>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, CENTRAL FLORIDA TOURISM LEADERS WELCOME MOVES TO LIFT TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ON INTERNATIONAL VISITORS.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS APPOINTS A NEW SURGEON GENERAL WHO HAS QUESTIONED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF VACCINES, MASKS, AND LOCKDOWNS IN TACKLING COVID-19.

AND THE SECOND OF A THREE-PART SERIES OF NEWSNIGHT CONVERSATIONS LOOKING AT ISSUES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA'S COMMUNITIES.

THIS WEEK, A DISCUSSION ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M NANCY ALVAREZ, AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT, WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT ALL OF US.

AND WE DO THIS BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ON THESE VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES.

SO JOINING US THIS WEEK, DANIELLE PRIEUR OF 90.7 WMFE, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, META MINTON, EDITOR OF THE VILLAGES NEWS.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE WITH US.

WE KNOW HOW BUSY YOU ARE.

THERE'S A LOT OF NEWS OUT THERE.

SO, FIRST TONIGHT, THE BIG STORY, COVID-19 CASES, POSITIVITY, AND HOSPITALIZATIONS CONTINUE TO FALL RAPIDLY HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR JERRY DEMINGS THIS WEEK PREDICTED WE MAY BE AT THE END OF OUR LAST SIGNIFICANT COVID SURGE.

THE IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH SITUATION COMES AS THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES IT WILL EASE US ENTRY RESTRICTIONS FOR FULLY VACCINATED INTERNATIONAL VISITORS, OFFERING UP A POTENTIAL BOOST TO CENTRAL FLORIDA'S ECONOMY.

MY COLLEAGUE STEVE MORT DISCUSSED THE MOVE THIS WEEK WITH THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF VISIT ORLANDO.

>>WE ARE SO EXCITED.

THIS WEEK WE'RE AT AN INTERNATIONAL SHOW IN LAS VEGAS, LITERALLY INVITING THE WORLD TO COME TO ORLANDO, SO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED AT A BETTER TIME.

>>AND WHAT IS YOUR PROJECTION FOR HOW THE EXPECTED NOVEMBER CHANGE MAY IMPACT THE MARKET GIVEN WHAT'S EXPECTED TO BE A FAIR AMOUNT OF PENT UP DEMAND?

>>IT'S VERY HARD TO PREDICT.

HOWEVER, WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM OUR CUSTOMERS, AS WELL AS WE'RE HEARING FROM A LOT OF OUR CONTACTS IN MARKET, IS THAT BECAUSE OF THE PENT UP DEMAND, PEOPLE ARE READY TO COME TO ORLANDO, THEY'RE READY TO TRAVEL, AND THEY'RE READY TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS FOR NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER.

>>SO CAN INTERNATIONAL VISITORS FROM COUNTRIES WHERE THEY'RE USED TO COVID MITIGATION MEASURES BE REASSURED THAT FLORIDA'S SAFE, GIVEN THAT WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY SUCH MEASURES IN PLACE HERE?

IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM PREDICTING THE RECOVERY IN DOMESTIC TRAVEL, FOR EXAMPLE?

>>WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT PEOPLE ARE READY TO COME BACK TO THE US AND I DO THINK THAT, LOOK AT ORLANDO AS AN EXAMPLE, WE HAVE BEEN THE HOME TO REALLY BEING A SAFE AND HEALTHY DESTINATION, AND PEOPLE CAN VISIT AND TRAVEL AND EXPERIENCE OUR DESTINATION IF THEY FOLLOW THE PROTOCOLS THAT ARE IN PLACE.

SO PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE'VE TAKEN SAFETY VERY SERIOUSLY.

AND SO WITH VACCINATIONS ACCESSIBLE, THE COMFORT LEVEL HAS DEFINITELY RISEN.

>>BUT THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF UNKNOWNS, RIGHT?

THE CDC WILL DECIDE WHAT FULLY VACCINATED MEANS, WHICH VACCINES WILL APPLY, THAT KIND OF THING.

A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR BIGGEST TRAVEL MARKETS ARE VACCINATED WITH PRODUCTS NOT APPROVED BY THE US.

I MEAN, SHOULD PEOPLE BUY REFUNDABLE TICKETS TO FLORIDA WHILE THESE UNCERTAINTIES REMAIN?

>>WELL, WHAT WE DO KNOW, WHETHER IT'S THE AIRLINES OR EVEN THE HOTELS, EVERYONE HAS BEEN VERY FLEXIBLE.

SO WHETHER IT'S REFUNDABLE TICKETS, WHETHER IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE DATE, BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, WE'RE LEARNING SOMETHING EVERY DAY.

