Id be lying if i said the journey would be an easy one. He was really honest about what he went through. He wanted to empower people with a sense of inner strength and love. Three, two, one. And liftoff. . This mission is opening Space Travel up to anyone. I got the golden ticket. Im going to space. How many coaches said look, honey, youre 56, its not going to work. Im stubborn. Its about connection, that energy that you give out in the universe, it always comes back. Bubba, go, baby. You tell me i cant do it, you watch me. Dont let anybody tell you you cant, just go out and do it. Inspiring america, the 2021 inspiration list. Here are savannah guthrie, Lester Holt and hoda kotb. Good evening. Were starting a new annual tradition. Were spotlighting the folk whose inspire us most. These arent people to idolize or put on a pedestal. They wouldnt want that. These are people weve chosen to inspire All Of Us in our own lives. This group shows us we may not be as different or divided as we think. We can still work for Each Other and with Each Other. That inspiration we hope paints a virtuous circle. Everyone is a powerful example of lending a hand, making a mark or taking a chance. Someone whos done all three is Lin Manuel miranda, Creator Of The Smash Hit Musical hamilton. Its not just his words that inspire, its his actions as he lifts people up and brings them together. How do you define inspiration . Its the thing that wont leave you alone, right . That notion that just kind of keeps coming back around and being, like, hello, hello. Washington heights is the source of Lin Manuel mirandas earliest inspiration and the scene of the hamilton stars next project, the musical In The Heights. You cant take two steps without bumping into someone elses plans. Thats good. I think the first rule of a musical is does your world sing . Does it make sense for these characters to burst into song . And i was like, well, you cannot walk a block in Washington Heights without hearing music. Miranda says he most identifies with the character nina, who cant adjust to different life at stanford. He began to bridge the two worlds early on at a Public Elementary School for gifted students on manhattans upper east side. I became lin at school, manuel at home. There were fewer of those at my elementary school. Everyones figuring out how to be their most authentic self. For me, writing In The Heights was a big step in that journey. Mirandas parents, luis, a political consultant and louise, knew he had talent. He was all about music and lyrics. I hear him talk all the time about things i have no idea, like internal rhyme. So hes Hearing Rhythm in his head. Constantly. He dreamed of being successful but didnt quite imagine life with hamilton and thereafter. Hamilton, for the first time, allowed us not to live from paycheck to paycheck. So any dollars that we have we put into philanthropist. The Miranda Family Philanthropy reaches far and wide. Theyve raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for covid relief funds. Now there are hopeful signs that broadway is bouncing back. During the dark days, miranda raised money for his out of Work Colleagues on the stage and behind the scenes. The family also started raise up, an online Auction Site to bring aid to the hardesthit communities. And they are most proud of the Miranda Family fellows. They represent underrepresented artists. That is some of the most inspiring stuff. We really meet with them regularly, and i cant wait to see what they create. Thanks to his Miranda Family fellowship, hugo spent a summer studying at the institute. Its difficult to put into words how much of an inspiration he is. There are hundreds and hundreds of people who have gone through the heights or hamilton, that wouldnt have gotten the recognition if in the for the work he has done. To create more artists and to find people, its been very moving, especially withIn The Heights and the release of the movie, how many people they go, well, In The Heights was my first musical. So i just think seeing a bunch of incredible latino artists on stage was normal. That was what was missing In My Life. For that to be the baseline of normal for them and see what they go on to create is truly overwhelming to me. Who inspires you . . When i was a little kid, Steven Spielberg and chuck jones. It really is the sort of Master Class and collaboration is how youre going to get there, you will make better things when i collaborate than you can alone. I remember writing Neil Patrick harris Opening Number for the tonys. That song bigger was a big showstopper at the 2013 tony awards. . He says something like, god, i want to get the lyric right. Matildas and mormons, so we might be assure that we inspire that kid. We were that kid. And now were bigger. When ive had the privilege to write for occasions like that, the only thing i want to get through the theater is the only difference between you watching