>> yes. >> an accomplishment. >> mine too. >> shoutout to all the moms and dads getting vaccinated. we lov good morning, america. overdrive. the race to vaccinate now at full speed. megasites like yankee stadium in new york operating 24/7 to vaccinate americans. the home of the indy 500 opening as a massive clinic this morning as the u.s. hits that major milestone, administering at least 2 million shots per day. all this as states like texas and mississippi double down on their decision to drop mask mandates ahead of public health recommendations, and atlanta's mayor urging people not to come down for this weekend's nba all-star game with fears growing that it could be another superspreader event. breaking right now. pope francis touching down in iraq moments ago for his historic and risky visit. tensions high days after that rocket attack.

we're on the ground with the latest. relief in sight? senate democrats promising to work through the weekend to pass president biden's nearly $2 trillion covid relief bill, millions waiting to see if they will receive those $1,400 lifelines. blistering accusations. one of the women accusing new york governor cuomo of sexual harassment at work speaking out in a brand-new primetime interview. >> without explicitly saying it, he implied to me that i was old enough for him, and he was lonely. >> all this as new reports allege just how far his top aides went to hide the high covid death tolls in nursing homes. lawmakers pushing to strip the embattled governor of his emergency pandemic powers as early as today. cold blast. the northeast bracing for subzero windchills this morning as wildfires erupt in the midwest. plus, the devastating flooding down south, drowning homes, prompting water rescues as landslides engulf roads and vehicles.

battle royale. the stunning new move by buckingham palace in the investigation into those blistering bullying claims against meghan markle. are new witnesses coming forward to tell their stories to palace investigators? just days before the tell-all primetime interview. good morning, america. we hope you are doing well this friday morning. >> we sure do, george. we are starting the weekend with some encouraging news. want you to take a look at the famous indy motor speedway, it's home of the indy 500, opening up as a megavaccination site this morning. more than 16,000 people signed up to get a single dose johnson & johnson vaccine this weekend. >> a good site. several mass vaccination sites operating around the clock seven days a week including yankee stadium. all this, of course, on the heels of that major milestone, the u.s. now averaging at least 2 million shots a day. >> that's such good news at this

hour. more than 54 million americans have received at least one dose of the vaccine. that's 21% of the adult population of our country. but now there are growing fears in some states that they're re-opening too quickly. in atlanta, health officials concerned this weekend's nba all-star festivities could be a superspreader event. steve osunsami is live outside the cdc with the new warnings. good morning, steve. >> reporter: good morning to you, george. authorities here at the cdc are struggling with competing messages, yes, the vaccine is rolling out, but they warn that it is still not yet time for large parties and super large gatherings. the cdc this morning says that for the first time in the united states, more than 2 million vaccine doses are being put into arms each day. in new york, they were up all night at yankee stadium where they're now giving out that single-dose johnson & johnson vaccine. >> i feel like everyone should take it. you can't go wrong. i don't think so. >> reporter: states like texas say that the vaccine is just one of the reasons why they're now starting to ease up on covid-related restrictions.

starting next week the state no longer requires anyone to wear a face covering in public. texas governor greg abbott has gotten an earful from public health officials over this, and answered his critics thursday night. >> the mask requirement being eliminated isn't going to make that big of a change in the state of texas, also people in texas will continue to wear masks even though there's not a state mandate. >> reporter: mississippi is also saying good-bye to face masks. in california, high schools are getting back to indoor and outdoor sports but in states like connecticut, alabama and west virginia they're still so concerned about the spread of disease they are extending rules requiring masks. >> the bottom line is we've kept the mandate in place because it's helped. >> reporter: in atlanta the city's mayor is asking people not to come to town for the nba all-star game this weekend. she and others point out that across the u.s., georgia has the sixth highest number of reported covid cases in the last seven

days and fifth highest number of deaths. on top of that, georgia rank dead last in the number of shots in arms for every 100,000 people. >> we anticipate there will be a lot of activities in our nightlife districts and so we're just making sure we are prepared. >> reporter: the nba is not selling any tickets to the all-star game. it's closed to the public. there are no official public events. but authorities still worry that bars, restaurants and nightclubs will be packed. both the president and the director of the cdc are now trying to convince states that now is not the time to roll back public health measures. they worry that we will lose many of the gains that we've made against the coronavirus. michael. >> we do not want to do that. steve, thank you so much. joining us now is dr. richard besser, former acting director of the cdc and former colleague here at abc and, doc, great to see you as always. if we just heard, many states are starting to ease

restrictions, they're rolling back mask mandates. does this concern you? is it too early? >> yeah, michael, i am greatly concerned. we're all tired of the pandemic. we're tired of the restrictions. but we see light at the end of the tunnel. if we can hang in there a little bit longer, we'll get there in a way that's much safer. some of the states that are lifting the mask mandates are having as many cases right now as they were having last summer when they put these things in place and if it were simply about personal choice, i'm willing to take that risk it's one thing. when you go out without a mask, you are putting at risk everyone you come in contact with, and there are millions of people that have to go to work to put food on the table. we need to keep everybody safe. >> i agree with that. doc, the cdc set to release their new guidelines as those vaccinated can gather safely. what do you expect them to say? >> a lot are expecting them to say if you got vaccinated go for it. you can live your life the way you did before the pandemic. that's not coming.

we're not there yet. i expect they're going to say if you're around other people who are fully vaccinated you can have small gatherings without masks. i'm hoping they go a little further and say, if you're a grandparent and you're fully vaccinated, you can hug your grandchildren. that would be a wonderful thing. but it's going to be slow. it's going to be slow so that they can track and see what happens as people start to come together who are fully vaccinated. >> we're up to 2 million people vaccinated a day. new cases of hospitalizations are down significantly. while there's still a lot of work to be done, is it safe to say we've turned a corner on the pandemic? >> dr. walensky, the head of the cdc, was just saying she's still very concerned and concerned because of the variants springing up that could lead us to another wave. we don't want to get there, which is another reason to keep wearing the masks. one of the things that gives me hope, michael, that in addition to the number of people getting vaccinated each day, we're

seeing greater outreach into the communities that have been hit the hardest, black, latino, native american communities, some communities that may have challenges getting to megasite, we're seeing the government bringing vaccine to corner pharmacy, we're seeing vaccine drives in churches and community centers. those efforts have to continue in a really big way so that everyone can be protected. >> the mayor of detroit just turned down a shipment of the johnson & johnson vaccine stating moderna and pfizer are the best. so what is your take on that? >> well, before i answer that, i need to let viewers know that our foundation owns some stock in j&j. from my perspective as a public health person what we are most concerned about is hospitalizations and deaths and all three vaccines are incredibly effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths. you know, these vaccines were not compared against each other in trials and the moderna and pfizer were done before we had variants that were circulating, so my recommendation is whatever vaccine is offered to you, you

should get. if it's a setting where there's choice, well, that's terrific. but in many of these big settings, it's going to be a one and done kind of situation which is terrific. >> all right, doc, thank you always for your advice. dr. richard besser, appreciate you. cecilia. >> thanks, michael. we turn to that breaking news, pope francis touching down moments ago in iraq for his historic first visit to that country as the country struggles through another wave of the coronavirus and u.s./iranian tensions are growing. our senior foreign correspondent ian pannell is in iraq with more. good morning, ian. >> reporter: yeah, good morning, cecilia, that's right. pope francis just landing here in iraq and it's a historic first-ever papal trip to a country seen by many as the cradle of christianity because it's where the patriarch abraham was born. now, it's also home to many ancient cities like babylon but this is an extremely high-risk pilgrimage.