AND JUST LIKE THIS WEEK WITH THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT, WE'RE VERY EXCITED, BUT THERE'S ALSO DETAILS THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK INTO AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO SERVE?

AND TO YOUR POINT ON THE VACCINATION, THE CHILDREN THAT MAY BE UN-VACCINATED.

SO, WHILE WE ARE SO EXCITED, WE DEFINITELY THINK THAT THERE ARE MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW UP AS WE'RE TALKING TO THE INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE.

>>ALL RIGHT.

SO A LOT TO UNPACK HERE.

SO DANIELLE, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE UNKNOWNS.

WHAT REQUIREMENTS WILL THERE BE FOR FOREIGN NATIONAL VISITORS AND WHAT DETAILS ARE WE STILL WAITING TO HEAR ABOUT FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION?

>>SO WE KNOW THAT VISITORS WILL HAVE TO BE FULLY VACCINATED, AS WE JUST HEARD IN THAT CLIP, AND ALSO HAVE PROOF OF A RECENT NEGATIVE RESULT ON A COVID TEST.

SO I GUESS AIRLINES AND AIR CARRIERS ARE JUST WAITING TO SEE HOW THEY'LL BE COLLECTING THAT INFORMATION, CONFIRMING THAT INFORMATION, AND THEN OF COURSE ALSO GETTING EVERYONE'S PHONE NUMBERS AND EMAIL ADDRESSES FOR CONTACT TRACING IN CASE SOMEONE BECOMES SYMPTOMATIC SHORTLY AFTER LANDING IN THE COUNTRY.

SO A LOT OF DATA THAT THEY'LL BE COLLECTING, BUT THEY'RE USED TO IT LUCKILY, AS WE ALL KNOW, IF WE'VE BOUGHT A TICKET RECENTLY TO FLY.

IT IS REALLY GOOD NEWS FOR OUR AREA.

THE ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS VERY EXCITED TO WELCOME BACK ALL OF OUR GUESTS AND TRAVELERS THAT WE USUALLY HAVE COME VISIT THE PARKS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

WE KNOW BEFORE THE PANDEMIC INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL MADE UP ABOUT 15% OF THE BUSINESS THAT WE HAVE AT OUR LOCAL AIRPORT.

SO VERY EXCITING AND GOOD NEWS.

>>AND, META, AS THESE TRAVELERS PREPARE TO RETURN, LET'S LOOK AT THE COVID TRENDS WE'RE SEEING HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

SO ORANGE COUNTY, AS WE KNOW, HAS NOW NEARLY HALVED ITS POSITIVITY RATE OVER THE PAST MONTH.

DID YOU SEE A BIG SURGE IN YOUR PART OF THE REGION OVER RECENT MONTHS?

AND HOW DO THINGS LOOK NOW IN SUMTER AND LAKE COUNTIES?

>>WELL, WE HAVE A DIFFERENT KIND OF POPULATION HERE BECAUSE OF THE ELDERLY FOLKS THAT WE HAVE IN THE VILLAGES.

AND WE KIND OF HAVE LEVELED OFF LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS.

ONE OF THE STRONG POINTS THAT WE'VE ALWAYS HAD HERE IS WE HAVE THE HIGHEST VACCINATION RATE IN THE STATE IN SUMTER COUNTY.

IN THE VILLAGES IT IS APPROACHING LIKE 92%.

SO MOST OF OUR FOLKS ARE VACCINATED AND PREPARED AND WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE IN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

>>OH, THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS ANNOUNCED THE APPOINTMENT OF A NEW FLORIDA SURGEON GENERAL THIS WEEK.

IT WAS BIG NEWS.

UCLA DR. JOSEPH LADAPO REPLACES DR. SCOTT RIVKEES.

LADAPO HAS PREVIOUSLY CALLED MASKS A, "DISTRACTION," AND HAS SUPPORTED CALLS FOR HERD IMMUNITY THROUGH NATURAL INFECTION.

ON TUESDAY, HE SAID FLORIDA WOULD, "REJECT FEAR IN DESIGNING PUBLIC HEALTH POLICIES, " AND HE HAD THIS TO SAY ABOUT COVID-19 VACCINES.

>>VACCINES ARE UP TO THE PERSON.

THERE'S NOTHING SPECIAL ABOUT THEM COMPARED TO ANY OTHER PREVENTIVE MEASURE.

SO ABSOLUTELY, GREAT THINGS ABOUT VACCINES FOR COVID-19, PREVENT THE RISK OF SERIOUS ILLNESS, AND TESTING.

PEOPLE GET TO MAKE A CHOICE ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO DO WITH THAT.

