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Muslim Students Fights for Right to Wear Head Covering; Harvard Grads' Electrifying Speech; Parents of Soldier Ensuring Troops Coming Home from War Are Cared For. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired May 30, 2016 - 14:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[14:30:00] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: We'll bring it to you live. A latest of zoo officials and an individual that raised this gorilla many years ago.

Also ahead, a Muslim student at odds with the top military school -- this is the number-one choice when applied -- over her special religious accommodation request to be covered, arms, legs, and to wear her hijab. We'll talk to this young woman at the center of the debate and find out where she will be attending the school in the fall. Coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:34:44] BALDWIN: All right. Want to come out to pretty spectacular pictures. A tractor trailer dangling over an overpass. Live pictures, in Bronx, New York. Thanks to our affiliate, WABC. Here's the deal, and we don't know how it happened, but according to our affiliate, this accident left this tractor trailer dangling and seeing these guys figuring out what to do. This is in the Sheridan Parkway in the Bronx. It happened in the Westbound lanes after noon. So, been like this for a couple of hours. And reportedly involved multiple cars and two people taken to the hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries. And we don't know which vehicles those injured vehicles were in. They're working on securing this tractor trailer. But for now, and precarious as the hunk of metal dangling over an overpass here in the Bronx in New York. We'll watch that for you.

Let's more on. An intense debate is shaping up over a Muslim student's request to wear a hijab in military college. The prestigious Citadel, in South Carolina, a public institution, told Sana Hamze that it would not allow a religious accommodation to it's long-standing rule because uniformity reigns supreme. But another military college, one that is private, said it will grant her request if she so chooses to attend that school. All of this comes at a time when Islam in the U.S. has become increasingly polarized.

And Sana Hamze is speaking out now and she joins me live now from Miami.

Sana, nice to meet you. Welcome.

SANA HAMZE, REQUESTED TO WAR HIJAB AT THE CITADEL REJECTED: Nice to meet you, Brooke. Thank you for having me. BALDWIN: You know, I'm talking to you first of all, and so mindful of

the day and the country's Memorial Day. And I read it's your dream to be an officer in the Navy. And I want you to just tell me --

HAMZE: Yes.

BALDWIN: -- why is that your dream? Why do you want to serve this country?

Well, when I was a lot younger I heard stories of my great grandmother that served in the Air Force and two of my grandparent that is served in the Navy and how they met and put a sense of patriotism in me and researching it more I realized that being a part of the U.S. military is definitely something I wanted to be a part of.

BALDWIN: So here you are. You know, you're in high school. You -- time came to apply to schools, and accepted into two prestigious schools, the Citadel, in South Carolina, and Norwich University, in Vermont. The Citadel is your first choice. Is that correct?

HAMZE: I applied to both and doing paper work for both. I actually sent the religious accommodation to both, and Citadel denied the request first.

BALDWIN: Can you explain that for me?

HAMZE: And then right after that --

BALDWIN: Explain what a religious accommodation is, what it would do for you.

HAMZE: Well, it would, first of all, allow me to follow my dream to be an officer in the Navy. I wanted to attend that school because I had seen how well it was run and how uniform the students were, and so I applied and sent a religious accommodation to ask to wear a hijab with uniforms and long sleeves and pants. And I got a call from the commandant himself and said he could not grant the request and hoped to see me in the fall. I said I didn't think it was fair to choose between practicing my faith and attending the Citadel. And he said OK, and that was the end of the conversation. I'm disappointed.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: No, as you really, really, really wanted to go to the Citadel. This is what I have from the Citadel. In the 175-year history of this special place, they have not made any kind of exception and this is the response. "The uniform," they say, "is central to the leadership training at the college as the cadets give up individuality for team work and allegiance to the corps, and it's leaders concluded that they could not grant an exception to the required dress."

And as I was reading further, Christians aren't allowed to display crosses around their necks. Men that are Jewish cannot wear a yamaka. What is your response to their response? As you said, it is uniform.

HAMZE: My response to their response is, if it's good enough for the military, it should be good enough for a military institution.

BALDWIN: What does that mean?

HAMZE: Meaning that if -- since the military itself has made accommodations for Sikhs to wear turbans and Muslim women to wear hijabs, why is it causing a big uproar for a Muslim student who wants to go to a military college when the military itself makes accommodations for it?

BALDWIN: It sounds like some places made the accommodations and the Citadel is standing by their 175-year history, and saying they're not making an exception. So you are going on to Norwich in the fall? Is that right?

HAMZE: Yes, I will be attending Norwich in the fall.

