whittier street health center's 13th annual, "saving the health of the community international gospel concert," is just around the corn cer, we will have all

last week, f.b.i. director said that ferguson, effect, where the tensions have grown, between the citizens and the nation. in boston, protesters began to push for reform in the wake of brown's death. one move included equipping the boston police with body cameras. the guest haves been focusing on the police body cam movement in boston, they are sugun iduwu, the co-founder of the boston police camera action team or bp cat, and ashley brown, the chair of the naacp, political action team. thank you for coming in, let me start with you. how did you initiate and how did the initiative to equip, boston police with body cameras start? >> as you made reference to the death of michael brown, caused a lot of frustration in our own

community, a good friend of mine that i went to high school with, we were sharing how we were upset with what happened in ferguson, and we decided that no, it is really boston that needs us here, and ferguson, has all of the resources that it needs to get through them that particular tragedy and so we thought that it would be better to be pro-active in boston than to move the efforts outside. and so we formed this organization, a few days after the death of michael brown and it was great and we had a bunch of folks join the organization and we had lawyers and children book writer and all of the necessary components that you needed to have a successful organization. >> also, you wrote the legislation for the wording for the boston city, council, initiative? and the council held a hearing this summer. talk to me about that a little bit. >> so bp cat and several other organizations wrote this legislation. and so we worked with lawyers from the aclu, but we also

worked with the harvard black law association and the members of a privacy group in fourth. and we spent a number of months from our initiation from january, crafting this proposed policy for the boston police department, after studying numerous policies around the country. and so, this was what was proposed in january, and boston city, counselor charles yansey received the policy and decided to take the initiative and introduce it as an ordinance. >> okay, ashley brown, talk to me about how the naacp got involved in this issue. >> sure, well, paramount to the work in the mission of the naacp is to insure the rights of all people. and so since actually, 1978, nationally, we have been adopting resolutions that constantly are pushing to look at police, misconduct, and

and so, when we were approached by sugun and the boston police action team it was natural for us because this is the bread and butter for what naacp is known to be known to do to seek basic rights for people. about the legislation for the city council that you wrote for the boston city council, what are some of the elements of what you are proposing? >> we studied a number of the policies around the country and borrow fromed some from left out the other parts and studied that they released in august and some of the things that we include are that there are only, sesh certain instances that the camera is rolling and we do not feel that it is the best practice to have the camera rolling all of the time. this is something that the officers expressed frustration, did not want the cameras rolling all of the time and so we took that into consideration.

confrontation or an issue. >> our policy indicates that before you answer a call, much like your sirens go on before you get to a call, your camera goes on as well and covers from beginning to end, and other than that it should not be rolling. we don't ask that it roll when an inform nant is talking to you or you are having a private conversation with your partner. and also have the policy match the wire tap laws that says that you cannot film without the other party knowing. and so they have to let the citizen know that they are recording. the final thing that differentiates or policy from others across the country is that we have consequences in our policy. we dictate, you know, when an officer does not carry out their duties properly, that certain things should happen to that officer as opposed to leaving it up to the department to decide. >> why do body cameras make sense from the perspective of the naacp. >> well we bebelieve that they

can protect the officers and civil ans. we have seen a number of instances this year, where the video surveillance has provided us another lens into the unfortunate insurance accident where the officer was shot in the face or the child on the bicycle riding down the street. and then sort of on the flip side. civilian camera footage has provided another narrative of an interaction with civilians on the street and so i think that in both sides. we have seen the benefits, and we, we believe, in, and sort of research is showing that there have been significant, drops in complaints, and incidents, regarding police officers. and well, now, sugun, the party walsh administration have been back and forth on this issue, talk to me about your interactions with the police commissioner and the mayor on this issue. >> and so the mayor and the commissioner have disagreed

with themselfs on this issue, when president obama announced the 75 million to roll out for studying and training it, the mayor came out against it and the commissioner was for it and by the end of that friday, they had completely reversed their positions. i would say in the last year, they remain, steadfast, being against the body cameras and the commissioner himself, said that body cameras should not come to boston, because we should not pay for the sins of other cities in the nation. and he repeated this, at the august 5th hearing. and a month later, though, completely reversed his decision and said that a pilot program was coming. >> what did they give. >> one thing that we realized is that the voices against the body cameras have grown few and her fewer as the days go by. what the commissioner said at least against the body cameras. he brought the fact that they would create an enormous cost

and that it created privacy issues. and these are the three points that he brought up and so we are interested in discovering what answers he found to these questions that he had for him to reverse his decision a month later. >> a question for both of you. what are the next steps that you are going to take in keeping this debate alive? >> two things for us, we want to continue to talk about the numbers. the research that bpd and aclu, the report that came out earlier year that is concerninging to us that blacks and latinos are being stopped and frisked at higher rates in the select neighborhood and so we still want to address, the issue, of the numbers. and also, the study speaks to how an officer's race correlates with the number of frisks and interrogation reporting. so we really are concerned about those numbers, and we also want those numbers to be connected to something.

