VOA -- CONNECT
EPISODE 17
AIR DATE: 05 11 2018
TRANSCRIPT
OPEN ((VO/NAT))
((Banner))
Eat Your Homework
((SOT))
The idea of my books is to have really complicated topics and figure out what they mean by using food.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Eat and Learn
((SOT))
We choose our recipes for this class to give our students an idea of what American cuisine and cooking is all about.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Just Eat
((SOT))
We’ll be firing up the pits, turning the meat, mopping the meat, moving meat around. Whatever we need to be ready by 8 o’clock.
((Open Animation))
BLOCK A
((Banner: Learning Through Food))
((PKG)) EDIBLE ALPHABET
((Banner: Edible Alphabet))
((Reporter/Camera: June Soh))
((Adapted by: Zdenko Novacki))
((Map: United States / Philadelphia, Pennsylvania))
((NATS OF PARTICIPANTS))
"I am from Iran." "Taiwan", "From Indonesia", "From Iran", "From Brazil", "I am from France."
((LIZ FITZGERALD, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA))
Edible Alphabet is one of the Culinary Literacy Center’s programs. And what we are doing at Edible Alphabet is we are teaching our students English through cooking.
((YUCHEN LIOU, ENGLISH INSTRUCTOR))
And for B, the first picture is someone is mixing ingredients. So, you need to describe the picture to your partner.
((LIZ FITZGERALD, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA))
Each week, the students are learning English through a recipe, and they're learning the names of ingredients. They're learning where to buy the ingredients. They're learning how to navigate a grocery store.
((JAMESON O'DONNELL, CHEF INSTRUCTOR))
We choose our recipes for this class to give our students an idea of what American cuisine and cooking is all about. For example, we choose a lesson on pancakes and use that as a springboard to talk about American breakfast traditions. We also like to hear from the students about what they eat for breakfast in their home countries. And then we talk about what they might expect to find in an American restaurant or in a supermarket when they go looking for breakfast foods.
((PARASTOO KHAVAR, FROM IRAN))
I like this class very much because it was fun for me and was more useful than other classes.
((LIZ FITZGERALD, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA))
Our students are also sharing that they feel more comfortable in Philadelphia. That's been some feedback that we've gotten that after being in our class, that Philadelphia seems to be a friendlier place. And that to me is, it's just beautiful. It's a real big part of why we're doing this in the first place.
((JAMESON O'DONNELL, CHEF INSTRUCTOR))
I think this class gives our students the cultural literacy that they need to feel comfortable in their new home. When you are moving to a new country, many things will seem strange and unusual to you. And this class seeks to familiarize those elements.
((PKG)) EAT YOUR HOMEWORK
((Banner: Eat Your Homework))
((Reporter: Masha Morton))
((Camera & Video Editor: Mikheil Maiduradze))
((Map: United States / Rockville, Maryland))
((ANN MCCALLUM, TEACHER and AUTHOR))
This is actually my favorite picture. The illustrator did this one. It’s an astronaut yeah, but the little cupcakes….
What do the following items have in common: the tile floor in the bathroom, the chain-link fence at school and the outside of your soccer ball? All three are examples of tessellations.
Go on a tessellation treasure hunt around your home. Can you find examples of polygons that tessellate? This next tasty treat, tessellating two-color brownies, are not only knock-your-socks-off delicious, but they also make a terrific tessellation.
The idea of my books is to have really complicated topics and figure out what they mean by using food.
I actually used to work at an elementary school. I worked at North Chevy Chase Elementary School and I was a math teacher.
Some of them really didn’t like math that much, and so I was always trying to make it exciting.
So one day we decided, it was just before winter break, and I decided that they were going to make these mathematical ginger bread houses. They measured out the perimeter of the roof. They found circles and different shapes. They measured how long the path was. They just made them mathematical. And when I went home that day I thought, wow, this is a great way to teach kids about math.
So you basically take the baking soda and the sugar and you make a little bit of a paste with water, and then you take a q-tip and paint it on the pizza dough. Put them into the oven, and they come out with the writing.
Something was brewing in America in 1773, and it wasn’t just tea or coffee. Anger towards the British parliament was about to boil over. On December 16, colonists organized a protest called the Boston Tea Party. Patriots, Americans against British rule, met in taverns and coffee houses to plan what to do next. On the menu was coffee and honey jumble cookies with a dollop of politics, of course.
You should always be thinking, how can I get people interested in this? How can I be a role model? How can I portray that this is really important and interesting and the stepping stone for, you know, more learning?
