commenting on or retweeting, i will. but listen, social media has become toxic. because everybody is far too engaged in it in a back and forth. listen, i get caught up in that. i get it. and i throw lot of elbows on social media. i get it. i am a passionate person. but at the end of the day, my passion is driven by the fact that i want to stop the next -- gun violence archive. then i want to save a life, that i want civility, decency, and democracy to win. and as long as my passion is driven by pure positive causes like that, i'm okay with it.

democracy. coming up, another hour of velshi. health experts are calling it a heat seeking missile that will fund the people that are not immune and infect them. in the battle against the dangerous bmeasles outbreak, florida's top health official almost signs -- sounds like he's on the side of the measles. as lukraine enters another yea of fighting since russia's full scale invasion, i'll speak to a former united states ambassador to rmukraine, marie ivanovich, about this critical moment for

this country, and what another trump administration could mean for it. first, congressman jasmine crockett of texas joins me next talk about the state of the presidential campaign, the alarming plans being made by trump allies for a second term, and how those plans intersect with a deeply unpopular ivf ruling. another hour of velshi begins now. >> good morning to you. it is sunday, february the 25th. i'm ali velshi. with another decisive victory for donald trump last night in the nasouth carolina primary. the twice impeached, four times indicted ex president easily defeated nikki haley. his last remaining opponent for the republican presidential nomination on her home turf. she was previously elected governor twice. trump received nearly 60% of the vote yesterday while haley was just shy of breaking the 40% mark. it's a big margin of victory for the former president, but perhaps not the blowout that he

was expecting. as haley emphasized during her speech last night, quote, 40% is not 50%. i also know 40% is not some tiny group. it's a better than expected showing for haley, though it still doesn't change the dynamics of the race. however, it does offer some insights about the electorate ahead of november. nbc's exciples a decade that haley continues to receive the support of primary voters who ma identify as independents, or moderates. this is been the case in other states as well. it may also be a sign of trump's inability to expand his base. that may have been on his mind this week when he expressed support for in vitro fertilization, or ivf treatment, following atthe divisive ruling from the alabama supreme court that led to some fertility clinics in the state suspending their ivf services. at the core of alabama's ruling is the concept of fetal personhood. this is been a central tenet of the anti-abortion movement that tries to legally define that like begins at -- which gives

frozen embryos legal rights. the opinion also includes references to god another christian beliefs, and a country in which the separation of church and state as written s into the first amendment of the constitution. the controversy was further exasperated when journalist uncovered that tom parker, the chief justice of the alabama supreme court, has expressed the belief that american law should be in the bible. on the same day that alabama handed down its ruling, parker gave an interview during which he, quote, suggested america was founded explicitly as a christian nation. he discussed his embrace of the seven mountains mandate. the belief that conservative christians are meant to rule over seven key areas of american life, including media, business, education, and government. and quote. it's the sort of christian nationalism belief that conservatives have been trying to traffic and government for generations. a number of republicans of sins distance themselves from the alabama ruling, and trump is

even gone so far as to call for alabama lawmakers to protect access to ivf in their state. don't mistake trump's recent remarks as a sign that he's moderating the stance on reproductive rights. trump's politics have always been transactional, and as evangelicals have become the core of his base, he's leaned hard into posturing as a man of faith. on thursday, he attended the international christian media rn convention in nashville, and gave a speech that did just that. >> my first time i fought for christians >>harder than any president has ever done before. you know that, you know that. and i will fight even harder for christians with four more years in the white house. >> there is a faction of the republican base that believes that trump would do just that. it's atnot just conjecture either. the heritage foundation has is eady dropped and what known as project 2025. it's a radical plan that is intended to usher in the most

