PBS News Weekend full episode, September 10, 2022
GEOFF: GOOD EVENING. I'M GEOFF BENNET. TONIGHT ON PBS NEWS WEEKEND. HOUSING CRISIS, MY INTERVIEW WITH SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT MARCIA FUDGE ON THE SURGING COST OF RENTING AND BUYING A HOME. >> WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN, ALL HANDS ON DECK TO BE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE IN A SAFE AND DECENT HOUSE IN A DECENT NEIGHBORHOOD. GEOFF: THEN, HISTORIC HEAT, FROM LOS ANGELES TO LAS VEGAS.
WHAT'S CAUSING THE DANGEROUS AND UNRELENTING HEATWAVE GRIPPING THE WEST? AND, SPIRITUALS, MUSICIAN SANTIGOLD, TALKS ABOUT HER ECLECTIC CAREER, AND THE ISSUES AND EVENTS THAT INSPIRED HER NEW ALBUM. ALL OF THAT AND TODAY'S HEADLINES ON PBS NEWS WEEKEND. GEOFF: GOOD EVENING, IT IS GOOD TO BE WITH YOU. WE BEGIN TONIGHT IN UKRAINE WITH LATEBREAKING NEWS OF THE COUNTEROFFENSIVE. UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE MADE MAJOR GAINS AGAINST RUSSIAN FORCES IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE COUNTRY. IF THESE ADVANCES HOLD IT COULD MARK THE GREATEST STRATEGIC SHIFT SINCE RUSSIA PULLED ITS FORCES FROM KYIV MONTHS AGO.
NICK SCHIFRIN HAS OUR REPORT. CORRESPONDENT: UKRAINE'S ANTHEM AS BEEN TITLED UKRAINE CANNOT YET PERISH. THE BLUE AND GOLD FLIES AGAIN. RELIEVED RESIDENTS EMBRACED LIBERATORS AND OFFER THE UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS PANCAKES. IN THE WAKE OF THE SUCCESS RUSSIAN FORCES LEAVE BEHIND DEVASTATION. THE GAINS OF THE WAR ARE THE MOST DRAMATIC EVENTS IN MONTHS.
UKRAINE LIBERATED A KEY RAILWAY SUPPLY ON RUSSIA'S REDLINE AND HAVE NOW ENTERED A CRITICAL RUSSIAN LOGISTIC AND MILITARY STRONGHOLD. >> THE LIBERATION IS SIGNIFICANT, AND WE ARE GOING TO LIBERATE ALL OCCUPIED TERRITORIES. CORRESPONDENT: THE UKRAINIAN MINISTER OF DEFENSE TOLD ME AT THE STRATEGY CONFERENCE THAT UKRAINIAN FORCES RECAPTURED 500 SQUARE MILES. >> THEY BECAME WEAKER AND WEAKER AND THEY WILL RUN AWAY ARMY.
,CORRESPONDENT: TODAY, THE RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY ACKNOWLEDGED THEIR TROOPS PULLED BACK. RUSSIA STILL CONTROLS A LARGE AMOUNT OF UKRAINIAN LAND, BUT TONIGHT, UKRAINE VOWS TO MARCH ON, AND SEIZE EVEN MORE OF ITS TERRITORY. FOR PBS NEWS WEEKEND, I AM NICK SCHIFRIN IN KYIV. GEOFF: IN THE U.K. TODAY, AN ANCIENT RITE WAS USHERED INTO A NEW ERA.
CHARLES III WAS PUBLICLY PROCLAIMED KING EARLIER TODAY IN A CEREMONY NOT HELD SINCE AND 1952 TELEVISED FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. >> THREE CHEERS FOR HIS MAJESTY THE KING. GEOFF: WITH THE STROKE OF A PEN SURROUNDED BY HIS SON, PRINCE WILLIAM, AND HIS WIFE QUEEN CONSORT CAMILLA, KING CHARLES THE THIRD -- III SIGNED HIS NEW OATH.