>>DO YOU THINK THE STATE SHOULD BE PROMOTING THEM?

>>THE STATE SHOULD BE PROMOTING GOOD HEALTH AND VACCINATION ISN'T THE ONLY PATH TO THAT.

IT'S BEEN TREATED ALMOST LIKE A RELIGION, AND THAT'S JUST SENSELESS.

THERE ARE LOTS OF GOOD WAYS, GOOD PATHWAYS TO HEALTH, AND VACCINATIONS ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE.

SO WE SUPPORT MEASURES FOR GOOD HEALTH.

THAT'S VACCINATION, LOSING WEIGHT, IT'S EXERCISING MORE, IT'S EATING MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, EVERYTHING.

WE SUPPORT IT ALL.

>>ALL RIGHT.

SO DR. LADAPO MADE HEADLINES ALL WEEK AND WE EXPECT THEM TO STAY IN THE HEADLINES.

SO META, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT HIS BACKGROUND AND HIS RESUME?

>>WELL, HE'S GOT AN IMPRESSIVE LIFE STORY.

HE CAME FROM NIGERIA WHEN HE WAS FIVE YEARS OLD.

HE'S GRADUATED FROM HARVARD, HAS A VERY IMPRESSIVE RESUME.

JUST TOOK A UF FELLOWSHIP HERE.

AND HE SEEMED TO SAY A LOT OF THE RIGHT THINGS IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE WITH GOVERNOR DESANTIS, INCLUDING, HE WANTS TO TAKE HIS FAMILY, HIS THREE YOUNG SONS, TO DISNEY WORLD.

BUT AS THAT CLIP THAT YOU PLAYED REALLY EXPOSED SOME OF THE MISGIVINGS THAT MANY PEOPLE MAY HAVE WHEN HE TALKED DOWN VACCINATIONS.

>>AND DANIELLE, DR. LADAPO HAS WRITTEN A LOT OF OP-EDS ON A VARIETY OF ISSUES, INCLUDING HIS SKEPTICISM OF VACCINE MANDATES.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT HIS OPINIONS?

AND DO THEY ALIGN WITH THOSE OF THE GOVERNOR?

THEY SEEM TO.

>>THEY DO.

PERFECTLY ACTUALLY.

SO IF YOU'VE READ ANY OF HIS NUMEROUS OP-EDS IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, HE'S VERY AGAINST VACCINE MANDATES, VERY AGAINST MASK MANDATES, VERY AGAINST LOCKDOWN, SOUND FAMILIAR?

VERY FOR TREATMENTS LIKE HYDROXY CHLOROQUINE, WHICH WE KNOW IS NOT A GOOD TREATMENT FOR COVID-19, BUT IS STILL PUSHING THAT AS OF A FEW WEEKS AGO IN SOME OF THOSE OP-EDS.

SO VERY SIMILAR POLITICALLY TO GOVERNOR DESANTIS.

AS WE KNOW, GOVERNOR DESANTIS HAS PASSED SEVERAL EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT BANNED FACE MASK MANDATES IN SCHOOLS, THAT WILL FINE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS $5,000 FOR VACCINE MANDATES.

SO VERY SIMILAR POLITICALLY.

>>YEAH, AND OF COURSE, DANIELLE, HE SIGNED THIS NEW ORDER ON WEDNESDAY.

>>YES.

>>ON QUARANTINING FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN EXPOSED TO COVID.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT NEW RULE.

A LOT OF PARENTS, TEACHERS, STAFF, EVERYBODY TALKING ABOUT THAT.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

I'M SURE THAT YOU AS A MOM ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.

IT'S BASICALLY THE IDEA THAT IF A CHILD COMES IN CONTACT WITH SOMEBODY WITH COVID, IT'S UP TO THE PARENT NOW WHETHER THEY QUARANTINE OR NOT, IF THEY'RE ASYMPTOMATIC, IF THEY DON'T HAVE SYMPTOMS YET.

SO A CHILD COULD COME IN CONTACT WITH COVID AND BE RIGHT NEXT TO YOUR CHILD THE NEXT DAY IN CLASS, ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD, AT A SCHOOL DANCE.

AND SO BEFORE IT WAS YOU QUARANTINED FOR FOUR DAYS, YOU CAME BACK AS LONG AS YOU HAD A NEGATIVE COVID TEST RESULT.

NOW KIND OF ALL OF THAT IS OUT THE WINDOW, AND IT'S A BRAVE NEW WORLD.

AND STARTING TODAY MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE ANNOUNCED THAT THEY'RE PUTTING THIS INTO EFFECT.

