Daniel Penny, the former Marine who put Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold on an F train was arraigned and charged on Friday with second-degree manslaughter for the death of Mr. Neely. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Joining us to discuss the legal aspects of the case and what we can expect moving forward are: criminal defense attorney and former Assistant District Attorney for Manhattan, Jeremy Saland; and former NYPD detective who is a board member of the Amadou Diallo Foundation, Graham Weatherspoon.

New York City’s youth represent the future of the city. But seldom have policy makers and elected officials asked young people about the issues that matter to them most. A group of young students and advocates are making their mission to change that. For the last two years, NYC Youth Agenda Coalition, comprised of high-school and college-aged students from across the five boroughs, has been putting together a set of policy proposals based on the concerns and priorities of surveyed NYC youth. The young advocates first came together in 2020 to spotlight and address the issues NYC youth faced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Lives Matters protests, increasing youth mental health crisis, and more. Tonight, members of the NYC Youth Agenda Steering Committee talk about their newly unveiled 2023 NYC Youth Agenda, a set of recommendations that they have presented to leaders at City Hall. The young advocates talk about the key issues spotlighted in the most recent survey: economic mobility, educational equity, environmental justice, housing security, and mental health.

CHASING THE DREAM: KRISTI YAMAGUCHI DISCUSSES HER ROLE AS GRAND MARSHAL OF THE 2023 JAPAN PARADE

Tonight, U.S. Olympic figure skating legend Kristi Yamaguchi shares her journey from gold medal to champion of childhood literacy and a gives a preview as the Grand Marshal of the 2nd annual Japan Parade coming to Central Park on Saturday, May 13.

QUANTUM LEAP: THE NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT COULD CHANGE HUMANITY

Physicist and bestselling author Dr. Michio Kaku joins MetroFocus to discuss his latest book “Quantum Supremacy” on the new technology that he says will change humanity…and it’s not artificial intelligence!

BREAKING NEWS: REP. GEORGE SANTOS IS CHARGED WITH 13 CRIMINAL COUNTS AND FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IS FOUND LIABLE FOR SEXUAL ABUSE, DEFAMATION

Tonight, we break down the legal troubles facing former President Donald Trump and New York Congressman George Santos. Today, Rep. Santos surrendered himself to authorities at a federal court on Long Island where Justice Department prosecutors charged him with 13-counts of fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds, and lying to Congress. Yesterday, a Manhattan federal jury found former President Trump liable for sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll, and they awarded her $5 million in damages for her battery and defamation claims. Joining MetroFocus to discuss both cases is Matthew Galluzzo, a criminal and civil litigator, and a former prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.

NYC’S FIRST FEMALE FIREFIGHTER LEADS THE CHARGE TO BUILD MONUMENTS TO WOMEN

Forty years ago, Brenda Berkman paved the way for women to join the FDNY – winning a federal discrimination lawsuit against the City of New York that made it possible for women become New York City firefighters for the first time in history. After serving 25 years in the FDNY and retiring as Captain, a career that included acting as a first responder during 9/11, Berkman decided to take a leap and follow her passion for activism and for art. The trailblazing firefighter joins MetroFocus to discuss her experiences as one of the first and few women on the force, and about her work for the organization Monumental Woman, which in 2020 unveiled the first statue of real women in Central Park: the Women’s Rights Pioneers Monument of Sojourner Truth, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony.

GUEST: BRENDA BERKMAN – RETIRED FDNY CAPTAIN & VICE PRESIDENT OF PROGRAMS, MONUMENTAL WOMEN

Peril & Promise: The Women-Led, Indigenous-Owned Kelp Farm Restoring Long Island's Waters & Protecting New York From Climate Change

Long Island is on the frontlines of the global climate crisis, ranking among the most vulnerable metro areas in the country. Decades of nitrogen pollution from aging septic systems and fertilizer runoff have only made the situation worse, and the Shinnecock Indian Nation is helping lead the fight to keep communities from going underwater. The Shinnecock Kelp Farmers, a multi-generational, women-led nonprofit, is expanding their kelp hatchery and farm in Southampton to counter the effects of climate change and restore the waters they’ve lived on for thousands of years. The group recently teamed up with The Nature Conservancy, the global conservation organization, on their expansion and joining us to discuss these efforts are: Tela Troge, Director of the Shinnecock Kelp Farmers, and Tiffany Waters, Global Aquaculture Manager for The Nature Conservancy.

Inside Akwesasne Freedom School

Jenna Flanagan travels to the Akwesasne Freedom School in upstate New York for a firsthand look at a Mohawk tribe’s fight to reclaim its roots by taking control of its children’s education- starting with an encouraged ban on speaking English, in favor of their native language and culture.

