VOA – CONNECT
EPISODE # 116
AIR DATE 04 03 2020
TRANSCRIPT
OPEN ((VO/NAT))
((Banner))
Providing Services
((SOT))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
I'm Dr. Marie Fang. I'm a psychologist working in private
practice in San Jose, California. As of March 14th of this
year, I made the switch to exclusively teletherapy services.
((NATS:
Hi, Vanessa. How are you doing today?))
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Providing Shelter
((SOT))
((Rusty Bailey, Mayor – Riverside, California))
You know, people are dying on the streets. People are
suffering on the streets and they don’t have to. We have the
money for this. We have the public opinion. Public
opinion said, “Yes”!
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Providing Jobs
((SOT))
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
We make coffee, chocolate and bake goods fresh daily. We
don’t hire people to make chocolates. We make chocolates
to hire people.
((Open Animation))
BLOCK A
((PKG)) COVID DISTILLERY DISINFECTANTS
((Banner: Distillers Change Course))
((Reporter: Ozlem Tinaz))
((Camera: Celal Cevirgen))
((Adapted by: Philip Alexiou))
((Map: Falls Church, Virginia))
((Main characters: 1 male))
((Sub characters: 1 female; 1 male))
((Popup Banner: During the COVID-19 pandemic, an
alcohol distillery lends a hand))
((NATS:
Michael Paluzzi, Founder, Falls Church Distillery
Whoop. We’re still pumping.
Kallie Stavros, Employee, Falls Church Distillery
Oh yeah. We were still filling this.
Michael Paluzzi, Founder, Falls Church Distillery
Okay. All right.))
((Michael Paluzzi, Founder, Falls Church Distillery))
We still produce our whiskeys and our vodkas and our
gins. We still have our alcohol or our spirits that we produce
but we’ve obviously pivoted. We’ve pivoted into making
sanitization. It's the same type of process. We're using the
same whiskeys, our base spirits that we would use to make a
lot of our other products.
((NATS))
((Michael Paluzzi, Founder, Falls Church Distillery))
Our plan was only to do this for today and help people out
like nursing homes and hospitals and first responders and
the elderly, you know, the hard targets of this whole nasty
thing. It’s blown up into being much more than that. It’s
blown up to be a business. I mean, I don’t know. We’ll see
how long it lasts, how long the need lasts.
((NATS))
((Michael Paluzzi, Founder, Falls Church Distillery))
When the governor issued their new regulations, it’s
maximum 10 patrons at a time. It is impossible for a
restaurant to staff the restaurant and a bar and make any
money that way. So, that effectively put us out of business at
the bar/restaurant. Luckily, we had the second business here
that we’re springing off of, which is the distillery. What we,
I’ve been able to do is re-employ all of those bar
personnel. So, all the kitchen and all the bar people will be
filling jugs and working full time. So, that’s another good side
benefit, right? That everybody gets a job still because all
those people I had to lay off last Sunday, on Tuesday I got to
rehire.
((NATS))
((Kallie Stavros, Employee, Falls Church Distillery))
It’s nice to be able to do something that is helping people.
Obviously, it’s really hard to find. I went on Amazon just to
look at what was available on Amazon and it looks like
people are ripping everyone off. So, it's nice to just kind of
help the local community and still have a job actually. I feel
really lucky right now.
((NATS))
((Michael Paluzzi, Founder, Falls Church Distillery))
Prices right now is important to us. I mean, that was a very,
very important thing to us, to not gouge, right? I mean,
because that’s what you're seeing now. You’re seeing
people buy up, whether it’s toilet paper or hand sanitizer and
then trying to charge exorbitant prices for that. That is part of
what we were battling here, plus the need and plus the
reasonableness of fulfilling that need.
((NATS))
((Matthew Quinn, Customer, Falls Church Distillery))
I have a company down the street and all of our, everything
we’ve used, is out. All of our containers are half-full and
we’ve got to try to fill them back up.
((NATS))
((Michael Paluzzi, Founder, Falls Church Distillery))
We're producing about 300 [1135 liters] gallons of sanitizer
right now. We could easily do that every day if we could get
the supplies, but we believe that we are on a plan to, at least,
produce another thousand gallons [3785 liters] next week
and hopefully continue to try to double that.
((Matthew Quinn, Customer, Falls Church Distillery))
I think all of us are trying to do what we can. I think seeing
small businesses step up and provide this type of service is
fantastic.
((NATS))
((Popup Banner: In the days following filming, the distillery
took more stringent health safety measures both within the
workforce and with customers.))
((PKG)) TELETHERAPY
((Banner: Teletherapy))
((Reporter: Zdenko Novacki))
((Camera: Dr. Marie Fang))
((Map: San Jose, California))
((Main characters: 1 female))
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
In light of everything that's happening with COVID-19, many
therapists, who otherwise see their clients face-to-face, are
now making the switch to exclusively teletherapy services.
And this sudden switch has presented an array of unique
challenges that might not otherwise apply to offering
teletherapy.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
I'm Dr. Marie Fang. I'm a psychologist working in private
practice in San Jose, California. And ever since I started my
practice in 2012, I've been working with primarily face-to-face
clients. But as of March 14th of this year, I made the switch to
exclusively teletherapy services.