CHILDREN GREETED WELL-WISHERS AND VIEW THE MANY PREVIOUS TO QUEEN ELIZABETH II. AT BALMORAL CASTLE WHERE SHE DIED OTHERS HONOR TO LINE UP THE LATE QUEEN BY LAYING BOUQUETS. THE LATE QUEEN'S COFFIN WILL BE TAKEN FROM BALMORAL TOMORROW. SHE WILL LIE IN STATE AT WESTMINSTER HALL STARTING WEDNESDAY AND HER STATE FUNERAL WILL TAKE PLACE ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 AT WEAPONS -- WESTMINSTER ABBEY. THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S LEGAL TEAM HAVE PROPOSED TWO CANDIDATES TO SERVE AS AN INDEPENDENT ARBITER TO COME THROUGH WHAT WAS FOUND AT MR.
TRUMP'S PROPERTY. LAWYERS FOR MR. TRUMP WANT THE SPECIAL MASTER TO REVIEW ALL DOCUMENTS BUT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SAYS CLASSIFIED RECORD SHOULD BE OFF-LIMITS. AT THE U.S. OPEN CARLOS ALCARAZ
AND FRANCIS TIAFOE MADE THEIR SEMI FINAL DEBUTS IN A RAUCOUS MATCH THAT HAD SPECTATORS ON THEIR FEET. HE WILL FACE CASPER RUUD IN THE FINAL. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST AMERICAN MAN TO REACH THE U.S. OPEN FINAL IN 16 YEARS. HE WAS ALREADY THE FIRST BLACK AMERICAN MEN TO REACH THE SEMI FINALS SINCE 1972. IN THE WOMEN'S FINAL A TUNISIAN PLAYER HAS A SHOT AT HER FIRST GRAND SLAM TITLE AGAINST TOP RANKED BECAUSE WE ATTACK -- IGA SWIATEK. THE HISTORIC UNFORGIVING HEAT GRIPPING THE WEST AND SINGER SANTIGOLD ON HER CAREER AND ISSUES THAT INSPIRE HER.
GEOFF: HOME PRICES HAVE RISEN ASTRONOMICALLY. NEARLY 20% HIGHER YEAR, MAKING HOMEOWNERSHIP UNAFFORDABLE FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS. RENTS ARE SPIKING TOO. THE BIGGEST CULPRIT IS A HISTORIC HOUSING SHORTAGE, STRONG DEMAND AND LOW SUPPLIED MEAN HIGHER PRICES, AND EXPERTS A IT IS UNLIKELY PRICES NATIONWIDE WILL DROP IN ANY SIGNIFICANT WAY ANYTIME SOON. THIS WEEK I SPOKE WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
MARCIA FUDGE ABOUT THE RISING COST OF HOUSING AND WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. GEOFF: SINCE THE PANDEMIC STARTED, HOUSING PRICES, RENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE REALLY SOARED, EVEN IN PLACES WHERE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY HAS BEEN TAKEN FOR GRANTED.
UNDERSTANDING THAT THE REASONS FOR THAT ARE COMPLEX, SOME OF THE REASONS EXTEND BEYOND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S REACH, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE OVERALL SOLUTION? >> WELL, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS ANYONE SOLUTION. QUITE FRANKLY, THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM. IT JUST DIDN'T START WITH THE PANDEMIC. IT JUST BECAME MORE CLEAR, AND A BRIGHTER LIGHT WAS SHINED ON IT. WE HAVE NOT KEPT UP WITH HOUSING IN THIS COUNTRY FOR DECADES. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THAT THERE IS A SUPPLY PROBLEM.
THERE IS MUCH MORE DEMAND THAN THERE IS SUPPLY. AND SO YOU KNOW THAT TODAY WE NEED AT LEAST 1.5 MILLION NEW UNITS OF HOUSING JUST FOR THE POPULATION WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. WE ALSO KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF THE RISING COST OF HOUSING, NOT ONLY JUST TO RENT IT OR BUY IT BUT TO BUILD IT, WE HAVE SEEN FEWER HOUSING STARTS FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES THAN WE HAVE IN YEARS. WE HAVE SEEN FEWER MULTIFAMILY UNITS BUILT THAN WE HAVE SEEN IN YEARS. AND PURCHASES ARE GOING DOWN, AS WELL, BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY AND OTHER THINGS.