((ANN MCCALLUM, TEACHER and AUTHOR))
If you know that you figured out something hard previously, then when it does get hard, when something comes along that really puzzles you, maybe you’ll persevere, maybe you’ll continue with it because you know that you figured it out the last time.
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up….
((Banner))
Craving BBQ
((SOT))
Yeah, I will cry if I don’t get any barbeque. Drove 200 miles to try this place. Yeah, I’m going to be in tears. Big crocodile tears.
BREAK ONE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK B
((Banner: Food as Sustenance))
((PKG)) BBQ AND LOVE
((Banner: BBQ and Love))
((Reporter/Camera: Gabrielle Weiss))
((Map: United States / Lexington, Texas))
((Banner: Norma Frances “Tootsie” Tomanetz was a 2018 James Beard award semi-finalist for “Best Chef of the Southwest”))
((Norma Frances Tomanetz, “Tootsie”, Pitmaster, Snow’s BBQ))
Barbeque is a hard work. It’s a hard job. It’s a dirty job. Oh, you could come out here all painted up and makeup but how long is that going to last? If you’re going to want to keep your face nice, don’t get into the barbeque business. You don’t have that many women that are pitmasters. You definitely don’t have that many at my age (83 years old) that are pitmasters. Some of them may be pretty close to my age.
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
It ain’t no big deal for her. That’s just normal working for her.
((Norma Frances Tomanetz, “Tootsie”, Pitmaster, Snow’s BBQ)) I’m Norma Frances Tomanetz, pitmaster at Snow’s BBQ in Lexington, Texas. But you just call me Tootsie.
My alarm went off this morning at 1:15. So I get up, dress and drive 17 miles and I’m here at 2 am every Saturday morning. We’ll be firing up the pits, turning the meat, mopping the meat, moving meat around. Whatever we need to be ready by 8 o’clock. In this pit, we have our chickens. Over here, we have our pork steaks. I’ve turned those and mopped them already. We’ll have sausage on this far pit. The first big pit on the right is our spare ribs. The big pit on the left is the briskets.
((Man waiting in line))
I got here at 5:11. You eat this barbeque, there’s no chance you’ll become a vegan anytime the rest of your life. This barbeque could bring world peace, it is that good.
((Norma Frances Tomanetz, “Tootsie”, Pitmaster, Snow’s BBQ))
Do they need more heat?
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
I turned these back over. And I think if we don’t put no heat on them, they’ll be good.
((Norma Frances Tomanetz, “Tootsie”, Pitmaster, Snow’s BBQ)) I can tell when they’re done because I can tell how tender they are. Over the years I’ve learned the feel of the cook of meat. Water, onion, and I boil that down. Then I add dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. But I don’t measure any of it. I just pour and hope it turns out good.
((Man outside in line))
We got here at 6:45. We’re here for Tootsie, I mean, you know, she kicks ass. So, I want her barbeque, that’s why I’m here. We are ordering absolutely everything. So, I’m really excited about obviously the brisket, we’ve heard great things, but I know, pork steak, jalapeno sausage, smoked chicken, all of it. We’re going to get a full spread.
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
Y’all ready?
((Woman working behind the counter))
We are ready. I’m ready.
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
Alright, we’re going to go ahead and open up. I appreciate everybody coming. We’ll take 4 or 5 at a time in there. We’ll run everybody through the inside. Thank y’all.
((Man ordering food))
Little bit of everything. Half pound of brisket, half pound of ribs, half pound of pork shoulder and half a chicken.
((Woman in line))
It smells unbelievable in here. Words can’t describe it.
((Woman working behind the counter))
Good luck.
((Man with tray))
Thank you.
((Woman working behind the counter))
You don’t need luck. I have all kinds of faith in y’all.
((Man eating))
Well worth getting up at 4 o’clock in the morning for. That’s for sure.
((Men sitting at table))
It’s 8 am right now.
((Man sitting at table))
Is it really 8 am?
((Men sitting at table))
8:30 maybe?
((Men sitting at table))
Holy cow.
((Men sitting at table))
The pork shoulder is out of this world. I’ve never had pork shoulder like this anywhere else.
((Man sitting at table))
I’ve lost 50 pounds in the last, like, six months. So this is like my first real good outing since having chicken broth for breakfast and smoothies for lunch. This is what I come do it for. So, it’s worth it to just binge on the good stuff every now and then.
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
We just got the same work habits. If there’s something to be done, we’re going to do it and take a break later. Everybody don’t think that way.