((NATS:
Hi, Vanessa. How are you doing today?))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
There are many advantages to teletherapy and particularly
lately, surrounding the social distancing precautions around
COVID-19, teletherapy allows many people to access mental
health care who otherwise wouldn't be able to access it or in
order to access it, they might need to put themselves at risk.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
Teletherapy refers to all therapy services offered
electronically, whether it be video, phone call, email or text.
But colloquially, when therapists refer to teletherapy, most of
the time they're referring to video therapy. Teletherapy is
subject to the same rules and regulations as in-person
therapy with a few extras to address the need to maintain
patient privacy.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
It does seem to be the case that the option of meeting a
therapist through a screen caters well to some populations
and not so well to other populations. So, for myself, I work
primarily with millennials who often work from home and are
meeting via video for their work calls anyway. So, the idea of
meeting through video with their therapist doesn't feel very
uncomfortable and many are excited to do so. However, I've
heard from other therapists who found that their clients don't
even want to meet at all if it means that they have to put
themselves on a video.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
There is research backing up the effectiveness of teletherapy
showing that it's just as effective as in-person therapy when
utilizing the same interventions.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
Within the current context of the COVID-19 restrictions, my
practice has shrunk significantly and there are a number of
factors contributing to this. One big factor is my schedule has
had to change. Normally, I drop my daughter off at daycare
in order to go see my clients and my daughter's daycare is
currently closed. So, I've needed to reduce my total hours
available to see clients to about a third of what I typically offer
to them. So, I only have a few slots available on my
schedule right now.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
I'm hearing from the majority of my colleagues that their
income has dropped as a result of COVID-19 and switching
to teletherapy. For some, their income has dropped as much
as 50 percent or more. And there are some who aren’t taking
a paycheck right now at all.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
We’re already seeing major impacts of COVID-19 on
people’s mental health, especially for those under the
mandate to shelter-in-place. They may feel literally trapped in
whatever dysfunction might be going on in their
household. Generally speaking, my colleagues and I have
so far seen an increase in anxiety in a major way. If clients
were already experiencing symptoms of anxiety, they've just
kicked up into high gear. And for those clients who, maybe,
weren't otherwise experiencing anxiety, there is a greater
sense of medical anxiety as well as grief over can canceled
plans. People have had to move their weddings and even
funerals around because of the shelter-in-place
mandate. And for those clients who are prone to depression,
isolation and loneliness have also contributed to increased
symptoms of depression.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
In order for teletherapy to be successful, one of the biggest
factors required is a great Wi-Fi signal. Now most of the time
when there is a spotty connection, if the therapist or client
moves closer to the Wi-Fi signal, it's often resolved. But
given the nature of our current situation, it's not always an
option to move closer to the Wi-Fi signal while maintaining a
private confidential space for therapy.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
In my opinion, one major downside of teletherapy is it doesn't
have that same kind of like special sauce that comes when
you meet face-to-face. It's kind of similar to if you have a
loved one who lives far away and you're meeting via
FaceTime or some other video means, it doesn't feel quite
the same as when you're in-person.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
Because therapists have had to make this switch on such
short notice, there are many factors that have created
challenges for us, such as trying to get the necessary
trainings in order to make sure we're on top of all of the
ethical regulations to provide teletherapy and also figuring
out technological issues just like everyone else in the world
these days. It's hard to figure out which platforms are HIPAA
[medical privacy laws] secure and care for your clients’
privacy and trying to onboard your clients to those platforms
at the same time. I know therapists, who have tried one
platform, had technological issues and then switched to two
or three different platforms until they found one that really
works for their practice.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
One major issue that I've experienced meeting with my
clients via teletherapy, particularly while the shelter-in-place
mandate is in effect for some of us, is because there are so
many people inside the household, it's really difficult to find a
private space to meet with your therapist.
((NATS))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
Setting an Example
((SOT))
((Rusty Bailey, Mayor – Riverside, California))
Yeah, this is my sleeping arrangement and it gets cold out
here. So, I have a couple of different blankets, obviously
sleeping bag.
BREAK ONE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK B
((PKG)) MAYOR / HOMELESSNESS
((Banner: Shelter for Those Without))
((Reporter/Camera: Genia Dulot))
((Map: Riverside, California))
((Main character: 1 male))
((Sub characters: 2 female; 1 male))
((Popup Banner: Even before the COVID-19 pandemic,
people without shelter struggled to stay safe))
((NATS: Mayor Rusty Bailey & Homeless man:
How are you doing?
Hey, Mayor!
Hey, Darrell! Hey, what’s going on?
All right. How are you doing?
Where are you at? Where are you at?
Is that Michael?
Yeah, that’s me.
Hey, brother.
Hey, it’s good to see you.
You, too. You, too. You hungry? Going to get some dinner
tonight? All right.))
((Rusty Bailey, Mayor – Riverside, California))
So, my compassion for the homeless really started when I
was in high school and my dad took me to a church that fed
homeless on a certain night of the week. And I’ll never forget
the moment when I was serving one of my classmates in high
school and they looked at me and I could just see the
shame on their face. At that moment, I knew that could be me
and so ever since then, you know, serving the homeless
touched me personally.
((NATS: Mayor Rusty Bailey & Heidi, Homeless:
You keeping an eye on Heidi, Les?
Yes.
No, he doesn’t keep an eye…...
