>> HELLO EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO AMANPOUR AND COMPANY.

HERE'S WHAT'S COMING UP.

>> WITHOUT PRESSURE ON RUSSIA, THOSE IN MOSCOW WILL CONTINUE TO SHOW CONTEMPT FOR REAL DIPLOMACY AND KEEP DESTROYING LIVES.

>> RUSSIA AND THE US MEET FOR CEASE-FIRE TALKS IN SAUDI ARABIA BUT WHAT MIGHT A PEACE AGREEMENT MEAN FOR THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE?

WE HEAR FROM REGIONAL EXPERTS.

>> IN TURKEY COULD THE ARREST OF THE MAYOR SIGNALLY TURNING POINT FOR DEMOCRACY?

OPPOSITION PARTY LEADER JOINS US WITH AN INSIDER'S PERSPECTIVE.

THAT I SPEAK WITH OLIVIA HILL, A TRANS LAWMAKER NAVIGATING PREJUDICE AND TOXIC POLITICS IN TENNESSEE.

ALSO, >> THERE'S A MISCONCEPTION THAT DEI BRINGS IN UNQUALIFIED CANDIDATES AND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE.

>> HARI SREENIVASAN TALKS WITH A FILMMAKER AND A DOCTOR ABOUT DEALING WITH ANY QUALITY IN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.

>> AMANPOUR AND COMPANY IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE ANDERSON FAMILY ENDOWMENT,JIM ATTWOOD AND LESLIE WILLIAMS, CANDACE KING WEIR,THE SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTISEMITISM, THE LEILA AND MICKEY STRAUS FOUNDATION SETON J. MELVIN, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN, COMMITTED TO-- DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES,JEFFREY KATZ AND BETH ROGERS AND FROM CONTRIBUTIONS-- CONTRIBUTIONS AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

>> GOOD EVENING.

THE UNITED STATES DELEGATION IS IN SAUDI ARABIA TODAY MEETING WITH KREMLIN REPRESENTATIVES FOR NEGOTIATIONS ON A PARTIAL CEASE-FIRE IN UKRAINE.

THIS COMES ONE DAY AFTER A US TEAM MET UKRAINIAN NEGOTIATORS FOR WHAT OFFICIALS ARE CALLING PRODUCTIVE TALKS.

UKRAINE IS CLEAR THAT THE ONUS IS ON VLADIMIR PUTIN TO END THE WAR BUT OFFICIALS IN KIYV ARE CONCERNED ABOUT COMMENTS FROM A TRUMP ENVOY ON ECHOING THROWN TALKS.

>> FIRST OF ALL I THINK THE LARGEST ISSUE IN THAT CONFLICT RVS SO-CALLED FOUR REGIONS.

DONBAS, CRIMEA AND TWO OTHERS.

THEY ARE RUSSIAN-SPEAKING, THERE HAVE BEEN REFERENDUMS WERE THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF PEOPLE HAVE INDICATED THEY WANT TO BE UNDER RUSSIAN RULE.

I THINK THAT IS THE KEY ISSUE IN THE CONFLICT.

>> AS THE TALKS CONTINUE, SO DO ATTACKS ON UKRAINE.

RUSSIAN STRIKES HAVE KILLED AT LEAST FOUR PEOPLE IN THE LAST 24 HOURS ACCORDING TO REGIONAL OFFICIALS.

SHOULD AND CAN WASHINGTON BROKER A FAIR PIECE?

THE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE JOINS THE PROGRAM FROM DC.

DARA, VERY GOOD TO SEE YOU.

I WANT TO GET YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THE STATE OF THE WAR AS IT IS UNFOLDING ON THE BATTLEFIELD AND I KNOW THAT YOUR COLLEAGUE MIKE COFFMAN RECENTLY HAD A THREAD OF REPORTING THAT HE POSTED ON X FOLLOWING A RECENT TRIP TO THE REGION.

HERE'S WHAT HE SAID.

HE SAID THAT THE SITUATION HAS IMPROVED THEREFORE UKRAINE COMPARED TO THE FALL OF 2024 THAT THE RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE MOMENTUM SLOWED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE WINTER THOUGH IT IS PREMATURE TO CLAIM THAT THE FRONT HAS STABILIZED.

I SAY THAT BECAUSE I HEARD PRESIDENT TRUMP ECHO VLADIMIR PUTIN'S TALKING POINTS SAYING THAT RUSSIA HAS ALL THE CARDS, UKRAINE HAS NO CARDS AND THAT ESSENTIALLY ALL OF THE UKRAINIAN FORCES IN THE KURSK REGION OCCUPYING PARTS OF RUSSIA HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY UKRAINIAN TROOPS AND ESSENTIALLY ARE DOOMED.

GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT THE ACTUAL STATE OF PLAY IS RIGHT NOW.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME BACK ON THE SHOW.

MIKE AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THOSE UNITS WHO ARE FIGHTING IN KURSK IN OCTOBER AND AT THAT TIME THEY WERE PRETTY COGNIZANT-- CONFIDENT THEY COULD HOLD THE TROOPS OFF THROUGH FEBRUARY AND THOUGHT ULTIMATELY RUSSIA MIGHT BE ABLE TO BRING ENOUGH TRIPS TO THE AREA TO PUSH THEM BACK AND THAT IS LARGELY WHAT HAPPENED.

THEY WERE NOT AND CIRCLED AT ANY POINT.

THE RUSSIANS WERE ENCROACHING ON THEM PRETTY RAPIDLY.

I WOULD SAY THEY ARE UNDER THREAT OF ENCIRCLEMENT BUT NEVER LOST THE ABILITY TO COME BACK INTO UKRAINE AND AS FAR AS I CAN TELL MOST OF THEM HAVE NOW ACTUALLY WITHDRAWN WE ASSUME PRETTY SAFELY, A RELATIVELY LOW NUMBERS OF PRISONER OF WAR WERE TAKEN BY THE RUSSIANS BUT I WOULD NOT DESCRIBE IT AS AN ENCIRCLEMENT BY ANY MEANS.

>> AND THEY HAVE QUICKLY BEEN ABLE TO ADAPT THROUGH INGENUITY AND PRODUCTION DRONES THAT THEY HAVE REALLY INVESTED IN OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO SIGNIFICANTLY BUT THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT THEY ARE NOT IN DESPERATE NEED OF MORE AID, MANPOWER, AND SUPPORT MILITARILY AND INTELLIGENCE FROM THE US.

I AM JUST WONDERING WHAT YOU ARE HEARING FROM YOUR SOURCES IN UKRAINE AS TO THE IMPACT OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN UNFOLD IN THESE EARLY FEW WEEKS OF TRUMP'S TERM WHERE WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF CRITICAL LANGUAGE DIRECTED SPECIFICALLY AT UKRAINE AND THEIR LEADERSHIP THAT ALSO THE WITHHOLDING OR THE FREEZING OF MILITARY AID AND INTELLIGENCE WHICH HAS SINCE BEEN RESTARTED.

>> YES, I THINK THE MOST CRITICAL THINGS FOR UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS ON THE FRONT LINE, I WOULD RECOMMEND THESE POLICY CONVERSATIONS BE FOCUSED ON WHAT THOSE SOLDIERS NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO THEIR WORK.

THE CUT OFF OF INTELLIGENCE AND MILITARY AID WAS THANKFULLY VERY BRIEF AND DID NOT HAVE AN IMPACT ON THEIR ABILITY TO DO THEIR JOBS BUT I DO THINK IT BROKE A LOT OF TRUST AT VARIOUS LEVELS BETWEEN UKRAINIAN FORCES AND AMERICANS IN PARTICULAR.

I THINK SOME WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE BUT LARGELY WHAT STRUCK ME IS THAT THE CONTINUED ON THEIR TASKS.

THEY REMAINED LOCKED IN AND FOCUSED AND HAVE A LOT OF SYSTEMS THEY BRING TO THEIR DRONES AND PRETTY SOLID TACTICS THAT ALLOW THEM TO HAVE MORE STABILITY ALONG THE AREAS OF THE FRONT LINE THEN PEOPLE MIGHT EXPECT GIVEN THEIR DISADVANTAGES.

THEY CONTINUE TO UNDERSTAND THEIR OPPONENT VERY WELL AND WHILE THE SITUATION IS NOT TRENDING FAVORABLY THERE'S A LOT OF STABILITY RIGHT NOW.

I WOULD NOT SAY THEY ARE AT IMMINENT RISK OF LOSING AT THIS POINT.