it's directly in the wave of another mass infection, and there are fears about the threat of superspreader events like here. there are also fears about the threat of isis and renewed u.s./iranian tensions, so there are huge concerns for the pope's safety. we've seen security forces being deployed around the country. areas being put on high alert. heavy weaponry also deployed along with special forces, but imagine for one minute the positive impact of seeing the pope in mosul, the very city where isis declared its caliphate, so this is certainly a bold and brave visit, but his message, of peace and tolerance, i think that is one that so many iraqis are just desperate to hear. >> will certainly go a long way. ian, you mentioned tensions. it's coming at a crucial time. we just learned the u.s. was moments away from a second air strike on those iranian-backed militia there but the president called it off at the very last minute. >> reporter: yeah, that's right. abc news now confirming president biden called off that second air strike against this iranian-backed militia who

attacked a u.s. base here in erbil late last month. u.s. reconnaissance apparently spotting women and children on the ground and so, of course, couldn't rule out civilian casualties. now, when that information was given to president biden he called off the mission and hearing the u.s. communicating to iran that it isn't trying to escalate the situation but, of course, these latest attacks on u.s. forces here this week will make that hard. cecilia. >> all right, ian, you and the team stay safe. we're going to go to washington now, and the senate moving toward a vote on president biden's covid relief package. democrats appear to have the vote, but republicans are making them work for it. congressional correspondent rachel scott is on capitol hill with the latest. good morning, rachel. >> reporter: george, good morning. republicans are not making it easy, vowing to fight this covid relief package every single step of the way. overnight forcing all 628 pages of this bill to be read out loud on the senate floor.

that took almost 11 hours and they are still opposed to that $1.9 trillion price tag, and democrats have laid the groundwork to be able to push this through on their own but had to make changes in order to win over some moderate democrats in their own party and so tossed out that $15 an hour minimum wage hike and those stimulus checks are limited, to those making up to $75,000 a year. it would extend the federal unemployment benefits through august. those federal unemployment benefits expire on march 14th, in just under two weeks, george. >> meantime, the capitol still on the highest of alert even though that threat yesterday didn't materialize. >> reporter: yeah, george. the capitol still on high alert. you have 5,000 national guard troops still on duty here on the capitol grounds. now, capitol police asking them to stick around for another 60 days.

this as we are still seeing those increased threats of violence, george. >> rachel scott, thanks very much. michael? now to that severe weather on the move. the northeast bracing for a cold blast as torrential flooding slams part of kentucky. ginger zee is tracking it all. good morning, ginger. >> reporter: hey, good morning to you, michael. 20 cities in kentucky alone have declared a state of emergency because of the flooding. and look at this mess on one road in paintsville, kentucky. >> watch out. >> that was an ambulance -- oh. you could hear it there. the trees falling in. ambulances falling in. they lost two dump trucks, a pickup truck, lawn materials and an ambulance. that was just in a 500-foot stretch of road that fell in because of all the water that they've been having. now, we've got a week of water rescues that is coming to an end because this was still happening as of the last 48 hours. the rivers will be falling

thankfully and we will start to see drying and better conditions going into the weekend, especially in kentucky. but when that happens you've got to have that big ridge out west and the big dip in the jet stream so this morning, windchills as low as 25 below and still some advisories, cecilia, up into new england. it feels like 9 this morning in boston. >> oh, 12, ginger, ouch. thank you. we'll be back with you later. now to the latest trouble for new york governor andrew cuomo. one of the women accusing him of sexual harassment detailing her conversations with the embattled governor in a new primetime interview. stephanie ramos has the latest on this one. good morning, stephanie. >> reporter: good morning, that's right. we are hearing from one of the women accusing governor andrew cuomo of inappropriate behavior. just a day after he publicly apologized. this morning, as new york state lawmakers prepare to vote to strip governor andrew cuomo of his emergency coronavirus powers, charlotte bennett, one of the women accusing him of

sexual harassment, is speaking out. >> do you believe that he was propositioning you? >> yes. >> for what? >> sex. >> reporter: the 25-year-old sitting down for an interview with cbs saying the governor asked her multiple questions about her sex life during a one-on-one meeting in june. >> without explicitly saying it, he implied to me that i was old enough for him and he was lonely. >> reporter: bennett who worked as an executive assistant for the governor said cuomo never got physical but he would ask her about her sexual assault experience. >> he asked if i had trouble enjoying being with someone because of my trauma. the governor asked me if i was sensitive to intimacy. >> reporter: bennett saying she answered the governor's questions but felt shame for doing so. >> i feel like people put the onus on the woman to shut that conversation down and by answering i was somehow engaging

in that or enabling it. when, in fact, i was just terrified. >> reporter: bennett says she reported the encounter to cuomo's chief of staff and was transferred to another department. eventually leaving the administration all together in november. another former aide, lindsey boylan, opening up to "harper's bazaar" saying she decided to come forward after hearing about another woman with a similar experience and also when she learned cuomo was likely being considered for u.s. attorney general. a third accuser came forward this week, anna ruch telling "the new york times" she met the governor at a wedding reception in 2019 where he asked to kiss her. the governor this week apologizing for making people feel uncomfortable but saying he will not resign. a recent quinnipiac poll shows that most new yorkers don't want the governor to resign at 55% but nearly 60% say they don't want him to run again in 2022. cecilia.

