♪.

TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," THE LEGALITY OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S EXECUTIVE ORDERS REGARDING MAIL-IN BALLOTS AND BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP.

>>> ALSO TONIGHT, THE STATE LAWYERS UP TO PROTECT COLORADO RIVER WATER RIGHTS.

>>> AND "READING RAINBOW" IS BACK.

WE'LL VISIT THE PBS SHOW'S NEW HOST, MYCHAL THREETS.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

.

TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

THE U.S.

SUPREME COURT THIS WEEK HEARD ARGUMENTS ON THE LEGALITY OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT REVERSES THE 14th AMENDMENT BY ENDING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP.

THIS AS THE PRESIDENT'S LATEST EXECUTIVE ORDER WHICH RESTRICTS MAIL-IN VOTING IS FACING ITS OWN LEGAL CHALLENGES.

JOINING US NOW IS STEPHEN MONTOYA FROM MONTOYA, LUCERO AND PASTOR.

SUPREME COURT HEARS IT THIS WEEK, SOUNDS LIKE THE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES WERE A BIT SKEPTICAL?

>> THEY WERE SKEPTICAL TO BE SURE.

IT'S NO SURPRISE THEY WERE SKEPTICAL.

ALL THE CHALLENGES TO THE BIRTHRIGHT, THE TRUMP ATTEMPT TO UNILATERALLY REVERSE THE NATION'S HISTORY OF BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP AS EMBODIED IN THE 14th AMENDMENT HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL.

REAGAN APPOINTEES, BUSH APPOINTEES, OBAMA APPOINTEES, THEY UNIFORMLY DECLARED IT UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

IT WENT UP AGAINST THE SUPREME COURT, I THINK IT'S GOING TO LOSE THERE.

TED: YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO LOSE?

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT EARLIER.

YOU THINK IT MIGHT LOSE BY A LOT?

>> MIGHT LOSE BY A LOT.

I WAS COUNTING SEVEN VOTES FOR SURE AGAINST THE ADMINISTRATION.

ROBERTS, KAGAN, JACKSON, SOTOMAYOR, GORSUCH AND BARRETT, AND I THINK THAT YOU MIGHT EVEN GET A COUPLE OF MORE, YOU MIGHT GET ALITO.

I KNOW THAT'S HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT HE IS THE CHILD OF ITALIAN IMMIGRANTS, AND IT WAS BACK IN THE OLD DAYS, IT WAS HARD FOR ITALIAN IMMIGRANTS TO GET INTO THE UNITED STATES, AND THEY WERE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST.

THOMAS, YOU KNOW, BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP IS SOMETHING VERY DEAR TO AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

KAVANAUGH SEEMED SKEPTICAL ABOUT THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP.

TED: IT'S ABOUT THE BABIES OF SLAVES, EXCLAMATION POINT AND THAT'S IT.

IS THAT THE BASIS OF THE ARGUMENT?

>> THAT'S THE BASIS OF THEIR ARGUMENT, BUT THAT'S PROBLEMATIC IN AND OF ITSELF BECAUSE THE AMENDMENT, WHICH I HAVE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME READS ALL PERSONS BORN IN THE NATURALIZED UNITED STATES ARE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE WRITTEN THEY RESIDE.

ALL PERSONS, NOT ALL RECENTLY EMANCIPATED PERSONS, BUT ALL PERSONS, AND WHEN THE 14th AMENDMENT WAS PASSED, NONCITIZENS COULD ACTUALLY VOTE IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN MOST STATES, AND IF YOU COULD VOTE, THAT'S ONE OF THE HALLMARKS OF BEING A CITIZEN.

IN THE CIVIL WAR, ONE QUARTER OF THE WARRIORS PRESERVING THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WERE FOREIGN BORN.

TED: I WOULD IMAGINE AN ARGUMENT WOULD BE IF THE SUPREME COURT AT THE TIME WANTED ONLY SLAVES AND CHILDREN, THEY WOULD HAVE PUT THAT IN THE AMENDMENT?

>> AND THAT'S WHAT JUSTICE BARRETT SAID BECAUSE THE ADMINISTRATION WAS TALKING ABOUT, WELL, YOU HAVE TO BE DOMICILED IN A STATE IN ORDER TO BE A CITIZEN, AND IF YOU'RE ILLEGAL, YOU CAN'T BE DOMICILED, BUT THE AMENDMENT DOESN'T TALK ABOUT BEING DOMICILED.

