♪ MUSIC REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM.

HELLO, I'M LORENE MILLS, AND WELCOME TO A VERY IMPORTANT EDITION OF REPORT FROM SANTA F. OUR GUESTS TODAY ARE TINA CORDOVA WITH TULAROSA BASIN DOWNWINDERS CONSORTIUM, AND LOIS LIPMAN, A FILMMAKER AND A JOURNALIST WHO'S MADE A WONDERFUL FILM ABOUT THIS PROJECT.

THE FILM WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS CALLED FIRST WE BOMBED NEW MEXICO, LET THAT SINK IN FOR A MINUTE BECAUSE THE INFORMATION THAT THESE LADIES HAVE IS, FIRST OF ALL IT'S VERY SOLID DATA, BUT WHAT HAPPENED, I THINK WILL SHOCK YOU.

SO, FIRST WE BOMBED NEW MEXICO, WHAT DID WE DO AFTER THAT, I MEAN, WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT THAT BEFORE ALL THE TESTING AND THE ACTUAL BOMBS THAT WE DROPPED, WHY WAS IT SO IMPORTANT THAT FIRST, THEY, WE BOMBED IN NEW MEXICO.

>>TINA: WELL, I THINK THE REASON THAT IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT LORENE, IS THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THE FIRST PEOPLE EXPOSED TO RADIATION, ANY PLACE IN THE WORLD, AS A RESULT OF AN ATOMIC BOMB, WERE RIGHT HERE IN NEW MEXICO AND THE FIRST VICTIMS OF AN ATOMIC BOMB WERE THE PEOPLE OF NEW MEXICO.

WE HAD BABIES DIE THAT SUMMER IN RECORD NUMBERS, THE FIRST VICTIMS OF AN ATOMIC BOMB WERE BABIES RIGHT HERE IN NEW MEXICO AND SO, IT'S A FORGOTTEN HISTORY, IT'S A SUPPRESSED HISTORY, IT'S A HISTORY THAT NOBODY TALKS ABOUT.

AND UNTIL WE STARTED THE DIALOGUE 21 YEARS AGO AND STARTED TO CHALLENGE THE NARRATIVE THAT NO ONE LIVED HERE AND NO ONE WAS HARMED IS WHAT PEOPLE BELIEVED.

>>LORENE: I NOTICED THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL DOCTORS WHO WOULD LOOK AT THESE CLUSTERS OF RADIOACTIVELY CAUSED CANCERS AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW AND SO THEY WOULD ASK THE PATIENT, WELL, WHEN WERE YOU EVER EXPOSED TO RADIATION?

WELL, THEY SAID, THE BOMB.

THE BOMB WAS HOW MANY MILES FROM CARRIZOZO AND TULAROSA?

>>TINA: WELL, JUST AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAD RANCHING FAMILIES THAT LIVED AS CLOSE AS 12 MILES, WE'VE IDENTIFIED THEM.

CARRIZOZO, THE WAY THE CROWS FLY, IS 35 MILES, TULAROSA IS 45 MILES, SAN ANTONIO IS EVEN LESS, IT'S 25 MILES.

YOU KNOW, WE KNOW BECAUSE WE'VE COLLECTED THE DATA THAT THERE WERE CLOSE TO 14,000 PEOPLE, CHILDREN, WOMEN AND MEN LIVING IN A 50-MILE RADIUS, THAT'S NOT REMOTE AND UNINHABITED AS IT'S ALWAYS BEEN DESCRIBED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN OUR WORK TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT PEOPLE WERE AFFECTED, HOW COULD WE NOT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED?

>>LORENE: RIGHT, RIGHT.

WELL, ONE OF THE WAYS THAT YOU'VE DRAWN ATTENTION TO THIS, LOIS, YOU HAVE MADE A WONDERFUL FILM, IT'S CALLED FIRST WE BOMB NEW MEXICO AND YOU COLLABORATED COMPLETELY TOGETHER.

BUT THE SKILL OF YOUR FILMMAKING MADE IT PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE, SO WHAT DREW YOU TO THE PROJECT?