>> stephanie, the allegations seem like they keep on coming. there is now another report out accusing the governor's staff of rewriting a report on the number of deaths in nursing homes. >> reporter: exactly. "the new york times" out with that report that the covid deaths in nursing homes were not under-reported but, in fact, rewritten to conceal the actual number. the governor says he withheld those numbers out of concern that the trump administration would pursue a politically motivated inquiry into the state's handling of the outbreak. cecilia. >> going to be staying on this, stephanie, thank you. we now will take a look at this tom brady rookie card autographed by brady, and just sold for a record $1.32 million. michael. >> look at his face. [ laughter ] michael's face. >> that's what i'm thinking. >> it was $1.32 million believed to be the highest price ever paid for a football card.

i'm tempted to ask you, michael, what's your highest price? >> my card? probably about 7 cents, i don't know, it's not $1.32 million. man. >> previous record was nearly $500,000. it turns out it was a guy named james park from boston who paid for it, he's an avid card collector and tom brady fan. let's bid up michael strahan's cards. also ahead coming up, more talking about bullying claims against meghan markle. the woman accused of posing as an heiress faking her way through high society and cheating banks out of big money out of prison telling her story on abc news but let's head back to ginger. let's get the weekend forecast sponsored by northwestern mutual. recast spon northwestern mutual.

good morning. welcome to friday. i'm abc7 news meteorologist mike nicco. clouds increase today but a nice mild breeze out of the south keeps us comfortable. rainy and breezy tonight. watch out for the light to moderate rain. dry and cooler, though, this weekend. here's a look at our temperatures. mid to upper 50s along the coast, upper 60s east bay inland and also the south bay. tonight 38 in santa and we'll be right back. and we'll be right back. ♪ ♪ almost spilled.

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mywalgreens for. join and get 30 minute pickup at walgreens.com >> announcer: building a better bay area for a safe and secure future. this is abc7 news. good morning. i'm reggie aqui from "abc7 mornings." a new covid vaccine clinic opening this morning will address the issue of vaccine equity. the health center will start handing out wristbands at 9:00 and vaccinations begin an hour later. the clinic is focusing on reaching the hard-hit hispanic community. people who live in the neighborhood who are 65 and older and work in the food, emergency, emergency services or health care industries can get a shot. happening today, governor newsom plans to sign the $6.6 billion plan aimed at getting students back into classrooms. the bill lawmakers just approved does not force the districts to restart in-person instruction, but it dangles $2 billion as

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waking up to mostly sunny conditions, except for up around santa rosa where we have cloud cover. 35 in san ramon to it's going to be good for commuting until after the sun sets around 7:00 tonight. here's a look at future radar. light to moderate rain, quarter to a half inch possible. we will be dry this weekend, but more rain and even colder next week. >> thank you. coming up an exclusive with a woman accused of posing as an

heirress. she's just out of prison. we'll see you again

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from top brands... that make the everyday routine... anything but... kohl's ♪ i ain't playing no games every word that i say is coming straight from the heart ♪ one more second. there we go. welcome back to "gma." what a perfect song to send us into the weekend. those are grammy award winners bruno mars and anderson paak with their groovy new single released overnight, "leave the door open." bruno, a man of many talents directed it as well and will appear in the duo's upcoming album, "an evening with silk sonic" due out later this year. we have a lot of headlines to get to, including that major milestone in the fight against coronavirus.

the u.s. is now averaging at least 2 million shots a day. this comes as some concerns are growing that some states are re-opening too quickly. cdc officials warned it is still too soon for large parties and gatherings. pope francis touched down in iraq for his first visit to the country that many are calling risky. tensions are high there just days after a rocket attack. also, we just told you about the record-breaking tom brady rookie card sold for $1.23 million. we found out how much yours is going online right now, selling right now for -- >> give it to me. >> $12.50. i bid 20. >> george. >> they showed -- he lied to me. he showed me one that was $279. i got excited. i don't put my value, george, on the value of my rookie card. i'll be depressed all weekend. >> it's going up as we speak. >> we'll bid high. we are going now to turn to the latest in that brewing fight between meghan markle and buckingham palace. abc news has confirmed that

meghan and harry will not be a part of the palace's investigation into the accusations that meghan bullied her staff and james longman has the latest. good morning, james. >> reporter: good morning, cecilia. the decision to launch a bullying probe really has sent shock waves here with suggestions that more people may want to come forward with their stories. but with an investigation like this, the palace risks all kinds of secrets coming to light. this morning, anticipation growing for harry and meghan's sit-down interview with oprah now just two days away. promo clips amplifying the tension between the couple and the royal family. markle calling them out directly. >> i don't know how they could expect that after all of this time we would still just be silent if there is an active role that the firm is playing in perpetuating falsehoods about us. >> reporter: the duchess suggesting she won't be holding anything back. >> if that comes with risk of losing things, i mean, i've -- there's a lot that's been lost already. >> reporter: at least 63 countries are expected to broadcast the interview, but

with 99-year-old prince philip still recovering from a heart procedure and expected to remain in the hospital for a few more days, there is increasing pressure for harry and meghan to delay the broadcast. >> we know a lot about how harry and meghan feel and it's clear they feel very strongly they were unfairly treated but i think the test of this interview will be whether or not people who are unsure what to think who are maybe in the middle here are actually persuaded by anything they put forward. >> reporter: this morning, abc news learned the couple will not take part in the palace's investigation into bullying allegations against meghan. but senior aides are expected to be questioned. allegations published in "the times of london" from one senior aide claim the duchess drove two personal assistants out of the household. meghan firing back, her office calling it was a calculated smear campaign. the couple has had a complicated relationship with the british tabloids as early as 2016. the duke of sussex expressed

concerns over coverage of his then-girlfriend calling out the racial undertones and accusing some of outright sexism and racism. buzzfeed had 20 headlines. treatment of meghan versus kate middleton. with dutchess of cambridge being treated much more favorably. harry drawing comparisons with his late mother diana. >> my biggest concern was history repeating itself. >> reporter: the major criticism here is that there was no palace investigation into prince andrew's far more serious allegations around jeffrey epstein. the palace is being accused of a double standard. we are now hearing in the last few minutes that prince philip has had a successful procedure at st. bartholomew's, and he's been moved back to king edward hospital where he was previously. >> thank you so much. so many questions and bring in omid scobie and robert jobson. good morning to you both. thank you for being with us. robert, i want to start with you. reports out that more staffers might be coming forward about

these allegations of bullying. any idea what they could be saying and what this might do to the investigation? >> well, i think that actually this is going to make it a much wider investigation. buckingham palace have opened a can of worms by saying they don't tolerate bullying and much more wider than meghan itself. it involves other senior members of staff, so i personally have spoken to a couple members of staff, former members of staff, who said a lot of these allegations were logged, and nothing was done about it. so i think to actually focus all attention on meghan is particularly unfair. it seems to me that, you know, in a hierarchical situation where the staff can't really answer back, there are ground to be situations like this. i think the palace have really opened something that they probably won't be able to put back in the box. >> the timing is, of course, a huge part of the story. the allegations coming forward from the palace just as meghan and harry are about to drop this big interview with oprah. is this the right time for meghan and harry to be doing

