♪♪ >> COMING UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON: PREVENTION MEASURES HELPED DRUG OVERDOSES IN THE U.S. FALL A RECORD 27% LAST YEAR... ALSO TONIGHT: HEAR ABOUT EFFORT TO HELP PREVENT BIODIVERSITY LOSS DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE... AND, WE'LL HEAR ABOUT A LOCAL VIDEO CONTEST FOCUSED ON THE MEMORIES OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS THOSE STORIES AND MORE, NEXT, O ARIZONA HORIZON.

GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THE U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT IT WAS CLOSING ITS THREE-YEAR INVESTIGATION OF THE CITY OF PHOENIX AND THE CITY'S POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THE CIVIL-RIGHTS INVESTIGATION RETRACTED FINDINGS UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION THAT PHOENIX OFFICERS COMMITTED UNLAWFUL BRUTALITY AND DISCRIMINATION, ALONG WITH VIOLATING THE RIGHTS OF PROTESTERS AND THE HOMELESS.

THE DOJ, UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, HAD WANTED COUR OVERSIGHT OF THE DEPARTMENT BY WAY OF A CONSENT DECREE SOMETHING THAT THE CITY OPPOSED INDEED, PHOENIX MAYOR KATE GALLEGO TODAY RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING THAT, QUOTE, "WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SERVING OUR RESIDENTS IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE," ADDING, QUOTE, "I SAID MANY TIMES THAT WE WOULD ADOPT REFORMS AND SEE THEM THROUGH, AND I MEANT IT."

NATIONAL NEWS: PRESIDENT TRUMP TODAY AGAIN MET WITH HOUSE REPUBLICANS WHO ARE AS YET NOT SOLD ON WHAT THE PRESIDENT DESCRIBES AS HIS "BIG, BEAUTIFU BILL" THAT INCLUDES TAX CUTS.

THE GOP HOLDOUTS SAY THAT THE BILL WILL INCREASE DEFICITS.

>> MY CONCERN ABOUT THE DEFICIT IN THE DEBT IS TREMENDOUS.

THIS BILL IN ITS ENTIRETY, THE WAY IT WAS WRITTEN, WE WILL GO FOR TRUCKS TRILLION NOW IN DEBT TO $56 TRILLION ANYMORE 10 YEARS.

THE DEFICIT'S IN THE FIRST FEW YEARS AS THIS BILL IS WRITTEN TODAY WOULD BE WELL OVER A TRILLION DOLLARS IN JUST THE FIRST FEW YEARS OF THIS BILL.

THE TAX CUTS ARE VITALLY IMPORTANT.

WE'VE GOT TO BALANCE THE TAX CUTS WITH SOME DEBT.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

>> THE HOUSE IS AIMING TO HOLD A VOTE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

>>> A FEDERAL JUDGE TODAY THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAD VIOLATED THE JUDGE'S ORDER NOT TO DEPORT PEOPLE TO COUNTRY THAT WERE NOT THEIR OWN WITHOUT FIRST GIVING THEM ENOUGH TIME TO OBJECT.

THE DECISION CAME AFTER A GROUP OF MEN, SOME FROM LATIN AMERICA COUNTRIES, CLAIMED TO HAVE BEEN DEPORTED TO SOUTH SUDAN AFTER BEING GIVEN ONLY 24 HOURS TO FIGHT DEPORTATION.

REACTION FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY... >> WELL, WE ARE FULLY COMPLIANT WITH THE LAW AND COURT ORDER, IT IS ABSOLUTELY ABSURD FOR A DISTRICT JUDGE TO TRY TO DICTATE THE FOREIGN POLICY AND NATIONAL SECURITY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

>> THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTS THAT THE PLANE HAS NOW LANDED IN THE EAST AFRICAN NATION OF DJIBOUTI.

AND, ONE MORE HEADLINE OF NOTE: A NEW STUDY SUGGESTS THAT HUMAN TEETH MAY HAVE ORIGINATED FROM FISH THAT SWAM THE EARTH NEARLY 500-MILLION YEARS AGO.