>>LOIS: WELL, I HAD A CAREER.

I WAS BASED IN LONDON FOR MANY YEARS, I WORKED AROUND THE WORLD DEVELOPING STORIES, AWARD-WINNING STORIES FOR CBS 60 MINUTES, AND THEN FOR BRITISH BBC AND SO ON.

I WAS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR STORIES THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT WOULD TEACH US SOMETHING ABOUT HOW TO LIVE BETTER.

AND I WANTED TO TAKE A YEAR OFF AND GO BACK TO THE STATES AND I MOVED TO NEW MEXICO, BECAUSE I HAD FALLEN IN LOVE WITH NEW MEXICO.

AND WHEN I WAS HERE, AND THIS WAS WAY BACK IN 2013 OR SOMETHING, I INADVERTENTLY HEARD THAT THE WORLD'S FIRST NUCLEAR BOMB WAS DETONATED IN OUR STATE AND THAT ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT I'D FALLEN IN LOVE WITH WERE DYING AND THAT NOBODY HAD HELPED THEM.

THEY'D NEVER BEEN GIVEN HEALTH CARE, THE GOVERNMENT TURNED ITS BACK ON THEM AND DENIED THAT THEY WERE EVEN RADIATED AND SO TO ME, THERE WAS NO MORE IMPORTANT STORY ON EARTH, THAN TO TELL THIS STORY ABOUT THE CONTINUING DEVASTATING CATASTROPHIC IMPACT OF THE WORLD'S FIRST NUCLEAR BOMB.

WHICH WAS DETONATED IN SECRET, BY OUR GOVERNMENT IN NEW MEXICO AND IT HARMED A POPULATION OF MOSTLY HISPANIC AND NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

>>LORENE: SO THERE IS SOMETHING CALLED RADIOACTIVITY EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT AND THERE WERE TWO VERSIONS OF IT.

SO THE FIRST, AND THAT MEANS, RECA, WE CALL IT, THE FIRST ONE DIDN'T INCLUDE NEW MEXICO RIGHT, IT INCLUDED NEVADA AND UTAH.

>>TINA: ARIZONA.

>>LORENE: ARIZONA.

>>TINA: I ALWAYS HAVE SAID, LORENE.

THAT IT INCLUDED NORTHERN ARIZONA AND SO IF YOU LIVED FIVE FEET OVER THE ARIZONA-NEW MEXICO BORDER IN ARIZONA, YOU WERE TAKEN CARE OF, BUT IF YOU LIVED FIVE FEET INTO NEW MEXICO, YOU WERE NOT.

THERE'S NO LEAD CURTAIN THERE THAT OFFERED US PROTECTION AND BECAUSE WE WERE THE FIRST PEOPLE EVER EXPOSED TO RADIATION, IT SEEMED LIKE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A NO-BRAINER THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE FUND THAT WAS SET UP 36 YEARS AGO AND HAD BEEN COMPENSATING PEOPLE FOR ALL THOSE YEARS, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT ANY CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO THE PEOPLE OF NEW MEXICO.

WHICH IS TRULY A SHAME, IT'S UNCONSCIONABLE THAT WE WERE LEFT OUT AND THAT PEOPLE HAVE DIED AND THAT PEOPLE WAITED ALL THESE YEARS FOR EVEN SOME LEVEL OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.

>>LORENE: BUT IN THE NEWBORN RECA, IT INCLUDED MEDICAL CARE, IF SOMEONE HAD DIED, THEY COMPENSATED THE FAMILY WITH A LUMP SUM AND THEN ONGOING MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR FREE.

>>TINA: NO, THE CURRENT RECA DOES NOT INCLUDE THE MEDICAL COVERAGE.

WE GOT A BILL PASSED IN 2024 IN THE U.S.

SENATE BY AN OVERWHELMING BIPARTISAN VOTE OF 69 TO 30, BUT WE NEVER COULD GET IT BROUGHT TO THE HOUSE FLOOR FOR A VOTE, AND SO THEY STRIPPED OUT THE HEALTH CARE AND GOT US INCLUDED IN THE RECONCILIATION BILL, BETTER KNOWN AS THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL.

