>> thank you so much for sharing part of your new year's day with us. i'm boris sanchez. coming up, from the capitol insurrection to election night upsets, it has been a whirlwind year in politics and we're going to break down for you the top ten political stories of the year. >> plus, one-on-one with outgoing atlanta mayor alicia k keys bottoms. she talks about her decision to not run for re-election and talks about her city and the pandemic. let's get a check of your top stories. good morning, and happy new year. thank you for joining us. i'm ryan nobles. 2022 begins with more disruptions and a grim warning. things will likely get worse as the omicron variant spreads across the u.s. the nation broke records twice this week for the seven-day average of new daily covid-19 cases, which remained at an all-time high of roughly 356,000 new daily infections thursday. meanwhile, the faa says staffing shortages caused by covid-19 infections could lead to even more flight cancellations. more than 11,000 flights have been scrapped since christmas eve, including more than 1,000 today and tomorrow. but none of those are the result of faa issues. with millions prepared to return to work and school, there are concerns the number of new infections will rise even further. cnn's polo sandoval reports. >> reporter: the u.s. is shattering records this week with an average of about 356,000 covid infections reported every day in the past week, according to johns hopkins university. as the world rang in the new year, the latest surge is sweeping across the u.s., pushing cases and hospitalizations to unprecedented levels. experts warning a turning point could be weeks away. >> given the size of our country and the diversity of vaccination versus not vaccination, that it likely will be more than a couple of weeks, probably by the end of january. >> reporter: roughly 62% of the country is fully vaccinated according to the centers for disease control and prevention. only about 33% of fully vaccinated adults have gotten boosters, which experts say are critical in protecting against severe illness from the variants. the omicron variant, the most contagious strain, rapidly spreading across the world. in the u.s. they're seeing the highest case and hospitalization hospitals ever. new york reported more than 76,000 new cases on thursday, the governor's office said, breaking its single-day record. hospitalizations hit about 8,000, an 8% spike from the day before. hospitalizations have risen almost 20% since monday. >> clearly new york and washington, d.c. are ahead of the curve, but not by much. so expect that in the next three to four weeks we're going to see everyone really hit with this. >> reporter: new jersey identified more than 28,000 new covid-19 cases via pcr testing, governor phil murphy said on thursday. the number of positive cases likely higher due to at-home testing. some governors are calling on the national guard. ohio governor mike dewine deploying 1,250 national guard troops on the day the state reported its highest hospitalization numbers. georgia also deployed 200 troops in the same week that six major health systems saw 100 to 200% increases in hospitalizations, governor brian kemp said. and new york doubling national guard deployment to 100 and preparing for 80 guardsmen to undergo emergency medical training next month, according to the governor. with more virus spreading in the country, more than 30 colleges and universities are changing the start of their spring semesters, and more children are getting sick and being hospitalized than at any other point in the pandemic, just as their school will be navigating reopening after the holidays. >> quantitatively, you're having so many more people, including children, who are getting infected. and even though hospitalization among children is much, much lower on a percentage basis than hospitalizations for adults, particularly elderly individuals. however, when you have such a large volume of infections among children, even with a low level of rate of infection, you're going to still see a lot more children who get hospitalized. >> reporter: on a positive note, studies and reports on the omicron variant continue to suggest it may not be as lethal as delta, even as it spreads quickly. polo sandoval, cnn, new york. >> thank you. colorado governor jared polis is calling it a new year's miracle that no deaths have been reported, after fast-moving wildfires engulfed parts of the state. winds up to 105 miles per hour fueled the fires, which destroyed more than 500 homes and forced some 35,000 people to flee. the wildfire began thursday morning and spread rapidly across thousands of acres. the area is still too dangerous for residents to return. president biden is out with a new year's message for the american people. during a pre-recorded video on abc, the commander in chief and first lady jill biden struck an optimistic tone heading into 2022. >> no matter how tough the challenge, how high the obts, we always overcome. this virus has been tough. as we enter the new year, i'm more optimistic about america's future than i've ever been. at our best we've taken every crisis we've faced and turned it into an opportunity to be a stronger and better nation. >> biden and the first lady also paid tribute to medical workers on the front lines of the covid fight. major new year's eve plans were scaled back around the world due to the spread of the