this interview? >> yeah, i think a lot of people are questioning the timing of harry and meghan finally speaking up. of course, it comes, unfortunately, while prince philip remains in hospital, but we have to remember this was really held back by meghan's privacy case, and it wasn't until they won it and proved their point they were able to confirm with oprah that they finally wanted to set the record straight, and from what i'm hearing, they're looking forward to having their story out there. >> robert, we heard meghan mention the phrase "the firm." can you explain more about that and how her using that word might be going over with the palace right now? >> well, i think that, to be fair, i think meghan got it slightly wrong. the firm was an expression used by the duke of edinburgh to include the royal family. it doesn't include the palace. it's simply to refer to members of the royal family. i think from that clip we've

seen that -- when she refers to it, i got the impression she's talking about the wider palace itself. so i think it just might be a bit of a misunderstanding. it all sounds very dramatic like another episode out of "the crown," so i'm not quite sure why she used that expression. >> it does sound like it could be coming out of "the crown." omid, the queen is expected to speak publicly sunday, the same day we are going to likely see this interview from harry and meghan. this is going to be quite the split screen. >> yeah, this is going to really highlight the difference between the priorities of the sussexes and, of course, the monarch. for the queen duty has always come first, and harry and meghan really went against the grain by prioritizing their family to find a space that they could thrive in putting duty in second place. that hasn't gone down well here in the uk. when people see their side of the story, minds might be changed. >> it is a fascinating story, and we thank you both for being with us. coming up next, the woman

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we are back with the woman accused of being a fake heiress to live among high society and she was convicted of bilking banks and businesses out of tens of thousands of dollars and anna sorokin is speaking to abc news, her first interview after being released from prison, and deborah roberts spoke with her.

good morning. >> reporter: good morning. she made her way into prominent circles, anna sorokin managed to create a luxurious life of luxury that many people can only dream of. young and ambitious she too had big dreams until it all came crashing down. she's been called the soho grifter. >> this is just like my life. i'm trying to make it work and figure things out. >> reporter: anna sorokin who renamed herself anna delvey accused of posing as a german heiress claiming to have a more than $60 million bank account overseas. living a high-end life among new york's elite, complete with private flight, boutique hotels and designer goods. but prosecutors say it was all an act accusing her of cheating friends, banks and businesses out of more than $250,000. how would you describe the real annie delvey? who is she? >> oh, that's such a loaded question. >> reporter: in 2019 she was

convicted of theft of services, grand larceny and attempted grand larceny serving nearly four years behind bars and ordered to pay back most of the money. now, just three weeks after being released from prison, sorokin is telling her side of the story exclusively to abc news. many people see you as the ultimate scammer. are you? >> no, absolutely not. >> reporter: while prosecutors insist she falsified financial documents to try to get millions in loans for a private club she wanted to open, sorokin says it was a misguided attempt to get investors to fund her plan which she's convinced would have been a successful business. >> the idea would be for this business to work and i would just repay everything. >> the impression these bankers are getting is that you have millions and millions of dollars in your account. if you have these millions, why do you need their money to fund your club? >> even the richest of people always take out loans. i was just trying to get a cheap

loan. >> there are people who would wonder how you were able to go into places and for people to assume that you had the money. do you think it was because you're a young white woman? >> definitely. >> reporter: now 30 years old she says she's paid for her mistakes of the her time behind bars including 19 months at rikers island jail, some of it in solitary confinement. you're being held in rikers, one of the most frightening jails in the country. what was that like for you? were you terrified? >> in a way that was therapeutic. i mean -- >> therapeutic? >> i, for example, used the time to read a lot and to write. >> we have heard that you said prison is kind of a waste of time. >> yeah. taking a person stripping them of everything, putting them somewhere where they have pretty much very few opportunities to rehabilitate, so how is this supposed to help someone who already had to resort to life of crime? >> reporter: now out on parole sorokin's documenting her

freedom on social media. moving into a new apartment. shopping, dining out, financed partly by a netflix deal she signed while behind bars. it's said to be worth just over $300,000. many people would find that very strange that you had gotten into trouble, you went to trial, you went to prison and there's a netflix deal around your story? >> i find it strange too. >> so are you sort of milking your crime for the fame? >> no, definitely not. >> do you feel badly? do you have regrets? >> i feel like i'm just trying to deal with consequences over my actions. i was young, i would not repeat my actions. i'm just trying to make the best out of my situation. >> sorokin is indeed making the best of her situation. in addition to that television deal, she also has a possible book in the works and some other business plans. but she tells me most important to her is after what she discovered in prison she also wants to work on criminal justice reform. guys.

>> okay. all right. coming up later, more americans are getting vaccinated, the number one summer trip people are booking right now. we'll tell you how to make sure you have your spot. and next, we have our friday edition of "play of the day." when you buy this plant at walmart, they can buy more plants from metrolina greenhouses so abe and art can grow more plants. so they can hire vilma... and wendy... and me. so, more people can go to work. so, more days can start with kisses. when you buy this plant at walmart. ♪ ♪

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>> announcer: building a better bay area for a safe and secure future. this is abc7 news. good morning. i'm reggie aqui from "abc7 mornings." san francisco unified is expected to send out 1500 more vaccine codes today for educators to use. more than 2500 codes have already been given out. they're given to priority staff who will be working at elementary schools and early education sites that have been given permission to reopen. hi, mike. >> hi, everybody. let's open the weather window and show you a gorgeous morning. a good day for outdoor activities all the way through 7:00 and that's when our rain starts to roll in. in fact, here's a look at future radar from 7:00 this evening to 2:00 in the morning. it's a 1, light storm, on our storm impact scale with light to moderate rain. quarter to a half inch possible. more rain next week. coming up, millions of americans planning to hit the

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good morning, america. it's 8:00 a.m. race to vaccinate. megasites like yankee staid quam -- stadium in new york operating 24/7 as the u.s. hits a major milestone -- averaging at least 2 million shots a day. all this as states like texas and mississippi double down on their decision to drop mask mandates ahead of public health recommendations. breaking news. pope francis touching down in iraq early this morning. for his historic and risky visit. tensions high just days after that rocket attack. we're on the ground with the latest. medical marvel. the rare double lung transplant giving one man a second chance at life after his lungs were devastated by covid-19. the doctor behind the groundbreaking surgery and how the patient is doing this morning. vaccination vacation.