NEW MEXICO WAS ADDED TO RECA AS PART OF THAT BILL, AN AMENDMENT WAS ADDED AND SO NOW WE CAN APPLY FOR A ONE-TIME PAYMENT OF $100,000 IF YOU MEET THE QUALIFICATION PERIOD.

YOU CAN APPLY ON BEHALF OF A DECEASED SPOUSE, A DECEASED CHILD, A DECEASED PARENT OR A DECEASED GRANDPARENT.

>>LORENE: SO ONE OF THE REASONS I WANTED TO DO THIS SHOW WITH YOU IS TO EXPAND YOUR OUTREACH TO KNOW THAT THERE COULD BE, HOW MANY THOUSAND PEOPLE WHO WOULD QUALIFY.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY A GATEKEEPER, YOU CAN APPLY ONLINE, IT'S VERY SIMPLE AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO CALL THEM AND THEY'LL HELP YOU.

WE WANT PEOPLE WHO, SO TELL ME, WE'RE CASTING A BROAD NET, WHO ARE THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD NOT THINK OF APPLYING, THAT WOULD QUALIFY AND COULD GET COMPENSATION AND MEDICAL CARE?

>>TINA: WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THE RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT, RECA, APPLIES TO EVERYBODY IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO., SO OUR ENTIRE STATE IS COVERED.

IT'S NOT A ZIP CODE OR A COUNTY, THE ENTIRE STATE OF NEW MEXICO IS COVERED.

IF YOU CAN PROVE THAT YOU LIVED HERE FOR ONE YEAR BETWEEN 1944 AND 1962, THOSE DATES COINCIDE WITH THE FIRST RADIOACTIVE TEST THAT WAS DONE AT LOS ALAMOS AND IT ENDS IN 62 WITH THE LAST ABOVE-GROUND TEST IN NEVADA.

WE WERE NOT JUST EXPOSED TO RADIATION FROM TRINITY, WE WERE ALSO EXPOSED TO RADIATION FROM THE NEVADA TEST SITE, VERY WELL DOCUMENTED, WE HAD MONITORING STATIONS HERE.

SO, IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THE 19 COMPENSABLE CANCERS, IT'S A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE, I RECENTLY HEARD THAT THE U.S.

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, WHO ADMINISTERS THE PROGRAM, HAS SAID THAT THEY BELIEVE THERE COULD BE AS MANY AS 50,000 CLAIMANTS IN NEW MEXICO, WHICH WOULD AMOUNT TO A FIVE BILLION DOLLAR PAYOUT.

AND, JUST AS A MATTER OF FACT, AS OF LAST WEEK, THEY HAD APPROVED 1,026 DOWNWINDER CLAIMS, NOW, NOT ALL OF THEM ARE FROM NEW MEXICO BECAUSE THEY ALSO ADDED IDAHO AND THE REMAINDER OF UTAH, BUT 1,026 CLAIMANTS AS OF LAST WEEK, VERY LARGE NUMBER.

THEY HAVE 6,000 CLAIMS ON HOLD TO BE PROCESSED, BUT THAT 1,026 CLAIMS AMOUNTS TO 120 MILLION DOLLARS AND SO IT ADDS UP QUICKLY.

WE WANT TO LAY OUR HANDS ON EVERY DIME OF THAT MONEY THAT'S AVAILABLE BECAUSE PEOPLE IN NEW MEXICO HAVE WAITED 80 YEARS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED, TO BE TAKEN CARE OF, TO HAVE ASSISTANCE WITH ALL OF THIS.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING ALL WE CAN.

YOU MENTIONED THE BAD ACTORS THAT ARE OUT THERE, THERE ARE PLENTY OF THEM.

THINK ABOUT THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY ENRICH YOURSELF WITH 10% OF $5 BILLION, SO OF COURSE, BAD ACTORS HAVE COME INTO OUR STATE TO TRY TO TAKE POSSESSION OF EVERY DIME THAT THEY CAN AND WE KEEP TELLING PEOPLE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORK WITH AN ATTORNEY OR AN OUTSIDE ORGANIZATION, WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS.