IT TALKS ABOUT WHERE YOU WERE BORN, AND IT'S USED SOLELY THE LAND IN WHICH YOU WERE BORN, NOT USED SANGUINEOUS, THE BLOOD OF YOUR PARENTS, AMERICAN-BORN PARENTS.

THAT WAS THE LAW OF ENGLAND THAT CAME TO THE UNITED STATES, AND HAS BEEN THE LAUGH THE UNITED STATES SINCE BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE COUNTRY.

TED: THE PRESIDENT WAS IN THE GALLERY.

FIRST OF ALL, HOW UNUSUAL IS THAT?

WAS HE THERE BASICALLY TO INTIMIDATE?

>> THAT'S MY VIEW.

HOW UNUSUAL WAS IT?

IT WAS NOT ONLY UNUSUAL, TED, IT WAS UNIQUE, IT WAS A FIRST.

IT WAS VERY UNUSUAL, IT WAS MORE UNUSUAL WHEN HE STORMED OUT DURING THE ACLU'S ARGUMENT ADVANCING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP.

TED: LAST QUESTION ON THIS PARTICULAR ASPECT.

>> YES.

TED: THE PRESIDENT BERATED THE JUSTICES LEADING UP TO HIS APPEARANCE THERE.

STUPID JUDGES, DUMB JUDGES AND JUSTICES.

DOES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE JUSTICES HEAR AND DOES IT AFFECT THEM?

>> WELL, AS AN ADVOCATE, I THINK IT DOES.

ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE TO TELL YOUNG LAWYERS, I'VE BEEN PRACTICING ALMOST 40 YEARS, DON'T DO ANYTHING TO INSULT THE JUDGE, DON'T DO ANYTHING TO DISRESPECT THE COURT.

JUDGES ARE HUMAN, BUT WHEN YOU UNIFORMLY INSULT THEM, THEY BECOME LESS SYMPATHETIC TO YOU.

TO BE SURE, AND WHEN IT'S THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, THAT MAKES IT 100 TIMES WORSE.

TED: REAL QUICKLY, ANOTHER EXECUTIVE ORDER FROM THE PRESIDENT REGARDS MAIL-IN VOTING CREATING A LIST OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS IN EACH STATE.

A POSTAL SERVICE WOULD BE INVOLVED IN ALL OF THIS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS?

>> IT'S A MESS, AND IT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

FIRST OF ALL, IT'S ALREADY ILLEGAL FOR NONCITIZENS TO VOTE UNDER THE PRESENT REGIME.

AS I INDICATED BACK IN THE ERA OF THE CIVIL WAR, NONCITIZENS COULD VOTE IN SOME STATES.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THEY ELECTED LINCOLN.

THERE'S A WHOLE BOOK ABOUT IT.

IT'S A GREAT BOOK, BUT NOWADAYS, NONCITIZENS CAN'T VOTE.

IT'S A FELONY.

NONCITIZENS DO NOT VOTE.

LITERALLY FOUR OR FIVE CITIZENS VOTED OUT OF MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF VOTES IN THE PAST TWO PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.

SO IT IS NOT A PROBLEM.

IN FACT, ONE ILLUSTRIOUS VOTER CONSISTENTLY VOTES BY MAIL, AND THAT WOULD BE PRESIDENT TRUMP HIMSELF.

TED: I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT THAT.

FIRST OF ALL, DOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WHICH SEEMS CLEAR CUT, BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP SEEMS CLEAR CUT DOES, SOMETHING LIKE THIS END UP IN THE SUPREME COURT?

>> I DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL END UP IN THE SUPREME COURT.

LIKE HIS OTHER EXECUTIVE ORDER REGARDING VOTING, REQUIRING PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP BEFORE YOU VOTE, THAT GOT STRUCK DOWN IN THE LOWER COURTS AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DID NOT APPEAL.

THIS IS GOING TO BE STRUCK DOWN IN THE LOWER COURTS TOO, I CONFIDENTLY PREDICT, IT'S NOT GOING TO TAKE VERY LONG.

TWO LAWSUITS ARE PENDING.

I THINK THEY'LL BE CLEARLY GRANTED AND I TELL YOU WHY, THE CONSTITUTION IS VERY CLEAR.

