thanks for watching. >> "here and now," the program featuring the news and interests of the african-american community. here's your host, sandra bookman. >> coming up, saving men's lives. how losing two friends motivated one woman to start her own nonprofit that focuses on the health of men and boys of color. also, the legacy of accomplished scholar and activist sonia sanchez. it's the subject of one of the featured films in this year's new york city african diaspora international film festival. and later, a local effort to save the environment and the lives of children in madagascar. "erik the reptile guy" fills us in on this international mission. plus, a reboot of a holiday classic. the return of the "hip hop nutcracker."

"here and now." it's the holidays. which means a house full of people -- who all want to get online. so it's the perfect time forerizonios. it has the fastest internet and wifi available. with speeds from 50 to 500 megs. and right now, you'll get 50 meg fios internet, tv and phone for 79.99 a month online for your first year.

and with a 2 year agreement, we'll give you all the premium movie channels for a year. plus, 400 dollars back. so go online or call now. get out of the past. get fios. >> welcome back to "here and now." diabetes is one of the most serious health problems facing african-americans today. in fact, we are nearly two times more likely to have diabetes than non-hispanic whites. one woman made the decision to try and make a dent in that number after the premature deaths of two male friends from illnesses related to diabetes. she created the nonprofit s.o.s., save our sexy, three years ago. here today, nurse practitioner and founder of save our sexy, aisha smith, and

son, a popular street-basketball player, tyron "alimoe" evans, died from diabetes complications. welcome to both of you. >> thank you. >> thank you for having us. >> so, aisha, you know i have to ask you about save our sexy. what is the -- why the name of the organization? >> the name. okay. the name is just very simple. a guy that we grew up with -- and, so, he's in about his 40s. >> mm-hmm. >> and of all the men i know in that age group, he's the healthiest, i think. physically, he looks the healthiest. he's at the gym all the time. we watch old basketball tapes, and he looks exactly the same as he did when he was 16 years old. >> mm-hmm. >> so, i said to him, "hey, do you look so good?" and he said, "girl, i have to save my sexy." >> oh, and you liked that. >> that was it. i mean, it just stuck with me, and i liked it ever since. my sister's in marketing, and she said, "well, let's change it to save our sexy" because of the s.o.s. >> mm-hmm. >> and we went with s.o.s. >> okay.

>> and it's effective, because people are always interested in what we're doing. >> yeah. >> it's more interesting than saying, "come and get a screening," you know? we say, "we're s.o.s., we're in the park, we're saving our sexy," and everybody wants to come out and see what we're doing. >> has it been difficult to get men to pay attention to what you're doing, to get their attention? >> it is. it's challenging. it's a process, because just men are just harder to screen. i mean, we use women to attract the men. >> yeah. makes sense. >> and we go where men are. we try to use sports. we use places where men are -- barbershops. and that helps. if we're in a place where men already exist, instead of asking them to come to us, it makes it easier. once we're there, it's not an issue. it's not as hard. >> it's just getting there. >> yes, exactly. >> now, victoria, your son -- i guess, for a lot of people, they'd say, "oh, he's the picture of health." you know, tell us his story. when was he diagnosed with diabetes?

and what happened? was he not able to keep it under control or... >> well, he was diagnosed when he was 26 years old. i'm not really quite positive about the year. >> mm-hmm. >> we didn't know that he had diabetes. he was losing weight. and we thought it was pneumonia. so, i was going away on a trip. so, when we came back, we found out he had diabetes -- type 1. so, i'm assuming, ms. bookman, that it was already there. >> yeah. mm-hmm. >> and as he got older, it came out. and he was taking insulin, but he was having seizures, which will cause him to shake. >> mm-hmm. >> and when he would come through, he had no knowledge of what happened. so, he started taking his

insulin. he worked out every day. he was fanatic with working out. and i think that's what helped him keep going was him staying in shape, you know? but the seizures. >> eventually -- >> yeah, he couldn't control the seizures. >> so, the work this organization does is near and dear to your heart. >> very much so. >> mm-hmm. >> very much so. very much so, as far as health. you know, and i wish he had shared that with us, instead of fighting it by himself, you know, 'cause -- i'm sorry. >> no. it's perfect. what is the message that you would give to young men, who sometimes think, you know, they're invulnerable? >> what i would give to them is taking care of yourself, sharing the knowledge of your sickness with your family or friends, because i think if you're trying