at home and these people, these people made miracles happen to get here, and you can do that, too. Coming up. Maybe there are players who thought, well, theyre checking that box. Theres a woman here, whats she got . . There was no box. I was the box. There was no box i was the box. But entrepreneurs never stopped. And found solutions that kept them going. At u. S. Bank, we can help you adapt and evolve your business, no matter what youre facing. Because when you close the gap, a world of possibility opens. U. S. Bank. Well get there together. Youre strong. You power through chronic migraine 15 or more headache days a month,. Each lasting 4 hours or more. Botox® prevents headaches in adults with chronic migraine. So, if you havent tried botox® for your chronic migraine,. 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Working with our customers to enable the kind of technology that can guide an astronaut back to safety. And help make a hospital come to you, instead of you going to it. So when it comes to your business, you know well stop at nothing. This is our block. So when it comes to your place. Ss, our people. Watch the curb. Not having a ride to get the vaccine. Cant be the reason you dont get it. You wanna help . Donate a ride today. Never take no for an answer. That is the inspiring message from one remarkable woman who was showing the world what is possible on one of the most exclusive Playing Fields of all, mens professional sports. Her incredible spirit and unprecedented success just might inspire you to dream new dreams for yourself. It was December 2020 when a clash between the nbas San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles lakers turned from an ordinary Basketball Game to a historic one. Popovich is not very happy. He got kicked out. See ya later. After popovich got ejected from The Game, his Assistant Coach, Becky Hammond took over. And became the first woman in charge of a nba team. Did it dawn on you that im about to step into history right now . No. What dawned on me is i want to beat the lakers. You have these moments where its like, pardon me, Like Holy [ bleep ]. This is happening. Becky played The Game her whole life, was a south dakota high School Star but no major college recruited her. Youre 56 . When im really stretched out. 56. How many coaches said, look, honey, youre 56, its just not going to happen for you . Yeah, its happened a lot. She ended up at colorado state, set the Conference Scoring Record and took her team to the sweet 16. But when it came time for the wnba draft, she was overlooked again. It was like, man, what do i have to do to get a chance . She got herself invited to the new York Liberties training camp. Every day i went into training camp, i was like, youre not cutting me today. Not only did she make the team, she went on to become a sixtime allstar. I think when youve been told no and then you do it, and youre told no again and you do it again it build as confidence in you, a resiliency in you. You dont have to believe it. Very to believe it. That Drive And Passion appealed to greg popovich, one of the greatest basketball minds in nba history. In 2014, he hired becky, making her the firstever fulltime, female Assistant Coach in the nba. Maybe there were players who thought, well, theyre checking that box. Theres a woman here, whats she got . There was no box. I was the box. When i was first hired and people first saw me out there interacting with the guys and hitting them on the ass and highfiving, it was such a jolt to peoples eyes like whos that . Like what is she doing . . Now there are a growing number of inspiring women who are transforming what was onc an exclusive boys club. Anytime someone thinks of an agent theyre going to think of me. The first person thats going to come to their mind is a black woman. Im the jerry mcguire, that is who i am. The Head Coach of Arizonas University Basketball became a hero to working moms everywhere when she took her Underdog Arizona while cats to the ncaa finals this spring while still breastfeeding her newborn. I think about what a Role Model i am for my players. They can see you can be a mom. You can wear all these different hats and you can kick ass at both of them. They joined becky and me for a zoom round table. I think the fact that youre a Breastfeeding Mom is so taboo. Take the stigma off of it. You guys stopped being what you thought people wanted and were yourself. If i cant be me, that isnt for me. It is a challenge to rid the Sports World of inherent bias. Ive had Team Security Kick me out of the team hotel, thinking i was a girlfriend trying to sneak in. My husbands on staff, it happens all the time. They think hes the Head Coach. No, im the Head Coach. These Trail Blazers find strength in Each Other. You had the baby on the court, hand to god, it was inspiring. If she can do it, i can do it. Youre looking for reasons for me not to be here. Becky, youre