Cspan2. Hello, everyone and welcome to the commonwealth program. Im going to be your moderator for today. Im so excited to do this. I have a few things before we announce our wonderful sunny hostin. As we continue to host Virtual Events they are grateful for your support with the members and other members, so we hope you will also consider making a donation. You can do it online or you can text 415 3294231. You can text the word donate to that number. Id also like to thank the Bernard Foundation for supporting todays event. I like the name of that event. My overwhelming, deeply i cant even tell you how much i love this woman but it is my pleasure to welcome my friend sunny hostin, Emmy Awardwinning legal journalist and cohost of the view. I worked with her for many years and we talked about so much like sisters and brothers we fight but its all love. Her new book is called i am the truth a memoir of identity and justice between worlds. Its a revealing look at her incredible story. She grew up in the south bronx and through hard work and determination and the support of her parents and her family she obtained a law degree and went on to become a federal prosecutor and soon recognized for her crimes against women and children. Shes a fighter and shes in it to do good and help people. By the way she went to Notre Dame Law School which is amazing. After the court room, she became a Television Legal Analyst and was one of the first reporters to cover the martin death and she broke ground on that. She continues to use her platform for social justice and providing powerful voice to the marginal life and voice of the people of this world really. Im so thrilled to be here today to discuss her story. We will dig into the things that she explores throughout her book. So, one more note before we get started, a quick reminder we will be taking audience questions and we may do it at the end but we may do it throughout. It just depends if something is related to what we are talking about so please submit your questions in the box. Sunny hostin, welcome. We have so much to talk about my friend, how are you. I am just so happy to be with you. Even though it is virtual. I wish that we were in the same room, but im happy to be on this journey with you my friend. So, tell me why did you decide to do this now . You know, i just feel the truth of it all is that you do hold the power to be different and you know that ive always believed that. I think at this time we are in the middle of a pandemic and economic crisis, a National Debate over policing, a delayed reckoning with systemic racism and i have been journaling for so long and ive been writing. I thought if not now, when. And ive spoken to justice soto mive spoken to her a lot about sharing my story and as you know, it has more failures than success, and i thought it was time to share that because my story is painful. You grow up in the south bronx projects with teenage parents and you want to share all of that. Is it hopeful enough, is it aspirational enough and she said youve got to share it because it is. And it can be a story for other people. And promise me one thing you do it in spanish and english because its so important for those people that may be struggling with english as their second language. With everything going on in the world. Everyone when they are writing a book when you have the humility and you are humble as you are will people care about what i write, you said you have more failures than success but people dont realize its kind of how life goes. You take those failures and Building Blocks to the success. Why did you feel that way like you had all these failures or whatever and why did you struggle with [inaudible] absolutely. With the age of social media, i get immediate feedback every time im on the show. I tried to be a voice. Its so important. I would get these messages like you are talking about income and poverty and the struggles. You are on the view, you are wealthy and dont know anything about it. I remember thinking they dont know, like people dont know my story. They dont know how hard its been. They think overnight success, working at this for decades. Ive been a lawyer over 25 years. Ive been on television for a long time. But youre not seeing the failures and thereve been so many of them. What did you learn from those failures, so people that are listening, what did you learn . I like to use my haters as motivators and Building Blocks, so what did you learn from those . Ive learned a tremendous amount of resilience. Ive learned my father used to say to go have as far. I know no one can take excellence from you. So every time ive been fired, and thereve been many times. There was the time at cnn and my contract wasnt renewed, but i knew that i did my best and i had been excellent, so i could leave with my head up. I certainly learned that and that there would be another day. I learned to use my voice, that it was okay. I learned that humility is okay. I also learned recently that i am not as good at speaking up for myself as i am at sticking up for other people. Who told you that . My husband told me, you did. I know he told you that. Our offices used to be right across from each other and we would often look to each other for advice and comfort and feedback. But go on, sorry. And you often said lien and. You dont stick up for your you. And its so true. And i write in the book how its really easy to stick up for other people and tell other peoples stories. It was hard for me to tell this story. So i wasnt always telling my story. I was telling the story of my parents, my mother. She didnt speak to me for about a week after she read the book actually. So i talk