VOA CONNECT
EPISODE #187
AIR DATE: 08/13/2021
TRANSCRIPT
OPEN ((VO/NAT))
((Banner))
Running for Change
((SOT))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
I think it's a really important mechanism to have a real
positive conversation within our society about disability. I'm
just so proud that our Paralympic athletes doing incredible
things that permeates through our society in a positive way.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Holding the Lines
((SOT))
((NATS))
((Kamelah Adams, Owner, Protest Shirts Stand))
This is not going to happen overnight. So, it's going to take
time for this change, but we have to stay resilient and speak
up and make sure that we come together as a community.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Life Without Housing
((SOT))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
I have always tried to keep up with my image. At least that's
one thing that you got to hold on to. Even though, you know,
you're out here, but you don't have to look like youre out
here, you know.
((Open Animation))
BLOCK A
((PKG)) PARALYMPIC ATHLETE/BRAD SNYDER
((TRT: 08:00))
((Topic Banner: Achieving Excellence))
((Reporter/Camera: Aaron Fedor))
((Producer: Kathleen McLaughlin))
((Editor: Kyle Dubiel))
((Map: Princeton, New Jersey))
((Main character: 1 male))
((Sub character: 1 female))
((NATS))
(Courtesy: Sara Snyder))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
I'm incredibly proud to be a part of the Paralympic movement
and it is gaining more and more attention and gaining more
and more steam, not only in the US but globally. I think it's
critically important, really as a societal thing, to look at how
we can reframe the way that we look at disability.
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
The reaction of my friends and family to my blindness was
that they couldn't imagine what my life was going to be like.
And they just feel sorry for me.
((Courtesy: Felix Chen/USOPC))
Paralympics offers us an opportunity to get excited about
wheelchair racing or get excited about blind athletes tearing
down a ski slope or riding a tandem bike at 30, 40 miles [50,
60 km] an hour.
((NATS))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
I think it's a really important sort of mechanism to have a real
positive, cathartic conversation within our society about
disability. And I'm just so proud that not only are our
Paralympic athletes doing incredible things at the
Paralympics themselves but then that carries out and
permeates throughout our society in a positive way.
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
So, for about seven years,
((Courtesy: Brad Snyder))
I was an explosive ordnance disposal officer in the Navy. I
deployed both to Iraq and to Afghanistan during that time
period. On September 7th, 2011, I was part of an assault
team that was doing combat operations in the Kandahar
province of Afghanistan. At about seven thirty in the
morning, I stepped on an improvised explosive device that
detonated about a foot and a half [half a meter] in front of
me. The really good news is I was able to walk away from
that blast. The bad news is, as a result of the blast injuries I
sustained to my face, I lost my vision permanently.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
And I'm normally a pretty upbeat positive person. I like to be
a leader in my community and I didn't like that everybody's
reaction to me was that of pity. So, I was looking for an
opportunity to show everyone, in action, that this diagnosis
of blindness was not going to get me down. And thankfully,
sports sort of entered the picture. I was offered an
opportunity to participate in the Warrior Games, which was
((Courtesy: Brad Snyder))
an adaptive event for wounded vets. Determined that I had
the aptitude to be able to get into the Paralympics, there was
a sense of urgency and someone actually along the way
said that I was very lucky to have been injured in a
Paralympic year.
((Courtesy: Felix Chen/USOPC))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
I did what I could to kind of get into the rankings as a
Paralympic athlete in 2012, and kind of shot to the top and
had the opportunity to join Team USA exactly a year from
the day that I lost my vision. And that really kind of set me on
a new path.
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
I think one of the most difficult things about sustaining a
traumatic injury, like the one that I did with blindness or there
are others, but for me, much of my sense of identity revolved
around
((Courtesy: Brad Snyder))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
being in the military, doing a really austere and crazy
mission, having a really kind of expansive set of capabilities,
sort of being someone who could jump out of an aircraft at
high altitudes or dive down to the bottom of the ocean and
do, you know, do missions that no one else was able to do.
Following blindness though, there are, I can't even, I can't
wash the dishes. I can't find my way to the bathroom
sometimes. Just very, very basic things were a major
struggle. And that's a huge blow to my confidence, my sense
of self, my sense of identity.
((Courtesy: Sara Snyder))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
Swimming, for me, was a way to sort of reorient myself and
go back to something I had done for so long,
((Courtesy: Brad Snyder))
from the age of 11 all the way through college,
((Courtesy: Sara Snyder))
swimming was a big part of my identity and physical activity
was a big part of my identity.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
Following the Rio Games, I had really accomplished
everything that I had wanted to accomplish.
((Courtesy: Felix Chen/USOPC))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
But still in my heart, I felt like I was still an athlete and I
wanted to keep going.
((Courtesy: Focal Flame Photography))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
And so, an opportunity to join the triathlon, join a triathlon
camp emerged in 2017,
((Courtesy: Brad Snyder))
and from the, from day one of that camp, I was hooked on
triathlons.