THE STUDY FOUND THAT EXTERNAL BUMPS ON ANCIENT FISH INCLUDED DENTINE, THE SAME TISSUE FOUND UNDERNEATH THE ENAMEL ON HUMAN TEETH.

THAT TISSUE REACTS TO PRESSURE CAUSED BY A HARD BITE AND EATING AND DRINKING THINGS THAT ARE ESPECIALLY COLD OR SWEET.

IT'S BELIEVED THAT THE TISSUE HELPED THE ANCIENT FISH GET A SENSE OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS AND SWIM ELSEWHERE TO SAFETY, IF OF NEEDED.

ACCORDING TO THE CDC, U.S.

OVERDOSE DEATHS FELL BY 27 LAST YEAR, THE LARGEST ONE-YEAR DECLINE EVER RECORDED.

WHY DID OVERDOSE FATALITIES DROP SO MUCH AND CAN THESE NUMBERS BE MAINTAINED AMID FEDERAL CUTS TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

JOINING US NOW IS DRUG AND ADDICTION CONSULTANT, STEPHANIE SIETE.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> GOOD TO BE HERE.

>> MY GOODNESS, 27% LAST YEAR.

WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

WHAT HAPPENED?

>> THAT'S AWESOME.

THAT'S SIGNIFICANT.

JUST HOPE IT KEEPS UP.

>> WHY DO YOU THINK HAPPENED?

>> AGAIN, I WILL START OFF WITH THIS PROVISIONAL DATA ONLY THROUGH OCTOBER OF '24, SO STILL GOT SOME OTHER MONTHS TO COUNT FOR.

BUT I THINK THE OPIOID REVERSAL MEDICATION, THE NARCAN PLAYED A ROLE.

FENTANYL IS THE DEADLIEST DRUG IN THE WORLD AND HAS BEEN FOR SOME YEARS.

MAYBE PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO EDUCATION AND PREVENTION, AND SADLY WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF LIVES LOST.

THAT'S SCARY, TO LEARN ABOUT ONE PILL CAN KILL.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, IF IT'S A ONE-TIME USE, MAYBE THAT'S AN AWARENESS CAMPAIGN IN ITSELF.

>> THE NEXT HIGHEST, THIS IS 27%, THE NEXT HIGHEST WAS 4% IN 2018.

THAT SAID, THE NUMBERS STILL ARE HIGHER THAN THEY WERE PRE-COVID.

>> PRE-COVID.

PRE-COVID, WE WERE AVERAGING FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AROUND 70,000 DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS.

THAT'S STILL AWFUL.

OFF CAMERA YOU AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT 1980.

WHEN WE USED TO SAY, JUST SAY NO, THE WAR AGAINST DRUGS.

WE STILL GOT A LONG WAY TO GO.

WE WENT FROM SOUTH,000, AND I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE 30% INCREASE, TO SEE THIS DECLINE INTO THE 80s IS A GOOD START.

>> THAT'S A GOOD START.

YOU TALKED ABOUT NALOXONE.

EXPANDED ADDICTION TREATMENT.

IS THAT STARTING TO GET AHOLD?

IS THAT MAKING A DIFFERENCE?

>> YES.

I MEAN, I WOULD JUST SAY IT'S ALL ENCOMPASSING, RIGHT.

LIKE IT CAN'T JUST BE THE FENTANYL TESTING THAT IS OUT THERE.

SO PEOPLE CAN TEST DRUGS.

BUT THAT'S A GOOD THING.

IT CAN'T JUST BE NALOXONE.

WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK, OH, MY GOSH, THERE'S THIS DRUG THAT WILL SAVE MY LIFE IF I OVERDOSE.

IT'S A GOOD HARM REDUCTION METHOD, BUT THEY'VE ALL GOTTA PARTNER UP, IN A SENSE.