AND SO YOU'LL SEE MANY, MANY MORE CHILDREN JUST REMAINING IN THE CLASSROOM, EVEN IF THEY'VE COME IN CONTACT WITH A STUDENT OR A TEACHER OR A COACH WITH COVID, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY CONCERNING FOR AT-RISK STUDENTS WHO HAVEN'T BEEN VACCINATED YET, AT RISK TEACHERS WHO CAN'T GET THE VACCINE.

VERY, VERY CONCERNING.

>>YEAH, WELL, IT'S A LOT TO SEE HOW THIS ALL PLAYS OUT IN THE FUTURE.

AND REMEMBER, WE WANT TO REMIND YOU, YOU CAN FIND STEVE'S FULL INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF VISIT ORLANDO ON OUR WEBSITE.

JUST GO TO WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

>>ALL RIGHT, LET'S TALK ABOUT ANTIBODY TREATMENTS NEXT.

THE GOVERNOR SAYS THE STATE IS TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO FIGHT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S MOVE TO LIMIT THE DISTRIBUTION OF MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENTS TO FLORIDA.

>>THAT'S WRONG.

THAT IS DEAD WRONG.

AND WHY ARE THEY TARGETING FLORIDA?

BIDEN, HE LOVES TALKING ABOUT FLORIDA.

HE HATES FLORIDA MORE THAN ANYTHING.

THERE'S A TIME FOR POLITICS.

I GET THAT.

BUT TO BE SO OBSESSED WITH TRYING TO KNEECAP FLORIDA ANY WAY YOU CAN, THAT YOU WOULD TAKE AWAY LIFE-SAVING TREATMENTS?

I'M SORRY.

SOME THINGS SHOULD BE BEYOND POLITICS.

I DON'T KNOW WHO THE HELL IS GOING TO OUR SITES.

I DON'T KNOW THEIR POLITICAL AFFILIATION.

WE JUST WANT TO HELP PEOPLE.

AND OBVIOUSLY JOE BIDEN FEELS DIFFERENTLY.

I'LL DO ONE MORE.

THEN I GOT TO RUN.

AND SO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OWNS MUCH OF THE MONOCLONAL SUPPLY.

EXPLAIN, DANIELLE, WHY IT SAYS IT DECIDED TO TAKE THE STEP TO TRIM FLORIDA'S SHARE AND HOW IT WILL NOW DETERMINE THE QUANTITY OF DOSES EACH STATE GETS?

>>SO THE IDEA IS TO MAKE SURE THAT TREATMENTS LIKE REGENERON CAN BE KIND OF SPREAD OUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, EQUITABLY AND FAIRLY.

I THINK THE GOVERNMENT'S WORRIED THERE'LL BE A SHORTAGE IF WE SEE SURGES IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY COME THE FALL AND THE WINTER, AS WE'VE SEEN HERE IN FLORIDA, AND SEVEN SOUTHERN STATES, INCLUDING FLORIDA RIGHT NOW ARE USING 70% PERCENT OF WHAT WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY OF THIS MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENT.

SO THE IDEA IS IT'S REALLY ABOUT FAIRNESS, MAKING SURE THAT HOSPITALS AND TREATMENT CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY HAVE THIS TREATMENT WHEN THEY NEED IT.

BUT THERE'S OBVIOUS CONCERN HERE IN THE STATE.

OUR STATE'S BEEN ONE OF THE HARDEST HIT, AND WE REALLY DO NEED THOSE TREATMENTS.

THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION CAME OUT, I THINK IT WAS THIS WEEK, AND SAID WE COULD BE SHORT SOMETHING LIKE 42,000 DOSES COME NEXT WEEK BECAUSE OF THIS NEW POLICY.

SO I GUESS WE'LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE.

>>LIKE WITH MUCH OF THIS, WE WAIT AND SEE.

AND REMEMBER, YOU CAN JOIN THIS DISCUSSION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE ARE AT WUCF TV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

SO WE ARE OUT OF TIME FOR THIS PORTION OF TODAY'S SHOW.

I WANT TO THANK OUR PANEL THIS WEEK, DANIELLE PRIEUR OF 90.7 WMFE AND META MINTON OF THE VILLAGES NEWS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO BOTH OF YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>>ALL RIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT, THE SECOND IN OUR THREE PART NEWSNIGHT CONVERSATION SERIES, SPEAKING UP, CHALLENGES AND CHANGES.

THE CENTRAL FLORIDA FOUNDATION THROUGH ITS TABLE TALK CONVERSATIONS INITIATIVE IS DISCOVERING THE ISSUES THAT CENTRAL FLORIDIANS FIND TO BE MOST IMPORTANT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

MY COLLEAGUE STEVE MORT RECENTLY HOSTED A DISCUSSION ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.

