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> HELLO AND WELCOME TO 'AMANPOUR & COMPANY.'
HERE'S WHAT'S COMING UP.
ONE OF OUR MEMBER STATES HAS BEEN TREATED IN A WAY THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, SO WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY.
WORLD LEADERS GATHER IN NEW YORK AND I TALK TO THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT ABOUT EURO'S FURY WITH BIDEN AND HOW BEST TO MAKE UP WITH CLIMATE CHANGE.
MANY ARE SLEEPING OUT IN THE OPEN.
FOOD IS VERY SCARCE IN THE COUNTRY.
BACK FROM AFGHANISTAN, THE U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES JOINS PLEA WITH A DIRE WARNING.
ACT NOW OR FACE A BIGGER CATASTROPHE AHEAD.
> I WAS BROUGHT HERE WHEN I WAS 3.
FACING DEPORTATION FROM THE COUNTRY YOU CALL HOME, WRITER, DIRECTOR AND ACTOR JUSTIN CHON TALKS TO HARI SREENIVASAN ABOUT HIS NEW FILM 'BLUE BAYOU' AND, FINALLY.
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FROM BRISTOL, ENGLAND, TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, SINGING SENSATION YOLA JOINS ME.
> 'AMANPOUR & COMPANY' IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III.
CANDACE KING WEIR.
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THANK YOU.
> WELCOME BACK TO THE PROGRAM, EVERYONE ONE.
I'M CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR IN LONDON.
THE U.N. JEN ASSEMBLY WEEK KICKED OFF IN NEW YORK.
WORLD LEADERS ARE GATHERING FACE TO FACE AND TOP OF AGENDA ARE COVID AND CLIMATE.
DEMOCRAT NATIONS WHICH HOPED THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION WOULD TAKE LONG TIME ALLIANCES MORE SERIOUSLY THAN TRUMP ARE PERHAPS ASKING IS THE HONEYMOON OVER?
ON THE EVE OF THIS EVENT THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA AND BRITAIN, SO-CALLED AUKUS, HAVE STABBED FRANCE IN THE BACK.
THOSE ARE THE WORDS OF ITS FOREIGN MINISTER AND HERE'S HOW HE PUTS IT.
Translator: THERE HAS BEEN LYING, DUPLICITY, A MAJOR BREACH OF TRUST AND CONTEMPT.
THIS WILL NOT DOING.
THINGS ARE NOT GOING WELL BETWEEN US.
THEY ARE NOT GOING WELL AT ALL.
IT MEANS THERE IS A CRISIS.
FRANCE IS FURIOUS WITH WASHINGTON FOR STRIKING A DEAL TO PROVIDE NUCLEAR-POWERED SUBMARINES TO AUSTRALIA.
CUTTING OUT PARIS WHICH HAD THE DEAL IN THE FIRST PLACE.
NOW A TRADE DEAL BETWEEN THE E.U. AND AUSTRALIA IS IN DOUBT.
CHINA IS FURIOUS THAT THESE VESSELS ARE COMING TO ITS REGION AND BEIJING COULD EXPLOIT THESE DIVISIONS IN THE WESTERN ALLIANCE.
TO DISCUSS THIS AND THE CONSEQUENCES, EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT URSULA VON DER LEYEN JOINED ME FOR AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW FROM NEW YORK.
MADAM PRESIDENT, WELCOME TO OUR PROGRAM.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
THERE YOU ARE AT THE BEGINNING AND IT'S CLEARLY OVERSHADOWED BY THIS AUKUS, AS WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS.
YOU ALREADY HAVE SEEN THE FRENCH RECALL THEIR KEY AMBASSADORS OVER THIS ISSUE AND CHINA AGAIN SAYING WE DON'T WANT NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN OUR BACKYARD, AND RAISING SOME VERY SERIOUS ISSUES.
JUST ON THE E.U./AUSTRALIA CANCELLATION, WHY DID THAT HAPPEN?
WELL, THERE ARE A LOT OF OPEN QUESTIONS THAT HAVE TO BE ANSWERED AND, THEREFORE, I MEAN, ONE OF OUR MEMBER STATES HAS BEEN TREATED IN A WAY THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
SO WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY AND, THEREFORE, FIRST OF ALL CLARIFY THAT BEFORE YOU KEEP ON GOING WITH BUSINESS AS USUAL.
DO YOU FEEL THAT EUROPE HAS BEEN DISSED, THAT YET AGAIN THE UNITED STATES HAS NOT CONSULTED YOU ON AN IMPORTANT MOVE AFTER AFGHANISTAN, AND THAT, MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT MIGHT CREATE DIVISION AND ALLOW CHINA TO SEEK DIVISION BETWEEN YOU ALLIES?
ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT THAT?
WELL, I CAN VERY WELL UNDERSTAND THE DISAPPOINTMENT IN EUROPE ABOUT THE WAY THIS ISSUE WAS HANDLED.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE FRIENDS AND ALLIES, AND FRIENDS AND ALLIES PARTNERS TALK TO EACH OTHER AND THEY TALK TO EACH OTHER MAINLY ON AN ISSUE OF COMMON INTEREST.
SO THIS IS CLEARLY, THIS DID CLEARLY NOT HAPPEN, AND I THINK WE NEED TO TALK, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, WE ALSO HAVE, AS YOU MENTIONED, MANY IMPORTANT TOPICS ON OUR GLOBAL AGENDA WHERE WE ARE WORKING SIDE BY SIDE BE IT THE HEALTH ISSUE, BE IT CLIMATE CHANGE.
WORKING FOR OUR DEMOCRACIES.
THESE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES.
EXACTLY.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW THIS MAY AFFECT THOSE AGENDAS.
I WANT TO KNOW WHETHER YOU THINK, TALKING ABOUT DEMOCRACY AND DICTATORSHIP, THAT THIS IS A WAY THAT CHINA COULD SEEK TO CREATE DIVISIONS BETWEEN THE DEMOCRACIES.
WHAT DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?
WE WILL CERTAINLY NOT LET THAT HAPPEN BECAUSE WE KNOW EXACTLY WHO OUR FRIENDS AND ALLIES ARE AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE SHARED VALUES THAT WE HAVE COMMON INTERESTS.
THESE TALKS ARE GOING ON, BUT AGAIN WE ALSO HAVE TO FOCUS ON THE PRESSING GLOBAL TOPICS THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
THIS IS THE TOPIC OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
THAT IS HOW TO OVERCOME THE PANDEMIC.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE EFFECT OF DIGITALIZATION, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
DO YOU THINK THAT YOU HAVE -- I KNOW YOU HAVE SPOKEN A LOT ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, BUILD BACK BETTER, PUT CLIMATE INTO THE POST-COVID BUILD BACK AND IT'S A CENTERPIECE OF WHAT YOU HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT MANY, MANY TIMES.
SOME ARE NOT CONVINCED.
THEY SAY, YES, A LOT OF GOOD WORDS, BUT THEY ARE STILL NOT THAT OVERWHELMING, YOU KNOW, SORT OF GETTING TOGETHER BY ALL GOVERNMENTS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN AND THERE IS STILL DIVISIONS BETWEEN EUROPE, BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES, BETWEEN CHINA, INDIA, AND THE REST AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE U.K. RIGHT NOW WITH THIS MASSIVE SUDDEN GAS CRISIS WHETHER THIS WILL EVEN WORK OUT BY THE HOST.
YEAH.
INDEED.
SO WE KNOW THAT AND WE'VE SEEN THIS SUMMER WHAT CLIMATE CHANGE DOES ALREADY TO OUR PEOPLE AND OUR ECONOMIES.
DEADLY FLOODING.
DEVASTATING FIRES.
DECERTIFICATION, JUST TO NAME A FEW TOPICS.
IT'S TIME TO STEP UP.
THERE IS A SECOND THOUGHT IN IT.
I AM DEEPLY CONVINCED THAT IN FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE THERE IS ALSO A NEW GROWTH STRATEGY BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, WE HAVE TO PUT A PRICE ON CARBON.
SO WE HAVE TO CUT DRASTICALLY BACK POLLUTION.
WE HAVE TO RESTORE THE NATURE.
THE DESTRUCTION OF NATURE HAS TO STOP.