to fight it by yourself, you know, you can't. you need that family help or friend help. >> you need a support system. >> right. >> absolutely. >> exactly. >> 'cause it's not that easy. >> and to get screened, in the thing. just because you look healthy or you feel healthy doesn't mean that you don't have diabetes. >> exactly. >> so it's important to be screened so that you'll know whether or not you have pre-diabetes, because if you have pre-diabetes, then you can reverse that so that it doesn't lead to diabetes. >> now, you guys -- you talked about attracting men to these screenings, getting them to take control of their health. what advice do you have for the women in their lives? be it a mother, a sister, a wife, a girlfriend. you know, is there something that they should be looking for? >> it just depends on the type of diabetes, because there are two types. with type 1 diabetes, it means that your pancreas makes no insulin whatsoever. so you're going to see some of the same symptoms as diabetes type 2, but you'll see

weight loss with type 1. so you'll have a lot frequent urination, frequent hunger. you'll see more fatigue. but you'll see weight loss. with diabetes type 2, where a person's pancreas still makes some insulin but their body is not using it properly, then you'll see someone who is usually more overweight. and that's where we have an epidemic, is in type 2, in our community. >> and, you know, once you get people in there and they're listening to your message, how difficult or easy is it to get them to follow a different regimen, you know, to take control of their own health? >> well, i mean, it's a process, because one encounter with someone is not going to make that change. it takes several encounters. what we try to do is just give people the information. i mean, this really started for me because when i saw patients in the community that had diabetes for years, they didn't even understand the consequences of the disease. >> mm-hmm. >> so, for us, when we go out,

even if we have two minutes with you, we want you to understand the consequences of diabetes when you leave the table. >> and your staff, i might mention -- we are talking about professional people. >> yes. >> your staff is, essentially, nurses, is it not? >> nurses and we use medical assistants, as well. so, medical-assistant students -- they work with us. >> okay. and then your website is saveoursexy.org. >> yeah. >> and on the website -- tell me about what's on it. you've got a list of resources. >> there's a list of resources. we have a video about diabetes type 2 and some risk factors. there's also a link where you can take a test with the ada to see if you're at risk for diabetes type 2. and then we have some pictures of some people that we've lost due to diabetes and heart disease. >> yeah. and, you know, people need to realize that, sometimes when they see themselves, that really sends the message home. >> yeah. >> and you're a nonprofit. >> we are. we're nonprofit. >> so donations... >> we absolutely need donations. >> ...are welcome. >> yes. >> and accepted. >> accepted, yes. >> all right. aisha, thank you so much for being with us. it's important work that you're doing.

>> thank you. >> and best of luck to you, as well, victoria. >> thank you, ms. bookman. thank you very much. >> next on "here and now," a nursery school that helps children excel in preschool and

back. >> a daycare center that not only is making life a little easier for families juggling children and tough work schedules. it's also extending a helping hand when they're ready for college. the round-the-clock nursery

future high-school graduates. joining us now is its c.e.o. and founder, gail davis. thank you so much for being with us, ms. davis. >> you're welcome. >> now, you have been -- for almost two decades, you've been offering daycare services. >> yes. >> but you decided to go one step beyond. you really kind of want to follow these kids and give them a leg up all the way through high school and into college. >> yes. >> so, why was it important for you to do that? >> well, having spent over 10 months with most of the children graduating, i wanted to know what happened to them after. i know that, through letters and phone calls, periodically, it wouldn't, you know, get it. and so i decided that this might be the best way to go. and it is. >> yeah, you figured out a way to really impact that. and, so, when we tell folks what it is you do, you essentially

set up a college fund for some students. >> yes. it's a 529 scholarship. every year, we have almost 200 children graduating from our universal pre-kindergarten program. and we select a few, sometimes one from each side, which might be four children, and other times, there might even be as many as two from each location. and we have four locations now that we are providing universal pre-kindergarten. >> and you set these funds up for them. >> mm-hmm. >> you fund them... >> yes. >> ...yeah -- for that entire period of time. how can you afford to do that? >> well, we sell candy. [ both laugh ] children -- we do the photo ops, and the parents pay for their photos. and the funds from that go towards the scholarship.

thought is, my understanding is, by the time the youngster gets into the 12th grade and is ready to go to college, the hope is that they would have at least $10,000 in that fund. >> at least $10,000. >> mm-hmm. >> i guess it would depend on the market. it might be $15,000. it may be more. but the minimum would be $10,000. >> now, you start each fund out, i think, with maybe $50? >> $50 a month for each child, yes, every month. >> that is exceedingly generous. what moves you to do that? and you have committed yourself to doing this every year. >> like i said, having spent time these many months with a child, something about these children -- it's like they are mine in some way. i know, realistically, that's not the case, but i just want to know how they are doing, and this is the only way that i can find out and keep in touch. >> perhaps even, in a way, influence how --