>> YOU ALSO MENTION THAT MAYBE THE MESSAGE IS GETTING THROUGH ABOUT FENTANYL, THAT IT'S NOTHING TO FOOL AROUND WITH.

IS THERE A SHIFT IN DRUG USE RIGHT NOW THIS COUNTRY?

>> I HOPE SO.

BECAUSE WE STILL SEE YOUNG PEOPLE DYING FROM IT, RIGHT, LIKE I'VE BEEN IN THE FIELD FOR 25 YEARS.

I WAS EXPLAINING THAT OF WAY TOO MANY FRIENDS WHOSE KIDS HAVE DIED FROM DRUG OVERDOSES, AND A LOT OF IT IS FENTANYL AND OTHER DERIVATIVES OF FENTANYL.

WE TALK ABOUT THE OPIOID CRISES, BUT THERE ARE OTHER TYPES OF OPEN IS.

THAT'S WHAT'S CONCERNING, RIGHT, ITS NOT JUST THAT.

HAS THERE BEEN A SHIFT?

AWARENESS WORKS, MAYBE.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK THERE ARE SAFE MEASURES LIKE NALOXONE AND WE DON'T WANT THAT TO BE THE ONLY MESSAGE.

>> I'VE READ IN TERMS OF NUMBERS SOME OF THE OLDER FOLKS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THESE KINDS OF THINGS MAYBE HAVE DIED OFF OR THEY'RE OFF WITH OTHER HEALTH CONCERNS AND NOT INVOLVED IN THESE SORTS OF THINGS, AND THAT MIGHT BE PLAYING, A, A FACTOR, AND, B, THE YOUNGER FOLKS ARE SAYING, I DON'T KNOW.

>> I THINK THERE IS A SHIFT, BUT YOU KIND OF HAVE TO ALWAYS GO BACK TO THE TEEN BRAIN, AS WELL.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG AND INVINCIBLE AND JUST DON'T KNOW ANY BETTER.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS FENTANYL.

BUT DIFFERENT DRUGS WERE BEING ABUSED.

AS THEY'VE PROGRESSED, THEY'VE GOTTEN MORE DANGEROUS, MORE POTENT.

>> ARE YOU CONCERNED -- HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU REGARDING FEDERAL CUTS TO THESE SERVICES FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION?

>> SUPER CONCERNED.

THE COMMUNITY NEEDS RESOURCES.

IN THEORY, OPIOIDS ARE PAIN MANAGEMENT, NOT JUST FENTANYL, PRESCRIPTION PILLS, IT'S A COPING MECHANISM.

DO WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME UP WITH OTHER COPING MECHANISMS; SURE, THERAPIES, MEDICATIONS, WHAT HAVE YOU, BUT A LOT IS THROUGH FUNDING RESOURCES.

>> IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE MAY BE MOVING IT INTO CDC AND IS THERE A WAY FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND RESOURCES THEY'RE IN TO BETTER APPROACH THIS ISSUE?

>> AGAIN, I THINK IT TAKES A LOT OF BRAINS COMING TOGETHER ON THIS ONE IT'S NOT A ONE ALL, BE ALL, DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

IT'S CYCLICAL.

DRUGS HAVE NEVER GONE AWAY.

THEY CYCLE AROUND.

IT'S JUST DIFFERENT SHIFTS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OPIOIDS.

THE REALITY IS IF SOMEONE LOOKS UP METHAMPHETAMINE ROUTE NOW, THE POTENCY IS AT THE HIGHEST IT'S BEEN.

97%.

SO, AGAIN, ANOTHER TYPE OF DRUG THEY'RE STILL OUT THERE, DIFFERENT DRUGS.

>> AND STILL THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR PEOPLE 18 TO 44.

>> 18 TO 44-YEAR-OLDS, YEAH.

>> HOW LONG HAS THAT BEEN THE CASE?

FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

I REMEMBER AROUND COVID WE SAW THE INCREASE WITH THE 10 TO 14-YEAR-OLD POPULATION, THAT'S TRIPLED WITH THAT YOUNG AGE GROUP, SO IT'S CONCERNING, RIGHT.

I DON'T WANT TO JUST KNIFE IS A PROBLEM FOR ONE GROUP.

IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD.

AND, AGAIN, LET'S JUST SAY QUICKLY WITH FENTANYL, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, IT COMES IN YOU A FORMS.

SO YOU COULD ACCIDENTALLY POISON FRACTURES IT.

>> RFK JR.

GIVES YOU A CALL AND PUTS NEW CHARGE OF THIS ISSUE.

>> LET'S DO IT.

>> WHAT IS YOUR PLAN?

WHAT'S YOUR STRATEGY?

>> WE CAN'T ARREST IT AWAY BUT I WANT LAW ENFORCEMENT INVOLVED.

I'M A BIG ADVOCATE FOR EDUCATION AND PREVENTION, AND WE'VE GOTTA GET ON THE SAME PAGE WITH PEOPLE.

WE DON'T WANT THEM TO LEARN THE HARD WAY.

YOU SEE A LOT OF THESE FAMILIES THAT TALK ABOUT THEIR GRIEF AFTER THE FACT.

HOW ABOUT WE DON'T GO DOWN THAT PATH, LIKE WE'VE GOTTA LIKE HAVE MANDATES, CONSISTENT EDUCATION IN OUR SCHOOLS, AND WE DON'T, AND IT'S GOTTA START EARLIER.

SO I THINK, IT'S, AGAIN, A COLLABORATION OF SCHOOLS, COMMUNITIES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, TREATMENT... >> WHEN YOU SAY MANDATES, YOU MEAN MANDATED EDUCATION.

YOU KNOW SOME PARENTS ARE NOT GOING TO WANT THEIR KIDS TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

>> BUT AT THE SAME TIME PREVENTION IS PART OF THE PROBLEM.

THEY CAN TURN A BLIND EYE ALL THEY WANT BUT IT'S IN OUR COMMUNITY.

YOU CAN'T IGNORE IT.

>> STEPHANIE, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

GOOD INFORMATION, THANKS FOR SHARING.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THE GLOBAL SAFETY NET IS AN EFFORT TO PROVIDE A BLUEPRINT FOR MAPPING, PROTECTING AND RESTORING THE NATURAL WORLD, WITH A FOCUS ON BIODIVERSITY AN CLIMATE CHANGE.

TO LEARN MORE, WE WELOME GREG ASNER, DIRECTOR OF THE ASU CENTER FOR GLOBAL DISCOVERY AND SCIENCE.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

ASU VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT, RIGHT.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

WE ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE PROJECT AND MANY PROGRAMS MONITORING BIODIVERSITY ON LAND AND IN THE OCEAN.

>> GIVE ME A BETTER DEFINITION OF THE GLOBAL SAFETY NET.

>> SO IT'S ONE OF THE LATEST STRATEGY-TYPE ANALYSIS AND DOCUMENT TAKES OF WHERE CAN WE PUT OUR EFFORT, OUR MONEY, OUR COLLABORATION AROUND THE PLANET TO SAVE THE MOST NUMBER OF SPECIES AT THIS POINT.

IT'S THE EFFORT -- MY ROLE IN THE EFFORT HAS BEEN MAPPING THESE SPECIES AND UNDERSTANDING WHERE DO THEY EXIST, WHERE ARE THEY LIVING?

AND WHAT DO THE OPPORTUNITIES PRESENT TO US FOR SAVING THEM?

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THEM CAN BE SAVED FOR THE FUTURE?

IT'S PRETTY ARDUOUS WORK, AND IT IS GLOBAL, AND THE ANSWER DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU ARE.

>> HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT DOING THAT?

HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT FIGURING OUT WHAT EXISTS, WHERE WHEN, THERE'S MIGRATION TO BE CONSIDERED, I WOULD IMAGINE, EVOLUTION TO BE CONSIDERED.