IT'S AN EASY PROCESS, LORENE, AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS, YOU'RE STILL THE ONE THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND GET THE DOCUMENTATION GATHERED.

THEY CANNOT GO GET YOUR DEATH CERTIFICATE, YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE, YOUR MARRIAGE LICENSE, YOU'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE TO DO THOSE THINGS.

SO THE EASY PART IS FILL IN YOUR NAME, YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, YOUR PHONE NUMBER, THE PART THAT THEY DO AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS ANY PART OF YOUR CLAIM, SO WE'RE TELLING EVERYBODY NOT TO GO OUT THERE AND HIRE SOMEBODY TO HELP YOU WITH THIS, WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS.

>>LORENE: AND ALSO THE NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS WORKING TO HELP REACH OUT, SO YOU CAN CALL THE NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ASK ABOUT THE RECA COMPENSATION AND DESCRIBE YOUR SITUATION, AND SOMEONE WILL HELP YOU TOO.

>>TINA: THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE, OUR DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HAS 42 FIELD OFFICES AND THEY HAVE A HOTLINE, AND IT'S FULLY MANNED BY 25 PEOPLE, AND SO THEY HAVE RESOURCES ALREADY AVAILABLE.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM FOR MONTHS TO GET EVERYBODY UP TO SPEED ON WHAT IT TAKES TO FILE ONE OF THESE CLAIMS, AND THEY'RE READY AND WILLING TO HELP.

WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THEIR HELP, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE HELP THAT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM THE NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

>>LORENE: I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE NEW ENDING, BECAUSE A BIG CHANGE CAME IN RECA.

WHEN DID YOU DO THAT AND THEN SOMEHOW WHEN YOU CUT THE WHOLE NEW ENDING IT JUST SOMEHOW BEAUTIFULLY COMPLETED THE FILM.

I SAW THE FIRST VERSION OF THE FILM, AND IT DIDN'T SEEM INCOMPLETE TO ME AND THEN WHEN I SAW THE WAY YOU ENDED IT WITH A NEW RECUT, YOU JUST GO, OH, NOW IT'S ALL OKAY.

SO, YOU REALIZED THAT YOU REALLY HAD TO DO A NEW ENDING, THAT WAS VERY BRAVE.

>>LOIS: YEAH, AND I DIDN'T HAVE ANY FUNDING FOR IT EITHER.

JUST OFF MY OWN BACK, I HIRED THREE DIFFERENT CAMERAMEN, ONE WITH THE STEADY CAM, SO YOU'VE GOT BEAUTIFUL MOVEMENT.

WE NEEDED TO FILM THE WIN IN THE PEOPLE'S RESPONSE, THE EMOTIONAL RESPONSE, AND THE POETRY OF FINALLY BEING SEEN AND HEARD AND WINNING COMPENSATION.

I MADE A SPLIT-SECOND DECISION TO DO THAT.

>>LORENE: AND I MUST TELL YOU, SOME OF THE FACES IN THIS FILM ARE SOME OF THE BEST FACES THAT HAVE EVER BEEN IN FILM AND THEY'RE THE REAL VICTIMS, THEY'RE THE REAL PEOPLE TALKING.

>>LOIS: BEAUTIFUL FACES.

>>LORENE: BUT THE SINCERITY AND THE PASSION WITH WHICH THEY SPEAK AND THEN THE FACES ARE AGED AND BEAUTIFUL, REALLY, REALLY BEAUTIFUL.

YOU DID A GOOD JOB.

>>TINA: I OFTEN SAY IT'S NOT JUST A DOCUDRAMA THAT DOCUMENTS THE SACRIFICE AND THE SUFFERING OF THE PEOPLE IN THEIR OWN LIVES, IN THEIR OWN WORDS, IN THEIR OWN ENVIRONMENTS, LIKE YOU SAID, THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE THAT ARE FEATURED IN THE FILM.

