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First of All with Victor Blackwell

Family On Edge As Mo Gov.-Elect Considers Clemency For Ex-COP; Educators Brace For Trump Decision On Department Of Education; When The "War On Woke" Targets America's Warriors; Award-Winning Songwriter Wins Seat On Chicago School Board; Tonight: Premiere Of "North American Indigenous Songbook". Aired 8-9a ET

Aired November 16, 2024 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Governor and the incoming governor of the state to not release a former officer convicted of killing their son. Both leaders say they're considering it. We'll explain why and speak to Cameron Lam's parents.

And the Oscar and Grammy Award-winning artist Rhymefest is here. For the first time, Chicago has elected members of its school board and he is one of them. How is his city bracing for changes with the incoming Trump administration? We'll talk about that and of course, a lot more.

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: Have a great show.

BLACKWELL: Thank you very much. Let's start it right now.

Well, first of all, woke and DEI. The critics use these terms to reference so much that increasingly they really mean nothing at all. I mean, the true meaning of staying woke is a call to be mindful of institutional racism and discrimination in the U.S. The DEI stands for diversity, equity and inclusion. But now there are a lot of conservatives who use them as negative catch-all phrases for progressive values they just don't like.

Do this. Google News articles mentioning "woke" and you'll see two types headlines. The claim that Democrats lost the presidential election for being too woke, and the president elects cabinet picks vowing to end wokeness.

One of those picks is Pete Hegseth. He was a Fox News anchor a week ago. He's also an army veteran who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. And now he's President-Elect Trump's pick to be Secretary of Defense. I want you to listen here to his message. This is from an interview released last week. It was recorded before the election.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETE HEGSETH, FOX NEWS HOST: The deeper question is how did the military allow itself to go woke? The dumbest phrase on planet Earth in the military is our diversity is our strength.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Well, in truth, there are things that we can learn from the diversifying of the military. President Truman desegregated it by executive order in 1948. And since the military became an all- volunteer force in '73 black service members have been overrepresented compared to the civilian labor force.

Now there are disparities. CNN looked at Department of Defense data from 2020. The stats then showed that black service members were disproportionately underrepresented among military officers. And they represented 19 percent of all enlisted personnel, but just 9 percent of officers. It was only in 2020 that the Senate confirmed General Charles Q. Brown to be the chief of Staff of the Air Force, that made him the first black service member to lead a U.S. military branch ever more than 70 years after the services were desegregated. He spoke about his role in history before being confirmed and in reaction to the death of George Floyd that same year.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEN. CHARLES Q. BROWN, U.S. AIR FORCE: I'm thinking about how my nomination provides some hope, but also comes with a heavy burden. I can't fix centuries of racism in our country, nor can I fix decades of discrimination that may have impacted members of our Air Force. I'm thinking about how I can make improvements personally, professionally, and institutionally so that all Airmen, both today and tomorrow, appreciate the value of diversity and can serve in an environment where they can reach their full potential.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Well, General Brown is now our country's top general, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It's a role the Trump administration is now expected to fire him from. Hegseth has said any other military leaders with similar views should be fired as well.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HEGSETH: You got to fire the chairman of Joint Chiefs and you got to fire this. I mean, obviously, you're going to bring in a new Secretary of Defense, but any general that was involved, General, Admiral, whatever that was involved in any of the DEI woke, it's got to go. Either you're in for warfighting and that's it. And that's the only litmus test we care about. You got to get DEI and CRT out of military academy. So you're not training young officers to be baptized in this type of thinking.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Well, our first guests have a unique historical and personal perspective on this, Retired Captain Mary Tobin. She's a U.S. Army Veteran. Her service included two combat tours in Iraq. She's a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, class of 2003. She's now a veteran fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution.

And retired Major General Dana Pittard is a fellow West Point grad who also served in Iraq. And he's the author of Hunting the Caliphate, America's War on ISIS, and the Dawn of the Strike Cell. Welcome to you both.

General, let me start with you. Before we get into the views on diversity and wokeness in the military, you've had some interactions with Pete Hegseth. I've watched his interviews of you on Fox News. Do you just basically at the core believe he is qualified to lead the Department of Defense?

[08:05:11]

MAJ. GENERAL DANA PITTARD, U.S. AMY (RET.): Well, good morning, Victor. Yes, I have had some interviews with Pete Hegseth on Fox and Friends on Fox News. I found him to be smart, engaging. He's got what appears to be a deep care for service members, veterans, and their families. But I think it's an interesting choice of having Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense. Leading an organization of 3 million uniformed service members and civilians, the Pentagon and worldwide will be a tough task.