omicron variant, but many cities still found ways to celebrate. in new york city about 15,000 masked and fully vaccinated people gathered in person for the times square ball drop. fireworks lit up the sky on cope pa cabana beach as people in brazil celebrated the new year. and here's the scene from madrid, spain, where a spectacular show of fireworks was on display. eric adams, new york city's new mayor, was sworn into office this morning in times square just minutes after the ball dropped at midnight. adams, a former captain for the new york police department, took his oath of office as the 110th mayor, holding up a framed photograph of his mother, dorothy, while resting his hand on a family bible. still ahead, it was a crazy year in politics, to say the least. next we'll break down the top ten stories of 2021. my family's been devastated by covid-19. and we're not alone. we've all had to find new ways to keep going. and cue has made that easier. with cue, you get lab-quality covid-19 test results in just 20 minutes. speed and accuracy. it's just for the nba; it's for you too. cue health. the official covid-19 home test of the nba. go cue. go you. the world is full of make or break moments. especially if you have postmenopausal osteoporosis and a high risk for fracture, it's time to make your move to help reduce your risk of fracture with prolia®. only prolia® is proven to help strengthen and protect bones from fracture with 1 shot every 6 months. do not take prolia® if you have low blood 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(sings dramatically) oh, i need to get to work. telling people to check the singlecare price. a presidential impeachment, bogus election fraud claims and election night upsets. >> it was an interesting year in politics, to say the least. cnn's jim acosta takes a look at the top ten stories of the year. >> the top ten political stories of 2021 make this past year feel more like a decade. starting at number ten, pandemic paralysis, as medical experts stress vaccines and boosters as the best way of preventing covid-19. disinformation and lies about these shots continue to spread as well, misleading millions of americans. >> you've seen the pictures all over the internet of people who have shots and now they're magnetized. they can put spoons and force all over them and they can stick. >> it's utter nonsense, so get vaccinated. at number nine, the republican party at war with itself over its leader, disgraced ex-president donald trump, and his big lie that he won the 2020 election. >> we're not forgetting 2020. most corrupt election. >> the president caused this, the president is unfit, and the president is unwell. >> if donald trump were the 2024 nominee, would you support him? >> i would not. >> you can send liz cheney home, back home to washington, d.c. >> at number eight, democrats with issues of their own. >> given the circumstances, the best way i can help now is if i step aside. >> facing multiple allegations of sexual harassment, which he denied. governor andrew cuomo of new york resigns. >> virginia, we won this thing! >> glenn youngkin, a republican, wins the governor's race in virginia. >> a big night for republicans and, quite frankly, a major wakeup call for democrats. >> and gavin newsom, democratic governor in california, successfully fights off a recall there. >> thank you to 40 million americans, 40 million californians, thank you for rejecting this recall. >> number seven, messy withdrawal from afghanistan. the biden administration scrambles to evacuate american citizens and tens of thousands of afghans from the country ahead of an august 31st deadline. 13 u.s. service members and more than 170 afghans are killed in terrorist attacks outside kabul's airport in the chaotic end to america's longest war. >> it's time to end the forever war. thank you all for listening. may god protect our troops. >> at number six, the big lie gives birth to an amateur audit of the 2020 election results in arizona and ends up confirming what americans already knew, joe biden won arizona. >> the ballots that were provided to us to count in the coliseum, very accurately correlate with the official numbers. >> new gop-driven restrictive voting laws crop up in statehouses across the country. >> i'm going to sign it right here, it's going to take effect. >> florida, your vote counts. >> number five, president biden and his team try to show democrats can deliver, with big legislative victories first on covid relief and then infrastructure. but the question remains, can his build back better social spending plan pass through the senate. at number four, double trouble for the gop in georgia, as republicans lose two senate runoff races in january. >> the democratic candidate in georgia, he is defeating david purdue, the republican candidate. >> gop insiders blame trump, grumbling that his election lies backfired. >> he is hereby acquitted of the charge. >> trump becomes the first president in history to be impeached for a second time, this time for inciting the insurrection at the capitol. once again, republicans stand in the way of a conviction. >> democrats falling short of the 67 votes needed to convict trump. this is the second time donald trump has been acquitted in an impeachment trial in the u.s. senate. >> at number two, an event that would normally land at the top of any list of big political stories, the inauguration of a new president. >> protect