conservative administrations in modern history, and power the president in ways america's founders fought hard to avoid, and infuse christian values into the federal governments. trump has close ties to people advising project 2025, including russell though, who voted -- as the office administration budget during trump's first term. as politico wrote, he has promoted extreme christian nationalist policies in the past, including, quote, of restriction-est immigration agenda, saying a person's background doesn't define who can enter the u.s., but rather, citing biblical teachings. whether that person accepted israel's god, laws, and understanding of history, and quote. there was a time not long ago when overturning roe seemed like an impossibility, as justice after justice assured the public that that matter was settled law. some pregnant women are now dying, or have to reach the brink of death before they can receive proper medical care, because of the new restrictions

on abortion. now, there are also americans who want to have babies, to start or grow their families, but are facing new restrictions because of alabama's ruling. alabama is a canary in the coal mine from where this country could be headed. if we continue to shrug off these emerging policies, as long shot fringe believes, it might be too late. joining me now is democratic congressman, crock, and the other canary in the cold man, state, texas. she's a member of the house oversight committee. congresswoman, thank you for being here. i want to talk about two distinct things with you. i want to talk about ivf and reproductive rights in the handmaid's tale nature of what's going on. i also wanna talk to you about this project 2025 thing. there is a planned in the works, it's not abstract, there is a real plan in the works to create a presidency if donald trump wins that is not based on merit, it is based on loyalty, it is based on christian fundamentalist principles. it is written. the next administration is not

going to be the last trump administration, which was like a bit of a clown car. >> yeah, with crazy is that these people have commandeered, what kristie added e is. it is random nonsense. i mean, i am the child of a preacher. when i hear them talk about christiane tv, i wonder, to myself, what to god are you talking about? what christian faith are you talking about? the things that we see that are being perpetrated in a very pervasive way are the exact opposite of what christiana d stands for. not to mention, as you've already laid out, there is supposed to be a separation of church and state. when i walk into legislate, i legislate as someone who is s looking out for all of america. whether you are of the islamic faith, jewish faith, christian faith, or no faith at all. that is what we are supposed to

do. even if we were to adhere to the christian principles, this is not what it looks like. it doesn't look like a place in which freedom is not loud. it doesn't look like a place in which freedom is fleeting. it looks like a place in which freedom is honored and it is actually something that we pushe forward with. >> let's talk about what has gone on in alabama, which is not news to you and texas, because you used to be a state legislator in texas. these issues, around abortion, and the restrictions that could be placed abortion and reproductive rights as a result of the fallen of roe, are very clear to you. i guess the issue here is even some republicans and conservatives seem confused by this ivf stuff. they're not understanding, wait a second, we want people to babies, then we don't want them to have babies, and we can't really give them contraception, and they have to be nearly dead to have an exception to the abortion laws, except, as we learn, in texas, even if you're nearly dead, and your doctor says you are entitled to an abortion, you actually still

can't get one. >> yeah. you are beads so kind by calling them confused. they are not confused. they're just stupid. they don't know what they're doing. this is why they need to stay in their lanes, right? we are not doctors. we should allow doctors to be the ones to tell us what we should and should not allow. this is a science thing. i know that they are trying to rig this country of science, where this country of history, and all the very basic things. you know they obviously struggle with math as well. , listen we need to send the republicans back to elementary school so that they can get the basics, and understand what it is that we should be relying upon. including our doctors. our doctors that are telling us, listen, these policies will kill women. these policies will disallow those that actually want to bring children into this world from beatable to do so. this idea of trying to define personhood before someone has actually entered the world is absolutely insane to me. i saw on social media just the other day that somebody said

the reason that we don't call ivf, we don't look at that and say, these are children, is because what is the last time you could put a child in the freezer and they actually live? that is not what you do. you keep them in the freezer, so this is the idea, that we're going to ignore the experts. that's why we're struggling with climate change. that's why we're struggling with three pro. that's why we're thstruggling i general. this is time to get back on track. it's time to listen to the experts instead of listening to those that i would consider to be ignorant. >> that is full circle to my first question to fyou about project when 25. the whole idea is in viewing the presidency with authority that e they found did not think the presidency should have. we fought off a king, right? and it's that presidents been able to appoint people to have what we otherwise think of as government agencies headed by experts who are approved by the senate, and just putting in who