going to be the first Nba Coach for sure, i put my much on it. I hope so. Im going to keep plugging along. Thats right. The girl who didnt get picked is now the Woman Everyone is rooting for. How much of a hand has god had in this whole journey . Hold it. Its so much bigger than anything i could have thought of or imagined or dreamt of. This is not what i dreamt of. Since becky started working on the nba sidelines, nine well have joined the leagues coaching ranks. There are going to be a Couple Girls who are 54, 55, 56 watching tv. What would you say to encourage them . Theres one thing you can be sure life will give All Of Us, and Thats Heartache and failures, but it can also give you hope. It can give you love. And how you react in those moments eventually will be kind of what defines you in who you become. Coming up. It was an estimate that we were throwing away 72 Billion pounds of edible food. Who better than restaurants to Feed People in need . A moment like that can alter the course of your life. I think that moment, meeting that woman, he was like wow, what more can i do what more can i do s. Or psoriatic arthritis, little things, can become your big moment. Thats why theres otezla. Otezla is not an injection or a cream. Its a pill that treats differently. For psoriasis, 75 clearer skin is achievable. With reduced redness, thickness, and scaliness of plaques. For psoriatic arthritis,. Otezla is proven. To reduce joint swelling, tenderness, and pain. And the otezla Prescribing Information has no requirement for routine lab monitoring. Dont use if youre allergic to otezla. It may cause severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. Otezla is associated with an. Increased risk of depression. Tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts. Or if these feelings develop. Some people taking otezla reported weight loss. Your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. Upper respiratory Tract Infection and headache may occur. Tell your doctor about your medicines and if youre pregnant or planning to be. Otezla. Show more of you. The Sleep Number 360 Smart Bed on sale now its the most comfortable, bodysensing, automaticallyresponding, energybuilding, duallyadjustable, dadpowering, wellnessboosting, footwarming, snorerelieving, temperaturebalancing, recoveryassisting, effortlessly lifechanging. Proven Quality Night Sleep weve ever made. Save up to 1,200 on select Sleep Number 360 Smart Beds and adjustable bases. Plus, 0 interest for 24 months, and free premium delivery. Ends monday its hard to feel inspired when youre hungry. In this year of the pandemic, when having enough good food to eat was a problem for so many americans, two incredible people stepped up with ingenious ways to help them and gave us nourishment for the soul. Heres Jose Diaz Balart of Telemundo And Nbc news. What was the moment where you said theres a disaster. I need to go Feed People . Well, there are many moments In My Life that i learn about the power of proof to improve the world. Chef jose andreas is a World Renown Creator of City Kated dishes. But these days hes better known for the simple meals he serves in an emergency. Ive been in hurricanes, in earthquakes, in tornados. Ive seen people that one day had everything and next day they had nothing. When people are suffering, jose doesnt wait until its safe to head in. And he doesnt spend a lot of time planning. Nothing ever, ever goes as planned. Therefore teach your peoples to be ready for the unexpected. Have a very clear mission. In our case, feed the hungry. Bring water to the thirsty. Boom. Joses notforprofit World Central Kitchen has been incredible effective to getting food to people in Disaster Zones and not packaged, processed food. You fed more than 3. 5 million people. How do you succeed without a plan but with just Part Passion and compassion . Well, stop complaining about whats wrong, gather some friends, gather some food and start feeding people a plate of food. During the pandemic the Cando Attitude has been helping Feed Americans here at home. Who better than restaurants to Feed Americans in need . World central kitchen has given thousands of restaurants across america 10 for every meal served to people in need, a winwin for restaurants and people who are hungry. In oakland, california, the Ovo Restaurant and the cambodian Street Food are part of the program, serving thousands of hot, restaurantquality meals every week. . We were worried if we were going to survive during covid. Then when World Central Kitchen came aboard, it helped us stay afloat. He motivates me to want to do better. Helping one person is a very big thing itself. Do that, and i believe america will always do better, empathy will always win the day. We the people will always accomplish so much more than i the person. If you help one person, its as if youre helping the entire universe. That is exactly what i wanted to say in five seconds