First hour: Veterans facing deportation
Second hour: How to make streets safer for pedestrians
Tonight, PBS is set to premiere “American Exile,” a documentary that tells the story of two brothers who volunteered to serve alongside U.S. forces in Vietnam and who are now facing deportation. Thousands of military veterans are in a similar situation due to committing misdemeanor offenses after their service. This hour, we explore the issue with our guests:
- Rev. James L. Swarts, U.S. Navy veteran and president of Veterans for Peace, Chapter 23
- Marybeth Knowles, U.S. Army veteran, and volunteer with Keeping Our Promise and Veterans for Peace
- Esperanza Roncero, community and belonging scholar in the division of Community and Belonging at Nazareth College
- Manuel “Manny” Valenzuela, former volunteer with the U.S. Marine Corps who fought in Vietnam and is now facing deportation
Then in our second hour, local activists say there's a silent epidemic when it comes to what's happening in our streets: a rising number of pedestrian injuries and fatalities. It's the subject of an upcoming Rochester Street Films event hosted by Reconnect Rochester. We preview the event, and our guests weigh in on how to make our streets safer for pedestrians. Our guests:
- Renée Stetzer, president of Reconnect Rochester
- Erick Stephens, parent engagement specialist at Common Ground Health
- Radezia McCullough, local resident who was hit by a car and badly injured
- Aria Camaione-Lind, parent of a young son who was hit and badly injured