>> Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "CHAT BOX WITH DAVID CRUZ" IS PROVIDED BY NJM INSURANCE GROUP, SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.
PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY INSIDER NJ.
A POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE NETWORK DEDICATED TO NEW JERSEY' POLITICAL NEWS.
INSIDER NJ IS COMMITTED TO GIVING SERIOUS POLITICAL PLAYERS AN INTERACTIVE FORUM FOR IDEAS, DISCUSSION, AND INSIGHT.
ONLINE AT INSIDERNJ.COM.
♪ >>> THE PULITZER PRIZES ARE OUGHT THIS WEEK AND OUR CUPBOARD IS, ONCE AGAIN, EMPTY.
HI, EVERYBODY, THIS IS CHAT BOX.
I AM DAVID CRUZ BUT DOESN'T MEAN NEW JERSEY IS NOT REPPING AT THE POLICERS.
WE WILL TALK TO THE PROFESSOR WHO RECEIVED A PRIZE THIS WEEK, IN A FEW MINUTES BUT WE BEGIN TODAY WITH A RETURN ENGAGEMENT OF SORTS.
MAKING HEADLINES FOR DECADES NOW, BOTH GOOD AND BAD.
OUR LAST ROUNDTABLE WENT OFF THE RAILS A BIT, DURING SOME DISCUSSIONS OF THE LATEST HEADLINES.
>> LET'S NOT GET AHEAD OF OURSELVES.
>> NO.
NO.
LET ME FINISH.
>> LET'S START AT THE BEGINNING WITH OUR GUEST, WHO HAS A NEW BOOK OUT "CULTIVATING JUSTICE IN THE GARDEN STATE, MY LIFE IN THE COLORFUL WORLD OF NEW JERSEY' POLITICS."
GOOD TO SEE YOU, MAN.
>> GLAD TO BE ON HERE AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN BAD, GOOD AND BAD?
JUST GOOD, RIGHT?
>> WE WILL FIND OUT IN A MINUTE.
SO YOU ARE AN ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, KID.
BORN, RAISED, AND YOU SAY YOU ARE PROBABLY GOING TO DIE THERE.
CAN YOU CONTRAST YOUR YOUTH AND TODAY?
>> THAT IS A GOOD INTRODUCTION BECAUSE THAT IS BASICALLY THE INTRODUCTION TO MY BOOK.
I START AT THE BEGINNING.
AND I -- MY -- I WAS BORN ON -- IN ELIZABETH PORT.
AND MY PARENTS THEN MOVED.
MY DAD HAD TO QUIT SCHOOL IN THE 8th GRADE TO WORK ON THE DOCKS TO HELP SUPPORT HIS FAMILY.
AND THEN, ULTIMATELY, GRADUATED ELIZABETH PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL.
WOUND UP AT RUTGERS AFTER DROPPING OUT TWICE, AND THEN GOT MY LAW DEGREE.
>> ELIZABETH TODAY.
>> I FORGOT ABOUT THE QUESTION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WELL, CERTAINLY, IT -- IT'S MUCH MORE HISPANIC.
WE HAVE A LOT OF FIRST -- FIRST-GENERATION CUBANS COMING IN WHICH REALLY REVITALIZED THE COMMUNITY.
AND I TELL A STORY ABOUT WE HAVE A VERY POLISH-ITALIAN COMMUNITY, AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN, AS WELL.
BUT NOW WE HAVE A MAJORITY OF HAS HISPANICS AND I TELL A STORY WHEN I WAS 12 YEARS OLD, MY DAD -- THE COMMUNITY WAS BOYCOTTING THE FIRST HISPANIC SCHOOL IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, EXCUSE ME, THAT STORE, AND THEY WALKED OUT AND SAID WHY ARE YOU PATRONIZING THAT STORE, THEY SAID HISPANICS ARE GOING TO MOVE IN.
WE DON'T WANT THEM THERE.
AND MY DAD SAID THEY SELL CIGARETTES IN THAT STORE AND I NEEDED CIGARETTES.
THAT'S WHY I WENT THERE.
I LEARNED THAT FROM MY DAD.
HE BROKE THE BOYCOTT ABOUT STANDING UP, AND -- AND PATRONIZING, AND ACCEPTING ALL IMMIGRANTS.
I SAY THAT WE ARE NOT A MELTING POT IN OUR SOCIETY.
WE -- WE ARE A CASSEROLE.