you like because they're loyal to you. loyalty, this is a hypothetical first loyalty cabinets that has been followed by axios as part of a trump administration. you should see some of the names that are on here. you have jared kushner possibly as the secretary of state, we have kash patel who said that they're going to jail journalist. you have stephen miller with remarkably out of sync immigration policies. that is the problem. we are actually talking about taking the experts out of government and replacing them with people who are loyal to ideological, political positions. >> yeah. honestly, we have seen this happen slowly but surely. how did we get here in the first place. it is because it is the loyalist. if you look at the supreme court, styou, know you would ho and think that people who actually have a law degree understood what it meant to have a law degree, what it w meant to practice law, what it meant to actually honor precedence. what that look like. instead, you have people with

an agenda. that agenda started with roe, and overturning roe, regardless of what they said when it came down to the confirmation. were continuously seen. that we know that we've got the crazy judge down in texas who then wanted to go after -- we also know that they don't want to stop with missile for stone. we know they want to look at things such as contraception as a whole. the problem that we're having is that courts are typically supposed to listen to experts, and even us, sitting in congress, we're supposed to be listening to experts. we're supposed to be taking expert testimony when they come in before the committee. instead, we are listening to that nonsense of someone who is just now been indicted for lying, and that is the basis of impeaching the presidents. this is how far the republican party has fallen. honestly, i just want the real republicans to stand up and take the party back. >> i think that would be a better situation for everybody

in america. republicans stand up and take the party back. jasmine crockett, great to see you, inas always. thank you. democratic representative of texas. coming, up atwith christian military aid to ukraine being held up in congress by trump loyalist, i'll talk to the former u.s. ambassador to ukraine, marie ivanovic, about the future of the war and how a trump victory could spell doom for ukraine's fight for democracy. first, we'll turn our focus to the record-breaking stock market. just one piece of a string of o good economic news. that's next on velshi. on msnbc. ne next on velshi. on msnbc. >> woman: safelite is the one i trust. they focus on safety so i can focus on this view. >> singers: ♪ safelite repair, safelite replace. ♪ jordan's sore nose let out a fiery sneeze, so dad grabbed puffs plus lotion to soothe her with ease. puffs plus lotion is gentle on sensitive skin and locks in moisture to provide soothing relief. a nose in need deserves puffs indeed. america's #1 lotion tissue. fair, freckled, or melanated. we are appreciated. ultra hydrated.

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we make money from ads, but they don't follow you aroud join the millions of people taking back their privacy by downloading duckduckgo on all your devices today. >> wall street's booming right now. the stock market continuing to set records with two of the major american stock industries breaking new ground on friday. the dow closed at an all-time, high in the s&p 500, which trucks the performance at the 500 largest companies in america in a new record, surpassing 5100 for the first time in history. now, i always want to emphasize, the stock market is not the same as the economy, and, a very small proportion of these games are spread equally

across society, but, the markets are somewhat of a barometer, reflecting which way investors think the economy is going. for more on the good, bad, and ugly of the american economy, i'm joined by my great friend caleb silver. he's editor-in-chief of investopedia. let's talk about this, caleb. the records, the stock market, i assume that's your good. >> that's very good. it's the 12 record high. we have record highs like this, we normally have more record highs. if you go all the way back to the great financial crisis, the stock market is up 640% in the 12 to 13 year period. that's pretty good. >> let's talk about the bad. it is not all good news across the board. >> yeah, the bad is that we have record high credit card debt, inflation is still stuck here at around 3%. that last like inflation, the federal reserve wanted around 2%. very hard to get there. instantly prices are going to fall from the air. we're not going to get -- >> he just means they go up. >> yeah, they're at a slower rate. we call that -- >> you might get a raise at about 3%. you don't to be losing money on