AND WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD INTO A CIRCULAR ECONOMY WHERE WE GIVE BACK TO NATURE MORE THAN WE TAKE FROM IT.
THESE ARE THE PRINCIPLES.
THE EUROPEAN UNION HAS PROVEN YOU CAN WORK WITH THAT IN A WAY.
WE HAVE CAST OUR GOALS FOR 2030 AND 2050 IN THE EUROPEAN LAW.
WE HAVE PUT OUT A DETAILED ROADMAP SECTOR BY SECTOR HOW WE WANT TO GET THERE.
AT THE BEGINNING THERE WERE A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT.
BUT MY EXPERIENCE IS THE MOMENT YOU ARE THERE WITH VERY CLEAR LEADERSHIP AND ORIENTATION WHERE WE WANT TO GO AND HOW WE WANT TO GO THERE, EVERYBODY IS ALIGNING AND GOING WITH US IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
BUSINESS, THE ECONOMY, BUSINESS HAS UNDERSTOOD THAT WE HAVE REALLY TO MOVE FORWARD TO A SICK LAR ECONOMY AND THINK ABOUT THE INNOVATION AND THE FINANCING THAT WE CAN PUT FORWARD TO GET THERE.
WELL, YOU ARE IN NEW YORK.
IT'S THE CENTER OF BUSINESS AND CAPITALISM.
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS, EVEN BY THOSE WHO CLAIM TO BE SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE ON CLIMATE, THAT BUSINESS IS SERIOUSLY STILL AFTER THE BOTTOM LINE.
WHAT THEY INVEST IN, THEIR FOSSIL FUEL INVESTMENTS, AND EVEN THE AMERICAN CLIMATE CZAR, JOHN KERRY TOLD ME THAT, THE BOTTOM LINE IS STILL WHAT COUNTS.
DO YOU THINK YOU WILL HAVE ANY ATTEMPTS, EFFORTS, SUCCESSES IT TRYING TO GET BUSINESS, AND OF COURSE GOVERNMENTS, ONBOARD ON A REALIGNMENT OF INVESTMENT WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING THE CLIMATE?
SO WHAT BUSINESS IS CONCERNED, WE ARE MAKING THE EXPERIENCE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION THAT THEY HAVE UNDERSTOOD, THAT ALL OF US HAVE TO STEP UP TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE.
I GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION IS ISSUING GREEN BONDS.
THEY WERE HEAVILY, AND THAT'S POSITIVE, OVERSUBSCRIBED.
THERE IS A LOT OF SURGE FOR TRULY SUSTAINABLE GREEN PROJECTS TO INVEST IN.
THAT'S GOOD.
OR, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE SEEN THAT WE NOW BUILD ALLIANCES WITH THE ECONOMIC SECTOR AND THE PRIECHLT INVESTMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, TO CREATE GREEN HYDROGEN.
SO THAT YOU GO THROUGH INNOVATION AND INVESTMENT.
BUT THERE IS ALSO A SECOND ELEMENT I DON'T WANT TO MISS TO MENTION.
THE MAJOR ECONOMIES.
THE DEVELOPED ECONOMIES HAVE A DUTY ALSO TO FINANCE THE CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES THAT THE LEAST DEVELOPED AND MOST VULNERABLE COUNTRIES HAVE.
THERE IS A PROMISE SINCE THE PARIS AGREEMENT THAT MAJOR ECONOMIES WILL FINANCE EVERY YEAR $100 BILLION TO SUPPORT LEAST DEVELOPED AND MOST VULNERABLE COUNTRIES TO ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND EUROPE DID ITS SHARE IN THE LAST YEARS AND WILL CONTINUE TO PAY ITS FAIR SHARE, BUT I REALLY CALL ON THE OTHER MAJOR ECONOMIES TO ALSO STEP UP THEIR AMBITION.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NEEDED IF WE WANT REALLY TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE.
YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THESE GOVERNMENTS MUST AND, AS WE ALL KNOW, AND YOU STARTED OUT BY SAYING IT, SO MANY PROMISES HAVE NOT BEEN KEPT SINCE PARIS.
ALSO ON COVID, YOU KNOW BETTER THAN ANY, THERE WAS A HUGE PROMISE TO DISTRIBUTE FAIRLY, JUSTLY, HUMANELY COVID VACCINES, COVID CARE AND THAT HASN'T HAPPENED.
E.U. HAS STEPPED UP ITS VACCINATION.
IT'S AHEAD OF THE U.S. RIGHT NOW.
WHEN IT COMES TO AFRICA AND ELSE WHERE, IT'S NOT.
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS SAYS THE E.U. LIKES TO PORTRAY IT STEPH AS A CHAMPION OF VACCINE EQUITY, BUT THE GAP BETWEEN THOSE BEAUTIFUL WORDS AND ITS ACTIONS IS EMBARRASSINGLY WIDE.
THE E.U. CONTINUES TO BLOCK INITIATIVES TO HELP OTHER COUNTRIES PRODUCE THEIR OWN VACCINES AND THERAPEUTICS AND HAS NOT SHARED PROMISED VACCINE DOSES ON TIME.
AND THAT'S A FACT.
AND YOU ARE PRESIDENT OF THE COMMISSION.
MADAM PRESIDENT, WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THAT?
WHAT CAN YOU SAY TO ENCOURAGE THEM?
LET'S SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.
WE WERE THE ONLY REGIONAL IN THE WORLD THAT THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE PANDEMIC HAS KEPT OPEN THE EXPORT OF VACCINES.
EVERY SECOND DOSES OF COVID VACCINE THAT HAS BEEN PRODUCED IN EUROPE LEFT EUROPE AND WENT TO OTHER COUNTRIES.
130 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN SERVED.
UP TO TODAY, WE HAVE PRODUCED AROUND ABOUT 1.5 BILLION DOSES OF VACCINES.
750 MILLION DOSES WENT ABROAD TO OTHER COUNTRIES WHILE 750 DELIVERED TO THE EUROPEANS.
AS I SAID, WE WERE THE ONLY ONES.
AND IT WAS TOUGH IN BETWEEN.
THERE IS A SECOND POINT THAT IS CORRECT.
WE ALSO NEED TO DONATE, PLAIN AND SIMPLY, DOSES IN KIND.
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
FROM YOUR CITATION.
AND HERE INDEED THE EUROPEAN UNION WILL DONATE 500 MILLION DOSES TO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR, 250 MILLION DOSES THIS YEAR AND THE SECOND HALF, AND THEN IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE NEXT YEAR.
AND THE THIRD POINT YOU WERE MENTIONING IS THE PRODUCTION OF VACCINES.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN AFRICA.
HERE WE'VE DONE A MAJOR STEP FORWARD.
IT'S NOT FOR THE SHORT TERM, BUT BUILDING UP MANUFACTURING CAPACITIES IN AFRICA IS AN IMPORTANT MID AND LONG-TERM GOAL.
LET'S QUICKLY TOUCH ON AFGHANISTAN.
EUROPE, THE UNITED STATES, THE WEST HAD A CLEAR BOTTOM LINE THAT HUMAN RIGHTS HAVE TO BE RESPECTED, THAT WOMEN'S RIGHTS HAVE TO BE RESPECTED, AND WE NOW HERE THE LATEST NEWS IS THAT GIRLS ARE NOT GOING BACK TO SCHOOL, BOYS ARE BEING CALLED BACK.
WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THE E.U.
TO ACTUALLY MAKE ITS VOICE HEARD ON THIS ISSUE AND THE CONDITIONS BY WHICH YOU MIGHT EVEN RECOGNIZE THE TALIBAN?
ARE YOU THERE YET?
SO, INDEED, THE EVENTS IN AFGHANISTAN ARE TRAGEDY FOR THE AFGHAN PEOPLE AND FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
SO, FIRST AND FOREMOST IMPORTANT TASK IS THERE IS A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS AND FAMINE IS THREATENING MAJOR PARTS OF THE POPULATION.
SO WE PLAN SIMPLY FIRST OF ALL TO HAVE TO HELP.
YES, THEN THERE ARE THE TALKS WITH THE TALIBAN.
THESE ARE OPERATIONAL TALKS.