>> SO UKRAINE MAY BE UNDERSTANDING THEIR OPPONENT VERY WELL BUT IS THE US UNDERSTANDING RUSSIA WELL, OR ARE THEY BEING DUPED?

I AM ASKING THIS AS IT RELATES TO THE COMMENTS WE HAVE ALWAYS HEARD FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP BUT NOW OTHERS OVER THE WEEKEND AS WELL ESSENTIALLY SAYING THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR HERE IS A TERRITORIAL DISPUTE.

THAT IT'S CRIMEA AND THESE FOUR REGIONS THAT HE SAYS I'VE ALWAYS BEEN RUSSIAN-SPEAKING AND IN HIS ARGUMENT, BELONG TO RUSSIA EVEN THOUGH THE REFERENDUM WAS NOT WELCOMED OVER NOT APPROVED OR SEEN AS VALID BY THE MAJORITY OF THE WORLD.

EVERY RUSSIAN EXPERT I HAVE SPOKEN WITH HAS SAID THIS CONFLICT EXTENDS FAR BEYOND JUST TERRITORY AND LAND AND THIS IS ESSENTIALLY QUESTIONING UKRAINE'S AUTONOMY AND SOVEREIGNTY.

THAT IS SOMETHING -- IF THAT IS SOMETHING THE UNITED STATES IS NOT SEE WHAT POSITION DOES THAT PUT YOU CRATE-- UKRAINE IN, IN TERMS OF ENDING THE WAR FAIRLY UNJUSTLY?

>> TO START WITH COMMENT ON THE ELECTIONS IN THE RUSSIAN- SPEAKING REGIONS, IN AMERICA WE SPEAK ENGLISH.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE VIEW OURSELVES AS BRITISH OR PART OF GREAT BRITAIN.

WE SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE BUT ARE CULTURALLY VERY DIFFERENT AND THAT IS THE SAME FOR UKRAINE.

THERE ARE PARTS AND CITIES THAT I'VE BEEN TO WHERE PEOPLE SPEAK UKRAINIAN AND RUSSIAN AND IT DOES NOT TRANSLATE ANY MORE INTO BELONGING TO THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND PEOPLE VISIT UKRAINE AND SPEAK AND SEE THAT THIS IS THE CASE.

IN TERMS OF THE ELECTIONS IN THOSE REGIONS, THEY WERE LARGELY DEPOPULATED OF A GREAT DEAL OF THE POPULATION WHEN THOSE REFERENDA WERE HELD AND PEOPLE WERE BEING CALLED OUT OF THEIR APARTMENTS WITH GUNS.

AND ELECTION WAS HELD BUT IT WAS NOT FREE OR FAIR SO I THINK THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND.

AS FOR THE REST OF UKRAINIAN TERRITORY, PUTIN'S MILITARY CANNOT DELIVER HIM AT THIS POINT THE MAXIMAL GOALS THAT HE WANTS SO INSISTING ON ILLEGALLY ANNEXING PARTS OF UKRAINE HE IS TAKING LITTLE BITES OUT OF THE COUNTRY TRYING TO REFIT AND THEN TAKE ADDITIONAL BITES OUT OF UKRAINE AND THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE SPOKEN OUT LOUD AND ADDRESSED.

>> WHAT IS IT AT THIS POINT THAT RUSSIA CAN ACHIEVE?

THERE ARE THOSE WHO SUGGEST THAT ANY SORT OF CEASE-FIRE UNDER THESE TERMS WOULD ONLY BENEFIT VLADIMIR PUTIN WHO IS TRYING TO DRAW THIS OUT, OUTLAST TRUMP AND CONTINUE THIS WAR GOING AND HIS GAIN OF CAPTURING OR HAVING MORE LEADERSHIP IN UKRAINE ITSELF.

BY THE US SORT OF GIVING IN AND SPEAKING, HIS TALKING POINT, WHAT DOES THAT GIVE VLADIMIR PUTIN AT THIS POINT EVEN IF HE DOES AGREE TO A 30 DAY CEASE- FIRE?

>> WELL ON THE AMERICAN SIDE, THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO MOVE FORWARD AND TAKE ADDITIONAL UKRAINIAN LAND IF THEY WANT TO AND THAT IS NOT THE CASE.

FOR EXAMPLE THEY DO NOT-- THE MAJORITY OF-- AND IT'S NOT LIKELY THIS YEAR OR NEXT OR THE COLLAPSE OF THE UKRAINIAN MILITARY WHICH DOES NOT SEEM LIKELY AT THIS POINT BUT THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES THE KREMLIN IS INTERESTED IN.

THEY WANT A COMPLIANT LEADER IN KIYV, THEY WANT UKRAINE TO RENOUNCE DESIRE TO JOIN NATO AND MAKE CHANGES TO THEIR CONSTITUTION AND REALLY HAVE A LOT OF SAY IN THE SIZE OF THEIR MILITARY AND A LOT OF DECISIONS THAT ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO THEIR SOVEREIGNTY.

I THINK THE AMERICAN SIDE IS AWARE THAT THAT IS WHAT THE KREMLIN IS TRYING TO DRIVE FIRST.

TODAY'S TALKS ARE VERY, VERY LIMITED IN SCOPE AND I THINK THEY ARE TRYING TO BUILD ON VERY LIMITED THINGS FIRST BEFORE ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES.

>> WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF DISMISSING CONCERNS ABOUT FURTHER GOALS THAT VLADIMIR PUTIN MAY HAVE IN TERMS OF THREAT TO EUROPE AND BEYOND JUST UKRAINE, BY TRAN33-- STEVE WITKOFF?

>> I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN IN EUROPE ABOUT THE FUTURE CAPABILITIES OF THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, ONCE THEY REGENERATE AND RECONSTITUTE IN A FEW YEARS.

CERTAINLY THE INTENT IS THERE AND WAGING A WAR ON SABOTAGE AND OTHER AGGRESSIVE ACTIONS ALONG UKRAINE'S ORDER AND EVENTUALLY THEY WILL REBUILD THE CAPABILITY ONCE THEY RECOVER SIGNIFICANT LOSSES TO THEIR ARMY.

I THINK THEY ARE ALSO FEELING A LITTLE INSECURE ABOUT THE UNITED STATES'S COMMITMENT TO NATO AND DEFENDING THEM.

FROM THE RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE, IF THE UNITED STATES IS NOT HONORING ARTICLE 5 COMMITMENTS AND DOES NOT INTEND TO DEFEND PARTS OF EUROPE, THEN TO RUSSIA, THIS MILITARY PROBLEM BECOMES A LOT MORE SIMPLE.

SO I THINK THERE IS SOME ANXIETY IN THE TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONSHIP THAT RUSSIA SIMPLY DOES NOT HAVE THE MEANS RIGHT NOW, I THINK FOR SEVERAL MORE YEARS, TO DO ANYTHING LIKE CHALLENGE NATO DIRECTLY.

BUT THEY ARE PUTTING OUT TANKS.

THEY ARE REBUILDING AND YEAR IT NEEDS TO BE VERY SERIOUS ABOUT THIS AND THE UNITED STATES, AS WELL.

>> THAT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE THE POSTURE OF THE US TAKEN PUBLICLY FROM THE COMMENTS WE HEARD FROM STEVE WITKOFF WHO ONCE AGAIN SORT OF DOWNPLAYED ANY THREAT THAT RUSSIA POSES TO EUROPE AND WAS QUITE DISMISSIVE AND FLIPPANT I WOULD SAY, AT POINTS, IN TERMS OF ANY AID AND SUPPORT THAT EUROPE ALONE WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE UKRAINE WITH THE US LARGELY ABSENT.

HE SPECIFICALLY REFERRED TO THE UNITED KINGDOM AND KEIR STARMER 'S PROPOSAL OF SOME TROOPS THERE , SECURITY FORCES THERE IN UKRAINE, SAYING THAT THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY FEASIBLE.

HOW DID YOU REACT TO THAT?

HOW ARE YOUR COLLEAGUES REACTING TO THESE COMMENTS?

>> I THINK THAT HE'S RIGHT IN THAT THERE ARE SOME UNIQUE AMERICAN CAPABILITIES THAT EUROPE CANNOT REALLY REPLACE SPECIFICALLY WITH SOME OF OUR MORE ADVANCED AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS AND SOME OF THE TYPE OF SUPPORT THAT WE PROVIDE.

BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THESE KINDS OF CONVERSATIONS ARE HELPFUL IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN AS WE ARE SITTING ACROSS THE TABLE FROM THE RUSSIANS.