its. it is fair to say that the rest of the world thinks 3% is actually an okay number. >> absolutely. if you were rounding the 70s, inflation was 12, 13, 14%. this is come way down from those 9% ties a year and a half ago. that's good. we still have interest rates at a 22 year high. why? the federal reserve was using interest rates to combat inflation. that's really tough for people, especially with credit card debt, housing affordability it affects mortgages, credit cards, everything. >> i would've guess it's a 22 year high for interest rates. there's something ugly, is there's an uglier yet? >> you have these high interest rates, it means we're spending, as we do all the time. we had record high credit card debt. that is really tough, especially for low income people. yes, we've had salary increases. yes we fed raises. yes the stock markets are record high. if you're dealing with, that we're talking about record high credit card debt, 60 $600 per borrower. guess what? we're falling within the rest of the country because we have a deficit that is now 34 trillion. that could become a big factor

this week, friday. ahead of the government shutdown, not necessarily because, this but because the spending in general, we can't stop spending. this is going to become an issue. >> this comes up a lot. nearly 30 million people are food insecure. yes, the stock market going up is a good thing. a lot of people have i.r.a.s, 401(k) s. that's good. but for people who have a lot of credit card debt, or food insecurity, they're not benefiting from the stock market. >> not at. all 60% of u.s. adults are invested in the stock market one where the other. a lot of people aren't. this inflation, 3%, 4%, whatever it's been over the past year, this hurts lower income people the most. food inflation has been one of the worst parts. food and shelter can't get away from those costs. lower income folks are still feeling. that they don't feel the boom of the stock market. they don't feel the fact that the economy is not in a recession, it's actually doing pretty well. they feel food and secure, they fill rent and secure, having a hard time making a week after week. >> we have to pay a lot of attention to this. we're going to be talking about poverty a little later in the show as well. kelvin, as always.

thank you. my friend, editor-in-chief of investopedia. coming, up we've entered the third year of full scale war and ukraine. after the break, i'll talk to a former u.s. ambassador to ukraine, marie ivanovich about the future of the fighting, and what this could mean for the fight for democracy. for the fight for democracy. ccur, even days after using. most common side effects were nausea, indigestion, and stomach pain. ask about nurtec odt.

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with just one pill a day. choose acid prevention. choose nexium. >> marie yovanovitch was already an experienced, well respected member of the u.n. foreign service by the time she was nominated to be ambassador to ukraine. having been assigned all over the world, and serving as ambassador to kyrgyzstan and armenia. when she assumed her post in kyiv and 2016, two years after russia's initial invasion of ukraine and annexation of crimea, one of her first stops was the wall of remembrance. of memorial honoring ukrainian soldiers who were killed fighting in donbas. she would go into visit the

frontline ten times as ambassador. the other major part of her job, promoting anti corruption efforts, just a couple years earlier, before the 2013 invasion, ukraine voted out the very pro-russian, very corrupt presidents. so this experienced, anti- corruption, veteran american diplomats fulfilling her duty should have been welcome. but we now know that at the same time, then president, donald trump, was involved in a multi prong effort to pressure the ukrainian government into manufacturing dirt on joe biden that, and a quick pro crow exposed by the lieutenant colonel -- , trump withheld aid from ukraine in the form of money and weapons for what he was later impeached. to trump and his cronies, ambassador yovanovitch was a problem. a roadblock in their anti- democratic plans. rudy giuliani, along with the shady cast of characters, including igor fruman, began spreading lies about jokic,

claiming that she was bad news. the state department had lost faith in her capabilities, and that she was involved in corruption schemes involving hillary clinton. the state department would later officially called the allegations against her, quote, and outright fabrication, and quote. a classic disinformation campaign. nevertheless, three days after the election of the new ukrainian president, volodymyr zelenskyy, and about a month after the lies began to spread amongst conservative media, at the end of april 2019, yovanovitch was recalled without notice to washington. she was dismissed as ambassador. having been fully vindicated, she joins me now, the former ambassador to ukraine, maria yovanovitch. good to see you again. thank you for being with us. i, this is all ancient history, but it's important to understand because you were, at the time you were recalled, at the very front line of something that was crucially,