HOW DO YOU DO THIS?

>> ALL TRUE FACTS, YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S AN INTERESTING COMBINATION OF SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY TO UNDERSTAND THE HABITATS FOR THESE SPECIES AND GUM SHOE DEALS, YOU KNOW, WORK TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S OCCUPYING THESE DIFFERENT HABITATS, PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER, MODELS, AS, GEOSPATIAL STUFF, A LOT OF STUFF THAT GOES INTO THIS, AND I'M SPEAKING FROM A LARGER SPACE DESCRIBING IT.

IT'S BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE AND URGENCY.

SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.

>> IMPACT ON THE SONORAN DESERT, THAT'S VERY INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT TO THOSE OF US HERE IN ARIZONA.

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING OUT THERE?

>> YEAH.

SO NORTH DESERT AN EXAMPLE OF A UNIQUE ECOSYSTEM THAT EXISTS NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.

IT HAS SOME COUSINS IN OTHER DESERT ECOSYSTEMS AROUND THE PLANET BUT THE SPECIES THAT LIVE IN SONORA?

THE SONORAN DESERTS ARE UNIQUE.

AND SO IN OUR MAPPING, WE RECOGNIZE OUR UNIQUENESS, NOT JUST THE HABITAT, BUT THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS THAT LIVE THERE AND TRY TO TRACK THEIR TIME CHANGE OVER TIME, AND IT'S ANOTHER REGION THAT'S UNDERGOING STRESS AND CHANGE THROUGH DROUGHT, HEATING RATES ARE INCREASING.

LAND COVER CHANGE AND SO FORTH.

SO THESE ARE ALL -- IT'S ONE GREAT LOCAL REGIONAL EXAMPLE OF THE ENTIRE DESERT SURFACE WE'RE DEALING WITH.

>> THE MOST DIVERSE DESERT IN THE WORLD?

>> IT IS.

IT'S A WINNER.

OUR DESERT GETS THE RIBBON FOR FIRST PLACE FOR BEING THE MOST DIVERSE AMONG DESERT SYSTEMS, AND REALLY A TREASURE, NOT JUST FOR THE U.S., BUT FOR THE WORLD.

AND IT'S JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE'RE AFTER HERE IN THIS LOCAL SAFETY SUNSET NOTE FIND THESE PLACES AND DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP DECISION-MAKERS MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE GOING TO LEAD TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE AREA.

>> I NOTICE THAT ONE OF THE THINGS YOU WERE LOOKING AT WAS LOSING BEE POLLINATION.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE MEASUREMENTS YOU MADE.

WHY IS THAT SO IMPORTANT?

>> YEAH.

PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT IT.

YOU KNOW, ANIMALS AND ECO SOUTHLANDS GIVE US A LOT OF SERVICE.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE BIODIVERSITY AND THE LOVE OF IT, ALTHOUGH, THAT DOES DROVE A LOT OF PEOPLE'S INTERESTS IN IT, BUT IN THIS CASE, BEES ARE POLLINATORS AND CRITICAL FOR THE REPRODUCTION OF PLANTS.

IN MY WORLD, IT'S 101.

INCLUDING AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS.

SO BEES AND OTHER INSECTS ARE REALLY PART AND PARCEL TO THE AFFABILITY FARMERS TO GET THEIR WORK DONE, FOR EXAMPLE.

>> WHEN YOU'RE MAPPING OUT AND DOING THIS BLUE PRINT THING AND KIND OF GETTING THIS AS BEST YOU CAN FOR RIGHT NOW, HOW MUCH DOES THE INCREASE FACTOR INTO WHAT YOU'RE DOING?

BECAUSE WE WOULD IMAGINE SOME AREAS -- SOME ARE STABLE, IN SOME WAYS THEY'RE GRADUAL, AND IN SOME WAYS THEY'RE SPIKING.

HOW DO YOU FACTOR THAT ALL IN?