THE RUSSIANS WILL LOOK FOR ANY CLEAVAGE BETWEEN US, ANY TENSION, AND TRY TO EXPLOIT THAT TO THEIR GAIN SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THESE KINDS OF CONVERSATIONS TO BE NOT DONE IN PUBLIC.

>> YOU ALSO HEARD STEVE WITKOFF SAY SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO UKRAINE THAT THERE WILL BE ELECTIONS.

NO REFERENCE TO ANY ELECTION OR THE SHAM ELECTIONS THAT WE'VE SEEN, UNDEMOCRATIC FOR MANY YEARS IN RUSSIA BUT SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO UKRAINE, WE'VE SEEN PRESIDENT ZELENSKY'S POPULARITY RISE FOLLOWING THE DEBACLE IN THE OVAL OFFICE.

HOW MUCH OF A ROADBLOCK YOU THINK THIS ISSUE ALONE WILL BE IN TERMS OF FURTHER US SUPPORT IF ZELENSKYY REMAINS IN OFFICE?

>> THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE SEQUENCED.

RIGHT NOW UKRAINE IS UNDER MARTIAL LAW AND ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION THEY CANNOT ACTUALLY HOLD AN ELECTION UNTIL MARTIAL LAW IS LIFTED.

IN ORDER TO LIFT MARTIAL LAW THERE HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF CEASE-FIRE OR SOME TYPE OF PEACE AGREEMENT ON THE TABLE FOR THEM TO DO THAT, SO I DON'T VIEW THIS SO MUCH AS ZELENSKYY CLINGING TO POWER.

HE HAS SAID THAT HE IS WILLING TO HAVE AN ELECTION AS SOON AS THEY CAN GET OUT OF THERE MARTIAL LAW CONTEXTS.

THAT'S WHY I THINK THERE IS A PROGRESSION BETWEEN LIMITED CEASE-FIRE, EXPANDED CEASE-FIRE FOR 30 DAYS OR HOPEFULLY LONGER TO LET THE PEACE PROCESS PLAY.

AND ONCE THAT IS IN PLAY THE PRESSURE WILL BE ON ZELENSKYY TO FOLLOW HIS WORD.

ARE WE IN A POSITION WHERE WE CAN LOWER MARTIAL LAW AND HOLD ELECTIONS AND LET THE PEOPLE SPEAK?

WHETHER THAT'S REELECTING HIM OR REELECTING SOMEONE ELSE, THAT IS WHEN MARTIAL LAW CAN BE LIFTED.

>> DARA MASSICOT, ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>>> TURNING TO TURKEY WHERE WE ARE FOLLOWING A SERIOUS EROSION OF DEMOCRACY.

THE TURKISH COURT HAS JAILED THE MAYOR OF ISTANBUL ON CORRUPTION CHARGES IN THE LATEST ESCALATION TARGETING A TOP POLITICAL RIVAL TO THE PRESIDENT.

EKREM IMAMOGLU WAS RESTED AT HOME ON WEDNESDAY BUT DENIES THE CHARGES.

EARLIER ISTANBUL UNIVERSITY SAID IT HAD AN OLD HIS DEGREE, A MOVE SEEN AS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED AS IT EFFECTIVELY BARS HIM FROM RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.

THESE HAVE SPARKED MASSIVE PROTESTS WITH MORE THAN 1000 PEOPLE ARRESTED.

THE PRESIDENT WHO SERVED AS MAYOR FROM ISTANBUL CALLED THE DEMONSTRATION A MOVEMENT OF VIOLENCE.

THEY VOTED TO MAKE HIM THE 2028 CANDIDATE EVEN AS HE IS IN JAIL.

HE JOINS US TODAY FROM ISTANBUL.

>> THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TODAY.

YOU SPOKE WITH MISTER-- MISTER IMAMOGLU AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO RETURN TO THE SUBJECT MATTER TODAY .

WE KNOW THAT MISTER IMAMOGLU IS VIEWED AS YOUR PARTIES RISING STAR , THE MOST SIGNIFICANT RIVAL TO PRESIDENT ERDOGAN.

HOW MUCH OF A POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE TWO TURKEYS DEMOCRACY IS WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW?

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SENSITIVITY AS WELL AS YOUR INTEREST INTO THIS TOPIC.

BECAUSE DEMOCRACY IS PRESENT IN SOME COUNTRIES BUT NOT IN SOME COUNTRIES, DEMOCRACY SHOULD NOT HAVE A DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION, IN OTHER WORDS.

IT IS THEREFORE ALL THOSE PEOPLE DEFENDING DEMOCRACY, THEY WOULD ALWAYS LOVE TO BE MANAGED BY THOSE PEOPLE THEY HAVE ELECTED AND IN TURKEY AS WELL, PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS ASKING FOR AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE ELECTIONS AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THESE ELECTIONS TO TAKE PLACE IN A JUSTICE.

AND IN TURKEY, 30 YEARS AGO DURING ERDOGAN'S RUN FOR MAYOR SHIPPEY GOT THE FIRST WIN OF HIS POLITICAL RUN AND BEFORE THAT HE HAS ALWAYS BENEFITED AND AFTER HIS MAYOR SHIP OF ISTANBUL MUNICIPALITY, HE WAS ALSO BANNED FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME POLITICALLY FROM THE MAYOR SHIP OF ISTANBUL.

HE WAS STILL SHARING HIS PARTY, HOWEVER HE WASN'T ABLE TO GET THE POWER TO RUN THE COUNTRY.

AND OUR PARTY, CHP, I PROPOSED FOR A CHANGE OF CONSTITUTION TO REMOVE HIS BAND BECAUSE IF LEADERSHIP OF A PARTY IS MAKING THIS MAN AS THE FIRST MAN, THIS MAN SHOULD ALSO BE THE RULING AND HE SHOULD BE THE PRESIDENT BECAUSE WHOEVER THE PEOPLE IS ASKING FOR, THAT PERSON SHOULD BE THE PRESIDENT BECAUSE IF THIS PERSON IS ELECTED AS PRESIDENT THEN WE CAN CALL IT A DEMOCRACY AND FROM THAT POINT ON, ERDOGAN HAS ENTERED INTO LOTS OF ELECTIONS, SO DID WE, AND AFTER ERDOGAN ESTABLISHES POLITICAL PARTY FOR ABOUT NOW 22 YEARS, HE HAS BEEN WINNING IN ALMOST ALL OF THE ELECTIONS INCREASING HIS POWER IN EACH OF THOSE ELECTIONS.

AND AS A RESULT OF THESE 22 YEARS OF HIS RULE, LAST YEAR THE LOCAL ELECTIONS WHICH TOOK PART ON 31 MARCH UNDER MY LEADERSHIP, OUR CANDIDATE, WE REALLY HAD STRONG CANDIDATES AND CHP HAS COMPLETED LOCAL ELECTIONS AS THE WINNING PARTY, THE NUMBER ONE PARTY.

AND ERDOGAN LOST HIS UNDEFEATED STATUS AND HAS BECOME THE SECOND PARTY WHICH ALSO PUTS US IN A LEADING POSITION.

THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IMAMOGLU DEFEATED ERDOGAN.

AND ACCELERATION OF POPULATION OF IMAMOGLU IS REALLY CLEAR AND ERDOGAN ALWAYS SAYS A VERY PROMINENT WORD.

WHOEVER WINS ISTANBUL, WINS TURKIYE AND WHOEVER LOSES ISTANBUL LOSES TURKIYE .

>> THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE TURNED OUT TO PROTEST AND THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THESE PROTESTS WILL FIZZLE AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME GIVEN THE HEAVY HANDEDNESS OF THE ERDOGAN GOVERNMENT, OR CONTINUE.

I DO WANT TO ASK YOU THOUGH BECAUSE MISTER IMAMOGLU WAS ARRESTED FOR A NUMBER OF CHARGES INCLUDING LEADING A CRIME ORGANIZATION, ABETTING A TERRORIST GROUP, AND BRIBERY.

BOTH IMAMOGLU AND YOUR PARTY SAY THESE CHARGES ARE COMPLETELY POLITICAL.

GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SAY HIS ARREST SHOWS THAT NOBODY IN TURKEY IS ABOVE THE LAW AND THAT THE COUNTRY'S COURTS ARE INDEPENDENT.

IN YOUR VIEW, IN PRESENT-DAY TURKEY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF PRESIDENT ERDOGAN, ARE THE COURTS INDEPENDENT?

>> I CANNOT SAY THAT THE COURTS ARE INDEPENDENT.

NOT EVEN AS THE MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER.