a policy, and we believe that the body camera, program, over all, is one of the solutions. and we also want to make this a community mandate. that we can't go another year, another election cycle without an issue as critical as this without it being addressed. so we want to make this a mandate going forward. that we see this in the budget and that we will see a top priority being carried forward with a policy, measure like this. because we can't, we can't keep sitting around, and you know, talk about this. but we really want to move forward knowing that we have a supportive base behind us. sugun, i guess, what kind of a response have you been getting legislature. and all around. >> so when we first formed our organization, we didn't want to continue ahead and say that we spoke for the community if we

so sekia was over the action portion of the team and she and several of the members went to dorchester and hyde park and interviewed hundreds of residents of how they felt about this issue. and it it is from those brief interviews that addresses the concerns that were brought up during the conversations. >> just in the remaining moments, if you could just give me your sense of how and where this is going. do you think, ultimately that, that the body cameras on the police are going to sort of become the norm? or where do you think the public opinion or everything is going, i will start with you. >> thank you. well, we certainly see body cameras as an emerging technology. we don't see it as the only, solution, but sort of the start of many solutions. and i guess for the community, we see that this has been a reawakened opportunity. more folks are getting

we are actually going to be hosting a civil rights and criminal justice conference in february. and so we are having these conversations. we are wanting to continue to talk about them, but really push forward a policy like this. >> okay, going to give you the last word really quickly. where do you think this is going. >> body cameras are going, and the commissioner said so himself and now it is the pilot program and now we do believe that the city council will come around and heed their con stit ent and pass this policy. we will see where the debate goes. >> an urban catholic public school, with students from dorchester, mattapan, roxbury where 100 percent of the seniors have won, college admission for the last 12 years straight.

up right here. >> cathedral high school, prides itself in being an urban school, rooted in gospel values

which prepares students for college and leadership for life. it is located in boston's historic south end and serves boys and girls of all phase from grades seven to 12, the school serves more than 370 students from across boston, particularly dorchester, mattapan, roxbury and hyde park. 100 percent of cathedral seniors have graduated high school and 100 percent have earned college admission for the last 12 years straight. to tell us more about this impressive record and also about the up coming open house to the community, we have invited the school's principal, helenann civian. and also along this morning an 8th grader unique vasquez an 8th grader at cathedral high school. thank you, and welcome to urban up date. >> 100 percent college admission for 12 years straight tha. is amazing. helenann. let's give the viewers the over school of the school and the

history and the place here in boston. >> the school was established in 1926, the historic south end like you stated and we are, an school, serving students and 85 percent of the students are from the boston area. we are excited that we have students that come from all areas of boston. and we have students that are dedicated to learning in the city of boston and in our school. >> okay, now unique vasquez, tell anywhere you live and how you got interested in coming to this school. >> i live in mattapan and my old assistant principal from mission grammar miss dutson told me about cathedral and the quantities about being a good scholar you can achieve goals there and yeah. >> all right, now, helenann you said that the make, up is diverse and reflects the entire

various neighborhoods. >> yeah. >> talk to me about the success that you have had in getting these seniors into college. i mean, that record, 100 percent, get admission to college, for the last 12 years straight. >> yeah. so the work of our staff, the faculty, and the the work of our independent study and most of the students participate in the applied learning and they have internships throughout the day. that makes us unique. we work with fedeilti and through tufs and harvard and these happen throughout the day where the students can participate in real life situations. which prepares them, it prepares them for college and beyond. we are, we pride ourselfs in talking to our students about cathedral colors and what does it mean to be a cathedral scholar and we give them the

opportunities to speak publicly and to write as a college, ready student, and we put them in situations where they are with other college students. and so they understand what it means, to be college prepared. but that, a lot of the work, that the teachers do to prepare them, is the work that gets them ready for college. >> it is the best. >> okay, unique vasquez and unique with the unique make there. and tell me what you like most about cathedral high school. >> the teachers and the faculty. they are the best. they come happy every morning, to cathedral and they give you a great education for your future so that you can become successful. and they are just amazing. >> okay. now, hellenann how about the costs and tuition. through the generosity of our donors students get to go to cathedral at a really reduced rate. they work with every family to have them come --. >> now the tuition is what

family would pay is $3500. but they can apply for financial aid at that point. but we do not turn away any student if they are come to come to cathedral and they are ready to come. >> many of the students get some kind of financial aid. >> yes, who are your ben factors you have the people and you mentioned the businesses. >> alumni, and deep rooted in the values and the belief and in the mission and especially the impressionive graduation rate of the students and they have been successful themselves. and our board of directors. who are part of fidelity and mormor hail. and most of the universities around us are really committed to the success of our students. >> i would imagine with your record, it is pretty -- and that helps getting those donations a bit. >> the students here. >> okay, and now, unique, tell me about what is your favorite subject and what do you like to do in school?

it is challenging. i love challenges getting pushed harer and harder every day to be successful. a few teachers, i would like to shout out to my whole health one teachers. >> go right ahead. >> but mostly mr. dardy and mr. lassiter and all of the faculty am today. >> you have an open house coming up what are the details for that for the viewers. >> come to high school on november the 12th, you will have the students give the tour and the real life tours of the students and they will take you through the day and the life of a student. you will get to meet the teachers and you will here the ad miss staff and get to ask questions, and that is the most important thing is that the students are getting their questions answered by students >> what about admission and the looking for. are admissions tough, do you have to turn students away?