((Norma Frances Tomanetz, “Tootsie”, Pitmaster, Snow’s BBQ)) We’re both in the workaholic condition.
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
That’s kind of our enjoyment is working. Today’s young’uns don’t realize that at all. It’s hard to find somebody that wants to work. If she was about forty-five years younger, I’d be chasing her.
((Norma Frances Tomanetz, “Tootsie”, Pitmaster, Snow’s BBQ)) If I was forty-five years younger, I’d run like hell.
((Man pushing coolers, works at Snow’s BBQ))
I’m sending in twelve and I’ve got twelve left.
((Norma Frances Tomanetz, “Tootsie”, Pitmaster, Snow’s BBQ)) We’ll run out of meat. I don’t know how many briskets we got.
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
I hate it this time of the morning when you’ve got so many in line and there’s some of them that are not going to get anything. Telling them that you’re, you know, possibly going to be sold out by the time they get there. Just kind of inform them that it’s not a sure shot.
I’m not bringing bad news. I’m just telling you it’s getting, it’s going to be real slim back here I’m thinking. Just a good exact count right now is like 27 briskets and there’s about 7 ribs. Pork’s going to be close but I don’t want y’all to be disappointed when there’s nothing. I try to keep you informed as well as we can. And I’ve got cold beer. Anybody?
((Man from crowd))
You selling beer?
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
I don’t want no money.
((People from crowd))
Thank you sir. Thank you.
((Young boy waiting in line))
If they run out of food, I would cry.
((Man waiting in line))
Yeah, I will cry if I don’t get any barbeque. Drove 200 miles to try this place. Yeah, I’m going to be in tears. Big crocodile tears.
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
We’ll keep you posted.
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
We are totally out except for the vacuum sealed ribs.
((Man from crowd))
We got to the door.
((Man inside shop))
They ran out. But they have some vacuum sealed stuff. So, we’ll go with that one. We’ll go that route. I’m not coming away empty handed.
((Norma Frances Tomanetz, “Tootsie”, Pitmaster, Snow’s BBQ)) Everything’s washed up and ready for next Saturday. So now I’ll rest ‘till I’m ready to go home. Most people at this age want to sit down in a rocking chair and take it easy and I’m still cooking. I pray that God continues to give me good health and a clear mind that I can cook for a long time yet..
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up….
((Banner))
A Welcoming Place
((SOT))
There is a lot of cultural differences. But because of this base value of welcome, we find that what that really does is it enriches us rather than challenges us.
BREAK TWO
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK C
((Banner: Coffee as Community))
((PKG)) COFFEE LOST BOYS -- SUDAN
((Banner: Coffee with Impact))
((Reporter/Camera: June Soh))
((Adapted by: Randall Taylor))
((Map: United States / Washington, D.C.))
((Banner: A former Lost Boy – a child displaced by Sudan’s civil war – now runs a socially conscious coffee business))
((MANYANG KHER, OWNER, 734 COFFEE))
700 million people drink coffee every day. So we are hoping that through coffee, and not just any coffee, a great coffee, a best coffee that comes from that region where refugees live, will be able to reach more people. Then they will be able to learn about the refugee crisis and the refugee social entrepreneur right. A cup of 734 coffee can buy….This cup can buy one fishing net. Also, it can buy pens, can help with our scholarship system to send kid to school.
We want to focus on ‘aid-free’, meaning you want to give them the tools to help themselves.
((MEGAN MURPHY, OWNER, CAPITAL CITY CONFECTIONERY))
The customers love it. Whenever they find out about the project, about the mission, they connect right with it. Coffee tastes delicious and so it’s a win-win on both sides. You get to enjoy coffee and at the same time, be part of a bigger project.
((MANYANG KHER, OWNER, 734 COFFEE))
734 is a geographical coordination of refugee camp in Ethiopia where 250,000 refugees live. I know the struggle those refugees face every day. When I was three years old, my village was attacked and then it was burned down by the northern part of the government. So, we the children, when our village was burned, and we separated from our parents, we’d run and run to Ethiopia and then we become refugees.
((Banner: At 16, Kher came to the US as an unaccompanied minor refugee))
((MANYANG KHER, OWNER, 734 COFFEE))
Too many children are dying along the way. You’re in fear every day because you think you’re going to die too. You see kids dying of hunger because they don’t have food. You see kids dying of cholera. You see kids dying from disease. You see kids just running away from refugee camps. They just wanted to go to a place to be home and they die there on the way. That’s why we give a fishing net, because they can go to the river and fish for themselves. If you build more community gardens, they can grow their own food. If you also build a water well, now you create a community because they can get their water there. They can grow their own food there. They can also open their own market there. You know, like, two hundred thousand refugees is a market. A lot of different NGOs went to Gambella because of the advocate work we’ve done within them. But the thing that we’ve actually done, give the people fishing nets, water wells, all those things made a huge, huge difference within the system of refugees.