IF YOU MAKE A SURVEY IN TURKEY YOU CAN SEE ONLY 18% OF THE PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THE JUDICIARY IS INDEPENDENT IN TURKEY.

NOBODY HAS A TRUST TO THE JUSTICE SYSTEM IN TURKEY.

AND IF IMAMOGLU DIDN'T RUN FOR CANDIDACY AGAINST ERDOGAN , HE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD ALL THIS HAPPENING TO HIM TODAY.

UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS NO INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY IN TURKEY AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD TO MAKE THE JUDICIARY INDEPENDENT.

WE LOVE OUR COUNTRY, WE DEFEND OUR COUNTRY'S INTERESTS.

WE WOULD LIKE OUR COUNTRY TO BE INTEGRATED WITH THE WEST AND TO BE A STRONG ALLIANCE TO NATO AND WE WOULD LIKE OUR COUNTRY TO HAVE AN IMPROVED RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS.

HOWEVER, ERDOGAN IS TRYING TO DISMANTLE TURKEY FROM THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND HE'S TRYING TO DRIFT TURKEY TO AN UNLAWFUL PATHWAY.

AS YOU CAN SEE, TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN 81 PROVINCES, OR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE DEMONSTRATING IN ISTANBUL, THEIR MAIN MOTIVATION IS TO RESPECT THE JUSTICE SYSTEM, TO DEFEND DEMOCRACY AND TO PRESERVE THEIR RIGHTS.

>> IS IT YOUR VIEW THAT THE UNITED STATES UPHOLDS THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IN TURKEY AS A TOP PRIORITY AS WELL?

I ASK THIS BECAUSE OVER THE WEEKEND, A US ENVOY STEVE WITKOFF SAID THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP AND PRESIDENT ERDOGAN SPOKE RECENTLY AND HAD A VERY GOOD CONVERSATION THAT WAS TRANSFORMATIONAL AND IN ADDITION TO THAT WE KNOW THAT MARCO RUBIO IS GOING TO BE MEETING WITH THE FOREIGN MINISTER OF TURKEY TOMORROW.

TURKEY IS A STRATEGIC ALLY, AS YOU KNOW, TO THE UNITED STATES AND NATO BOTH IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND AS IT APPLIES TO THE WAR IN UKRAINE.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE THE UNITED STATES TO DO IN RESPONSE TO THE EVENTS WE'VE SEEN UNFOLDING OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS?

>> WELL, WHETHER IT IS THE US OR EU OR OTHER DEMOCRACIES OR OTHER ALLIES OF TURKEY AROUND THE WORLD, I HAVE ALWAYS DEFENDED AND I BELIEVE THAT AN OPEN RELATIONSHIP TO SUPPORT THIS RELATIONSHIP HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOOD.

SO I AM NOT CONCERNED WITH THE FACT THAT THE FOREIGN MINISTER IS GOING TO MEET MISTER MARCO RUBIO TOMORROW OR ERDOGAN 'S MEETING TRUMP.

HOWEVER, ERDOGAN, UNLESS HE DEFINES DEMOCRACY, AND IF HE SIGNS SOME CONTRACTS THAT WORKS FOR THE FAVOR OF HIMSELF, WITH DAMAGE BOTH OF THE COUNTRIES' FUTURE INTERESTS IS NOT GOING TO WORK FOR THE INTEREST OF BOTH OF THE COUNTRIES.

SO, THESE CONVERSATIONS, BILATERAL RELATIONS AND DIALOGUES SHOULD CONTINUE FOR THE INTEREST OF BOTH COUNTRIES BUT THIS SHOULD ALSO SUPPORT DRIFTING TURKEY TO THE DEMOCRATIC PATHWAY AS WELL.

A SUSTAINABLE AND A STRONG TURKEY IS IMPORTANT.

IF THERE IS NO DEMOCRACY THEN THERE IS NO VALUE.

DEMOCRAT SHOULD ALWAYS BE THE PRIORITY-- DEMOCRACY SHOULD ALWAYS BE THE PRIORITY AND WE WOULD NOT FIND IT OPPOSABLE TO HAVE SOME UNILATERAL BENEFITS.

WE SEE UNITED STATES AS WELL AS RUSSIA AS VERY IMPORTANT STRATEGIC ALLIES AND THE FOUNDER OF OUR COUNTRY.

IN THE WORLD OF INDEPENDENCE AFTER WINNING TURKEY FROM THE OCCUPATION OF SEVEN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, HE DID NOT SAY WE ARE GOING TO BE THE STRONGEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, HE SAID THERE'S GOING TO BE PEACE AT HOME AND PEACE IN THE WORLD.

SO WE ARE REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRATIC PARTY SO IN TURKEY WE HAVE PEACE IN OUR DNAS.

>> MISTER OZEL, I APPRECIATE THE TIME TODAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INTERVIEW.

>> I THINK YOU VERY MUCH AND ALL THE SUCCESS.

>> TURNING BACK TO THE US, THE WHITE HOUSE CAMPAIGN AGAINST TRANS RIGHTS IS MOVING ON MULTIPLE FRONTS WITH EXECUTIVE ACTIONS TO BAR TRANS WOMEN AND GIRLS FROM PARTICIPATING IN SPORTS AND BLOCK ACCESS TO GENDER AFFIRMING CARE WHILE TRYING TO BAN TRANSGENDER SERVICEMEMBERS FROM THE MILITARY AND DECLARING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ONLY RECOGNIZES TWO SEXES, MALE AND FEMALE.

SOME EUROPEAN COUNTRIES ARE CAUTIONING TRANS AND NON-BINARY TRAVELERS BOUND FOR THE US TO CONTACT THE AMERICAN EMBASSIES IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES FIRST IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES 1st TO CLEAR UP ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT PASSPORT STATUS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.

OLIVIA HILL IS A NATIONAL COUNCIL MEMBER AND THE FIRST ELECTED TRANSGENDER LAWMAKER IN TENNESSEE, WHERE A BILL TO SEGREGATE BATHROOMS BY BIOLOGICAL SECTS IS NOW HEADED TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK.

WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE SEEN OUT OF THIS ADMINISTRATION IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS IN OFFICE AND THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS IN ONE OF THE FIRST EXECUTIVE ORDERS THE PRESIDENT TRUMP-- OF TWO SEXES ESTABLISHED A CONCEPTION.

HE SEND AN ORDER BANNING ANY MENTION OF TRANSGENDER PEOPLE IN SCHOOLS, AND APHIDS FROM WOMEN'S SPORTS AND THREATEN TO WITHHOLD FUNDING FROM UNIVERSITIES THAT DO, AND BAR TRANS PEOPLE FROM SERVING IN THE MILITARY, JUST TO LIST A FEW OF THE ITEMS HERE.

IS THIS WHAT YOU EXPECTED FROM THIS ADMINISTRATION OR HAS THIS SURPRISED YOU, JUST THE AMOUNT OF ATTENTION AND THE ACTIONS ALREADY TAKEN JUST TWO MONTHS IN?

>> WELL FIRST OFF, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE AND NO IT DOESN'T SHOCK ME OR SURPRISE ME AT ALL FROM DONALD TRUMP.

THIS IS KIND OF EXPECTED.

LET'S START AT THE TOP.

FIRST THERE ARE TWO SEXES IS WHAT THEY SAY.

WE KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE'S THREE BECAUSE THERE'S INTERSEX AND THAT IS SOMEONE THAT HAS BEEN BORN WITH SOME FORM OF BOTH.

SO WE KNOW THAT THERE IS NOW THREE THAN IF YOU TRY TO SAY THERE'S BLACK AND WHITE, THEN WE KNOW THAT THERE'S ANOTHER FORM OF GRAY AND ITS DIFFERENT SHADES FROM CHARCOAL TO LIGHT GRAY AND SO IF WE KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE IS AT LEAST THREE GENDERS AND SEXES, WE HAVE TO START LISTENING AND GO FROM THERE.

>> ON THE ISSUE OF MILITARY SERVICE, THIS IS SOMETHING PERSONAL FOR YOU.

YOU SERVED IN THE U.S. ARMY FOR NINE YEARS I BELIEVE AND THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER SUGGESTS THAT TRANSGENDER PEOPLE CANNOT QUOTE , SATISFY THE RIGOROUS STANDARDS NECESSARY FOR MILITARY SERVICE.

A DISTRICT JUDGE, WE SHOULD NOTE, RULED THAT THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER LIKELY VIOLATES US CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEES OF EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW, BUT SPEAKING FROM YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO RESPOND TO THIS ORDER.

