TO REPRESS NARRATIVES, WHAT THAT MEANS FOR HISTORY, WHAT THAT MEANS FOR DEMOCRACY.

SO WE ARE TACKLING -- WE ARE TACKLING THE ARTS.

WE ARE ALSO TACKLING INCREDIBLY WEIGHTY ISSUES OF THE MOMENT WITH THE SMARTEST, MOST BRILLIANT THINKERS.

THERE IS A WHOLE RANGE OF STUFF DCHT AND SOME FUN AS WELL.

I AM MAKING IT SOUND VERY SERIOUS, BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE FUN, TOO.

>> I TEACH AT YALE AND I WOULD TAKE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO PROFESSOR BLIGHT ANY TIME I COULD.

I THINK PEOPLE ARE IN FOR A TREAT WITH THAT.

IT IS A COMPETITION.

WE TALK ABOUT ALL OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO WATCH AND TO LEARN, BUT IT IS A COMPETITION.

TELL US ABOUT THAT ELEMENT.

>> IT IS FUNNY YOU SAY THAT, JACK, BECAUSE I -- I AM CONFLICTED OVER COMPETITION, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE ARTS.

BUT WHAT WE KNOW IS ONE OF OUR ROLES AS A FESTIVAL, PERHAPS OUR MOST IMPORTANT ROLE, IS TO ELEVATE THIS WORK, THIS INDEPENDENT WORK, AND THESE MAKE WHO ARE COME TO US OFTEN IT'S THEIR FIRST OR SECOND-TIME FILM.

WE NEED TO FIND ALL MEANS NECESSARY TO LIFT THIS UP ABOVE THE NOISE OF EVERYTHING ELSE GOING ON.

AND SO COMPETITION -- NOT ALL OF OUR SECTIONS ARE COMPETITION SECS.

BUT WE HAVE FOUR COMPETITION SECTIONS -- MORE, ACTUALLY.

FIVE.

AND THEY -- THE WINNERS OF THOSE COMPETITIONS AND THE INCREDIBLE JURORS THAT COME TOGETHER AROUND THIS WORK CAN HELP JUST PEEK ABOVE THE NOISE FOR A MOMENT AND PEOPLE NOTICE OH, THERE IS SOMEBODY TO WATCH, OR THERE IS A PIECE OF WORK TO WATCH.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK, AGAIN, JURORS ARE INDIVIDUALS WITH EXPERIENCE AND INSIGHT AND EXPERTISE.

AND THEY ARE DRAWN TO CERTAIN FILMS.

EVERY FILM AND FILM MAKER IS A WINNER BY GETTING INTO SUN DANCE.

IT IS EXTRAORDINARILY COMPETITIVE.

I MEAN, WE HAD ALMOST 15,000 ENTRIES, FILMS THIS YEAR.

YOU KNOW, AND THAT RESULTS IN 82 FEATURE FILMS AND 50 SHORTS.

SO EVERYONE IS A WINNER JUST BY GETTING INTO THE FESTIVAL.

BUT THE COMPETITION ELEMENT IS A WAY OF DRAWING MORE ATTENTION TO THIS WORK.

>> I THINK ANYBODY -- WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT IF SOMEBODY TAKES LOOK AT ALL THE FILMS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF SUN DANCE OVER ITS HISTORY -- I AM GOING OVER IT MYSELF SAYING I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT ONE.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT ONE.

TOO.

MY GOODNESS ALL THE ONES THAT COME OUT OF IT.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND IT IS DONE SO WONDERFULLY.

IT HAS BEEN SUCH A SPRINGBOARD.

WE DON'T HAVE THE CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT IT BUT YOU TOUCHED BASE ON IT.

SUN DANCE AND OTHER FESTIVALS HAVE DONE MARVELOUS WORK ON EXPANDING DIVERSITY HERE IN THE INDUSTRY, AND HELPING PEOPLE.

I HAVE GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A MINUTE LEFT.

AND I WANT TO FINISH WITH A BIT OF A PERSONAL QUESTION FOR YOU.

I SAID HISTORY-MAKING DIRECTOR WHEN I INTRODUCED YOU.

THAT'S BECAUSE YOU ARE THE FIRST WOMAN, FIRST PERSON OF COLOR TO LEAD SUN DANCE.

LET ME TAKE YOU BACK TO, YOU TAKE OVER IN FEBRUARY OF 2020.

AND WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IN MARCH OF 2020.

SO YOU HAVE THIS ENORMOUS OPPORTUNITY TO BE HISTORY MAKING AND NOW YOU RUN INTO COVID.