I know he's been a reservist in the U.S. military for 20 years and has been deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq. So if he is to be successful, and we, of course, want our military to be successful and our Secretary of Defense to be successful, he'll need to surround himself with some experienced people.

My biggest concern, though, with him, and very troubling, are his views on diversity, his views on what he calls wokeism.

WALKER: And let's come back to that. Captain Tobin, let me ask you about diversity here. You heard what he said about diversity as our strength is the dumbest phrase in the military. Is there a case, and if so, make it for diversity not as, you know, opponents of DEI characterize it as some sentimental social justice, warm fuzzy, but as reinforcing the strength of the military?

CAPT. MARY TOBIN, VETERAN FELLOW, HOOVER INSTITUTION AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY: Absolutely. Good morning, Victor. Thank you for having me. I think the case has already been made for the strength of diversity. We see throughout our military history, thousands, millions of minorities, those who would be considered a part of the woke crew serving in the military, and not only support positions, but also those in combat units, combat situations. I think of my fellow women, my sisters in arms, who have been trained as rangers, who have been trained in Naval special warfare operations, who are right now serving at various levels within our military with valor and distinction. I think of my West Point sister, Captain Lindsey Heigler, who received a award for valor supporting special operations in Afghanistan. And I think of my own service being the only woman in field artillery units and combat aviation units.

And so the case has already been made, and I would hope that Mr. Hegseth would consider how he speaks about over half the population of our amazing country serving and what that would imply if you would take us out of that equation. I think our service is too valuable. It has already been demonstrated, and I think that it demonstrates a commitment to our country, and we need to ensure that we do not lose that national security imperative.

BLACKWELL: Hegseth has said, as I'm sure you are referencing in your answer there that there shouldn't be women in combat roles. That ban on women in combat units, I think, was lifted 12 years ago. 13 years ago.

General, let me come back to you on your concerns about his views about wokeism and diversity. I want to play a bit more of the conversation here where he talks about the desegregation of the military.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HEGSETH: The integration of the military racially was a huge success. It was a huge success because black men and Hispanic men and others can perform just as well as white guys in any capacity that they're given. So the reality of life reinforced that the bigotry we saw on the outside should not be tolerated inside the military. And the military did a great job doing that.

But now we're pushing boundaries and lots of different levels that are different than that because men and women are different because being transgendered in the military causes complications and differences.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: I mean, first we need to point out that he says that 75 years later, as if it was common Wisdom Back in '48, there was no consensus that blacks and Hispanics and anyone else could serve right alongside white men, or he says, white guys at the time. Now, of course, we've seen that to be true. But what's your concern, General, as you've listened to Pete Hegseth talk about diversity?

PITTARD: Well, there's a few concerns there. Obviously, our U.S. military was desegregated in 1948. That allowed a lot of people of color talent to get into the military and to excel. My own father was a private in 1950 and he was able to reach the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1970. That would have never happened if the military hadn't desegregated. So there's opportunity there.

[08:10:17]

But what really is, it's bringing the talent of America. Whatever color you are, whatever gender you are, bring it to the forefront and you go as high as your talent will take you. The ship has sailed decades ago. As far as women in combat, yes, officially, maybe 12 years ago, that certain roles infantry and armor fire pilots was opened up. But women have been in combat for decades. So that ship has sailed. We're not going back.

So I'm concerned when I hear future Secretary of Defense talk about that. I think that's way before he's taken on the responsibility Secretary of Defense and would hope that's not going to be the case when he takes a job. The whole idea of educating our force, our leaders to be in charge of a diverse force isn't wokeism. It's called understanding. And that's what's behind DEI. BLACKWELL: And Captain, I want to pull a thread that the general just

gave us is that this sense of not going back to a period where there were bans or bars on women serving in certain combat roles. So even if these are his views, what's the applicability in the military if he is confirmed? What do you expect will change considering some of the views you've heard?

TOBIN: Well, I hope that Mr. Hegseth takes into account the rich history of women and minorities serving in the military and how valuable our service is not only to the past in our military effectiveness but in the effectiveness of our future. There have been amazing studies done by Rand around the importance of women and minorities serving in our now complex military scenarios and operations around the world. Women, frankly, have elevated our ability to collect intelligence, to connect to communities, diverse communities around the world, and have served as effective warfighters.