SO, THERE'S NO ONE SOLUTION. BUT WHAT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO DO IS FIND WAYS TO INCENTIVIZE, OR ENCOURAGE, DEVELOPERS TO BUILD MORE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING. GEOFF: WELL, ON THAT POINT, IS THERE A ROLE FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PLAY, WHETHER IT'S PROVIDING GRANTS TO EASE LOCAL ZONING RULES, OR TO GIVE DEVELOPERS INCENTIVES TO BUILD DENSER HOUSING? >> IN MAY, THE PRESIDENT PUT FORTH WHAT HE CALLED A HOUSING SUPPLY PLAN, $30 BILLION DEDICATED TO HOUSING. SO, WE ARE PUTTING MORE MONEY INTO THE HOUSING TRUST FUND, SO WE CAN DO SOME CAP FINANCING.
WE ARE PUTTING MORE MONEY INTO HOUSING FINANCE AGENCIES. WE ARE DOING MORE BY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. WE ARE TALKING TO MAYORS. YOU KNOW, WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT WE CAN, BUT WE NEED HELP FROM CONGRESS. BUT, WE ALSO NEED HELP FROM COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SUFFERING WITH THESE PROBLEMS. GEOFF, THERE'S MORE MONEY OUT THERE RIGHT NOW THAN THEY WILL EVER HAVE.
THE RESCUE PLAN, THE COVID PLAN, THOSE BILLS CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE MANY STATES AND CITIES ARE FLUSH WITH RESOURCES. SO, BETWEEN TREASURY AND US, WE ARE SAYING TO THEM, LOOK, YOU HAVE THESE RESOURCES. USE THEM TO TRY TO ALLEVIATE THIS HOUSING CRISIS THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY. SO, TOGETHER, ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN MAKE A DENT IN IT. GEOFF: HOMEOWNERSHIP IS THE MOST FREQUENT PATH TO WEALTH-BUILDING IN THIS COUNTRY, IT'S THE BEST PATH TO WEALTH BUILDING IN THIS COUNTRY. AND YET, BLACK HOMEOWNERSHIP IS AT THE LOWEST LEVEL SINCE THE 1968 FAIR HOUSING ACT WAS SIGNED.
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE REASONS FOR THAT? AND, WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO ADDRESS IT? >> I WOULD SAY JUST VERY HONESTLY TO YOU THAT THERE IS STILL A SYSTEM IN PLACE THAT IS REALLY A DISCRIMINATORY SYSTEM. WE STILL REDLINE COMMUNITIES IN THIS COUNTRY. RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE PEOPLE WON'T LEND IN COMMUNITIES WHERE HOMES ARE VALUED AT LESS THAN $100,000, $125,000, THOSE COMMUNITIES BEGIN TO DIE. WE WON'T LOAN MONEY FOR PEOPLE TO BUY THOSE HOUSES, WE WILL GIVE THE MONEY TO REHABILITATE THOSE HOUSES. AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS INVESTORS COME IN, THEY BUY THEM UP FOR CASH MOST OF THE TIME, THEY START TO RENT. THEY DO PUT A LITTLE MONEY IN THEM, AND THEN THEY RAISE THE RENTS FOR EVERYBODY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I THINK THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT APPRAISAL BIAS IS A MAJOR ISSUE IN THIS, AS WELL. YOU WILL FIND THAT THE BLACKER OR BROWNER THE COMMUNITY IS, THE LOWER THE VALUATION OF THE HOMES. AND SO, THAT ALSO CREATES A PROBLEM FOR LENDERS. THIRDLY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST IMPEDIMENTS TO PURCHASING A HOME IS STUDENT LOAN DEBT. IT HAS BEEN WEIGHTED HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER KIND OF DEBT IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND SO IT MAKES THEM UNCREDIT-WORTHY. WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE ALREADY DONE IS NEUTRALIZE STUDENT LOAN DEBT UP TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THOSE PEOPLE CREDITWORTHY. AND THEN, TODAY, OF COURSE, INTEREST RATES ARE GOING UP.