YOUR THOUGHTS WHEN ALL OF THAT WAS TAKING PLACE?

AGAIN, I HAVE GOT ABOUT A MINUTE HERE.

>> I WAS HANDED THE KEYS TO THE FESTIVAL, JACK, AS YOU SAID, AND MY -- MY WORRY HAD BEEN, AND MY RESPONSIBLE WAS TO CARRY THIS VERY SUCCESSFUL FESTIVAL FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE WITHOUT BREAKING IT.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS BEING VERY CAREFUL, AND CAUTIOUS, AND BRINGING PEOPLE ALONG.

WHAT THE PANDEMIC ACTUALLY DID WAS TO SAY, THIS THING HAS TO BE BROKEN OPEN BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO THE ESSENCE OF WHAT THIS FESTIVAL AND A FESTIVAL CAN BE SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD UNDER THESE CHALLENGING CONDITIONS.

SO I DID, AFTER MY INITIAL TOTAL FREAK OUT, SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FOLLOW OUR VALUES, FOLLOW OUR PURPOSE THAT HAD BEEN SET BY ROBERT REDFORD TO TAKE IT FORWARD.

>> I CAN TELL YOU THAT I THINK FIVE YEARS FROM NOW WE WILL LOOK BACK AND SAY WHAT A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY THIS TERRIBLE TRAGEDY WAS TO AFFECT THIS, AND TO EXPAND IT IN SO MANY WAYS.

TAB THAT, WONDERFUL WORK YOU ARE DOING.

LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DWOO FESTIVAL.

TAKE CARE.

>> THANK YOU JACK.

SEE YOU ON THE SPACESHIP.

>> BYE NOW.

>>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS," I'M JACK FORD.

TODAY'S YOUNG PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY THOSE BELONGING TO JENIZATION Z, HAVE GROWN UP INTIMATELY ACQUAINTED WITH THE DRAMATIC EFFECTS OF CLIMB CHANGE.

SO PERHAPS IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT NO GENERATION HAS BEEN MORE VOCAL ABOUT THE URGENCY OF ACTING NOW ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS.

UNTIL RECENTLY, THAT YOUNGER GENERATION, THE ONE MOST ENGAGED WITH ISSUES SURROUNDING CLIMATE, HAS HAD LITTLE POLITICAL POWER TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

BUT THAT APPEARS TO BE CHANGING.

OUR NEXT GUEST IS PART OF A NEW WAVE OF YOUNG LEADERS WHO NOW HAVE A VOICE IN THE PLACES WHERE POLICY DECISIONS ARE MADE.

PLACES LIKE THE WHITE HOUSE, AND THE RECENT CLIMATE SUMMIT IN SCOTTnd.

JEROME FOSTER II IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVISER TO THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.

AT 19, HE'S THE YOUNGEST WHITE HOUSE ADVISER IN U.S. HISTORY.

HE JOINS US NOW AS PART OF OUR ONGOING PERIL AND PROMISE INITIATIVE, REPORTING ON THE HUMAN STORIES OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS SOLUTIONS.

JEROME, WELCOME.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

>> I WANT TO TALK A MOMENT -- WE ARE GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN HECTIC THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

YOU HAVE BEEN IN GLASGOW.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE WORK YOU ARE DOING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.

BEFORE WE GET TO ALL OF THAT, LET ME JUST GIVE PEOPLE A SENSE OF YOU, AND YOUR BACKGROUNDS.

I MENTIONED YOUR AGE.

WHEN AND WHY WAS IT THAT YOU BECAME SO ENGAGED WITH THE STRUGGLE OVER CLIMATE CHANGE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE CLIMATE JUSTICE MOVEMENT, AND FOR ME PERSONALLY HOW I GOT INVOLVED, IS BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT CLIMATE IS SUCH A PRESSING ISSUE FOR MY GENERATION.

WE ARE GROWING INTO A WORLD THAT WE WERE TOLD WE WERE YOUNGER IS IN THE PROCESS OF DYING.

WE HAVE BEEN GROWING INTO A SYSTEM WHERE A LOT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND SUCCESS CONTINUING TO DESTABILIZE BECAUSE OF WILDFIRES, EARTHQUAKES, SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE.

THAT'S KINDS OF -- THAT MOMENT THAT WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW IS WHAT ENERGIZED ME TO TAKE ACTION.

EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT IN A COMMUNITY BEING AFFECTED BY THE CLIMATE CRISIS, I WAS SEEING HUMANS HAVING A COMMON EXPERIENCE AND I DECIDED WE NEED TO ORGANIZE AND MAKE SURE THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD.