THE TALIBAN NEED US TO GET THROUGH THE WORST DIFFICULTIES AT THE MOMENT BEING IN AFGHANISTAN.
THIS IS NOT A RECOGNITION OF THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT, BUT WE NEED ON A VERY PRACTICAL BASIS TO TALK TO THEM BECAUSE THERE IS, AS YOU SAID, A LOT AT STAKE AND WE HAVE TO NEGOTIATE ONGOING WITH THEM SO THAT WE CAN SECURE RIGHTS FOR VULNERABLE PEOPLE, FOR WOMEN, FOR GIRLS IN AFGHANISTAN WHILE WORKING WITH A VERY DIFFICULT GOVERNMENT.
DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?
WOMEN'S RIGHTS?
WE WILL SEE OVER TIME.
WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE KEEPING UP THE FIGHT IN AFGHANISTAN OR WHO LEFT AFGHANISTAN AND ARE WORKING FROM ABROAD.
THIS IS OUR SHARED AGENDA.
I MEAN, THIS WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE WERE THERE FOR 20 YEARS, TO SUPPORT THE AFGHAN PEOPLE TO LIVE UP TO DEVELOP A DEMOCRACY AND AN INEXCLUSIVE SOCIETY.
THIS IS A SEVERE SET BACK, AS I HAD SAID, FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, BUT YOU CANNOT GIVE UP.
YOU HAVE TO WORK TO IMPROVE THINGS, EVEN UNDER VERY, VERY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.
IN YOUR STATE OF THE UNION SPEECH YOU, WHO ARE A PREVIOUS DEFENSE MINISTER, YOU MADE ANOTHER CALL FOR MORE E.U.
DEFENSE AUTONOMY.
THIS SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO GO FORWARD AND THE FRENCH ARE CALLING FOR IT AS WELL.
CAN I GET YOU TO ANSWER THAT?
SO, INDEED, WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST WEEKS AND MONTHS AGAIN IS THE FACT THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE EUROPEAN UNION TO HAVE THE CAPABILITY THAT ARE NEEDED WHEN THERE IS THE POLITICAL WILL TO ACT AND TO CHANGE THINGS.
SO WE WILL STEP UP TO BUILD OUR EUROPEAN DEFENSE UNION.
MANY OF OUR MEMBER STATES ARE MEMBERS OF NATO AND NATO IS THE STRONGEST MILITARY ALLIANCE IN THE WORLD.
BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A STRONG EUROPEAN PILAR IN NATO AND TO HAVE FOR THE EUROPEAN UNION THE CAPABILITIES TO ACT INDEPENDENTLY IN THEATERS WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, NATO IS NOT, BUT THE EUROPEAN UNION IS CALLED UPON.
A SECOND REASON IS WE REALLY NEED TO STEP UP TO FIGHT THE NEW KIND OF THREATS WE SEE.
THESE ARE HYBRID ATTACKS.
THIS IS -- THESE ARE CYBERATTACKS.
HERE WE HAVE TO BECOME MORE SELF-ASSERTIVE AND MORE INDEPENDENT, AND THESE ARE TOPICS WHICH WE WILL DEVELOP NOW.
WE WILL HAVE A EUROPEAN DEFENSE SUMMIT IN FRANCE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT YEAR TO DISCUSS HOW WE STRUCTURE THE WAY FORWARD.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE ARE WORKING ON THE VERY PRACTICAL STEPS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE TO GET MORE INDEPENDENCE AND MORE CAPABILITIES THAT ARE EUROPEAN.
URSULA VON DER LEYEN, COMMISSION PRESIDENT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.
THANK YOU, CHRISTIANE.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
> SO SIGNALING THAT THE E.U.
MIGHT STRIKE OUT ON ITS OWN A BIT MORE.
AFTER THE U.S. AND NATO LEFT AFGHANISTAN, ARE THE GOVERNMENTS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DEAL WITH THE TALIBAN, AS YOU HEARD.
THE U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES IS JUST BACK FROM A THREE-DAY TRIP THERE AND HE IS SOUNDING THE ALARM BELLS.
FILIPPO GRANDI SAYS THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IS DESPERATE.
HE IS JOINING ME FROM NEW YORK.
WELCOME TO OUR PROGRAM.
YOU JUST HEARD URSULA VON DER LEYEN, E.U. COMMISSION PRESIDENT, TALK ABOUT FAMINE, CATASTROPHE, BUILDING ON WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN WARNING ABOUT.
TELL ME FROM YOUR OWN EYES AND WHAT YOU SAW THERE WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW.
THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED VERY QUICKLY.
IT'S NOT NEW, OF COURSE, BUT WE'VE COME -- IT HAS DEVELOPED AFTER YEARS OF DIFFICULT ACCESS.
NOW PARADOXICALLY, PERHAPS, THERE IS MORE SECURITY IN AFGHANISTAN THAN WE HAVE SEEN IN A LONG TIME.
THE FIGHTING BETWEEN THE TALIBAN AND THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT HAS ENDED, SO THERE IS A SPACE AT LEAST TO EXPAND QUICKLY HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS, AND THE U.N. HUMANITARIAN AGENCY AND OTHERS WHICH HAVE NOT LEFT AFGHANISTAN, WE HAVE NEVER LEFT AFGHANISTAN EVEN DURING THE DIFFICULT DAYS IN AUGUST, WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE CAPACITY TO STEP UP QUICKLY, AND THE TALIBAN, WITH WHOM I HAVE SPOKEN DURING MY RECENT VISIT IN RECENT DAYS, ARE READY TO GIVE US THAT SPACE AND THAT SECURITY.
SO WE NEED TO DIVE INTO THAT SPACE AND TRY TO MEET PRESIDENT URGENT NEEDS BEFORE WINTER STARTS, WHICH IS IN A FEW WEEKS, LITERALLY, IN THE COUNTRY.
SO WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU NEED?
WE SEE PICTURES OF TENTS.
WE HEARD MISS VON DER LEYEN TALKING ABOUT CLEAN WATER, CLEAN FOOD.
WE HAVE SEEN OUR OWN REPORTERS TALKING ABOUT THE MOST HORRENDOUS SO-CALLED SHELTERS THAT ARE POPPING UP AROUND KABUL AS PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO GET OUT OF TALIBAN AREAS AND TRY TO SEEK SOME SAFETY.
WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU NEED, FIRST AND FOREMOST?
HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, TONNAGE OR MONEY?
WELL, CHRISTIANE, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
THE NEEDS ARE BIG.
JUST FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF MY ORGANIZATION THERE IS 3.5 MILLION DISPLACED PEOPLE, JUST DISPLACED BY VIOLENCE AND CONFLICT.
500,000 RECENT ONES.
THEY NEED SHELTER.
BUT THE REST OF THE POPULATION NEEDS EVERYTHING.
FOOD IS A BIG PRIORITY.
MEDICAL CARE.
THE HEAD OF THE W.H.O. IS IN AFGHANISTAN AS WE SPEAK.
WE ARE KEEPING THE PRESSURE AND MULTIPLYING THE INITIATIVES.
WE NEED MONEY.
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL LAUNCHED AN ADDITIONAL APPEAL FOR $600 MILLION.
IT WAS WELL SUBSCRIBED.
WE NEED THOSE PLEDGES TO TOMORROW F COME ONLINE VERY QUICKLY TO BE REALIZED VERY QUICKLY.
WE NEED TO SUSTAIN THIS HUMANITARIAN EFFORT IN THE MEDIUM TERM.
WE HAVE A HISTORY IN AFGHANISTAN OF GETTING RESOURCES WHEN THERE IS AN ACUTE CRISIS AND THEN THOSE RESOURCES DRY UP.
WE CANNOT AFFORD THAT NOW BECAUSE DISCUSSING WITH THE TALIBAN ON THIS AND ALSO ON THE OTHER ISSUES, WOMEN AT WORK, EDUCATION OF GIRLS, RIGHTS OF MINORITIES, WOULD BE A COMPLEX AND LONG NEGOTIATION AND DISCUSSION, AND WE NEED TO CONDUCT IT IN A SPACE THAT DOES NOT HAVE A BASIC HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.
SO ARE YOU BASICALLY SAYING THAT THEY ARE MORE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT RESOLVING THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS BEFORE ALL THE OTHERS AND THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO ALLOW THEM TO DO THAT?
