♪ LIZ: I'M LIZ NEISLOSS.

TONIGHT ON "GREATER BOSTON," A NEW DOCUMENTARY LOOKS AT THE QUESTION OF REPARATIONS IN THE U.S. AND HOW INDIVIDUAL ACTION IS NOW PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

I'LL TALK TO THE FILM'S DIRECTOR AND ONE WOMAN WORKING TO ATONE FOR THE SINS OF HER ANCESTORS.

THEN, AFTER TAX REVENUE COMES UP SHORT, GOVERNOR HEALEY IS CUTTING THE STATE'S BUDGET.

GBH NEWS STATEHOUSE REPORTER KATIE LANNAN WILL WALK US THROUGH WHAT IS GETTING CHOPPED.

FINALLY, AN UNSOLVED MURDER THAT STILL WEIGHS ON BOSTON'S TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY 25 YEARS LATER.

CAN BOSTON POLICE FINALLY FIND RITA HESTER'S KILLER?

HOW CAN THE U.S. MAKE AMENDS FOR THE LEGACY OF SLAVERY?

THAT'S THE QUESTION AT THE CENTER OF A NEW DOCUMENTARY, "THE COST OF INHERITANCE: AN AMERICA REFRAMED SPECIAL" THAT TRACES OUR COUNTRY'S LEGACY OF RACISM, INEQUALITY, AND THE ONGOING BATTLE OF RAP RACES IN AMERICA AHEAD OF THE FILM'S PREMIERE ON PBS.

I'M JOINED BY THE FILM'S DIRECTOR YORUBA RICHEN AND LOTTE LIEB DULA, THE FOUNDER OF REPARATIONS 4 SLAVERY WHO IS FEATURED IN THE FILM.

I WANT TO START WITH YOU, YORUBA, WHAT GOT YOU TO MAKE THIS FILM, WAS THERE A PARTICULAR MOMENT THAT REALLY TRIGGERED THIS FOR YOU?

YORUBA: FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US, AND LOTTE, GREAT TO SEE YOU.

I WAS BROUGHT THIS PROJECT BY THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, DARRYL FORD WILLIAMS, WHO WORKED WITH A TEAM -- WAS WORKING WITH A TEAM OF UNIVERSITIES AND FOUNDATIONS CALLED JUST FUTURES WHERE THEY WERE LOOKING AT THE -- THEY WERE TASKED TO STUDY THE ISSUE OF REPARATIONS ON A REALLY BROAD SCALE, AND PART OF THAT WAS FUNDING FOR A DOCUMENTARY FILM.

AND DARRYL CONNECTED WITH ME, SHE KNEW MY WORK, CONNECTED WITH ME.

AND AS SOON AS, YOU KNOW, SHE TOLD ME THE IDEA AND WHAT THE PROJECT WAS, I JUMPED AT THE CHANCE TO MAKE A FILM ABOUT IT.

OBVIOUSLY IT'S A HUGE ISSUE, AND IT IS HISTORICALLY BEEN SOMETHING THAT BLACK PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR SINCE THE END OF SLAVERY.

BUT I WANTED TO MAKE THIS FILM ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WERE GRAPPLING AND ENGAGING WITH REPARATIONS TODAY.

LIZ: AND YOU CERTAINLY DO.

WE'LL TURN TO ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE, LOTTE, I DO WANT TO TALK TO YOU, BUT FIRST I THINK WE SHOULD SEE THIS CLIP.

IT'S FROM THE FILM.

THIS REALLY GRABS THE VIEWER AND HELPS US UNDERSTAND YOUR STORY.

LET'S WATCH.

>> I FOUND MY FAMILY PROBABLY ENSLAVED A FEW THOUSAND PEOPLE OVER 400 YEARS.

ANOTHER THING I DISCOVERED IS THAT MY GRANDMOTHER BELONGED TO A NUMBER OF CLUBS, YOU COULD CALL THEM.

I DID NOT EXPECT WAS TO FIND THAT SHE BELONGED TO THIS CLUB.

I WANT TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS HISTORY.

I'M NOT TO BLAME FOR MY ANCESTORS' ACTS REALLY OF EVIL, AND YET I AM MY ANCESTORS.

LIZ: SO THAT'S A PRETTY POWERFUL MOMENT.

AND IT REALLY GETS AT THE HEART OF THE FILM, I THINK, WHICH IS IT YOUR FAMILY ENSLAVED OTHERS, THERE'S SOME REPAIR WORK TO BE DONE.