>>THANK YOU, NANCY.

IN AN AREA WITH CONSTANT GROWTH, THERE IS AN EVER PRESENT CHALLENGE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT ALL OF US HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO SERVICES AND OPPORTUNITIES.

THE SUBJECT OF DIVERSITY AND EQUITY IS HIGH ON THE LIST OF PRIORITIES TO ADDRESS TO ENSURE A POSITIVE FUTURE FOR AN EVER-CHANGING CENTRAL FLORIDA.

WELL, I ASKED ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR JERRY DEMINGS ABOUT HOW DIVERSITY AND EQUITY FACTOR INTO HOW HE RUNS HIS ADMINISTRATION.

>>DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IS IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND, YES, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SYSTEMIC ISSUES OVER TIME THAT HAS CAUSED THE HEALTH EQUITY CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE.

SO PART OF MY ADMINISTRATION FOCUS IS DEFINITELY ON IMPROVING ACCESS TO EVERYONE.

AND SO YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT A HOUSING FOR ALL INITIATIVE.

YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT OUR TRANSPORTATION INITIATIVE.

YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE ECONOMIC GOALS THAT WE HAVE.

MY DESIRE IS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTATION AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, BUT ALSO WITHIN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

SO I'VE BEEN INTENTIONAL ABOUT HIRING INDIVIDUALS WHO REPRESENT THE BROAD ARRAY OF PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE HERE.

AND I BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE LOOK OUT INTO OUR COMMUNITY, WHEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEVERAGE EQUITY AND INCLUSION AS A COMMUNITY GOAL, AND WORKING WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THROUGH COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENTS AND OTHER SIMILAR TYPES OF CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIPS, WE WANT TO SEE OUR MINORITY BUSINESSES THRIVE.

AND SO HERE IN ORANGE COUNTY, WE HAVE PLANS THAT OUR ROBUST PLANS TO BE ABLE TO HOPEFULLY ACCOMPLISH ALL OF THESE GOALS.

>>WELL, JOINING US NOW, ALLIE BRASWELL, FOUNDER OF THE BRASWELL GROUP, AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE URBAN LEAGUE OF CENTRAL FLORIDA.

HE'S ALSO WORKED ON DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STRATEGIES FOR DISNEY PARKS, SIFU MIMI CHAN, FROM THE WAH LUM TEMPLE IN ORLANDO, SHE'S PETITIONING FOR AN ASIAN-AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HISTORY CURRICULUM TO BE ADDED TO FLORIDA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BRANDON WOLFE FROM EQUALITY FLORIDA, AND EPISCOPAL PRIEST AND COMMUNITY LEADER REVEREND JOSE RODRIGUEZ.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

>>BRANDON, LET ME START WITH YOU.

ABOUT A FIFTH OF RESPONDENTS TOLD THE CENTRAL FLORIDA FOUNDATION THAT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IS SOMETHING THEY ARE UNHAPPY WITH IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, YET MORE THAN 40% SAY IT'S SOMETHING THEY'RE MOST HAPPY WITH.

WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU?

>>WELL, I THINK IT TELLS YOU JUST HOW MUCH WORK WE HAVE LEFT TO DO.

THE PEOPLE WHO FEEL THE BENEFITS OF THE SORT OF THINGS THAT MAYOR DEMINGS IS TALKING ABOUT ARE THE ONES WHO ARE PROBABLY HAPPY ABOUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT YET SEEING THOSE BENEFITS, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CONTINUALLY, SYSTEMICALLY, DENIED ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND FUNDS, WHO HAVE WORKPLACES THAT ARE NOT ALLOWING THEM TO BE AUTHENTIC, THEY'RE NOT YET HAPPY WITH THE STATE OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.

>>I THINK ONE THING WE HAVE TO REMEMBER ABOUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION EFFORTS IS THAT IT'S A LOT MORE THAN JUST PUTTING A RAINBOW ON MERCHANDISE ONCE A YEAR OR CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

IT'S ABOUT REALLY ASSESSING OUR PROCESSES, OUR PROGRAMS, THE WAY THAT OUR BUSINESSES, OUR ORGANIZATIONS, OUR GOVERNMENT BODIES WORK, TO ENSURE THAT WE CREATE WORKPLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN FEEL AUTHENTIC, WHERE THEY CAN LIVE THEIR FULLEST LIVES, AND THEY CAN BRING ALL OF THEIR CREATIVE ENERGIES AND IDEAS TO WORK.