STATES CONTROL VOTING, THAT'S WHY THE STATE OF ILLINOIS SAID, HEY, AS LONG AS YOU'RE A HARD-WORKING IMMIGRANT, YOU CAN VOTE IN OUR ELECTIONS, AND THEY DID.

STATES CONTROL ELECTIONS, UNLESS CONGRESS PASSES A LAW REGULATING VOTING.

THE PRESIDENT DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO REGULATE VOTING IN THE UNITED STATES, AND THIS IS REALLY A COMPLEX STATUTE THAT WOULD GIVE THE EXECUTIVE A LOT OF POWER OVER VOTING THAT HE JUST DOESN'T HAVE.

TED: AND REAL QUICKLY, LAST QUESTION BEFORE YOU GO.

>> SURE.

TED: TRUMP DOES -- THE PRESIDENT DOES VOTE BY MAIL, HE ADMITTEDLY VOTES BY MAIL.

>> IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, THE MONTH OF MARCH, HE VOTED BY MAIL.

TED: HE SAYS THE REASON IS BECAUSE I'M THE PRESIDENT.

DOES THAT KIND OF ARGUMENT, THAT KIND OF REASONING, IF IT DOES GET TO A HIGHER COURT DOES, THAT COME INTO PLAY?

>> I WOULD THINK IT DOES COME INTO PLAY BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT IS VERY BUSY, AND I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY HE VOTES BY MAIL.

THAT'S LEGITIMATE.

SOMEONE WHO IS SICK AND HOME-RIDDEN, I THINK IT IS LEGITIMATE FOR THEM TO VOTE BY MAIL TOO.

TED: STEPHEN MONTOYA, MONTOYA, LUCERO AND PASTOR.

WE NEVER GOT TO PAM BONDI.

SHE WAS LET GO.

>> SHE'LL DO WELL.

TED: GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> THANK YOU, SIR.

.

TED: ARIZONA RECENTLY HIRED A HIGH-POWERED LAW FIRM TO DEFEND THE STATE'S COLORADO RIVER WATER RIGHTS.

THE MOVE COMES AS ONGOING TALKS BETWEEN THE SEVEN STATES THAT USE THE DWINDLING WATER SUPPLY FAILED TO REACH A DEAL HOW BEST TO CUT THAT USAGE.

WE WELCOME IN BRANDON LOOMIS WHO COVERS ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FOR "ARIZONA REPUBLIC" AND AZCENTRAL.COM.

YOU DO GREAT WORK COVERING THIS.

THE LATEST IS HIRING AN ATTORNEY.

HIRING THIS FIRM IN PARTICULAR.

IS THAT SIGNALING?

IS IT PREPARATION?

IS IT BOTH?

>> DEFINITELY PREPARATION, AND, IN FACT, THE DAY AFTER THIS HAPPENED TO THE SIGNALING PART, THE DAY AFTER THEY HIRED THEM, I LISTENED IN ON A MEETING OF THE UPPER COLORADO, THE OTHER STATES THAT PRESUMABLY MIGHT BE THE OPPONENT, AND THEY SEEM TO THINK THAT IT WAS SIGNALING AND SAID, LITIGATION DOESN'T SOLVE WATER PROBLEMS, SO THEY HEARD THE MESSAGE.

THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY.

TED: IF THERE WAS A MESSAGE, THEY GOT IT.

>> YEAH.

>> THE LACK OF AGREEMENT ON THE SEVEN STATES, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE HERE TALKING ABOUT THIS, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE CORE AND WHAT THEY'RE LEANING BACK ON AND WAITING TO USE IS THE 1922 AGREEMENT WHICH THE UPPER STATES AGREE TO PASS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF WATER TO THE LOWER STATES, CORRECT?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

YOU'RE SPEAKING OF THE STATE OF ARIZONA'S POSITION OR WHAT IT COULD BE?

TED: YES.

>> YES.

THEY'VE BEEN TRYING FOR SEVERAL YEARS TO GET A DEAL WITH THE OTHER SIX STATES, AND IT JUST HASN'T WORKED.