and defend the constitution of the united states. >> it was far from a typical transfer of power as trump tried to scheme his way into staying in office, pressuring state officials lierk georgia's secretary of state. >> look, all i want to do is this. i just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have, because we won the state. >> number one story of 2021. american democracy under attack. january 6th, the insurrection. >> we fight like hell. if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore. >> one last-ditch attempt to halt the biden presidency, a violent mob of trump supporters and members of far right groups stormed the capitol chanting they want to kill the vice president. rioters clash with police. eventually they smash their way inside, sending lawmakers running for cover. >> everybody stay down. >> a trump supporter is shot dead by a police officer, as she and others attempt to breach the lobby inside the capitol. first responders are beaten with the american flag and sprayed with chemicals. as night falls on a shameful scene, a symbol of american democracy is left battered. capitol police officer brian sicknick was assaulted by chemical spray. he suffered strokes and died the next day. haunted by january 6th, a handful of other officers later die by suicide and the trials of the insurrectionists begin. true to form, trump went on to lie about what happened at the capitol. he never showed remorse, never apologized for what he did. trump has so far escaped any accountability. he's been emboldened by republicans who have largely adopted his lies as their own. his lap dogs and disciples continue his rhetoric. he's now under an investigation by the select committee and it may alter the landscape for 2022 and beyond. jim acosta, cnn, washington. >> thanks for that. a candid conversation with outgoing atlanta mayor keisha lance bottoms is next. she talks about what it was like for her city and leadership to get thrust into the national spotlight. a conversation you won't want to miss after a quick break. now, se and eat it too. nexium 24hr stops acid before it starts for all-day, all-night protection. can you imagine 24 hours without heartburn? 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>> oh, there's so many moments. over the last four years, of course, there was the pandemic that we have all endured together, and are still in the middle of a pandemic, and then the protests of last summer. but even before that, at the beginning of my term, we experienced, three months into my swearing in, the largest cyberattack in the history of any city in america. it completely crippled our systems for nearly a year, and there was a very large federal investigation into the last administration. >> let's zero in on some of those, because it also means that your leadership was tested. what do you suppose your leadership role teaches you about, or has taught you about yourself? >> that i'm resilient, just like our city is resilient, just like our country is resilient. and there are moments that you don't script, but within you and within all of us, i think it's really the strength and the courage to face those moments. and i've heard said, i did what i knew to do, and when you know better you do better. that's what the last four years have been about. i can't say it's always been perfect leadership, but with whatever has come my way, i've done the best that i could in the moment. and i've learned that i am deliberate and afraid of nothing, as audrey lord said. >> and what do you suppose the nation and the city learned about you? because as you just mentioned, it didn't take long before you were recognized not just as a leader of a municipality, but you became a nation's leader, too. and let's talk about, you know, particularly during the trump administration. i mean, he singled you out on several occasions. he singled out the city on several occasions, whether it was about immigration, you took a stand saying you refused to house u.s. immigration and customs enforcement detainees. >> as a country, we are better than this. we are better than separating families. >> and you also stood up to the president when he called atlanta crime infested, as though termites or rodents had infested the city. how did you do that? >> well, i hope that what america saw is i'm a lot tougher than i look. a lot of times we judge people based on what we see and what we think we know about them, but for leaders across this country we had to lead in the absence of leadership with donald trump, and for someone to come for atlanta and to disparage atlanta and the leadership and the people of atlanta and the way that he did it, a lot of cities and a lot of leaders across the country, it wasn't difficult for me to confront that. and that's what you do when you are faced with a bully. you confront the bully, and oftentimes the bully will stand down. >> what guided you through that? >> i think it is a deep-seeded courage that's probably been a part of who i am for my entire life. growing up, having the benefit of growing up in atlanta, as a child, an african american child, you see leaders who look like you and you see people who are doing extraordinary things. so it never occurred to me that i couldn't be courageous or that i couldn't do something extraordinary, because there were always examples around me, from my teachers, to my grandparents and my parents, to the mayor and the