THIS FILM SHOWS A FEW PEOPLE DOING THAT.

BUT LOTTE, WHAT WAS THE MOMENT FOR YOU THAT MADE YOU REALIZE THIS IS WHAT YOU HAD TO DO?

YOU MADE THE STARTLING DISCOVERIES, BUT THEN WHAT?

LOTTE: REALLY, WITHIN, I WOULD SAY WITHIN 24 HOURS, IT WAS CLEAR TO ME THAT I HAD TO ENGAGE IN REPAIR IN SOME WAY.

THIS WAS COMPLETELY A NEW PATH FOR ME.

LIKE SO MANY WHITE PEOPLE, I LIVED IN A WHITE BUBBLE, WE'LL SAY, ALL WHITE FRIENDS, ALL WHITE COLLEAGUES, MOSTLY WHITE WORKPLACE, NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU NAME IT.

AND I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING INCOMPLETE ABOUT MY FAMILY'S STORY, ABOUT WHO WE ARE, WHO WE HAD BEEN IN HISTORY.

AND THE MORE OF THE BOXES I UNPACKED, THE DEEPER THE EVIDENCE THAT I WAS MISSING A VERY STRONG BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT MY FAMILY.

FOR INSTANCE, I HAD NO IDEA THAT MY FAMILY HAD ENGAGED IN SLAVE HOLDING.

SO ONCE I REALIZED THAT I DIDN'T HAVE THE FULL PICTURE, I DECIDED I BETTER DO SOME GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH, AND THAT REALLY GOT ME GOING.

AND WITHIN 24 HOURS, I HAD DECIDED, I'D HEARD OF A WORD CALLED "REPARATIONS" AND I DECIDED I NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT MEANS AND HOW I AS A WHITE PERSON COULD ENGAGE IN REPAIR IN A WAY THAT WOULD BE MEANINGFUL AND REPAIRTIVE.

LIZ: YOURA, LOTTE TALKED ABOUT A WHITE BUBBLE, THERE'S WHITE OPPOSITION TO THIS IDEA.

IN YOUR FILM IT'S PRETTY WELL SUMMARIZED BY MITCH MCCONNELL WHO SAID, I DON'T THINK REPARATIONS FOR SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED 150 YEARS AGO FOR WHOM NONE OF US ARE CURRENTLY RESPONSIBLE IS A GOOD IDEA.

WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THAT STATEMENT?

YORUBA: WOW, ONE THING ABOUT THE OPPOSITION, WE CHOSE TO REALLY HAVE A, YOU KNOW, HAVE IT SUMMARIZED BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW -- WE'VE ONLY HEARD THE OPPOSITION FOR THE MOST PART.

RIGHT?

SO WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON THE PEOPLE WHO WERE DOING THE WORK.

BUT WE KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT IN THAT PERSPECTIVE, AND OBVIOUSLY THAT MITCH MCCONNELL BITE REALLY SAYS IT ALL.

I THINK THAT HOPEFULLY MY -- WHEN PEOPLE SEE THIS FILM, IT SPARKS THEM TO UNDERSTAND AND UNCOVER THIS COUNTRY'S HISTORY MORE AND THEIR OWN HISTORY.

AND WHEN -- I THINK WHEN YOU DO THAT, LIKE LOTTE HAS SAID, LOTTE SAID I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR MY ANCESTOR'S ACTIONS BUT WANT TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

BECAUSE WE KNOW THOSE ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES.

AND SO I THINK YOU AT LEAST HAVE THE BEGINNING OF ENGAGING IN CONVERSATION AND UNDERSTANDING THAT, YES, THOSE ACTS OF 150 YEARS AGO DO RESONATE TODAY FOR EVERYBODY.

LIZ: AND THAT'S EXACTLY -- YOUR FILM DOES GET INTO THAT, AND I THINK THE IDEA THAT THIS IS SIMPLY SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED 150 YEARS AGO IS REALLY DEBUNKED BY YOUR FILM.

AND I THINK THAT'S A VAST GULF OF KNOWLEDGE FOR A LOT OF WHITE PEOPLE.

YOU EXPLAIN THE WEALTH GAP, WHICH IS REALLY A CENTRAL CONCEPT HERE.

SO LET'S LOOK AT THIS MOMENT IN YOUR FILM WHERE YOU SORT OF I THINK NEATLY SPELL OUT EXACTLY WHERE THE DISPARITIES COME FROM.