I think that Mr. Hegseth, should he be confirmed, will have access more access to that information. And I hope that as a leader of over 3 million employees in the world's finest military, that he will consider the impact of his statements not only on morale within the ranks, but he will consider his impact on our national security.

I think the military is an incredible vehicle for not only commitment and patriotism to this country, but also as a way to demonstrate that we are all Americans and we are all a part of this experiment and we should all take responsibility in that commitment.

BLACKWELL: Captain Mary Tobin, Major General Dana Pittard, Thank you both.

Now the fate of the Department of Education still up in the air. The President-elect vowed to abolish the department during the campaign. I'll speak to someone who will have a role in helping a major city navigate the impact if the President-elect does go through with that promise.

Plus, the incoming governor of Missouri says that he will release an ex-officer in Kansas City from prison despite his conviction for killing a black man at his home. The family of the man that officer killed is here to respond.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:18:19]

The incoming governor of Missouri has made a controversial promise to get an ex-officer convicted of killing a man out of prison early. Here's the story. In December of 2019, Kansas City Police Officer Eric DeValkenaere and his partner were responding to a traffic incident involving a red pickup truck. Well, they saw a red pickup truck entering the driveway of a home. So they went to the backyard of that home without permission, without a warrant, and with guns drawn. 26- year-old Cameron Lamb was driving the pickup. An indictment in the case says that officers told him to stop. Well then DeValkenaere shot Cameron and he claimed he saw his left hand reach for a gun and point it at his partner.

But according to that partner in the indictment, Lamb held up his left hand with no gun in it. The indictment also said that Lamb was right- handed and his medical records later showed that he did not have full use of his left hand because of an injury before the shooting. DeValkenaere was sentenced to six years in prison. But now the Governor-elect of Missouri wants to cut that short.

I want you to listen here to Governor-elect Mike Kehoe shortly after election day describing his connection to the case.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE KEHOE, (R) MISSOURI GOVERNOR-ELECT: I'm very sensitive to Eric's case. I would consider Sarah, a good friend of my wife and I's. I met Sarah and Eric before he was in prison and wrong - I would say wrongly. I believe we need to have Eric's back. And I've been very vocal about saying should I succeed in running for governor, Eric DeValkenaere will be home with his family. I still and I'm am hopeful and prayerful that happens before I get into the governor's office.

[08:20:06]

BLACKWELL: Well, Cameron, stepfather Aqil Bey and Cameron's mother Laurie Bey are with us. Our condolences on your loss and thank you for your time this morning.

Laurie, let me start with you. When you hear the governor of elect place this in that framework of knowing Eric and Sarah by first name and the connection to the family, what goes through your mind?

LAURIE BEY, MOTHER OF CAMERON LAMB: A lot goes through my mind. And the fact that you would dismiss the fact that my son's life mattered. This has been a very emotional. A very emotional. I'm sorry, it's just been very emotional for me that you would say that you are friends with your wife and DeValkenaere wife or friends and my son's life. To me you're making it seem as if my son's life did not matter.

So it's hurtful. You know, I feel very disappointed, very disappointed at the fact that my son is not here. And you're going to let an officer, an ex-officer go. You're going to pardon him because of a friendship.

BLACKWELL: Well, let me read here. We reached out to the governor- elect's office did not get something back independently. But our affiliate KCTV got a statement. "Any action that may be taken by Kehoe in the governor's office would be due to the unjust sentencing Eric received by a woke prosecutor." There's that word again, "not their friendship".

Aqil, DeValkenaere was indicted by a grand jury. It issued the indictment. He was convicted by a judge, sentenced by a judge. The Missouri Court of Appeals upheld the conviction. The Missouri State Supreme Court denied the request to take the case even from the state AG. And when the Supreme Court refused to take the case, you said, quote,

"Maybe it gave the people of Kansas City some hope." What, if any message will a pardon give to the people of Kansas City?

AQIL BEY, STEPFATHER OF CAMERON LAMB: Well, the community been trying to come together. We felt with the conviction that at least the judicial system can work for us as well as anybody else. Here it is 22 judges that has viewed this case, has upheld it, and feel that DeValkenaere should be responsible and for what he has done. So how can an elected official by stroke of a pen disqualify that?