people you saw on television. they were a part of our community. and that's the beauty of growing up in a city like atlanta. and i'm so glad that in the same way as a child, that i was able to emulate that representation, that atlanta still represents that magic to people across the country. >> you may recall, the death of rayshard brooks by police in 2020 caused a nationwide uproar and in atlanta, where it happened, that uproar turned into unrest. >> fiery, violent protests erupted in the days after the shooting. the officer who fired the fatal shots faces felony murder and multiple other charges. large numbers of atlanta officers called off sick from work in response to charges. atlanta's police chief even resigned following the shooting and subsequent protests. here is part of the conversation. >> is there anything in that moment that you felt you should have done differently, you could have done differently? how do you describe what you and the city endured at that time? >> it was heartbreaking for so many reasons, because i know that our officers were out, by and large, doing the very best that they could do. then you have this young father who was killed. and just a couple of hours ago i was with a group of ceos in the city, university leaders, who i meet with quarterly, and we had a presentation from the group who has been helping us with police reform in the city. and i asked the question, had our training been different, would that have turned out differently? and the response was, we don't know, but what we are working toward with our training is to make sure that it's not just de-escalation, but that we don't get to the point where you need de-escalation. and with the killing of rayshard brooks, it was a horrible time in our city, because it was shortly after the killing of george floyd and in so many ways for so many, it represented all of the things that people had been angry about, but on the other side, there was an outcry of where is the support for our police officers. and in that moment i made the best decision based on the information that i had and the options that i had before me. i felt that it was the best decision. life, you don't get do-overs in life, so i can't say that i would do anything differently, but i know i made the best decision that i thought could be made. >> chief shields has offered to immediately step aside as police chief so that the city may move forward with urgency in rebuilding the trust so desperately needed throughout our communities. i do not believe that this was a justified use of deadly force and have called for the immediate termination of the officer. >> and it's my hope that on the heels of that tragedy that we are able to avoid another tragedy like that in our city. >> all that you have learned, all that you have endured, all that you hope to be passing on, whether it be to your children, the city of atlanta, or to the mayor-elect, andre dickens, what will be your advice for him, mayor-elect andre dickens? >> i've given him a lot of advice, i don't know if he's going to take it or not. but just a few things, we were actually together this morning and i just really cautioned him to protect his peace. >> what do you mean by that? >> there were moments during my term that i honestly thought i lost the ability to empathize, because there's so many bad things that you confront on a daily basis as a leader, and i think part of it is creating something internally that protects you. but if you don't ever separate, if you don't ever turn off, you can sometimes become desensitized. >> that's hard to understand, because especially when you were thinking about your son, your son was standing right next to you during those moments of unrest in atlanta, that was empathy. but was it before or after that where you felt like there was possibly an absence of empathy in you as a leader? >> i don't think it was continuous, but there were moments, and i'm sure over the next few months i'll go back and i'll think about what else was going on when i felt that, but that's what happens when you are fatigued, when you're drained, when you don't take a day off. >> so he's got to find that space. you're hoping he finds that space where you can decompress, reconnect with yourself, so as to keep your priorities in check? >> absolutely. and i've heard people say -- they're calling 2021, 2020, the great resignation. i think it's the great evaluation on how we maintain our physical and mental and emotional well-being and i wish i had been more thoughtful of that for the entirety of my term, and not at moments when i felt that i maybe physically was at my breaking point or just completely exhausted. >> so then that brings us to a great way to wrap it all up, which is then how or when will we see a keisha lance bottoms re-evaluated keisha lance bottoms? >> i am in a state of re-evaluation. i'm hopefully going to be able to take some time over the holidays. right now i feel like i'm running through the tape. even with my tripping over words and stumbling, it's because i'm really tired right now. but once things settle down, i want to make sure that we finish strong and i leave the city in the best possible way that our new mayor can pick up the baton and continue the race. once i feel comfortable that i've done all i can do, then i'll stop and think and i'll re-evaluate. >> mayor keisha lance bottoms, thank you so much. >> thank you. >> the candidate mayor lance bottoms endorsed will take over for her. mayor-elect an dre dickens will be sworn in on monday. we'll be right back. it feels too good to be true. it's kicking back and relaxing as we pick up your car. and when you get paid on the spot, it feels like scoring big. you know the feeling. you just never imagined you could get it from selling your car. well, with carvana, you can. experience the new way to sell a car. trelegy for copd. 