((Courtesy: Sara Snyder))
The most significant difference between swimming and
triathlon is that I do the entire race tethered to a guide. So, in
the pool, I'm all by myself. I put my head in the water. I swim
my distance, whether that's a 50 meter, 100 meter or 400
meters. And I have no idea what's going on. I have no idea
where my competitors are. All I can control is my line
through the lane, my turns, my pace, my exertion, those
sorts of things.
((Courtesy: David Powell))
So, it's very individually focused, almost exclusively internally
focused.
((Courtesy: Sara Snyder))
Triathlon does not allow you the flexibility to do that. There's
constantly variables that you have to adjust to, to react to.
There is a very, you know, there's a big racecourse with a
big field of athletes who are all kind of doing all kinds of
crazy things. There is no lane to keep you separate from the
competitors. So, sometimes you tangle up right off the start.
((NATS/MUSIC))
Sara Snyder: Is Timber being shy?
Brad Snyder: Yeah, Timber was very curious about why I
was doing calisthenics.
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
((Sara Snyder, Wife of Brad Snyder))
I think my family has adjusted to not setting an expectation
for
((Courtesy: Manda Weaver))
what I or we are capable of.
((Courtesy: Sara Snyder))
I think that I was able to shatter a lot of those expectations
right off the bat.
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
One of the biggest tragedies of this whole thing is that
though my wife and I have trained side by side for three
years, she won't be able to go to the games.
And if anything, I think my family expects me to continue
breaking down those barriers and I feel some level of maybe
not pressure but definitely motivation to continue to break
down barriers as much as possible, not only for myself but I
understand now that, based on the platform I have through
Paralympics, I can be a leader within our community. I can
be a leader within the disabled community. I can be a leader
within the athletic community and a leader for our veteran
community.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
When I'm not training or competing, I just began a PhD
program here at Princeton. My goal, my new professional
goal is to return to the Naval Academy and teach leadership
and ethics to our midshipmen who have volunteered to serve
their country.
((NATS))
Brad Snyder: Oh man, Im just tired.
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
I kind of want to be the best at everything, whether it's
making pizza or competing in the Paralympic triathlon. I think
this notion of excellence really motivates me. I don't think it's,
when you use the word competitive, for me it's not
necessarily competitive. I'm not looking to beat other people.
I'm looking to do something in an excellent way, in the most
excellent way, so that by virtue of achieving that level of
excellence, I have to beat other people but that's not what
I'm trying to achieve. What I'm trying to achieve is
excellence. And I like having that mindset because on the
racecourse, I'm kind of cheering for everybody else too. I
want them to be excellent. I want them to be their most
excellent self. I just also want my most excellent self to be
better than their excellent self, if that makes any sense.
((Courtesy: Sara Snyder))
((Text on screen:
Brad Snyders Paralympic medals, so far:
2 gold, 1 silver:
2012 London Games
3 gold, 1 silver;
Rio de Janeiro Games))
((NATS/MUSIC))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up
((Banner))
Seeking Change
((SOT))
((NATS))
((Protester from Portland))
There are more people in our prisons than any other country.
Would you like to explain that?
BREAK ONE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK B
((PKG)) PORTLAND PROTESTS
((TRT: 05:34))
((Topic Banner: Portland Protests))
((Reporter/Camera: Natasha Mozgovaya))
((Adapted by: Zdenko Novacki))
((Map: Portland, Oregon))
((Main characters: 2 female; 4 male))
((NATS: Police Intercom))
This is the Portland Police Bureau. No permit has been
issued to park on the streets or any other roadways in the
area.
((Banner: Portland has a history of organized protests,
dating to the 1800s.
The latest cycle began in May 2020, after police in
Minneapolis killed George Floyd, and protests continue.))
((NATS: Police Intercom))
All streets remain open to vehicular traffic. Proceed to the
nearest sidewalk and obey all laws. Failure to adhere to this
order may result in citation or arrest.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Allan Classen, Northwest Examiner))
Weve got policing that's out of touch with the social need but
is still institutionally strong and cannot be pressured to
reform. And we've got angry people. I guess, you might call
the anarchists here who are taking out anger and causing
damage to things randomly, feeling thats somehow striking
out against authority. The crazy thing is we've got two forces
here that would seem diametrically opposed, and yet they're
feeding each other. The anarchists would say that they want
to show how policing is ineffectual. Policing can't stop them.
They can't make it safe. And the police would like to say,
See, when you don't fund us enough, see how much
craziness goes on. There's more crime. There's more
shooting. So, you need to fund us more. And these kinds of
things actually give fuel to each other. Its what you call a
vicious cycle. They're both feeding each other and speeding
a downward spiral which is helping nobody.