You asked us to believe in our judicial system. We do. And -- but how do you tear that down? How do you bridge gaps when things are -- you want things to be on an equal basis. You want to be the governor of everybody in Missouri, not just someone you call someone you just recently met and call a friend and make it seem as though the life of Cameron didn't mean anything.

I mean, how do you take a pen and disqualify life of my son? You know, I mean, he was a father, you know, he was a brother. He wanted to see his children wanted to see him. So how you discount his life as there was nothing. Battery low.

BLACKWELL: The governor's office, current Governor Mike Parsons. His office says, "Governor Parsons is considering clemency for Mr. DeValkenaere, but has made no decision at this time. Laurie, has either office of the governor or governor-elect. Have they reached out to you? Have they reached out for your thoughts on this?

BEY: No, they haven't. They have not. I have not heard a thing and I really wish that they would.

BLACKWELL: Laurie, let me also stay with you for this question. Have you prepared yourself for the day that is likely coming that your son's convicted killer will be pardoned and released from prison about a year or so into his six-year sentence?

BEY: No, I haven't. It's like, how do you prepare yourself for something like that? You're never prepared. I was not prepared to hear that my son was killed. So how do you prepare for it? I mean, I know just based off of the report and what they have of what Governor-elect has stated is that this is something that's most definitely going to happen. But how do I prepare for that?

I know there are things that I can do, you know, but how do you really prepare for that when I'm still dealing with the loss of my son that should still be here? He should still be here because there was no reason at all for these cops to have went back in his yard with no reason, no permission, no reason to be there at all.

[08:25:23]

You took his life away from us and you let him stay back there for 14 minutes. 14 minutes after all of that took place, did not allow anyone back there to give him any type of medical care whatsoever. We don't know if he could have survived this or not. No, we don't. But you just let him sit back there, lay back there for 14 minutes as you all carried on and did something within that 14 minutes.

My son's life mattered. And we are sick and tired that things like this continue to happen. My son has three boys that will never have their father. My son, my only son was taken away just a rip. And this has totally changed my life. Things has not been the same since this happened to him. It has not been the same.

We can't go on with normal holidays anymore. We don't even do family pictures. The day that my son was murdered, the next day were scheduled to take family pictures. That didn't happen. I have not put up a Christmas tree in my home just because in 2019, my son went to my basement and got my Christmas tree, brought it upstairs for me to put it together. I have not been able to do that since 2019.

That is something that I don't know when I will be able to come to grips with.

BLACKWELL: Yes. I know. I asked you a question, Laurie, that having never lost a child or been in that position, that it's probably impossible to answer. But I thank you for your time. Obviously, we had an issue with the signal there. Laurie and Aqil Bey, parents of Cameron Lamb, thank you very much. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:31:56]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: President-elect Trump is day by day rolling out his cabinet picks. One of the biggest openings left is the Department of Education. But here's the thing, there's a possibility that he may not even pick an education secretary because as you know, he vowed during the campaign to eliminate the department. And of course, that would have a major impact on school districts across the country.

Chicago public schools is one of the largest school districts in the nation. And according to district data, roughly 90 percent of the district students are in a minority group. More than 70 percent are economically disadvantaged. I'm highlighting Chicago because for the first time there are members of Chicago school board who have been elected to their roles. Che Smith is one of them, better known as Rhymefest, he's also a Grammy and Oscar award winning artist who co- wrote the song "Glory" from Selma film. His latest work is the album "James & Nikki: A Conversation." Che, good morning to you. Thank you for being with me. So you've got this fantastic music career. Why join the school board?

CHE "RHYMEFEST" SMITH, ELECTED TO CHICAGO SCHOOL BOARD: Well, good morning, Victor, and thank you for having me. So, as you noted, my last project was called "James & Nikki." It was highlighting conversations between James Baldwin and poet activist Nikki Giovanni. What we have been finding in the industry and through the strategic partnership I did with Golden State Entertainment, which is a wing of the Golden State Warriors, young people that were receiving James Baldwin and Nikki Giovanni as entertainment and curriculum with what we're doing with music outside of the walls of the schools, they weren't getting that culturally relevant curriculum inside the walls of many of the schools, which you duly noted, our schools are in Chicago, 47 percent Latino Hispanic, 34 percent African American.

I wanted to make sure that culturally rich curriculum that, you know, from "Glory" to "Jesus Walks" to "James & Nikki," this is what children are interested in when it comes to education, music, quality, arts, which is always the first thing to get cut in a budget. I wanted to make sure they had that material for their own de-escalation and critical thinking skills. That's why I ran for the first ever elected school board in Chicago.