>> THE NEW DEAL ESTABLISHED SOCIAL SECURITY.

>> BENEFITS WILL BE PAID TO EVERYBODY WHO IS ENTITLED TO JOB INSURANCE WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE AGRICULTURAL WORKERS, DOMESTIC SERVICE IN PRIVATE HOMES.

>> WITH 70% OF THE BLACK LABOR FORCE AT THAT TIME, THE CREATION OF THE G.I.

BILL TO HELP SOLDIERS GET TRAINING, FUND COLLEGE, BUT LESS THAN 2% OF THOSE RESOURCES WENT TO BLACK PEOPLE.

THE GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZING HOMEOWNERSHIP THROUGH THE F.H.A.

CREATED THE MIDDLE CLASS.

THAT'S A PHENOMENAL THING.

BUT LESS THAN 1% OF ALL MORTGAGES IN THE COUNTRY WENT TO BLACK PEOPLE.

LIZ: O YORUBA, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT REPAIR JUST FOR SLAVERY BUT THE AFTERMATH.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT?

YORUBA: YEAH.

I MEAN, WHERE TO BEGIN?

I MEAN, SLAVERY ENDED IN 1865, THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT WAS PASSED IN 1965.

WE'RE STILL FIGHTING FOR VOTING RIGHTS.

WE KNOW THE WEALTH GAP IS -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE EXACT FIGURES ARE RIGHT NOW BUT IT'S STILL VAST BETWEEN THE BLACK AND THE WHITE POPULATION.

IN 2020, THEY SAY WAS CALLED A RACIAL RECKONING, LOOKING AT POLICE BRUTALITY, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH SINCE WE WERE HERE AT SLAVES.

RED LINING, EDUCATION.

GO DOWN THE LIST.

WE TRY TO SUMMARIZE IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

THAT LEGACY IS SLAVERY.

THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.

THIS HAPPENED TO AFRICAN-AMERICANS, BLACK PEOPLE WERE THE ONES WHO, YOU KNOW, WERE SHUT OUT OF MORTGAGES, WHO WERE RED LINED, WHO WERE IMPRISONED AT, YOU KNOW, INCREDIBLE RATES, WHO, YOU KNOW, BEAR THE BRUNT OF POLICE BRUTALITY AND POLICE VIOLENCE.

ALL THIS IS A LEGACY OF SLAVERY.

LIZ: LOTTE, YOU ACTUALLY TRACED THE LEGACY WHICH IS THE ACCUMULATION OF WEALTH.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW THAT WORKS, HOW THE ACCUMULATION OF WEALTH UP TO NOW REALLY MAKES THOSE DISPARITIES VERY REAL?

LOTTE: YES, EXACTLY.

AND MY PARTNER AND I, WE MAKE IT OUR BUSINESS TO LECTURE ABOUT THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP.

AND WE USE OUR OWN FAMILY HISTORIES AS THE BASIS FOR EXPLAINING EXACTLY HOW THAT WORKS.

AND WHEN YOU WATCH THE FILM, YOU CAN SEE A BIT OF OUR LECTURE.

AND YORUBA AND HER TEAM HAVE DONE JUST A PHENOMENAL JOB OF REALLY DETAILING ALL THOSE ASPECTS.

BUT I CAN SHOW EXACTLY TWO SMALL DETAILS HOW IT WORKS BECAUSE BRIANNA AND I ARE TELLING OUR FAMILY'S STORIES.

WE FOUND EVEN CONSERVATIVE VIEWERS, IF WE SAY -- SPEAK TO A FAITH COMMUNITY OR WHATEVER GROUP WE'RE SPEAKING TO, MOST PEOPLE, YOU CAN'T REALLY CONTEST THIS INFORMATION BECAUSE IT'S COMING RIGHT OUT OF OUR FAMILY'S STORIES.

SO, FOR INSTANCE, I HAVE RECORDS FROM THE FRIEDMAN'S BUREAU THAT SHOWS ONE OF MY ANCESTORS CHEATED PEOPLE THEY HAD FORMALLY ENSLAVED BUT NOW ARE THEIR SHARE CROPPERS, AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE DOCUMENTS.

SO ALL THIS CHEATING, AS SMALL AS, I SAY, CHEATING ON THE PRICE OF COTTON IN A SHARE CROPPER'S CONTRACT, AS SMALL AS THAT LITTLE DETAIL MAY SEEM, IT SNOWBALLS INTO THE 10-1 RACIAL WEALTH GAP.