SO, THAT HAS CREATED ANOTHER IMPEDIMENT ON TOP OF WHAT ALREADY EXISTS. BUT, A LOT OF IT IS JUST THE SYSTEM ITSELF. THE SYSTEM IS NOT DESIGNED TO HELP LOW INCOME PEOPLE, OR POOR PEOPLE OR PEOPLE OF COLOR.
BUT, TO BANKS' CREDIT TODAY, AS WE HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH THEM, THEY ARE STARTING TO REALIZE THERE ARE THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO TO ENCOURAGE HOMEOWNERSHIP IN BLACK AND BROWN POPULATIONS, AND THEY ARE DOING IT. GEOFF: FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT BE UNFAMILIAR, BEFORE YOU WERE HUD SECRETARY, YOU WERE A MEMBER OF CONGRESS, BEFORE THAT YOU WERE A MAYOR IN OHIO. HOW DOES ALL OF THAT INFORM THE WORK THAT YOU DO NOW? I MEAN, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT HOUSING POLICY, IN MANY WAYS, IS LOCAL. YOU HAVE THAT PERSPECTIVE AS A FORMER MAYOR, AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS. >> WITHOUT THE EXPERIENCES I'VE HAD, GEOFF, THERE'S NO WAY THAT I COULD REALLY DO THE JOB THE WAY THAT I BELIEVE THAT I SHOULD BE DOING IT. HAVING WORKED WITH CONGRESS, UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS BY WHICH THEY PASS FEDERAL LAWS, BUT ALSO THE APPROPRIATIONS.
AND, WHAT I KNOW IS THAT, AS A MAYOR, IS THAT CITIES CAN'T DO IT ALONE. YES, CITIES DO CONTROL ZONING. AND YES, THESE CITIES NEED TO LOOK AT ZONING. BUT THERE IS NO WAY, WITH THE GRAVITY OF THE PROBLEM, THAT ANY COMMUNITY CAN DO IT BY THEMSELVES. IT JUST DOES NOT HAPPEN THAT WAY. THEY CANNOT DEAL WITH THE HOMELESSNESS CRISIS.
THEY CANNOT DEAL WITH ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT GO ALONG WITH TRYING TO GET PEOPLE INTO THEIR FIRST HOMES. BUT WE ARE SAYING AS A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WE CAN ASSIST YOU WITH DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. WE CAN ASSIST YOU BY STAYING IN YOUR HOMES BY GIVING YOU LONGER MORTGAGES. WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE TREAT YOU FAIRLY THROUGHOUT THAT LENDING PROCESS. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN, AND SHOULD DO.
THOSE THINGS COME UNDER US, WHETHER IT BE BEING INSURED BY FHA, OR WHETHER IT BE LOANS THAT ARE SECURED BY GINNIE MAE. WE HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL, FEDERALLY, TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON ALL THE LENDERS IN THE COUNTRY. NORMAL COMMUNITIES CAN'T DO THAT. WE CAN. WE ALSO HAVE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE PUT OUT, AGAIN, RESCUE PLAN, TONS OF MONEY.