LOIS DID AN AMAZING JOB OF BRINGING IN THE SCIENCE AND THE SUPPORT FOR WHAT HAPPENED HERE AND WHY AND HOW.

SO, WHEN PEOPLE SEE THE FILM, INEVITABLY THEY SAY I DIDN'T KNOW AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, AND NOW I KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THIS ISSUE.

THAT'S WHY THIS FILM IS AWARD-WINNING, IT'S WHY PEOPLE GIVE US STANDING OVATIONS IN PLACES THAT THEY'VE NEVER SEEN A STANDING OVATION.

>>LOIS: IN PALM SPRINGS THAT WAS WHAT WE WERE TOLD, THAT THE HEAD CURATOR SAID, I'VE NEVER SEEN A STANDING OVATION HERE.

>>TINA: AND IT'S WELL KNOWN, LOIS CAN TALK ABOUT THE AWARDS THAT SHE'S WON, THE FILM IS AN AWARD-WINNING FILM.

>>LORENE: WELL, WE'RE SPEAKING TODAY WITH LOIS LIPMAN AND TINA CORDOVA ABOUT THEIR FILM FIRST WE BOMB NEW MEXICO .

BUT CAN YOU TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE AWARDS, ALMOST EVERY FILM FESTIVAL YOU'VE BEEN IN.

>>LOIS: YEAH, WE GOT AWARDS FROM COAST TO COAST AND STANDING OVATIONS AND TEARS AND PEOPLE SAYING, I DIDN'T KNOW, WHAT CAN I DO?

WE OPENED HERE IN SANTA FE AT THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL AND WON THE AUDIENCE AWARD AND THE BEST DOCUMENTARY FROM THE STATE AND THEN WE WENT TO THE AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL AND WON THE AUDIENCE AWARD THERE AND THEN TO PALM SPRINGS AND WON ONE OF THE BEST AND THEN TO SANTA BARBARA AND ALSO WERE RECOGNIZED.

IT WENT ON AND ON, BUT MY GOAL AND MISSION AT THAT TIME WAS TO GET THIS STORY THAT HAD BEEN COVERED UP, TOLD, TO GET THE PEOPLE TO KNOW ACROSS AMERICA TO KNOW THE STORY.

I GOT THE FILM SCREENED IN 30 FESTIVALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

TINA WENT WITH ME TO VIRTUALLY, EVEN THOUGH SHE RUNS A ROOFING CONTRACTOR BUSINESS, SOMEHOW TINA MANAGED TO SHOW UP AND GO WITH US TO EVERY SCREENING BECAUSE THEN WE GOT THE MEDIA TO COME TO THE SCREENINGS BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE A LIVE Q & A AND THEY WANTED TO HEAR TINA TALK.

WE GOT MEDIA COVERAGE EVERYWHERE, OTHER FILMS DID NOT HAVE COVERAGE, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, OUTSIDE OF BOSTON.

WHAT WAS THE FESTIVAL?

>>TINA: IS IT BERKSHIRE?

>>LOIS: BERKSHIRE FILM FESTIVAL.

YEAH AND THEY HAD LIKE 120 GREAT FILMS THERE, BUT THE ONLY FILM THAT WAS COVERED AND FEATURED IN THE BOSTON GLOBE , RIGHT UNDER MICK JAGGER, WHO WAS IN CONCERT, WAS OUR FILM.

AND THAT'S HOW EVERYBODY IN BOSTON READ ABOUT IT AND THAT WAS THE POWER OF THIS FILM.

THIS FILM HAS HAD SO MUCH IMPACT, BUT AT THAT MOMENT, BECAUSE THE LEADERSHIP DID NOT ALLOW RECA LEGISLATION TO COME TO THE HOUSE FLOOR FOR THE VOTE THAT WE KNEW WAS GOING TO BE PASSED, BUT THE SPEAKER REFUSED TO INVITE IT, SO RECA DIED.

AND THAT WAS THE CHANCE OF GETTING COMPENSATION AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS FIGHTING FOR.