LIZ: ALSO, YORUBA, YOUR FILM REALLY DOES DEBUNK, I THINK, THE IDEA THAT MANY PEOPLE PRESENT WHICH IS THE BOOTSTRAPPING ARGUMENT, JUST WORK HARDER, DIG DEEPER.

HAVE YOU MADE AN ATTEMPT TO SORT OF LAY THAT OUT HERE?

YORUBA: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

WHAT LOTTE AND BRIANNA DO IN THEIR PRESENTATION REALLY DOES THAT.

AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO SAY -- TO EMPHASIZE, IT'S THE PERSONAL STORIES THAT WE TELL IN THIS FILM.

THAT'S WHAT GETS PEOPLE.

WE CAN TALK ABOUT REPARATIONS ACADEMICALLY, YOU KNOW, FOREVER AND EVER BUT PEOPLE PAY ATTENTION TO THE PERSONAL STORIES.

AND THAT IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT I THINK THIS FILM DOES SO WELL.

AND THE BOOTSTRAP, WE KNEW IT WAS A MYTH BUT TO SEE IT THROUGH THESE TWO FAMILIES HOW IT IS DISMANTLED.

I DON'T THINK WE'VE SEEN THAT BEFORE.

LIZ: YORUBA, LOTTE, THANK SO YOU MUCH.

THIS DISCUSSION WILL CERTAINLY CONTINUE, AT LEAST HERE ON "GBH" WE PLAN TO TALK ABOUT IT.

YORUBA: THANK YOU.

LOTTE: THANK YOU.

LIZ: "THE COST OF INHERITANCE: AN AMERICA REFRAMED SPECIAL" PREMIERES TONIGHT AND ONLINE AT GBH.ORG AND ON THE PBS APP.

THE FILM KICKS OFF A YEAR LONG LOOK AT REPARATIONS HERE AT GBH.

AND THEN WE'LL LAUNCH A PODCAST ON REPARATIONS CALLED "WHAT IS OWED."

JUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER GOVERNOR MAURA HEALEY SIGNED A $1 BILLION TAX CUT PACKAGE INTO LAW, THE STATE IS FACING A BUDGET DEFICIT.

AND NOW THE GOVERNOR IS FORCED TO MAKE CUTS, $375 MILLION WORTH.

GBH NEWS STATEHOUSE REPORTER KATIE LANNAN JOINS ME NOW WITH WHAT'S ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK.

KATIE, THE GOVERNOR I THINK SAID LAST MONTH WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT CUTS, NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT CUTS.

SO WHAT'S GOING ON?

KATIE: THE BIG DIFFERENCE IN BETWEEN A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN SHE SAID SHE WASN'T LOOKING AT CUTS IS WE NOW HAVE ANOTHER MONTH OF TAX REVENUE COLLECTION DATA IN AND IT'S THE SIXTH MONTH THAT MASSACHUSETTS, THE STATE GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN IN LESS MONEY THAN IT BUILT -- IT PROJECTED THAN IT BUILT THE BUDGET AROUND.

BUDGET OFFICIALS IN THE HEALEY ADMINISTRATION IS NOW LOOKING AT ANTICIPATING A BILLION DOLLAR SHORTFALL FOR THE YEAR, SO THIS $375 MILLION IN CUTS IS PART OF A STRATEGY FOR HOW THEY'RE GOING TO PLUG THAT GAP.

LIZ: SO THAT WOULD SEEM TO BE LET'S JUST DO THIS ONE SMALL STEP AT A TIME, WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING DRASTIC, IS THAT THE DANCE?

KATIE: SO WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS THAT THEY'RE NOT ANTICIPATING ADDITIONAL CUTS THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHICH THE FISCAL YEAR RUNS THROUGH THE END OF JUNE, AND NOT ANTICIPATING ANY LAYOFFS OF STATE WORKERS EITHER TO FIX THAT OTHER $625 MILLION IN A SHORTFALL, THEY FOUND SOME OTHER OFF BUDGET REVENUES TO GET A LITTLE JARGONY, SOME OTHER MONEY, IT'S KIND OF LIKE PULLING THE CHANGE OUT OF YOUR COUCH CUSHIONS IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT THAT WAY.

IT'S MONEY THEY WEREN'T COUNTING ON WHEN THEY BUILT THE BUDGET AND THEY SAY THEY'LL BE ABLE TO CLOSE THE HOLE THAT WAY.