>> how important do you think that is for a child that young? sometimes, they don't understand. sometimes, they understand a whole lot more than you expect that they do. to already have that thought in his mind that, "i'm going to college. i have a college fund." >> "i'm special." >> mm-hmm. >> yes. it's -- most of the children are aware, because at the graduation, they are called up. the teachers talk about their performance. the parents's participation. it's a nice feeling for a child, and every one is, like, you know, excited and happy. >> you think, you know, children need to hear that -- "i'm special"? >> yes, they do. >> mm-hmm. >> and not only the words, but some action. >> mm-hmm. >> they want to see, you know, somebody actually doing it, because it's easy to say, "you are special."

time and try to show it, to prove it, that i really -- when i say "you are special," i mean it. and by doing this, this is showing you. >> so you put -- what is it they say? you're walking it like you talk it. >> yes. yes. >> and what does it do for you to know that, truly, you, round-the-clock and gail davis, there's a legacy there? >> well, you know, when round-the-clock nursery started, when it was developed, the idea was to meet the needs of parents, and that's a financial need that i believe most parents would welcome. so, i am just in line with the vehicle for round-the-clock nursery. >> and i know that you have this own fund for your son. >> well, yeah. he's in college now.

>> yeah. >> but you wanted to help some other babies, as well. >> yes. yes. >> is it satisfying, you know, to feel that you are successful enough in your life -- and i'm not talking about monetarily -- but to really be able to pay it forward? >> yeah, i mean, just having the opportunity to have these children entrusted to my care -- i mean, it's money in the bank for me. >> all right. >> mm-hmm. >> best of luck to you. >> thank you. >> it's a wonderful idea. >> thank you very much. >> thank you for sharing your

>> now, most of us are familiar with the first great migration, when nearly 1 1/2 million african-americans moved from the south to big cities in northern and western states. they were, of course, looking for a better life. well, there was a second migration you may not be as familiar with. a new exhibit, "black suburbia: from levittown to ferguson," at the schomburg center for research in black studies, examines the african-american experience outside of major cities, in communities like hempstead, long island, baldwin hills, california, and shaker heights, ohio. joining us today is isissa komada-john. she is the exhibitions manager at the schomburg center. thank you so much for being with us this afternoon. >> thank you for having me. >> this really is an interesting exhibit. so, tell me -- what will people see when they come in to the schomburg? >> yeah, so, "black suburbia: from levittown to ferguson" is really divided into three

geographical case studies. so, we start in hempstead, in long island, where we see some of the earliest formations of black suburban communities in the country. we look at the movement to hempstead really as part of commuter towns, working outside of an industrialized new york city. we then go to shaker heights, in ohio, where we see an integrated ludlow. and we move to baldwin hills and compton, in california, where we see a black power ethos that's developed in the suburbs. so, on view, we have letters, we have photographs, artifacts, all from the schomburg collections, from the hofstra university collections, and also from the dozens of families throughout the country who so graciously have sent us their stuff to lend to this story. >> and what does this tell you about the black experience in america? i mean, just, you know, thinking about it initially, i would say it sounds like it would give us a fuller picture of how black

people lived in america and went after the american dream. >> it really does. i mean, i think from, you know, our earliest accounts of black life in this country, we've thought of black people, first, as a rural people and then, more recently, as an urban people. we know that, a lot of times, when we say "urban," that's code language for black. but, really, today and in the 21st century, the majority of black people actually live in the suburbs. so black people are suburban people. so, this exhibition, which is co-presented by hofstra university's national center for suburban studies, curated by james levy out of the university of wisconsin at whitewater, really gives us all new dimensions to understanding what black life really looks like today. >> and do you find that, from looking at all of this material, some of the same issues that plagued blacks in urban areas -- it followed them to the suburb? i mean, do they run into the

same sort of segregation, jim crow laws, you know, redlining when it came to, you know, getting a mortgage. same kinds of issues? >> definitely. we see a lot of the same kinds communities. and i think a really interesting case in point there is that with the development of levittown, on long island, we had black workers who were a part of building the actual towns, building the cities, but then, of course, there's national law on the books -- and we're talking, here, post-world war ii, 1945, right in that period -- where the very people who have built these communities don't have access to even living in them. and, you know, if we're looking before 1968, there are laws on the books that say that "we can discriminate based on race, in terms of housing." and this is practices that we saw, you know, in rural areas, in urban areas, and in suburban communities. >> now, i know the exhibit -- you know, the four big areas, shaker heights, baldwin hills,