>>YOU KNOW, ALLIE, YOU'VE WORKED ON THIS ISSUE EXTENSIVELY RIGHT OVER THE YEARS, WITH THE URBAN LEAGUE, DISNEY, AND NOW YOUR OWN ORGANIZATION.

I MEAN, WHAT ARE THE MAIN AREAS OF INEQUITY AND ACCESS IN CITIES AND COMMUNITIES THAT YOU COME ACROSS?

>>WELL, I THINK BRANDON HIT ON A LOT OF THEM AND THE MAYOR DID AS WELL.

BUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT IT, IT REALLY GOES BACK TO THE BASIS OF ECONOMIC DISPARITY THAT IMPACTS HEALTHCARE DISPARITY.

WHEN WE CAN'T BE PAID THE EQUITABLE WAGE THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE A QUALITY OF LIFE THAT'S WHEN I THINK YOU'RE EVIDENCING THAT IN YOUR STATISTICS.

SO IT TAKES PEOPLE, PROCESSES, AND PROGRAMS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO IMPROVE THAT.

NUMBER ONE, YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY AND WHO ARE FEELING AS THOUGH THEY'RE LEFT OUT.

THEN YOU HAVE TO COME UP WITH PROCESSES TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE PRESENTING EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES TO EVERYONE, JUST LIKE THE MAYOR SAID.

AND THEN THE PROGRAMS HAVE TO BE ROBUST ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO TOUCH EVERYBODY AND EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTED.

IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE A PROGRAM.

IT'S ANOTHER THING TO HAVE THE EFFICACY THAT IT NEEDS IN ORDER TO HAVE EVERYONE FEEL INCLUSIVE.

>>YEAH, FOR CERTAIN, HAVING IT BEING EFFECTIVE IS ANOTHER MATTER.

FATHER, YOU WORK WITH PUERTO RICAN ARRIVALS HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY LIVE IN.

WITH THE ADDED LANGUAGE BARRIERS THAT SOME FROM THE ISLAND FACE WHEN THEY COME TO THE MAINLAND, WHAT ARE THE MAIN AREAS THAT POPULATION STRUGGLES WITH WHEN IT COMES TO ACCESS, DO YOU THINK?

>>WELL, THEY STRUGGLE WITH EQUAL ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY.

TO BE VERY HONEST, WE DEAL DAILY WITH JOBS THAT DON'T HAVE HOUSING NEAR THEM AND WE DEAL DAILY WITH JOBS THAT DO NOT PAY AN ADEQUATE LIVING WAGE AND A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE ECONOMIC ENGINES THAT DRIVE THE REGION AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT PEOPLE SEEK.

SOMETIMES IT FEELS THAT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT CENTRAL FLORIDA HAS TO OFFER ARE ONLY AVAILABLE TO SOME.

>>YEAH.

AND, MIMI, HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, WE HAVE A THRIVING AND DIVERSE ASIAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY AS WELL.

FROM MY REPORTING ON THAT COMMUNITY, IT'S ONE THAT THE BROADER POPULATION IS SORT OF LESS LIKELY TO BE AWARE THAT FACES INEQUITIES AND ISSUES OF SYSTEMIC RACISM.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO TRY TO IMPROVE AWARENESS AROUND THE ISSUES FACED IN ASIAN COMMUNITIES IN FLORIDA?

>>YES.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT.

CURRENTLY, I ACTUALLY REPRESENT AN ORGANIZATION CALLED MAKE US VISIBLE-FLORIDA, WHICH IS PART OF A NATIONWIDE COALITION THAT'S DEDICATED TO DEVELOP A PREVENTIVE SOLUTION ROOTED IN EDUCATION AS A RESPONSE TO THE ANTI-ASIAN-AMERICAN VIOLENCE THAT WE'VE SEEN ACTUALLY ARISE SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC.

SO I'M ACTUALLY WORKING WITH REPRESENTATIVE ESKAMANI TO INCLUDE A BILL THAT WOULD HOPEFULLY INCLUDE AAPI HISTORY INTO OUR CURRICULUM BECAUSE I HAVE THE GREAT BENEFIT OF WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND A DIVERSE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES AND MOST OF THEM DON'T KNOW THAT ASIAN-AMERICANS HAVE A DEEP CONTRIBUTION TO THIS COUNTRY AND WHERE WE KIND OF FIT IN INTO THE HISTORY.

>>AND, FATHER, THE CENTRAL FLORIDA FOUNDATION FINDS ABOUT A THIRD OF PEOPLE SAY ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE, AS YOU MENTIONED BEFORE, IS A PROBLEM IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

AGAIN, THAT'S ALMOST UNIVERSAL IN TERMS OF THOSE FINDINGS.