BLACKWELL: So let's talk about this Illinois state report card that just came out for Chicago public schools, far behind the state averages on proficiency, English language arts, 29.1 percent, math, 18.4 percent, science, 36.5 percent. I hear you talk about the inclusion of the arts, but what should be done to approach and improve these numbers?

SMITH: Yes, so, you know, the pandemic affected our education system around the country. However, people shouldn't be afraid or feel anxiety or concern so much about just a new incoming administration when, as you know, we've been having problems. Chicago's educational system has been underfunded by $500 million for at least the last five years. This upcoming year we're looking at a billion dollar deficit when it comes to being able to resource those programs that underserved communities really need.

[08:35:30]

So this is something that we as a board and the community have been working on. And it's been a challenge in education, not only locally, but nationally. But how I see it as an incoming board member, this is an opportunity, Victor. This is an opportunity for community --

BLACKWELL: Are these numbers because of low of -- of funding issues? I mean, math at 18.4 percent proficiency, is that because there isn't enough money? I mean, how do you get that up?

SMITH: Well, of course, you know, one of my solutions is we're going to need strategic corporate partnerships. You know, our high schools used to have aviation programs where young people as young as 14 years old could get pilot's licenses and learn how to do airplane mechanics. Those programs were cut that STEM that, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. We used to have vocational automotive programs. We have to bring in our carpenters unions, our ironworkers unions. We have to bring in the trades and vocations and corporations, also our athletic clubs.\

You know, in Chicago, the Bears are looking to move and have a new stadium. We got to make sure that if they get a new stadium, our schools also get those tax dollars. We got to make sure that the lotteries and the marijuana dispensaries are paying their fair share for the next generation of education.

BLACKWELL: All right, Che "Rhymefest" Smith, now elected school board, Chicago Public Schools, a member there. Che, thanks so much for being with me this morning.

So there's a big development in the case of Sonya Massey, the woman killed in her home after calling 911 for help. We have that for you, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:41:52]

BLACKWELL: An important update, new this morning in the case of Sonya Massie. The Department of Justice is investigating now the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office for possible discrimination. Four months ago, a deputy fatally shot Massie in her home in Illinois when the 36-year- old called 911 for help. A DOJ letter obtained by CNN affiliate WICS says that Massie's killing, quote, raises serious concerns about sheriff's offices interactions with black people and people with behavioral health disabilities. The DOJ's review is separate from the ongoing case against Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson, who's been charged with murder and has pleaded not guilty.

Three daughters of Malcolm X are suing the CIA, FBI and New York Police Department. They claim the agencies played a role in the civil rights leader's 1965 assassination. The $100 million lawsuit was filed in a Manhattan federal court. They, along with the Malcolm X estate, say that law enforcement was aware of and involved in the assassination plot and failed to stop it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LLYASAH SHABAZZ, MALCOLM X'S DAUGHTER: It has taken us a long time to get to this point and we fought primarily for our mother who was here on February 21st, 1965. We seek justice for the assassination of our father and -- and that the truth will be recorded in history.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: The speculation around who killed Malcolm X has swirled for decades. He was gunned down during a speech in New York City on February 21st, 1965. Three men were convicted as a result. But in 2021, two of the three were exonerated. In the lawsuit, the family claims the prosecution team covered up the government's role in the assassination.

[08:43:47]

So you might be familiar with the Great American Songbook. Well, tonight a new songbook will premiere that pays tribute to Native American music. The creator of the North American Indigenous songbook is here to explain how the project came together and why, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: "Luck Be a Lady," "Moon River," "A Change is Going to Come." What songs come to mind when you think of the -- the classics, those -- those songs that are in the Great American Songbook, it encompasses a lot, jazz standards, show tunes from the 20th century. Well, Native American music should be a part of that heritage, too. But my next guest noticed that a lot of people just do not know many indigenous artists, despite their contributions to our musical history. Well, that sparked a project called the North American Indigenous Songbook. The first songs premiered tonight in New York. Here's an example from a preview performance with singer Marion Newman.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SINGING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Timothy Long is the creator of the North American Indigenous Songbook. He's also a pianist, conductor and composer. Thank you so much for being with me. I read that the idea for the songbook immerse in 2020. This is the months after the murder of George Floyd. How did that happen?