>> WE MENTIONED HOW YOUR GENERATION IS IN MANY WAYS THE VOICES THAT NEED TO BE HEARD AND DRIVE CHANGE HERE.

I MENTIONED IN THE INTRODUCTION YOU WERE AT THE SUMMIT IN GLASGOW AND SPOKE THERE.

GIVE US A SUMMARY OR A HEADLINE WHAT HAVE CAME OUT OF THE SUMMIT.

>> THE CONFERENCE IS A PARTY IS WHAT HAPPENED IN GLASGOW EARLIER THIS -- THESE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS CONCLUDED IN BASICALLY MARGINAL TO NO ACTION.

WHAT THE INTENTION OF THE CONFERENCE AND THE PARTIES WAS IS TO REVISIT THE PAIRS CLIMATE AGREEMENT WHICH IS TO CREATE INITIATIVES TO RAISE ONLY 175 DEGREES CELSIUS, CURRENTLY, WE ARE ON TRACK FOR 2.4 DEGREES.

INDIA CAME TO THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES AND SAID THEY WOULD BE CARBON NEUTRAL BY 2070 WHEN THE GLOBAL CONSENSE SUCCESS 2030 AND CHINA SAME TO THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES WITH ANOTHER TARGET FOR NED ZERO EMISSION BIAS 2060.

THAT IS THE BIGGEST STRUGGLE WE ARE TRYING TO GET OVER, IS FOR POLITICIANS TO NOT JUST SAY PRETTY WORDS AND SAY EMPTY SPEECHES AND HOLD SUMMITS, BUT TO ACTUALLY PUT THEIR WORDS WHERE THEIR MOUTH IS AND MAKE SURE OUR FUTURE IS SAFE AND WE DON'T NEED TO CONTINUE TO HAVE CONDITIONS OFS WITH VERY LITTLE HAPPENS IN THE SNEEND WHEN I TALK TO OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT THESE CONFERENCES YOU HAD SOME FOLKS ROLLING THEIR EYES SAYING OH, GREAT, ANOTHER CONFERENCE.

AS YOU SAID, THERE ARE GOOD INTENTION, SOME THINGS, SOME MOVEMENT BUT CERTAINLY NOT WHAT EVERYBODY ANTICIPATED.

LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING IN THE U.S. LET'S FOCUS A LITTLE BIT THROUGH THE FOCUS OF YOUR INVOLVEMENT, I MENTIONED WITH THE WHITE HOUSE ADVISORY COUNCIL.

AND TELL US WHAT THAT IS, AND WHAT THE PURPOSE AND HOPEFULLY THE GOAL OF THAT COUNCIL ARE.

>> THE WHITE HOUSE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVISORY COUNCIL HAS THREE MAIN TARGETS.

THE PRIMARY FOCUS IS FOCUSING ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, WHICH IS PRIORITY FOR DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.

SO MAKING SURE THAT IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND IN EVERY FEDERAL AGENCY WE HAVE A WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT APPROACH AND MAKING SURE THAT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IS PRIORITIZED IN OUR BUDGETING AND HOW WE MOVE FORWARD AS COUNTRY.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS COUNCIL IS WORKING ON, OVER THE PAST SERVE MONTHS THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, WE HAVE WORKED ONNETTE PUTTING THE JUSTICE 40 INITIATIVE, WHERE WE AS AN ADMINISTRATION MADE A COMMITMENT THAT EVERY FEDERAL AGENCY HAS TO COMMIT 40% OF THEIR BUDGETS TO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE INFRASTRUCTURE PRODUCTS.

THAT'S WHAT I AM WORKING ON NOW.

WE HAVE A CRUCIAL MEETING ON NOVEMBER 17th OF 2021 TO REVISIT WHAT WORK WE HAVE DONE SO FAR AND LOOK AT WHAT THE NEXT SIX MONTHS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE FOR THIS ADMINISTRATION.

>> GIVE US A SENSE THIS NOTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.

PEOPLE OUT THERE UNDERSTAND FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE, I UNDERSTAND EMISSIONS AND THE NOTION OF PROVIDINGS FUNDING FOR THOSE NATION WHO IS WANT TO DO ALL THIS BUT DON'T HAVE ALL THE FINANCIAL RESENIORS TO DO IT BUT THEY MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.

>> WHEN WE BREAK DOWN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, REALLY WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS NOT JUST A SCIENTIFIC DILEMMA OR JUST A MATT MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM THAT WE ARE IN THAT WE JUST HAPPENED TO EMIT CO 2 IN THE ATMOSPHERE AND NOW IT'S CAUSING HAVOC.