LIZ: YOU HAVE THE $1 BILLION TAX BILL WHICH SORT OF WAS A BOON TO THE WEALTHY TAX CUTS AND NOW WE NEED MORE MONEY, WE HAVE A SHORTFALL.

WHERE IS THE SHORTFALL, DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF WHY WE'VE BEEN SEEING THIS?

KATIE: SO THE TAX RELIEF BILL THAT HEALEY SIGNED A FEW MONTHS AGO, THAT'S BUDGETED FOR, THAT MONEY, THAT COST HAS KIND OF BEEN BUILT IN, THEY KNOW ABOUT THAT.

THIS REVENUE SHORTFALL IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE SEEN FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW, AT LEAST THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS, DECEMBER AND NOVEMBER.

IT'S WIDESPREAD AND ACROSS DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF TAX COLLECTIONS AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT HEALEY'S BUDGET CHIEF SAID IT REFLECTIVE OF NATIONAL TRENDS AS WELL.

THERE'S A BROADER, HE SAYS, SLOWING OF GROWTH IN THE ECONOMY, NOT IN A RECESSION TERRITORY AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE IT IS STILL GROWING, JUST MORE SLOWLY THAN STATE BUDGET WRITERS WERE ANTICIPATING.

LIZ: SO WHERE MIGHT THIS CUT FALL OR WHERE MIGHT THESE CUTS FALL?

KATIE: SO IT'S ACROSS 66 DIFFERENT LINE ITEMS, AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A $56 BILLION STATE BUDGET, THIS IS A REALLY SMALL PIECE OF IT.

THE BIGGEST CUT IS TO THE MASS HEALTH PROGRAM WHERE OFFICIALS SAY THERE AREN'T GOING TO BE ELIGIBILITY CHANGES, THEY'RE REFLECTING LOWER CASELOADS AND LOWER USE RATES, AND THERE'S CUTS TO SOME LOCAL PROJECTS EARMARKED PROJECTS THAT COMMUNITIES AND STATE LAWMAKERS REALLY LIKE TO TOUT, WHETHER THAT'S THINGS LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY GRANTS OR TOURISM PROJECTS, PARKS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS, THE KIND OF THING THAT YOU SEE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL SEND OUT A PRESS RELEASE ABOUT WHEN THEY PASS A BUDGET.

SO EVEN THOUGH THOSE ARE ABOUT $20 MILLION OF THE TOTAL, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT LAWMAKERS WON'T RECEIVE TOO HAPPILY THAT CAN REALLY BE SEEN ON THE GROUND.

MAYBE NONE OF THOSE WERE SLASHED ENTIRELY, THEY WERE CUT IN HALF.

BUT IT'S STILL THE KIND OF THING WE COULD SEE CREATE SOME TENSION BETWEEN GOVERNOR HEALEY AND THE DEMOCRATS IN THE LEGISLATURE WHO CONTROL BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE.

LIZ: I'M GUESSING IT'S A LITTLE SOON TO HAVE HEARD ANY GRUMBLING, IS THAT RIGHT?

KATIE: YEAH, NO REAL GRUMBLING.

I TALKED TO ONE STATE SENATOR TODAY, REPUBLICAN PETER DURANT, WHO WAS UNHAPPY WITH THE PRIORITIZATION, THE THINGS THAT WERE CUT AMONG THE LOCAL EARMARKS.

LEGISLATIVE LEADERS ARE NOT RUSHING TO CRITICIZE THE GOVERNOR.

THEY'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A NEED FOR FISCAL PRUDENCE AND SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE BY AND LARGE.

SO WE'LL SEE IF THAT DOES, MORE OF THE RANK AND FILE LAWMAKERS FEEL DIFFERENTLY BUT THESE ARE LATERAL CUTS AND THE CONSTITUTION GIVES THE GOVERNOR THIS POWER, SO THEY DON'T NEED THE LEGISLATURE'S APPROVAL TO TAKE EFFECT.

LIZ: A LOT OF FOCUS HAD BEEN PUT ON THE STATE'S EMERGENCY SHELTER SYSTEM AND NEED FOR MORE FUNDING, IS THAT ANY PART OF THIS?

KATIE: SO MATT GORKOWITZ, HEALEY'S SECRETARY SAYS NO, THEY ARE TWO SEPARATE ISSUES AND THE CUTS DON'T RELATE TO THE SHELTER CRISIS.