>> I FEEL LIKE I'M IN A DIAGNOSTIC WING OF A GLOBAL MEDICAL CENTER WHERE WE'RE MONITORING THE VITAL SIGNS OF ALL OF THE ECOSYSTEMS.

AND YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU NAILED IT SOME ARE LOWER ON OUR WORRY LIST RIGHT NOW, AND SOME ARE AT THE VERY TOP.

SOME OF THE TOP ONES ARE CORAL REEFS.

I RUN A CORAL REEF MONITORING PROGRAM FROM ASU.

YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE REALLY SENSITIVE ECOSYSTEMS, LIKE CANARIES IN THE COAL MINE, THEY'RE GOING AWAY FAST.

THE POLAR MATCH, THE ANIMALS THAT LIVE IN TRADITIONALLY ICE-LADEN AREAS, ALSO UNDER SEVERE STRESS.

CERTAIN PARTS OF TROPICAL FORESTS, AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.

IT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU'RE TALKING, AND THAT'S WHY ONE WIND-UP STATEMENT CAN'T REALLY DO IT.

WE'VE GOTTA LOOK AT THE WHOLE PLANET BUT LOOK AT IT WITH THE RESOLUTION OF BIODIVERSITY NECESSARY.

>> ARE WE NEARING THE POINT OF NO RETURN FOR SOME OF THESE ECOSYSTEMS?

>> NO.

I'M NOT THE KIND OF GUY THAT WALKS AROUND WITH HOPE ON MY SLEEVE, BUT I DO HAVE HOPE BECAUSE OF THE SCIENCE AND DATA THAT IS SPEAKING TO ME.

WE ARE MIND THAT SOME AREAS LIKE THESE CORAL REEFS.

AND WE'RE KEEPING UP WITH OTHER AREAS, CERTAIN ECOSYSTEMS, AND OTHER SPOTS AROUND THE PLANET.

WHEN YOU SEE THE WHOLE PORTFOLIO THE WAY I DO, YOU CAN SEE THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY, AND YOU CAN WORK WITH THAT.

THERE ARE SOME THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A HARD TIME FINANCIALLY, POLITICALLY, SOCIETALLY TO TAKE CARE OF, AND OTHERS ARE REALLY FRONT AND CENTER, WE CAN REALLY MOVE THEM INTO THE FUTURE WITH US AS COEXISTING SPECIES ON THIS PLANET, THAT'S THE HARD WORK WE'RE DOING.

IT'S PRETTY SCIENTIFIC AND PRETTY FOCUSED ON JUST WHAT'S PRAGMATIC.

>> SO LAST QUESTION, LET'S BE PRAGMATIC.

WHAT'S THE MESSAGE HERE, AND WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH THIS INFORMATION?

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE DONE WITH THIS INFORMATION?

>> WHAT I WANT TO SEE DONE IS INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION HAS GOT TO INCREASE.

THERE HAS BEEN CLIMATE CHANGE IN INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION THAT'S RELATED TO THIS BIO DIVERSITY PROBLEM.

WE'VE REALLY GOTTA START THINKING ABOUT THE ROLE OF BIODIVERSITY WITH HUMANITY AS WE GO FORWARD, AND THE WORK THAT HAS TO GET DONE IS NOT GOING TO BE SOLVED BY ANY ONE UNIVERSITY OR NGO OR EVEN A COUNTRY.

IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO A COLLABORATION, AND WE'VE GOTTA ACCELERATE THAT PROCESS.

AND THAT'S WHAT I DO, IS REALLY TRYING TO GET FOLKS TOGETHER TO ACCELERATE THE PROCESS.

>> GREG ASNER, CENTER FOR GLOBAL DISCOVERY AND CONSERVATION SCIENCE, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS FOR THE TIME.

>> THE THIRD ANNUAL "OSKAR KNOBLAUCH HOLACAUST IMPACT VIDEO CREATOR CONTEST" I A COMPETITION AMONG ARIZONA HIG SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, WHO ARE CHARGED WITH PRODUCING YOUTUBE VIDEOS USING THE STORIES OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS.