and levittown, but ferguson is included in this exhibit. why is that? >> definitely. i mean, one of the major sparks for this show and why we thought it was so timely and important to explore black suburbia now is that a lot of what we're seeing happening in suburban communities today are around racially biased policies and policing, racially biased policies and housing practices, really have a long history and legacy in a black-suburban experience. so, both on the side of discrimination, and then also on the side of resistance and movement and grassroots building, coalition building. so, there's a legacy on both ends in terms of discrimination and resistance that we're seeing in ferguson and, historically, when we look at black suburbs. >> and how have people who have seen the material put together in this way, in a way that they can, you know, understand it and sort of follow events -- how have they been responding to the exhibit? >> the response to the show has

really been tremendous, and from my time in the gallery, i've heard so many conversations among visitors who are seeing themselves represented, 'cause i think there's a certain kind of invisibilization that has happened around black-suburban culture and history, where we just don't really think of black people as living in suburbs, even though so many do. so, seeing visitors coming and my family. this is my community," though maybe i grew up in florida or in wisconsin, but we really see what these family structures, neighborhoods, communities, and histories have looked like throughout the country. >> yeah, it was repeated around the country. and it was people from, you know, every social strata, i would assume. you're getting families that run the gamut. >> exactly. yeah, and i think the show really troubles a lot of popular conceptions around suburbia as a space of wealth, necessarily. not all suburbs are wealthy suburbs. we really do see, like, vast

status for suburban families and communities. >> i would that looking back and seeing, you know, this pattern perhaps does explain some of the issues that communities like hempstead -- they're facing today. there's a lot of poverty, a lot of unemployment in communities, which, in turn, affects the schools, and, in some ways, it affects how the community is policed. >> yep. >> what are you hoping the reaction will be when people take a look at this exhibit, in terms of how they view the black experience in the country? >> i mean, first of all, at the schomburg center, it's education and it's that people will learn, that people will come and see aspects of themselves, their communities, their history that they haven't seen before, and that the information will be empowering moving forward, that seeing that activism has been happening in communities all across the country will inspire new work, new movements, new building, new coalitions.

>> okay. thank you so much for being with us, isissa komada-john. and the exhibit is at the schomburg. >> it's at the schomburg center until the end of the year, december 31st. >> all right. thank you very much. >> thank you. >> next on "here and now," erik the reptile guy on a mission to educate children about wildlife and the environment. why he has set his sights on madagascar next. meet the moore's! we're the moore family, and as you can see, we need an internet that can do more. we do more games, and more streaming. so we need more speed. that's why we switched to time warner cable. you can too. call now. now we can connect more devices, at the same time. the wifi in this house is amazing. so is my guacamole. hi grandma and grandpa! ha, look at that! [laughs] time warner cable even has an internet plan for us. get the internet speed that's right for you.

they even made it easy to switch with a one-hour arrival window. why settle for less, when you can get more! get 50 meg internet for $39.99 per month. call now. you could get free installation, no data cap, and access to over 400,000 twc wifi hotspots with select plans. call now. why let someone else have all the fun? the sometimes haphazard, never boring fun. the why can't it smell like this all the time fun. the learning the virtue of sharing fun. why let someone else have all the fun? that's no fun. unleash the power of dough. give it a pop. morning gary. we are get schooled... ...dot com. you want a college education, don't you? you know you do.

that's why we're here. we're free, and here to guide you through every step of the way. starting with... attendance. [air horn] gary, financial aid forms... picking a college, man! you and us. we go together like tacos and tuesday. and i loooove tacos. narrator: go to getschooled.com >> ooh-hoo-hoo-hoo! [ all cheering ] >> hey, you guys. now, no touching, no touching, just waiting. now, i'm just gonna stick her tongue out at you guys. watch her tongue. watch her tongue. here, look. who wants to give her a kiss? [ laughs ] the big surprise is -- they get to see snakes. they get to see bugs. they get to see an alligator. they get to see big lizards. things like that. and animals that are endangered they may not have ever had a chance to see in their own

environment. well, the focus of my show is to educate kids about the importance of animals in nature and connecting to life and nature and doing what you love. so those are three main points -- do what you love, respect nature. >> erik's edventure program gives young audiences a rare hands-on experience with reptiles from around the world. well, now he is on a new mission to help build a school for environmental education for children living in extreme poverty in madagascar. with us today, erik the reptile guy, erik callendar. welcome back to "here and now." >> thank you. thank you very much. >> you are an interesting, interesting man -- you and your reptiles. >> yes. >> how long have you been interested in reptiles? >> i've been interested in reptiles since i was young, since i was 9 years old. my parents sent me away to camp for my first camp experience. found my first turtle, frog, and that was really it, yes. >> and you've made it your life.