about addiction, i talk about Mental Health and i bear a lot of secrets in that sense. And i found that my goodness, i didnt want to talk about discrimination. I didnt want to raise my hand and say this is happening to me. Is this true. Dont treat me this way. I should be valued more. I didnt want to do those things. And i found that out about myself, which was a little bit shocking that i talk the talk and i could defend other people and prosecute cases and stand up for victims, but it was really hard for me to do it for myself. And i read about it in the book one of the reasons was and i read it on a book the 60 minutes every minute on religiously i would tend to be the reporters but then looked at whack me and my parents said dont do that so i remember the power of the presentation that i can risk that representation for those on the street was nerve racking i remember asking my family and then set is the smart i showed it to my husband and then he said yeah. [laughter] and then said maybe but i do it anyway so i leaned in and said my goodness pandemic economic crisis. And those that are affected more by the crisis. I dont have the courage to do what i talk about everyday on the show. From a privileged position i would be a hypocrite. There you go. There you go girl i can so relate to you because do you know how hard that was . I was going to lose my job will never work in this business again so i leaned in so you are living in your own truth i am this truth where did that come from . I came up with the title of the book im in my home office now. And then also from the constitution. Do do you keep a copy on my desk spread that we hold these terms to be selfevident. And that i just started to think and the book the systemic racism and pain and equity. Im fine with telling the truth. And then to say i am the truth. Its very powerful to say the truth of it all. You are the american story. The work that people of color did or slavery all of those things were same. I feel . It used to make me angry but now its paint all. Why do people still question my a at the city . And to just come up again and interviewing a family on the show it was a spanishspeaking family and one of the family members, the grandmother didnt speak english. And just that i was pronouncing the word of me. And my mother and also out you wish to send. So when they got married they just became legal so you really want people that look like me. But then they ran them out of town even though im only 50 it was just unusual so that is why that life of a struggle of identity. People still question it. People have to be able to categorize something. And as i wrote about in my book like the brown paper bag the white skin. But i remember when we had this conversation then you realize people on cnn they just think in terms of africanamerican and then i say let people know you are latina dont get stuck in our world of the no mans land so do i have to choose one . And one of the reasons i write about and i blame myself is i changed my name. Did you make it more friendlier . Tell me about it. It already is. And my friends from back in the day this you can call me when everyone tell about sunshine. Okay. So they call me sunny sunshine. Nancy grace could not pronounce my name it is a the show was real and she would say joining me as cohost today. [laughter] you can see the struggle. [laughter] and that one of the breaks she said can i Say Something to you . She said this name thing no one can pronounce it. And he said would you like me to do about my named, nancy . She said you have a nickname . At that point this legal legend is telling me this name will not cut it. Is that you can call me sunny right and she said change it. I know how i even have a spelling way. She changed and i went with it to be honest. Woman my career took off and she knows tv. Sometimes, maybe rightfully so people get offended but sometimes are just looking out for your wellbeing and she knew that this would work for you because i know tv. Thats what she told me. She said he will make in this business i havent seen anyone do this as well as you. And she was right but i feel i sold the piece of myself and my grandmother never forgave me because i was named after her sister. Just like so that obrien people would have known my identity. And if i did it again i would not change my name. You would not . No i would not. Everybody knows me now. That i was told that in my last name if this is something that people can remember it is great. John lemmon and that is something people change their name to. Don johnson or clark or something nobody will remember that. That is what people remember sunny. And the crackup with a firstrate intelligence even as intelligent people perfect within the past to be black and latino. [laughter] the president is half black and half white and a lot of that has to do with the history of this country that if you are one for black you were considered black and i remember growing up. Talk about that with that one drop because you can be 99. 