((NATS))
((Kamelah Adams, Owner, Protest Shirts Stand))
I am born and raised here. And yes, it is a liberal city. But
there are still a lot of micro aggressions and implicit bias that
I experience today. Like I can still go into a store on, let's
say, Mississippi Avenue and be followed around that store
because of the color of my skin. So, we still have a lot of
work to do. And, you know, racism and biases are ingrained
in the DNA, in the fabric of America. So, this, you know, us
having honest conversations and talking about race and
biases because of someone's sexuality, sexual orientation,
we have to continue these conversations and we have to
make real change to move forward.
((NATS))
((Mike Streak, Community Volunteer))
I think theyre a bunch of disillusioned people just out to
destroy things, I guess. You know, they have no purpose, no
legitimate protest. Theyre just out there creating havoc, you
know, breaking windows, burning trash cans, you know. Its
all senseless activity as far as I can tell. But I thought the
police did a great job.
((NATS))
((Protester from Portland))
Do you think its not the peoples job to like criticize the
government if they're doing something really wrong like
killing people or enslaving more people? There are more
people in our prisons than any other country. Would you like
to explain that? Because I'm the daughter of one of them.
((NATS))
((Protester from outside Portland))
We're just out here just to support our fellow protesters and
let them know that we're going to stand with them. And we
decided to come to this area because it seemed like this
area is very quiet and a lot of people are choosing property
over humans. And we want them to change their mind,
change their thought about that.
((NATS))
((Kamelah Adams, Owner, Protest Shirts Stand))
Protest is the voice of the unheard, right? And when there is
an injustice happening, it affects us all, regardless if anyone
wants to believe that or not. But any injustice will affect us
all. So, I feel like that's the protest. Its translating that.
((NATS))
((Allen, Community Volunteer))
The challenge with protests are that once they transition into
breaking windows, vandalism, they've lost the empathy of
the community. They also..its counterproductive.
Understand that there's systemic racism. There's a number
of challenges in American society. But you don't solve that
by vandalism. That actually plays right into the hands of the
people who are proponents of that. So, its a shame.
((NATS))
((Kamelah Adams, Owner, Protest Shirts Stand))
I mean, we got to think about it though. This change is not
going to happen overnight. This is, what, 465 years of racism
ingrained in our country? This is not going to happen
overnight. So, it's going to take time for this change, but we
have to stay resilient and speak up and make sure that we
come together as a community.
((NATS))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up
((Banner))
Life in a Tent
((SOT))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
This is the kitchen, the living room, everything is here. If I
have my generator on, then I get to watch TV. I don't believe
there's such a thing as being comfortable around here
because there is no way to be comfortable here.
BREAK TWO
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK C
((PKG)) PROFILE/HOMELESS WOMAN
((Previously aired March, 2021
Filmed before the pandemic))
((TRT: 08:04))
((Topic Banner: Unhoused in Oakland))
((Producers: Deana Mitchell, Wendi Jonassen))
((Camera: Deana Mitchell))
((Producer/Editor: Jacquelyn De Phillips))
((Drone Camera: Dariel Medina))
((Map: Oakland, California))
((Main character: 1 female))
((Sub characters: 1 male, I female))
((NATS))
((NATS: Tracy))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
Mark Fisher.
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
I had a big house where everybody comes by. If anyone
wants to take a shower, want to eat or whatsoever, you
know, wanted some clothes, they always come see me and
then theyll always be taken care of.
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
My name is Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee.
((NATS: Tracy))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
Oh, look. A cutting board.
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
Ive been homeless over a year. Lost employment. And also
because the rent increased, its too high to afford it. Things
went bad.
((NATS: Tracy cooking fish))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
The fish, it got donated this morning. When people donate
things, we like usually cook it and share with everyone else.
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
This is my community. I've been staying in this area for my
whole life. And a lot of these people that is in this homeless
encampment is my friends and family and relatives, you
know.
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
So, even though I wasn't homeless, I was always coming
here to visit them and bringing them food or things like that,
you know.
((NATS: Tracy reading bullet points for advocacy
event))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
Housing is human rights. Safety: Women are being raped
out here. People are getting burned in the fires.
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
I am a volunteer. I'm the head administrator of The
Village. And I'm helping the founder very closely to help
eradicate this homelessness problem, you know.
((NATS: Charlie sings))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
Telling the truth isnt going to be easy. Who broke my
window?
((NATS: Charlie laughs))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
They never know who is going to be here next. You know,
being homeless is not a crime. You know, its not a choice. I
know a lot of these people. Like I said, I grew up in this
community. And a lot of them knows me, you know, and they
respect me because I've always, you know, had a big heart.
((NATS: Tracy helping Charlie and Didi))
((Tracy)) Put that down. Lets forget about that. Lets forget
about that.
((Charlie)) You know hes crazy. Hes cuckoo.
((Tracy)) Alright, Im going to tell you the good news. You
guys are going to leave for five days, right?
((Charlie)) Yeah.