He doesn’t?
No. You don’t need to keep an eye on me. I’m a grown
woman.
You’re supposed to be in apartment. Why aren’t you in your
apartment?
I don’t need a house. This is my house. This is my
community.
I know this is your community.
Are you trying to be my dad?
Yes!
No.
Yes.
You can’t be my dad.
No. You are my mom! She’s my….right?
Listen, listen to me. I had to…..
This is my mother. This is my adopted mother. I have
adopted Heidi. She takes care of me when I am out here on
Massachusetts avenue.
Oh, yeah! ))
((Rusty Bailey, Mayor – Riverside, California))
Raul Nava, 29-year old individual, was living on the streets
and was stabbed to death. I got a text alert about this and
came out and observed it and I said, I’ve got to do something.
I can’t let this go on any longer.
((Rusty Bailey, Mayor – Riverside, California))
Yeah, this is my sleeping arrangement and it gets cold out
here. So, I have a couple of different blankets, obviously
sleeping bag. I’ve got my army hat here, as it goes on, a
sleeping cap, my skull cap. I am a graduate of West Point
1994, class of 1994. I just got back from my 25th reunion and
we got our hats there and so, I keep that close to my, close to
my heart, but it’s on my head so, maybe it’s even better,
keeping me warm. I lived here for 15 nights, every other
night, for over a month, to bring a sense of urgency, to bring
education awareness and to challenge the community,
challenge the city to help me bring more attention and to
bring more resources and to raise funding.
((Rusty Bailey, Mayor – Riverside, California))
This right here, only took a couple hours to build and we can
get somebody off the streets, at least two people off the
streets immediately. And so, this is the first step: from the
streets, out of the tent, off the sidewalk and into safe and
dignified shelter.
((Rusty Bailey, Mayor – Riverside, California))
So, we are looking at buying 20 of these and place them in
this parking lot with bathrooms and showers and a place for
eating. Unfortunately, the state of California has a
requirement that any emergency shelter has to have 70
square feet [6.5 m2] of livable area for one individual and
then 50 square feet [4.6 m2] thereafter. So, right now, this
is not legal to stay in in the state of California, at least by the
code.
((NATS: Mayor Rusty Bailey & Heidi, Homeless:
Well, there you go. All the pictures.
Hi, are you the mayor?
So, where is it?
Yeah.))
((Michelle Dunn, Homeless))
Hi. I just got kicked out of my, well, not my homeless shelter,
the homeless shelter here. They’re saying that the program’s
shut down and I’m wondering is there is any other place that I
could stay? My name is Michelle Dunn. I’ve traveled all
around this country. I am finally here. I am stuck. I have no
money. I cannot get out of here. Could someone please
help me?
((Rusty Bailey, Mayor – Riverside, California))
I am frustrated by the bureaucracy. I am frustrated by
whatever you want to call it. And, you know, people are
dying on the streets. People are suffering on the streets and
they don’t have to. We have the money for this. We have the
public opinion. Public opinion said, “yes”! Political will is
with us. Political will said, “yes, we will do this.” But for
some reason, there is these, these hoops we have to
jump through. These hurdles we have to get around, to get
over, are preventing our neighbors without homes from
sleeping in this shelter tonight.
((NATS))
((Popup Banner: Since the outbreak of the pandemic,
California has increased efforts to help those without shelter
but are still struggling))
((PKG)) PROMO: AMERICANS AND GUNS
((MUSIC))
Americans and Guns
Differing Perspectives
((SOTs))
This is a fight for our way of life and our freedoms as
Americans.
The United States constitution says the right of the people to
keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((SOTs))
Got to be some regulation, stop somewhere.
Guns take on a different meaning when you have to kind of
recognize that they are not just one thing.
Hunting has just kind of been a part of our lives as long back
as I can remember.
((SOTs))
I was shot eight times.
My older son, he was murdered.
People think it’s only a city problem or it’s only a domestic
problem or it’s a gang problem and that is absolutely not the
truth. It hits families from every walk of life.
It’s an attempt to demonize the tool. It’s not the tool that kills.
It’s the person.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((SOTs))
Easy access to a gun turns an impulse into a tragedy.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((SOTs))
What frustrates lawful gun owners is that we get lumped into
this heap in the media with people who are breaking the law.
So, there’s a lot of ways to be safe with the guns.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((SOTs))
We live in different realities, you know. If you have been
affected by gun violence, what guns are is one thing. And if
you have never been affected, you can kind of blithely go on
with your life never really confronting that.
((MUSIC))
Coming Soon on VOAConnect
((MUSIC/NATS))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
A Place to Grow
((SOT))
((Sean Cross, Employee, Cameron’s Chocolates))
I like working here because I can make new things, like
sometimes I make coffee. Sometimes I make wraps.
BREAK TWO
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK C
((PKG)) CAMERON’S CHOCOLATES
((Banner: Providing Jobs))
((Reporter/ Camera: June Soh))
((Map: Fairfax, Virginia))
((Main characters: 2 females))
((Sub characters: 2 females; 2 males))
((NATS))
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
We make coffee, chocolate and bake goods fresh daily. We
don’t hire people to make chocolates. We make chocolates
to hire people.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Sean Cross, Employee, Cameron’s Chocolates))
I like working here because I can make new things, like
sometimes I make coffee. Sometimes I make wraps,
chocolates like these, caramel, salted caramel.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
We have 35 employees and about two-thirds of our
employees are intellectually disabled. The other third donot
have intellectual disabilities but work in parallel with our
disabled workers. So, we’re what’s known as a cooperative
environment where we all help each other out.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Cameron Graham, Employee, Cameron’s Chocolates))
I'm making a recipe for sugar cookies, time four.