MAYOR DEMINGS SPECIFICALLY, AS YOU SAY, REFERRED TO HEALTH INEQUITIES JUST NOW.

HAS HEALTHCARE INEQUITY BEEN BROUGHT INTO STARK RELIEF BY THIS PANDEMIC, PARTICULARLY, DO YOU THINK?

>>I THINK THAT HEALTHCARE INEQUITY HAS BEEN EXPOSED WITH THE HIGH NUMBER OF LATINOS WHO'VE BEEN DYING AND DISPROPORTIONALLY IMPACTED BY THIS PANDEMIC.

WE'VE STRUGGLED WITH GETTING OUR FAMILIES INTO, NOT ONLY AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE, BUT ACCESSIBLE HEALTHCARE, AND NOT ONLY INTO ACCESSIBLE HEALTH CARE, BUT JUST BEING ABLE TO GET DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS THAT DON'T HAVE LONG WAITING LISTS.

THE PANDEMIC REALLY BORE THIS OUT, EXPOSED IT RAW, AND IT'S REALLY SHOWING HOW OUR BLACK AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES AND OUR VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN RAVAGED BY THIS PANDEMIC.

>>YEAH, BRANDON, LET ME GO BACK TO YOU.

WE HAD A PERIOD OF RECKONING AFTER PULSE, WITH VIOLENT DISCRIMINATION FACED BY LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, EVEN IN ORLANDO WHERE INCLUSIVITY WAS CONSIDERED TO BE STRONG.

DOES THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY FACE SIMILAR ISSUES AROUND DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION THAT COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN CENTRAL FLORIDA FACE ON A REGULAR BASIS?

>>YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

AND I APPRECIATE YOU CALLING THAT OUT BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE LULLED TO SLEEP IN THE AFTERMATH OF A MARRIAGE EQUALITY RULING, MAYBE IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE BOSTOCK RULING IN 2020 WHEN THE SUPREME COURT SAID THAT NON-DISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS COVER LGBTQ PEOPLE.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LGBTQ PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED BY DISCRIMINATION, AND VERY SPECIFICALLY VIOLENT DISCRIMINATION, THEY OFTEN LIVE AT THE INTERSECTIONS OF THE IDENTITIES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

>>SO THE PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE THESE THINGS MOST DISPARATELY ARE NOT JUST LGBTQ, THEY ARE LGBTQ PEOPLE OF COLOR.

THEY ARE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT TRANS WOMEN OF COLOR.

THEY'RE BLACK TRANS WOMEN.

THEY'RE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING AT THE CREASES OF SOCIETY THAT EXPERIENCE DISCRIMINATION AND VIOLENCE BASED ON MULTIPLE IDENTITIES THAT THEY HOLD.

AND THEY ALSO FACE A NUMBER OF HURDLES TO ACCESSING RESOURCES THAT OTHER PEOPLE GET TO EASILY.

THINK ABOUT HOW THE TRANS COMMUNITY INTERACTS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THINK ABOUT HOW THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY INTERACTS WITH HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS OR PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV INTERACT WITH THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.

SO THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT JUST LGBTQ.

THEY'RE PEOPLE LIVING AT THE INTERSECTIONS OF MULTIPLE IDENTITIES, AND THAT MEANS THAT THEY FACE INCREDIBLE OBSTACLES TO ACCESSING RESOURCES AND AT THE SAME TIME, THEY FACE DISCRIMINATION AND VIOLENCE AT HIGHER RATES THAN EVERYONE ELSE.

>>AND CERTAINLY WE'VE SEEN AN UPTICK IN VIOLENCE AGAINST TRANS WOMEN IN PARTICULAR OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

ALLIE, WE HEARD FROM ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR JERRY DEMINGS AT THE TOP OF OUR DISCUSSION.

YOU'VE ADVISED CITY LEADERSHIP ELSEWHERE ON WAYS TO IMPROVE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.

WHAT DO YOU USUALLY TELL LEADERS?

AND IS THIS AN ISSUE THAT JURISDICTIONS ARE BECOMING MORE INCLINED TO ADDRESS, DO YOU THINK?

>>WELL, WHAT I USUALLY TELL LEADERS IS THAT YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE THE THREE LS WHEN IT COMES TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION, AND THAT'S LISTEN, LEARN FROM THE CONVERSATIONS, AND THEN LEAN INTO THE SOLUTIONS.

A LOT OF TIMES, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, AND I THINK BRANDON HIT EXCELLENTLY WAS, WHERE DOES THE INTERSECTIONALITY COME IN?