>> WELL I NEED TO CLARIFY, IT WAS U.S. NAVY THAT I SERVED AND I SERVED RIGHT AT 10 YEARS.

I'VE BEEN TRANS MY ENTIRE LIFE AND IT DIDN'T AFFECT MY SERVICE AT ALL.

I DID THREE DEPLOYMENTS, TWO OF WHICH IN PERSIAN GULF AND SAW COMBAT IN DESERT STORM SO IT DID NOT AFFECT MY MILITARY SERVICE AT ALL AND IT DOESN'T AFFECT ANY SERVICE MEMBER BEING TRANS.

IF ANYTHING THE ONE THING THAT I'VE LEARNED IN MY TRANSITION IS THE LOSS OF MY WHITE MALE PRIVILEGE THAT I KNOW NOW IS A WOMAN THAT I HAVE TO WORK THREE TIMES AS HARD TO ONLY ADVANCE TWICE AS MUCH.

FOR TRANS WOMEN TO CONTINUE TO EXCEL IT JUST MEANS THEY'RE WORKING THAT MUCH HARDER.

>> WHAT MADE YOU GO INTO PUBLIC SERVICE?

>> I STARTED STANDING UP FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND I CONNECTED WITH DANICA ROHM FROM VIRGINIA WHO ENCOURAGED ME TO RUN AND TOLD ME THAT IF I WANTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO NOT HELP ELECTED OFFICIALS BUT WE COME ONE, THAT'S WHAT I DID.

IT'S THE THING THAT HAS ROCKED MY WORLD THE MOST AND IT WAS THE REVERSAL OF MY WHITE MALE PRIVILEGE WHICH WENT AWAY LIKE A SWITCH.

>> I'D LIKE YOU TO RESPOND TO NOT ONLY THE ELECTION AND DONALD TRUMP WINNING OFFICE, AGAIN, BUT HOW HE RAN ON THIS ISSUE OF TRANS RIGHTS IN GENERAL AND HOW THE DEMOCRATS HAVE THUS BEEN QUITE DIVIDED IN RESPONDING TO IT, SUBSEQUENTLY.

GAVIN NEWSOM THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA WIDELY EXPECTED TO HAVE HIGHER ASPIRATIONS TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT SOON HAD THIS TO SAY IN A RECENT PODCAST ON THE ISSUE.

>> TURNS OUT IN 2014 YEARS BEFORE I WAS GOVERNOR THERE WAS A LAW ESTABLISHED THAT ESTABLISHED LEGAL PRINCIPLES THAT ALLOW TRANS ATHLETES IN WOMEN'S SPORTS.

BUT THE ISSUE OF FAIRNESS IS COMPLETELY--.

IT IS AN ISSUE OF FAIRNESS AND I THINK DEMOCRATS- - >> DO YOU THINK IT'S AN ISSUE OF FAIRNESS?

HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT?

>> HERE'S THE THING.

IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF MY TRANSITION I SHRUNK ALMOST 2 " BECAUSE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE VERTEBRAE ARE LESS THAN ON A MAN.

I LOST EVERY BIT OF MY UPPER BODY STRENGTH WITHIN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS.

MY SKIN WAS THINNER SO I BRUISED EASIER.

MY LUNG CAPACITY IS THREE FOURTHS OF WHAT I USED TO BE, MY RED LED CELL COUNT IS ABOUT 60% OF WHAT I USED TO BE.

I LOST MUSCLE MASS THROUGHOUT MY ENTIRE BODY SAID TO SAY WE ARE EXACTLY THE SAME IS INACCURATE AND IT'S JUST WRONG.

WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GO INTO ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED BUT JUST LIKE LEAH THOMAS-- LIA THOMAS, SHE STOPPED FOR TWO YEARS TO START TAKING BLOCKERS AND STOP TAKING -- SHE STOPPED UNTIL IT WAS IN FEMALE STANDARDS BEFORE SHE STARTED TO COMPETE AND IF YOU LOOK AT HER NUMBERS THERE A WHOLE LOT LESS WHICH PROVES WE LOSE STRENGTH AND AGILITY.

>> WHAT WE HEARD FROM GAVIN NEWSOM AND HIS VIEWS ON THE ISSUE AS IT RELATES TO FAIRNESS, BUT HE IS NOT A LOAN.

RAHM EMMANUEL SAYS SOME KIDS ARE DEBATING WHICH PRONOUNS APPLY AND THE REST OF THE CLASS DOESN'T KNOW WHAT PRONOUN-- WHAT PRONOUN IS AND WE KNOW THAT THE FORMER SECRETARY UNDER JOE BIDEN REMOVED HIS PRONOUNS FROM HIS PROFILE ON X RECENTLY.

SO I GUESS MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, WHY DO YOU THINK THAT AN ISSUE THAT REALLY RELATES TO OR IN PACKS A SMALLER SWATH OF THE US POPULATION WAS NOT AN ISSUE THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY COULD EFFECTIVELY CHALLENGE AND ADDRESS HEAD ON THE WAY THAT THE REPUBLICANS RAN WITH IT?

>> THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE HAVE TO DO IS EDUCATE A LOT OF PEOPLE.

THE THOUGHT OF TRANS IS NOT ANYTHING THAT IS NEW.

IT'S BEEN AROUND FOREVER.

IT'S JUST NOW KIND OF COMING OUT INTO PUBLIC AND THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE HAVE TO DO IS EDUCATE PEOPLE BECAUSE IT SOUNDS VERY INTUITIVE, A MAN AND A WOMAN, AND WHEN YOU START TO THROW IN THE MIX THAT THERE IS AT LEAST THREE GENDERS, PLUS WE KNOW THAT IT'S-- THERE IS INTERSEX, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT CHANGE WILL WE START HORMONES, WE TAKE HORMONE BLOCKERS AND TAKE TESTOSTERONE OR ESTROGEN DEPENDING ON WAY-- WHICH WAY YOU GO, THINGS START TO CHANGE.

JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE OF KNOWLEDGE STARTS TO SPEAK ABOUT THE TRANS COMMUNITY DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S ACCURATE AND TRUE.

WE HAVE TO START LISTENING TO PHYSICIANS AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE THAT KNOW THAT THE TRANS COMMUNITY AND HOW WE PROGRESS.

>> HOW SHOULD THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AS A WHOLE ADDRESS THIS GOING FORWARD?

>> WE KEEP FIGHTING AND STANDING UP, WE KEEP EDUCATING PEOPLE AND GET PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF OUT THERE TO TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT CHANGED BUT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IN THE TRANS COMMUNITY IS THAT THEY SEE TRANS WOMEN AND DRAG QUEENS AS THE SAME AND WE ARE NOT MEN AND WIGS.

WE ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS YOU NEVER HEAR ANY TALK ABOUT TRANS MEN IN SPORTS BECAUSE THE BIGGEST THING THAT TRANS MEN GAIN IS MALE PRIVILEGE AND THEY ARE LEFT ALONE.

IT'S ONLY TRANS WOMEN WHO TRANSITION FROM MALE TO FEMALE WHO GET THE MISOGYNY AND TALKED TO LESS THAN.

>> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THE CHALLENGES IN YOUR OWN STATE OF TENNESSEE.

THE SUPREME COURT HEARD ARGUMENTS IN A CASE OVER WHETHER BANDS ON TREATING MINORS VIOLATES THE CONSTITUTION , THE SUPREME COURT HAS YET TO ISSUE A DECISION ON THAT AND ALSO WE KNOW A PROPOSAL WILL REQUIRE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS THAT HOST CHILDREN OVERNIGHT OR STUDENTS OVERNIGHT TO SEPARATE BATHROOMS BY IMMUTABLE, QUOTE, BIOLOGICAL SEX AND THAT IS HEADING TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK FOR SIGNATURE.

HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THIS AS A LAWMAKER?

>> AGAIN WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO EDUCATION.

THIS LAW EXCLUDES THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERSEX SO WHAT DO WE DO WITH THOSE PEOPLE?

THERE IS AROUND 3% OF AMERICANS THAT ARE INTERSEX WHICH IS ALMOST 3 TIMES THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE TRANS.

THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE.

WHEN THEY DID AN INTERVIEW AND SPOKE WITH THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR HE SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW OF ANY ISSUES OF ANY TRANS PEOPLE THAT WERE IN ANY OF THESE SPACES THAT WERE A PROBLEM.

A WERE GOING OFF OF FEAR AND SCARE TACTICS.

