Originally aired November 2019

As we gear up to celebrate America’s independence, beloved Hollywood actor Tom Hanks honors the brave warriors who served our country in times of war. See how Hanks teamed up with group of veterans to bring Shakespeare to life in a one-of-a-kind theater production of Henry IV.

In April 2020, U.S. Army Spc. Vanessa Guillén was murdered after reporting her assault that took place at Fort Hood in Texas. In late November 2022, Cecily Aguilar, the only person charged in connection with Vanessa’s murder, pled guilty to four counts, including accessory to murder after the fact, and now faces up to 30 years in prison. While this decision is a victory for Vanessa’s family, the problem of sexual harassment and assault, as well as retaliation for those reporting these crimes, remains a major issue in our armed forces. A documentary, available to stream on Univision.com called #IamVanessaGuillen, covers the issue of sexual violence in our military and tells Vanessa’s story, including how her situation inspired countless others to share their own stories of abuse and push for change in the military. Joining us to discuss the film are producer and director Andrea Patiño Contreras; and Karina López, a military sexual assault survivor.

Just over fifty years ago, Geraldo Rivera shocked the nation with his groundbreaking exposé on the abuse taking place at Willowbrook State School, at the time the largest institution in the world for people living with disabilities. Geraldo’s reporting, which featured interviews with patients and images of the deplorable conditions at the facility, led to the eventual closing of Willowbrook and the passage of civil rights protections for people with developmental disabilities. A new documentary, created by the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, titled, “The Path Forward: Remembering Willowbrook,” looks back on this historic event, 50 years later.

Chasing The Dream: "A Decent Home"

When housing on the lowest rung of the American dream is being devoured by the wealthiest of the wealthy, whose dream are we serving? America ReFramed documentary “A Decent Home,” addresses urgent issues of class and economic (im)mobility through the lives of mobile home park residents who can’t afford housing anywhere else. “A Decent Home” is the first documentary to focus on mobile home parks and the injustices faced by park residents. Director Sara Terry joins MetroFocus to talk about the film. We also talk to Empire Justice Center Senior Staff Attorney Kirsten Keefe about the legal rights protections New York legislators have in the works to support residents of the state’s 1,800 trailer home parks.

A Chinese American Tale

Award-wining author Ava Chin (Eating Wildly) traces her ancestors’ journey from China to New York City in a new memoir, “Mott Street: A Chinese American Family’s Story of Exclusion and Homecoming.” Raised by a single mother in 1970s Queens, Chin knew close to nothing about the father who walked out on her. Driven by a need to fill the holes in her personal narrative, she painstakingly pieced together the beats of her family’s migration, coming up against a discrepancy that distorts many families like hers—the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Eventually, Chin zeroed in on a single building in New York’s Chinatown that she learned housed multiple generations from both sides of her family.

George Floyd "Rise & Remember"

Three years after George Floyd’s murder, a celebration of his life at the very place it ended. Tonight, how his family is celebrating his legacy and the progress made since his passing with the annual “Rise and Remember” festival. His aunt, Angela Harris is our special guest.

"Fresh Plywood NYC"

Kurt Boone, urban photographer and author of “Fresh Plywood NYC: Artists Rise Up In The Age Of Black Lives Matter” forgotten story of the artists who painted hundreds of protest murals across New York after George Floyd was killed.

One on One With Jamaal Bowman

Aggressive and Confrontational. That is what some Republicans have called democratic New York congressman Jamaal Bowman. He says he’s passionate and dedicated. Tonight, the Congressman joins us to discuss his controversial approach to governing and tackle the issues affecting New Yorkers.

"Stars and Shadows: The Politics of Interracial Friendship From Jefferson To Obama"

Rutgers Political Science Professor Saladin Ambar has made it his mission to analyze two centuries of noteworthy interracial friendships that have often served as models for advancing racial equity. He joins us to discuss what we can learn from these extraordinary relationships, which are the foundation of his new book, “Stars and Shadows: The Politics of Interracial Friendship from Jefferson to Obama.”

The brutal killing of a New York City grandmother in her Upper West Side apartment is reinforcing fears among some older New Yorkers that they’re not safe in the city. It's also empowering others to spread the potentially life-saving lessons of martial arts to seniors. Maria Hernandez was discovered bound and strangled in January and two men have been charged with her murder. The case underscores the rise in violence targeting older New Yorkers with The New York Times reporting that violent crimes against people 65 and older rose about 10 percent last year. It’s part of the overall major crime surge prompting some New Yorkers to literally take matters into their own hands, including Doris Ling-Cohan, a retired New York Supreme Court judge who learned martial arts to help her and others stay safe. She joins us tonight along with Maria Cramer, the Timespolice bureau chief whose reporting helped draw attention to these issues, and Jack Kupferman, the president of Gray Panthers NYC, which works to combat ageism.

To Catch Her Son's Killers: Linda Clary Conducted Her Own Investigation Before Authorities Ruled Her Son's Death A Homicide

At least 43 incidents of druggings have been linked to robberies in and outside Manhattan nightclubs since September 2021, involving a mix of both straight and gay NYC bars, and both heterosexual and LGBTQIA+ people. Tonight we share the story of one of those victims, and his mother, whose relentless pursuit of justice helped crack the case.

Tonight, Linda Clary shares the story of how she conducted her own investigation to catch the killers of her son, John Umberger, a DC political consultant in town on business, who was drugged and robbed after leaving a NYC gay bar, before authorities ruled his 2022 death a homicide.

MetroFocus Special Report: New York's Response to The Overdoes Epidemic

While healthcare systems were overwhelmed due to the pandemic, individuals most at risk for substance abuse and addiction were isolated and cut off from resources. That has exacerbated New York State’s already severe overdose crisis. At the core of this crisis is a shocking rise in opioid-related deaths: 16 New Yorkers die every day of an overdose. That’s 1 person every 3 hours. Over the next year, MetroFocus will be bringing a series of stories on how New York is changing the way it does things here in and around the city to save lives. Tonight, Special Correspondent Christopher Booker explores how a federal policy change has allowed the state to pursue a Harm Reduction strategy that encompasses everything from the widespread distribution overdose drug Naloxone, to the expansion of needle exchange programs.

After years of living with mysterious symptoms, Julia Bruzzese- a young girl from Brooklyn and a Duke University scientist are diagnosed with a disease said to not exist: Chronic Lyme disease. The Quiet Epidemic follows their search for answers, which lands them in the middle of a vicious medical debate. And what begins as a patient story evolves into an investigation into the history of Lyme disease, dating back to its discovery in 1975, a paper trail of suppressed scientific research, and buried documents revealing why ticks—and the diseases they carry—have been allowed to quietly spread around the globe. Julia joins us tonight along with the film’s producer/ director Lindsay Keys and director, Winslow Crane Murdoch- who are also living with Lyme- to tell her story as well as their own.

Aging Week

A special presentation of The WNET Group, in collaboration with the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA), and with the NEw York State Education Department (NYSED), Thirteen, WLIW21, and public broadcasters throughout New York State.

"Aging Together in New York"

There are 4.6 million New Yorkers over the age of 60, ranking New York as the fourth largest population of older adults in the nation. As the demographic shifts, so does the definition of "aging". Son this 60th anniversary of Older Americans Month, we're bringing the spunk with New Yorkers who are living that theme to the fullest. From "nonnas" in the kitchen to robot assisted living and a ping pong champ whose passion for pong is proving that age is just a number.