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
When I had my daughter Cameron, we determined that she
had some challenges, especially in her development. I
decided that I would try finding as many doctors as I could
that could help her. And one of the doctors told me that I
should accept the fact that my daughter would function on a
cognitive level of a three-year-old for the rest of her life. And I
didn't want to accept that. And so, I worked very hard to find
ways to help her grow and develop. And that journey has led
me through many steps. So, my husband and I came up with
our own model and that's Cameron's chocolates.
((NATS:
I need two pounds of sugar, Hannah.
Okay.))
((Kelsey Sohail, Job Coach, Cameron’s Chocolates))
This is our kitchen time now. So, we are making a gluten-
free strawberry bar and sugar cookies.
((So, what is your role here?))
((Kelsey Sohail, Job Coach, Cameron’s Chocolates))
My role is, I am the lead job coach. I support a team of four
individuals. But also, I supervise all the job coaches. So, I
go through and I make sure that they're following the recipes
correctly and that….
Yeah. Is that one stick? That’s two sticks of butter? Yeah.
All of the participants are different. You have to work with
them in different ways to be able to make them as successful
as they can be here.
((NATS:
Where did you guys just go?
We just went to the laundry.
Here comes the other part of the team, right now.))
((Chloeie Rebecca Scales, Employee, Cameron’s
Chocolates))
So, yes, I have been working here, again, around two years.
And we help each other and getting things all together, work
and I. We get a lot of customers. And we definitely have a
good healthy relationship with other people, job coaches,
managers and everybody else. We are all like a family too.
((NATS))
((Paul Provance, Customer, Cameron’s Chocolates))
My little group comes every Monday morning or as we can.
Well, it’s got good service and always nice little things like
muffins and good coffee. And I think we are doing something
good for our community by patronizing a very conscientious
establishment.
((NATS))
((Kelsey Harmon, High School Special Education
Teacher))
I brought students here on a community-based instruction
trip. While here, we are looking at the different jobs that they
have. It's a great place to learn just because there are
people, all types of people come here and it’s very inclusive
to everything, to all persons.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
Cameron’s Chocolates, we don't only look at the workers in
terms of just their work skills, but we look at their life skills.
We look at their social skills. So, our workers are broken into
teams. So, we take a local town bus to go to the grocery
stores. We walk to a local laundromat to do our cleaning
rags. We go to the bank and make our bank deposits, all of
the things that include us in the world outside of Cameron’s.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Cameron Graham, Employee, Cameron’s Chocolates))
I am cooking tonight dinner for my family. I cook twice a
week because my mom said twice a week. I pick the days.
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
Not only my daughter but some of her co-workers have
started cooking meals for their families.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Cameron Graham, Employee, Cameron’s Chocolates))
Today, I am making a chicken dinner. I love cooking.
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
There are other things that our workers do outside of the
shop. One of those things is Special Olympics. Special
Olympics touches the lives of so many of my workers.
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
For example, my daughter, in the winter, she plays basketball
and in the spring, she plays softball. I have another worker
who competes on a national level for ice skating. I have
another one who competes nationally for swimming. And so,
these are opportunities that exist. People with intellectual
challenges can still do phenomenal things, given the
opportunity to show you what they can do.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
Over 84 percent of people with cognitive disabilities are
unemployed but they're not unemployable. And there's a big
difference there.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Photo Courtesy: Cameron’s Chocolates))
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
Our store opened in 2013. Initially, we started with three
workers and today, we have 20-something workers who
might not otherwise have jobs. We are proof that people with
intellectual disabilities can have meaningful employment and
be productive members of society.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
I would hold our bakery products against anyone else's. Our
chocolates are some of the best chocolates you can buy
anywhere.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
All of us are different but all of us have gifts.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Popup Banner: Since the outbreak of COVID-19,
Cameron's Chocolates has closed, leaving many of its
employees without jobs and the daily social interaction they
enjoyed.))
CLOSING ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect
((PKG)) FREE PRESS MATTERS ((NATS/VIDEO/GFX))
((Popup captions over B Roll))
Near the Turkish Embassy
Washington, D.C.
May 16, 2017
President Erdogan’s bodyguard attacks peaceful protesters
“Those terrorists deserved to be beaten”
“They should not be protesting our president”
“They got what they asked for”
While some people may turn away from the news
We cover it
reliably
accurately
objectively
comprehensively
wherever the news matters
VOA
A Free Press Matters
CLOSING ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect
BREAK THREE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
((PKG)) FREE PRESS MATTERS ((NATS/VIDEO/GFX))
((Popup captions over B Roll))
We make a difference
When we unmask terror
When we explain the impossible
When we confront an uncertain future
When we give voice to the voiceless
The difference is Freedom of the Press
We are the Voice of America where
A Free Press Matters
CLOSING ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect
SHOW ENDS
EPISODE # 116
AIR DATE 04 03 2020
TRANSCRIPT
OPEN ((VO/NAT))
((Banner))
Providing Services
((SOT))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
I'm Dr. Marie Fang. I'm a psychologist working in private
practice in San Jose, California. As of March 14th of this
year, I made the switch to exclusively teletherapy services.