OSKAR KNOBLAUCH SURVIVED THE HOLOCAUST AND THE AUTHOR OF A BOOK THAT DETAILS HIS EXPERIENCES.

ANTHONY FUSCO IS THE HOLOCAUST EDUCATION DIRECTOR FOR THE ARIZONA JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY... AND ZACHARIAH CHIEF IS A STUDEN AT THE DISHCHII'BIKOH COMMUNITY SCHOOL IN NAVAJO COUNTY.

I DID GET RIGHT THERE, ZACH?

GOOD TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

ANTHONY, I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU.

WHAT'S THIS CONTEST ALL ABOUT, AND WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO MAKE AN OVERALL DECISION TO MAKE IT A CONTEST?

>> THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.

WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, IT'S A VOICE FOR THE VOICE LIST FOR MANY OF OUR SURVIVORS.

WE HAVE ABOUT 70 OF THEM IN THE VALLEY.

THESE STUDENTS ARE PROVIDING THEM AND THOSE THAT THEY MAY HAVE LOST THE CHANCE TO EDUCATE, TO LEARN ABOUT THE DARKEST DAYS OF HUMAN HISTORY.

>> AND THE IDEA -- THE GOAL WAS LIKE THREE MINUTES OR SO OF A YOUTUBE VIDEO?

>> YEAH, THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS AT HILEAS EDUCATION FOUNDATION FOR PROVIDING STIPENDS TO HAVE THEIR STUDENTS TAKE PART IN THIS CONVERSATION, AND THIS CONTEST WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE 14 ENTRIES THIS YEAR REGARDING THIS CONTEST, AND THE IDEA TO PROVIDE AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION, UTILIZING STUDENT CREATION, SOLVING PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR SURVIVORS, AND CALLS TO ACTION COMING FROM THE SURVIVAL STORAGE.

>> ZACH, HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN ALL OF THIS?

>> WHEN I WAS AT SCHOOL, I WAS JUST -- I JUST MADE POEMS HERE AND THERE, AND MY TEACHER SEEN THAT I LIKED TO MAKE POEMS, AND ASKED ME IF I SHOULD MAKE A POEM FOR THE HOLOCAUST, AND I DID, AND I DID A VIEW FOR SOME VETERANS THAT SADLY PASSED AWAY A LONG TIME AGO, AND THAT'S HOW I GOT INVOLVED, AND THIS IS WHERE I AM.

>> WAS IT DIFFICULT TO DO THIS?

I MEAN, YOU SAID YOU MADE SOME POEMS EARLIER.

SO YOU'RE IN THAT CREATIVE MINDSET ANYWAY.

HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THIS WAS?

>> I HAD TO PROBABLY LIKE GO IN DEPTH HOW EVERYTHING WENT, AND AT THE SAME TIME, I PROBABLY LIKE HAD TO -- LET'S JUST SAY, IT'S LIKE DREAMING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT INSTEAD OF DREAMING, YOU CAN IMAGINE IT IN YOUR OWN IMAGINATION, AND I HAD TO SEARCH UP HOW IT WAS AND SEARCH HOW EVERYTHING HAPPENED TO THE PEOPLE THAT -- THE HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS HAD TO GO THROUGH.

AND I HAVE TO PUT MYSELF IN THAT -- THE WAY THEY FELT VERY YOUNG.

>> THAT'S INTERESTING YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE THAT HAS TO BE A GOAL HERE, TO GET THAT MESSAGE ACROSS TO EVERYONE, INCLUDING THOSE WHO MADE THE FILMS.

>> WELL, THANKS.