A CASSEROLE WITH ALL THE FLAVORS, STILL UNIQUE, BUT THEY BLEND TO MAKE US A BETTER AMERICA AND A BETTER CASSEROLE.
>> SERVING IN VIETNAM, YOU GOT A BA IN ECONOMICS FROM RUTGERS.
>> TIME-OUT.
I AM A VIETNAM-ERA VETERAN.
I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO STAY AT FT. DIX DURING MY TIME THERE.
>> AND THEN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT, YOU WENT INTO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
WAS POLITICS ALWAYS THE GOAL FOR YOU?
>> NOT AT ALL.
AS I WRITE IN MY BOOK, I DROPPED OUT OF RUTGERS TWICE.
I HAD A FOOTBALL INJURY.
I WAS DECLARED INELIGIBLE FOR DRAFT BECAUSE OF THE INJURY.
I WENT BACK.
I WASN'T SATISFIED I COULDN'T PLAY BALL THE WAY IUSED TO BE ABLE TO.
DROPPED OUT, AGAIN.
AND THEN, I -- I SAW THE LIGHT AND I -- I WENT BACK, GOT MY DEGREE AT RUTGERS, WENT TO LAW SCHOOL, EVEN GRADUATING LAW SCHOOL, I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WANTED TO DO.
I GRADUATED FOURTH IN MY CLASS.
BUT MY MOM TALKED ME INTO GOING TO A LOCAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY MEETING, AWARD MEETING.
SHE WAS THE DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEEWOMAN.
I WENT TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON, AND LOW AND BEHOLD, ADAM LEVIN, A RECENT LAW-SCHOOL GRADUATE AS WELL.
>> WAS -- WAS RUNNING FOR CONGRESS AND HE WAS A DYNAMIC SPEAKER.
I CAUGHT THE BUG.
TWO YEARS LATER, I WAS IN THE STATE SASSEMBLY.
>> ONE THING I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT YOU IS YOU RAN FOR MAYOR IN ELIZABETH BACK IN 1980.
HOW DID THAT GO?
>> NO, IT DIDN'T GO -- WELL, I -- THE -- THE GUIDE OF ELIZABETH AT THE TIME BUT A VERY RIGHT WING -- BEFORE WE HAD A RIGHT WING -- HE WAS A RIGHT-WING MAYOR, SHOOT TO KILL, HARASS THE HISS PANIC COMMUNITY.
SO I RAN AGAINST HIM.
I CAME IN A CLOSE SECOND.
FELL BEHIND.
BUT IT SAID DONE ON THE COURSE OF GOING AFTER ME.
AND I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
I SAY IT ABOUT THAT IN MY BOOK.
BUT I GOT KNOCKED OFF THE LINE.
I BEAT THE ORGANIZATION 2-1, AND THEN TOOK HIM OUT WITH THE MAYOR.
IT IS A GOOD POLITICAL HISTORY.
>> WAS THAT THE REAL START OF YOUR EDUCATION IN JERSEY' POLITICS?
>> WELL, YOU MEAN THE HARD -- HARD-KNUCKLES PART OF JERSEY POLITICS?
THE GOOD STUFF?
>> YEAH.
>> OH, YEAH.
ACTUALLY, DURING THAT CAMPAIGN, EXPLODED.
THESE -- THESE DRUMS THAT WERE STORED HAPHAZARDLY OF TOXIC MATERIALS BY ORGANIZED CRIME EXPLODED INTO THE AIR, AND THAT IS HOW I BECAME AN ENVIRONMENTALIST.
AND THAT'S WHEN I WENT ON MY MISSION TO DRIVE THE ORGANIZED CRIME OUT OF THE DISPOSAL INDUSTRY.
AND I DID IT.
I HAD NO FEAR AT THE TIME.
I SAY YOUNG.
I WAS YOUNG.
AND I SUFFERED A BRICK THROWN THROUGH THE GLASS WINDOW OF MY LAW FIRM.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I -- I HAVE DONE BECAUSE NOW THE INDUSTRY IS COMPETITIVE.
NOT ONLY WAS IT RUN BY ORGANIZED CRIME BUT THEY CARVED UP -- CARVED OUT TERRITORIES, AND JACKED UP THE PRICE.
SO IT WAS -- IN THE SENATE AND WHY HIS SEAT WAS AVAILABLE.