your background -- you've got a biology background. >> i have a biology degree. i'm also a licensed veterinary technician. and these things prepared me for what i'm doing now today and, you know, traveling the world. >> and why is it so important for you to use your love and respect for reptiles, to teach children about the environment, and about the animals. >> it's so important. it's a connection to life. i think that, you know, especially nowadays, people have lost the connection with life, a lot because of technology, but people don't experience life in this way. i think it's so important for people to be able to experience life hands on but, you know, connect to each other. so by connecting to animals, people can learn to connect to each other better and have a respect for life. so, yeah, that's why. >> and i guess understand, you know, why -- understand the fact that we share the planet. >> yes. it's critical, because not only do we share the planet, but every animal, every creature has a role to play, and it's a spirit inside of that that i think, when i'm sharing the

doing with the kids, i really feel it. like, every fiber of my body is like, "yes!" and then the kids are feeling it. so it's like they feel it, too. they feel the experience no matter where i am. like, i'm madagascar, so the kids don't speak english there, and we're sitting there experiencing together. >> so you found a way to >> yes, yes. >> one of the wonderful things that i love that you've done in your program is that you set up this sort of communication between children here and children in madagascar. talk to me about that. >> yeah, for sure, for sure. so, we'll be doing it again this year with schools in the united states, skyping back and forth from madagascar to the united states. so, i'll be in madagascar. we have animals -- we get a permit from the government to actually do this. and while we have the animals there, the children are able to experience the different aspects of the animals, the endangered species that live there, but, more importantly than that, they get to experience the kids. they get to see the other families. we've put in concrete floors for families in madagascar and we're building the schools. so, as we were doing these

processes and they're seeing how people live, they're also getting an opportunity to see, "wow. you know, i have a floor in my house. i never thought about not having a concrete floor." houses. and we're teaching, and the kids are barefoot, dirty, but they're still experiencing. so it, again, shows you the connection with just your spirit, not just what you look like on the outside. >> so you're educating the children here and the children >> yes. >> well, what is it about madagascar that has touched your heart to the extent that you're now working on building a nature center there? >> we're building a nature center there. before december 30th is the goal. and we have a foundation -- the kamal foundation -- that has agreed to give us a $40,000 matching grant to make this happen and to run the center for seven years. so that's really fantastic. but the thing is that this center is really -- it's necessary because the kids don't get to go to school. 80% of children in madagascar don't go to school.

madagascar -- i think something about 50% die before 2 years old and don't ever get a chance to be educated. and so this center actually will educate them. the children will have an opportunity to not only learn science but also learn stewardship, care for the environment. every saturday that we're with those children, i'm out there with them. all happy. they're like, "yes! erik! he's here!" and we're having a good time, but we make it fun for them to go clean up their neighborhood. every saturday, before we start doing the fun stuff, learning the science and the animals, all that, we have to take a walk around their whole neighborhood and clean up all the trash. and -- yes. >> so, you're helping them in that way, too, and teaching them, 'cause i'm assuming there's a high illiteracy rate. >> there's a high illiteracy rate, but the interesting thing is -- i have guys -- and my good friend, who started with me five years ago -- when we said we were gonna build this nature center, he's like, "okay, well, when are we gonna build this nature center?" and it's like, "i don't know. well, we have to keep going to the mayor to ask them for permission." and guess what.

he ran for mayor of the town -- ranomafana, madagascar -- and he won. >> [ laughing ] okay. so you're definitely getting the nature center. >> we have to get clearance for land a lot of permits and a lot of things that -- you know, governmental things that are necessary in order to run a not-for-profit from there. so with all this experience now and having, you know, my friend, jose, the guide -- actually, it's mr. mayor rabemiafara. [ both laugh ] he is now, you know, supporting us, and we're able to build a center for education and, you know, environmental stewardship. >> and, so, the growth in your business -- you know, all of this growth has sort of changed what you do. >> yeah, it's a shift in my life, and i'm like, "oh, my gosh." and, really, i'm in the middle of the shift right now. i have 40 animals in my house, in my home, and i've had them for so many -- some of them i've had since i was 18. my alligator i've had since i was -- i've known her since i was 18. and now, it's like i'm talking about finding a place for them, a sanctuary where they can live, and i can still visit them and i can still do some programs, but

i have to greatly reduce my programs to, you know, maybe 200 a year, instead of 400 a year, because that's the only way i'm gonna be able to be present for the not-for-profit and to do this work, because not only are we planning to build a nature center in madagascar, we want this to be worldwide, because this problem is not just in madagascar. it's worldwide. so, the real goal is to connect everybody together, like synapses in your body, like nerves. you know, everyone can feel the life within each other. you ever see "avatar"? >> yes. >> yes. you know how everyone connected? like, that's what i'm saying, like, the connection. >> you're the first guest that's used "avatar" to get me to understand -- >> if you watch the movie -- your guests watch the movie, they'll watch it, and if they really think about it, it's really a connection between everything. so, you know, i can call this my work, but it's really the work of the divine, the universe, all of it coming together to share, you know? >> i want to ask you -- you know, when you're little kids, you dream big about what you want to do, what you want to be.