SO IF IT ENDS UP GOING TO COURT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT WOULD BE BASED ON THE 1922 COMPACT WHICH SPLIT THE RIVER BETWEEN TWO BASINS, SPLIT THE RIVER SUPPLY IN HALF SO THAT THE UPPER STATES OF WYOMING, COLORADO, UTAH, NEW MEXICO THEORETICALLY WOULD GET HALF OF THE WATER AT THAT TIME PEOPLE THOUGHT WAS COMING DOWN THE RIVER, AND THEN ARIZONA, NEVADA AND CALIFORNIA WOULD GET AN EQUAL AMOUNT AND MEXICO LATER CAME WITH A TREATY AND GOT A SMALLER AMOUNT.

SO THE COMPACT IS WHAT ARIZONA WOULD RELY ON TO SAY, IT SAYS THAT THE UPPER BASIN STATES SHALL NOT CAUSE THE AMOUNT TO FALL, THAT PASSES, BASICALLY PASSES, LEE'S FERRY IN NORTHERN ARIZONA, THOSE STATES SHALL NOT CAUSE IT TO GO BELOW THE LOWER BASIN'S HALF.

TED: AND THE UPPER BASIN STATES -- CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE -- THE UPPER BASIN STATES ARE SAYING THE DROUGHT, THE DWINDLING SNOWPACK, WE'RE EXPERIENCING THE CUTS BECAUSE THE WATER ISN'T THERE.

>> EXACTLY.

SO THEIR ARGUMENT BASICALLY IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS IS WE DON'T HAVE THE BIG RESERVOIRS THAT YOU HAVE AT LAKE MEAD AND LAKE POWELL TO DRAW OUT OF.

OUR RESERVOIR IS THE SNOW.

WHEN IT COMES DOWN IN A STREAM LIKE A YEAR LIKE THIS.

THIS IS A TERRIBLE YEAR, AND SO THERE ARE FARMERS AND RANCHERS WHO ARE GOING TO BE CUT OFF REGARDLESS BECAUSE THERE'S NOT WATER IN THE STREAM, THAT ENDS UP IN THE COLORADO RIVER, AND SO IT'S BASICALLY FIRST IN LINE, FIRST IN RIGHT.

IF THERE'S A RANCHER IN COLORADO WHO STARTED THEIR FAMILY STARTED FARMING IN THE 1890s, SAY, AND THERE'S ANOTHER ONE DOWNSTREAM FROM THEM THAT STARTED IN THE 1880s, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH FOR BOTH OF THEM SO THE ONE IN THE 1880s GETS IT THIS YEAR.

TED: INTERESTING.

THEY'RE TAKING THOSE CUTS AND THE ARGUMENT IS WE DIDN'T CAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE.

WE'RE NOT THE ONES CAUSING THE DEPLETION OF THE WATER AT LEE'S FERRY.

TED: AND LOOKING AT ARIZONA AND CALIFORNIA IN PARTICULAR, BUT ARIZONA AS OUT-OF-CONTROL GROWTH AND THESE THINGS.

IS THAT THE REASON THAT THEY'RE SAYING VOLUNTARY CUTS THEY CAN LIVE WITH, MANDATORY CUTS THEY CAN'T?

>> YEAH.

A BIG PART OF IT IS THAT WE IN THE LOWER BASIN HAVE USED THE FULL HALF THAT WAS ALLOCATED TO US.

WE WENT RIGHT UP TO IT AND HAD TO START CUTTING BACK BECAUSE OF THE RESERVOIR LEVELS WERE DECLINING PRECIPITOUSLY.

THE UPPER BASIN DID NOT QUITE GET THERE.

THAT'S ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS IS THAT IT'S NOT FAIR.

IF WE WERE PROMISED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF WATER, WE'RE NOT GETTING IT, AND SO IN ORDER TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM, PARTICULARLY TO KEEP WATER IN LAKE MEAD AND LAKE POWELL, ARIZONA AND CALIFORNIA HAVE TO CUT BACK.

TED: AND THE HIGH-POWERED LAW FIRM THAT ARIZONA HAS TAKEN ON HERE.

THEY'VE ARGUED IN FRONT OF THE SUPREME COURT, THEY KNOW BUSINESS WHEN IT COMES TO ENVIRONMENTAL LAW, THIS SORT OF THING?

>> THAT'S WHAT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TOLD US WHEN THEY HIRED THEM.

WE HAVE ATTORNEYS WELL VERSED IN LITIGATION OVER WATER AND ARGUING CASES TO THE SUPREME COURT.

TED: IS THIS NECESSARILY GOING TO GO TO LITIGATION?

I KNOW WE'RE COMING UP ON A COUPLE OF DEADLINES HERE.