HOW THEY ARE MUTILATING THE CHILDREN AND BLOCKERS AND THINGS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

GIRLS WHO STARTED THEIR CYCLE VERY EARLY WERE GIVEN BLOCKERS SO THEY COULD STOP AND WHEN REGULAR SIS GENDER PEOPLE TAKE THESE BLOCKERS THEY SEEM TO BE OKAY BUT THEY ARE HORRIBLE STERILIZING BAD THINGS WHEN THEY HAPPEN TO TRANS KIDS WHICH WAS A BIG PART OF THE SUPREME COURT FOR WHETHER CHILDREN COULD GET HEALTHCARE.

SO I THINK THIS IS PLAIN OLD DISCRIMINATION.

>> IN THE FINAL FEW SECONDS WE HAVE I WONDER PERSONALLY FOR YOU WHAT THE PAST FEW MONTHS HAVE BEEN LIKE, WHETHER YOU HAVE FELT THREATENED, ALONE, AND POWERED-- EMPOWERED?

>> AS THE FIRST TRANS PERSON OUT IN THE STATE OF TENNESSEE I GET A FAIR AMOUNT OF PAY BUT I'M NOT GOING AWAY.

WE HAVE TRANS DAY OF VISIBILITY COMING UP MARCH 31 AND I TRY MY BEST TO BE AS VISIBLE AS I POSSIBLY CAN.

THEY CAN'T MAKE ME GO AWAY, THEY CAN'T MAKE ME HIDE, I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT.

I RAN THIS RACE AS A QUALIFIED HUMAN AND THAT'S HOW I CONTINUE TO LIVE.

>> OLIVIA HILL, WE APPRECIATE THE TIME.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> NEXT WE TURN TO PUBLIC HEALTH WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS TAKING A SHOCK AND ALL APPROACH SCRUBBING WEBSITES OF HEALTH INFORMATION FOR WOMEN OF RACIAL MINORITIES, PULLING THE US OUT OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION AND CHOOSING VACCINE CRITIC ROBERT F KENNEDY JUNIOR AS THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

IT IS UNDERSCORED IN A NEWTHE CALLING.

IT FOLLOWS THE ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL STORIES AT ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE IN NEW YORK .

HERE'S A CLIP FROM THE TRAILER.

>> GROWING UP HERE IN THE BRONX, I PASSED BY ALL THE TIME.

AS I GOT OLDER I REALIZED THE MAGNITUDE, THAT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY COOL IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT.

>> WHEN I WAS 14 AND I KNEW THAT I WANTED TO BE A DOCTOR.

EVERY EXAM WE TAKE, EVERY ROTATION YOU GET THROUGH, YOU KNOW YOU ARE ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE DREAM.

>> I BASICALLY GROW UP IN MY PARENTS CLINIC IN SYRIA.

THEY WERE MY FIRST INSPIRATION TO BECOMING A DOCTOR.

>> FIRST FEW YEARS ALL ABOUT BOOK LEARNING AND LECTURES AND THE THIRD YEARS ABOUT ROTATIONS, SEEING PATIENTS.

IT'S A WHOLE NEW WAY OF THINKING AND A WHOLE NEW LANGUAGE.

>> THE FILMMAKER WHO FEATURES IN THE DOCUMENTARY JOINED HARI SREENIVASAN TO DISCUSS WHAT IT TAKES TO BECOME A PHYSICIAN AND ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

OSAKO, WHY THIS FILM?

YOU FOLLOW A GROUP OF STUDENTS THROUGH EINSTEIN COLLEGE AND THEIR TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OVER A WHOLE YEAR.

WHAT DREW YOU TO THIS?

>> IT WAS SOMETHING THAT ESPECIALLY AFTER THE PANDEMIC I WAS, I LIVE IN HARLEM RIGHT NEXT TO THE BRONX AND I SAW HOW MUCH MEDICAL INEQUITY WAS AT THE SAME TIME THAT EVERYONE WAS COMING OUT EVERY NIGHT TO BANG THEIR POTS AND PANS.

I THOUGHT, WHO IS BECOMING DOCTORS TODAY?

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS VERY CONCERNING TO ME IS THAT I FELT LIKE A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS AND WHY THERE WAS SO MUCH INEQUITY WAS BECAUSE OF DOCTORS COMING FROM, MOSTLY COMING FROM VERY PRIVILEGED BACKGROUNDS SO IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME TO FOCUS ON STUDENTS WHO CAME FROM A WIDE RANGE OF BACKGROUNDS AND SEE HOW IT AFFECTED THEM TO LEARN MEDICINE IN A COMMUNITY LIKE THE BRONX WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST UNDERSERVED IN AMERICA.

>> LESHAUNA, YOUR JOURNEYS IN THE FILM AND YOU ARE ONE OF THE FEW STUDENTS THAT ARE KIND OF, PROFILED.

YOU GREW UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IN HARLEM AND THE BRONX AND YOU REALLY TAKE US ON A WALKING TOUR OF SOME MORE OF THE PAINFUL PARTS OF YOUR LIFE.

WHEN DID YOU THINK THAT YOU WANTED TO BE A:?

>> I WANTED TO BE A DOCTOR WHEN I WAS 14 YEARS OLD.

IT WAS THIS KID IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, MY LITTLE BROTHER WAS 4 AT THE TIME ABOUT THE SAME AGE AS MY OLDER BROTHER WHO HAD A CONGENITAL HEART DEFECT AND MY MOTHER WOULD GO VISIT HIM AND TALK ABOUT ALL THE SICK KIDS AT THE TIME AND IT REALLY RESONATED WITH ME.

I SAID I NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT IN MY NAOVE 14-YEAR- OLD WAY AND IT JUST SENT ME ON THIS PATH TO WANTING TO BE A DOCTOR AND THAT KIND OF JUST IGNITED THAT.

HE ULTIMATELY ENDED UP PASSING BECAUSE OF HIS DISEASE BUT I THINK AT THE TIME IT WAS SOMETHING I WANTED TO DO AND WANTED TO HELP.

>> ASAKO MENTIONED THIS, ABOUT WHO IS BECOMING DOCTORS.

I WONDER, WHEN YOU ARE IN A MEDICAL SCHOOL CLASS, HOW CONSCIOUS OF YOU, ABOUT WHO YOUR PEERS ARE, WHAT THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCE IS, AND WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO BRING TO THAT EXAMINATION ROOM?

>> VERY UNDERREPRESENTED IN MEDICINE BEING A BLACK PERSON AND BEING A WOMAN IS VERY UNDERREPRESENTED.

I THINK IN MY CLASS OF WHICH IS BETTER THAN MOST IN THE COUNTRY AT BEING AT EINSTEIN I WAS EVEN SHOCKED.

I THOUGHT GOING TO THE BRONX IT WOULD BE MORE DIVERSE BECAUSE IT'S LOCAL.

NEW YORK CITY IS A VERY DIVERSE CITY BUT PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY APPLY TO MEDICAL SCHOOLS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY SO WE WERE STILL VERY MUCH THE MINORITY BUT I THINK WE DID REFLECT A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF PEOPLE OF COLOR IN MED SCHOOL.

SO IT WASN'T A SHOCK TO ME.

ALSO DID NOT-- WENT TO A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE COLLEGE AS WELL SO I WAS USED TO BEING THE ONLY PERSON REPRESENTING MY PEOPLE IN THE ROOM AND EVEN THAT COMES WITH ITS OWN BURDEN BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I A ONE PERSON AND I CAN'T SPEAK FOR EVERYONE THAT LOOKS LIKE ME OR CLOSE TO ME SO I FELT WHEN DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS HAPPENED THEY LOOK TO ME IN A ROOM AND I'M LIKE, I DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS.

I CAN SPEAK ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE, BUT I DON'T.

>> ASAKO, ACCORDING TO THE ASSOCIATION OF MEDICAL COLLEGES THERE IS AN 11.6% DROP IN BLACK MATRICULATE, AND IT-- WHAT ARE SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT EXPLAIN THAT?

>> I THINK WE ALL CAN SEE IN THE NEWS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A CONCERTED ATTACK ON AFFIRMATIVE- ACTION AND EDUCATIONAL EQUITY PRETTY MUCH EVER SINCE THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND THE VERY FIRST ATTEMPT TO HAVE AFFIRMATIVE-ACTION FOR MEDICAL AND IN THAT CASE DENTAL SCHOOL WAS ALL THE WAY BACK IN 1978.