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[a vulture squawks.] there he is. only pay for what you need. ♪liberty, liberty, liberty, liberty♪ welcome back, everyone, to this special new year's day edition of "new day." i'm amara walker. >> i'm boris sanchez. coming up, regina served this country in the military and as a navy veteran, she continues to be a positive role model and make an impact in her local community. now her community is re-paying her. a conversation you will not want to miss. >> that's all coming up. first, let's get a check of your top stories. thank you, boris and amara. good morning, everyone. i'm ryan nobles in washington. federal officials are warning the violent extremists could try and exploit the anniversary of the january 6th riot. officials say there are no specific or credible threats at the moment. the report was compiled by the department of homeland security, fbi and law enforcement agencies. officials say conspiracy theories and election fraud claims continue to resonate with domestic extremists and could inspire some to promote or commit violence. family, friends and dignitaries gathered this morning for the official state funeral for archbishop desmond tutu. the new year's day service which was limit to do 100 people due to covid restrictions, capped a week of events honoring the anti-apartheid hero. south africa's president delivered the main eulogy at st. george's cathedral and hailed tutu as the country's national conscious. tutu died last sunday at the age of 90, after years of health complications. betty white is being remembered today as a talented comedienne, entertainer, and despite having great success, remained humble. >> i've been lucky enough to do so much that if i start complaining about anything under the sun, throw me out of the business. >> white died yesterday, just a few weeks shy of her 100th birthday, and tributes are pouring in from around the world. including this one from her former costar, bob newhart. he said, quote, my first stand-up tv appearance was april 1960 on jack barr and betty white was a guest. today we lost a giant. and a quick programming note. don't miss an unforgettable concert film. watch carole king and james taylor, just call out my name, tomorrow right here at 9:00 on cnn. i will see you at the top of the hour. for now, let's send it back to boris and amara. >> a few military veterans are spending the holidays enjoying a really special gift, a home that's fully paid for. >> regina is a navy veteran honored by the thanks to veterans program. she's still serving her community as a volunteer and she includes her three children in the service. she's team mom for her son's football team and was, let's say, surprised with the news, after one of their games. >> as you guys know, regina is a veteran and you know she just got a new house, right? how important is this house to you? >> it's very important. >> why? >> because it gives my children a stable place to live. >> how would you feel if i told you veterans united is going to buy your house in full and it's now yours? >> what? are you serious? oh, my god! >> my goodness, regina, it's emotional for me watching. also joining us is vice president for military relations at veterans united home loans. welcome to you both. regina, let's start with you. replay that moment for us and what it was like. >> just hearing it gets me emotional every time. it was -- i'm at a loss for words still. all i can think about was, are they playing with me, is this a joke? and i seen everybody jumping. when i see my dad cry, i knew it was real because my dad was there and my daughter was jumping up and down. and i was like, oh, my gosh, this is real. they just paid off my house, no mortgage payment. it was just so many emotions, i was going through so many emotions at the time. even now, listening to it. >> i can tell that it makes you really emotional, regina. obviously it means a lot for your kids, too, and the foundation of generational wealth and all the opportunities that come with home ownership. talk to us about how your kids are feeling. do they realize how big a deal this is? >> oh, my daughter, she's 15, she does. but my sons, they're 8 and 9, i don't think they really know. a couple days ago they were like, mom, talking about my bills, because i always go over bills with them. and, you know, they were like, what about the mortgage? what it's like they forget. they know, but they forget. and i'm like, mom don't have a mortgage. so, you know, it's -- we're just trying to get used to it. they don't fully understand. but they will when they get older. >> it's just such a beautiful story and moment that we got to share with you there on video. pam, can you tell us a little bit more about this program and also how it started? >> absolutely. first, regina, i want to say merry christmas to you and your family. you have become part of our family at veterans united. so we're so excited to see you again today, this christmas. and