instead of three minutes. Jose is an inspiration, a man of action, a true first responder. I love cabbage. Claire Babineaux Font know is an every day responder, part of Feeding America. Were a network of 200 Member Food banks and 2 Million volunteers. Feeding america also has 60,000 Food Pantries and programs helping americans living with food insecurity. The official term for people who dont know where their next meal is coming from. 42 Million people in this country are food insecure this year. 42 Million. Claire grew up knowing a lot about food insecurity. Her home was filled with adopted brothers and sisters and foster children. Many of them malnourished when they joined her family, but her parents always welcomed them with big plates of Louisiana Home Cooking and a lot of love. You were always led by the light of love. Mmhm. How can you pay back that love . Ive always understood i should be grateful. I dont know that i will ever do enough, but i will spend the rest of my life trying. One of the most alarming things she discovered was the obscene amount of food wasted in america every year. There was an estimate going into covid that we were throwing away 72 Billion pounds of perfectly edible food. Theres plenty. We salvage foods in the fields that would otherwise be plowed under. That food goes to fill the bellies of people who are hungry. Feeding america distributed more than 6 Billion meals last year, an incredible achievement during the pandemic. Claire gives all the credit to the volunteers and her staff. At this Food Distribution Event in miami, the food arrives before dawn, courtesy of cliff mombay, a veteran Feeding America driver who has kept on trucking through the worst of the pandemic. Unsung, youve heard it before. Youre that dude, man. Thats who you are. It will take All Of Us working together to win the fight against Hunger And Food insecurity. Claire Babineaux Fountain oare already leading the charge. I will be there. The Ingenuity And Generosity and sticktoitiveness of the american public, were going to beat this thing. We will. Coming up. How are we going to get more minorities in the stands . How are we going to get more minorities into the Race Car. Heres your problem. Get rid of it. Simple as that. R problem. Get rid of it. Simple as that [music and Sound Effects played in reverse] this. Is our shot. The covid19 vaccines are ready. And so is walgreens, with Pharmacy Experts ready to make it easy for you to get it safely, for free. Because this is our shot. At getting back together. This is our block. Because this is our shot. Our place. Our people. Watch the curb. Not having a ride to get the vaccine. Cant be the reason you dont get it. You wanna help . Donate a ride today. Life. Doesnt stop for diabetes. Be ready for every moment, with glucerna. Its the number one doctor recommended brand that is scientifically designed to help manage your blood sugar. Live every moment. Glucerna. The thing about freedom is. Freedom has no limits. Theres no such thing as too many adventures. Or too many unforgettable moments. There will never be too many stories to write. Or too many memories to make. But when it comes to a vehicle that will be there for it all. Theres only one. Jeep. In the race to change the world for the better, the driver whos in the Pole Position is Bubba Wallace. Over the last year he singlehandedly started difficult but important conversations about racial equality in the world of nascar and giving one of americas mostbeloved sports a major tuneup. Heres craig melvin. Bubba wallace, in that Brandnew Team has the toyota up front. Reporter life for 27yearold Bubba Wallace is always in the fast lane. Bubba, go, baby, go that is impressive. How does a guy like you decide he wants to get into racing . Your dad says you want to try this . Sure, goes, gets a gocart and seats set up and off to the races we go. Bubba quickly bound to success at every level of racing he tried. And he hardly noticed what everyone else noticed. There was never a moment when you looked around saying huh, im the only one that kind of looks like me. Never did that in racing, never did that outside of racing. Grew up in a neighborhood where we were, you know, had a couple black friends. Majority white. But were all friends. To what do you attribute that . This ability to not see race first . Because i think you would acknowledge that for a lot of people, the opposite is true. Mmhm. My parents, the way they raised me, treated people with respect, no matter what they looked like. But on the Race Car circuit, he is an anomaly, the only Black Man in nascars top level which has a largely white, largely southern fan base. Bubba wallace by one car length. Last year in the wake of a wave of protests against police violence, bubba, who says he never really paid attention to certain cultural symbols decided it was time to take a stand against the symbol he saw around him at every