9 percent Something Else but just a smidgen of plaque you are back. And braces just a social construct anyway. My Life Experience reflected that. So my birth certificate is as black but it also says hispanic which is interesting and it says mother is white with any standardized test to be white or hispanic. Who. Of course you did. It goes back to the history of our country the way people are indoctrinated to this day. So if i choose one does that mean my father doesnt exist . That is unique to this country and then the more complexity. That is america so that personifies we are going through right now they have to put you in a box. So even now people into people in a box there is no nuance because when we were on cnn together holding to thoughts at the same time and then go have a drink later people cant do that anymore. When society cannot hold to thoughts or opposing views . It is worse than it has ever been. And ponying that skill are prosecuting cases at the justice department. And i word argue to the death i needed to win and you stood in my way and then i would argue and then go out for drinks and some of these Defense Attorneys much like you and i our dear friends but we would paddle on the air much like we do on the view. People are shocked that megan and i are friends even though we may battle it out. On the year but unfortunately i think that kind of respect is gone in our country right now. And it requires this kind of relationship and requires the respect with a difference of opinion and to be curious rather than judgmental. And a lot of people unfortunately dont have that and certainly not the respect and what that means in my view why is this person saying that . Do receive value in a . And only two strengthen the feelings about Something Else of the opposite opinion. And we cant do that anymore. And with Justice Scalia and you read their opinions you think they hate each other. That was hard for me. They went out to lunch together every friday. I do the file a very important part that your dad also change his name in the seventies and here you are changing your name. Did you talk to him about that quick. Yes. And then to say whats up . And then if you just do it its much more natural now. And like i told chris the other night on the air you stupid. [laughter] and thats how we talk to each other. But my father its now the early seventies and with our apartment in manhattan my school cant teach me properly we have to get out of the projects and then restart trying to interview and then we show up and then it is no longer available. And then to realize if i change those are two rows and i show up with my light hair and light eyes, i will get the apartment. There are not a lot of white guys named William Moses you change it to Bill Cummings or William Cummings he will get the job. He changed his name to Bill Cummings and my mom changed her name to Rose Cummings and we got the apartment in manhattan and he got the job. Thats just the way it was. And that we still do it today. There is a little bit of difference i know how you feel about your name. Trust me especially because of your grandmother it is ownership and they are proud of you as we say as a black tina. But you did it because it was perfect and if it. So looking back to have the success that you have and its a different time now. So it would you go back to tell your younger self . And with treatment and a woman with kids in the business. So look at where it is happening now the summer of george floyd. If you could go back to the reporting about Treyvon Martin what word you say to that . So when i was younger so that you would succeed. And so with that simplistic way of looking at things if im being honest with my younger self this is the meritocracy and to be ready for that this isnt just working really hard and being excellent but they help but it wasnt just the meritocracy the do you have to in a sense be more strategic. You have to be strategic you are an activist at heart and then see you have to be strategic. And then to be an advocate herself. So i often thought that as you know and then there is the bigger picture. With the work life balance. With your activist and fighting spirit and the mom that you are. You are well rounded. I think women are the smarter and most successful of the sexes. And then you bring home the bacon. And the type is really small. This is from with this time of Racial Injustice from covid and Natural Disaster and then there is another question for both of us so what do you admire about one another. And as mentioned i will always 100. So born in 1968 with the Civil Rights Movement with the backdrop and the assassination of kennedy and mlk junior. And then i did it. We need people to understand and for those to pay the difference. So what do i do . And to channel that anger. And then as a worker and that people are not turned away inappropriately. And then to make sure you go to your local meeting so that could be. And then virtually planning there are so many ways to harness that anger in a positive way to affect change. I often think this is an partisan. Lets say you are a hillary person and you decide not to vote. So what about michigan by 11000 votes . In some districts she lost by seven votes. Imagine if one person got they made a difference and took six friends. I feel thats how they channel and then to do something. Something. Is a that doesnt always have to be a fight or something that involves the legal system or police. And i said it comfortable doing this i dont want to make a big deal but he got it without it being a big deal. So youre right you have to measure and figure out how to do that. It can be however small, but just do something. It is ambition in the right way and i like that you were able to evolve. I like the evolution and i told you what else. He is so supportive of others and not just of me because i have seen that support across the board for a lot of people. There are many times i would get a check that would be as small as how are you doing you could lien in here but i always know hes watching and supporting and he wants you to be your best and in this business there are not that many people in your corner but want you to be a better version of yourself and im always appreciative of that. Im so lucky to have this position but theres a certain