((Tracy)) You leaving for five days?
((Charlie)) After I get her washed up, cleaned up.
((Tracy)) Okay, by the time you get back, your house will be
up.
((Charlie)) Oh, I love you.
((Tracy)) Youll go inside a house instead of a tent. Okay?
((Charlie)) Thank you.
((NATS: Crook and man arguing))
((Man))..because hes a liar, because hes a liar.
((Crook)) I understand that.
((Charlie to Didi)) Come on baby, let me take you and go
get you a shower.
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
I have six children. I was 13 and I had a child when I was in
seventh grade. And by being a young teen mom, you know,
we wanted to do the best for our child, right? So, I continued
going to school and graduated from high school and
proceeded to go to college. But I never finished it because,
due to the fact that, you know, just being, just life, you know.
Things go wrong and sometimes it doesn't pick back up. So,
but I thrive. And later on, I have like five more, you know,
children. And I was holding on to being a mom. I mean a
good mom. But at the same time, I lost my house in 2014
because someone got killed outside my house.
((NATS / MUSIC))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
The landlord sold the house and they evicted me. So, when
they evicted me, I don't have no money.
((NATS))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
Everything was just like falling apart, you know. I couldnt
afford housing.
((NATS: Tracy))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
Rise and shine everybody. Meatball.
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
After that I lost my children, because CPS [Child Protective
Services] said I didnt have a home for them. They have to
stay with my sister. I see them all the time. She has four kids
of her own. She's amazing.
((NATS / MUSIC))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
I didn't want to like intervene with, you know, their
household, whatever, so. And also, you know, I'm with
someone. You know, we didn't want to like intrude or
anything like that, you know, because they was already set
for how many bedrooms they have. So, I didnt want them to.
((NATS: Tracy))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
Im not wearing those fake eyelashes today.
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
I was staying with my mom and she had to move because of
the rent increase. For a two bedroom, she was spending like
$1600.They wanted it to go up to like $2300. She had to
move to a smaller place to which, where only she could only
have herself there, you know. I had to become homeless
and get a tent and put it here where everybody was at.
((NATS: Tracy showing her tent))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
This is my little bed. And my closet is back here but its so
messy. You dont want to see that. And this is where it is. Its
the kitchen, the living room, everything is here. If I have my
generator on, then I get to watch TV.
I don't believe there's such a thing as being comfortable
around here because there is no way to be comfortable
here. Now you don't even have a house to protect
us. Especially being a woman, being out here in the streets
is even worse because you got to protect yourself from being
raped. Sometimes I'll be by myself and it's scary. And when I
stay with.....I always stay protected. So, this is what goes in
my side window, my little, tiny knife.
((NATS: Tracy showing the makeshift bathroom))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
This is a bathroom. This is not the best-looking bathroom,
but people just go in the garbage can because the city didnt
bring us bathrooms, so we have to make our own.
((NATS: Tracy showers))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
I have always tried to keep up with my image. At least that's
one thing that you got to hold on to. Even though, you know,
you're out here, but you don't have to look like youre out
here, you know. By being out here, people already
discriminate us or even judge us by the way we are living.
((NATS))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
So, just a little bit of looking proper is a long way to go.
((NATS))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
Being a woman and having to have women necessities and
stuff like, you know, we have to up wash all the time. And it's
hard out here because we dont have water. We don't have
like things to keep us sanitized and keep us like healthy.
((NATS))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
You know, it's cold and at the same time, you know, like
emotion and depression gets worse because we cant have
our children here with us, you know.
((NATS))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
When you have children, you can't bring them out here with
you because, you know, CPS [Child Protective Services] will
be like that's child endangerment.
((NATS))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
We need to feel like were secure, you know. We need to
feel like we're human. We need to feel like were one of
many humans that walk on this earth. We need respect. We
need encouragement.
((NATS))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
A lot of us, homeless people, out here, is very smart, very
intelligent, you know. They have career goals, you
know. They have things that they want to do but they can't
because they don't even have a house to go home and lay
their head down and to think about, you know, to be able to
wake up in the morning and then get ready to go to
work. So, you know, it's not because we're lazy. Its not
because we don't want to. This is the richest country in the
world, America. So, why are we homeless?
((Popup Banner:
Many Americans live in poverty, amounting to 38.1 million
people or 11.8 percent of the U.S. population.
In 2018, 6.5 million Americans experienced a severe
housing cost burden, which means they spent more than 50
percent of their income on housing.
(*National Alliance to End Homelessness)
On a single night count in January 2019, more than half a
million people in the United States were experiencing
homelessness.
Nearly 100,000 people were unhoused repeatedly, or for at
least a year.