crucially important, in gosh, had you been allowed to just continue your work, maybe would be in a different position than we are today. here we are, entering the third year of this full scale invasion of ukraine. i want to see what your, feeling what you're thinking. >> well, i think, you know, who could have imagined that russia -- >> hold on a second, we're just going to -- all right, go ahead. sorry about that. >> it's still hard for me to believe that russia would actually launch this full scale, aggressive war against ukraine, and that two years into it we are still there. so i think, you, know it's a very sad anniversary, one that is important that we should mark. i think we need to look forward, and what is key is to understand that ukraine can win this war on the battlefield, but it needs our help. so we need to provide the assistance with that, with the supplemental, and i'm hoping that this week, when congress

comes back to washington, they will bring it to the floor, and vote for it. that is what would happen if speaker johnson would bring it to the floor. >> ambassador, when we spoke about two years ago, almost exactly two years ago, it was two years, two weeks into this phase of the war. i was, if you recall, in hungary, right near the border with ukraine. i wasn't a transduction where ukrainian refugees were lining up to evacuate the escalating violence. i asked you about ukrainian prospects to prevail in this war. let's recount this. >> is there a world in which the ukrainian people when this fights? we've been speaking to members of parliament who are saying that they've got the drive in them to do it, but they cannot do it without more assistance from the globe. do you see that there is any chance of ukraine prevailing? >> i think, here's what i know.

russia is not going to prevail. russia may, over time, if it really doubles down, they may win the war, but they are never going to win peace. the ukrainian people will resist. as you are seen them do every day, right now, they will resist through a guerrilla movement, they will resist through access civil disobedience, they will make the price so high for a russian occupation that it will not be sustainable. russia's miscalculation in invading ukraine's, you know, a tragedy for the ukrainian people, in the ukrainian nation. >> that tragedy has played out to this day. the death of al-aqsa navalny, it just shows you the depravity of that administration. vladimir putin is going to win his election in march no matter what, and yet, navalny is dead. yet, the russian people continue to suffer. the ukrainian people continue to suffer. how does this, how does this

evolve in your opinion? >> well, what i'm hoping is that the u.s. will provide that crucially necessary assistance. i just want to put in a small plug that everybody and your tv audience can help in this effort by collie their representatives and their senators, and letting them know that they support assistance to ukraine. that is important because the majority of americans do support assistance to ukraine, and it is vitally necessary, and it is vitally necessary right now. >> let's discuss that a little further. not only do the majority of americans support ukraine, it was almost universal and congress. the majority of republicans supported this. now we have this weird situation in which it was tied to the border bell, the republicans got the portable they wanted but then they rejected it. donald trump adjusts, who is

speaker of the house, keeps on doing things that are not going to allow this to go through. i'm a little worried that vladimir putin, and another world, leaders are picking up on this idea. if i wait out the next time, months things are going to get better for me. >> yeah. i think that's exactly what we're seen. i, mean we hear a lot about russia wanting to negotiate, that is absolutely not true. russia is making clear that they are looking at the short term, looking forward to russian elections in march to make sure that's putin gets an overwhelming victory, that he will use as a referendum on the war, even though i'm not sure, at, all that that is the case. i think that he is waiting for our elections, it is not just waiting, he is actively trying to shape our elections with the use of disinformation and the use of bots, and try to divide our society against itself. we are seen that amongst our