BALDWIN: And, you know, in this day and age, Sana, where there is still clearly a lot of ignorance coming to Islam, what is your message to critics?

HAMZE: I'm sorry. Can you repeat the question?

[14:40:08] BALDWIN: In this day and age of so much ignorance pertaining to your religion, what would you say to critics? What is your message?

HAMZE: Islam is a religion of peace. There is no -- there is nothing besides that. So, all of me trying to attend the Citadel and Norwich University wearing and hijab is simply just because I want to be in the military and serve this country.

BALDWIN: Best of luck to you. The Navy is a special place.

Sana, thank you.

HAMZE: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Thank you, thank you.

HAMZE: Thank you for having me.

BALDWIN: You got it.

Coming up, we go to the Cincinnati Zoo where officials are expected to speak about the gorilla that was shot and killed over the weekend after a child landed within its enclosure, there deep in the moat. A lot of frightened eyes watched as this played out. We have more from the zoo today.

But next, a Harvard graduate's powerful speech is inspiring millions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONOVAN LIVINGSTON, HARD GRADUATE: At the core, none of us were meant to be common. We were born to be comets, darting across space and time, leaving our mark as we crash into everything. (END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:45:16] BALDWIN: I think it's safe to use the M-word here, millions. Millions of people are raving about the commencement speech by Harvard University graduate, Donovan Livingston. He received a master's in education. He electrified the class of 2016 with a speech that sailed far beyond the traditional Harvard fanfare. This is spoken word poetry, titled "Liftoff."

And he joins me live in a moment.

But first, listen to some of his words.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LIVINGSTON: I've always been a thorn in the side of injustice, disruptive, talkative, a distraction with a passion that transcends the confines of my own consciousness beyond your curriculum, beyond your standards. I stand here a manifestation of love, in pain, with veins pumping revolution. I am the strange fruit that grew too ripe if the popular tree. A dream act, dream deferred, incarnate, a movement, and an amalgam of memories, America would care to forget. My past alone won't allow me to sit still. So my body like my mind cannot be contained.

Our stories are the ladders that make it easier for us to touch the stars, so climb and grab them. Keep climbing. Grab them. Spill your emotions in the Big Dipper and pour out your soul. Light up the world with your luminous allure.

To educate requires Galileo-like patience. Today, when I look my students in the eyes, all I see are constellations. If you take the time to connect the dots, you can plot the true shape of their genius, shining in their darkest hour. I look at each of my students in the eyes seeing the same light that aligned Orion's belt and the pyramids of Giza. I see the same twinkle that guided Harriet to freedom. I see them. Beneath their masks and their mischief exists an authentic frustration, an enslavement to those standardized assessments. At the core, none of us were meant to be common. We were born to be comets, darting across space and time, leaving our mark as we crash into everything. A crater is a reminder that something amazing happened right here. An indelible impact that shook up the world. Are we not astronomers searching for the next shooting star?

I teach in hopes of turning content into rocket ships, tribulations into telescopes so a child can see their true potential from right where they stand. An injustice is telling them they're stars without acknowledging the night that surrounds them. Injustice is telling them that education is the key while you continue to change the locks. Education is no equalizer. Rather, it is the sleep that precedes the American dream. So wake up. Wake up. Lift your voices until you patch every hole in a child's broken sky. Wake up every child so they know of their celestial potential. I've been the black hole in a classroom for far too long, absorbing

everything without allowing my light to escape. Those days are done. I belong among the stars. And so do you. And so do they.

(APPLAUSE)

LIVINGSTON: Together, together, we can inspire galaxies of greatness for generations to come. So, no, no. Sky is not the limit. It is only the beginning. Liftoff.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: What? What? That was so special.

Donovan Livingston, joining me now.

Congratulations. Congratulations. Congratulations.

LIVINGSTON: Thank you so much, Brooke. It means the world that you would reach out to me. I hope everyone is doing well today.

BALDWIN: I hope you are doing excellently. I have a feeling you have been, Mr. Harvard graduate. How -- how did you do that?

LIVINGSTON: You know, I wanted to make sure I represented my peers in the best way I could. Spoken word poetry a huge part of my identity for a listening time and to be the most authentic self I would have to do a spoken word piece if I were to patient in the speech competition. So it was a blessing for them to let me able to do that.

BALDWIN: What is this you mentioned at the top of the speech, speaking for your high school graduation, your English teacher wanted to yank you because they heard you were going to do a poem?

LIVINGSTON: Yeah. So, I had just started experimenting with spoken word poetry and was excited about it. I talked to a few of my peers and just kind of threw it out there to see if they thought it would be interesting if I did a spoken word poem in my remarks. And it wasn't necessarily taken so well by the administration and some of the teachers, so we opted not to do that.