the number one trip people are planning right now as more americans get the shot. the summer bookings that are heating up. what to know before you go. and the two-time mlb all-star who is walking away from over $13 million revealing the reason he's leaving the field and taking on a new mission. ♪ fearless fighter. 8-year-old mia battling a rare blood disease getting a life-changing surprise to help battle her illness. don't miss the moment she meets her new best friend as we say, good morning, america. ♪ that puts a smile on your face right there. good morning, america. hope your friday is off to a good start. >> we got something to make you feel good about your friday. this is 8-year-old mia. she is one tough kid. she got diagnosed with a rare blood disease at the beginning of the pandemic and her dream, a

dog to keep her company. so wait until you see the moment she's surprised with this dog. more than just a best friend? >> this is a great story. we're excited to share. we have a lot of news to get to starting with the latest in the fight against the pandemic. several mass vaccination sites across the country, like yankee stadium now operating around the clock as the u.s. is averaging at least 2 million shots a day. this amid growing concerns that some states are re-opening too quickly. let's go back to steve osunsami who is live outside the cdc with a new warning. good morning again, steve. >> reporter: good morning, to you, cecilia. here at the cdc they celebrate the rollout of these vaccines across the country. but both the president and the director of the cdc are warning states about ending these public health precautions too early. the cdc this morning says for the first time in the united states, more than 2 million vaccine doses are being put into arms each day. in new york, they were up all night at yankee stadium where they're now giving out that

single-dose johnson & johnson vaccine. >> i feel like everyone should take it. you can't go wrong. i don't think so. >> reporter: states like texas say that the vaccine is just one of the reasons why they're now starting to ease up on covid-related restrictions. starting next week, the state no longer requires anyone to wear a face covering in public. texas governor greg abbott got an earful from public health officials and answered critics thursday night. mississippi is also saying good-bye to face masks and in california, high schools are getting back to indoor and outdoor sports. earlier this morning, michael spoke to dr. richard besser about states easing their restrictions. >> many states are starting to ease restrictions, they're rolling back mask mandates. does this concern you? is it too early? >> yeah, michael, i am greatly concerned. we're all tired of the pandemic. if we can hang in there a little bit longer, we're going to get there in a way that's much safer. some of the states that are lifting the mask mandates are having as many cases right now

as they were having last summer when they put these things in place. if it were simply about personal choice, that i'm willing to take that risk, it would be one thing. when you go out without a mask you are putting at risk everyone you come in contact with and there are millions of people who have to go to work each day to put food on the table. we need to keep everybody safe. >> reporter: here in atlanta the mayor of the city is asking people not to come to town for this weekend's nba all-star game. but it doesn't appear that people are listening. despite the mayor's warning there are nba -- non-nba scheduled events all across town like gucci mane, rick ross and more are all scheduled to perform as one person i know here put it, those people heading out better hope they get a vaccine with their cover charge. george. >> i bet. thanks very much. we move to that breaking news, pope francis has touched down early this morning in iraq for his historic first visit just days after the most recent rocket attack. our senior foreign correspondent

ian pannell has the latest. good morning, ian. >> reporter: yeah, good morning, george, that's right. pope francis has just landed here in iraq and this is a historic first-ever papal trip to a country seen by many as the cradle of christianity because it's where the patriarch abraham was born, and it's also home to many ancient cities but this is also an extremely high-risk pilgrimage. iraq is in the midst of another wave of virus infection and some of the ceremonies he attends could become super spreader events. there's the threat of isis and there's growing tensions between iran and america so there are huge concerns, i think, for the pope's safety, many have been against his trip. we've seen security forces around the country now being put on high alert with whole areas, districts, towns, being sealed off. imagine just for one minute the positive impact of seeing the pope in cities like mosul, the very same city where isis

declared its caliphate. so this is certainly a bold and brave visit, i think, but his message, cecilia, of peace and tolerance is something iraqis are just desperate to hear. >> yeah, they certainly are. those remarkable images coming in. thanks so much. so much coming up in our next hour, we're hearing from the doctor behind that life-saving and double lung transplant relief a man was devastated by covid. how the patient is doing. and summer vacation bookings are on the rise after doctors say there is a safe way to travel. number one trip selling out before you book. actor riz ahmed will join us live on his new movie "sound of metal," it's already getting tons of oscar buzz. we'll be right back. ♪ ♪ if you have moderate to severe psoriasis... or psoriatic arthritis, little things, can become your big moment. that's why there's otezla. otezla is not an injection or a cream... ...it's a pill that treats differently.

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♪ ooh i'm blinded by the lights ♪ welcome back, everybody. happy friday to you. tomorrow on saturday "gma," we've just talked about this. >> i'm hungry. >> you don't want to miss it. it's our breakfast bonanza. mouthwatering meals you'll want to wake up for -- >> amazing how excited you got about a breakfast sandwich. >> i'm hungry, george, i want bacon. we have no food in the control room. we'll move on to our "gma" cover story. a great one, one man's second chance at life from doctors who performed a rare double lung transplant after he was devastated by covid-19. juju chang has the story. good morning, juju. >> reporter: good morning to you, george. leo castillo was dying of covid then he became the third-ever covid patient to get a double lung transplant in the u.s.

now, northwestern university hospital which is pioneering this type of surgery gave us amazing access not just to the remarkable surgical team but to an equally remarkable family. at 43, leo was loving life as a husband and father. active, healthy with his zest for life. and a sense of humor. but in the spring of 2020 covid ripped through his household. by may, he wound up in the hospital put on a ventilator. >> transplant is all should be the option of last resort. >> reporter: though free of covid, the virus essentially destroyed his lungs meaning the organ simply couldn't recover. >> you know, your lungs are pretty badly damaged. >> reporter: but a rare and risky double lung transplant turned out to be his only hope >> you feeling okay? yeah? you feel like you have gotten stronger in the last few days? yeah? >> reporter: dr. bharat of northwestern memorial hospital in chicago, is spearheading the effort.

the first to try it on a covid patient in the u.s. and just six days after he was listed for transplant -- there's word of a potential donor. >> take a look at the lungs and give a thumb's up if everything looks fine. >> can you please send me pictures? >> yes, sir. >> that's great. you know, so the lungs are usable and it's going to be a go. >> reporter: suddenly it's go time. dr. bharat immediately heads to his room with the life-changing news. after a harrowing surgery he survives but is still not out of the woods. there is a long, brutal recovery ahead. >> you said you want to eat a hamburger when you get better, so here's a hamburger for you. [ laughter ] is it good? all right. >> i want to say thank you. you're the best. yeah, you are the best.

>> reporter: now we've been following leo's recovery for months now. it's nothing short of breathtaking. dr. bharat has gone on to do 12 of these surgeries and he's consulted with hospitals around the country and combined they have done 50 of these life-saving procedures. truly pioneering medicine. >> it certainly is. thanks very much. we turn to the rise in summer vacation bookings. doctors telling us with proper safety precautions it is okay to get away and now travel experts are revealing the top trip choice, camping. but you better book a spot fast. becky worley has all the details. hey, becky. >> reporter: cecilia, hey, if you're like me, you are dreaming of getting back into nature or even anywhere but your living room. covid cabin fever is very real so camping is more popular than ever but reservations made asap are critical for summer outdoor fun.

beautiful day to go paddleboarding. every memorial day weekend for the past few years, we met up with family members and camped at a beach near bodega bay but when i logged on to the reservation site i was in for a rude surprise. no spots at all for the whole weekend at our favorite campground. wah-wah. it's a trend that gary from "usa today" says is happening nationwide. >> people are just ready to get out and get fresh air and ready to feel safe and one of the reasons i think camping is so popular in a state campground or state park. >> reporter: he says over 50 million expected to pop a tent or park the rv this summer and according to pitchup.com, bookings for 2021 are up 39% compared to the same time in 2020. >> we're looking at a summer that's going to be hard to get a site and is going to demand some action on your part if you want

to make sure you secure one. >> reporter: and those reservations go fast. for example, great smokies cades cove has only 12 out of over 50 spots left. book now to see when they open up reservations. >> if you're hoping for a memorial day spot you may be out of luck. while national parks are a popular option, this year you may need to get more creative. >> now, if you are thinking about rv'ing this summer instead of busting out the tent you will want to reserve any rv rentals early and get those spots locked down too, cecilia. >> all right, you're making my list of things to do even longer. a lot of people can't commit so far in advance, that's me, and camping spots go really fast. you've got to reserve them early. is there a way people can still nab one of these?