WE SEND OUT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT MONEY, WHICH MANY OF THEM USE. WE SEND HOME MONEY TO COMMUNITIES TO HELP THEM BUILD HOUSING. AS WELL AS WE LOOK AT A BROADER PICTURE, AND UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROBLEMS. WE, TODAY, OR OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, ARE GOING TO BE ANNOUNCING NEW HOUSING VOUCHERS THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN FROM COMMUNITIES THAT HAVEN'T USED THEM, AND WE'RE DISTRIBUTING THOSE TO COMMUNITIES WHO NEED THEM. SO, HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS IS A BIG THING. WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN, ALL HANDS ON DECK, TO BE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE IN A SAFE, DECENT HOUSE, IN A DECENT NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE FOCUSED ON, GEOFF, AND WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON IT. AND, I THINK MY BACKGROUND LENDS ITSELF TO DOING IT, BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS WORKED VERY, VERY CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE. MAYORS ARE THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE, CONGRESSPEOPLE. WE TALK TO PEOPLE EVERY DAY. AND SO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO MAKE DECISIONS DON'T TALK TO PEOPLE EVERY DAY.
I'M JUST BLESSED AND FORTUNATE TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE BEEN IN THOSE PARTICULAR ROLES. GEOFF: SECRETARY, MARCIA FUDGE, THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. I APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU, APPRECIATE BEING WITH YOU. ♪ GEOFF: AT LEAST 50 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE WESTERN U.S. HAVE BEEN LIVING WITH THE DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES OF A RECORD SHATTERING HEAT WAVE FOR MORE THAN A WEEK.
THERE HAVE BEEN TRIPLE DIGIT TEMPERATURES AND PARTS OF CALIFORNIA EVERY DAY, FORCING THE STATE'S ELECTRICAL GRID TO THE POINT OF ROLLING BLACKOUTS. THIS WEEK SACRAMENTO SET AN ALL-TIME TEMPERATURE RECORD, A SCORCHING 116 DEGREES. CLIMATE CHANGE IS MAKING THE DURATION AND INTENSITY OF HEAT WAVES WORSE AND MORE COMMON.
JOINING US NOW TO TALK ABOUT THIS IS SANDY ROTH, A REPORTER FOR THE LOS ANGELES TIMES. GIVE US A SENSE OF JUST HOW MASSIVE AND INTENSE THIS HEATWAVE REALLY IS. ASK I DO NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING LIKE IT, I HAVE LIVED IN L.A. MOST OF MY LIFE.
I HAVE BEEN SITTING IN MY APARTMENT WITH NO AIR CONDITIONING SWEATING BADLY EVERY DAY. WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT IS GOING ON ON THE POWER GRID, CALIFORNIA SET A RECORD ON TUESDAY ON ITS MAIN ELECTRICAL GRID FOR ENERGY DEMAND, AND THAT SPEAKS TO THE INTENSITY OF THE HEATWAVE. EVERYONE HAS BEEN BLASTING THEIR AIR CONDITIONERS, ELECTRIC DEMAND RECORD ON TUESDAY WE SHATTERED. ON WEDNESDAY WE HAD THE SECOND-HIGHEST ELECTRIC DEMAND COMPARED ONLY TO TUESDAY. IT HAS BEEN 10 STRAIGHT DAYS OF THE GRID OPERATOR WARNING THAT WE ARE GOING TO RUN OUT OF POWER AND HAVE ROLLING BLACKOUTS. IT SPEAKS TO HOW HOT IT HAS BEEN.
GEOFF: HOW ARE STATES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RESPONDING TO ALL OF THIS? CALIFORNIA HAS TAKEN THE UNPRECEDENTED STEP TO STOP THE HEATWAVE FROM CAUSING ROLLING BLACKOUTS. TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT. >> ON THE BLACK OUTSIDE GOVERNOR NEWSOM HAS BEEN PULLING AND ALL OF HIS CHIPS TRYING TO GET PEOPLE WITH DIESEL BACKUP GENERATORS TO PUT THEM ONLINE, NATURAL GAS PLANTS THAT HAVE SPARED CAPACITY, TAKING THEM TO PUT OUT MORE, CALLING BIG BUSINESSES AND SAYING PLEASE, PLEASE DURING THESE CRITICAL HOURS WHEN THE SOLAR POWER GOES AWAY USE LESS OF ELECTRICITY.