((NATS:
Hi, Vanessa. How are you doing today?))
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Providing Shelter
((SOT))
((Rusty Bailey, Mayor – Riverside, California))
You know, people are dying on the streets. People are
suffering on the streets and they don’t have to. We have the
money for this. We have the public opinion. Public
opinion said, “Yes”!
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Providing Jobs
((SOT))
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
We make coffee, chocolate and bake goods fresh daily. We
don’t hire people to make chocolates. We make chocolates
to hire people.
((Open Animation))
BLOCK A
((PKG)) COVID DISTILLERY DISINFECTANTS
((Banner: Distillers Change Course))
((Reporter: Ozlem Tinaz))
((Camera: Celal Cevirgen))
((Adapted by: Philip Alexiou))
((Map: Falls Church, Virginia))
((Main characters: 1 male))
((Sub characters: 1 female; 1 male))
((Popup Banner: During the COVID-19 pandemic, an
alcohol distillery lends a hand))
((NATS:
Michael Paluzzi, Founder, Falls Church Distillery
Whoop. We’re still pumping.
Kallie Stavros, Employee, Falls Church Distillery
Oh yeah. We were still filling this.
Michael Paluzzi, Founder, Falls Church Distillery
Okay. All right.))
((Michael Paluzzi, Founder, Falls Church Distillery))
We still produce our whiskeys and our vodkas and our
gins. We still have our alcohol or our spirits that we produce
but we’ve obviously pivoted. We’ve pivoted into making
sanitization. It's the same type of process. We're using the
same whiskeys, our base spirits that we would use to make a
lot of our other products.
((NATS))
((Michael Paluzzi, Founder, Falls Church Distillery))
Our plan was only to do this for today and help people out
like nursing homes and hospitals and first responders and
the elderly, you know, the hard targets of this whole nasty
thing. It’s blown up into being much more than that. It’s
blown up to be a business. I mean, I don’t know. We’ll see
how long it lasts, how long the need lasts.
((NATS))
((Michael Paluzzi, Founder, Falls Church Distillery))
When the governor issued their new regulations, it’s
maximum 10 patrons at a time. It is impossible for a
restaurant to staff the restaurant and a bar and make any
money that way. So, that effectively put us out of business at
the bar/restaurant. Luckily, we had the second business here
that we’re springing off of, which is the distillery. What we,
I’ve been able to do is re-employ all of those bar
personnel. So, all the kitchen and all the bar people will be
filling jugs and working full time. So, that’s another good side
benefit, right? That everybody gets a job still because all
those people I had to lay off last Sunday, on Tuesday I got to
rehire.
((NATS))
((Kallie Stavros, Employee, Falls Church Distillery))
It’s nice to be able to do something that is helping people.
Obviously, it’s really hard to find. I went on Amazon just to
look at what was available on Amazon and it looks like
people are ripping everyone off. So, it's nice to just kind of
help the local community and still have a job actually. I feel
really lucky right now.
((NATS))
((Michael Paluzzi, Founder, Falls Church Distillery))
Prices right now is important to us. I mean, that was a very,
very important thing to us, to not gouge, right? I mean,
because that’s what you're seeing now. You’re seeing
people buy up, whether it’s toilet paper or hand sanitizer and
then trying to charge exorbitant prices for that. That is part of
what we were battling here, plus the need and plus the
reasonableness of fulfilling that need.
((NATS))
((Matthew Quinn, Customer, Falls Church Distillery))
I have a company down the street and all of our, everything
we’ve used, is out. All of our containers are half-full and
we’ve got to try to fill them back up.
((NATS))
((Michael Paluzzi, Founder, Falls Church Distillery))
We're producing about 300 [1135 liters] gallons of sanitizer
right now. We could easily do that every day if we could get
the supplies, but we believe that we are on a plan to, at least,
produce another thousand gallons [3785 liters] next week
and hopefully continue to try to double that.
((Matthew Quinn, Customer, Falls Church Distillery))
I think all of us are trying to do what we can. I think seeing
small businesses step up and provide this type of service is
fantastic.
((NATS))
((Popup Banner: In the days following filming, the distillery
took more stringent health safety measures both within the
workforce and with customers.))
((PKG)) TELETHERAPY
((Banner: Teletherapy))
((Reporter: Zdenko Novacki))
((Camera: Dr. Marie Fang))
((Map: San Jose, California))
((Main characters: 1 female))
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
In light of everything that's happening with COVID-19, many
therapists, who otherwise see their clients face-to-face, are
now making the switch to exclusively teletherapy services.
And this sudden switch has presented an array of unique
challenges that might not otherwise apply to offering
teletherapy.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
I'm Dr. Marie Fang. I'm a psychologist working in private
practice in San Jose, California. And ever since I started my
practice in 2012, I've been working with primarily face-to-face
clients. But as of March 14th of this year, I made the switch to
exclusively teletherapy services.