AS HEAPS IN POLITICS ALL TOO OFTEN, WAS CONVICTED OF SURPRISINGLY INCOME TAX EVASION, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE OTHER CHARGES HE WAS A QUIT OF.
AND I GOT TO REPLACE HIM IN THE SENATE AND I REMEMBER FRANK BARRY AS A SENATOR, A VERY BOMBASTIC SENATOR AND MAYOR OF PATTERSON.
WHEN I WAS WALKING OVER, HE SAID WOZNIAK, THE SENATE ISN'T BIG ENOUGH FOR THE TWO OF US.
AND WE WOUND UP BEING -- BEING REALLY GOOD FRIENDS.
>> YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO SAY, SENATOR, THAT THE HIERARCHY IN POLITICS IS NOTHING LIKE THE HIERARCHY OF AN ORGANIZED-CRIME OPERATION.
I MEAN, THERE IS THE BOSS, CAPPOS, POLITICAL HIT MEN, EXECUTIONS.
>> I SHOULDN'T SAY THIS BUT YOU COULD ALSO SAY THAT ABOUT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
I AM GOING TO LEAVE THAT ONE RIGHT THERE AND LET YOU MOVE ON.
>> IN TERMS OF A HIERARCHY -- HIERARCHY, YES, ABSOLUTELY.
WHEN I RAN FOR GOVERNOR, I COULDN'T GET AN ORGANIZATION'S SUPPORT BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT GOVERNOR MURPHY DID.
AND BASICALLY, OTHERWISE, THEY WOULD HAVE BEAT THE ORGANIZATION IN A DISTRICT.
STATEWIDE, YOU CANNOT DO IT AND THE ORGANIZATION CERTAINLY IS A HIERARCHY.
>>> 1978 TO 2018.
40 YEARS AS A LAWMAKER.
YOU SAY ARE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS?
TWO OR THREE, SENATOR.
>> ABOLISHING THE DEATH PENALTY.
GAY MARRIAGE, SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, MARRIAGE EQUALITY, AND PASSING THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION LAWS IN THE COUNTRY.
AND LET ME THROW IN THERE, WINNING AT THE U.S. SUPREME COURT LEGALIZED SPORTS BETTING.
>> YOU EVOLVED.
>> I DID, AND THEN I HAD A SPIRITUAL CONVERSION REALIZING THERE ARE MISTAKES MADE.
AND THAT IS -- IT IS A TROUBLESOME THING FOR SOCIETY TO -- TO DECIDE WHO IS TO LIVE AND WHO IS TO DIE.
>> YOU, UM, ALSO SUPPORTED VOUCHERS, DID YOU NOT?
>> I DID.
I DID.
>> DO YOU TILL?
>> I -- WELL, HMM -- THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.
I THINK, IN A LIMITED WAY, YES.
THEY CERTAINLY CAN BE VERY, VERY HELPFUL TO PROVIDING COMPETITION, PARTICULARLY FOR -- FOR MINORITY STUDENTS.
YES, I WOULD.
>> ALL RIGHT.
A LOT OF CREDIT FOR YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS BUT YOUR CRITICS SAY THAT YOU GIVE YOURSELF AS MUCH CREDIT AS ANYONE ELSE.
YOU KNOW, THAT CAN BE A LITTLE HARD TO TAKE.
IS THAT FAIR?
>> NO.
NO, IT'S NOT FAIR.
WHAT IS NOT FAIR IS PEOPLE LIKE THE PRESS OFFICE.
BUT EVEN PEOPLE I KNOW HE SEE ME EXCLUSIVELY AS A POWER BROKER.
BY THE WAY, I HAVE A LOT TO BE PROUD OF SO -- I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT MY EGO.
YOEG ANYONE HAS PASSED AS MANY SIGNIFICANT ALLOWS IN THIS STATE AS I HAVE AND I AM PROUD ABOUT THAT.
BUT WHAT IT IS, WHY I WROTE THE BOOK IS TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.
I USED THAT POWER TO DO GOOD THINGS FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY.
>> SO, YOU RAN FOR GOVERNOR IN 2017.
YOU MENTIONED THAT.
THAT FORCED YOU TO GIVE UP YOUR S SENATE SEAT.
DO YOU REGRET NOT STICKING AROUND IN THAT PRIMARY?
>> I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO TAKE ON JOE IN THE PRIMARY.
>> HE WOULDN'T HAVE IF YOU STAYED AROUND?
