dr. ramosnows more about cuba than most americans. she got her training there. six years free of charge at the island nation's most prestigious medical school. the cuban government program enrolls thousands of international students, requiring only that when they graduate, they work in underserved communities. dr. ramos now helps the uninsured and underinsured in contra costa county. influenced by her experience in cuba. >> i relate to people on a very human level, not on a kind of doctor/patient, no, it's we're partners in this. >> reporter: the 31-year-old doctor has made lifelong friends, learned spanish and how to play an afro-cuban drum. when president obama made his surprise announcement last week -- >> we will begin to normalize relations between our two countries. >> i was like finally. i was just thrilled. just thrilled. >> reporter: but there are many americans who are not. those who oppose cuba's political system and human rights record under the castro regime. dr. ramos welcomes the

dr. mina ramos works in contra costa county. she went to medical school free of charge in cuba. the program founded by fidel castro, requiring only that they work in under served communities. she now helps uninsured and under insured. >> i'm able to relate to people on a very human level, not on a kind of doctor patient, hierarchy. it's partners in this. >> the 31-year-old made life long friends, learned spanish, and how to play an after row cuban drum. when president obama made his announcement last week. >> we'll begin to normalize relations between our two countries. . >> i was like, final finally. just thrilled. thrilled. >> but there are many americans who are not. those who oppose cuba's mill rights system. >> i don't think the purpose to get rid of an ideology or, because that is not something that, you know a policy can do. it's something evolving over time, but open up dialogue and having more free exchange to me is what i take from this this step forward. >> giving more americans a chance to see a bit of the cuba dr. ramos experienced. >> google said a prototype could

dr. mina ramos works in contra costa county. she went to medical school free of charge in cuba. the program founded by fidel castro, requiring only that they work in under served communities. she now helps uninsured and under insured. >> i'm able to relate to people on a very human level, not on a kind of doctor patient, hierarchy. it's partners in this. >> the 31-year-old made life long friends, learned spanish, and how to play an after row cuban drum. when president obama made his announcement last week. >> we'll begin to normalize relations between our two countries. . >> i was like, final finally. just thrilled. thrilled. >> but there are many americans who are not. those who oppose cuba's mill rights system. >> i don't think the purpose to get rid of an ideology or, because that is not something that, you know a policy can do. it's something evolving over time, but open up dialogue and having more free exchange to me is what i take from this this step forward. >> giving more americans a chance to see a bit of the cuba dr. ramos experienced. >> google said a prototype could

ramos's funeral. >> the great civil rights leader dr. martin luther king, jr. old law about an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind. >> leaders pay tribute to ramos's family including his two songs. jadden found the essential truth when he reminded people that police officers are the people you call when you need help and they always show up. truer words were never spoken. >> the penitentiary costal christian service at the christ tab earnernacle church where officer ramos attended for almost a decade and a half was also attended by vice president joseph biden? >> form ramos family we are all lucky to have rafael. he didn't just have a bible in his locker. he lived it in his heart. he was a cop for all, all the right reasons. >> the funeral here today bore all of the hallmarks of tradition that are over a cents tree old as dignity tears pay tribute. >> police officers lined up shoulder to shoulder for blocks and onbserved minutes of silence and offered a final salute. paul beares from the nypd ceremonial unit carried the casket as a formation of helicopters fle

ramos. that's going to happen, he will attend that funeral with dr. jill biden. get more details about his travel plans throughout the day. a significant move president obama asking vice president biden to attend that funeral. he will in fact be there on saturday. >> thank you very much. >> thank you. >>> just in time for christmas we'll spread the holiday cheer. good news on wall street and main street as well. that's next on "now." my name's louis, and i quit smoking with chantix. i had tried to do it in the past. i hadn't been successful. quitting smoking this time was different because i got a prescription for chantix. along with support, chantix (varenicline) is proven to help people quit smoking. the fact that it reduced the urge to smoke helped me get that confidence that i could do it. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. some people had seizures while taking chantix. if you notice any of these, stop chantix and call your doctor

ramos will be buried on saturday. vice president biden and his wife dr.lice commissioner. francis? >> and funeral arrangements are still up in the air with some trouble from family members there traveling here for that. thank you very much. >>> for more on police shootings and tactics, a former fbi agent and profiler and msnbc contributor. he joins us now. thank you for being with us. >> all right. good to be with you, francis. >> well, i'm sure you heard the mayor of berkeley being very clear that this is not ferguson. it's not new york city referring to the cases of michael brown and eric garner. but when it comes to silly police tactics here and what happened there at that gas station in berkeley, missouri, what comes to mind? what stands out in your mind for you? >> well, you know, as an fbi agent who carried a badge, a gun for 25 years. one of the worst things you're going to run up against is you go up to talk to somebody and all of a sudden they produce a gun and stick it in your face. i mean, they have the -- they're moving faster than you have. t

dr -- sole operator. >> if the officers were shot dead the memorial grows. a lot of new york is stopping by to pay their respects. commissioner bratton and the mayor visited the families of rafael ramosnd wenjian lieu. his fiancee spoke. >> this is a difficult time for both of our families, but we will stand together and get through this together. >> funeral arrangements are being made. the funeral father officer ramos will take place this coming saturday. the funeral for officer liu will be after his family makes their way from china. >>> new york city mayor bill deblasio speaking out for the first time after he said he has blood on his hands. here's the mayor's message to the community. >> mayor bill deblasio is trying to mend his broken relationship with police. he is also trying to heal the city experiencing grief and anger after visiting the grieving families of the two slain police officers rafael ramos and wenjian liu, mayor de blash yo calls for a pause and he is urging people to focus on what should unite them. >> i just ask everyone in the season that is supposed to be a season of understand wiing and remember the meaning of the season but first and foremost remember what t

dr. jill biden are there. >> and these are photos that the church is streaming here live. these are pictures of ramos and his wife. he is a father of two young ones, justin and jaden. one is a sophomore in college. the other one is now 13 years old. and just very moving. very touching to see all the family photos. a lot of people talk about how important his family has been to him throughout the years. and just beautiful. this is what they are broadcasting to all of us. we're just seeing this for the first time as you are. >> i want to read part of the official statement from the church. they lovingly call him raf. it says raf was definitely a family man and always talked about his kids and how well they were doing. he loved his family and church. he had an infectious and disarming smile. and it goes on on their website, which to be honest has crashed several times because there are so many people going to read these statements. and there is a link on the website to watch this ceremony live from christ tabernacle church. we'll bring it to you here an cnn. we've got our miguel marquez standing outside

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