(*US Department of Housing and Urban Development)))
((NATS))
CLOSING BUMPER ((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 Erdogans 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
BREAK THREE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
SHOW ENDS
EPISODE #187
AIR DATE: 08/13/2021
TRANSCRIPT
OPEN ((VO/NAT))
((Banner))
Running for Change
((SOT))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
I think it's a really important mechanism to have a real
positive conversation within our society about disability. I'm
just so proud that our Paralympic athletes doing incredible
things that permeates through our society in a positive way.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Holding the Lines
((SOT))
((NATS))
((Kamelah Adams, Owner, Protest Shirts Stand))
This is not going to happen overnight. So, it's going to take
time for this change, but we have to stay resilient and speak
up and make sure that we come together as a community.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Life Without Housing
((SOT))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
I have always tried to keep up with my image. At least that's
one thing that you got to hold on to. Even though, you know,
you're out here, but you don't have to look like youre out
here, you know.
((Open Animation))
BLOCK A
((PKG)) PARALYMPIC ATHLETE/BRAD SNYDER
((TRT: 08:00))
((Topic Banner: Achieving Excellence))
((Reporter/Camera: Aaron Fedor))
((Producer: Kathleen McLaughlin))
((Editor: Kyle Dubiel))
((Map: Princeton, New Jersey))
((Main character: 1 male))
((Sub character: 1 female))
((NATS))
(Courtesy: Sara Snyder))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
I'm incredibly proud to be a part of the Paralympic movement
and it is gaining more and more attention and gaining more
and more steam, not only in the US but globally. I think it's
critically important, really as a societal thing, to look at how
we can reframe the way that we look at disability.
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
The reaction of my friends and family to my blindness was
that they couldn't imagine what my life was going to be like.
And they just feel sorry for me.
((Courtesy: Felix Chen/USOPC))
Paralympics offers us an opportunity to get excited about
wheelchair racing or get excited about blind athletes tearing
down a ski slope or riding a tandem bike at 30, 40 miles [50,
60 km] an hour.
((NATS))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
I think it's a really important sort of mechanism to have a real
positive, cathartic conversation within our society about
disability. And I'm just so proud that not only are our
Paralympic athletes doing incredible things at the
Paralympics themselves but then that carries out and
permeates throughout our society in a positive way.
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
So, for about seven years,
((Courtesy: Brad Snyder))
I was an explosive ordnance disposal officer in the Navy. I
deployed both to Iraq and to Afghanistan during that time
period. On September 7th, 2011, I was part of an assault
team that was doing combat operations in the Kandahar
province of Afghanistan. At about seven thirty in the
morning, I stepped on an improvised explosive device that
detonated about a foot and a half [half a meter] in front of
me. The really good news is I was able to walk away from
that blast. The bad news is, as a result of the blast injuries I
sustained to my face, I lost my vision permanently.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
And I'm normally a pretty upbeat positive person. I like to be
a leader in my community and I didn't like that everybody's
reaction to me was that of pity. So, I was looking for an
opportunity to show everyone, in action, that this diagnosis
of blindness was not going to get me down. And thankfully,
sports sort of entered the picture. I was offered an
opportunity to participate in the Warrior Games, which was
((Courtesy: Brad Snyder))
an adaptive event for wounded vets. Determined that I had
the aptitude to be able to get into the Paralympics, there was
a sense of urgency and someone actually along the way
said that I was very lucky to have been injured in a
Paralympic year.
((Courtesy: Felix Chen/USOPC))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
I did what I could to kind of get into the rankings as a
Paralympic athlete in 2012, and kind of shot to the top and
had the opportunity to join Team USA exactly a year from
the day that I lost my vision. And that really kind of set me on
a new path.
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
I think one of the most difficult things about sustaining a
traumatic injury, like the one that I did with blindness or there
are others, but for me, much of my sense of identity revolved
around
((Courtesy: Brad Snyder))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
being in the military, doing a really austere and crazy
mission, having a really kind of expansive set of capabilities,
sort of being someone who could jump out of an aircraft at
high altitudes or dive down to the bottom of the ocean and
do, you know, do missions that no one else was able to do.
Following blindness though, there are, I can't even, I can't
wash the dishes. I can't find my way to the bathroom
sometimes. Just very, very basic things were a major
struggle. And that's a huge blow to my confidence, my sense
of self, my sense of identity.
((Courtesy: Sara Snyder))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
Swimming, for me, was a way to sort of reorient myself and
go back to something I had done for so long,
((Courtesy: Brad Snyder))
from the age of 11 all the way through college,
((Courtesy: Sara Snyder))
swimming was a big part of my identity and physical activity
was a big part of my identity.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
Following the Rio Games, I had really accomplished
everything that I had wanted to accomplish.
((Courtesy: Felix Chen/USOPC))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
But still in my heart, I felt like I was still an athlete and I
wanted to keep going.
((Courtesy: Focal Flame Photography))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
And so, an opportunity to join the triathlon, join a triathlon
camp emerged in 2017,
((Courtesy: Brad Snyder))
and from the, from day one of that camp, I was hooked on
triathlons.