>> reporter: there are first come, first serve types of spots but i have a five-point plan for getting those on the weekend you want to travel. i'm like a scout, always prepare. show up early preferably on a weekday in the off-season is best, spring or fall, call the campground in advance and see how busy they are and definitely have a backup plan if you want to grab one of those first come, first serve spots. >> i wish you good luck. thanks, becky. >> i'm going to need it. >> you can find out more on our website goodmorningamerica.com. now to the baseball star who walked away from millions. colorado rockies player and two-time mlb all-star ian desmond revealing why he opted out of the 2020 season and why he's not coming back this year as well and i had a chance to sit down and talk to him about his decision to leave the field. take a look. >> ian desmond with a spectacular grab. >> reporter: ian was on top of the world. >> that was terrific. >> reporter: the two-time all-star was playing in the major leagues.

he was in the middle of a $77 million contract. >> ian desmond taking a home run from louis -- >> reporter: suddenly in 2020, he decided to stop playing. what led to that decision? >> there was a lot of things going on, we had the george floyd events, we had the pandemic obviously was setting in. my wife and i were about to have our fifth baby. >> reporter: then just last week posting to instagram, over the last few months i've had tough conversations, i've asked a lot of questions and done a lot of thinking. for now i've decided to opt out of the 2021 season. what were those conversations? >> i think the first one is walking away from a lot of money. my desire to be with my family is greater than my desire to go back under these circumstances and play. >> to be exact, $13.56 million, which is more money than most people can comprehend.

>> that time with my kids is always so precious so to me that will always trump money. >> reporter: but there were other issues at play. after deciding thought to participate in 2020, desmond posted to instagram, that biracial seat is a completely unique experience and there are so many times you feel like you belong everywhere and nowhere at once. you also talked about being a biracial man in america and also a biracial man in baseball. have you had any racist experiences in your career in that regard? >> like most biracial people say, it's not that it's necessarily racism, it's more of like just constant like jabs like, oh, you're not black because i don't talk in a certain way, i don't wear certain clothes or i don't do certain things or listen to a type of music and also not necessarily white. it's like where exactly do i belong as a biracial man in the world, in the clubhouse and anywhere else. >> desmond's made it his mission to make sure all kids belong teaming up with the boys and

girls club of america to find new town connections. >> it's about positive mentors and new programs. >> reporter: an organization that aims to empower kids through sports. >> i hope colors of all kids of all races and ethnicities can experience the life lessons of playing baseball. perseverance, determination, character. i feel like it's kind of being deprived in the inner cities and untouched areas. baseball is a beautiful game, man, and it's got a rich history for a reason. >> definitely a guy who loves baseball but he loves his family and he loves helping other kids understand that, you know, sports is a way to a better life. >> he's really thought it through. >> he's really thought it through and not changing his mind. i love it. now let's go to ginger. hey, ginger. >> thanks, michael. i've got to share with you interstate 80 was closed because this fire broke out near gothamburg, nebraska.

it was dry and it was certainly warm enough and the winds were gusting at least in north platte to about 30 miles per hour. we'll see gusty winds and high fire danger through the plains into south and north dakota, but i also wanted to share this. it came out, the latest u.s. good morning. welcome to friday. i'm abc7 news meteorologist mike nicco. clouds increase today but a nice mild breeze out of the south keeps us comfortable. rainy and breezy tonight. watch out for the light to moderate rain. dry and cooler, though, this weekend. here's a look at our temperatures. mid to upper 50s along the coast, upper 60s east bay inland and also the south bay. tonight 38 in santa we have a great surprise now for an 8-year-old girl who really deserves it. mia was diagnosed with a rare illness at the beginning of the

pandemic and she can't be in school right now and she dreamed about a dog to keep her company. kaylee hartung was there when mia met dougie for the first time. good morning, kaylee. >> reporter: good morning, george. mia is truly one in a million and not just because of her radiant personality and her precious smile. every year about one american in a million is diagnosed with a blood disorder called aplastic anemia. mia's life has changed and her treatment is hard. but this surprise ensures she has a friend through it all. she's just 8 years old but she's one tough kid. mia is fearless. plays a mean defense in soccer and deals daily with a serious rare disease. what do you remember of the first signs that you were getting sick? >> i just started bruising after we -- i was playing soccer and i just started getting all purple and stuff. >> it was a lot of illnesses and it kept happening. she just kept getting sick and we kind of noticed things weren't right. >> reporter: just after covid

hit, mia was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, an incredibly rare blood disorder where the bone marrow is damaged, so the body stops producing new blood cells to fight infection. >> momma was a little scared. i was a little bit too. >> it was shocking to think that something like that would happen to you, right? that's what everyone thinks. that will never happen to us. >> reporter: for now, mia can't be in school. she can't risk getting sick. any injury sends her straight to the e.r. and while medications are keeping the disease in check, the only real cure is risky, a bone marrow transplant. mia's aunt knew she was dreaming of having a dog. desperate to find a way to help she created this moving video. >> little did we know at the time mia's life would never again be the same. >> reporter: nominating her for a service dog from 4e kennels. they gift service dogs which can cost upwards of $25,000 to families who need them. >> what an incredible young girl like defying the odds but being

knocked down again and again by something she cannot control and there is no cure. >> reporter: today we're surprising mia with that dog. dougie. he is a 10-month-old golden doodle. >> good boy. sit. >> reporter: who's been training for this moment with brad norton since he was just 10 weeks old. >> what we taught dougie is to apply deep pressure therapy when she's not feeling well. to lay across her leg and put pressure on her legs or to lean up against her. >> reporter: dougie will be able to provide emotional support for mia when she's isolated and sick. even when she's in the hospital. lowering her anxiety and stress levels. >> to bring just a small amount of comfort and companionship to help her through the darkest days, you know, is incredibly exciting. >> well, let's surprise her. >> i can't wait. let's go. >> reporter: aunt blake and mia's mom ashley are in on the surprise but mia has no idea what's coming. mia thinks she's just here to talk with us about her diagnosis. >> is there anything in this