race. Confederate flags flying, how are we going to get more minorities in the stands or in the Pit Crew . Heres your problem. Get rid of it. Simple as that. Theres a long history of fans flying the confederate flag at nascar races. But motivated by the pain that flag can cause, buba called for its removal. And in a move that was shocking, nascar banned the confederate flag at all races just two days after he asked them to. To make real change. To make real change. . There was a lot of public support for the Ban And Backlash too. And bubba admits that still bothers him. Out of A Hundred people who gives you thumbs up, its that one person who gives you the middle finger, and it pisss me off. . When you became outspoken about black Lives Matter and social justice, what was the response. Everything has transformed in such a positive way. Theres a lot of bad things going on that we can simply shut out just by being decent human beings. Your son drives around tracks like this at 200 miles per hour. Now hes become this outspoken advocate for equality and justice. Which one makes you more nervous . Running around on the track makes me most nervous. Desiree wallace has always been proud of her son and even prouder now to stand with him. With him being a spokesperson now for justice and equality, that makes me nervous as well. A lot of haters out there since all this happened. One text was, i know bubba came out about struggling with depression, you know, i just wish he would go on and kill himself. No. I went off on them, and i told them to go Kick Rocks in a nice way. But then desiree got an unexpected response. This young man says, i owe you a major apology from back in the summer. I hope you will accept i have grown as a person and come to understand your son is a great ambassador of our sport. I just graduated last year. And now bubba is focused on the future with a goal of making nascar more diverse. Hes taken Raja Caruth under his Wing And Mentoring this young driver. So Bubba Wallace was your inspiration. I have gone through the program and it was a Road Map i could get through the sport. What has it meant to you to mentor people like raj . A lot of people turn on the tv. They see someone that looks like them and they want to be a part of that. I have to represent for people like raja here. What have you learned so far from mr. Wallace . Ive learned a lot from him, not only about earning respect on the racetrack and not getting walked over but how to be off the racetrack with your competitors, with your race team. Its one thing to inspire one person, but Bubba Wallace dreams and acts bigger than that. We all have a purpose in life. And its up to us to find out what it is that purpose is. Looking at how we can impact others and encourage others to feel comfortable in their own skin. Disability, age, race. Dont let anybody tell you you cant. Just go out and do it. Coming up. What is we love you alex. Thank you. He almost seemed surprised that people felt the way that they did. You could see him like, oh, dont make me cry here. That meant the world to him. Me. Life. Doesnt stop for diabetes. Be ready for every moment, with glucerna. Its the number one doctor recommended brand that is scientifically designed to help manage your blood sugar. Live every moment. Glucerna. Ac Dc Back In Black is Scientifi Ly designed to help manage your blood sugar. Back in black i hit the sack ive been too long. Applebees irresistabowls are back. Dig in for just 8. 99. Now thats eatin good in the neighborhood. Space in the just. Help as needed. And big fans of demonstrating that in our family. Jean still remembers. A young woman in ethiopia so desperate she offered alex her baby. She thought maybe this would be a better life. A moment like that can open your eyes and shift your perspective. And in some ways alter your life. Alter the course of your life. I think that moment, meeting that woman, he was like, wow, and then youre left, what more can i do . Alex and jean did all this Charity Work while he was the host of jeopardy. Here is the host for 36 years. Welcome, welcome, welcome. He had become such a familiar presence on television, it came as a shock when he announced his Diagnosis. . Just like 50,000 other people in the united states each year, this week i was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer. Alex never flinched from what that meant. I would be lying if i said the journey had been easy. There were some good days but a lot of not so good days. And there was this moment from final jeopardy. What is, we love you alex. Thank you. Thats very kind. He almost seemed very surprised in a way that people felt the way that they did. Yeah, i think so. And when that contestant wrote that, you could see him, like, oh, dont make me cry here, but i love it. And he, that meant, i think that meant the world to him. Here is the host of jeopardy the Dignity And Courage alex showed through his illness