I THINK THAT THE LINE I HAVE TAKEN, AND I TOLD THEM ABOUT THIS, IS, YES, WE ARE READY.
THERE IS A HUMANITARIAN IMPERATIVE THAT CANNOT BE HELD BACK BY ANY POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS.
BUT THAT WE NEED TO USE THAT DISCUSSION ALSO TO RAISE OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE OF CONCERN TO EVERYBODY.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAY THAT ARE CONCERN TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
I WOULD SAY A CONCERN TO THE AFGHAN PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO LOOK INTO.
THIS INCLUDES THE ISSUES I HAVE MENTIONED.
I HAVE TO SAY, IN MY OWN DISCUSSIONS, GRANTED, PRELIMINARY ONES, BRIEF ONES, AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS INTERACTION, THOSE DISCUSSIONS HAD THE SPACE.
I WAS ABLE TO CONVEY THIS POINT.
I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE EASY TO HAVE OUTCOMES THAT ARE POSITIVE IMMEDIATELY, BUT THE SPACE FOR DISCUSSION EXISTS AND WE MUST ENGAGE WITH THE TALIBAN.
THERE IS NO PLAN B THERE.
THEY MILITARILY CONTROL THE COUNTRY, MOST OF THE COUNTRY, SO WE NEED TO ENGAGEMENT.
SO I'M REALLY INTERESTED BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT'S U.N. EASE, YOU KNOW, THE SPACE TO TALK ABOUT WOMEN'S RIGHTS WHEN TODAY HE IS SEE THEY ARE NOT ALLOWING GIRLS TO SCHOOL.
THEY HAVE JUST SAID STAY HOME.
THEY ARE NOT LETTING ANY WOMEN TO WORK ONLY IF MEN CAN'T DO IT.
THEY HAVE DISMISSED THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN'S AFFAIRS AND TURNED IT INTO A VICE AND VIRTUE MINISTRY.
THEY DON'T LOOK LIKE THEY HAVE A LOT OF SPACE FOR THE THINGS THAT BEYOND SURVIVAL, AFGHAN WOMEN AND AFGHAN FAMILIES WANT AFTER 20 YEARS.
WHERE DO YOU SEE THE SPACE?
I DON'T THINK THAT SPACE IS U.N.-ESE.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SPACE FOR DISCUSSION.
I THINK THE SPACE EXISTS.
THERE IS A POSSIBILITY.
I REMEMBER THE TALIBAN IN THE LATE '90s.
I MET THEM.
IT WAS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO EVEN RAISE THESE ISSUES.
NOW WE CAN.
INVESTIGATE TO DO WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
YOU A THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGEMENT IT WILL SLOW PROGRESS IF WE'RE LUCKY.
THERE WILL BE PROGRESS, BUT IT WILL BE SLOW.
BUT NOT TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION, BEGIN EVERY CONVERSATION BY PUTTING RED LINES, I'M AFRAID MAY NOT LEAD US VERY FAR.
SO WHEN WE DISCUSS, WE NEED TO ALSO DELIVER BECAUSE AFGHAN PEOPLE, MEN AND WOMEN, ARE HUNGRY, NEEDS MEDICAL CARE, NEED WATER, NEED SHELTER, AND THAT HAS TO BE DELIVERED QUICKLY.
SO JUST ON THAT POINT, BRIEFLY, SO YOU DO SEE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TALIBAN 1.0 AND 2.0?
IT'S VERY EARLY DAYS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SECOND MONTH.
BUT I WOULD SAY YES.
WHAT ABOUT ON -- WHICH IS GOOD NEWS FOR THE AFGHAN PEOPLE IF THAT'S CORRECT AND FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
WHAT ABOUT ON THE ISSUE OF COVID?
OBVIOUSLY, THEY WERE HIT VERY, VERY BADLY.
I WANT TO READ SOME STATS.
ACCORDING TO THE U.N. 86% OF REFUGEES AS YOU KNOW BETTER THAN ANYBODY ARE HOUSE INSIDE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
80% OF ALL VACCINES HAS BEEN GIVEN IN HIGH AND UPPER INCOME COUNTRIES.
IN TERMS OF REFUGEES, WHETHER AROUND AFGHANISTAN OR ELSEWHERE, HOW ARE THEY COPING OR NOT WITH THE PROTECTION AGAINST COVID?
CHRISTIANE, I AM SOMETIMES SURPRISED MYSELF, BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT GLOBALLY MOST COUNTRIES HOSTING LARGE NUMBERS OF REFUGEES, I'M TALKING ABOUT MILLIONS, NOT THE FEW TENS OF THOUSANDS HERE AND THERE THAT SOME RICH COUNTRIES SOMETIMES COMPLAIN ABOUT.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE MILLIONS THAT ARE PRESENT IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES, IN ASIAN COUNTRIES, IN LATIN AMERICA, WHEN MOST OF THOSE COUNTRIES HAVE NOT DISCRIMINATED BETWEEN NATIONALS AND REFUGEES.
EVERYBODY WAS INCLUDED IN THE HEALTH RESPONSES PRIOR TO THE VACCINES, AND NOW WHEN THEY HAVE THE VACCINES THEY INCLUDE THE REFUGEES.
UNFORTUNATELY, AS YOU SAID, 90% OF THE REFUGEES ARE IN COUNTRIES THAT HAVE NOT RECEIVED -- THAT HAVE NOT RECEIVED ENOUGH VACCINES, SO THE REFUGEES ARE PENALIZED AS EVERYBODY ELSE.
THIS IS WHY THE DRIVE FOR VACCINE EQUITY, FOR VACCINATING THE WORLD AND I UNDERSTAND THE UNITED STATES IS TAKING SOME INITIATIVES IN THIS RESPECT.
IT'S VERY POSITIVE FOR THEM AS WELL.
AND WHERE YOU ARE AT THE U.N.
HEADQUARTERS, OBVIOUSLY, CLIMATE IS GOING TO BE A HUGE THING.
WE KNOW ABOUT CLIMATE NYDEGGER MIGRATION, AND IN FACT THE NEW WORLD BANK REPORT PREDICTS CLIMATE CHANGE COULD DISPLACE 200 MILLION PEOPLE INTERNALLY WITHIN THEIR OWN COUNTRIES BY 2050.
THAT'S NOT TOO MANY YEARS DOWN THE LINE.
HUGE, HOUSTON CRISIS.
WHAT NEED TO BE IN PLACE BY PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF AND THOSE WHO DEAL WITH REFUGEES AND MIGRATION TO MITIGATE THIS, OR CAN IT BE?
FIRST OF ALL, OF COURSE.
ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY REDUCING EMISSIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, APPLIES TO THIS AS WELL.
THAT'S OBVIOUS.
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY IT.
BUT THEN WE NEED TO LOOK THE MORE DETAILED ELEMENTS OF THIS ISSUE.
THERE IS ALREADY, AS WE SPEAK, A LOT OF CLIMATE DISPLACEMENT.
THERE IS CLIMATE DISPLACEMENT BECAUSE MANY TIMES, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY CAUSES CONFLICT.
LOOK AT WEST AFRICA.
LOOK AT THE SAHARA.
LESS RESOURCES BECAUSE OF THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY AND THE SOCIAL COHESION BETWEEN ETHNIC GROUPS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN COUNTRIES LIKE NIGER COLLAPSES, FIGHTING STARTS, AND THEN YOU HAVE REFUGEES OR DISPLACED PEOPLE.
SO WE NEED TO LOOK TO ANALYZE IN A VERY GRANULAR WAY ALL THESE CONSEQUENCES OF THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY AND ADDRESS THEM ONE BY ONE.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S THE SAME THING ABOUT COVID, RIGHT?
MOST OF THE DISPLACEMENT IS IN COUNTRIES THAT ARE ALREADY VERY FRAGILE BECAUSE OF CLIMATE.
SO THE TWO THINGS NEED TO GO TOGETHER.
THE LAST POINT I WANT TO MAKE HERE IS THAT LETS LOOK AT RESPONSES TO REFUGEE CRISIS, NOT JUST FROM THE HUMANITARIAN POINT OF VIEW, BUT ALSO FROM THE LONGER TERM CLIMATE DEVELOPMENTAL POINT OF VIEW.