degree of luck being in the right place at the right time. No one can do me like i can. But heres the thing people should know. Its so helpful a lot of people wont do that. The name of the person asking the question how do you view policing in america . That is a great question. By the way, thank you for that. People of color go into criminal law they become civil rights lawyers, Defense Attorneys, even judges. He is the most powerful person in the courtroom. You had such insight. The prosecutor runs the narrative. Be upset because daniel was the prosecutor and had the power to bring the charges and the narrative and thats why i chose to be a person of color as a prosecutor to work intimately with Police Officers. I know they have a difficult job. They want to get back home to their families as well. The problem the offices i worked with tell me that they are sent into situations that they are not prepared for. They are sent to school and dont want to be there. They are also sent to deal with Mental Health situations. They dont want to do that either nor are they prepared to deal with that. They are sent to situations of broken policing. They want to deal with high level drug cases so when you hear about this movement its about arming the departments across the country with the right tools and that may be diverting funds to Mental Health professionals so that you have professionals dealing with troubled children as opposed to Guidance Counselors and things of that nature so that Police Officers can do the work they want to do. So i think we are sending police into situations where they have no business dealing with it. I also think that we have over militarize our police department. There is no reason why they have Armored Vehicles and assault weapons used in war. Theres no reason why they have huge budgets for the settlements because. I also think that we need more people of color that are not only enrolled in the Police Academies but are also elevated into positions, supervisory positions so they can teach lowerlevel Police Officers how to police in the communities of color. So they need to reimagine policing in the country. They got use to being a certain way and think that is the best way. I dont know maybe it is, maybe it isnt. I understand the term defend the police. A. We got into an argument about it. They were crowd sourcing the term and taking it to advertising agencies and figuring out. This is something that sprung up and im sure if they took it to an agency they would have come up with something different, but they didnt. In an Election Year youve got to be just because people are hyperaware in the end and even more so the people who dont want what you want are going to use it. Thats true. And i do write about policing and prosecuting the cases in the book. You write about all that stuff in the book, so speaking of another reviewer question what is the most significant learning you have experienced as it pertains to Race Relations, and there is a followup. Most significant professional learning you have experienced with Race Relations like what is the biggest, what did you learn the most, what is one experience you had, what is the most significant professional learning you have experienced . I think that my recent experience at abc if im being honest has been eyeopening. I started the book out with it and we dont talk sosonny experienced someone o was, who had a big role in her company in charge of people like this who is accused of making insensitive racial remarks. I said accused. She was fired, terminated, had to leave. And anyway, it was some very harsh thing, unprofessional and you fought back and continued to and that is recent. It was just this summer so for me professionally did i say that correctly . The person responsible for contract negotiations for my career as well as the development of my career, so in terms of Race Relations you know, what i learned was i think we go through life again thinking that its a meritocracy, that people cant take excellence away from you. My father taught me that and of my mother taught me that. But what i did learn is its not just a meritocracy and race does play a role in our lives. We do have to speak up and speak out about that although i was reluctant to do that. I chose to talk about it, write about it and what i learned is that while there was professional suicide, in fact people at least at abc were very open about thank you for telling us this is how you felt, how you experienced this. We need to recalibrate and what can we do to make it better and how can we be better whereas i thought there was going to be this reluctance to talk about it. There was a reluctance to talk about it and nationally because when i first wrote the book and handed it in, the response i got was you cant talk about this stuff youve got to take it out and i was like but im not going to take it out. I went so far as to hire a lawyer because i felt like this is my truth and my experience. But now we are going through this delayed social reckoning of systemic racism and people are talking about it and protesting it. I have seen a seachange because now the response has been how can we make it better. So thats what ive learned. Thats been a real professional change for me. You were standing up for yourself and that is something you wouldnt do in the beginning. So what happened to you, you ended up helping others by just standing up for your own truth. I will tell you this because you know this person, i got a text from someone right before we started this. They said im reading your book. Thank you so much. Im experiencing the same thing and i really needed to read this. Im going to take some