THE COMPACT, IT'S GOT TO HAPPEN IN OCTOBER AND SOMETHING GOING ON IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER AS FAR AS THE FEDS.

ARE THEY CLOSE?

IS THE DIVIDE EVEN WIDENING?

>> I'VE SEEN NO EVIDENCE IT'S GOTTEN ANY CLOSER THIS YEAR.

ALL THE STATES, INCLUDING ARIZONA, SAY WE'RE STILL TALKING.

WE HOPE TO REACH A DEAL.

IF THEY DON'T BY SUMMER, AS YOU SAID, THE CURRENT GUIDELINES FOR OPERATING THE DAMS EXPIRE ON OCTOBER 1, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS TO PUT SOMETHING ELSE IN PLACE BY THEN, AND THEY NEED TO HAVE A PLAN BEFORE THAT.

TED: THERE'S A REAL THREAT FOR HYDROELECTRIC POWER UP THERE, ISN'T THERE?

IT'S NOT SOMETHING PIE IN THE SKY.

THIS COULD ACTUALLY HAPPEN?

>> THE FORECAST RIGHT NOW FOR THE RIVER IS THAT IF THE U.S.

BUREAU OF RECLAMATION DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO PREVENT LAKE POWELL CONTINUING TO DECLINE THIS YEAR, IT WOULD PROBABLY DROP BELOW THE LEVEL WHERE IT COULD PRODUCE, GOLD CANYON DAM COULD PRODUCE HYDRO ELECTRICITY, WHICH HAS RAMIFICATIONS FROM HERE TO WYOMING, AND ESPECIALLY IN SMALLER UTILITIES, SMALLER TOWNS AND TRIBES.

THAT MAY NOT HAPPEN THIS YEAR BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO TINKER WITH IT, LESS WATER OUT, MAYBE GO UP TO FLAMING GORGE DAM HIGHER UP IN THE SYSTEM AND RELEASE MORE THAN THEY HOPED TO FROM THERE TO RESTOCK.

BUT, NONETHELESS, IF WE HAVE ANOTHER BAD YEAR NEXT YEAR, IT DOES APPEAR HYDRO POWER OUT GRAND CANYON IS GOING TO DISAPPEAR.

TED: BRANDON LOOMIS, "ARIZONA REPUBLIC" AND AZCENTRAL.COM.

GREAT REPORTING ON THIS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING INFORMATION ON THIS.

APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

.

TED: "READING RAINBOW" IS RETURNING TO PBS AFTER A TWO-DECADE HIATUS.

THE SHOW WELCOMES MYCHAL THREETS, LIBRARY WHO BUILT ONLINE FOLLOWING OVER LOVE OF BOOKS AND FOR OPENLY TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES.

WE RECENTLY SPOKE WITH MYCHAL THREETS ABOUT THE RETURN OF THE SHOW AND HIS MESSAGE.

MYCHAL, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE, WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF FUN.

YOU ARE THE RESIDENT LIBRARIAN FOR PBS AND PBS KIDS, CORRECT?

>> AM.

I'M THE FIRST ONE THEY'VE EVER HAVE, BUT I'M A PBS KID THROUGH AND THROUGH AND HAPPY TO BE THE RESIDENT LIBRARIAN.

TED: AND HAPPY TO BE THE NEW HOST OF "READING RAINBOW."

>> BEYOND HAPPY.

I GREW UP LOVING LAVAR BURTOP, LOVING MR.

RODGERS, ALL THINGS PBS, ALL THINGS WHOLESOME, GOOD AND KIND.

UNTIL THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES, I'M GLAD TO BE A PART OF THE "READING RAINBOW" WORLD.

TED: WHAT WAS IT ABOUT "READING RAINBOW" WHEN YOU AIRPLANE KID?

THE MOVEMENT?

WAS IT LAVAR?

THE BOOKS?

WHAT CONNECTED YOU?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WAS DEFINITELY LAVAR BURTON THROUGH AND THROUGH.

COOL TO SEE A PERSON WHO LOOKED LIKE MYSELF ON THE SCREEN.

MORE SO SEEING A PERSON WHO LOVED BOOKS, LOVED THE ADVENTURE, THE CURIOSITY AND IMAGINATION OF BOOKS.