>> what do you think what you've been able to do with your life and your love of animals, your love of the environment says to a kid when you meet him or her, about what they might be able to do with what they love? >> mm. you know, it's interesting you say that, because i was actually -- this is a funny story. so, i actually -- when i started in this business, i had no intention of exactly where it was gonna go, but i knew i wanted to teach kids. but it was 10 years ago. literally, the 10-year anniversary will be on december 5th since we started. and i was watching "the tyra banks show," and she said, "this show is about following your dreams." december 5th. and as soon as i saw it, that spoke to me, and i'm like, "no, erik. like, you're not going to vet school. you're gonna go teach kids and spread this around the world." and so when i see a child and i'm looking at them, i see, "well, tyra inspired me by saying those words -- 'follow your dreams.'" so i use that in every single one of my shows. now, i didn't use it in the beginning, but now, every show, at the end of the show, i make the children raise their right hand and say, "i promise to

always follow my dreams." and, sometimes, they might say, "oh, we love what erik does. he's the reptile guy. we want to see him -- we want to be like you." i'm like, "no, no, no. you don't want to be like me. you want to be do what's in your heart, what you really, really feel, what speaks to you. >> okay. erik the reptile guy. it's always a pleasure to see you. >> thank you. >> we want to help you raise that money. folks, go to edventureshow.com. >> yes. >> they can find out more about your shows and all the work you're doing. and i understand you've got a gofundme campaign. >> yes, we have a gofundme and we also have a matching grant from the kamal -- i mentioned it a little bit earlier. but we have a matching grant of $40,000. so, we set the bar to $40,000 for the gofundme, but we're also raffling off my jeep. i have a jeep wrangler, 2007. i'm giving all my stuff away. i'm really shifting. >> you're getting ready to shift to madagascar. >> if you want the jeep, we need to get at least 1,000 people to donate a $35 donation. and if we reach our goal for the gofundme, i will give away my jeep. i'm giving away my camper. my whole, you know, container full of stuff is gone.

i'm getting rid of everything, except for my car. >> this is not crazy. >> no, it's not crazy. [ both laugh ] >> craigslist. efforts. and we wish you the best of luck. and next time, i guess, i'll let you bring a snake or something. sure. >> okay. maybe a lizard. maybe a lizard. >> and here, look. there's a snake on the cover of our book. this is our first book. and if they do donate, all the proceeds from the sales of this book will go to madagascar. so if you donate the $35, you actually get our first book, my first publication. >> all right. thank you so much, erik. >> thank you very much. i appreciate it. [ both laugh ] >> up next, a preview of the new york city african diaspora international film festival and a conversation with activist, poet, scholar sonia sanchez,

>> "...freedom, freedom, freedom. i'm praying. i'm praying. hand..." >> but when you read her work on the page, you feel fired up. you want to cry. you get angry. your heart is, like, pulling, and that's magical. >> the thing that i've always

community and how she saw hip-hop as a culture. >> sonia sanchez not only kicked open the door, she, you know, blew off the roof. she made it possible for the hip-hop generation to exist. >> am i i i i i i am >> that was a clip from the new documentary film "baddddd sonia sanchez," which honors the legacy of accomplished poet, professor, and activist sonia sanchez, one of the most important writers of the black arts movement. it's just one of the many films featured in this year's new york city african diaspora international film festival. and joining us this afternoon is award-winning writer and activist sonia sanchez, along with diarah n'daw-spech, co-founder of the african diaspora international film festival, and filmmaker geeta gandbhir. i think i said your name right, geeta.

>> yes. >> thank you all so much for being with us this afternoon. >> thank you for having us. >> thank you. >> and i want to start with you, professor sanchez. show. my dear sister. >> and i think it probably wasn't easy for you to watch yourself on film. >> mm. no, no, no. in fact, the first time i did, i went to sleep. i put my head back and -- because we come out of that generation, my dear sister, of civil rights and, you know, the black arts movement, where you never had time to watch yourself do anything because you were >> mm-hmm. >> and so to sit down and watch something, it was difficult, you know, to do it. and, finally, i don't know where i was, maybe in -- no. someplace, i sat down and watched the film, and then i realized the importance of leaving behind some kind of legacy, where people could come and look and see what was

happening in the '60s and '70s and '80s. >> so, you could look past "oh, i don't like to see myself on film" to the bigger picture. >> right, right. >> and i think when you started the film festival, hearing her say that -- that's exactly what you were hoping that the films that you featured would be able to do. >> absolutely. from the beginning, one of our main interests in the festival was really to showcase the richness and the diversity of the black experience and to show the history of our community and to humanize us, to show who we are in our richness from all over the world and what we have in common. and i think we've achieved that with the festival and we continue to do that every year. and we are really happy to be joined by this wonderful lady here. this is not the first time she way. >> that's right. i've worked. they put me to work at the festival. [ laughter ] >> but that's a good thing, is >> that's right. oh, it's a glorious thing.