Tonight, in the look ahead at the major headlines for this week: protestors in New York City are calling for charges in the death of Jordan Neely, who was Black, after he was put in a chokehold by a Marine veteran Daniel Penny, who is white, on an F train - killing him, according to the medical examiner. The incident, and the lack of charges so far, has ignited a heated debate in New York City about the homelessness crisis, the mental health crisis, subway safety, and the justice system. We’ll also look at the impact on New York of President Joe Biden’s decision to send 1,500 troops to the U.S.- Mexico Border. It comes as the Trump-era immigration policy known as Title 42 is set to expire on Thursday. Joining us to discuss these issues are: Basil Smikle, a Distinguished Lecturer and Director of the Public Policy Program at Hunter College and former Executive Director of the New York State Democratic Party; Joseph Pinion, a GOP political strategist and former Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in New York; and Ellis Henican, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and political analyst.

"Trail to Zero" Horseback Ride Brings Awareness to Veteran Suicide, Mental Health, and the Benefits of Equine Therapy

According to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, each day on average 20 veterans take their own lives. To bring awareness to this crisis, BraveHearts, the leading equine rehabilitation program for veterans, annually embarks on its “Trail to Zero” ride in New York City. Veterans make a 20-mile journey on horseback through the streets of New York City – one mile for every veteran lost to suicide daily. Tonight, as part of National Military Appreciation Month, we revisit our interview with BraveHearts Administrative Director Jeanna Sorgani and Marine Corps veteran Ben Jalove who discussed the ride, as well as the benefits of equine therapy for veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms.

MetroFocus Special Report: Meet the "Paws of War"

They are the four-legged companions helping the nation’s veterans recover from the emotional effects of war.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and tonight we look at the impact of anxiety on children and teens. American adolescence is undergoing a drastic change. Three decades ago, the gravest public health threats to teenagers in the United States came from binge drinking, drunken driving, teenage pregnancy and smoking. These have since fallen sharply, replaced by a new public health concern: soaring rates of mental health disorders. A new documentary, “Anxious Nation” unfolds the epidemic of anxiety in America and explores why we are such an anxious nation. The project was born in 2018, when producer/co-director and writer Laura Morton felt overwhelmed and isolated trying to understand her daughter Sevey’s extreme anxiety. With a camera in hand, Laura and her team traveled the country talking to parents, kids, and experts about their experiences with anxiety and what they were doing to manage it. In 2021, which saw our families through the most intense time of COVID and how the pandemic impacted their already fragile state, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Vanessa Roth joined the project to co-direct. Tonight - Laura, Vanessa and Sevey join MetroFocus to discuss the film and how the crisis of anxiety and mental health in America is specifically impacting kids and their families.

GUEST: LAURA MORTON – CO-DIRECTOR, “ANXIOUS NATION”

GUEST: VANESSA ROTH – CO-DIRECTOR, “ANXIOUS NATION”

GUEST: SEVEY MORTON – TEEN MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE

Actress and Activist Sophia Bush Discusses The Importance of Investing in Women-Run Business

Sophia Bush, known for her starring roles on the iconic tv shows One Tree Hill and Chicago PD, along with her business partner, Nia Batts, is leading the charge in a new type of business approach, called social entrepreneurship. The two women have been working together for years to invest in projects that make a positive impact on society and uplift women across the country. From creating a new type of hair salon that caters to all women, to investing in America’s smaller, and often forgotten cities, to partnering with the first fully women funded, owned, and operated bank in the country. Sophia Bush joins MetroFocus to discuss how high-profile investors can leverage their fame, business experience, and access to capital to help others.

New Yorker Discusses Upcoming Civilian Mission to Orbit The Moon

For the first time ever, a group of everyday civilians will be going to space to orbit the moon. The SpaceX expedition, known as dearMoon, is being paid for by Japanese billionaire entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa, who will not only be going on the trip himself, but who has also selected eight others to join him, free of charge. Over one million people applied for the six-day journey, all of them artists without any prior experience in outer space. The eight lucky winners were those who Maezawa believed could push the boundaries of their respective fields and most help society in some way by being a part of this expedition. One of the artists chosen, Brendan Hall, is a New York-based documentary filmmaker, and he joins MetroFocus to discuss the upcoming 2023 dearMoon mission.

GUEST: BRENDAN HALL – NEW YORK DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER WHO WILL BE ONE OF THE FIRST CIVILIANS TO ORBIT THE MOON

On March 16, 2021, a 21-year-old white man murdered eight people in attacks on three separate spas across metropolitan Atlanta. Six of the eight victims were women of Asian descent.  In the aftermath of the shootings, Asian American filmmakers Gina Kim and Titi Yu set out to tell the story. The result is the PBS documentary “Rising Against Asian Hate: One Day in March.” Gina and Titi join us to discuss the perspective they bring to their work, and what they have discovered about the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in the face of anti-Asian violence.  We also hear the emotional and inspiring story of Robert Peterson, whose mother Yong Ae Yue was killed in the shootings, and is featured in the film.