welcome to matter of fact, this week we're tackling politics

with humor. well, i'm not a politician. comedian roy wood jr is an alabama native. his state just went to the primary polls with new congressional maps that give black residents more of a say. all right, you can redraw the districts. but now, how many polling stations are you going to have open in those black parts of town? we talk election season and join him as he visits his childhood baseball field in birmingham. to be able to play here, it's like sitting inside a history every week. plus, about 20% of our electricity still comes from coal. they'll cut this rock and stuff. so much dust. uh, guys in their 30s needing double lung transplants. we meet a former miner who says despite his own battle with black lung disease, he understands why young people are still choosing to go underground. and imagine being a person without a country. it feels like you're invisible, feels like you don't belong anywhere. why? nearly a quarter million people in the u.s. are considered state

less. those stories right now on matter of fact. ronald reagan once said, baseball is our national pastime. um, that is, if you discount political campaigning. so as we begin the longest general election season in recent history, we're talking a bit about both politics and baseball and there's no one better to do that with than roy wood jr. the comedian pulls no punches in the political realm. this is a miracle. we don't pass laws. you make a promise to voters and then you don't do it. but even as his national profile grows, wood has stayed true to his alabama roots. our cameras were with him as he visited his high school in birmingham the other day. hasn't changed a bit. it's where he played baseball. they've won a lot since i was here last. we were not that good back then. pretty much every year now, wood visits the team.

it's part of his continued investment in his home state, a state that took a step closer to making history on tuesday. now on the cusp of sending a second black lawmaker to the u.s. congress, roy wood jr. so nice to have you in the studio. thanks for joining me. thank you. why do you to go back and invest so much time in your hometown? as you know, a lot of people get famous and the first or second thing they do is like, buy, you know, i love it there, but i'm not coming back. well, i have to come back because my mama there and she'll get mad. i don't know if you know about mamas, but they want to see the grandbaby. so i got to get the boy. we get on the plane, and then while i'm there, i'm like, you know what? let me go swing by the baseball field, see what's going on for me. baseball was always a place where i had peace and calm and once i got older and you start seeing the economics of baseball, it's a very expensive sport to play. now we're talking about kids getting priced out of it. and so if there's an opportunity

to be a conduit for drawing attention to the team and support to people who are trying to pour into the lives of youth in the city, positively, i'm here to cosign on that as much as i can. i go back to birmingham because i feel like if i don't, nobody else will. most people who are not from the crib, y'all disregard us. y'all blow us off. i think a lot of people make a mistake of thinking that the news that comes out of alabama represents all of the people that are in alabama, and that's not the truth. i just know that i've been blessed enough to have a career where for if i chose to, to try and do something decent in the city, i can't change everything. i can't change all the laws. i can't go down to montgomery and tell them to stop gerrymandering. but if i can make sure these couple of black kids play a sport and stay dedicated to it, then maybe they'll have a future in that sport. more than a quarter of alabama's residents are black, but of your

seven members of congress, only only one is black. the supreme court now has stepped in. right. so i guess i'm curious if you think the tide is changing at all when it comes to power for african american voters in alabama. we'll see if the tide is changing. i think that depends on how the state of alabama responds, because you can redraw the districts. but now how many polling stations are you going to have open in those black parts of town? it's going to be the hours. i kind of put it like politics in alabama is like where to be black in alabama is to have your big brother in montgomery telling you what to do, and then mom and dad come down from from dc and go, you better stop doing that to your little brother. and they go, okay, we want. and then mom and dad leave. and then big brother figures out another way to still do something to kick you and punch you and pinch you.

so i don't know what the counter is going to be. i don't think that you can for one second and think that because washington, dc is telling alabama what they should do, that alabama is going to immediately comply. it looks as if president trump is making inroads with black voters across the country. i'm curious if you have thoughts on why that is. i don't know if trump is necessarily making inroads as much as president biden has lost traction, some with black voters. and i do think we're in an election cycle now where we're in individual parts as voters, and it's about my demands and what i want and what i want to do. there's people i know, black people that's going to vote, vote for trump solely because of the covid checks he gave us the covid checks. so i'm going to vote for him. um, i do think you have to consider why you would vote for somebody who thinks that sneakers is how they should engage you. i do think that's a little

troubling. um, but, you know, i think that a lot of it just appealed. like trump just attempts to appeal to a coolness factor that president biden doesn't necessarily possess because, as i believe the biden administration is like, hey, look, these are the policies. this is what we're trying to do. this is what we've done. rock with us. no, i don't watch atlanta could name an episode. so i think there's a degree of, you know, disconnect and how, you know, necessarily should be engaging with voters. i think a lot of people are burned out. and i think you're right. the policy conversation is more complicated, and it's often lost. comedians, i think, have the only refreshing way often to like, dig into these. i hate to say it, but it's true. yeah. i mean, comedy helps us understand issues, but i think that because we've become so much more serious as a voting body, i feel like there's been an unfair responsibility placed

at the feet of comedians to solve the problems. your comedy is not serious enough. you're not doing enough to fight the issue. it's like, whoa, i'm not a politician. there's a much bigger conversation that's been happening of late about comedians and what responsibility we have. what responsibility did we have ten years ago? 15 years ago, 20 years ago, it was still bombs. there was still death. so what changed? and i think i think the only thing that changed is the public's expectations and what they want from someone that has always done the same thing. it's nice to have you. thanks for coming in. thank you. thank you for having me. you bet. next on matter of fact, life in coal country. it's a special breed of people. as america's coal miners get black lung at younger ages, this former miner explains why he'd do it all again. plus, one idea for lowering housing costs. build more of it. find out if you could see zoning reform efforts in your town. you're watching.