inspired countless others. Jeopardy Champion Jason is one of them. He works for a newspaper group. On the very Day Alex died, jason began to feel ill. He soon found out he has acute leukemia. A day before his Stem Cell Transplant he spoke to us and zoom call. Alex definitely inspired me with the way he dealt with his cancer. There must have been so many times he was so sick but he never let on, never missed a step. And he adopted alexs way, to confront his Diagnosis with honesty and courage. If you dont like something, change it. If you Cant Change it, change your attitude. Jason says his leukemia is now in remission. Just one of the many touched by the Way Alex lived his. He wasnt stoic. He was really honest about what he went through and what it was like for both of you. I think that is one of alexs gifts. Was that he could be very resolute and know that the truth will not hurt you. And he wanted to empower people to move through whatever challenge they had in life with a sense of inner strength, inner dignity and love. And love. Coming up. Youre Opening Space to regular people. Theres got to be a world where this is totally routine. I feel like ive been training my entire life for this. Plus. Teachers are the engine that drives america. My students know that they can conquer anything as long as we keep moving and learning and moving and grooving. Ing and lead moving and grooving. Tonight, ill be eating a Pork Banh mi with extra jalapenos. [doorbell rings] thanks, baby. Yeah, we bout to get spicy for this virtual date. Spicy like them Pajama Pants . Well, the top half of me looks good. No wonder we still single. Hello lenny28. Wait a minute, i know a lenny28. Ooo. Lenny is cute can i get some privacy, please . You could take your ulcerative Colitis Treatment in a different direction. Talk to your doctor about xeljanz, a pill, not an injection or infusion, for adults with moderate to severe Ulcerative Colitis when a certain medicine did not help enough. Xeljanz is the first and only fdaapproved pill for moderate to severe uc. It can reduce symptoms in as early as two weeks, improve the appearance of the intestinal lining, and provide lasting steroidfree remission. Xeljanz can lower your ability to fight infections. Before and during treatment, your doctor should check for infections, like tb and do blood tests. Tell your doctor if youve had Hepatitis B or c, have flulike symptoms, or are prone to infections. Serious, sometimes fatal infections, cancers, including lymphoma, and Blood Clots have happened. Taking a higher than recommended dose of xeljanz for ra may increase risk of death. Tears in the stomach or intestines and serious allergic reactions have happened. You could take your Uc Treatment in a different direction. Ask your gastroenterologist about xeljanz. We say, reach for the stars. Most people dont take that literally. Ou very special people doing just that. Each last an inspiring story here on earth. Together, theyll soon be blasting off into history. Heres Shepard Smith of cnbc. Three, two, one. Theyre pioneers. Kailee, chris, ceyenne and jared. And liftoff. About to go where civilians have never ventured on their own. Until now. Later this year, youre going to make history. How does that feel . Amazing. Wow, great. I mean, is it real yet . It is real. I think if you asked us a couple months ago, none of us would have thought we would be here. But here they are, just months from the worlds first allcivilian space mission. Overwhelming, mind blowing. Later this year, these four will board a Spacex Crew Dragon spacecraft, rocket skyward and spend three days in low earth orbit. Youre Opening Space to regular people. Incredible. Yeah, i mean, theres going to be a world where like this is totally routine. So weve got to get it right. Jared isaacman, Billionaire Founder of an online payment processing company, and now commander of the mission. Are you concerned about a lack of experience . I know we will be ready when we get to the launch. Ive looked at the training curriculum. We just need to make our way through it. Control of the craft will be mostly automated, as it mostly always is. But for jared, its a dream come true. And a chance to do good. He paid for the mission. And hes using it to raise money for st. Judes Research Hospital through fundraisers, school programs, and special events. He even donated 100 Million of his own. Weve got to deal with the real Problem Today and solving Childhood Cancer seems to be top of my list right now. I cant imagine what to expect. Haley works as a Physician Assistant at saturday jude. She was treated there years ago for bone cancer. Part of her left femur was removed. Youll be the first person with a prosthesis in space. Do you feel a responsibility to roll perfectly . Absolutely. We truly opening up Space Travel to those like myself that arent physically perfect. Are you nervous . Im not nervous at all. Neither is chris. Hes