>> we pride ourselves in being a small community. and when we pride ourselves in being selective. but we work with families. we want students that are commited to learning. we want students that are committed, families, because they need a shout out as well. that want to be at cathedral and understand the values and the deep rooted values that cathedral offers them. so those are the students that we are looking for. we have an admissions process that families and students, participate in. and they tell us why they want to come to cathedral and we listen to that and that is important to us. >> yeah. >> all right, helenann civian and unique vasquez, thank you for coming in and congratulationss on that 12 year record. >> thank you very much. >> at the end of this year, is go to 13. >> we will. thank you for having us. >> thank you. >> when we come back, information on new england's most enliving gospel concert

on urban up date. >> well excitement is building, as whittier street health center's 13th annual, "saving the health of the community international gospel concert" is just around the corner, this year's event will take place on saturday, november 21, at the berklee performance center, it will honor the grace church of all nations archbishop a. livingston foxworth for his outstanding contributions to the boston community. and now, whittier welcomes back dr. bobby jones, host of black entertainment television, bobby jones gospel, to host and lead, new england most enliving gospel choirs and performers to support the health and wellness of the community and to tell us

whittier street, president and ceo williams and also, tyron sutton who is the director for the spiritual ensemble and student, emily aponte and welcome and thank you all for coming in. and let me start with you. and talk to me about how you guys must be excited over at whittier street health center because doing this event, again? >> yeah. as you mentioned it is the 13th year, and excitement is indeed, building up at whittier whittier health center. this is a fund-raiser that will support the 28,000 people served by the health center. we are seeing, significant growth. and we have established this year, a wellness institute. that includes a fitness, club and a community, garden. where we are teaching people healthy eating to address obesity, and the chronic diseases related to obesity. but in the wellness, and focus on mental illness and substance

are the first health center that has incorporated a fitness club in a healthcare facility. and this, event is also one of the things that we do. and we do provide music therapy to address, mental health and so we see the healing power of music. and we see the healing power of fitness and wellness, and healthy eating and the funds raised from this event will support the 28,000 people and 490 different programs and services to address the health and social issues. >> now, tyron sutton tell us about the boston arts academy performance and that the attendees to the event are going to enjoy. >> i want to say that those who don't know that the arts academy is the only one for the visual arts and in the music department we have 100 vocalists and out of those 100 there are about 20 that we choose to participate in this ensemble that will be

and the music that we focus on this, particular fox sus on, are the african american concert spiritual and the passion and the excitement and the energy and the emotion that comes out of this music is what we are excited about. communicating, and performing on and at the concert. >> okay, now we have a little video here. we will give on you viewers just a little sample as we get a clip from one of the performances and we can talk about it a little bit on the other side.

>> wow that was really something, emily aponte talk to me about when you look at that clip, i guess how excited does it get you for to be able to perform this at this event? i am getting like extremely excited right now looking at

that clip because it brings me back to thinking of how we as an ensembel perform and when we perform we become closer. and looking at that just reminds me of the good time that we had on the show. and how it just brought us closer as ensemble. and now, frederica, you have a number of group and performances. >> we do, what we do with the show case in the local, boston talent, is that we select the people from the diverse backgrounds, the young people and the different ethic groups that we serve, we have people in spanish and a steel band and the people in french and traditional gospel and all male choir and so it really reflects the population and we have the people from 20 different countries but also we honoring as you mentioned archbishop a. livingston foxworth. of the united church. and his church in the mission

doing for equal access to healthcare and addressing the issues that impact hel and this this is bringing the communities together and celebrating health and as emily said we get excited and the people should get excited and we will dance and sing and it is just a wonderful opportunity for whittier to serve as the facilitater for being in the community together. and show casing our young people and the people from diverse backgrounds. >> tyrone talk to me about how you are preparing the students for this event. >> i want to make sure that the people understand that it happens from the day and the first day the students come to the school. and you know we do a lot of work of building the ensemblee and they have a rigorous schedule. it happens in the rehearsals but there is a lot of work that happens, every day from the first day of school. >> and emily aponte, very quickly here, i guess just, what do you, and what do you have to say about your

>> i think my decision on attending boston arts academy was the best decision that i have ever made. because the school has supported me, no only academically but musically. and they have done a lot of things such as they have pushed me academically and taking calculus. >> and all right and we are going to have to leave it right there and that sounds like a great event, emily aponte and tyron sutton, and frederica williams good luck. >> that is it for this edition of urban up date, for everyone i'm byron barnett, have a great sunday, everyone. real-time closed captioning provided by u.s. captioning company. at longhorn, you' re never torn between ordering steak

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