matter of fact, america's number one nationally syndicated public affairs news magazine. working in coal mines has always (vo) welcome to lobsterfest. is your party ready? ready to attack this new lobster & shrimp stack? ready for your lobster lover's dream to come true? they're two of ten lobster creations, only at lobsterfest. plus, cheddar bays for days. but lobsterfest won't last, so hurry in. we all need fiber for our digestive health, but less than 10% of us get enough each day. good thing metamucil gummies are an easy way to get prebiotic, plant-based fiber. with the same amount of fiber as 2 cups of broccoli. metamucil gummies the easy way to get your daily fiber. ♪♪ stay ahead of your moderate—to—severe eczema, and show off clearer skin and less itch with dupixent. the number one prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists, that helps heal your skin from within. serious allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems such as eye pain or vision changes including blurred vision, joint aches and pain,

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been a dangerous job, but now coal miners are being diagnosed with black lung at younger and younger ages. that's because they have to dig deeper, grinding through more rock to reach coal deposits. all that digging is increasing exposure to silica dust, which, when inhaled, can damage and scar lungs. one appalachian clinic has seen a particular spike in cases. from 2013 to 2017, it diagnosed more than 400 people with black lung. our producer, teresa krug, met with one of the retired coal miners from that clinic, john robinson started working in the mines when he was 2027 years later, he was diagnosed with black lung. he shares his story in his own

words. tell me about your your breathing. how how is your shortness of breath? i thought i was superman when i first went into mines. got more short winded. seemed like it's passed since summer. and this winter i'd always heard, you know, guys like going up in their 60s and 70s getting black lung. but when i hit 47, it wasn't so old and then started having some issues. uh, shoulders and knees and back issues and stuff. uh, they said he needs to see a breathing doctor. so i go and sure enough, over time they said, yeah, you've got first stage black lung. you either work in deep mines or you work on top of a mountain stripping coal, or you flip hamburgers or bag groceries. if you're going to work, why not make what you can make? i don't have to worry all the time. i worried at night for sure. uh, during the day, if i get run down, stressed out, whatever. when i get out oxygen, it's like a car running out of gas.

you know? you ain't going to go far. things the wife likes to do. i can't do that thing. or the grandbaby wants to, uh, you know, kick a ball or play basketball or something. i can't do those things. and she don't know why. it's tough when you're used to going and doing and working all the time. then it's just like cutting a light switch off all that's gone. it's pretty tough on you, really is. it's a real failure as far as being underground. uh, it's, uh, dark, wet, damp, dusty. it's just it's a different world. i don't think it's for everybody. i think it's a special breed of people, you know, i really do. uh, it can be hard work, brutal brute work. you know, uh, i liked it, though, i loved it. they always asked how we're doing. if i was able. my body could take it and i could do it. i'd go back in the mines right now, when you got a wife and kids, you'll do. you'll do whatever it takes. my wife's, uh, two of her nephews, they come to me. i don't know if i'd help them get on in the mines.

of course they like me. they had big dreams and big hopes, and they wanted to make the big money. and so i helped them get on, you know, and but i tried my best to talk them out of. i realized i wasn't superman, you know, i just want them to really, you know, get in there and make sure that we're taking care of these guys because eventually it's going to get them in time. coming up, zoning reform has been hailed as a possible solution to america's housing crisis. while i applaud the cities who are doing work, i just don't think it gets enough. but this expert explains why. so far, efforts are largely falling short and what happens when you're not a citizen? where you live, but you also don't have an existing country of origin. you join a group of people who are stateless. we talk to some folks caught in immigration limbo. welcome back to matter of fact,

(♪♪) we come from a long line of cowboys. (♪♪) when i see all of us out here on this ranch, i see how far our legacy can go. (♪♪) we're going to talk now about an often overlooked group living in limbo without a country they can legally claim the so-called stateless. at least 10 million people around the world are considered stateless, and more than 200,000 of them are living here in the united states. the un defines a stateless person as someone who is, quote, not considered as a national by any state under operation of its law. so how does that happen? in october, our special correspondent joey chen talked to two stateless people who are trying to navigate their unusual

immigration status in a city where it's easy to feel lost among strangers. danah abdulaziz is very clear this is where she belongs, sings yes, i love new york. this is my home. just five years old. when her family moved from kuwait, danah grew up shopping in bodegas, strolling boulevards with the bestie raised. as she wrote in a recent essay, a new yorker to the core, there's something you wouldn't know about me, though i'm stateless. so what are you, a citizen of? i'm a citizen of nowhere. i not recognized as a citizen of any country in this world. her native country only grants citizenship to those born to kuwaiti fathers. but danah is among the persecuted minority bedoon which left her without the right to kuwaiti citizenship. i didn't choose to be stateless. i didn't choose to be born stateless.