YOU KNOW WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO, THE DIGITAL LIBRARIES THAT MANY OF OUR ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERS HAVE LIKE THE FAMOUS HOLOCAUST ASSOCIATION THAT WE WORKED WITH AND THE BUREAU OF JEWISH EDUCATION.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF DIGITAL LIBRARIES, BUT THE COLLECTION HAS A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT TESTIMONIES, OVER 200, THAT'S A LOCAL ARTIST WHO'S 95 YEARS YOUNG HAS BEEN SORT OF CORRELATING THE LAST FEW YEARS AND ALSO OUR WEBINARS.

HE'S LEARNED TO UTILIZE A LOT OF DIFFERENT RESOURCES FOR THIS PROJECT, AND ALSO MADE EXTREMELY INTERESTING COMPARISONS TO THAT OF THE HOLOCAUST AND NATIVE AMERICAN GENOCIDE, AS WELL.

>> YES.

DID YOU SEE THAT CONNECTION?

DID YOU KNEEL CONNECTION?

>> YES.

I FELT IT BECAUSE NATIVE AMERICANS WENT THROUGH A LOT.

SAME AS THE HOLOCAUST PEOPLE, THE JEWISH PEOPLE WENT THROUGH.

AND PRETTY MUCH WE WERE HOW WOULD YOU SAY IT SHUT AWAY FROM SOCIETY, LIKE -- SOMETHING LIKE THAT, LIKE PUT ON RESERVATIONS AND -- YEAH.

>> NOW, YOU SPOKE TO YOUR HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR.

DID YOU DO THE INTERVIEW?

>> NO.

I HAD TO SEARCH IT OUT.

>> OKAY.

DID IT FEEL LIKE YOU WERE HEARING FROM AN ELDER?

>> YEAH, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YEAH.

>> A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE BIT OF A CONNECTION THERE?

>> YEAH.

BUT I DID SPEAK TO WHAT WAS HIS NAME AGAIN?

>> OSKAR.

>> OH, YOU SPOKE TO OSKAR.

>> YEAH.

AND IT WAS KIND OF -- IT WAS EMOTIONAL, BUT -- AND I SEEN A VIDEO OF -- WHAT WAS THE VIDEO AGAIN?

>> ROBERT'S SOOTHE.

I SEEN THE VIDEO OF HOW -- WHAT HE WENT THROUGH AND EVERYTHING.

AND I DID -- IT WAS EMOTIONAL, BUT I KNOW THAT I COULDN'T CRY BECAUSE IT -- IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I CRIED.

>> WOW, WELL, IT'S A GREAT VIDEO, REALLY WELL DONE.

IT WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE THAT BASICALLY WHAT YOU DID IS YOU PUT SOME PICTURES THERE, AND YOU PUT SOME WORDS THERE, WORDS OF OSCAR, I WOULD IMAGINE.

AND IT WORKS.

AND IT -- ANTHONY, I THINK IT'S -- IT OBVIOUSLY WORKS, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM OTHER STUDENTS?

>> WELL, SINCE LEGISLATION PASSED IN 2021 TO MAKE IT MANDATORY OR REQUIRED TO TEACH THE HOLOCAUST TWICE AND OTHER GENOCIDES FROM SEVENTH TO 12th GRADES, WE'RE FINDING THAT THERE IS A GREATER NEED FOR THIS EDUCATION, ESPECIALLY WITH THE RISE OF HATE AROUND THE WORLD AND HERE LOCALLY.

THIS IS ALL A PART OF A PROJECT THAT'S UNDERWAY.

WE'VE RAISED $42 MILLION TO BUILD THE HILTON FAMILY HOLOCAUST EDUCATION CENTER.

JUNE 5th WILL BE OUR GROUND BREAKING.

IT'S STUDENTS LIKE THIS YOUNG MAN RIGHT HERE THAT GIVES ME HOPE, OPTIMISM AND INSPIRATION FOR THE FUTURE.

>> THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR.

ANTHONY, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE CONTEST, AND ZACHARIA, THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND CONGRATULATIONS.

IT'S A WONDERFUL PROJECT.

YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF YOURSELF >> YEAH.

>> THANK YOU, BOTH.

>> AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.