GOVERNOR HEALEY IS PREPARING TO ASK LAWMAKERS TO IMPROVE MORE FUNDING FOR THE SHELTER SYSTEM BUT THAT'S GOING TO COME FROM A SEPARATE ACCOUNT WHERE SHE WANTS IT TO COME FROM A SEPARATE DID THE -- SEPARATE ACCOUNT AND IT'S CALLED A TRANSITIONAL ESCROW FUNDING.

IT'S SAVINGS THEY STASHED AWAY IN GOOD TIMES AND MATT SAYS THAT WILL HELP INSULATE THE BUDGET FROM FEELING THE BIG SQUEEZE OF THESE SOARING COSTS BUT IT'S UP TO LAWMAKERS TO DECIDE IF THEY AGREE WITH THAT PLAN OF SPENDING THOSE SAVINGS ON THE SHELTER.

LIZ: HOW UNUSUAL IS THE STEP SHE'S TAKING AT THIS POINT, TAKING A LITTLE TUCK OUT OF THE BUDGET?

KATIE: IT'S UNUSUAL BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A RUN OF GOOD ECONOMIC TIMES THE LAST TIME WE SAW BUDGET CUTS MADE BY A GOVERNOR MIDYEAR WAS IN LATE 2016 UNDER FORMER GOVERNOR BAKER, THAT WAS I THINK HIS SECOND ROUND OF NINE C CUTS, WHICH STATEHOUSE JARGON, I APOLOGIZE OF UNILATERAL BUDGET CUTS.

LIZ: WE LOVE YOU FOR THE JARGON, THROW IT AT US.

KATIE: SECTION 9-C OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION IS WHERE THE BUDGET CUTTING POWER COMES FROM.

LIZ: OK. WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE AUDIT OF THAT BODY, WE HAVE HEARD A LOT, THE STATE AUDITOR WOULD LIKE TO DO, SHE LITERALLY SINGS ABOUT IT.

AND IT LOOKS LIKELY THIS WILL BE A BALLOT INITIATIVE.

SHE'S BEEN GATHERING SIGNATURES, WHERE DOES THAT STAND?

KATIE: YEAH, THAT WAS ONE OF SEVERAL BALLOT QUESTIONS THAT EARNED ENOUGH SIGNATURES FROM VOTERS TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS.

IT'S A LONG PROCESS, SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IS THAT PROPOSAL IS NOW BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE.

THEY HAVE UNTIL THE END OF APRIL TO DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO PASS IT.

SEEMS UNLIKELY BECAUSE LEGISLATIVE LEADERS HAVE BEEN SO RESISTANT TO THE IDEA OF AUDITOR OPENING UP THEIR BOOKS BUT IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AND THEY DON'T PASS IT, SHE'LL NEED TO GET ANOTHER 12,000 OR SO VOTER SIGNATURES AND IF THAT HAPPENS, IF THERE'S NO COURT CHALLENGE OR LAST-MINUTE BEHIND THE SCENES DEAL, IT WILL COME BEFORE VOTERS IN NOVEMBER AS ONE OF THE HOWEVER MANY QUESTIONS MAKE IT THERE TO BE DECIDED AT THE BALLOT BOX.

LIZ: I HAVE TO ASK ABOUT ONE THING THAT DOESN'T GET DIRECTLY DEALT WITH IN THE STATEHOUSE BUT MASSACHUSETTS HAS BECOME THE LATEST STATE TO BAR OR ATTEMPT TO BAR FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP FROM THE BALLOT FROM THE PRIMARY, FROM THE GENERAL ELECTION.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING ABOUT THAT?

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN TELL US AMONG THE POLITICIANS THAT YOU MINGLE WITH AT THE STATEHOUSE?

KATIE: YEAH, I THINK THIS WILL BE AN INTERESTING -- THERE'S A WEIRD LITTLE LOGISTICAL TWIST HERE WHERE THE BALLOT LOCK MISSION, I BELIEVE IT IS, THE BODY THAT CHALLENGES CAN'T MEET UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH BUT UNDER STATE LAW BUT BALLOTS HAVE TO BE OUT TO MILITARY AND OVERSEAS VOTERS BEFORE THEN, SO ESSENTIALLY BALLOTS WILL BE PRINTED WITH DONALD TRUMP'S NAME BEFORE, IF THE COMMISSION EVEN HEARS THE CHALLENGE, BEFORE THEY DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT HE IS ELIGIBLE, I ASKED ONE OF THE LAWYERS INVOLVED IN THIS ABOUT THIS DYNAMIC THE OTHER DAY, AND SHANNON SAID BASICALLY THEY'RE MAKING A CONSTITUTIONAL ARGUMENT AND THERE'S NO EXEMPTION TO THE CONSTITUTION FOR BALLOT PRINTING LOGISTICS.