>> NO, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A CAKEWALK.
HOW CAN HE BEAT ME?
HE TRIED TO BEAT ME TWO YEARS BEFORE THAT.
WITH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND I WON BY 4,500 VOTES.
>> LET ME TAKE IT ANOTHER STEP.
WOULD YOU -- WOULD YOU STILL BEAT HIM NOW?
>> HE IS A LOT STRONGER NOW.
BUT YEAH, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
I AM NOT GOING TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
AND THE REASON I'M NOT IS I AM NOT GOING TO RUN, SO I DON'T WANT TO SEND TREMORS THROUGH POLITICAL CIRCLES HERE IN UNION COUNTY.
>> I HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE LATEST CONTROVERSY INVOLVING YOU WITH YOUR ASSOCIATION WITH THE FORMER-POLITICAL OPERATOR WHO PLEADED GUILTY TO HIRING A GUY WHO YOU SAY WAS YOUR CAMPAIGN MANAGER AND THAT IS IT.
BUT YOU GUYS WERE MORE THAN THAT.
HE IS ALL OVER THESE SUPER PACS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH.
HE'S MADE PAYMENTS AND YOU SEE PAYMENTS FROM GROUPS THAT HAVE TIES TO YOU.
AND A LOT ARE TRYING TO SAY THAT IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT A GUY LIKE YOU DOESN'T KNOW THE RULES AND HOW TO CIRCUMVENT THE RULES.
>> I -- I KNOW THE RULES.
I ABIDE BY THE RULES.
I HAVE 40 YEARS UNBLEMISHED YEARS IN POLITICS.
UNFORTUNATELY, DIDN'T MAKE THE BOOK BECAUSE IT CAME OUT TOO LATE BUT EVERYTHING I TALKED ABOUT IS IN MY BOOK, AND PROFESSORS ARE STARTING TO USE IT AS -- FOR THEIR -- THEIR CLASSES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES.
SO UM -- >> SENATE EOR, DID YOU HAVE NO E THAT HE WAS THE WRONG GUY?
>> HOW COULD YOU?
HE WAS SUCH A GENTLE PERSON.
ALWAYS ABIDING BY THE RULES.
HE INSISTED, AS I DID, THAT WHENEVER WE -- >> SENATOR, I MEAN -- >> I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
DID YOU KNOW THAT?
DID YOU KNOW THAT?
BUT HOW WOULD I KNOW -- OH, BY THE WAY, YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOUR CAMPAIGN MANAGERS SO YOU SHOULD KNOW I HIRED TWO HIT MEN AND THEY KILL SOMEBODY.
YOU THINK HE WOULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT?
>> I GUESS THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.
>> BE SERIOUS.
HEY, RAY, I AM A MURDERER BUT I STILL WANT TO WORK ON YOUR CAMPAIGNS.
>> HAVE YOU EVER SEEN SEAN CATTLE'S DARK SIDE?
>> NOT AT ALL.
MATTER OF FACT, WHEN I WASN'T ABLE TO REACH HIM, HE SAID OH I COULDN'T -- I WAS TAKING MY WIFE TO THE HOSPITAL OR HE HAD SOME HEALTH PROBLEMS OR HIS CHILD.
HE WAS A VERY GENTLE, RESPECTFUL.
ALWAYS CALLED ME SENATOR.
I DON'T THINK ANY -- AT LEAST ANYBODY IN MY CIRCLE -- CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE THOUGHT HE WAS A MURDERER.
>> SO NOW, EVERYBODY IS, UM, TALKING ABOUT SEAN GATO IS A COOPERATING WITNESS.
WHAT IS THE DANGEROUS OF SOMEBODY LIKE THAT COOPERATING WITH FEDERAL PROSECUTORS?
YOU THINK ANYTHING IS GOING TO COME OF THIS?
>> IT MAY.
IT MAY BE THAT BECAUSE, BY THE WAY, THE GUY HE KILLED WAS A DRUG ADDICT.
WE DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS ADDICTED TO OPIOIDS.
WHO KNOWS WHAT IT COULD BE?
>> ALL RIGHT.
THERE IS CERTAINLY NO INDICATION THAT POLITICAL CORRUPTION WAS INVOLVED, THAT IS FOR SURE.
>> YOU ARE SAYING YOUR CONSCIENCE IS CLEAR IN TERMS OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JOHN?
>> STOP IT.