ON THE HEAT SIDE CALIFORNIA IS LOOKING AT LONG-TERM, TRY TO REDUCE EMISSIONS, SOLVE CLIMATE CHANGE AND STOP THESE THINGS FROM GETTING WORSE AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM THE KEY. EVEN IF WE REDUCE EMISSIONS QUICKLY IT WILL KEEP GETTING HOTTER AT LEAST FOR A WHILE. GEOFF: WHAT IS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN HEAT WAVES LIKE THIS ONE THAT WE ARE SEEING RIGHT NOW AND CLIMATE CHANGE? ARE THESE HEAT WAVES THE NEW NORMAL? >> THE NEW NORMAL IS PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE IT IS NOT LIKE WE ARE GOING TO SETTLE AT THIS POINT.
THIS MIGHT SEEM UNPRECEDENTED, BUT A FEW YEARS DOWN THE ROAD WE WILL BE SEEING EVEN WORSE. CLIMATE CHANGE IS RAISING THE BASELINE TEMPERATURE OF THE PLANET, A COUPLE OF DEGREES OF AVERAGE TEMPERATURE INCREASE MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT, BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE BELL CURVE, YOU HAVE A RANGE OF AVERAGE TEMPERATURES IN THE MIDDLE AND EXTREMES, THIS IS PLACING THE EXTREMES OUT FURTHER. WE WILL SEE WORSE AND WORSE HE WAVES AT THE EXTREME END.
GEOFF: BASED ON YOUR REPORTING OUT CAN WE BEST GET A HANDLE ON THESE HEAT WAVES? WHAT ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN OUT TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM THESE HEAT WAVES THAT ARE ON TRACK TO GET WORSE? >> THERE WAS A LOT OF STUFF THAT CAN BE DONE IN THE SHORT MEDIUM TERM AND CALIFORNIA IS ATTEMPTING TO PIONEER THESE. PLANT AS MANY SHADE TREES AS POSSIBLE, PARTICULARLY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND LOW INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THERE IS NOT A LOT OF SHADE AND ASPHALT RAISES TEMPERATURES. PLANT TREES OR PUBLIC PARKS. PUTTING PAVEMENT THAT IS REFLECTIVE RATHER THAN ABSORBING.
GOVERNOR NEWSOM ACTUALLY SIGNED A BILL JUST ON FRIDAY THAT IS GOING TO RANK HEAT WAVES LIKE HURRICANES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN CALIFORNIA. THE IDEA IS TO SAY WE HAVE A CATEGORY FOUR HEATWAVE COMING UP AND FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS AND TO REALIZE THEY NEED TO TAKE SERIOUS ACTIONS TO PREPARE AND FIND A WAY TO STAY COOL. IN THE NEAR-TERM REDUCING EMISSIONS AND STOPPING THE HEATING OF THE PLANET LONG-TERM IS THE ONLY WAY. GEOFF: SANDY ROTH, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR REPORTING AND INSIGHTS WITH US. >> YOU ARE WELCOME. ♪ GEOFF: THE PANDEMIC FORCED A LOT OF MUSICIANS TO HAVE POSITIVE ON THEIR CAREERS BUT SOME ARTIST OF THAT TIME AWAY FROM TOURING TO CREATE AT HOME.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT CHRISTOPHER BOOKER SENT OUT WITH THE SINGER SANTIGOLD ABOUT DEFINING GENRES AND ADDRESSING RACIAL INEQUITY. ♪ CORRESPONDENT: SITTING SOMEWHERE BETWEEN PUNK, ELECTRONIC AND POP THE MUSIC OF SANTI WHITE, BETTER KNOWN AS SANTIGOLD IS DIFFICULT TO DEFINE. >> I'M TAKING NO DRAMA, ONLY ANSWER TO YOUR HONOR.