adversaries, but also among our allies who are wondering whether we are going to support ukraine, and what does that mean if they require our support it some future time? i think little by little, we're going to see allies and partners hedging their bets. what that means is, if they can't count on us for support, ultimately, in the future, we're not going to be able to count on them for support. that is a very dangerous place for the u.s. to begin. our alliances, our partnerships around the world, is one of our greatest strengths. you know, people talk about america first, but america first could very well become america alone. >> you, know it's interesting you say that because when you talk about nato, and the article five, which is how the mutual defense part about it, the only time it's ever been invoked, is in defensive america. after the attacks on 9/11. the rest of nato said, it is as if we have been attacked, we

will come to your 80s if we've been attacked. just the other days, and soon i saw each other at columbia university, just the other day donald trump sat on stage, he said he would encourage russia to do, quote, whatever the hell they want to, unquote, to nato allies, in response to somebody saying, what if all these countries don't pay, don't pay as much as they're supposed to for nato? i think that was a wild thing for donald trump to say. >> yeah. i mean, words kind of fill me to describe what he said. and the damage that it causes to our standing in the world, it is important that we'd be understood, that we are a steadfast ally and partner, and that countries, adversaries, and allies, understand that we are steadfast. bringing this back to ukraine, the question is been raised now as people see our internal

turmoil over this question. when, in fact, the majority of americans support this policy, and the majority of representatives and senators on the hill supported as well. we need to move forward on the, speaker johnson has said that he wants to support, to provide support for ukraine. now is the time. >> now is the time. i want to repeat that viewers of the show should call their member of congress and say, please, get this done. we ayanna burch, always an honor to talk to. you breonna because the former ambassador to ukraine, and author of lessons from the edge, a memoir. coming, up it's the most infectious pathogen we know, of it's currently spreading in florida. the states top health official is taking an alarming position on fighting the outbreak. the story is next. on on fighting the outbreak. the story is next. renews millions of surface skin cells while you sleep. wake up to smoother, younger-looking skin with olay retinol24.

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measles outbreak, in the state has responded with an official policy that literally goes against science. measles is an extremely contagious viral respiratory infection. and it's so contagious that anyone not vaccinated against debts will likely get it. it mostly affects kids, and it can be very serious. the infected can develop pneumonia, which is the world's leading infectious cause of death for kids under five. according to the world health organization, measles can also cause the brain to swell, resulted in deafness, intellectual disability, and sometimes, death. today, about one in five people who get measles will end up in the hospital, and about one in every thousand cases will end and death. the good news is that there is an extremely effective vaccine against, at which has been widely available for decades. roughly 90% of americans get vaccinated against the measles early and life, but of course, infections still happen. in fact, recently, the u.s. has

seen some of the highest numbers of measles infections and more than a decade. at the same time, the cdc reported that chiles immunization rates hit a ten- year low last year. in 2023, a record number of parents filed for exemptions from school vaccination requirements nationwide. right now, there is a number of growing measles cases in a florida elementary school near fort lauderdale. the cdc recommends that unvaccinated children that have potential exposure to the virus be kept home from school for up to 21 days. that is the incubation period for the virus. but florida surgeon general, joseph -- has decided that unvaccinated kids, even those who have no exposures to measles, can keep going to school if their parents want them to. he said that the state health department, quote, is deferring to parents or guardians to make decisions of a school attendance, and quote. health officials have denounced the decision with one local doctor pointing out that his

decision puts the most vulnerable students at the highest risk. like those who can't get vaccinated because of cancer treatments or other health conditions. his letter should not necessarily come as a surprise, given his personal track record. he has repeatedly been pushing misinformation about vaccines, particularly the covid-19 vaccine. he appealed quarantine rules with school age children who were exposed to covid while the state was added then all-time high for reported cases. around the same time, he also refused to wear a mask while meeting with the state senator who was about to make radiation treatment for breast cancer. just last, month latypov, who again, is the top health official in the state of florida, call to halt the use of covid vaccines, citing debunked and completely incorrect misinformation that the vaccine contaminates patients dna. so perhaps we should not be surprised that this guy is