merry christmas to you, boris and amara as well. so veterans united we have a lifestyle and a business model of enhancing veterans and their families' lives and the communities as well, and as we moved into the holiday season, particularly veterans day last month, and thinking about how could we enhance the lives of our veterans, and show the enhancement that they give to communities. and regina is a prime example of that. and we selected methodically looking at veterans and telling the story of how veterans serve after service. so really focusing on those individuals that have given back to their communities and the things that you just saw in the videos and have talked about regina in, she is a prime example of that. people that serve in the military, they have a mindset and a focus to give back and to help others. and they only bring that back into their communities. and with the housing market the way it has been through this pandemic, we saw a lot of our clients make offer after offer and be taken -- a seller would take another offer and they would have to go out and look for that search again. so when we selected those individuals, we kept that in mind and we reserved one sweepstakes that we will be giving away and announcing on new year's eve, the last day that you can register to be the 11th home recipient, just like regina, and still have that advantage this year. as we look at how 2021 has unfolded in the housing market and to be able to affect yet another life, another family and another community, just like we did with regina. >> pam, you talked about giving back to those who give so much to our nation and helping out these veterans. tell us about some of these recipients and how does someone enter to receive that 11th home? >> absolutely, boris. so the other recipients are across the country and it is exciting to see all of them. we've gotten close to every one of them. i think regina probably has gotten a phone call from somebody at veterans united every few days. she has become family and the other recipients the same way. so we have former army, we have a vietnam veteran, we have marines, we have male and female alike service members. again, it's as varied as a military is. so the way that you can be one of these individuals and be the 11th home recipient is go to thankstoveterans.com. it's a very easy sweepstakes submission and try to be that 11th homeowner. but also, even if you're not, get the education, look at the program that's out there, and make sure that if you know a veteran, you're telling them to go to this site and maybe change their life forever. and as you said, boris, the generational change. and that's what really a mortgage-free home does for people like regina and the other recipients out there. it is a generational change and encourages all of us to give back more to our communities, whether we're veterans, veterans' families, or we're just part of our community. let's give back, let's show that service. >> what an incredible organization, pam. thank you for that. and, regina, lastly to you, tell us a little bit about how this has changed your life. what kind of freedom it's going to allow you, and how you'll be spending your christmas day today. >> the way it has changed my life is we're able to -- my family and i, we're able to give more to the community. my children opted out of christmas gifts this year and instead they decided to donate christmas gifts to needy children. so that in itself is a blessing, we were able to give more. it's an amazing feeling moving forward. my children, they'll be able to have opportunities that i didn't have growing up because we are mortgage free. i'm able to do more as far as their education and extra curricular activities because of it. >> regina, you are so inspiring and impressive. thank you for your service. congratulations on the home. >> pam, thanks for all your hard work helping folks like regina and giving back to them for so much they've done for us. merry christmas to you both and thank you for the time. have a happy christmas. >> merry christmas. >> thank you. merry christmas to you. >> the best story on christmas day. thank you so much. coming up, we're going to introduce you to the 2021 cnn hero of the year, and her inspiring work with california's homeless. some of my best >> make this the year of less stress and more yes with northwestern mutual. so when she moved in with us, a new kitchen became part of our financial plan. ♪ i want to make the most of every meal we have together. ♪ at northwestern mutual, our version of financial planning helps you live your dreams today. find a northwestern mutual advisor at nm.com it was a tragedy. with knockoff batteries, little miss cupcake never stood a chance. until, energizer ultimate lithium. who wants a cupcake? the number one longest-lasting aa battery. yay! case closed. time now for the good stuff. this month, cnn named its hero of the year. and she is impressive. kaitlan collins has more. the 2021 cnn hero of the year is -- >> shirley raines! >> shirley raines runs a nonprofit called beauty 2 the streetz, transforming part of skid row to an outdoor beauty salon, offering hair cuts, facials and meals and hugs. cnn's shirley raines joins me now. a., i loved your outfit so much. >> perry meek, he did that, de not? >> it was perfect. obviously, there was so much behind this. but how did you start this project? what really helped you to