action myself. And i was just floored that it turned out not to be what i thought and its giving other people the courage to speak out, but i think that its the moment we are in in this country. The power you have is one individual you dont think you have the power, but you do and other people do as well. To what extent is the social media responsible for the demise of stability and the ability to communicate like human beings . I feel like social media is like a two headed dragon. We get so much from it and i think you and i covered a little bit of this its like the arab spring. It can be used for such good and then it can be used to the detriment of so many people. My husband and i were watching a documentary, the social no, its new. Its on netflix. It will come to me. But we immediately like changed the screen time or the kids because youre like it is that destructive. The reason it is destructive and goes to some of the things in the book is people were saying things they would never say in person. People become anonymous and so now all of a sudden they are in their moms basement and have this courage and emboldens people to lose all decorum and it just sort of keeps on replicating and i think that its led to the demise of the true stability. Weve seen it from the top. It had to be in the history a president who is willing to. The social dilemma by the way. It is remarkable, and i think the social media has given everyone permission to say these nasty things. If i read to you the things people say to me on social media im from the projects, so ive heard it all but every now and then im like wow. Ive limited my comments on certain social media sites to adjust to the people i follow or people i know. I didnt know you could do that. Oh yes. The ones you see and you can set it where not everybody can respond to something. A. I didnt know you could do that. I called twitter to hook me up. I love the exchange of ideas and feedback, but it just has led to this incivility that i never thought that i would see. You want to hear the love and hate for people you respect. You dont have to hear it from people you dont know or respect. You dont have to you know everyone loves you. You want to see those comments like this person loves me and then when they dont, if im getting it wrong, i am such a Firm Believer in the freedom of speech. I want to hear from people, but im always shocked at the vitriol and incivility of it. Can we do a lightning round because we literally have just a couple of minutes left. Why did you want to become a lawyer if theres one question you could ask president trump, what would it be . I wanted to fight for people. I wanted to be someones superhero and i thought that would be the best way to do it. Is there one question you would like to ask president trump, what would it be . Are you doing all of this because your father didnt show you enough love. And Vice President biden. What would i ask President Biden . Yes. How are you going what is the first thing you would do to restore the soul of this country . Those are good questions. One is why are you so jealous of barack obama. [laughter] that is a good one. Now its because he has more money than he has. [laughter] if you had to get the truth it was like a truth serum it would be and how much taxes did you pay or didnt pay. Okay, so after writing this book and sharing personal experiences, is there anything that surprised you or that you learned about yourself . I wrote the chapter on motherhood which was the hardest for me to write. I went through infertility, miscarriages and almost lost my son and pregnancy. I havent told my children they were ivf babies so i had to share that with them before the book came out. I learned when i married the nae book because i married the audiobook, i stopped in the booth and i knew that i had a really tough time when i was going through all of this but i realized that ive really fallen into a deep depression and i realized that about myself because im generally such a happy person. You know that. Calm down, you are too happy. [laughter] but i learned that about myself that i have a newfound empathy for people who deal with mental illness. I really felt all the pain i felt when i narrated that part of the book. I have a last question for you and this is on the question i always ask. Who do you think you are, sunny hostin . I think that i am [inaudible] and i think that i am the beneficiary of my parents sacrifice and the love and dreams of my ancestors. Love you. Love you too. [laughter] thank you. We have to get together when we are also limited house arrest or whatever we are on. I would love that. More than a virtual hug and text. I would like to thank sunny hostin. Cohost of the view and the author of a memoir of identity, justice and living between worlds. We encourage you to support the local bookstore and pick up your copy of the new book and if you would like to watch more virtual programs and super the Commonwealth Club efforts, you can visit Commonwealth Club. Org. I thank you for being here and for everything. You are amazing. Stay safe, everyone and we will see you soon. By, everybody. And physical wellbeing of its residents. This is one hour. All right everyone good evening and welcome we are excited to host tonights event with kerri arsensolt talking. Before we start i just want to say a huge thanks for making this happen and all of you for showing up though we are not able to host events in the stores at the moment the community of authors and readers is still here and we are grateful for your support and the chance to make the conversation and connection. A couple of housekeeping things before we get started this