((Courtesy: Sara Snyder))
The most significant difference between swimming and
triathlon is that I do the entire race tethered to a guide. So, in
the pool, I'm all by myself. I put my head in the water. I swim
my distance, whether that's a 50 meter, 100 meter or 400
meters. And I have no idea what's going on. I have no idea
where my competitors are. All I can control is my line
through the lane, my turns, my pace, my exertion, those
sorts of things.
((Courtesy: David Powell))
So, it's very individually focused, almost exclusively internally
focused.
((Courtesy: Sara Snyder))
Triathlon does not allow you the flexibility to do that. There's
constantly variables that you have to adjust to, to react to.
There is a very, you know, there's a big racecourse with a
big field of athletes who are all kind of doing all kinds of
crazy things. There is no lane to keep you separate from the
competitors. So, sometimes you tangle up right off the start.
((NATS/MUSIC))
Sara Snyder: Is Timber being shy?
Brad Snyder: Yeah, Timber was very curious about why I
was doing calisthenics.
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
((Sara Snyder, Wife of Brad Snyder))
I think my family has adjusted to not setting an expectation
for
((Courtesy: Manda Weaver))
what I or we are capable of.
((Courtesy: Sara Snyder))
I think that I was able to shatter a lot of those expectations
right off the bat.
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
One of the biggest tragedies of this whole thing is that
though my wife and I have trained side by side for three
years, she won't be able to go to the games.
And if anything, I think my family expects me to continue
breaking down those barriers and I feel some level of maybe
not pressure but definitely motivation to continue to break
down barriers as much as possible, not only for myself but I
understand now that, based on the platform I have through
Paralympics, I can be a leader within our community. I can
be a leader within the disabled community. I can be a leader
within the athletic community and a leader for our veteran
community.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
When I'm not training or competing, I just began a PhD
program here at Princeton. My goal, my new professional
goal is to return to the Naval Academy and teach leadership
and ethics to our midshipmen who have volunteered to serve
their country.
((NATS))
Brad Snyder: Oh man, Im just tired.
((Brad Snyder, Paralympic Athlete))
I kind of want to be the best at everything, whether it's
making pizza or competing in the Paralympic triathlon. I think
this notion of excellence really motivates me. I don't think it's,
when you use the word competitive, for me it's not
necessarily competitive. I'm not looking to beat other people.
I'm looking to do something in an excellent way, in the most
excellent way, so that by virtue of achieving that level of
excellence, I have to beat other people but that's not what
I'm trying to achieve. What I'm trying to achieve is
excellence. And I like having that mindset because on the
racecourse, I'm kind of cheering for everybody else too. I
want them to be excellent. I want them to be their most
excellent self. I just also want my most excellent self to be
better than their excellent self, if that makes any sense.
((Courtesy: Sara Snyder))
((Text on screen:
Brad Snyders Paralympic medals, so far:
2 gold, 1 silver:
2012 London Games
3 gold, 1 silver;
Rio de Janeiro Games))
((NATS/MUSIC))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up
((Banner))
Seeking Change
((SOT))
((NATS))
((Protester from Portland))
There are more people in our prisons than any other country.
Would you like to explain that?
BREAK ONE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK B
((PKG)) PORTLAND PROTESTS
((TRT: 05:34))
((Topic Banner: Portland Protests))
((Reporter/Camera: Natasha Mozgovaya))
((Adapted by: Zdenko Novacki))
((Map: Portland, Oregon))
((Main characters: 2 female; 4 male))
((NATS: Police Intercom))
This is the Portland Police Bureau. No permit has been
issued to park on the streets or any other roadways in the
area.
((Banner: Portland has a history of organized protests,
dating to the 1800s.
The latest cycle began in May 2020, after police in
Minneapolis killed George Floyd, and protests continue.))
((NATS: Police Intercom))
All streets remain open to vehicular traffic. Proceed to the
nearest sidewalk and obey all laws. Failure to adhere to this
order may result in citation or arrest.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Allan Classen, Northwest Examiner))
Weve got policing that's out of touch with the social need but
is still institutionally strong and cannot be pressured to
reform. And we've got angry people. I guess, you might call
the anarchists here who are taking out anger and causing
damage to things randomly, feeling thats somehow striking
out against authority. The crazy thing is we've got two forces
here that would seem diametrically opposed, and yet they're
feeding each other. The anarchists would say that they want
to show how policing is ineffectual. Policing can't stop them.
They can't make it safe. And the police would like to say,
See, when you don't fund us enough, see how much
craziness goes on. There's more crime. There's more
shooting. So, you need to fund us more. And these kinds of
things actually give fuel to each other. Its what you call a
vicious cycle. They're both feeding each other and speeding
a downward spiral which is helping nobody.
