- We're back with Gabrielle Union.
Now we need to talk about your new, impactful,
incredibly powerful show,
"Truth Be Told" that's on Apple TV+.
It's about truth.
How do we face the truth?
You've been truthful about things
that have happened in your life that happen in this show.
How do we be brave enough to not shy away
from these subjects and face them
because they are happening and they are real?
- Absolutely.
It's just what you just said.
It's being honest, it's being clear,
and it's having the courage of conviction
to stand in your truth.
And as audience members and as people
who have to receive this information,
perhaps don't make people complicit in their own abuse,
perhaps when people tell you what's happening to them
believe them the first time,
perhaps have more compassion (audience applauding)
and understanding,
and then provide people the resources and the time needed
for healing and to address those issues.
So when we talk about on "Truth Be Told" season three,
the issue of sexual trafficking of black and brown girls
and the disparate treatment that happens.
in terms of- - For awareness.
- Media attention- - Resources.
- Resources, law enforcement response.
So here's some stark statistics.
Last year, 71,000 children,
17 and under of black girls went missing last year.
71,000. That's shocking.
I mean, it's criminal obviously.
But how many of their names have you heard?
And nine out of 10 of those
were immediately labeled as runaways.
When you're labeled a runaway
that means there's a delayed response.
There's no amber alert,
there's a delayed response by law enforcement
and the investigation is delayed.
And if you watch crime shows,
you know that the first, what, 48 hours, 72 hours
are critical in recovery.
- So what can we do about that?
'Cause the show is so beautifully, elegantly elevated
and it does face all this and discuss it.
But, well, we have a clip here.
I wanna show everybody, I'm crazy for this show.
It's just so powerful.
- I knew she was loved.
Remember that you did everything you could
for your daughter.
- Can't say the same about you.
If you had paid attention to Drea
instead of Blondie last year, maybe we wouldn't be here.
- And what did you do for Drea?
Yeah, it's easy to talk but not so easy to act,
now, is it?
We all got a story about how we could have done more
but failure to act, that's still failure.
(audience applauding)
- You are so powerful in this show.
Is it true that this show felt different for you
and compelled?
I'm not a good crier at all.
I'm not generally that close to my emotions,
my negative emotions, if you will.
This show, not only was I crying all day on set,
I would go home and cry.
Again, my husband was kind of shocked
'cause he's never seen me that crumbling like that
every night for five months.
But it wasn't hard to cry.
I mean, partly because at 19 I was raped at gunpoint
at my afterschool job.
And even though I was raped a gunpoint
by a stranger at work, I was still asked what I had on.
And when you realize that folks will make you complicit
in your own abuse and trauma, no matter the circumstances,
and that people will legitimately care less about your life
if you have too much melanin.
That makes it easy to cry.
And when I think about, I was raped one time 30 years ago
and I am still in therapy,
been once a week for 30 years, I still crumble.
PTSD it's right here, it's right at my fingertips.
So no, it's not hard to cry,
but when I think about it happened one time
and what these folks are experiencing
with human trafficking, sexual trafficking,
my trauma, my horror, the worst experience of my life
is happening multiple times a day,
every day indefinitely
until they decide you have no more value.
And part of the challenge is what can we do?
We can make sure we have enough tears for all of our girls,
all of our boys, that we raise our voices in our communities
when anyone goes missing.
So we have the same resources, the same response,
the same care, the same concern.
We can stop demonizing black and brown girls,
black and brown children.
We can be really cognizant about how we use words.
So when you see a headline like juvenile prostitutes
you can call into your newspaper or media outlets and say,
juveniles mean children
and children cannot consent to sex work.
Children are victims.
- Yes. We can demand better. (audience applauding)
- Yes. (audience applauding)
- Bringing it a little closer to home here in New York,
last month a 12 year old autistic girl was lured away
through Instagram by a man.
Her mother figured that out
and she was recovered in the Bronx.
12 years old through Instagram.
How often are we policing our children's social media?
Do we even know where to look?
Do we even know all of the new ways of communicating?
I know I don't, but it's a constant, it's another job.
- And that's the point of the scene in that show,
that in the show and the episode,
it's so powerful because a parent says,
"My kid wouldn't do that,"
and you show them the snap of a finger.
- Them too. Our kids too.
- I mean, the fact that I've always loved you
for your honesty and your candor and your strength,
but today and watching the show "Truth Be Told"
I wanna thank you with every fiber of my being
and my entire heart and humanity for shining a light
on these important subjects and facing these things,
and giving recommendations, and guidance, and understanding,
and as you said, a voice to this, thank you.
Thank you so much.
(audience applauding)
- That's okay.
- I really do.
- It is really impactful, I mean, thank you.
- Well, I think it needs no further explanation.
Everybody check out the extraordinary show on Apple TV+,
"Truth Be Told" in its third season
with the incredible Gabrielle Union
and the wonderful Octavia Spencer.
(audience applauding)
- We'll be right back.
(upbeat music)