a dog lover, a dad, and an iraq war veteran. I wonder if there are points in the pay that pops into your head, im getting on a rocket. I dont think that thought ever leaves my head. Youre brushing my teeth, youre thinking how is this going to be different in space . Cayenne is in training. A year ago she almost made the cut to be a nasa astronaut. Now shes a scientist. Space is risky. Spacex has done an amazing job of lowering that risk factor. I feel like ive been to some Extent Training my entire life for this. Reporter i spoke with the crew at cape canaveral, surrounded by space history. How will you look back on this moment . Im a True Believer in the spacex vision. The world is fundamentally more interesting when people can explore among the stars. I just feel like our world is a small contribution towards that bigger plan. What do you do when its your job to inspire others and a worldwide pandemic hits . Well, if youre like the heroic teachers we met this year, you get creative. The goal, getting kids through the crisis feeling connected and confident. Heres vickie wen. Hi, everybody. Turn your microphone on for me. Teachers are the engine that drives america. All right. The next word is great. Reporter when the pandemic hit, dallas teach Eric Hale went into overdrive. Theres no Plan Book for teaching during a pandemic. Not at all. Reporter He Teaches First And Second Grade at this elementary school, in a district where more than 90 of his students live below the poverty level. He asked his Alma Mater Texas A M to donate laptops for all the kids who needed him. He and his Student Teacher raised money for a summer learning program. We have his Sight Word cards. Reporter and last christmas when word spread his students might go without presents, they collected enough for all of them. Merry christmas to you. Reporter but the biggest gift he gives his students is belief in themselves. How do you inspire them over the past year . Because it was tough . By just reinforcing that they were born great. Reporter to remind them of that, they take turns wearing a gold championship belt. Even at their daily dance party. Robot they know that they can conquer anything as long as we keep loving and learning and moving and grooving. Reporter Eric Hale grow up poor, raised by his grand mother and hungry for someone to see who he could be. That person was a seventh grade social studies teacher. He saw a Little Black Boy that was disgruntled, angry. He was the first male figure that told me i was destined for greatness. Reporter its a message he drums into his own students with so much Charisma And Compassion that the state of texas noticed. Lets all give Eric A Big round of aplausz. Reporter he was named Texas Teacher of the year for 2021, making history. Congratulations were so proud of you. Reporter youre the first black male teacher to win that award. What does that mean to you . It means a lot. Because i know how africanamerican men are portrayed in america. For all of texas to see somebody who looks like me, who is solid, who is upright, who cares, who is loving, who carrying himself with Class And Dignity means a lot. Reporter hes hardly the only teacher who has gone above and beyond. Dahntay turned his home into a chemistry lab. We find a way. We can make something out of nothing. Reporter stephanie read to her students from a hospital bed. I didnt want yall to miss the last part of the book. Reporter rebecca dropped off backpacks filled with food for students. How can we educate students if theyre carrying these burdens . Reporter teachers like Eric Work hard to ease those burdens and continue to inspire. You need to believe in yourself. And every day know that youre a champion. Lets hear it for all the amazing teachers out there. We hope you heard some Stories Tonight that will stay with you in the days and weeks ahead. Maybe inspiring you to try something new or reach out to someone new. After a difficult year, now might be the perfect time to find new ways to come together, make a change in the world or even just appreciate what we already have. And the great news is, well be doing this again next year and continue to tell inspiring american stories on nbc nightly news. If you have someone we should know about it, please tell us. From All Of Us at nbc news, msnbc, cnbc and telemundo, good night. S tonight on The Mehdi Hasan Show is the question that seems to be on everyones mind, is america a racist country. The politicians have their Talking Points but well give you the true facts and figures. Plus Joe Biden won the 2020 election. Its not even up for debate. So why is the gop still trying to rewrite history . My conversation with georgia congresswoman nekima williams. Also a crime against humanity. Thats what one prominent author calls indias covid crisis. Ill talk about the suffering in her country. America has hit a vaccine call. How can the country convince doubters to ge