TIMOTHY LONG, CREATOR, THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIGENOUS SONGBOOK: Well, eston go Victor. It's good to be here. This was a direct product of Black Lives Matter because so much happened in this country with awareness of inequities happening. And then I think the COVID crisis kind of incubated a lot of these ideas.

[08:50:10]

So with me, I work in classical music. I run the opera program at the Eastern School of Music. And so people started reaching out to me about songs by indigenous composers, and there really weren't any. So I was sitting around one night with my father in law, Randy Plimpton, we're having a nice scotch and just discussing the world. And were talking about this, and I came up with this idea about why not commission songs by native composers. So this was born, and we decided to found the Plimpton Foundation to support this.

So we have commissioned eight Native American and First Nations composers for this first round. We have 14 tribes represented on our concert between the performers and the composers. And we intend to create a library of repertoire where none existed before.

BLACKWELL: It's such a good idea. I mean, and I try to on this show and always say that this is not just, you know, Native American history, it's not black American history. This is American history. This is American music. I was reading in preparation for this, Mildred Bailey, a Native American woman, was the Queen of Swing, first to sing in front of an orchestra in the 30s. And so it's important that we don't confine this to just being a section of American history. I want to play a little bit more of some music here. This is a sampling of a song. This is you and vocalist Martha Redbone, and then we'll talk about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SINGING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: So tell me about this piece, Tim.

LONG: Well, first of all, I adore Martha Redbone. And as you can see, she's got so much charisma there. Martha has become a good friend of mine. I first commissioned her for a program at the Moab Music Festival several years ago. And Martha and I were actually improvising at this point. We did a song of hers that involved improvisation that goes to the end. And a lot of indigenous music does have this aspect of improvisation. So that is something that is a little bit new to the concert hall. But tonight you will see that happening both with Carlos Nakai's piece, which involves Native American flute and voice. Raven Chacon's piece, and you may know Raven's name, he was a Pulitzer Prize winner and a MacArthur Genius Grant winner who has written a song for us.

And there are many aspects of improvisation that are going to happen. Martha happens to be a fabulous soul funk artist. She's got her own band and she composes for us as well. So we have a commission of hers this evening. In addition, her band will close the entire program with just a fabulous celebration of indigenous music.

BLACKWELL: Tim, quickly, before we go, is this music that can be performed by anybody? You do not have to be an indigenous person to perform it?

LONG: Absolutely. That is one of the -- the -- the rules of this commission when we send it out that, you know, people have great fear of appropriation right now. There are so few of us in this -- in this classical world or even in this music world that we want everybody to be able to sing these songs. And we have a couple of songs in the Navajo language, one in the Mohawk language, and these are still offered to everybody to sing.

And the main point of this project was to get people to learn more about us because a lot of Americans see us as a monolith in this country, but we are 574 federally recognized tribes right now with many different cultures and backgrounds, many different backgrounds of music. And I wanted all of our artists to be able to come into this project and write whatever kind of music they wanted to write that expresses them best.

BLACKWELL: Well, Tim, thank you so much for your contributions and organizing this, and good luck tonight. Thanks so much for the interview.

[08:54:17]

We got a new shout out, up next, a full circle moment for a man who became a rather went back to his elementary school for a role that was unimaginable just 60 years ago.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: In 1961, a black family made history at a school in Miami- Dade, Florida. Lorenzo Johnson Sr., his brother and sister arrived at an all-white school, Arlington Heights Elementary, and became the first black students there. A mural at the school now memorializes the moment Johnson first stepped foot on campus. And now, more than 60 years later, he returned this past week to be principal for a day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LORENZO JOHNSON SR., PASTOR AND COMMUNITY LEADER: Walking into an all- white school and I know that there was some resistance. We felt the resistance at one point. That mirrors, I mean, it brings -- it brings tears to my eyes a little bit, but it also brings joy. Most of the time when people get mirrors on the wall, they end up it's after the fact. But I'm here living today to see and -- and knowing that this is a -- a -- a great thing and a great feeling to be here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Mr. Johnson is now a pastor and founded an organization in South Florida called Community Youth Against Violence. Lorenzo Johnson Sr. in Arlington Heights Elementary School I see you. Now if you see something or someone I should see, tell me. I'm Victor Blackwell on socials, Instagram, TikTok, X, and today Blue Sky.

[09:00:15]

And if you missed a conversation or story, check out CNN.com/Victor- Blackwell-first-of-all, hyphens between each word. Go there anytime and you can listen to our show as a podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for joining me today. Smerconish starts right now.