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO WITH INSTITUTIONS LIKE THE WORLD BANK, BILATERAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND SO FORTH.
A HUGE AGENDA.
FILIPPO GRANDI, U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
> NOW, SINCE THE END OF WORLD WAR II 500,000 CHILDREN HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BY AMERICAN FAMILIES.
AT LEAST 50 HAVE BEEN DEPORTED SINCE 2000.
THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE NON-PROFIT ADOPTEES FOR JUSTICE.
THE NEW FILM 'BLUE BAYOU' HIGHLIGHTS THIS PRESSING ISSUE.
IT WAS WRITTEN, DIRECTED AND STARS FORMER 'TWILIGHT' ACTOR JUSTIN CHON.
IT FOLLOWS A KOREAN BORN ADOPTEE FIGHTING FOR THE LIFE HE HAS ONLY KNOWN.
HERE HE IS TALKING TO HARI SREENIVASAN ABOUT THE ASIAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.
THANKS.
JUSTIN CHON, THANKS FOR JOINING US.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO THIS CHARACTER IS.
THE FILM IS ABOUT ANTONIO LeBLANC.
HE IS A KOREAN AMERICAN WITH ADOPTEE BROUGHT HERE WHEN HE WAS 3.
HE HAS A BEAUTIFUL WIFE PLAYED BY LISA KANDER AND A BEAUTIFUL STEPDAUGHTER WHO IS CAUCASIAN.
DURING AN ALTERCATION WITH HIS STEPDAUGHTER'S FATHER, WHO IS A COP, HE GETS ON ISIS' RADAR AND TRIES TO FIGHT TO STAY TO BE WITH HIS FAMILY.
WHAT GAVE YOU THIS IDEA TO DO AN ENTIRE FILM ABOUT KOREAN AMERICANS OR ADOPTEES THAT FACE DEPORTATION?
I HAVE QUITE A FEW ADOPT EFRIENDS.
I STARTED HEARING THROUGH COMMUNITY THAT ADOPTEES WERE BEING DEPORTED.
THEY WERE BROUGHT OVER HERE AS CHILDREN WHEN THEY WERE VERY, VERY YOUNG, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE FAR-RIGHT FINDING OUT ADDS ADULTS TO 20, 30 YEARS LATER THEY NEVER HADSHIP.
THESE ARE KIDS THAT CAME OVER FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, BROUGHT HERE BY U.S. SIT ZIENTS, AND THE ADOPTIONS WERE LEGALLY ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
SO IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING TO ME AND I FELT, YOU KNOW, A STRONG NEED TO SHINE A LIGHT ON THIS ISSUE.
IT'S INTERESTING.
OBVIOUSLY, THEY WERE CHILDREN AT THE TIME.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT PAPERWORK WAS NECESSARY.
I GUESS THEIR PARENTS NEVER OFFICIALLY FILED FOR THEIR CITIZENSHIP?
IS THAT THE ROOT CAUSE HERE?
THERE IS A MYRIAD OF REASONS THIS HAPPENS.
BUT, YES, ONE OF THE REASONS IS THEY DIDN'T FULLY GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS OR, YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF PAPERWORK WAS LEFT OUT.
MIND YOU, WHEN THEY WERE BROUGHT HERE, A LOT OF THEM WERE -- IT WAS DURING THE '70s AND '80s.
SO IT WASN'T AS STRINGENT OF IMMIGRATION POLICY AND, YOU KNOW, THE ADOPTION PROCESS WASN'T AS STRINGENT AS IT IS TODAY.
ANOTHER THING IS, YOU KNOW, ADOPTION IS TALKED ABOUT THROUGH ROSE-COLORED GLASSES, AND WE DON'T TALK ABOUT HOW SOMETIMES THESE PARENTS, THEY BRING THESE CHILDREN OVER AND THEY DON'T WANT THEM.
SO THEY ARE PUT UP FOR ADOPTION AGAIN OR PUT THROUGH THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM.
THIS THAT'S THE CASE, THERE IS NO CHANCE IN HELL THAT PARENTS, YOU KNOW, PRECEDED WITH THE WHOLE NATURALIZATION PROCESS.
IF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN THROUGH THAT, IT'S A VERY LONG PROCESS.
THERE IS A LOT OF PAPERWORK INVOLVED.
OFTENTIMES, THE LAWYER IS ALSO INVOLVED AS WELL.
SO IF YOU HAVE BEEN PUT UP AND GIVEN UP AGAIN, A LOT OF TIMES THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
THERE IS A CLIP IN THE LAWYER'S OFFICE AND REALLY JUST THE -- YOUR CHARACTER'S WIFE IS TALKING ABOUT HOW AMERICAN YOU ARE.
HE HAS TWO KIDS.
I MEAN, LISTEN TO HIM.
LOOK AT HIM.
HE IS AMERICAN.
DOESN'T MATTER WHAT HE LOOK LIKE.
IT'S IMMIGRATION POLICY.
I WAS BROUGHT HERE WHEN I WAS 3.
I BEN HERE OVER 30 YEARS.
SOMETIMES WITH THE INTERNATIONAL ADOPTIONS IN THE '80s THE PROPER PAPERWORK --
LIKE I SAID, I HAVE BEEN HERE OVER 30 YEARS.
CAN'T YOU JUST TELL THEM THAT I WAS ADOPTED BY WHITE PEOPLE?
I UNDERSTAND YOUR FRUSTRATION.
I REALLY DO.
BUT IT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS.
YOU HAVE OPTIONS.
YOU CAN DEPART VOLUNTARILY AND HAVE A CHANCE OF RECEIVING STATUS OR YOU CAN STAY AND APPEAL.
BUT IF YOU DO THAT AND THE JUDGE DON'T RULE IN YOUR FAVOR, YOU FOR FIT ANY OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN TO THIS COUNTRY.
IT WAS ONE OF THOSE SORT OF OBVIOUS YET STRANGE SCENES YOU ARE HAVING TO PROVE YOURSELF AMERICAN.
YEAH, THAT'S ONE OF THE QUESTION THE FILM ASKS IS WHAT IS AN AMERICAN?
IS IT BIRTH?
OR IS IT CHOICE?
AND IT IS QUITE PECULIAR BECAUSE HE IS AS AMERICAN AS AMERICAN CAN BE.
ALL OF HIS TAT USE ARE AMERICAN TRADITIONAL TATTOOS.
HE HAS A VERY LOUISIANA, YOU KNOW, DISTINCT ACCENT.
HE TOLD ME I GOT A LETTER FROM MY REAL MOM.
AT FIRST I DIDN'T BELIEVE HIM BECAUSE WHY WOULD SHE SEND ME A LETTER AFTER ALL THAT TIME.
BUT HIS FACE IS ASIAN.
AND I THINK THIS IS HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND IT'S BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION.
SO IT'S A BIPARTISAN ISSUE.
AND IT'S A SIDE OF IMMIGRATION POLICY THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN SEEING.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS IS HAPPENING.
MOST OF THE TIME IMMIGRATION IS ABOUT THE BORDER AND THE ILLEGAL CROSSINGS, BUT NOBODY THINKS TO IMAGINE THAT IT WOULD AFFECT ADOPTEES BROUGHT HERE BY U.S.
CITIZENS.
THERE IS DEFINITELY A VERY STRONG KIND OF FATHERHOOD, PARENTING CONNECTION KIND OF STORYLINE THROUGH THIS AS WELL.
WE FIND OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER'S BACKGROUND AND HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS.
WHY DID YOU WRITE THE CHARACTER IN SUCH A WAY WHERE, BY ALL MEANS, THIS GUY LOOKS LIKE A PRETTY GOOD DAD TO THE STEPDAUGHTER.
HE IS HUMAN.
YOU CAN -- YOU KNOW, DUALITIES EXIST IN ALL OF US.
IT'S ALSO A QUESTION OF DO WE DESERVE SECOND CHANCES.
HE HAS -- HE IS A FLAWED HUMAN.
I DID THAT ON PURPOSE BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT THIS TO BE A PROPAGANDA PIECE.