>> and, geeta, your film, which is "a journey of a thousand miles: peacekeepers" -- and you follow the story of three bangladeshi women that go to haiti as peacekeepers after the earthquake. how did you come to know their story, and what was it about it that got you interested in it? >> well, i think i actually read an article in the new york times about four years ago. and i had no idea that women were being deployed in this capacity and particularly women from bangladesh. these are muslim women. and the portrayal of muslim women in the media and particularly in western media, i feel, is limited at best. and we really wanted -- my co-director, sharmeen obaid-chinoy -- she is the first pakistani and the first pakistani woman to ever win an academy award. >> really? >> so, we really wanted to make a kick-ass story about muslim women, just because we felt that

victims or, oftentimes, the lack of access to muslim women at all was a problem. and we really wanted to show women from our diaspora doing something to empower themselves and doing, you know, work that mattered. >> okay. we're gonna let the

from the film. >> anti-government protests in haiti have become increasingly common in recent months, amid growing political anger in the caribbean nation. >> you know, i think one of the things that you did, ms. sanchez, in your career is that you did empower women. >> mm-hmm. >> so, in a lot of ways, all of you have something in common... >> oh, yes.

>> ...sitting on the set today. are you surprised at some of the things you've talked about all these years, in your writing and your talking and your teaching, it's still an issue that women are still, you know, not begging anymore, but demanding to be recognized, that you still sort of have to correct people when it comes to how women are treated, now they're given their due? >> well, my dear sister, i'm not surprised by it, simply because the way people responded to us. we were those crazy women, you know, out there, you know, demanding things. i mean, i remember the first time i said -- they were saying, all the time, "amen," and i said, out loud, "awoman." you know, i mean, come on, people. you need to say, "awoman, awoman, awoman." i remember the first time i was invited to do a talk on a sunday in church. and i came, and they had set out for me the place below the pulpit. and i went there and i stood

there and i thought about my grandmother. i said, "mama, you know, here i am," and they were so satisfied that's where i was. and i turned around, went down the steps, went up, and went up to the pulpit and got behind that huge pulpit, right? you know, and i said, "i know my grandmother would want me to be here this morning. if i'm going to deliver a sermon, it should be from here, because that's what she would have done, a woman who ran the church and never had a chance to come up here and see the world or the congregation from this point of view. and i tell you -- the silence in that church was like, "whoa! whatever." but i did it. and later on, they understood, because i turned to the preachers and the deacons and said, "my grandmother certainly would want me to do this, and i know you would want me to do it, also, too." although, they were shocked that i did. that's what i mean -- we had to do things that we knew were correct. we had to say things that we knew were correct. you know, we had to move in a way -- i was saying that when we

wrapped our heads in geles, every place i'd go, all women came up and said, "how do you do that?" well, i was the worst person to ask, because i had no idea how to do anything with my hands. but the point is that we set a style that said, "we black women are gorgeous. we are beautiful. we have style. you know, we have a way of walking on this earth that people look at us and say, "hey, look at that. that's a fine sister," you know? [ laughs ] >> and, in a sense, you're sort of doing the same thing when it comes to films across the african diaspora. >> exactly. >> you are giving the world a look at people in all their beautiful cultures, people that otherwise might not have a voice, some of these films and these filmmakers. there may not be a place to show their work. >> absolutely. we have a number of programs this year that i'm really, you know, proud of. we have a program, particularly, about young egyptian women that's going to look at -- you know there's been the revolution in the middle east.

and we are looking now at the life of these young women after the revolution and what's happened to them. >> and, you know, what are you hoping is a reaction to your film? >> i think that we really -- we hope to showcase the fact that women's work matters. i think, particularly in societies, you know, where women face certain struggles or in patriarchal societies, where women, essentially -- it might be a challenge for them to leave the home, where tradition dictates that they, you know, stay inside and serve their husbands and sort of take that role, that their work matters, that also -- you know, obviously, we feel that the progress of a society is based on the status of its women. and it is incredibly important to the progress of these societies around the world that women be empowered, that women be independent, and economically independent, and also that women are able to contribute to society and serve their

countries on the level of men. i think those are the most important things. and, as these are muslim women, i think, too, as the world right now is looking at countering extremism, these are communities that we really need to support and engage with, where women are doing this kind of work. >> right. >> right. >> thank you all for being with this afternoon. it was a pleasure. now, the festival runs from november 27th through december 13th. >> yes. >> and you can go to nyadiff.org to find out more about the films and the schedule. >> that's right. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> keep up the good work, okay?