SO THEY SEE IT AS SOMETHING WORTH FORGING AHEAD WITH BUT IT'S UNCLEAR WHAT THE IMPACT WILL BE AND WHERE IT WILL GO FROM THERE.

LIZ: THAT IS INTERESTING, ALWAYS A FONT OF WISDOM ON ALL THINGS STATEHOUSE EVEN WITH THE JARGON, GBH STATEHOUSE REPORTER KATIE LANNAN, THANKS VERY MUCH.

KATIE: THANK YOU.

LIZ: FINALLY TONIGHT, IT'S BEEN 25 YEARS SINCE RITA HESTER, A BLACK TRANSGENDER WOMAN WAS MURDERERRED IN HER AUSTIN APARTMENT.

A CASE WHICH INSPIRED THE INTERNATIONAL TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE IS STILL UNSOLVED.

FOR HESTER'S FAMILY AND LBGTQ+ PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD, HER MURDER ALSO REPRESENTS THE DISREGARD POLICE AND MEDIA SHOW FOR BLACK TRANSGENDER MURDER VICTIMS.

ALL OF THAT, HOWEVER, COULD BE CHANGING, AS BOSTON POLICE RECOMMIT TO SOLVING THE CASE.

>> NOT ENOUGH HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST 25 YEARS IS THE REASON WHY MYSELF AND SO MANY OTHER TRANSPEOPLE FEEL UNSAFE EVERY DAY.

>> THERE ARE TOO MANY OF US GETTING KILLED.

>> THE KILLING MUST STOP.

>> IT'S SUCH IS A GREAT LOSS.

I CAN'T EVEN HARDLY EXPLAIN IT.

>> RITA WAS AN AMAZING HUMAN BEING.

HER ENERGY WAS VIBRANT AND YOU FELT IT WHEN SHE ENTERED THE ROOM.

WHENEVER SHE WAS AROUND LIFE WAS DEFINITELY BETTER AND MORE SPECIAL.

SHE MADE EVERYTHING MORE SPECIAL.

>> AH, GRANDMA.

>> PROBABLY A HOLIDAY.

>> I KNOW.

IT WAS.

IT WAS CHRISTMAS BECAUSE I JUST GOT THAT TYRANNOSAURUS REX.

WHEN RITA WAS MURDERED, I WAS 8 YEARS OLD.

I CAN REMEMBER THAT NIGHT SO WELL AND, LIKE, WHAT HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, FROM START TO FINISH.

IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A BIG IMPACT ON OUR WORLD.

>> THE FIRST TIME I HEARD ABOUT RITA HESTER WAS AT 19, SO A YEAR INTO MY TRANSITION.

FOR ME IT WAS REALLY SCARY.

IT WAS EYE OPENING AND MADE ME REALIZE THE TYPE OF PRECAUTION I HAVE TO TAKE WHEN GOING OUTSIDE AND LEAVING MY HOUSE AND TYPE OF EVENTS I GO TO BECAUSE I REALIZE THAT MY LIFE IS NOT OF VALUE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

>> SINCE RITA HESTER WAS KILLED, THINGS HAVE GOTTEN SLIGHTLY BETTER, AND IN CERTAIN AREAS.

I'D SAY WE MOVED AN INCH.

PEOPLE THINK MASSACHUSETTS, THEY THINK BOSTON, OH, THEY HAVE GENDER CARE.

YES, WE DO HAVE THAT.

BUT ALSO, WE'RE BEING ATTACKED HERE.

WE'RE BEING RAPED, WE'RE BEING ASSAULTED BUT WE'RE NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO MAKE THE NEWS.

I WOULD SAY EVERY OTHER DAY I'M GETTING A PHONE CALL, HYSTERICAL CALLS BACK-TO-BACK WHERE I'M, LIKE, MY HEART STARTS PALPITATING, OH, MY GOD, PLEASE TELL ME THIS ISN'T ANOTHER SITUATION WHERE SOMEBODY'S LIFE HAS BEEN LOST.

♪ >> FOR A LONG TIME AFTER HER DEATH, OUR ENTIRE FAMILY TO SOME DEGREE WAS ON EDGE.