world that could make life with this disease easier for you? >> i think a dog to snuggle with. >> we've got a surprise for you. are you ready for this? whoo! >> i have your very own dog for you, this is yours, honey. this is your dog dougie. dougie, meet mia. >> dougie is a goldendoodle that has been trained just for you. >> did you hear that? >> you'll do some special training with him. are you ready to do that? then you get to take him home. he's all for you. >> thank you. >> dougie, come. sit. sit. >> looks like she's been preparing her whole life for this moment. >> oh, yeah, she kind of has. >> i love him. >> ah. >> and i am thrilled to report dougie has made his way into their hearts and home in a few

short days and mia's mom tells me that they have been hard at work every day training and getting to know each other better. a big thank you to 4e kennels for making this -- >> looks like he made his way into your heart as well. >> a little misty in here, sorry. >> great -- great story. thanks very much. coming up, riz ahmed joins us live. all that oscar buzz surrounding him for his role in "sound of metal." we'll be right back.

>> announcer: building a better bay area for a safe and secure future. this is abc7 news. good morning, everyone. i'm kumasi aaron from "abc7 mornings." indoor high school sports are allowed again in california today. basketball, volleyball, and wrestling can all resume as long as the county has fewer than 14 cases per 100,000 residents. there will be testing provided for free and masks will be required for everyone, except athletes when they're playing. they have to wear them when they're on the bench. let's take a look at san jose. pretty much epitomizes what we're dealing with this morning. ton of sunshine and good weather for the commute. up until 7:00 it will be dry. you're looking at future radar. a 1 on our storm impact scale. and gusty breezes when the

heaviest of the rain rolls through. it will be out of here by tomorrow

hey, bay area, "live with kelly and ryan" is coming up. >> we have eddie murphy from "coming to america," plus the best small cooking gadgets. >> that's at 9:00 on abc7. we'll have another abc7 news update in 30 minutes. you can find the latest on our news app and at abc7news.com.

the news continues right now with "good morning, america." ♪ welcome back to "gma." we've noticed our viewers love to read just like we do so this morning we are expanding the "gma" book club and launching "gma" buzz picks to give you even more stories and as you head into the weekend we have the perfect "gma" buzz pick. it's "we begin at the end" by chris whisker about good, evil, good, evil and how we live our lives somewhere in between. the main character duchess is unforgettable and the book already optioned to be a tv series by disney so join us on our instagram @gmabookclub and will interview chris next week to talk about the book and sharing it on goodmorningamerica.com. >> we are looking forward to

that. now we're so excited for our next guest, emmy award actor getting oscar buzz for his role in "sound of metal," riz ahmed. welcome to "gma." and congratulations. we hear you recently got married. and -- >> thank you. >> something of a cute story and a coffee shop. >> it was the kind of thing you wouldn't believe if you put it in a movie script. i was preparing for "sound of metal" in the course of a year in brooklyn and got to this cafe to learn sign language and my sign instructor and it was at that cafe that my wife whose a novelist was doing some work writing on her novel so she was on the phone and looked up to see who was making all this racket and, yeah, she was kind of plug her laptop into the same outlet i had mine in and just got talking. one of those crazy stories. >> when that happens once you're married and try to share a outlet or someone steals it it

doesn't work out quite the same way. >> pro tip. [ laughter ] >> yes. and a little over a week the oscar nominations are coming out and a lot expect to hear your name mentioned in the best actor category. how does that feel? >> you know, it's a strange thing because this film was really the most challenging, most immersive, just the most intense experience of my life and the day we finished i told our director, if no one sees this film, i'm still happy. because it just kind of changed me. it changed all of us who made it. it was a labor of love. and it kind of changed the way i look at life. you know, spending so much time with the deaf community, learning drums, opened me up in new ways. the fact people are seeing it let alone responding to it is just the most -- the most behind blowing bonus to be honest. never would have expected it. >> let's make sure everybody sees a clip. take a look.

>> oh. whoa. >> how does it sound? >> uh, sounds weird. >> how about now? how is >> oh, that's bad. >> gripping. how the movie changed you. the time you spent with the deaf community learning sign language taught you how to learn and listen better? >> yeah, i think so. you know, my sign instructor and the whole deaf community he introduced me to in new york, i kind of think they're the best listeners i've ever met. listening isn't something you do with your ears but your whole body and attention and energy and actually on the film set i was using audio blockers at times for when my character

starts to lose his hearing to simulate experience and made me listen with my body and attentive in a different way. you know, jeremy would tell me there is a saying, a joke amongst the deaf community hearing people can be a bit emotionally repressed because thee hide behind words and the more i learned to sign the more i learned what he was talking about. when you sign it makes you emotional because you're communicating with your whole body. with your heart literally. so i always say that the deaf community taught me the true meaning of listening and communication. >> fascinating. >> very fascinating. you mentioned earlier you had to learn to play the drums for the role but you're also a musician so being a muts significance already must have made learning the drums a little bit easier. >> that's what i stupidly thought. i thought that would be the case. i make music, i thought i've got rhythm. rhythm is different from coordination and doing a very particular kind of drumming and punk drumming, the blast beat using double peddling, i'm

left-handed so i don't know if you guys are lefty, some things you do with your right and left so we spent a long time working that out. it felt like every day i was starting from scratch and our director is kind of insane seen genius said, no, it has to be for real. we're never going to cheat it. every time you're playing the drums on screen you're playing so did it in front of a real live audience in nightclubs. terrifying. shout to my drum teacher who has the patience of a saint. >> we got to ask, do you have a favorite song, one you perfected yet? >> i don't think i perfected anything. focused mainly on the track that we -- that you hear in the film, olivia cook and i did a lot of band rehearsals. and i should say that track itself is an original track by abraham and his theme song for the movie which is really

beautiful piece has just been long listed for an oscar so music and sound design just plays a massive part in this film. a lot of the sound design in the film is made up from the sound of my heartbeat, the sound of my breathing so you really feel like you're inside the character's head and for deaf audiences, the entire film is open captioned. so deaf audiences can really enjoy this film alongside hearing audiences which i think is something quite unique. >> that is great. >> it deserves all the buzz it is getting. riz, thanks for joining us this morning and we want to tell everybody, ? thank you so much. >> "sound of metal" is now available on amazon prime video. check it out. coming up, a special performance from kings of leon. ♪

majestic mountains... scenic coastal highways... fertile farmlands... there's lots to love about california. so put off those chores and use less energy from 4 to 9 pm when less clean energy is available. because that's power down time. ♪ here's to the duers.