I DON'T TELL ANYBODY WHAT TO THINK OR BELIEVE IN THIS FILM.
I DON'T WANT TO SAY WHAT'S RIGHT OR WRONG.
I PRESENT A MAN'S LIFE AND, YOU KNOW, JUST SHOW ONE PERSON'S EXPERIENCE WITH THIS PROCESS.
WHICH MEANS THAT HE CANNOT BE A PERFECT PERSON.
HE DOES HAVE A CRIMINAL RECORD.
BUT HE IS TRYING TO MEND THE PAST AND ALSO BECOME A GOOD FATHER AND A GOOD HUSBAND.
YOU KNOW, AND ME PERSONALLY, JUST ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I HAVE A DAUGHTER, AND, YOU KNOW, FATHERHOOD IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND I DON'T SEE WHY AN ADOPTEE COULDN'T ABGREAT FATHER.
I ALSO THINK THAT ANTONIO, THE CHARACTER, DEALING WITH WHAT HE HAS DEALT WITH AND HAVING GONE THROUGH FOSTER CARE, I THINK HE WOULD WANT TO DO EVERYTHING HE CAN TO GIVE EVERYTHING HE HASN'T HAD TO HIS CHILDREN.
THERE IS ANOTHER CLIP IN THE FILM WHICH IS EARLY AND YOU ARE SITTING DOWN FOR A JOB INTERVIEW AND YOU GET ASKED A QUESTION THAT I THINK ALMOST EVERY MIGRANT TO AMERICA HAS GOTTEN ASKED AT SOME POINT.
IT'S THE WHERE ARE YOU FROM QUESTION.
ANTONIO LeBLANC.
HOW YOU GET A LAST NAME LIKE THAT?
I WAS ADOPTED.
WHERE YOU FROM?
FROM ABOUT AN HOUR NORTH BATTEN REFUGE.
WHERE WERE YOU FROM, LIKE BORN?
I SEE WHAT YOU MEAN.
I WAS BORN IN KOREA.
LeBLANC?
YES, SIR.
YEAH, I MEAN --
IT SAYS HERE YOU HAVE TWO FELONIES.
UH, YEAH, BUT THEY WERE FOR NON-VIOLENT CRIMES.
I WOULDN'T HURT NOBODY.
WHAT DID YOU STEAL?
YOU KNOW I COULD FIX ANYTHING, MOTORCYCLES, CARS --
WHAT DID YOU STEAL?
MOTORCYCLES.
YOU KNOW, BUT THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO.
I COULD -- IF YOU GIVE ME A CHANCE, I COULD BE A REAL ASSET TO YOUR WORKPLACE.
HOW OFTEN HAVE YOU, JUSTIN CHON, GOTTEN THAT QUESTION?
YOU KNOW, IT'S HAPPENED, LIKE, THROUGHOUT MY LIFE.
BUT GROWING UP, YEAH.
YEAH, I HEARD IT QUITE A BIT.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS QUITE INTERESTING TO HEAR THAT QUESTION BECAUSE I WAS BORN IN THE UNITED STATES.
I WAS BORN IN CALIFORNIA.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS THE COMMON THING OF, LIKE, IT GOES DOWN THE LINE OF YOU TELL THEM WHERE YOU ARE FROM, WHAT CITY YOU ARE FROM, NO, NO, NO, WHERE ARE YOUR PARENTS FROM?
I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT THE QUESTION THAT BUGS ME.
IT'S USUALLY DEPENDS ON THE INTENT.
THE INTENTION.
IF IT'S MEANT TO ALIENATE THEM IT'S QUITE DISINSTRUCTIVE.
IF IT'S OUT OF COURSOSITY, I THINK IT'S HARMLESS.
I HAVE TRAVELED THE ENTIRE COUNTRY AND I HAVE MET A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER AND WHAT I HAVE FOUND IS MOST PEOPLE ARE VERY KIND IN THIS COUNTRY.
MOST PEOPLE -- AND WHEN IGNORANT THINGS ARE SAID SOMETIMES IT'S TRULY BECAUSE THEY ARE CURIOUS AND WANT TO GET TO KNOW YOU AND THEY DON'T HAVE A COMMON GROUND.
THERE IS ALSO AN INCIDENT THAT -- I DON'T KNOW IF MOST OF THE AUDIENCE WOULD RECOGNIZE.
IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE POLICE AND YOUR CENTRAL CHARACTER, THERE IS A PERSONAL CONNECTION THERE, BUT HOW ASIAN AMERICANS OR HOW ASIANS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE TREATED BY POLICE.
THE EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE IN THE FILM IS NOT THAT SURPRISING TO SOME ASIAN AMERICANS THAT HAVE LIVED IN THIS COUNTRY.
MY DAD HAD A BUSINESS IN COMPTON, YOU KNOW.
I SPENT A LOT OF TIME THERE.
YOU KNOW, I WAS BORN IN GORDON GROVE.
I LIVED MOSTLY, YOU KNOW, NICE LIFE IN IRVINE, MIDDLE CLASS LIFE.
A LOT OF MY FRIENDS ARE FROM GARDEN GROVE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, NOT THE BEST NEIGHBORHOODS.
ALSO NEAR ANAHEIM.
BUT I HAVE DEFINITELY EXPERIENCED, YOU KNOW, POLICE, YOU KNOW, FORCE AND WHATNOT.
BUT THE BIGGEST THING, MY FAMILY WAS LOOTED DURING THE L.A. RIOTS IN '92, AND THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, SPURRED BY THE RODNEY KING BEATING.
YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING ME, HOW DID YOU TIME THIS FILM SO WELL, BECAUSE IT'S COMING OFF THE HEELS OF EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS WITH GEORGE FLOYD.
THERE WAS NO TIMING.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN HAPPENING.
IT'S JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, IN 2020, 2021 WE HAVE CAMERA PHONES THAT DOCUMENT THESE THINGS.
BEFORE YOU HAD TO BE IN THE RIGHT PLACE IN THE RIGHT TIME WITH A VIDEO CAMERA.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE BRUTALITY HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR DECADES.
I AM NOT SAYING, YOU KNOW, AS YOU SAW IN THE FILM, ALL COPS ARE BAD.
ACE, HE HAS A REASON FOR WHAT HE DOES.
HE REALLY JUST WANTS TO BE A PART OF HIS DAUGHTER'S LIFE.
MY BROTHER-IN-LAW IS A COP.
I AM REPORTING ON WHAT I SEE AND WHAT I FIND TRUTHFUL
DO YOU THINK IN THE TIME SINCE YOU STARTED TO MAKE THE FILM UNTIL NOW HAS THE LANDSCAPE IN HOLLYWOOD CHANGED MUCH?
ON THE ONE HAND WE HAVE HAD THE 'ME TOO' MOVEMENT BRING OUT SOME OF THE INEQUITIES.
ON THE OTHER HAND, WE HAVE HAD, YOU KNOW, SOME SUCCESSFUL FILMS WITH ASIAN CHARACTERS IN IT THAT ARE NOT JUST THE SORT OF SIDE ROLE OR KIND OF A SUPPORTING ACTOR, BUDDY COMEDY KIND OF THINGS.
BUT I'M CURIOUS TO SEE AS AN ACTOR AND DIRECTOR WHAT ARE YOU SEEING?
IT HAS CHANGED.
THERE IS STILL A LONG WAY TO GO.
THERE IS STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE.
SINCE WHEN I STARTED IN THE YEAR 2000, IT'S DEFINITELY -- THE LAST 21 YEARS, IT DEFINITELY HAS CHANGED.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN HERE TO WITNESS IT, BUT THERE IS A SORT OF, YOU KNOW, A CHICKEN AND THE EGG OR, YOU KNOW, SORT OF A DILEMMA, YOU KNOW, HERE BECAUSE ONE OF THE BIGGEST CRITERIA TO GETTING A FILM FINANCED IS HAVING A MOVIE STAR, A FINANCEABLE MOVIE STAR WHICH MEANS THEY CAN BRING IN FOREIGN SALES AND THIS ARCHAIC FINANCIAL MODEL OF FILM MAKING.
I DON'T THINK THAT APPLIES ANYMORE.
BUT THEY STILL HOLD ON TO THAT, AND IT'S A -- I DON'T KNOW.