STOP IT.
DON'T EVEN ASK THAT QUESTION.
SHAME ON YOU.
OF COURSE, MY CONSCIENCE IS CLEAR.
STOP IT.
THAT IS AN UNFAIR QUESTION.
>> WHY IS THAT UNFAIR?
>> I WILL TELL YOU HOW IT WAS UNFAIR.
I SPENT 40 YEARS IN AN UNBLEMISHED RECORD IN POLITICS AND YOU ARE GOING TO ASK ME ABOUT MY CONSCIENCE BEING CLEAR BECAUSE MY CAMPAIGN MANAGER IS A MURDERER.
>> OKAY.
WHAT NOW?
WOULD YOU -- WOULD YOU RUN FOR GOVERNOR?
OR ANYTHING ELSE AGAIN?
>> I HAVE THE WOZNIAK INSTITUTE AT CANE UNIVERSITY.
WE ARE ADVOCATING AND PRODUCING RESULTS FOR THE SAME ISSUES THAT DROVE ME MY ENTIRE LIFE, WHETHER IT'S WOMEN'S HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, LGBT, AND NOW VERY MUCH SO ADMIRAL RIGHTS AS WELL SO I AM VERY PLEASED AND HAPPY PLAYING THAT ROLE.
>> THE BOOK IS KUL VATING JUSTICE IN THE GARDEN STATE, MY LIFE IN THE COLORFUL WORLD OF NEW JERSEY' POLITICS.
SENATOR RAY WOZNIAK, THANKS FOR COMING ON WITH US.
GOOD TO SEE YOU, MAN.
>> MY PLEASURE.
NICE TO SEE YOU.
>> WE ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A PULITZER.
NOT FRANKLY, THAT WE WOULD EVER WIN ONE BUT FOR JOURNALISTS, ARTISTS, AND EDUCATORS WHO HAVE, THEY REPRESENT THE BEST OF US.
AND WE HAVE ONE SUCH PERSON WITH US TODAY.
SHE IS THE WINNER OF THE 2022 PULITZER PRIZE IN CRITICISM.
WELCOME TO CHAT BOX PROFESSOR.
PROFESSOR, GOOD TO MEET YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU, I AM REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE.
>> SO, CAN YOU TAKE US TO THE CALL OR HOWEVER IT WAS THAT YOU GOT NOTIFIED THAT YOU HAD WON A PULITZER?
>> YEAH.
SO, I WON A FEW DAYS BEFORE, AND IT IS A SUPER-TOP SECRET EXPERIENCE AND WHAT IS EXCITING ABOUT WINNING AS A JOURNALIST IS "THE NEW YORK TIMES" DOES A REALLY BEAUTIFUL EVENT CELEBRATING FOR WRITERS, CELEBRATING THE MOMENT.
SO, YEAH, IT WAS THE BIGGEST, BEST SECRET I'VE EVER HAD TO KEEP.
BUT REGARDLESS, SO REALLY BLESSED AND SUCH HISTORIC AND RARE COMPANY.
>> AND YOU GET THAT NEWS AWAY FROM EVERYBODY?
CLOSEST FRIENDS?
>> MOTHER'S DAY SO I HAD A LOT OF MOTHER'S DAY -- NOTHING TO DO ABOUT A PULITZER.
>> SO YOU HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTING CRITIC AT LARGE AT "THE TIMES" SINCE 2015.
YOU COVER POPULAR CULTURE, GENDER, SEXUALITY, RACE, AND POLITICS.
IN BOTH POPULAR ENTERTAINMENT AND HIGH ART, DOES THE AWARD COVER YOUR COLLECTIVE WORK OVER THE PAST YEAR?
OR IS IT A SPECIFIC PIECE?
>> I BECAME A CONTRIBUTING CRITIC AT LARGE IN 2020, 2021.
SO THE PULITZER RECOGNIZES SIX PIECES THAT I WROTE WITHIN 2021 AND THEY VARIED FROM A PIECE I WROTE ABOUT AN EXHIBIT AT THE MET, TO THE MOVIE "PASSING."
TO, YOU KNOW, THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN OPRAH WINFREY AND MEGHAN MARKLE AND PRINCE HARRY.
AND THEN, A MAJOR PIECE I DID ABOUT HOW GEORGE FLOYD'S DEATH IMPACTED ME AND THE NATION BUT ALSO HOW I HAD TO RECKON WITH THAT AND ALSO FIND SOLACE.