((NATS:
Hi, Vanessa. How are you doing today?))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
There are many advantages to teletherapy and particularly
lately, surrounding the social distancing precautions around
COVID-19, teletherapy allows many people to access mental
health care who otherwise wouldn't be able to access it or in
order to access it, they might need to put themselves at risk.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
Teletherapy refers to all therapy services offered
electronically, whether it be video, phone call, email or text.
But colloquially, when therapists refer to teletherapy, most of
the time they're referring to video therapy. Teletherapy is
subject to the same rules and regulations as in-person
therapy with a few extras to address the need to maintain
patient privacy.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
It does seem to be the case that the option of meeting a
therapist through a screen caters well to some populations
and not so well to other populations. So, for myself, I work
primarily with millennials who often work from home and are
meeting via video for their work calls anyway. So, the idea of
meeting through video with their therapist doesn't feel very
uncomfortable and many are excited to do so. However, I've
heard from other therapists who found that their clients don't
even want to meet at all if it means that they have to put
themselves on a video.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
There is research backing up the effectiveness of teletherapy
showing that it's just as effective as in-person therapy when
utilizing the same interventions.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
Within the current context of the COVID-19 restrictions, my
practice has shrunk significantly and there are a number of
factors contributing to this. One big factor is my schedule has
had to change. Normally, I drop my daughter off at daycare
in order to go see my clients and my daughter's daycare is
currently closed. So, I've needed to reduce my total hours
available to see clients to about a third of what I typically offer
to them. So, I only have a few slots available on my
schedule right now.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
I'm hearing from the majority of my colleagues that their
income has dropped as a result of COVID-19 and switching
to teletherapy. For some, their income has dropped as much
as 50 percent or more. And there are some who aren’t taking
a paycheck right now at all.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
We’re already seeing major impacts of COVID-19 on
people’s mental health, especially for those under the
mandate to shelter-in-place. They may feel literally trapped in
whatever dysfunction might be going on in their
household. Generally speaking, my colleagues and I have
so far seen an increase in anxiety in a major way. If clients
were already experiencing symptoms of anxiety, they've just
kicked up into high gear. And for those clients who, maybe,
weren't otherwise experiencing anxiety, there is a greater
sense of medical anxiety as well as grief over can canceled
plans. People have had to move their weddings and even
funerals around because of the shelter-in-place
mandate. And for those clients who are prone to depression,
isolation and loneliness have also contributed to increased
symptoms of depression.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
In order for teletherapy to be successful, one of the biggest
factors required is a great Wi-Fi signal. Now most of the time
when there is a spotty connection, if the therapist or client
moves closer to the Wi-Fi signal, it's often resolved. But
given the nature of our current situation, it's not always an
option to move closer to the Wi-Fi signal while maintaining a
private confidential space for therapy.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
In my opinion, one major downside of teletherapy is it doesn't
have that same kind of like special sauce that comes when
you meet face-to-face. It's kind of similar to if you have a
loved one who lives far away and you're meeting via
FaceTime or some other video means, it doesn't feel quite
the same as when you're in-person.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
Because therapists have had to make this switch on such
short notice, there are many factors that have created
challenges for us, such as trying to get the necessary
trainings in order to make sure we're on top of all of the
ethical regulations to provide teletherapy and also figuring
out technological issues just like everyone else in the world
these days. It's hard to figure out which platforms are HIPAA
[medical privacy laws] secure and care for your clients’
privacy and trying to onboard your clients to those platforms
at the same time. I know therapists, who have tried one
platform, had technological issues and then switched to two
or three different platforms until they found one that really
works for their practice.
((NATS))
((Dr. Marie Fang, Psychologist))
One major issue that I've experienced meeting with my
clients via teletherapy, particularly while the shelter-in-place
mandate is in effect for some of us, is because there are so
many people inside the household, it's really difficult to find a
private space to meet with your therapist.
((NATS))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
Setting an Example
((SOT))
((Rusty Bailey, Mayor – Riverside, California))
Yeah, this is my sleeping arrangement and it gets cold out
here. So, I have a couple of different blankets, obviously
sleeping bag.
BREAK ONE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK B
((PKG)) MAYOR / HOMELESSNESS
((Banner: Shelter for Those Without))
((Reporter/Camera: Genia Dulot))
((Map: Riverside, California))
((Main character: 1 male))
((Sub characters: 2 female; 1 male))
((Popup Banner: Even before the COVID-19 pandemic,
people without shelter struggled to stay safe))
((NATS: Mayor Rusty Bailey & Homeless man:
How are you doing?
Hey, Mayor!
Hey, Darrell! Hey, what’s going on?
All right. How are you doing?
Where are you at? Where are you at?
Is that Michael?
Yeah, that’s me.
Hey, brother.
Hey, it’s good to see you.
You, too. You, too. You hungry? Going to get some dinner
tonight? All right.))
((Rusty Bailey, Mayor – Riverside, California))
So, my compassion for the homeless really started when I
was in high school and my dad took me to a church that fed
homeless on a certain night of the week. And I’ll never forget
the moment when I was serving one of my classmates in high
school and they looked at me and I could just see the
shame on their face. At that moment, I knew that could be me
and so ever since then, you know, serving the homeless
touched me personally.
((NATS: Mayor Rusty Bailey & Heidi, Homeless:
You keeping an eye on Heidi, Les?
Yes.
No, he doesn’t keep an eye…...
He doesn’t?