deciding that florida can just waits with the measles outbreak. waits with the measles outbreak. but don't forget this season's updated covid-19 shot too. there's nothing better than a subway series footlong. except when you add on an all new footlong sidekick. we're talking a $2 footlong churro. $3 footlong pretzel and a five dollar footlong cookie. every epic footlong deserves the perfect sidekick. order one with your favorite subway series sub today. to a child, this is what conflict looks like. children in ukraine are caught in the crossfire of war, forced to flee their homes. a steady stream of refugees has been coming across all day. it's basically cold. lacking clean water and sanitation. exposed to injury, hunger. exhausted and shell shocked from what they've been through. every dollar you give can help

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some of their stories. >> and southern gaza, in the tenth city of rafah, a rare scan. dr. mohammed -- examines 34- year-old submarine -- this is her first pregnancy, and this is no -- but mothers do their best to take care of their babies, just like everywhere in the world. doctor erica is also just place to rafah. >> there is lack of water, lack of shelter, cold, lack of hygiene. all of this cause many problems for the ladies, infections for example. >> the u.n. estimates there are 15,000 pregnant women in gaza, with nearly 180 babies born every day. our team in rafah meets 30-year- old some of john. she is eight months pregnant with no prenatal care, no vitamins, no fruits and vegetables. she says no clean water. she is worried her baby is already seriously harmed.

>> translator: i'm worried labor will start at night, she says. i will give birth right here, and attends. it is no place for a baby, she says. but nearby, little 15 day old resign is loved by her mother, unaware of this world she's entered. we have made it to a hospital, but with no bad, she stood in the hallway as contractions started. with close covered in blood, she walked with the hospital two hours after birth. after one woman gives birth, she says, another woman takes her place. without sterilization. i wish i never brought her to this world, she said. and they taken or motherhood. are we happy to give birth to children here? now. we feel sorry for them. in the occupied west bank, we speak with leading ob/gyn, dr. najib gillham, who says that the biggest races where labor starts. >> these women are deliberating and shelter, intense, without

the presence of medical attendee, a midwife, or dr.. >> how dangerous, in your assessment, is it to be pregnant in gaza today? how dangerous? >> it's very dangerous. it's very dangerous, because pregnant, you are always going to be concerned about your pregnancy, to provide yourself and your baby with the best medical service, even if you were in london, okay? now we're in gaza. >> at the maternity hospital in rafah, dr. i'll share says most newborns could not survive. with extreme shortages of antibiotics, pain medication in blood, pay medication for mothers and babies is no guarantee, but the fight for life continues for babies to an incubator. these are the lucky ones. molly hunter, nbc news, jerusalem. >> and our thanks to molly hunter for that important reporting. we'll be right back. important

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here on velshi, we started featuring some of these folks, who small acts of courage have gone a long way. when you think of poverty, what comes to mind? maybe homelessness, food insecurity, a lack of health care? many people who experience poverty also struggle to pay for basic needs, including basic hygiene needs. if you're a person who menstruates, you are also having to come up with money to pray for a period products every month. ever heard of the pink tax? on average, a person who needs them spends 240 per year on period products that someone who doesn't, more than someone who doesn't, according to the national organization for women. imagine getting your period every month and not having the money to buy these period products, or not have unreliable access to a bathroom. one study published in the medical journal of gynecology found that roughly one in five people, 21%, cannot afford period products every month. this plight has become known as period poverty. there are serious health risks

that come with period poverty, those who can't afford products like tampons or pads often resort to unsanitary methods, like scraps of cardboard, or old socks. sometimes they're forced to -- that's a problem that's under discussed, partly because it only affects a portion of the population, but also because of the stigma about talking about periods. when covid hit in 2020, karen tin baker, then a junior at st. john's university in queens new york splinter free time volunteering and local food pantries and researching poverty and her community. she soon realized that the people been served by the shelters, people who did not have enough money for food, probably couldn't by period products either. so she had some of her friends use their own money to stock up on pads and tampons, and began distributing the mid-food pantries and shelters. carrington was right. there was a strong direct correlation between food and security, and period poverty. the demand was high, and she realized that she needed to find a way to get a lot more