((NATS))
((Kamelah Adams, Owner, Protest Shirts Stand))
I am born and raised here. And yes, it is a liberal city. But
there are still a lot of micro aggressions and implicit bias that
I experience today. Like I can still go into a store on, let's
say, Mississippi Avenue and be followed around that store
because of the color of my skin. So, we still have a lot of
work to do. And, you know, racism and biases are ingrained
in the DNA, in the fabric of America. So, this, you know, us
having honest conversations and talking about race and
biases because of someone's sexuality, sexual orientation,
we have to continue these conversations and we have to
make real change to move forward.
((NATS))
((Mike Streak, Community Volunteer))
I think theyre a bunch of disillusioned people just out to
destroy things, I guess. You know, they have no purpose, no
legitimate protest. Theyre just out there creating havoc, you
know, breaking windows, burning trash cans, you know. Its
all senseless activity as far as I can tell. But I thought the
police did a great job.
((NATS))
((Protester from Portland))
Do you think its not the peoples job to like criticize the
government if they're doing something really wrong like
killing people or enslaving more people? There are more
people in our prisons than any other country. Would you like
to explain that? Because I'm the daughter of one of them.
((NATS))
((Protester from outside Portland))
We're just out here just to support our fellow protesters and
let them know that we're going to stand with them. And we
decided to come to this area because it seemed like this
area is very quiet and a lot of people are choosing property
over humans. And we want them to change their mind,
change their thought about that.
((NATS))
((Kamelah Adams, Owner, Protest Shirts Stand))
Protest is the voice of the unheard, right? And when there is
an injustice happening, it affects us all, regardless if anyone
wants to believe that or not. But any injustice will affect us
all. So, I feel like that's the protest. Its translating that.
((NATS))
((Allen, Community Volunteer))
The challenge with protests are that once they transition into
breaking windows, vandalism, they've lost the empathy of
the community. They also..its counterproductive.
Understand that there's systemic racism. There's a number
of challenges in American society. But you don't solve that
by vandalism. That actually plays right into the hands of the
people who are proponents of that. So, its a shame.
((NATS))
((Kamelah Adams, Owner, Protest Shirts Stand))
I mean, we got to think about it though. This change is not
going to happen overnight. This is, what, 465 years of racism
ingrained in our country? This is not going to happen
overnight. So, it's going to take time for this change, but we
have to stay resilient and speak up and make sure that we
come together as a community.
((NATS))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up
((Banner))
Life in a Tent
((SOT))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
This is the kitchen, the living room, everything is here. If I
have my generator on, then I get to watch TV. I don't believe
there's such a thing as being comfortable around here
because there is no way to be comfortable here.
BREAK TWO
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK C
((PKG)) PROFILE/HOMELESS WOMAN
((Previously aired March, 2021
Filmed before the pandemic))
((TRT: 08:04))
((Topic Banner: Unhoused in Oakland))
((Producers: Deana Mitchell, Wendi Jonassen))
((Camera: Deana Mitchell))
((Producer/Editor: Jacquelyn De Phillips))
((Drone Camera: Dariel Medina))
((Map: Oakland, California))
((Main character: 1 female))
((Sub characters: 1 male, I female))
((NATS))
((NATS: Tracy))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
Mark Fisher.
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
I had a big house where everybody comes by. If anyone
wants to take a shower, want to eat or whatsoever, you
know, wanted some clothes, they always come see me and
then theyll always be taken care of.
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
My name is Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee.
((NATS: Tracy))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
Oh, look. A cutting board.
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
Ive been homeless over a year. Lost employment. And also
because the rent increased, its too high to afford it. Things
went bad.
((NATS: Tracy cooking fish))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
The fish, it got donated this morning. When people donate
things, we like usually cook it and share with everyone else.
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
This is my community. I've been staying in this area for my
whole life. And a lot of these people that is in this homeless
encampment is my friends and family and relatives, you
know.
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
So, even though I wasn't homeless, I was always coming
here to visit them and bringing them food or things like that,
you know.
((NATS: Tracy reading bullet points for advocacy
event))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
Housing is human rights. Safety: Women are being raped
out here. People are getting burned in the fires.
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
I am a volunteer. I'm the head administrator of The
Village. And I'm helping the founder very closely to help
eradicate this homelessness problem, you know.
((NATS: Charlie sings))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
Telling the truth isnt going to be easy. Who broke my
window?
((NATS: Charlie laughs))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
They never know who is going to be here next. You know,
being homeless is not a crime. You know, its not a choice. I
know a lot of these people. Like I said, I grew up in this
community. And a lot of them knows me, you know, and they
respect me because I've always, you know, had a big heart.
((NATS: Tracy helping Charlie and Didi))
((Tracy)) Put that down. Lets forget about that. Lets forget
about that.
((Charlie)) You know hes crazy. Hes cuckoo.
((Tracy)) Alright, Im going to tell you the good news. You
guys are going to leave for five days, right?
((Charlie)) Yeah.