get this started? >> i think everyone knows at this point, my son passed away many years ago, and i broke. emotionally, spiritually, i have so much pain, later, his dad lost the battle with cancer. i was just trying to make sense of the pain in my life, you know what i mean? and through trying to find something to do with the pain, i found the homeless, a friend came out and asked me if i would like to go out with him and feed the homeless as a nonprofit. i thought, y'all are broken, you're just like me, let's go, you know. >> so, you're out there, and did the idea come to you then? or how did you kind of get the idea? because there are so many ways to help. but what made you think that this was something that they needed, something that could help them? >> you know, let's be clear. this is what the community wanted from me. i went out there to do what everybody does when they feed the homeless, give them the needs. they came to me with the wants, we love your hair, we love your lashes, i'm like, queen, i can get you some of this if you want. they were like, would you? it started organically, the narrative attached to homeless makes feel like they still want to be inherently beautiful. that's something i had to offer. i didn't feel like i had a lot to offer, but i did. >> clearly, you have a lot to offer. do you think to a degree it's about a sense of dignity. it's not be meeting their needs, eating, having some place to stay. or clothing but this is a sense of dignity when it comes to a haircut or facial? >> that, i think being seen, touched. the work that we do we physically scrub their hair, put hot water on their head. it's the entire to feel beautiful and feel same, for 30 minutes, someone is calling their name. washing their hair, making it life about them. and i think they've been neglected for so long very long, that this attention makes them feel good. it's a double-edged sword. it's beauty as well as feeling good. >> and what is the power of physical touch, something like that, to the people that you meet every day? >> i think that's spiritual cpr. i think a lot of times we fight to save the body, let's give them food. let's give them shelter, let's give them clothing, that shirt wall cpr that revives the body inside. that tells a lot about me. despite how i look, people love me. and i think that's something i wasn't feeling when i was going through my hard times. one of the things that helped me was make-up, it was an adult game of make believe. you know, we do that with the community, pretend. there's nothing wrong with pretending, we do it as kids all the time. >> and as adults. >> as adults. >> you talk about the loss of your son, where you were in that place when you went out to feed people. what was it like to be on that stage last night when you heard anderson and kelly say your name? >> it was so surreal. more than anything, i'm excited for the community. i'm just a messenger. i work at the pleasure of the homeless. i serve their pleasure. it's amazing that the world cared, i feel like they're a forgotten community. and there's so many amazing people on that stage with me. and the fact that social media and the world chose out. they didn't choose me. they didn't choose me, they chose that community, you know what i mean? that's heartwarming, i can't wait to go back home and tell them that people see them and love them and care about them. >> with this, you get $100,000. >> yes, we do. >> to expand your work, your group. do you have any idea, what are you thinking? what's your vision, what do you want to do with this? >> well, you know, i go out on tuesdays and feed them out of a van. i always wanted an ice cream truck to make it easier. right now, we're at a time struggling to feed them. that money is going to go for food. skid row will be fed from the beauty 2 the streetz for the rest of 2022. i'm a mom, i want to be practical. warm meals, that money is going to go towards food, nurturing them. potent blend of nutrients so you can emerge your best with emergen-c. ♪ i see trees of green ♪ ♪ red roses too ♪ ♪ i see them bloom for me and you ♪ (music) ♪ so i think to myself ♪ ♪ oh what a wonderful world ♪ i've been telling everyone... the secret to great teeth is having healthy gums. crest advanced gum restore. detoxifies below the gumline... and restores by helping heal gums in as little as 7 days. crest. the #1 toothpaste brand in america. welcome to silversneakers. are you ready to get moving? (throws punch) our new virtual classes were designed for you and millions of seniors like you. you can now choose from thousands of live virtual classes every week. get moving wherever you have an internet connection. and when you're ready, enjoy access to thousands of locations nationwide. with silversneakers, you're free to move. enroll today at no additional cost by visiting getsilversneakers dot com. this is elodia. she's a recording artist. 1 of 10 million people that comcast has connected to affordable internet in the last 10 years. and this is emmanuel, a future recording artist, and one of the millions of students we're connecting throughout the next 10. through projectup, comcast is committing $1 billion so millions more students, past... and present, can continue to get the tools they need to build a future of unlimited possibilities. ♪ 2022, i wasn't sure we would make it, amara, but we did. happy ne

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