No. You don’t need to keep an eye on me. I’m a grown
woman.
You’re supposed to be in apartment. Why aren’t you in your
apartment?
I don’t need a house. This is my house. This is my
community.
I know this is your community.
Are you trying to be my dad?
Yes!
No.
Yes.
You can’t be my dad.
No. You are my mom! She’s my….right?
Listen, listen to me. I had to…..
This is my mother. This is my adopted mother. I have
adopted Heidi. She takes care of me when I am out here on
Massachusetts avenue.
Oh, yeah! ))
((Rusty Bailey, Mayor – Riverside, California))
Raul Nava, 29-year old individual, was living on the streets
and was stabbed to death. I got a text alert about this and
came out and observed it and I said, I’ve got to do something.
I can’t let this go on any longer.
((Rusty Bailey, Mayor – Riverside, California))
Yeah, this is my sleeping arrangement and it gets cold out
here. So, I have a couple of different blankets, obviously
sleeping bag. I’ve got my army hat here, as it goes on, a
sleeping cap, my skull cap. I am a graduate of West Point
1994, class of 1994. I just got back from my 25th reunion and
we got our hats there and so, I keep that close to my, close to
my heart, but it’s on my head so, maybe it’s even better,
keeping me warm. I lived here for 15 nights, every other
night, for over a month, to bring a sense of urgency, to bring
education awareness and to challenge the community,
challenge the city to help me bring more attention and to
bring more resources and to raise funding.
((Rusty Bailey, Mayor – Riverside, California))
This right here, only took a couple hours to build and we can
get somebody off the streets, at least two people off the
streets immediately. And so, this is the first step: from the
streets, out of the tent, off the sidewalk and into safe and
dignified shelter.
((Rusty Bailey, Mayor – Riverside, California))
So, we are looking at buying 20 of these and place them in
this parking lot with bathrooms and showers and a place for
eating. Unfortunately, the state of California has a
requirement that any emergency shelter has to have 70
square feet [6.5 m2] of livable area for one individual and
then 50 square feet [4.6 m2] thereafter. So, right now, this
is not legal to stay in in the state of California, at least by the
code.
((NATS: Mayor Rusty Bailey & Heidi, Homeless:
Well, there you go. All the pictures.
Hi, are you the mayor?
So, where is it?
Yeah.))
((Michelle Dunn, Homeless))
Hi. I just got kicked out of my, well, not my homeless shelter,
the homeless shelter here. They’re saying that the program’s
shut down and I’m wondering is there is any other place that I
could stay? My name is Michelle Dunn. I’ve traveled all
around this country. I am finally here. I am stuck. I have no
money. I cannot get out of here. Could someone please
help me?
((Rusty Bailey, Mayor – Riverside, California))
I am frustrated by the bureaucracy. I am frustrated by
whatever you want to call it. And, you know, people are
dying on the streets. People are suffering on the streets and
they don’t have to. We have the money for this. We have the
public opinion. Public opinion said, “yes”! Political will is
with us. Political will said, “yes, we will do this.” But for
some reason, there is these, these hoops we have to
jump through. These hurdles we have to get around, to get
over, are preventing our neighbors without homes from
sleeping in this shelter tonight.
((NATS))
((Popup Banner: Since the outbreak of the pandemic,
California has increased efforts to help those without shelter
but are still struggling))
((PKG)) PROMO: AMERICANS AND GUNS
((MUSIC))
Americans and Guns
Differing Perspectives
((SOTs))
This is a fight for our way of life and our freedoms as
Americans.
The United States constitution says the right of the people to
keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((SOTs))
Got to be some regulation, stop somewhere.
Guns take on a different meaning when you have to kind of
recognize that they are not just one thing.
Hunting has just kind of been a part of our lives as long back
as I can remember.
((SOTs))
I was shot eight times.
My older son, he was murdered.
People think it’s only a city problem or it’s only a domestic
problem or it’s a gang problem and that is absolutely not the
truth. It hits families from every walk of life.
It’s an attempt to demonize the tool. It’s not the tool that kills.
It’s the person.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((SOTs))
Easy access to a gun turns an impulse into a tragedy.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((SOTs))
What frustrates lawful gun owners is that we get lumped into
this heap in the media with people who are breaking the law.
So, there’s a lot of ways to be safe with the guns.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((SOTs))
We live in different realities, you know. If you have been
affected by gun violence, what guns are is one thing. And if
you have never been affected, you can kind of blithely go on
with your life never really confronting that.
((MUSIC))
Coming Soon on VOAConnect
((MUSIC/NATS))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
A Place to Grow
((SOT))
((Sean Cross, Employee, Cameron’s Chocolates))
I like working here because I can make new things, like
sometimes I make coffee. Sometimes I make wraps.
BREAK TWO
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK C
((PKG)) CAMERON’S CHOCOLATES
((Banner: Providing Jobs))
((Reporter/ Camera: June Soh))
((Map: Fairfax, Virginia))
((Main characters: 2 females))
((Sub characters: 2 females; 2 males))
((NATS))
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
We make coffee, chocolate and bake goods fresh daily. We
don’t hire people to make chocolates. We make chocolates
to hire people.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Sean Cross, Employee, Cameron’s Chocolates))
I like working here because I can make new things, like
sometimes I make coffee. Sometimes I make wraps,
chocolates like these, caramel, salted caramel.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
We have 35 employees and about two-thirds of our
employees are intellectually disabled. The other third donot
have intellectual disabilities but work in parallel with our
disabled workers. So, we’re what’s known as a cooperative
environment where we all help each other out.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Cameron Graham, Employee, Cameron’s Chocolates))
I'm making a recipe for sugar cookies, time four.