AT TIMES I FEEL LIKE IT CAN BE A SYSTEMICALLY RACIST MODEL BECAUSE, WELL, YOU'RE SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CANNOT CAST AN ASIAN AS LEAD BECAUSE HE'S NOT FINANCIALLY, YOU KNOW, VIABLE, BUT WE CANNOT BECOME FINANCIALLY VIABLE UNLESS WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO PLAY THE LEADS.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX THAT PROBLEM.
YOU KNOW, SO IT'S STILL HAPPENING AND IT MAY TAKE A MIRACLE TO GET, LIKE, A HENRY GOULDING THAT HE IS NOT FAMOUS WHEN HE IS THE LEAD OF CRAZY RICH ASIANS AND NOW HE HAS HAD BOX OFFICE SUCCESS TO WHERE HE IS FINANCEABLE TO A CERTAIN DEGREE.
THAT'S NOT HAPPENING VERY OFTEN COMPARED TO OUR WHITE COUNTERPARTS.
I STILL THINK THERE IS A LOT LONG WAY TO GO BECAUSE IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE AN ASIAN-LED FILM.
AT THE END OF THE FILM IN THE CREDITS YOU HAVE GOT IMAGES OF ADOPTEES THAT HAVE EITHER BEEN DEPORTED OR ON THE VERGE OF BEING DEPORTED.
WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS?
I'M NOT A POLITICIAN, OBVIOUSLY.
AND I'M NOT -- WHEN IT COMES TO POLITICS, I AM A DUMMY.
I COULDN'T TELL YOU HOW THE PRIMARIES AND EVERYTHING WORKS TO GETTING YOU AND THE PRESIDENT-ELECTED.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I AM AN ARTIST.
AND I MADE THIS FILM TO SHINE A LIGHT ON THIS ISSUE.
AND THAT'S MY SUPERPOWER.
YOU KNOW, BRIDGING IT TO THE MASSES.
HOPEFULLY, THE RIGHT PEOPLE SEE IT.
I PARTNERED WITH SOME GROUPS LIKE ADROPPEES FOR ADVOCACY AND, HOPEFULLY, THE RIGHT LEGISLATORS CAN SEE THE FILM OR IT CAN BE PRESENTED TO THEM.
WHAT I KNOW IS LEGISLATION IS ABOUT EXPOSURE.
WE NEED TO KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM FOR IT TO BE FIXED.
THERE ARE SO MANY ISSUES IN THE COUNTRY, WHICH ONE FIRST?
THE MORE ATTENTION I DRAW DO IT THE MORE LIKELIHOOD WE CAN FOR SOME ACTION TO TAKE PLACE.
THAT'S MY HOPE, THAT I BRING ENOUGH AWARENESS AND THE EXPERTS IN D.C. AND PEOPLE WHO DO THIS TYPE OF WORK CAN TAKE IT FROM THERE AND I CAN LEND MY VOICE ANY TIME ON THE EMOTIONAL LEVEL WHENEVER THEY NEED ME.
THE FILM IS 'BLUE BAYOU.'
JUSTIN CHON, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE IT.
> AND THE FILM IS OUT IN U.S.
THEATERS NOW.
FINALLY WHILE AMERICA CAN OFTEN BE A DEEPLY INHOSPITABLE PLACE, ONE RECENT IMMIGRANT IS ACHIEVING BRILLIANT SUCCESS IN HER NEW HOMETOWN OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.
THE RISING MUSICAL STAR YOLA WAS BORN AND RAISED IN BRISTOL ON ENGLAND'S WEST COAST.
BUT HER LOVE OF GREAT CLASSIC POP INSPIRED HER TO SET DOWN ROOTS IN AMERICA'S MUSIC CITY.
HER FIRST ALBUM OUT OF NASHVILLE CALLED 'WALK WITH FIRE' EARNED YOLA FOUR GRAMMY NOMINATIONS AND NOW HER LATEST ALBUM 'STAND FOR MYSELF' IS ON COURSE TO BREAK OUT EVEN BIGGER.
AND HERE IS A CLIP FROM HER NEW SINGLE 'DIAMOND STUDDED SHOES NOTORIUS NOTORIUS ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪
AND YOLA IS JOINING ME FROM NASHVILLE.
WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.
'DIAMOND STUDDED SHOES' GREAT TUNE.
IT COMES WITH A HELPFUL PICTURE, I THINK, ON WHICH IT WAS BASED.
THE CRYSTAL ENCRUSTED SHOES OF A FEMALE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER.
WAS THAT THE INSPIRATION?
YES.
THERESA MAY.
A MUSE FOR MUSIC.
BUT, YOU KNOW, TOOK A STEP INTO THE LEFT FIELD AND WAS INSPIRED BY THOSE SHOES.
AND HOW INCON GREWOUS AND INAPPROPRIATE THEY WERE GIVEN THE CONTEXT WITHIN WHICH THEY WERE BEING WORN WHICH WAS TO DELIVER NEWS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY INTERESTING THAT YOU SAY THAT BECAUSE I WAS EXPECTING YOU TO SAY SHE LOOKED GREAT, SHE STEPPED OUT, SHE WAS BEING EDGY.
YOU PUT IT RIGHT BACK TO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE VERY -- I MEAN, VERY HARSH POLICIES THAT HER GOVERNMENT AND PREVIOUS, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENTS HAD THAT LEFT KIDS AND WOMEN AND SO MANY OUT IN THE COLD.
IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE TRYING TO SAY WITH THAT?
100%. YOU ALMOST CONCLUDED IT.
THANK YOU.
IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE AND IT WAS THE SHEER UNABASHED AUDACITY OF IT ALL TO BE SO PROUD IN MARCHING OUT LOOKING SO UTTERLY FIERCE TO SAY YOU KNOW HOW YOU PAY ME?
WELL, YEAH.
I'M WEARING THE SPOILS AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THAT THERE IS NOTHING LEFT BECAUSE I HAVE JUST SPENT IT.
SO LITTLE TOMMY IS NOT GETTING RUDDY DINNER ANYMORE.
IT WAS ABSOLUTELY INFURIATING.
AND I DON'T COME FROM EVERYTHING.
MY FRIENDS DON'T COME FROM ANYTHING AND WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, ALL VERY MIXED FRIENDSHIP GROUP.
THE ONE THING WE HAVE IN COMMON IS THAT -- THEY FELT LIKE THEY WERE TALKING THE -- SO, YEAH, LIKE THAT SONG JUST JUMPED OUT TO ME, YOU KNOW.
LIKE, I CAN'T HELP --
TELL ME, YOLA -- AND YES KNOW MARCUS RASHFORD, THE FOOTBALL STAR, UNICEF, THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT HERE IN ENGLAND.
SO IT'S A FACT.
AND I WANT TO ASK YOU, DID ANY OF THAT PLAY ANY PART OF YOUR DESIRE TO MOVE FROM BRISTOL, WESTERN ENGLAND, TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, MUSIC CITY OF THE WORLD?
WELL, I MOVED -- I MOVED JUST LIKE -- I WAS ALWAYS TRAVELING BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS IN 2019.
BUT 2021 I WAS, LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT?
I AM GOING TO TRY TO LIVE BETWEEN THE TWO PLACES.
AND THEN I GOT STUCK HERE.
SO AND I WAS LIKE, I MIGHT AS WELL COMMIT.
JUST COMMITTEE, YOLA.
AND SO I MOVED.
SO IT WAS A PRACTICALITY.
PART OF IT WAS ALSO THAT NEED TO HAVE A HIGHER GLASS CEILING.
I THINK I'D LIKE TO QUOTE -- AND SHE GOES, YOU KNOW, ONLY THE GLASS CEILING IS HIGHER.
AND SO THAT'S IT.
WE'RE NOT ALL THAT DIFFERENT.
EITHER SIDE OF THE POND.
SEPARATED BY A COMMON LANGUAGE OF THEM, BUT THE GLASS CEILING IS MARKEDLY HIGH HERE, SPECIFICALLY FOR DARK-SKINNED BLACK WOMEN.
AND THAT'S WHAT SHE WAS REFERRING TO.
SPEAKING OF THE SAME THING, YOU KNOW.