But it's ironic that you ask that. The teacher in question reached out to me and we had a good laugh about it, and everything is good. It was just a matter of making sure that I represented my peers in the best way I knew how. And I'm glad I got a chance to use my voice in that way this past week.

[14:50:12] BALDWIN: Life is funny like that, isn't it?

LIVINGSTON: Yes.

BALDWIN: Of course, your teacher reached out, and look at you now.

How -- how did spoken word come into your life, to you?

LIVINGSTON: Well, it came into my life at a time when I needed it most. I was, you know, in middle school. Not a good time for a lot of us, and trying to find a way to express myself. And I kind of touched on that in the piece. In the seventh grade, I had a teacher whose class I was in and I was kind of rambunctious and talkative and a talkative comment on my report card in that class. My parents didn't like that too much. But my teacher helped me harness that extra energy I had, and I started doing speech and debate, prose poetry, things like that to find a voice, and kind of stuck with it ever since. So, yeah.

BALDWIN: So yeah. So that. So that's how. And then now, since so many people have shared your spoken word, your speech, who has reached out to you that gave you goose bumps to think that he or she watched you?

LIVINGSTON: Yeah. It's been insane. So Hillary Clinton shared the piece on her campaign page. This was a pretty big moment. Justin Timberlake, too. Jesse Williams on Twitter.

A thing that really stood out to me is my fraternity brother, Brother Paul Griffin, reached out to me. The fraternity was a big part of my life and the college experience. And to hear from the name that's on my certificate freaked me out in a good way and so I'm excited to be able to reach people on this stage.

BALDWIN: Just, you know, I kept thinking you're a lucky, lucky student. Your lucky future students. Donovan Livingston, humbled to talk to you.

Thank you so much. Same two words right back at you -- lift off.

LIVINGSTON: Thank you so much. Be blessed. Take care, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Thank you, thank you.

Let's move on. Any minute now, expecting a live news conference of the Cincinnati Zoo where the gorilla was ultimately shot and killed after a 3-year-old boy somehow got into that enclosure. How will they respond to critics? We'll take you live, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:56:38] BALDWIN: On this day, we pause to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in serving our country. President Obama honored fallen heroes by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Soldier earlier today there in Arlington, Virginia. On his last Memorial Day before leaving office, the president highlighted specific stories of sacrifice and urged Americans to be there for our veterans and families.

Like the family of Daniel Somers, an Iraq war veteran who took his own life in 2013. And his parents are on a mission, I can tell you, knowing them for several years. They have been on a mission to make sure America is caring for the troops coming back home from war.

Howard and Jean join me now.

So wonderful to see you again.

Today is a tough one, but I appreciate the time from both of you.

JEAN SOMERS, MOTHER OF DANIEL SOMERS: Thanks, Brooke.

HOWARD SOMERS, FATHER OF DANIEL SOMERS: Thank you, Brooke.

BALDWIN: I know that there is not a single day that goes by, not a minute that goes by, where you're not thinking of Daniel. But on this Memorial Day, to both of you, how do you choose to honor him?

JEAN SOMERS: Well, I think what we're doing on a daily basis right now is we work on our nonprofit. That is the easiest way to feel like we're helping other veterans who may be in Daniel's same circumstance.

HOWARD SOMERS: We have, as you know, the organization called Operation Engage America. What we try to do is bring together within as many local communities as possible and this year we're up to seven separate communities and cities in the country, local resources for veterans, first responders, and especially their families that try to help those people with their issues of PTS, TVI and transition issues, which we have come to learn from so very critically important. We partner nationally with the V.A. and locally with a lot of other organizations. Because we did not know when we were in the situation with Daniel what resources were available to us and we have found so many people in the same situation that we've made it our mission to try to resources together.

BALDWIN: You had no idea. That's the thing. You lost your son. You started walking down -- you used the word journey. You start walking down this journey. So ultimately, you're doing this event. And I know San Diego is coming up in June. But you want to make sure, you know, different resource centers and different people know and communicating so that other families will be able to know where to turn to. And I know that you all have been so passionate about, you know, proposals. Like several members of Congress supporting your notion of what you call integrated care for our veterans.

Howard, will you explain how you think that would help?

HOWARD SOMERS: Well, we really feel that the V.A. does some things better than any organization in the world, especially when it comes to treating our veterans. And this is especially true in mental health care, rehabilitation and the coordination of all of these care efforts. There's a remarkable program within V.A. called Post Deployment Degraded Care. And we feel this is how the V.A. should be functioning on a national basis and creating a center of excellence for service-related issues.