Votes are being counted from a once-in-a-generation election as Timor-Leste, southeast Asia’s youngest country, waits to catch a glimpse of its future. This tiny maritime nation with rich natural resources improbably gained its independence 21 years ago after over 400 years of foreign occupation. In the final years, the occupiers were so brutal that one-fourth of the Timorese were massacred. Still, the survivors fought on and obtained their freedom.
In this report, I explain how they did it, what has happened to them since then, and what is at stake in the election. This includes an exclusive interview with a UN representative who barely escaped with her life after overseeing the freedom election, and returned to help the Timorese establish their new nation. She provides photos that she took then, which have never before been broadcast. This report also includes an interview with a young Timorese leader who grew up during that final bloody occupation.
#TimorLeste #Election #ParliamentaryElection #Parliament #PrimeMinister #CNRT #Fretilin #XananaGusmao #MariAlkatiri #ASEAN #UnitedNations #UN #UNAMET #EastTimor #HistoricElection #Historic #History #SoutheastAsia #Peace #Unity #Future #EconomicDevelopment #Economy #UnitedNationsMissionInEastTimor #Freedom #Independence #Mission #ACYPL #YSEALI #RelationshipBuilding
Happy Mother’s Day! From the time I was young, my mom told me to just try to be the best person I could without comparing myself to others. That sentiment, and all my mom’s advice, has helped not only me, but everyone who has had the privilege of knowing her. #MothersDay #Love #Family #Appreciation
Here is a Cinco de Mayo celebration that I happened upon today. #Fiesta #CincodeMayo
The countdown to Super Bowl LVII is about to reach its crescendo. Football fans are cheering on the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs, but the team I am rooting for is my brother Clay’s crew of SkyCam riggers. Since last Thursday, they have been at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, preparing to televise the game. People who do this type of work are professional-level rock climbers. The beautiful bride in this photo is Clay’s wife, Rosie. She is also an expert rock climber, and teaches at a high school in Park City, Utah for winter-Olympic athletes. #SuperBowl #Family #Love #Beautiful #RockClimbing
Freedom’s Path is the farewell film of two acclaimed actors whose lives were abruptly cut short during post-production. Opening nationwide on the big screen February 3rd for Black History Month, this movie pays tribute to the Tony-nominated Thomas Jefferson Byrd, and chameleon Carol Sutton, revered for her roles in films like Ray, Monster’s Ball and Steel Magnolias. Freedom’s Path writer/director, Brett Smith, warmly recalls that as phenomenal as these two were as actors, they were even more phenomenal as people. In this interview, Brett shares those memories, the extraordinary dedication of the entire Freedom’s Path cast and crew, and the many seemingly-insurmountable hurdles they crossed over to create this passionate project.
After the interview, Brett told me that the Freedom’s Path production team has decided to donate all proceeds from the film’s opening weekend to support underrepresented historic black colleges and universities. The major inspiration for the decision came from Byron Allen. His Allen Media Group has formed a HBCU GO promotional partnership with this award-winning film. #FeatureFilm #FreedomsPath #Filmmaker #Nationwide #Release #AMCTheatres #RegalCinemas #BlackHistoryMonth #BrettSmith #CarolSutton #ThomasJeffersonByrd #RJCyler #GerranHowell #EwenBremner #HarrisonGilbertson #StevenSwadling #AfemoOmilami #ByronAllen #AllenMediaGroup #AwardWinningFilm #BehindTheScenes #Filmmaking #SetLife
With no prior experience, a first-time writer and director has taken the idea that has filled his heart since an elementary school history class, and turned it into a feature film. Freedom’s Path will soon hit the big screen nationwide in honor of Black History Month. I had the privilege of interviewing Brett Smith about this portrayal of friendship and courage. Brett has been my friend since childhood, and told me about his movie idea twelve years ago, when he began the film’s creative process. Later this weekend, I’ll post the full news story. #FeatureFilm #FreedomsPath #Filmmaker #Nationwide #Release #AMCTheatres #RegalCinemas #BlackHistoryMonth #BrettSmith #CarolSutton #ThomasJeffersonByrd #RJCyler #GerranHowell #EwenBremner #HarrisonGilbertson #StevenSwadling #AfemoOmilami #AwardWinningFilm #BehindTheScenes #Filmmaking #SetLife
Happy Chinese New Year! This is a throwback picture from a story that I did about a family who adopted two orphans from China and hosted a large celebration to teach them about their culture. #ChineseNewYear #Celebration #Family #Journalist #Reporter #Anchor
The Buffalo Bills’ famously exuberant fans have been one of my TV news beats for the past three seasons. To support the Bills in this Sunday’s playoff game, I have prepared some of my favorite clips for you from those reports. In this video, I even show you how to do the Bills Shout Dance, so you can cheer on the team throughout the game! This weekend’s showdown between the Bills and the Bengals is especially poignant because the two teams have not met since Bills’ safety, Damar Hamlin, went into cardiac arrest following an impact during their last game together. Since then, I have been so touched by the fact that no matter which team fans root for, people around the world have come together to show their love and support for Damar. According to his doctors, though the road to recovery will be long, he is showing no signs of neurological damage. I have heard people from various walks of life say that this miraculous news has given them hope when struggling with their own challenges. #BuffaloBills #Playoffs #Game #DamarHamlin #Buffalo #WesternNewYork #Journalism #Journalist #Reporter #News #Anchor
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