products. guaranteed is now transforming this group of friends into a volunteer-led nonprofit called for women, by women, period. get it? the organization is made up mostly of our friends, sister, and mom. they're a small group, but there are small acts of courage are making a big difference. joining me now is karen baker, founder and ceo of four women, by women, period. starting with an excellent name for the organization. welcome. thank you for doing this. i just want to move ahead in the story, once you gathered and stash of products, you and your friends used your own money to buy these period products. then what happened, what she ran through that? >> so, i started reaching out to different minstrel hygiene companies, just seen if we could find an hard is it is -- a company that would support us. then, contacting their

operations directors. i got very lucky in this video is actually our first big donation from cora. an amazing company that gives back to those in need, that experience period poverty. we got 307,000 products. we filled three storage units, which we have distributed the majority of that at this point. that was back in 2022. when we receive those products. >> how did you figure out there was a need for this? obviously you were at food shelters, and people were showing up there, clearly, they didn't have the money to buy their basics. was that intuitive to, you that if they can't buy soup, then they might not be able to afford period products? >> honestly, it was not at first. i came across a youtube video and it really explained homelessness in periods in new york city, and that's where i'm live, in new york city, seen people homeless, never thinking about menstrual hygiene products even though i am a woman who menstruates myself. when i came across it i said, that makes a lot of sense, of course they need this. they're not able to get just

food menstrual hygiene products, they're very expensive. at that point i was, like i want to do something, no matter how big or small. i just want to get back in any possible way, honestly, within the queens community at first. from, there that meet just kept growing. we kept hearing from companies, organizations where she now to, us asking if we had products to distribute. that's what we really realize that there is a area for this that we can help, and we're going to do it. >> you also lead work shots about menstruation equity. what does that mean? >> menstrual equity has a lot into. it period poverty is involved, but even just making sure that we are getting that proper education as well for menstruation, and making sure it's equal access in all public spaces. even just people who are able to purchase products, they should still be able to access menstrual products in a public space. nick a library, or an airport, or being businesses in the grocery stores. menstrual equity is fighting

for that and this law space. what they do, they're trying to get laws passed, to make menstrual products free in the united states. congressman gary smith is one of the congresswoman in new york city who is working on that. she's an amazing woman who have been able to speak with. she is working on getting those laws paso people of equal access, regardless of their financial situation. >> are things changing? other than the fact that you said you are willing to do anything smaller, bag and that's the beauty of the whole thing. you aren't worried about the big picture, you are doing what you could. are things getting fairer for women? >> yeah. yes and no. i would say other countries are a little bit ahead. the united states right now. they are working on, and i would. say there's a lot of organizations like mine that are doing the work that we do, in different parts of the united states, that are really contributing to ending that period poverty and different communities. it, is there are a lot of pushback at the end of the day, from congress, with those laws, finding a way to make it accessible for all.

i think that something that congresswoman grace -- is working on, to get those laws passed, to make it fair for everyone. it's not an easy process at all. >> carrington, thank you. fantastic that you're doing this. fantastic you doing it for all the right reasons. fantastic that ultimately you may move the needle for a lot of people who didn't know this was a problem. -- the founder and ceo of four women, by, women period. catch me next saturday and sunday morning from 10 am to noon eastern. don't forget, velshi is also available as a podcast, in which i wear a vast. follow and listen for free wherever you get your podcasts. i don't know but you guys, but i'm going for not just after this. hashtag branch. stay right where you are, jen psaki begins right now. >> when the lead up to the south carolina primary donald trump gave some of the most unhinged, dangerous speeches we have ever heard him give. then, he beat nikki haley and her home state. josh shapiro talks about what it means