EVERY BOOK CAN BE AN ADVENTURE AND GOING THROUGH DIFFERENT PLACES AND SAYING THIS IS A DIFFERENT PART OF YOUR WORLD.

YOU BELONG IN BOOKS, YOU BELONG EVERYWHERE.

THEY DID IT EXCEPTIONALLY WELL, I BELIEVED IT, THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE DONE FOR SO MANY READERS IN A WONDERFUL WORLD.

TED: "READING RAINBOW" ENCOURAGES KIDS, MOTIVATING KIDS TO BE READERS AND LOVE BOOKS, AND THEY GOT YOU, DIDN'T THEY?

>> THEY DID.

WE TEACH PEOPLE TO READ BUT THE EMPHASIS IS MUCH MORE ON ENCOURAGING READERS.

YOU ARE WORTHY OF BEING A READER.

READING IS FUN, NOT A CHORE, SOMETHING WE WANT YOU TO LOOK FORWARD TO, TO DIVE INTO.

TED: WE WERE TALKING BEFORE ABOUT BOOKS, I HAVE A LOT OF BOOKS AT HOME, YOU HAVE A LOT OF BOOKS.

IF YOU HAVE A CERTAIN RELATIONSHIP WITH LITERATURE AND BOOKS, THEY'RE YOUR FRIENDS, YOU SEE THEM ON THE WALL AND THEY'RE YOUR FRIENDS.

>> I'M A PERSON WHO IS SHY, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, PANIC ATTACKS AND JUNIE B. JONES, RAMONA AND BEEZUS WERE MY FRIENDS AS A LIBRARY KID.

TED: IT'S ONE THING TO ENJOY THE SHOW AND BE INFLUENCED BY THE SHOW, WHY DO YOU WANT TO HOST THE SHOW?

>> I LOVE THOSE QUESTIONS, I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY SAY I WANTED TO HOST THE SHOW.

I'M A VERY, VERY SHY PERSON.

SOMETHING I NEVER SAW MYSELF DOING, AND SOMETHING I THOUGHT, LAVAR BURTON HAS AND ALWAYS BEEN "READING RAINBOW," HOW CAN THERE EVER KNOW ANOTHER HOST?

WE'RE IN A NEW GENERATION OF READERS.

HAVE YOU KIDS WHO WANT TO BE YouTuberS.

WE'RE ON YouTube REACHING THEM SAYING YOU CAN BE A YouTuber AND TALK ABOUT BOOKS.

WE WANT TO MEET YOU WHERE YOU'RE AT.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER WHY I WANTED TO BE A HOST, I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BE READERS, TO LOVE AND USE THE LOCAL LIBRARY.

TED: YOU KIND OF TOUCHED ON THIS, WHAT CAN YOU BRING TO THE NEW EDITION.

THE WORLD HAS CHANGED A WHOLE LOT FROM LAVAR BURTON WAS THERE?

>> WHAT I BRING IS THE JOY THE BOOKS, THE JOY OF LIBRARIES, OPENING UP AROUND LITERACY AND NEAR DIVERGENT PEOPLE ARE READERS.

LGBTQ+ PEOPLE ARE READERS, HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE READERS.

IF THEY'RE LOUD, QUIET, MESSY, CLEAN, THEY'RE ALL CAPABLE OF BEING READERS AND I TRY TO BE INFECTIOUS AND CONTAGIOUS REMINDING PEOPLE THEY ALL BELONG IN BOOKS.

TED: I WAS GOING TO SAY YOU ARE CONSIDERED THE INTERNET'S FAVORITE LIBRARIAN.

SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE THE PERFECT HOST FOR THIS.

>> I APPRECIATE THAT.

I THINK SO MANY PEOPLE WOULD HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL.

I'M SO PROUD OF IT, BUT I HAVE A LOVE FOR THE INTERNET AND HAVE A LOVE FOR THE LIBRARY AS IS EVIDENT IN MY LIBRARY CARD TATTOO.

TED: VERY GOOD.

YOU REFERRED TO THIS EARLIER, STRUGGLES WITH MENTAL HEALTH.

TALK TO US ABOUT THAT, AND TALK TO US ABOUT WHY GOING PUBLIC WAS IMPORTANT TO YOU?

>> I WOULD SAY I DON'T THINK GOING PUBLIC WAS IMPORTANT TO ME.