SO THIS IS NOT NEW BUT IT IS VERY DEPRESSING BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY STUDIES THAT HAVE SHOWN WHEN YOU HAVE DOCTORS FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, THEY ENDED UP GIVING BETTER CARE FROM PEOPLE FROM A WIDER RANGE OF BACKGROUNDS, AS WELL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE A FILM WHERE WE JUST MADE ARGUMENTS ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S VERY CLEAR TO ME THAT THE ANTI-DEI MOVEMENT THAT HAS TAKEN OVER THE COUNTRY NOW IS GOING TO MAKE THAT PROBLEM WORSE.

BUT I FELT LIKE, LET'S JUST SEE THE STUDENTS.

IF YOU FOLLOW STUDENTS AND YOU SEE THEIR WORK AND YOU SEE THEIR DEDICATION AND THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY FACE, YOU WILL NOT DOUBT THAT ALL OF THESE STUDENTS ARE JUST AS QUALIFIED AS ANYONE ELSE.

I THINK THAT WAS THE HOPE WITH MAKING THIS FILM, YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS THIS MISCONCEPTION THAT DEI BRINGS AN UNQUALIFIED CANDIDATES AND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE.

DEI WAS MADE TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD A LITTLE BIT, TO OPEN THE DOORS A LITTLE BIT TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO XL IN THE FIELD BUT WHO HAVEN'T HAD THE PRIVILEGES, THE PRIVATE TUTORS, THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS, PARENTS WHO ARE DOCTORS ALREADY, ALL OF THESE ADVANTAGES THAT MAKE IT SO THAT MOST MEDICAL SCHOOLS ARE FULL OF STUDENTS FROM WHITE PRIVILEGED BACKGROUNDS WHO HAVE, MANY OF THEM HAVE AT LEAST ONE PARENT WHO IS A DOCTOR ALREADY.

>> SHAUNA, THERE IS A SCENE WITH ONE OF THE STUDENTS AND HIS MENTOR IS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE AND HE SAYS THE PERCENTAGE OF YOUNG BLACK MEN BECOMING DOCTORS HAS IMPROVED, BUT AN INCREDIBLY, VERY SMALL AMOUNT.

>> WHEN I MEANT TO MEDICAL SCHOOL THERE WERE FIVE BLACK STUDENTS OUT OF A CLASS OF 200.

SO WE HAVE WHAT, TRIPLE?

BUT DON'T FORGET TO PAY FOR IT BECAUSE PRETTY MUCH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE WMC NUMBERS, 3% IS THE BLACK MALE POPULATION OF PHYSICIANS IN THE UNITED STATES.

>> AND YOU WERE GOING THROUGH MED SCHOOL, WERE YOU CONSCIOUS OF THAT?

>> YES AND I THINK IT'S REALLY EVIDENT ONCE YOU WALK ON CAMPUS AND YOU START MEETING YOUR PEERS, MY CLASS COMING IN WAS 183 PEOPLE AND OF THAT, 20 WERE PEOPLE OF COLOR AND THAT INCLUDES BLACK AND HISPANIC STUDENTS.

THAT IS THE FRACTION THAT IT WAS AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU KIND OF KNOW THAT IT EXISTS EVEN LIKE THE DOCTORS THAT WE WORK WITH THAT ARE PROFESSORS AND THOSE WE WORKED WITH IN THE HOSPITAL.

NOT MANY OF THEM LOOK LIKE ME OR LOOK LIKE ANYBODY IN MY FAMILY FOR THE MOST PART.

>> TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT MADE YOU-- RIGHT NOW I HEAR YOU ARE PURSUING RADIOLOGY RIGHT?

WHY RADIOLOGY?

>> IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I ENCOUNTERED ON MY THIRD YEAR.

RADIOLOGY WAS SOMETHING I FELL IN LOVE WITH.

I WAS A MATH PERSON IN COLLEGE, I MAJORED IN MATH AND JUST LOOKING AT THE IMAGES, I LIKE THE IMAGES, I LIKE THE PATHOLOGY AND I DID A BREAST RADIOLOGY ROTATION THAT WAS PRETTY COOL BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE THINK OF RADIOLOGISTS AND THEY THINK OF THEM BEING IN A DARK ROOM NOT DOING MUCH, NOT REALLY INTERACTING WITH PATIENTS BUT THAT IS REALLY NOT THE CASE.

YOU CAN MAKE WHATEVER YOU WANT OF IT.

YOU COULD BE IN A ROOM READING OR PATIENT FACING.

YOU COULD BE DOING PROCEDURES OR JUST THE VARIETY THAT I WANTED IN THE CAREER AND PRIORITIES CHANGE AS I GO OLDER, MOVING THROUGH SPACE IN A WAY THAT FITS MY LIFE AS I MOVE ON.

>> THERE'S A MOMENT IN THE FILM WHERE STUDENTS COMING INTO THEIR FIRST DAY AT THE CADAVER LAB.

>> ANYONE, IF YOU DON'T FEEL WELL, JUST GET OUT OF HERE AND WE WILL COME CHECK ON YOU OKAY?

>> AS A FILMMAKER HOW DO YOU CHOOSE WHICH MOMENTS, WHAT WERE THE THINGS YOU WERE LOOKING FOR?

I'M SURE YOU HAD A LOT OF HOURS OF VIDEO THAT WE DID NOT SEE.

>> YES, THERE WERE DEFINITELY A LOT OF HOURS.

I WOULD SAY JUST SORT OF THE COMPLICATION OF SHOOTING IN A MEDICAL SETTING, THERE'S A LOT OF PERMISSIONS YOU HAVE TO GET.

EVERY TIME YOU SEE A PATIENT WHERE PEOPLE WERE CONTACTED AHEAD OF TIME, THEY HAD TO SIGN HIPPER RELEASES AND APPEARANCE RELEASES, IT WAS QUITE COMPLICATED.

WE HAD A LOT WITH OUR STUDENTS OUTSIDE OF PATIENT SETTINGS BUT IN TERMS OF JUST GETTING TO KNOW THE STUDENTS, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO SORT OF SHOW THESE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF IT.

THE CHALLENGE OF HOW MY COURT-- HOW MUCH WORK THERE IS.

THE REALIZATION THAT NO MATTER HOW WELL YOU ACE YOUR TESTS IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO TALK TO A PATIENT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO NECESSARILY BE A GOOD DOCTOR.

AND IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT YOURSELF ACADEMICALLY YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, DISCOVER THAT YOUR SKILL IS MAKING PEOPLE FEEL AT EASE, ARE GOING TO BE THE ONES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

>> SHAUNA, YOU AND THE OTHER MAIN CHARACTER HAVE THIS FORK IN A ROAD AND VERY JUSTIFIABLY SO.

SHE WANTS TO STAY IN THE BRONX AND MATCH WITH THE HOSPITAL, AND SHE DOES IN THE BRONX AND YOU ARE LIKE, I'M READY TO SEE THE REST OF THE WORLD, RIGHT?

YOU ARE NOW AT DUKE.

WHAT WAS THE MOTIVATING FACTOR FOR YOU TO KIND OF SPREAD YOUR WINGS?

>> IT WAS DEFINITELY A DECISION THAT WAS NOT TAKEN LIGHTLY.

IT'S SOMETHING I ALWAYS SAW MYSELF AS A DOCTOR IN PRACTICE IN NEW YORK AND HELPING MY COMMUNITY BUT I THINK ONCE MY BROTHER WAS KILLED, LIKE RIGHT BEFORE I STARTED SCHOOL, I FELT LIKE I GAVE NEW YORK ENOUGH OF MY ENERGY AND TIME AND DIDN'T WANT MY KIDS TO GROW UP IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOODS AND ENVIRONMENTS EVEN IF I WAS TO BECOME A DOCTOR AND BE ABLE TO MOVE OUT OF DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THE NEW YORK CITY.

I FELT LIKE IT IS STILL SO ACCESSIBLE IN HISTORY IS SO ACCESSIBLE AND I JUST FEEL LIKE IT WAS TIME FOR ME TO KIND OF MOVE INTO A DIFFERENT SPACE IN MY LIFE AND I KIND OF LANDED AT NORTH CAROLINA, MOVING FAR ENOUGH SOUTH WHERE THE WEATHER IS NICER AND STILL CLOSE ENOUGH THAT IT'S A BIT LIGHTER BACK TO WHERE MOST OF MY FAMILY LIVES.

I GAVE NEW YORK A LOT OF MY TIME AND EMOTION AND ENERGY AND I THINK, I DON'T WANT MY KIDS TO HAVE TO EVEN EXPERIENCE IT OR EVEN KNOW OF IT FOR THE MOST PART.

>> NOT TO MENTION IT'S A VERY GOOD PROGRAM THAT YOU ARE IN.