>> it's been described as a truly one-of-a-kind experience and a classic reboot that turns tchaikovsky's on its head. we're talking about the "hip hop nutcracker." take a look. [ "the nutcracker suite" plays ] well, this week, the re-imagined musical returns to kick off the

holiday season at the united palace in washington heights and then heads across the country and even to moscow. joining us today is mike fitelson, co-creator of the "hip hop nutcracker" and executive director of the united palace cultural arts, along with cast member myriam gadri, who once again stars, this year, as mom. thank you both for being with us this afternoon. >> thank you. >> so, mike, as one of the co-creators, what made you see the classic "nutcracker" and say, "oh, that would be great with hip-hop dancers"? [ both laugh ] >> you know, i remember the first time i saw the show, back in san francisco sometime in the 1970s. and i remember kind of being bored and kind of not getting the whole thing, until the russian dance. the russian dance comes on and it just blew my mind, and that stayed with me all these years. so, running the united palace of cultural arts, we really wanted to do a holiday show to help bring the community together and

washington heights and see how great the theater was and the neighborhood was. and when we had this opportunity, the idea of creating a new show from scratch that would appeal to folks in the 21st century, was really exciting to us. >> and you managed to -- i agree with that critic. it is a reboot of a classic that, in a lot of ways, will, i think, introduce audiences to something they otherwise would pass on. >> absolutely. we're excited about folks coming in because of the hip-hop dance and hearing how great the classical music is and tchaikovsky is. and we're also excited about people coming in to see the classical music and going, "wow! i didn't know people could dance like that. that's magical." so, we're really trying to appeal to all audiences. >> and does it surprise you -- well, you're a danger, myriam, so you have that ability, probably, to make anything look

but did it surprise you, the first time you listened to the music and did these moves, how well they seemed to fit together? >> yes. it was -- i have to say, at the beginning, it was a bit difficult, because with hip-hop, you have that beat, that heartbeat that keeps going through the music, but here, there isn't, with the violins, with the horns. so it was really a challenge, at the beginning, just to get very familiar to the music and then find that even the movements, which are different, actually fitted so nicely with it. and when it crescendos and the movements, whether you're doing fouett\ turns or spinning on your back or your head, it went perfectly with the whole thing. so, it was a pleasant -- very pleasant surprise. >> yeah, you know, an reading about it before i actually saw some of the performances, i heard people say, "well, you know, the rhythm --" 'cause there's no beat, like you just said. honestly -- well, i'm not a professional, but i was like, "but there is a beat."

provided by the dancers, the choreography, and that energy. you really get it in a way that perhaps you didn't before. >> yes. >> yeah. >> definitely. >> and how important is it for you -- i think you touched on it -- that this be performed in washington heights at this historic theater before audiences that might never have seen the work, but, also, it gives a real energy and life to that community. >> absolutely. the theater is this magnificent building that opened in 1930, with just every type of architectural style thrown in. it's been described as a "kitchen-sink masterpiece of architecture." and pretty much anybody who walks into the building just feels this sense of inspiration, feels like they can take on the world and do anything at all. and we want to capture that sense that people have and bring it to the stage, which is why we wanted to work with this very

named jennifer weber, of decadancetheatre, to mash up the classical and the hip-hop and just see how people groove to that. >> and kurtis blow is performing. >> kurtis blow. >> and kurtis blow. >> and kurtis blow. >> yeah, that's meshing classics right there. >> he's pretty much the ribbon that holds the whole package together. he's the bow on top. he's gonna be performing on the friday night, november 20th. and he'll do the preshow set to get everybody lively up a little bit. and then we'll do the performance. and then he's also got a closing piece that will, like i said, put the bow on top. >> all right. "the hip hop nutcracker" -- that is this friday and saturday. really, go out and see this show. it is spectacular and the perfect kickoff to the holiday season. thank you both for being with us this afternoon. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> and you're going to moscow. mention that. [ laughter ] all right. thank you so much for joining us this afternoon on "here and now." if you missed any portion of

and if you'd like to comment or share your story, e-mail us at abc7ny or follow us on facebook and twitter.