BECAUSE WHEN WE TRY TO SEGREGATE IT OR PUT IT INTO A PARTICULAR CATEGORY, WE END UP MISSING PEOPLE.

BUT BY LISTENING AND REALLY LISTENING WITH THE INTENT TO HEAR, WITH THE HEART OF ANOTHER, LISTEN WITH THE EAR OF ANOTHER, AND JUST LISTEN WITH THE EYES AND SEE IT THROUGH THE EYES OF ANOTHER, THEN WE CAN BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT SOLUTIONS.

AND THEN YOU GOT TO LEARN FROM THOSE AND ACTUALLY DETAIL, AND YOU HEARD ME TALK ABOUT PEOPLE, PROCESSES AND PROGRAMS, YOU GOT TO REALLY LISTEN AND BE ABLE TO APPLY THE LEARNING.

AND THEN THE LEADERS HAVE TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP.

THEY HAVE TO STEP INTO IT AND OWN IT.

WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU CAN BRING ABOUT THE CHANGE AROUND FINANCIAL IMPACTS ON COMMUNITIES.

IT'S TRUE.

DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE'VE SEEN IT DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT THE PEOPLE OF COLOR.

WHY?

BECAUSE THEY ARE YOUR FRONTLINE.

THEY ARE YOUR NURSES, THEY'RE YOUR DOCTORS, THEY'RE YOUR AMAZON DELIVERS, THEY'RE YOUR UBER DRIVERS.

THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT WERE IN THE HEART OF THE PANDEMIC STILL DELIVERING SERVICES, BUT BECAUSE OF THE WAGES AND THE LACK OF ACCESS, AND I LOVE HOW FATHER ACTUALLY PUT IT, YOU CAN HAVE HEALTHCARE, BUT IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS IT, WHAT GOOD IS IT?

SO WE HAVE TO LISTEN AND REALLY COME UP WITH LISTENING, LEARNING FROM OUR CONVERSATIONS, AND THEN REALLY LEANING IN WITH ADEQUATE PLANS THAT PROVIDE AN EFFICACY, THAT ARE REALLY EFFECTIVE, AND NOT JUST THROW MONEY AT IT OR JUST SAY THAT WE HAVE A PROGRAM.

>>YEAH, WE'VE CERTAINLY HEARD A LOT OVER THE COURSE OF THIS PANDEMIC ABOUT HOW IT'S DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED MINORITY COMMUNITIES.

MIMI, IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU WORK WITH, DO YOU HEAR THE SAME COMPLAINTS AS WE HEAR IN OTHER COMMUNITIES ABOUT INEQUITIES AND ACCESS TO SERVICES, ET CETERA?

>>YES, ABSOLUTELY.

AND TO ECHO WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS SPEAKING ABOUT HERE, THESE THINGS ARE IN FACT HAPPENING HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AS WELL.

ESPECIALLY SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN THE ASIAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY HAS CERTAINLY FELT A LOT OF THE DISCRIMINATION, HEAVILY, BUT I THINK THAT ALSO IS ROOTED IN EDUCATION.

SO THE MODEL MINORITY MYTH OF COURSE THAT YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, THE ASIAN BUSINESSES SEEM TO BE THRIVING.

THERE'S A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS HERE, ESPECIALLY IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

AND THAT MYTH IS CREATED TO DIVIDE PEOPLE OF COLOR AND TO PUSH PEOPLE APART.

AND SO THAT JUST CONTINUES TO PERPETUATE THE ISSUE OF SYSTEMIC RACISM AND THE ISSUES THAT MOST OF THE BIPOC COMMUNITY HAS EXPERIENCED ON SOME LEVEL.

AND THIS IS WHY WE ARE DEEPLY ROOTING OURSELVES IN EDUCATION TO KIND OF DISPEL THAT MYTH AND TO EDUCATE OURSELVES, AS WELL AS THE YOUTH, SO THAT WE CAN IN A LONG-TERM, VERY LONG GOAL, SOLVE SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING.

>>WELL, IT'S SUCH A VALUABLE DISCUSSION TO HAVE, AND IT'S ONE THAT NEEDS TO CONTINUE FOR CERTAIN.

WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR PERSPECTIVE WITH US, AND YOU CAN FIND MORE AT OUR WEBSITE.

IT'S ALL AT WUCF.ORG/CONVERSATIONS.

>>NEXT WEEK STEVE WILL HAVE PART THREE OF OUR NEWSNIGHT CONVERSATION SERIES FOCUSING ON ANOTHER TOPIC THAT ALL OF US HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH, TRANSPORTATION.

THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE DO HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 RIGHT HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, HAVE A GOOD AND SAFE WEEKEND.