i didn't choose to come to the united states and be stuck here. as surreal as it sounds, danah is one of more than 200,000 people living stateless in the u.s. people like karina ambartsoumian clough, who soviet birth certificate is her sole proof of existence. why is this document so important to you? this is the only document i have from the country. i was born in. karina was just eight when her family arrived in the states. in a simple twist of geopolitical fate, the soviet union fell while u.s. immigration courts were considering the family's bid for asylum. they were denied and told they'd be deported. once you are denied asylum, you are on fine of removal proceedings. that's that's law. and your parents tried to cooperate? yeah. of course, of course. they were ordered to go to the ukrainian embassy to to retrieve travel documents. and that's exactly what we did. and that's when we were told, sorry, we don't recognize you. you couldn't even get deported.

i could not even get deported because there was nowhere to deport you to. right? in the 37 years since, karina has learned the daily indignities of being stateless. it was hard to get an id for me. i couldn't get a bank account. i couldn't even get a cell phone. there were certain buildings i couldn't enter because i didn't have an id. like if the post office had my package, i couldn't get it. karina now leads an organization called the united stateless, is seeking support from the women's funding network and other groups, and making the case to lawmakers in washington that the stateless need special immigration status to end this issue in the u.s., we need congress to pass the stateless protection act. after decades in limbo, resolution can't come soon enough for the stateless. i am not free, but i am technically free, but not free. so so yes, i, i feel like i'm in prison in new york. i'm joey chen, for matter of fact, the department of homeland

security has now issued guidance to help stateless people who want to obtain immigration status. and you can watch my conversation with joey chen about this at matteroffacttv. ahead on. matter of fact, like many cities, minneapolis was running out of housing, so it made a major change. could its zoning reform efforts serve as a blueprint for elsewhere? plus, in texas, the boots, spurs and bull riding are on full display at the houston rodeo. but how this fun event actually plays a serious role for students to stay up to date with matter of fact, sign up for our newsletter at matteroffacttv.

crisis and a shortage of available homes and apartments is driving up costs for both buyers and renters. so what can be done to fix this? well, some cities are turning to

zoning reform, basically changing the rules around what can be built, how and where. for example, they could allow multifamily homes to be built in neighborhoods that traditional only had single family dwellings. they can streamline the permitting process for builders. minneapolis has led the way on zoning reform. in a five year period, the state's rent increased 14%, but the city's increase was just 1%. we want to know if zoning reform is being considered in your area. the university of california, berkeley, has been tracking efforts aimed at addressing housing shortages around the united states. they have an interactive map showing where reforms have already been approved, like los angeles, philadelphia, albuquerque and where they're ongoing, like denver, louisville and austin. stephen menendian is the assistant director at uc berkeley's othering and belonging institute. anything you do that can loosen up the cost or expedite development can often make housing also more affordable.

so, for example, if you have a condominium or an apartment building and there's a requirement of 1 to 1 or maybe even more than that, parking to unit and you waive that, that means you don't need to have, you know, a large portion of the development allocated or earmarked for parking stalls. so, so those kinds of things really help. zoning does come with complexities, menendian warns. it's a slow process. several cities and municipalities have not moved forward with their plans because of legal and environmental challenges. stick around. this is texas as we get a glimpse into the world's largest indoor rodeo happening now in houston. when moderate to severe ulcerative colitis takes you off course. put it in check with rinvoq, a once-daily pill. when i wanted to see results fast, rinvoq delivered rapid symptom relief and helped leave bathroom urgency behind. check. when uc tried to slow me down... i got lasting, steroid-free remission with rinvoq.

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takes us to houston's annual livestock show and rodeo. it's happening right now at. and as with most things in

texas, it's big. in fact, it's the world's largest rodeo. take a look at these photos captured by the houston chronicle. they show just what a huge draw this event is this year. it's on track to set an all time record with more than 2 million people expected to visit bull riding, of course, is one of the main attractions with more than $2 million in prize money on the line. but there is so much more carnival rides, concerts with 50 and blake shelton. there's also a real opportunity for students here 800 scholarships worth more than $14 million will be awarded. all of it wraps up on march 17th, which means there's still plenty of time to grab your cowboy boots and join the fun. that's it for this edition of matter of fact, i'm soledad o'brien. i'll see you back here next week to watch more stories like this. anytime i'm head to matteroffacttv.

today on "asian pacific america," actor, director, writer, stan lee wong joins us, as his film makes its world premiere in san jose. then we talk about the redesign of an