I THINK I WAS STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH, AND STRUGGLING TODAY WITH THOUGHTS OF NOT BEING WORTHY, OF THOUGHTS OF NOT BEING IN THE WORLD AND WANT TO TAKE THINGS ONE DAY AT A TIME.

I I ENCOUNTERED SO MANY KIDS WHO STRUGGLE FROM MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES.

IT AFFECTS KIDS, TEENS, EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING, ANIMALS.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMIND THEM THAT IT'S OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY.

RECENTLY, I MET A 14-YEAR-OLD THEY WERE AUTISTIC AND EMBARRASSED BY AUTISM.

FOR ME IT'S TALKING TO THE PEOPLE THROUGH SOMETHING THAT IS SAFE LIKE THE LIBRARY AND SAYING, HEY, I KNOW YOU'RE WORRIED, HAVE YOU STRUGGLES, BUT NOT EMBARRASSING TO STRUGGLE, WE ALL STRUGGLE, KNOWING STRUGGLE IS GREATER.

WE ARE HERE FOR ONE ANOTHER.

FOR ME, TALKING ABOUT MY STRUGGLES, YOU ARE NOT ALONE AS YOU THINK YOU ARE.

YOU HAVE ONE MORE DAY.

TED: HAVE YOU HAD RESPONSES FROM THAT?

>> I GET SO MUCH GRATITUDE FROM PEOPLE ABOUT TALKING ABOUT ANXIETY.

THEY KEEP ME GOING DAY AFTER DAY AND HONORED TO BE ON THE EARTH FOR THEM AND KEEP GOING.

FOR PEOPLE TO REACH OUT AND TRUST ME WITH THEIR STORY, WITH THEIR VOICE, MEANS THE WORLD TO ME, AND THEY TRUST ME MORE IMPORTANTLY THEY DECIDE TO STAY ONE MORE DAY.

TED: AND LIBRARIES CAN BE A SAFE HARBOR FOR FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING THROUGH THINGS AND KIND OF GET YOU BACK GOING, CAN'T IT?

>> VERY MUCH CAN.

LIBRARIES ARE ONE OF THE LAST THIRD SPACES IN THE WORLD WHERE THERE ARE NO EXPECTATIONS, YOU HAVE TO SHOW UP.

IF YOU WANT TO READ BOOKS, SIT DOWN AND SHARE, GET OUT OF THE HEAT, THE ELEMENTS, YOU CAN EXIST IN THE LIBRARY AS YOU ARE.

>> I WOULD BE REMISS IF WE DID NOT MENTION FRED RODGERS, YOU WERE RECENTLY HERE IN TOWN FOR KIND OF A BE MY NEIGHBOR DAY, I THINK IT WAS, HERE WITH ARIZONA PBS.

WAS FRED RODGERS AS BIG AN INFLUENCE ON YOU AS IT WAS ON SO MANY KIDS?

>> YES, FRED RODGERS IS MY ULTIMATE HERO OF ALL TIME.

THE KING OF KINDNESS.

SO MUCH FUN TO BE A PART OF MR.

FRED RODGERS DAY WITH ARIZONA LIBRARY, WITH MY FRIEND STACEY GORDON.

I LOVE MR.

RODGERS SO MUCH.

I LOVE THAT HE SAID I LIKE YOU THE WAY YOU ARE, HE LOOKED INTO THE CAMERA AND SAID I'M PROUD OF YOU FOR BEING YOU.

JUST HIS CALM DEMEANOR, HIS CARDIGANS, BLUE SHOES, PRESENCE MADE ME FEEL AT HOME, WELCOME AND SAFE, AND I'M JUST SO GLAD THE WORLD HAD A PERSON AS WONDERFUL AS MR.

FRED RODGERS.

TED: WITH MR.

FRED RODGERS AND MR.

LAVAR BURTON AS THE PEOPLE THAT SHOWED YOU THE WAY, YOU'RE STANDING ON THEIR SHOULDERS.

HAS TO BE REWARDING FOR YOU.

>> SO REWARDING, SO THANKFUL FOR THEM AND EVERY LIBRARY KID AND EVERY LIBRARIAN GROWING UP AND KNOW THAT I'M A PERSON THAT BELIEVES IN THEM EACH AND EVERY DAY.

TED: MYCHAL THREETS, "READING RAINBOW" REVIVED, HUH?

>> YES, SIR.

TED: GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> LIKEWISE.

TED: THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

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