CORRESPONDENT: WHILE IT MIGHT DEFY CATEGORIES, IN A STREAMING WORLD WHERE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF NEW SONGS ARE UPLOADED EVERYDAY HER VOICE AND UNIQUE SOUND IS A REMINDER THAT IN OUR DIGITAL WORLD, IT IS STILL POSSIBLE TO OFFER SOMETHING FRESH. >> I THINK THAT ARTISTS ARE KIND OF LIKE MIRRORS TO CULTURE AND SO WE WHAT WE WRITE AND WHAT WE CREATE IS A WAY THAT CULTURE CAN SEE ITSELF FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND IN A WAY THAT WE CAN HELP PROGRESS CULTURE AND MOVE THINGS FORWARD AND SORT OF BE BRIDGES TO WHAT IS NEXT. ♪ >> ♪ WHAT I AM SEARCHING FOR ♪ CORRESPONDENT: WHITE HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTING THESE BRIDGES SINCE HER 2008 BREAKOUT SANTOGOLD, AN ALBUM THAT FROM ITS FIRST TRACK TO ITS LAST, OFFERED A STEADY ASSAULT ON MUSICAL STEREOTYPES AND TIGHT GAS. BUT THE GENRE BENDING ALBUM ALMOST DIDN'T HAPPEN. >> I MET WITH AN A&R GUY AND HE WAS LIKE, YEAH, THIS SEEMS CONFUSED AND IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE, AND YOU'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE. IT WAS NOTHING THAT YOU COULD HAVE CALLED IT THAT COULD HAVE FIT BECAUSE IT WAS SO MIXED UP, BUT IT WAS EVERYTHING I WAS.
AND I FEEL LIKE I OPENED A LOT OF DOORS FOR ALL ARTISTS, AND PARTICULARLY ARTISTS OF COLOR WHO ARE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF THE LITTLE TINY BOX THAT WAS ALLOTTED FOR THEM. CORRESPONDENT: THAT YOU HAVE TO BE A RAPPER. YOU HAVE TO BE AN R&B SINGER.
>> RAPPER, R&B, YEAH AND EVEN WHEN I CAME OUT, THEY WERE LIKE IN ALL THE PRESS WAS LIKE RAPPER SANTIGOLD, R&B SINGER SANTIGOLD. AND I WAS LIKE, REALLY? OK. CORRESPONDENT: IN THE YEARS SINCE, SHE'S ONLY SOLIDIFIED HER IDIOSYNCRATIC STATURE. ♪ BUT IN 2019, WHITE SAYS, HER CREATIVE FIREHOSE STARTED TO RUN DRY. >> I HAD SOME SONGS THAT I HAD STARTED, JUST LIKE LITTLE BITS OF IDEAS, AND I WENT IN MY STUDIO AND I SAID, I'M GONNA WRITE SOME SONGS.
NOTHING. THERE WAS NOTHING, NOTHING. I HAD NO LYRICS, NO IDEAS ABOUT WHAT I WAS GOING TO WRITE ABOUT. THEN THE WORLD FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN.
♪ CORRESPONDENT: LIKE SO MANY OF US DURING THAT SPRING OF 2020, WHITE FOUND HERSELF FORCED TO STAY STILL. HOLED AT HOME WITH HER HUSBAND AND THREE CHILDREN, SHE SAYS THE CHANGE WASN'T EASY. >> I WAS ONLY ONE IN THE HOUSE THAT COULD COOK. ONLY ONE IN THE HOUSE LIKE A DEEP CLEAN, ONLY ONE.
I WASN'T THE ONLY WIPING BUTTS, ONE BUT WE WERE LITERALLY LIKE ME. I MEAN, TWO YEAR OLDS, JUST TURNED TWO YEAR OLD AND I JUST FELT LIKE I WAS DROWNING IN THAT, BUT THEN ALSO OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE, YOU KNOW, BLACK PEOPLE GETTING KILLED DAY AFTER DAY, THE RIOTS WERE HAPPENING, THE PROTESTS, WILDFIRES IN CALIFORNIA, IT WAS JUST LIKE, IT WAS TOO MUCH. ♪ CORRESPONDENT: BUT SLOWLY, WHITE SAYS, SHE STARTED TO FIND TIME RETURNING FOR SMALL SESSIONS IN HER BACKYARD STUDIO.