((Tracy)) You leaving for five days?
((Charlie)) After I get her washed up, cleaned up.
((Tracy)) Okay, by the time you get back, your house will be
up.
((Charlie)) Oh, I love you.
((Tracy)) Youll go inside a house instead of a tent. Okay?
((Charlie)) Thank you.
((NATS: Crook and man arguing))
((Man))..because hes a liar, because hes a liar.
((Crook)) I understand that.
((Charlie to Didi)) Come on baby, let me take you and go
get you a shower.
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
I have six children. I was 13 and I had a child when I was in
seventh grade. And by being a young teen mom, you know,
we wanted to do the best for our child, right? So, I continued
going to school and graduated from high school and
proceeded to go to college. But I never finished it because,
due to the fact that, you know, just being, just life, you know.
Things go wrong and sometimes it doesn't pick back up. So,
but I thrive. And later on, I have like five more, you know,
children. And I was holding on to being a mom. I mean a
good mom. But at the same time, I lost my house in 2014
because someone got killed outside my house.
((NATS / MUSIC))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
The landlord sold the house and they evicted me. So, when
they evicted me, I don't have no money.
((NATS))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
Everything was just like falling apart, you know. I couldnt
afford housing.
((NATS: Tracy))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
Rise and shine everybody. Meatball.
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
After that I lost my children, because CPS [Child Protective
Services] said I didnt have a home for them. They have to
stay with my sister. I see them all the time. She has four kids
of her own. She's amazing.
((NATS / MUSIC))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
I didn't want to like intervene with, you know, their
household, whatever, so. And also, you know, I'm with
someone. You know, we didn't want to like intrude or
anything like that, you know, because they was already set
for how many bedrooms they have. So, I didnt want them to.
((NATS: Tracy))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
Im not wearing those fake eyelashes today.
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
I was staying with my mom and she had to move because of
the rent increase. For a two bedroom, she was spending like
$1600.They wanted it to go up to like $2300. She had to
move to a smaller place to which, where only she could only
have herself there, you know. I had to become homeless
and get a tent and put it here where everybody was at.
((NATS: Tracy showing her tent))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
This is my little bed. And my closet is back here but its so
messy. You dont want to see that. And this is where it is. Its
the kitchen, the living room, everything is here. If I have my
generator on, then I get to watch TV.
I don't believe there's such a thing as being comfortable
around here because there is no way to be comfortable
here. Now you don't even have a house to protect
us. Especially being a woman, being out here in the streets
is even worse because you got to protect yourself from being
raped. Sometimes I'll be by myself and it's scary. And when I
stay with.....I always stay protected. So, this is what goes in
my side window, my little, tiny knife.
((NATS: Tracy showing the makeshift bathroom))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
This is a bathroom. This is not the best-looking bathroom,
but people just go in the garbage can because the city didnt
bring us bathrooms, so we have to make our own.
((NATS: Tracy showers))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
I have always tried to keep up with my image. At least that's
one thing that you got to hold on to. Even though, you know,
you're out here, but you don't have to look like youre out
here, you know. By being out here, people already
discriminate us or even judge us by the way we are living.
((NATS))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
So, just a little bit of looking proper is a long way to go.
((NATS))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
Being a woman and having to have women necessities and
stuff like, you know, we have to up wash all the time. And it's
hard out here because we dont have water. We don't have
like things to keep us sanitized and keep us like healthy.
((NATS))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
You know, it's cold and at the same time, you know, like
emotion and depression gets worse because we cant have
our children here with us, you know.
((NATS))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
When you have children, you can't bring them out here with
you because, you know, CPS [Child Protective Services] will
be like that's child endangerment.
((NATS))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
We need to feel like were secure, you know. We need to
feel like we're human. We need to feel like were one of
many humans that walk on this earth. We need respect. We
need encouragement.
((NATS))
((Mouangjoi Tracy Saelee, Volunteer, The Village;
Unhoused))
A lot of us, homeless people, out here, is very smart, very
intelligent, you know. They have career goals, you
know. They have things that they want to do but they can't
because they don't even have a house to go home and lay
their head down and to think about, you know, to be able to
wake up in the morning and then get ready to go to
work. So, you know, it's not because we're lazy. Its not
because we don't want to. This is the richest country in the
world, America. So, why are we homeless?
((Popup Banner:
Many Americans live in poverty, amounting to 38.1 million
people or 11.8 percent of the U.S. population.
In 2018, 6.5 million Americans experienced a severe
housing cost burden, which means they spent more than 50
percent of their income on housing.
(*National Alliance to End Homelessness)
On a single night count in January 2019, more than half a
million people in the United States were experiencing
homelessness.
Nearly 100,000 people were unhoused repeatedly, or for at
least a year.
(*US Department of Housing and Urban Development)))
((NATS))
CLOSING BUMPER ((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 Erdogans 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
BREAK THREE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
SHOW ENDS