>> I THINK IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE A DOCTOR AND I THINK IT'S EVEN MORE OF A PRIVILEGE TO BE A BLACK DOCTOR.

A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM MY BACKGROUND DON'T SEE IT AS AN OPTION AND PROBABLY DON'T SEE PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE THEM IN THOSE SPACES AND IT CAN BE VERY DAUNTING FOR THEM AND I THINK I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE HAVING PEOPLE FIND A WAY TO SUCCEED.

>> YOU KIND OF WE'VE THESE PERSONAL NARRATIVES INTO YOUR STORY A LITTLE BIT.

WHY DID YOU FEEL THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO US TO GET TO KNOW THE CHARACTER'S BACK STORIES AND GET TO KNOW THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES?

WE HAVE MULTIPLE SCENES OF THAT.

>> I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL ALIENATED FROM THE MEDICAL SYSTEM FOR A LOT OF REASONS AND A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH INSURANCE AND THE WAY THAT WHEN SOMEONE-- SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAPPENS TO A FAMILY MEMBER, ONE OF MY DAUGHTERS WAS HIT BY A CAR AND THE FIRST WAY I KNEW ABOUT IT WAS THE HOSPITAL CALLED ASKING FOR INSURANCE.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS THAT YOU BLAME THE DOCTORS AS A PATIENT.

YOU THINK THE DOCTOR IS JUST THERE TO MAKE MONEY, THAT THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU, THAT THEY ARE WASTING YOUR TIME AND JUST THE HOOPS THAT YOU HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH TO GET THINGS COVERED ON ALL OF THAT.

IT'S EASY TO NOT SEE THAT THE DOCTORS COME TO THIS PROFESSION, THAT IT'S ACTUALLY AN INCREDIBLE DEVOTION TO CARING FOR OTHERS THAT MOTIVATES THEM AND ONE OF THE WAYS I FELT LIKE YOU REALLY COULD FEEL IT WAS WHEN YOU SAW THEM OUTSIDE OF CLASS AND OUTSIDE OF THE MEDICAL SETTINGS.

THIS IS A PERSON THAT THEIR WHOLE LIFE HAS BROUGHT THEM TO THIS POINT THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO MAKE THE SACRIFICES TO DO THIS INCREDIBLY HARD WORK .

IT'S NOT LIKE DOING OTHER KINDS OF JOBS.

IT IS A JOB WHERE YOU ARE COMMITTING YOURSELF.

THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED THE CALLING.

FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE NOT DOCTORS WHO ARE IN THE LARGE PATIENT COMMUNITY IT WAS A WAY TO UNDERSTAND WHO ARE THE DOCTORS THAT ARE CARING FOR US, AND WHY IT MATTERS.

THEY CAN COME FROM ALL KINDS OF BACKGROUNDS AND BE, REALLY A GREAT DOCTOR.

>> WHAT HAS RECEPTION BEEN LIKE SINCE THE FILM HAS BEEN OUT?

>> I HAVE BEEN SURPRISED AT HOW MOVED PEOPLE ARE.

DOCTORS ARE THRILLED BY IT.

INTERESTINGLY I JUST CAME BACK YESTERDAY FROM A FILM FESTIVAL IN CUBA WHERE THERE WERE CUBAN MEDICAL STUDENTS AND FACULTY MEMBER FROM THE MEDICAL SCHOOL.

THEY WERE THRILLED AND LOVED SEEING IT BECAUSE THEY HAD A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE WAY THEIR MEDICAL SYSTEM WORKS.

THEY HAVE SINGLE-PAYER AND THEY ARE UNDER RESOURCED BUT MEDICAL EDUCATION IS FREE AND THEY ARE KNOWN TO HAVE VERY GOOD DOCTORS.

SO IT IS FASCINATING FOR THEM TO SEE SOMETHING THEY KIND OF TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT IF YOU WANT TO BE A DOCTOR YOU CAN GO FOR FREE TO SEE THE HOOPS THAT THE STUDENTS WERE JUMPING THROUGH BECAUSE THEY WERE SO COMMITTED TO CARING FOR PATIENTS AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THEY WERE REALLY MOVED BY.

>> IT COMES AS A POST SCRIPT IN THE FILM BUT REALLY, JUST AFTER YOU GRADUATE IS THIS UNBELIEVABLE PHILANTHROPIC GIFT .

THE TUITION WILL NOW BE FREE AT EINSTEIN FOR EVERY MEDICAL STUDENT COMING IN.

YOU DID NOT BENEFIT FROM THAT.

WAS THE CHANGE THAT YOU SEE POSSIBLE?

>> I DO HOPE THAT THE CHANGE THAT ALLOWS FOR STUDENTS LIKE ME TO NOW BE ABLE TO WORRY ABOUT THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF MEDICAL SCHOOL AND EINSTEIN HAS A GREAT MISSION FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL AND I THINK THAT MISSION ALLOWED ME AS A STUDENT TO GET ACCEPTED INTO EINSTEIN AND WOULD LOVE FOR THAT MISSION TO KEEP THEM TRUE TO THAT VALUE OF HELPING A DIVERSE MEDICAL SYSTEM.

WE ARE IN THE TIMES WHERE LIKE ASAKO WAS SAYING, THAT DEI IS UNDER ATTACK AND PEOPLE'S MISSION STATEMENTS ARE CHANGING A LITTLE BIT TO MAINTAIN FEDERAL FUNDING BUT I HOPE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT STILL ALLOWED THEM TO BE TRUE TO THEIR CHARACTER AND THEIR MISSION AND ADMIT STUDENTS LIKE ME WHO WOULDN'T HAVE HAD A CHANCE OTHERWISE TO GET INTO MEDICAL SCHOOLS.

>> ASAKO WE ARE HAVING A CONVERSATION ON THE DAY THESE STUDENTS MATCH AND YOU CAPTURED THAT FOR THIS PARTICULAR CLASS AND THE GROUP OF STUDENTS WHO ARE FOLLOWING SO WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?

>> IT WAS EXCITING AND ALSO FOR MY CORE CREW WHO HAD BEEN BOTHERING THESE STUDENTS FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR, WE WERE JUST AS EMOTIONAL.

WE WERE CRYING, WE SAW EACH OTHER LIKE, THE ASSOCIATE PRODUCER, THE CAMERA MAN.

THERE WERE TEARS EVERYWHERE AND BLOWING THEIR NOSES BECAUSE WE WERE SO EXCITED.

I WILL SAY WHEN I CAST THE TWO MAIN STUDENTS THAT WE FOLLOWED THAT WERE PART OF THE FILM, I MET THEM WHEN THEY WERE IN THEIR THIRD YEAR AND WE SORT OF IMAGINED FOLLOWING THEM OVER THIS YEAR.

I COULD NEVER HAVE PREDICTED THAT THEY WOULD BOTH GET THEIR TOP CHOICE RESIDENCY BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE DOES.

THE FACT THAT THEY GET THE ONES THEY WANTED THE MOST AND THAT THEY TOLD ME REPEATEDLY THEY WANTED THE MOST WAS KIND OF AMAZING.

>> IT WAS REALLY A WONDERFUL CRESCENDO TO THE FILM JUST EMOTIONALLY AS WELL AS AS A NARRATIVE ARC SO CONGRATULATIONS.

>> FILMMAKER ASAKO GLADSJO AND DOCTOR SHAUNA PHINAZEE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE.

IT IS NOW CHERRY BLOSSOM SEASON.

TO AND ANNOUNCED THE OFFICIAL START-- JAPAN ANNOUNCED THE OFFICIAL START TODAY IN TOKYO AND THERE IS SCIENCE BEHIND IT.

OFFICIALS MUST CONFIRM, FIVE OR SIX FLOWERS BLOSSOMED ON THE BENCHMARK TREE BEFORE DECIDING THAT IT IS GO TIME.

THIS YEAR'S SEASON KICKED OFF FIVE DAYS EARLIER THAN LAST YEAR'S, GIVING LOVERS OF THE ICONIC FLOWER A HEAD START ON ENJOYING ITS BEAUTY.

HERE IN THE UNITED STATES THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE SAYS THE FAMOUS CHERRY TREES HAVE REACHED STAGE V, PUPPY WHITE WHICH MEANS PEAK BLOOM IS NEXT.

MY FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR TO SEE THESE BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS.

THAT IS IT FOR OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT.

IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT'S COMING UP EACH NIGHT SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER AT PBS.ORG/AMANPOUR.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AMANPOUR AND COMPANY ON PBS.

JOIN US AGAIN TOMORROW NIGHT.