>> FINALLY, I MADE IT OUT TO THE BACK HOUSE AND I JUST. I NEVER WROTE LYRICS FASTER. YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST LIKE I HAD IT WAS MY OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A MOMENT TO FEEL, TO PROCESS, IT'S CATHARTIC JUST TO FINALLY GET A CHANCE TO, LIKE, BE WITH MYSELF, BE WITH MY THOUGHTS, BE WITH MY FEELINGS, AND ALSO A WAY TO -- FEELINGS. CORRESPONDENT: THIS FLOOD OF ACTIVITY RESULT AND THE ALBUM SPIRITUALS OUT THIS WEEK. IT ECHOES TODAY'S MAJOR ISSUES ESPECIALLY RACIAL EQUALITY.
, DO YOU FEEL A CERTAIN PRESSURE TO RESPOND TO THE WORLD AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD? >> I GREW UP LISTENING TO MUSIC THAT WAS TOPICAL MUSIC, SO TO ME, THAT IS WHAT MUSIC WAS. YOU KNOW, AS A CHILD, MY FATHER WAS LISTENING TO FELA KUTI AND BURNING SPEAR AND MARVIN GAYE AND NINA SIMONE. I COME FROM THAT LEGACY OF MUSICIANS WHERE IT'S LIKE, THAT'S WHAT WE DO. CORRESPONDENT: SHE'S ALSO TAPPING INTO THIS LEGACY IN THE VISUAL WORK.
FOR THE SONG, SHAKE RECREATES ONE OF THE MOST HORRIFIC YET ICONIC SCENES IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT OF THE 1960'S. >> ♪ YOU GOT TO SHAKE. >> I HAD BEEN COLLECTING IMAGES FOR THIS PROJECT AND I WAS JUST SO EMOTIONALLY IMPACTED BY THE IMAGES OF THE PEOPLE, THE CIVIL RIGHTS PROTESTERS GETTING HOSED AND LIKE PINNED AGAINST A WALL AND AND, YOU KNOW, SO MANY OF THEM WERE LIKE KIDS AND TEENAGERS AND YOUNG PEOPLE, I MEAN, THE SONG WAS, FOR ME VERY MUCH ABOUT HUMAN RESILIENCE AND ABOUT JUST MOVING THROUGH THE CHALLENGES, THE TRAUMA, THE HARDSHIP.
IT WAS VERY FITTING TO JUST PUT MYSELF IN FRONT OF A HOSE AND TO TRY TO KEEP MOVING THROUGH IT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT GENERATIONS OF WOMEN AND GENERATIONS OF BLACK WOMEN, GENERATIONS OF BLACK PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO DO. THE REASON I CALL MY RECORD SPIRITUALS IS BECAUSE THE NEGRO SPIRITUALS WERE A WAY TO TRANSCEND PEOPLE'S CIRCUMSTANCES AND EXPERIENCE JOY AND FREEDOM WHEN THERE WAS NONE VISIBLY AROUND THEM. MUSIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PLACE FOR TRANSCENDENCE AND FOR FIGHTING AND MOVING FORWARD. THAT IS WHY I MAKE MUSIC, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WHAT THE MUSIC DOES FOR ME, I CAN DO FOR OTHER PEOPLE. ♪ CORRESPONDENT: FOR PBS'S WEEKEND, I AM CHRISTOPHER BOOKER. ♪ GEOFF: ONLINE RIGHT NOW FEDERAL MONEY FROM THE INFRASTRUCTURE BUILT AND PANDEMIC RELIEF LEGISLATION IS INJECTING NEW ENERGY INTO THE MANUFACTURING AND TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
READ ABOUT WHAT THAT IS DOING FOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AT PBS.ORG/NEWSHOUR. AND THAT IS OUR PROGRAM FOR THE NIGHT. ON SUNDAY, THE LATEST ON THE FLOODING IN PAKISTAN.
THANKS FOR SPENDING PART OF YOUR SATURDAY WITH US.
2022-09-16 10:01