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND THE CLIMATE CRISIS, AT THE ROOT OF IT IS CONTINUAL DESTABILIZATION OF OUR PLANET AND THE CLIMATE SYSTEMS THAT ARE AROUND IT AND BECAUSE OF IT IT, THE GLOBAL SOUTH IS BEING HIT FIRST AND WORST.

RIGHT NOW, SOUTH AMERICA, THE SOUTHWEST CONTINENT, SOUTHEAST ASIA ARE BEING HIT RIGHT NOW.

THEY ARE HAVING ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS HAPPENING EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

IN THE GLOBAL NORTH, NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, AND MOST OF NORTHERN ASIA, THEY AREN'T SEEING THE MAJOR IMPACTS.

AND THAT IS WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IS ALL ABOUT, IS MAKING SURE THAT COUNTRIES THAT HAVE EMITTED MOST OF THE CO 2 IN THE ATMOSPHERE, WHICH ARE GLOBAL NORTH COUNTRIES, PAY THE CLIMATE DEBT BACK TO THOSE COUNTRIES THAT ARE BEING IMPACTED THE MOST AND EMITTED AND CONTRIBUTED LEAST TO THIS PROBLEM.

ALSO LOOKING AT THE TIME LINE LOOKING AT WHAT WE ARE FIGHTING FOR IN THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND THE FUTURE.

THE CRISIS STARTED WITH THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION BUT THE MINDSET STARTED WITH THE CONCEPT OF RACISM, COLONIALISM, WHICH HE SAID WE ARE GOING TO LIMITLESSLY EXPLOIT RESOURCES AND PEOPLE.

NOW WITH THE CLIMATE CRISIS THEY ARE GOING TO LIMITLESSLY EXPLOIT NATURE.

THAT'S WHAT WE ARE ABOUT IS SAYING LET'S DECOLONIZE OUR FRAMEWORK OF HOW IT WORKS FROM A SYSTEM ABOUT ETERNAL GROWTH AND MORE ABOUT ETHICAL PRACTICES IN OUR ECONOMICS, OUR POLITICS, AND IN OUR SOCIETY AT LARGE.

>> I TALKED IN MY INTRODUCTION ABOUT THE POWER OF THE VOICES OF THE YOUTH, NOT JUST IN OUR COUNTRY, BUT THROUGHOUT THE PLANET, IF YOU WILL.

WHY DO YOU THINK THERE IS -- THERE SEEMS NUMBER --S THAT BIT OF A GENERALIZATION, I UNDERSTAND, BUT WHY DO YOU THINK THERE SEEMS TO BE MORE STRENGTH IN TERMS OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAN PERHAPS THE POWER OF THE OLDER GENERATION?

>> I THINK THAT -- WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE YOUTH, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED WHY THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH YOUTH ORGANIZING.

AND IT'S BECAUSE THE ADULTS THAT HAVE ALSO BEEN HERE.

IN THE 1970s, PEOPLE ORGANIZED AND HAD THE BIGGEST EARTH DAY MARCH IN U.S. HISTORY.

THAT WAS YOUTH THAT ORGANIZED IT.

WHENEVER WE TALK ABOUT A SOCIAL MOVEMENT, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN YOUTH, WHETHER IT WAS THE CIVIL RIGHTS.

MO, CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS SPEARHEADED THE MOVEMENT THERE.

YOUNG PEOPLE UNDERSTAND SYSTEMS BECAUSE THEY ARE GROWING UP AND SAYING THE SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK FOR US AND IT'S TO THE GOING TO WORK FOR OUR FUTURE.

SO IT MUST CHANGE.

THAT'S WHY YOUNG PEOPLE ARE ORGANIZING.

THEY ARE SAYING CLIMATE CHANGE IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM HUMANITY HAS EVER FACED BUT IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO SAY WHAT DO WE WANT OUR SYSTEM AND WHAT DO WE WANT OUR WORLD TO LOOK LIKE?

YOUNG PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT BETTER THAN ANYONE CAN BECAUSE WE ARE JUST ACLIMBATED TO THE SYSTEMS WE ARE GROWING UP TO BE A PART OF.

>> LET ME COME BACK FOR A MOMENT TO THE GLASGOW SUMMIT.

YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FRUSTRATIONS.

AND YOU HAVE SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WERE PARTICIPATING THERE.

ESSENTIALLY, ARTICULATING THE SAME FRUSTRATIONS.