>> I HAVE TO SAY IT TURNS OUT THAT I HAVE BEEN READING YOU FOR A WHILE NOW, WITHOUT KNOWING IT.
UM, BECAUSE I AM TERRIBLE AT BYLINES.
I READ THE PIECE AND THINK IT IS A BYLINE, YOU KNOW?
>> I DO THAT, TOO, SO YEAH.
>> TWO PIECES OF NOTE THAT I SHARE A LOT OVER THE PAST YEAR.
ONE WAS YOUR ESSAY IN NOVEMBER.
YOU JUST MENTIONED IT ABOUT THE CHARACTERS IN THE FILM "PASSING," WHICH IS ONE OF THE GREAT FILMS OF LAST YEAR.
AND THE OTHER, ABOUT THE SLAP BY SIDNEY POITIER IN THE FILM.
REALLY INSIGHTFUL WORK.
>> THANK YOU.
>> TELL ME ABOUT ANOTHER THING THAT YOU DO.
>> I AM HERE RIGHT NOW.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF A CENTER FOR SOCIALLY ENGAGED ART AND DESIGN HERE IN NEW YORK AND RUTGERS NEW YORK IT IS A UNIVERSITY-SUPPORTED COMMUNITY ART CENTER.
AND SO, WE HOLD CLASSES.
WE SPONSOR EXHIBITIONS.
AND WE ARE VERY SPACE AND A PLACE IN WHICH NEW YORK RESIDENTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN SURROUNDING AREAS, AS WELL AS STUDENTS CAN CREATE TOGETHER, LEARN HE TOGETHER, AND COLLABORATE ON ART THAT MATTERS TO THEMSELVES BUT ALSO MATTERS TO OUR SOCIETY, AND ADDRESSES SIGNIFICANT ISSUES.
RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE AN EXHIBITION CALLED MOMENTS OF POSSIBILITY.
IT IS THE LARGEST EXHIBITION IN THE WORLD AND IT IS COMPRISED OF ABOUT 80 ARTISTS, 180 WORKS.
ARTISTS AGED FROM 9 TO 94 WHO ARE MEDITATING ON THE THEME OF BLACK GIRLHOOD.
AND YOUNG ARTISTS WHO HAVE, FOR THE FIRST TIME, BEING SHOP IN AN EXHIBITION OF THIS TYPE.
>> SO I MEAN, THE WORK YOU DO IS -- OBVIOUSLY, IT INCLUDES ARTS MANAGEMENT, EDUCATION, WRITING CRITICISM.
IS THERE ANY POINT IN -- IN -- UH -- AS YOU'RE COMING UP, DO YOU THINK PULITZER?
I GOTTA WIN A PULITZER?
>> NO.
I MEAN DRN.
>> WHO DOES THAT, RIGHT?
>> YEAH.
I THINK I AM TRAINED IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES, AND SO I WROTE A BOOK LAST YEAR ON "THE COLOR PURPLE."
IN 2021, THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN TO WIN THE FIRST PULITZER FOR FICTION.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE AWARE OF THESE MARKERS OF, UM, SUCCESS.
SO I AM AWARE OF THAT HISTORY BUT, YEAH, I MEAN IT'S NOT SOMETHING I -- I THOUGHT ABOUT WHEN I WAS 9 YEARS OLD.
>> YEAH.
SO I MEAN, IS THAT WHEN YOU DECIDED WHERE YOU WERE GOING IN JUST AN AREA OF STUDY?
A PROFESSION?
>> YEAH, WELL I GREW UP IN THE ARTS.
WENT TO ARTS HIGH SCHOOL, STUDENT HERE.
AND I WAS BORN IN BOSTON.
AND SO, WITH MY SISTER.
AND SO, WE WERE EXPOSED TO THE ARTS THERE.
I WOULD SOMETIMES COME IN THE SUMMER AND TAKE CLASSES AT THE MUSEUM HERE SO ART WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS FOUNDATIONAL TO HOW WE EXPERIENCED LIFE IN OUR HOUSE AND THEN -- AND IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, I GREW UP REALLY BEING SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF ART TO MAKE PEOPLE CONNECT TO EACH OVER AND TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES.
WHEN I WENT TO COLLEGE, I WAS INTRODUCED TO LOTS OF OVER ARTISTS.
WHETHER THEY WERE, FILMMAKERS OR OTHER NOVELISTS.