WE WERE, LIKE, SCARED BECAUSE THE CASE WAS UNSOLVED.

AFTER THIS HAPPENED MY GRANDMA COULD NO LONGER BE IN A PLACE BY HERSELF, PRETTY MUCH THE REST OF HER LIFE.

WOULD IT FEEL BETTER IF SOMEONE WAS FOUND?

ABSOLUTELY.

IT WOULD FEEL LIKE THERE WAS CLOSER.

LIKE ALL THOSE WHAT-IFS WOULD BE ANSWERED TO SOME DEGREE.

IT WON'T CHANGE THE PASS.

IT WON'T CHANGE HER BEING GONE.

MEANS THE WORLD TO OUR FAMILY TO SEE EVERYONE HERE AND EVERYTHING THAT WE RECOGNIZE.

I JUST WANTED TO READ A POEM RITA WROTE THE YEAR SHE WAS LOST.

SOMEBODY SAYS LOOK TO ME, MY FAMILY, AND DO NOT DESPAIR, FOR I AM WITH YOU WHEN YOU ARE LOST AND WHEN YOU ARE IN FEAR.

I SEE THE BATTLES THAT YOU FIGHT WITH ONLY A SLIM CHANCE TO WIN.

>> I BELIEVE FOR A FACT THAT THE FACT THAT RITA HESTER WAS A BLACK TRANSWOMAN IS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS HER CASE WASN'T TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND WHY THEY TOOK SO LONG FOR THEM TO GET TO THE HOSPITAL AND WHY HER CASE IS STILL UNSOLVED TO THIS DAY.

IF THEY WERE TO SOLVE RITA HESTER'S CASE, THAT WOULD BE A SLIGHT BIT OF LIBERATION, JUST LIKE, OK, FINALLY WE GOT THIS SOLVED.

NOW WHAT'S NEXT?

>> RITA'S CASE FINALLY HIT THE NEWS YESTERDAY.

THEY REOPENED THE CASE.

SO I THINK THE MOMENTUM IS THERE AND I WANT TO KEEP IT THERE.

SO I THINK WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB.

>> SHE'S BEEN A SOURCE OF MOTIVATION, INSPIRATION, AND I DO FEEL LIKE A KINDRED SPIRIT WITH HER BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE THINGS SHE DIDN'T GET TO DO, I THINK I'M LIVING OUT FOR HER IN MANY WAYS.

THAT'S WHY I FEEL IT'S SO IMPORTANT HER NAME NEVER BE FORGOTTEN AND THAT WE CONTINUE TO FIGHT WITH BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT HER MURDER IS SOLVED.

>> YOU KNOW, ME BEING A GAY MALE, I'M OUT AND PROUD AND HAVE A BEAUTIFUL BOYFRIEND.

I KNOW RITA WOULD HAVE LOVED ALL THAT.

THE ENERGY TO BE FUN AND BE BIG AND BE BEAUTIFUL.

AND I AM HAPPY I GOT ALL THAT.

>> YOU READY FOR A WALK?

RITA, SHE'S MOVED MOUNTAINS FOR OUR COMMUNITIES WITHOUT EVEN BEING HERE.

SHE SPARKED AN INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT THAT ALLOWED THE WORLD TO SEE THAT THIS IS A MARGINALIZED GROUP OF PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES ARE BEING TAKEN AT A HIGH RATE AND ULTIMATELY IF THE TRANSDAY REMEMBRANCE WASN'T CREATED OUT OF HER DEATH, I DON'T THINK THERE WOULD BE AS MUCH ATTENTION ON TRANS DEATHS AS IT IS TODAY.

>> I KNOW TODAY FEELS BITTER BUT LOOK FOR ME TOMORROW.

I'M IN YOUR HEARTS AND THE SHALLOWS OF YOUR SOUL.

I'M IN YOUR INNOCENCE AND THERE WHEN YOU ARE OLD.

LOOK TO ME, MY CHILDREN, AND KNOW THAT I CARE.

KNOW THAT I AM A FORCE THAT WILL ALWAYS BE NEAR.

BE STRONG, MY BEAUTIFUL FAMILY.

NEVER LET YOUR SPIRIT BEND.

THIS IS NOT YOUR FINAL DESTINY, FOR IN THE LIGHT AWAITS A FRIEND.

FIND PEACE AND SOLACE.

LIZ: THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT.

BUT COME BACK TOMORROW, I'M LIZ NEISLOSS.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

GOOD NIGHT.

♪