WE CAME WITH CERTAIN GOALS, WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU CHANGE A WORD HERE AND CHANGE A WORD THERE, AND YOU WOULD THINK A WORD WOULDN'T BE THAT SIGNIFICANT AT IMPACTING CHANGE, BUT THEY ARE.

>> YES.

>> DID YOU COME AWAY FROM THAT FEELING ANY SENSE OF OPTIMISM, OKAY, WE DIDN'T GET DONE THIS TIME IN GLASGOW WHAT WE WANTED TO GET DONE, BUT WE SEEM TO BE CREATING MOMENTUM SO MAYBE THE NEXT TIME MIGHT HAPPEN?

DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF OPTIMISM.

>> RIGHT NOW THE WORD ISN'T OPTIMISM.

IT IS FRUSTRATION.

IF WE CONTINUE TO HAVE HOPELESS OPTIMISM WHAT IS GOAL, WHERE IS THE PRODUCTIVITY.

RIGHT NOW IT IS FRUSTRATION AND REALLY BEING DISAPPOINTED IN THE PEOPLE WE LUKD TO AND VOTED FOR.

ACROSS THE WORLD WORLD LEADERS WERE SUPPOSE TO COME TOGETHER AND HAVE A CONFERENCE, TWO WEEKS TO NEGOTIATE WHAT THE FUTURE WOULD LOOK LIKE.

INSTEAD THEY DID NOTHING.

WE CAN THREE GOALS, LIMIT WARMING TO 1.5 DEGREES CELSIUS, TWO, WAS TO PHASE OUT THE KRA CREATION OF COAL MINES AND STOP THE CREATION OF FOSSIL FUELS.

AND THREE WAS TO STOP THE FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY.

COP26 DID NONE OF THIS.

AND THEY ADDED EXTRA WORDS SAYING INEFFICIENT COST OF FUEL SUBSIDIES.

THOSE WORDS, LIKE INEFFICIENT, MAY SEEM LIKE IT IS NOT IMPORTANT BUT IT IS CRUCIAL BECAUSE EVERY COUNTRY IS GOING TO SAY THEIR FOSSIL FUEL PRODUCTION IS INEFFICIENT WHEN IT ISN'T.

COP26 JUST ENDED.

IT IS A COMPLETE DISAPPOINTMENT.

WORLD LEADERS NEED TO KNOW YOUNG PEOPLE ARE STILL WATCHING THEM AND THAT BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE WE ARE GOING TO VOTE THEM OUT.

EITHER THEY STANDS UP OR THEY STEP DOWN.

THAT'S THE NEXT STEP, BECAUSE OF THEM NOT TAKING THE CLIMATE CRISIS SLEERSLY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE GUYING, PEOPLE BEING DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES, THAT'S REAL LIVES, THAT'S NOT A MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM.

AND THAT'S WHY THE VOTES WILL TALLY UP AGAINST THEM, IF THEY DON'T TAKE CLIMATE CHANGERS ISLY.

>> ORGANIZATION THAT YOU ARE INVOLVED IN WITH AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, IT IS CALLED ONE MILLION OF US.

WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THAT ORGANIZATION?

>> I FOUNDED IT OUT AS AN INTERN IN CONGRESS FOR CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS, A VOTING RIGHTS ACONHIMSELF.

I SAID WHY DON'T WE MOBILIZE OUR NUMBERS OF YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE ORGANIZING ON THE STREETS.

IT WAS TWAKTLY 7.5 MILLION YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ORGANIZED IN 2018 FOR THE CLIMATE STRIKE MOVEMENT.

WE SAID LET'S TURN THOSE PEOPLE INTO AT LEAST 1 MILLION YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES THAT GET OUT TO THE POLLS.

THAT'S WHAT WE DID, FROM 2019 TO 2020, WE ORGANIZED ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA, EVEN THROUGH A PANDEMIC WE MADE OUR VOICES HEARD.

BECAUSE OF THAT, YOUNG PEOPLE MADE UP ONE IN EVERY FIVE VOTES.

THAT'S HONORABLE.

>> THAT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY ACCOMPLISHMENT.

SOMETHING -- HOPEFULLY IT WILL MOVE FORWARD CONTINUOUSLY.

JEROME FOSTER II, JEROME, THANK YOU FOR SPENDING TIME WITH US AND THANK YOU FOR ALL WORK YOU ARE DOING.

I LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU AGAIN DOWN THE ROAD.

YOU BE WELL.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER, JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY, JUDY AND JOSH WESTON, DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION, THE JPB FOUNDATION.

DR.

THE MARK HAAS FOUNDATION.

DR. VAGELOS.