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
When I had my daughter Cameron, we determined that she
had some challenges, especially in her development. I
decided that I would try finding as many doctors as I could
that could help her. And one of the doctors told me that I
should accept the fact that my daughter would function on a
cognitive level of a three-year-old for the rest of her life. And I
didn't want to accept that. And so, I worked very hard to find
ways to help her grow and develop. And that journey has led
me through many steps. So, my husband and I came up with
our own model and that's Cameron's chocolates.
((NATS:
I need two pounds of sugar, Hannah.
Okay.))
((Kelsey Sohail, Job Coach, Cameron’s Chocolates))
This is our kitchen time now. So, we are making a gluten-
free strawberry bar and sugar cookies.
((So, what is your role here?))
((Kelsey Sohail, Job Coach, Cameron’s Chocolates))
My role is, I am the lead job coach. I support a team of four
individuals. But also, I supervise all the job coaches. So, I
go through and I make sure that they're following the recipes
correctly and that….
Yeah. Is that one stick? That’s two sticks of butter? Yeah.
All of the participants are different. You have to work with
them in different ways to be able to make them as successful
as they can be here.
((NATS:
Where did you guys just go?
We just went to the laundry.
Here comes the other part of the team, right now.))
((Chloeie Rebecca Scales, Employee, Cameron’s
Chocolates))
So, yes, I have been working here, again, around two years.
And we help each other and getting things all together, work
and I. We get a lot of customers. And we definitely have a
good healthy relationship with other people, job coaches,
managers and everybody else. We are all like a family too.
((NATS))
((Paul Provance, Customer, Cameron’s Chocolates))
My little group comes every Monday morning or as we can.
Well, it’s got good service and always nice little things like
muffins and good coffee. And I think we are doing something
good for our community by patronizing a very conscientious
establishment.
((NATS))
((Kelsey Harmon, High School Special Education
Teacher))
I brought students here on a community-based instruction
trip. While here, we are looking at the different jobs that they
have. It's a great place to learn just because there are
people, all types of people come here and it’s very inclusive
to everything, to all persons.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
Cameron’s Chocolates, we don't only look at the workers in
terms of just their work skills, but we look at their life skills.
We look at their social skills. So, our workers are broken into
teams. So, we take a local town bus to go to the grocery
stores. We walk to a local laundromat to do our cleaning
rags. We go to the bank and make our bank deposits, all of
the things that include us in the world outside of Cameron’s.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Cameron Graham, Employee, Cameron’s Chocolates))
I am cooking tonight dinner for my family. I cook twice a
week because my mom said twice a week. I pick the days.
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
Not only my daughter but some of her co-workers have
started cooking meals for their families.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Cameron Graham, Employee, Cameron’s Chocolates))
Today, I am making a chicken dinner. I love cooking.
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
There are other things that our workers do outside of the
shop. One of those things is Special Olympics. Special
Olympics touches the lives of so many of my workers.
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
For example, my daughter, in the winter, she plays basketball
and in the spring, she plays softball. I have another worker
who competes on a national level for ice skating. I have
another one who competes nationally for swimming. And so,
these are opportunities that exist. People with intellectual
challenges can still do phenomenal things, given the
opportunity to show you what they can do.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
Over 84 percent of people with cognitive disabilities are
unemployed but they're not unemployable. And there's a big
difference there.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Photo Courtesy: Cameron’s Chocolates))
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
Our store opened in 2013. Initially, we started with three
workers and today, we have 20-something workers who
might not otherwise have jobs. We are proof that people with
intellectual disabilities can have meaningful employment and
be productive members of society.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
I would hold our bakery products against anyone else's. Our
chocolates are some of the best chocolates you can buy
anywhere.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Ellen Graham, Co-founder, Cameron’s Chocolates))
All of us are different but all of us have gifts.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Popup Banner: Since the outbreak of COVID-19,
Cameron's Chocolates has closed, leaving many of its
employees without jobs and the daily social interaction they
enjoyed.))
CLOSING ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect
((PKG)) FREE PRESS MATTERS ((NATS/VIDEO/GFX))
((Popup captions over B Roll))
Near the Turkish Embassy
Washington, D.C.
May 16, 2017
President Erdogan’s bodyguard attacks peaceful protesters
“Those terrorists deserved to be beaten”
“They should not be protesting our president”
“They got what they asked for”
While some people may turn away from the news
We cover it
reliably
accurately
objectively
comprehensively
wherever the news matters
VOA
A Free Press Matters
CLOSING ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect
BREAK THREE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
((PKG)) FREE PRESS MATTERS ((NATS/VIDEO/GFX))
((Popup captions over B Roll))
We make a difference
When we unmask terror
When we explain the impossible
When we confront an uncertain future
When we give voice to the voiceless
The difference is Freedom of the Press
We are the Voice of America where
A Free Press Matters
CLOSING ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect
SHOW ENDS