AND SO, YEAH, THEY'RE NOT WRONG, YOU KNOW.
YOU SPEAK TO ANY MYRIAD DRN.
THAT IS VERY INTERESTING.
WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT THE COLOR SHADES AND IT'S BECOME A REAL ISSUE AND IT'S REALLY INTERESTING TO HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT THAT.
AGAIN, YOU TALK ABOUT IT IN YOUR SONGS AND ON YOUR INSTAGRAM BIO YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A MUSICALLIEND RA BENDING FOUR-TIME GRAMMY NOMINEE.
I LIKE THAT.
TELL ME THE GENRE BENDING FIRST.
GENRE FLUID IS A TERM I COINED TO IS DESCRIBE MY MUSIC.
AS BRITS, WE DIDN'T HAVE A GENRE'D RADIO LIKE IN AMERICA.
YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD A PLAYLIST OF NIRVANA AND BJORK AND BROWNSTONE OR SOMETHING ALL IN ONE LINE AND THEN BLUR.
LIKE, THAT'S THE ERA GREW UP IN, YOU KNOW.
WE ABSORBED IT ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
SO, LIKE, IT SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING THAT, LIKE, MAYBE AS MUSIC HAS GOT MORE GENRE'D EVEN IN THE U.K., WE HAVE FORGOTTEN THE RECENT HISTORY OF HOW WE USED TO ABSORB MUSIC.
SO, LIKE, THAT'S JUST A REFLECTION OF MY ENVIRONMENT OF GROWING UP.
LISTENING TO THE RADIO, MOVING HOVERING OVER THE RADIO ON SUNDAY LISTENING TO THE TOP 40 AND THE RADIO SHOWS AND HOW THEY EXPLORED MUSNIK THIS FREEWAY.
THAT'S WHAT MADE ME SO THAT'S WHO I AM.
SO I WANT TO PLAY A CLIP FROM YOUR LATEST, 'WALK WITH FIRE,' AND THEN WE WILL TALK IF B IT.
THAT'S MY FIRST.
♪ NOW I'M ALIVE ♪ ♪ IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN ♪ ♪ IT TOOK THIS MUCH TIME ♪ ♪ IT TOOK THIS MUCH PAIN ♪ ♪ YOU CAN GET HERE IF YOU'RE WILLING ♪ ♪ LOOK UP FOR YOURSELF FOR YOU ♪ ♪ NEW BEGINNING ♪ ♪ IT WAS EASIER ♪♪♪
SO APTLY CORRECTED, THIS IS 'STAND FOR MYSELF.'
WHAT I SAID WAS YOUR FIRST.
I AM REALLY INTERESTED BY SOME OF THE WORDS IN THERE.
YOU KNOW, LET GO OF YOURSELF FOR A NEW BEGINNING.
IT WAS EASIER TO SING THAN TO STAND FOR MYSELF.
TELL ME ABOUT THAT.
SO, WHEN I WAS IN THE U.K.
THERE WAS A PARTICULAR STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH PEOPLE THAT DID BACKING VOCALS.
IT WAS MAYBE SEEN BY SOME OF THE RECORD EXECUTIVES, BUT IF YOU DID ANY KIND OF SUPPORTIVE WORK IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, IT COULDN'T BE POSSIBLE THAT YOU HAD ANY ARTISTIC LICENSE TO CREATE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS ALMOST UNSAID, BUT YOU HEARD IT.
IT WAS UNDER THE RADAR IN THE WAY THAT IT WAS TALKED ABOUT.
AND ALSO SIMULTANEOUSLY TO THAT EVERY TIME YOU WENT INTO THE SPACE AS A MUSICIAN, AS AN ARTIST, PEOPLE WOULD SUGGEST TO THE DARKER OF US THAT HAD WE CONSIDERED DOING BACKING SINGING WORK.
SO THEY KIND OF WORKED IN CONCERT TO SUBVERT BLACK FEMALE AUTONOMY.
THE SAME THING DIDN'T HAPPEN TO MALES AS MUCH.
SO IT WAS VERY TARGETED AT BLACK WOMEN.
AND SO I HAD TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME FIGHTING FOR MY RIGHT TO BE A LEAD SINGER, SOMETIMES A LEAD SINGER FOR HIRE.
BUT EVEN IN THOSE SCENARIOS, THE IDEA WAS HARD TO GET OVER.
SOMETIMES IT WAS EASIER JUST TO SING LIKE WHATEVER, LIKE IF IT'S SOMEONE ELSE'S SONG BUT I'M FILLING IN AS THEIR PERSON FOR HIRE WHO CAN SING ANY, LIKE, 15 SONGS, THREE OF WHICH ARE MINE, YOU KNOW.
LIKE, IT WAS EASIER FOR FOR ME TO KOWTOW TO SOMEONE ELSE'S AUTHORITY THAN IT WAS TO LEAD BECAUSE IT WAS, LIKE, IT WAS JUST ENOUGH TO FIGHT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A COUPLE OF SONGS OR MAYBE HAVE THIS IDEA OF BUILDING SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY DIFFERENT FROM BEING, LIKE, A HOUSE VOCALIST OR SINGING R&B OR WHATEVER THE TEENY-TINY BOXES I WAS ALLOWED INTO.
SO IT BECAME LIKE SOMETHING THAT I HAD TO, LIKE, GROW OUT OF, THIS IDEA OF WHAT WAS EASIER.
I ALWAYS HAD TO KIND OF SEARCH FOR THE HARDER ROAD, ROAD, MAYBE A ROAD THAT DIDN'T HAVE AN EXAMPLE OR ROLE MODEL FOR ME TO FOLLOW THAT WAS BLACK AND BRITISH AND A LADY.
SO I HAD TO JUST -- THAT'S WHAT -- IT WAS SO MUCH EASIER FOR SO MUCH OF MY LIFE TO JUST SING, YOU KNOW.
AND AS OPPOSED TO STAND FOR MYSELF.
SO THAT'S WHY I CALLED THE RECORD 'STAND FOR MYSELF' BECAUSE I'M STANDING FOR MY RIGHT TO NUANCE -- TO BE STRONG LIKE SOME MONOLITHIC -- BUT TO BE NUANCED, AND TO ACTUALLY WRITE MY OWN STORY.
AND, YOU KNOW, AS THEY SAY, AGENCY.
YOU CERTAINLY SEEM TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, REALLY, YOU KNOW, CRACKED THAT, WHICH IS GREAT.
WHICH WANT TO PLAY, OBVIOUSLY -- COVID HAS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR EVERYBODY, NOT ONLY STOPPING YOUR CONCERTS BUT EVERYTHING, AND THERE WAS -- I WANT TO PLAY OUT -- BUT I WANT YOU TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT FAR AWAY LOOK.
TIE ANY DESK CONCERT.
TELL ME ABOUT THAT BEFORE I PLAY A CLIP.
TINY DESK CONCERTS ARE WONDERFUL THINGS.
IF YOU ARE ACQUAINTED WITH NPR, YOU WILL KNOW THAT THEY ARE IN THIS LOVELY LITTLE ENCLAVE IN THE OFFICES AND LIKE ANY NUMBER HAVE DONE IT AND I WAS HONORED TO DO IT.
I SANG THE LEAD, THE FIRST TRACK OF MY DEBUT ALBUM FOR THEM, WHICH IS WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR.
AND IT'S KIND OF THE PRECURSOR TO MY CURRENT RECORD.
LIKE, I'M AT THIS PLACE OF HAVING CHECKED OUT AND I HAVE THAT FAR AWAY LOOK IN MY I-. THEY ARE GOING, DO THIS, BECAUSE IT'S EASIER TO SING, RIGHT?
AND SO I'M JUST SINGING AND I'M NOT ENGAGED.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE SET OUR SCENE FOR THIS SONG AND IN THE COMPANY OF TINY DESK.
SO, ON THAT NOTE, WE ARE GOING PLAY 'FAR ENOUGH LOOK.'
YOLA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL PLEASURE.
♪ THE CANDLES ON THE CAKE ♪ ♪ AND THREW THE MATCH DOWN ON THE FLOOR ♪ ♪ WISH I KNEW WHAT YOU WERE WISHING FOR ♪ ♪ HANDING THE PAPER PLATES ♪ ♪