((PKG)) COFFEE TRUCK / REFUGEES
((Banner: Coffee and Cultures))
((Reporter: Saleh Damiger))
((Camera: Yahya Albarznji))
((Adapted by: Zdenko Novacki))
((Map: United States / Clarkston, Georgia))
((KITTI MURRAY, FOUNDER, REFUGE COFFEE))
Refuge was started because my husband and I moved here to this community and we fell in love with our neighbors. And really at the very heart, we just wanted other people to know the refugee community. We felt like this was a hidden jewel in Atlanta and a great way to introduce a group of people to another group of people is coffee. There was a need for job training to prepare people who are new to this country, to get jobs that can help them to thrive, not just survive. We have had people from all different religions and countries, and there is a lot of cultural differences. But because of this base value of welcome, we find that what that really does is it enriches us rather than challenges us.
((AHMAD ALZOUKANI, EMPLOYEE, REFUGE COFFEE))
I went through the program which is like a year of job training, development skills which gave me a lot of experience to change too many things and learn the system here.
((LION SHOMBANA, EMPLOYEE, REFUGE COFFEE))
I am very happy to help other refugees to improve their work skills and their language skills.
((KITTI MURRAY, FOUNDER, REFUGE COFFEE))
I have learned so much about other cultures and there is so much beauty in them, and we miss out when we do not know those people, and we just put them in a box and label them. We are in the business of welcome, and welcome is something every human being needs and is something every human being can give. So, it’s a universal capacity and it’s a universal need.
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up….
((Banner))
Something Normal
((SOT))
Everyone will be happy even if, you know, we’ve obviously experienced something really terrible.
BREAK THREE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK D
((PKG)) PARKLAND MEMORIAL
((Banner: Tragedy and Healing))
((Reporter/Camera: Esha Serai))
((Video Editors: Ali Shaker, Marcus Harton))
((Adapted by: Philip Alexiou))
((Map: United States / Fort Lauderdale, Florida))
((Banner: In February 2018, a gunman killed 17 people at a Parkland, Florida high school))
((RABBI MENDY GUTNICK, CHABAD OF PARKLAND))
There has always been a similar experience in our history, where Alyssa too will always pray on behalf of those who are here, on behalf of those who speak to her and remember her. As a sign of great honor and respect as we consecrate the headstone, because it also marks our love and connection that will forever remain an eternal testament to last over the years.
((ILAN ALHADEFF, ALYSSA’S FATHER))
Help us celebrate her life. Come to the beach today, which was her favorite place. After today, and if you are feeling down and low, remember that Alyssa is with you. She’ll lift you up and she’ll laugh with you. #liveforalyssa.
((Banner: Later that week..))
((NIKHITA NOOKALA, SENIOR STUDENT, MARJORY STONEMEN DOUGLAS))
I always knew I was going to prom. I have looked forward to it since freshman year, so I was excited.
((SUZANNA BARNA, SENIOR STUDENT, MARJORY STONEMEN DOUGLAS))
You only get one prom and it’s kind of what every high schooler looks forward to and I kind of just wanted to be just really happy night that I am always going to remember with my friends. So I’m trying to not let it be different than how it would have been before everything happened, but, I mean, obviously it is different, like we are going to have people who could have been at a prom, not there.
((NIKHITA NOOKALA, SENIOR STUDENT, MARJORY STONEMEN DOUGLAS))
It’s something normal, and that’s when everyone will be happy even if, you know, we’ve obviously experienced something really terrible, but that is one night where we could forget everything and still remember all of our friends and things like that.
((NIKHITA NOOKALA, SENIOR STUDENT, MARJORY STONEMEN DOUGLAS))
There is a lot of people from the community that wanted to help out and sponsor our prom and the venue itself gave a really big discount and the Alumni network that we have secured the DJ and the party favors and so we didn’t have to pay for any of that.
((MICHELLE DITTMEIER, SENIOR STUDENT, MARJORY STONEMEN DOUGLAS))
Everybody, kind of, wants to be there because people can’t be there. There’s like over 800 people going, so it’s a lot more than normal. We are living life like we’re kids because we are even though we now have to act a little more mature because of what has happened, but we are still just normal kids.
CLOSING ((ANIM))
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