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♪ we are back with freeform's show "good trouble." series' co-executive produced by jennifer lopez follows sisters after college as they navigate their first jobs while living in l.a. and drum roll, everybody, joining us now the stars of the show, maia mitchell and cierra ramirez. so great to have you both with us. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> thank you for having us. >> yeah, thank you so much. i want to start with you, congratulations to you both but

i want to start with you because this show is really getting rave reviews. it is being called ahead of its time. it's being called culturally relevant. you guys are not afraid to take on big issues like equal pay and black lives matter. what's it been like working on a project like this? >> i think we just feel so lucky that we're so supported by a writing staff that is, you know, daring and willing to walk the walk. you know, our show is called "good trouble," so we're constantly inspired by john lewis and his idea that to create change you have to stir up some good trouble and you see that i think with every character on the show whether it's fighting the gender pay gap, talking about sexual identity, body positivity. each character is kind of living the spirit of good trouble in some way or another and so, yeah, i think the way that we're able to do it is by having authentic characters.

you're not seeing these issues thrown at you but through these authentic people living their lives and, you know, we're so lucky we have patrice on our writing staff and, you know, a really diverse writers room and i just feel like we're so lucky their we're supported by that. >> yeah, you guys have really figured out how to tackle some of these big issues. we have an exclusive sneak peek at an upcoming episode. in the clip cali is comforting mar mariana after a tough day. >> i'm sorry about your app. i know how much you put into it. >> dude, you smell. >> yeah. yeah. my nice expensive suit just became my cheap arraignment

suit. >> along with jennifer lopez, cierra, tell us about the first time you got to meet. >> oh, my goodness, well, if you know one thing about me, you know that i am a fan girl and there is no shame in my game and that didn't -- when i saw miss jenny from the block, i think the first time i ever saw her, i recognized her, huge entourage, i knew someone important was in the room and i saw her. i was midbite in a hot dog and completely dropped it. it was pretty insane. i mean, you know, growing up, she's someone that i've so looked up to. she's a latina that does it all, does it well. for some strange reason i resonated and was like it's like salinas, so it was amazing. >> anything for salinas. >> working on the set it's different now. i'm told that the walls in your trailer are really thin. what's going on there?

>> oh, they're so thin. we usually language out on set all the time but now, of course, we have to be separated. so my nap spot has been compromised. i would escape but -- miss emma who i'm sharing a wall with and she likes to belt show tunes pretty much consistently so there's not a lot of napping going on for me. >> well, you guys are busy at work, congratulations again on the new show. thanks for being with us. everything, "good trouble" airs wednesday nights at 10 on freeform available the next day on hulu. beginner, over to you. >> 90-mile-per-hour winds feels like 60 below with the windchill in mt. washington but, hey, it looks pretty. don't worry, more warm weather on the way. it's building up and headed good morning. on this friday, we're going to

have increasing clouds but a nice breeze out of the south will keep us close to average in the 50s and 60s. this evening, expect rain through early tomorrorororororoo now to the actress getting oscar buzz for her performance as a single mom in the drama "miss juneteenth." "time" magazine named her one of the ten best performances where she pushes her daughter to win a beauty pageant. take a look. >> when i was a kid, i used to go to the pageant every year, dreaming that one day i'd be up there, the girls that won looked like they would float. and had all this hope and promise. i felt that when i won. >> we are so pleased to welcome nicole beharie to "gma." good morning, nicole. >> good morning, hi, michael. nice to meet you. >> nice to meet you. want to gon' -- congratulate

you. it whelm mates when enslaved people in texas find out they been freed two years earlier by the emancipation proclamation. what has it been like for you to see the surge in interest? >> a shock. this was a labor of love. we shot in, you know, ft. worth, texas, in the middle of the summer, shoestring budget. gorilla community production and i think a bunch of things came together being stuck in our homes, seeing the uprisings and seeing the awareness happen, sort of in the streets. people just were more interested in these benchmarks in our history, you know. and suddenly juneteenth. today is the first juneteenth i ever celebrated and a lot talked about then i was on this poster with this crown on saying i'm

miss juneteenth. this was a little surreal. >> the juneteenth pat is a real thing and in the film you play a single mom and what did you draw on your own personal story as an inspiration for this role? >> michael, ah, so my mom, my parents divorced at a certain point. my mom worked in the er, or, she was a nurse trying to take care of three kids and i guess now she's a doctor and now i'm doing what i'm doing and i think the story talks a great deal about people persevering and seeing what's beyond their current situation. i love all the women in the community that i was raised in that have really inspired me to keep pushing, even when i didn't see myself in certain spaces, you know. so i really took from that and sort of wanted to honor that story and honor those people in my life. >> well, you've done it in a great way, the movie is fantastic and there are a lot of

people look at you and model themselves after you so i appreciate your time this morning. congratulations on all the buzz and all the accolades you're getting for this movie. >> thank you. thank you, thank you. >> you're welcome. "miss juneteenth" is available on all major video on demand platforms. cecilia. michael, we turn to a "gma" exclusive announcement about what's next for the golden globe nominated series "pose." will reeve has all the details about season 3 and the special message from the show's co-creator. take a look. >> the category is -- >> reporter: groundbreaking "pose," the history making fx series starring billy porter -- >> and the categories are, family and standing up for ourselves and our community. >> reporter: and "the house of evangelista" will return. the show's producers choosing to end after this third and final season. >> it was a very difficult decision for us to make but this

has been an incredible journey and we have told the story we wanted to tell the way that we wanted to tell it. >> reporter: the golden globe nominated show has won acclaim for breaking barriers. featuring the largest cast of transgender actors ever. >> i along with my incredible collaborators never intended on changing the television landscape. i simply wanted to tell an honest story about family, resilience and love. although we know you'll be sad to see it go this season will be filled with love and laughter and tears you've come to expect from the evangelista family. >> reporter: will reeve, abc news, new york. >> very excited about that one. a special performance about kings of leon.

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performance of their lead single which is kings of leon with "the bandit." ♪ ♪ chiseled their names in stone heavy the load you tow ♪ ♪ and the red horse is always close and the fire don't burn below ♪ ♪ 200 miles to clear chasing a sound i hear ♪

♪ when the call brings them all to tears and the hopes they all turn to fears ♪ ♪ and they're walking around with their heads in the cloud screaming ♪ ♪ must catch the bandit reckless abandon ♪ ♪ rundown and stranded must catch the bandit ♪ ♪ ♪ tracks in the dirt for days sniff out the fire ablaze ♪

♪ and the red door it seems to sway ♪ ♪ and it carries a heavy weight ♪ ♪ and they're walking around with their heads in the cloud screaming ♪ ♪ must catch the bandit reckless abandon ♪ ♪ rundown and stranded must catch the bandit ♪ ♪

like, seeing my mom. it's unthinkable to me that i can't see her and i can't hug her. not being able to hug is just like somebody has to tie me down. touching someone to say i love you, to hug you... those are the things that i miss. ♪ ♪

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