SO THEY WERE STARTING TO, I THINK, HAVE A BROADER SWEEP IN SOME WAYS OF THE KIND OF ARTIST THAT I COULD WRITE ABOUT.
LIKE CRITICAL ESSAYS ASK THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I THINK GROWING UP WITH A REALLY RICH ARTISTIC IDENTITY, AND THEN GOING TO COLLEGE, AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT MEANS AND ONCE AT THE AACADEMY IN LIVINGSTON, I HAD REALLY AMAZING ENGLISH TEACHERS THERE WHO TAUGHT ME THE POWER OF ESSAY AND HOW IT READ LITERATURE.
SO I WENT TO COLLEGE, I WENT TO UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
I ALSO DISCOVERED A BIG BREADTH OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE, AND SO I WAS ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP AN IDENTITY AND DEVELOP A LANGUAGE OF VOCABULARY THAT ALLOWED ME TO ANALYZE THAT.
>> BECAUSE YOU DON'T DO ENOUGH ALREADY, YOU ALSO CO-HOST THE PODCAST.
>> YEAH.
EXCITED.
I MEAN, I AM EXCITED OF COURSE BUT I AM ALSO EXCITED ABOUT THE TWO AWARDS.
IN THE FALL OF LAST YEAR, UM, IT WAS ANITA HILL'S TESTIMONY BEFORE CONGRESS WITH ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT BY THEN-SUPREME COURT NOMINEE CLARENCE THOMAS.
WELL, THEY WANTED TO TAKE STOCK OF WHAT HER TESTIMONY MEANT BUT ALSO WHAT WAS THE INFLUENCE, THE LEGACY OF ANITA HILL COMING FORWARD IN THAT -- IN THAT MOMENT?
HOW DID IT INFLUENCE A POLITICIAN LIKE [ INAUDIBLE ] TO RUN FOR OFFICE?
SHE BECAME THE FIRST BLACK FEMALE SENATOR.
I MEAN, HOW DID IT INFLUENCE ME, TOO?
IT WAS REALLY EXCITING AND REALLY QUITE PRECIOUS IS WE HAD THE FIRST PUBLIC COMPETITION BETWEEN ANITA HILL AND CHRISTIAN BLASEY FORD.
BUT SO IT WAS A REALLY BEAUTIFUL DYNAMIC.
ALSO, PRETTY GOOD SENSE OF WHAT'S CHANGED AND WHAT HASN'T CHANGED.
>> I HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS BUT I HAVE TO ASK YOU TO PLUG SOMETHING YOU ARE WORKING ON NOW CALL "ALL THE RAGE"?
OR YOU GOT TO KEEP A SECRET?
>> MY LIFE'S WORK.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I AM VERY EXCITED WHAT IS GOING TO BE DONE NEXT YEAR.
IT IS JUST ABOUT ME AND THE WORLD SHE MADE AND ABOUT HER.
THEY LOOKED AT HER INFLUENCE IN AMERICAN CULTURE.
HER LIFE AND OUR -- OUR WORLD TODAY AND WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TODAY.
>> AWESOME.
LOOK FORWARD TO BIGGER NEWS OF THAT LAST YEAR.
PROFESSOR PHILLIP IS THE WINNER OF THE 2022 PULITZER PRIZE FOR CRITICISM.
SHE'S LIKE, WOW.
>> THANK.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THAT IS CHAT BOX FOR THIS WEEK.
OUR THANKS ALSO TO RAY.
UJ FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AT DAVID CRUZ NJ AND BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR MORE LIVE STREAMS FROM AROUND THIS BEAT -- BUSINESS BEAT, NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS, AND OTHER EXCLUSIVE CONTENT.
HEY, THANKS FOR WATCHING.
I AM DAVID CRUZ.
FROM THE ENTIRE CREW OVER HERE, HAVE A GREAT WEEK.
>> Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "CHAT BOX WITH DAVID CRUZ" IS PROVIDED BY NJM INSURANCE GROUP, SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.
PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY INSIDER NJ.
A POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE NETWORK DEDICATED TO NEW JERSEY POLITICAL NEWS.
INSIDER NJ IS COMMITTED TO GIVING PLAYERS AN INTERACTIVE FORUM FOR CREDIT WIDEAS, DISCUSSION, AND INSIGHT.
LEARN MORE AT NJ INSIDER.COM.
♪ ♪