TINA'S BEEN FIGHTING FOR 21 YEARS, BUT THAT'S WHY I GOT THE FILM OUT.

BUT THE LEGISLATORS DID NOT STOP FIGHTING AND SO THEN LAST JULY, IT WAS INCLUDED IN THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL.

AT THAT POINT I WANTED, I WANTED ELATION.

I WANTED CELEBRATION, I WANTED THE PEOPLE TO BE SEEN AT THE END OF THE FILM AND SO THAT'S WHY I WENT OUT WITH OUR CAMERAS, AND WE GOT SOME WONDERFUL FOOTAGE FOR THE ENDING.

>>LORENE: NOW, WHEN YOU WERE SPEAKING A FEW MINUTES AGO ABOUT SOME OF THE FACTS BEING COVERED UP, IT APPEARED TO ME IN WATCHING THIS FILM THAT THEY WEREN'T JUST COVERING UP, THEY WERE LYING ABOUT IT, THAT OUR GOVERNMENT WAS LYING TO THE PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT IT HAD DONE AND NEVER TOOK RESPONSIBILITY UNTIL HOW MANY YEARS LATER.

>>TINA: EIGHTY YEARS.

>>LORENE: EIGHTY YEARS.

>>LOIS: WHEN IT WAS PUSHED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, IT WAS NOT DONE WILLINGLY.

>>TINA: NO, NOT AT ALL DONE WILLINGLY.

YOU KNOW, THE FOOTAGE OF US PLACING THE MARKER OUT THERE AT THE STALLION GATE, IMAGINE, LORENE, IN JULY, 80 YEARS LATER, THERE'S FINALLY SOME LEVEL OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, 80 YEARS.

AND YOU KNOW, WE, THANKS TO REPRESENTATIVE JOANNE FERRARY WHO PASSED A MEMORIAL IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE, WE GOT THAT SIGN AND IT MEANS EVERYTHING.

I DON'T DRIVE PAST THERE WITHOUT STOPPING JUST TO TAKE ONE MORE LOOK AT IT AND I'M SO PROUD OF THAT.

I WAS IN DC LAST WEEK, I TESTIFIED IN THE HOUSE, ONE OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEES ON NATURAL RESOURCES BECAUSE REPRESENTATIVE VASQUEZ IS TRYING TO GET A PLAQUE PLACED AT WHITE SANDS NATIONAL MONUMENT AGAIN, AFTER 80 YEARS RECOGNIZING THE DOWNWINDERS.

WE KNOW ABOUT THE SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

FUNNY THING, WHEN WE WERE AT THE FILM FESTIVAL IN SANTA BARBARA, AT A LOT OF THESE FILM FESTIVALS THEY'LL HONOR ACTORS AND PRODUCERS AND HIGH-PROFILE PEOPLE, AND IT JUST SO HAPPENED IN SANTA BARBARA THAT THEY WERE HONORING ONE OF THE ACTORS IN THE OPPENHEIMER MOVIE.

AND WE'RE SITTING IN THIS THEATER AND IT'S FILLED WITH PEOPLE, THERE HAD TO BE A COUPLE THOUSAND PEOPLE IN THERE, AND WE'RE SITTING THERE AND THEY'RE MAKING SUCH A BIG DEAL OUT OF, YOU KNOW, ROBERT DOWNEY JR.

WON ALL THESE AWARDS FOR HIS PART IN OPPENHEIMER .

WE WERE WITH A FRIEND OF MINE WHO HAPPENS TO BE A PRIEST IN SANTA BARBARA, AND HE'S VERY WELL KNOWN, HE'S ALMOST LIKE A CELEBRITY THERE, AND I SAID, FATHER LARRY, IF I GET ARRESTED WILL YOU BAIL ME OUT OF JAIL AND HE SAID, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

I SAID, I FEEL LIKE STORMING THE STAGE BECAUSE HE'S GETTING ALL THIS ATTENTION FOR PLAYING A PART IN HISTORY, WE LIVED THAT HISTORY AND WE CAN'T GET ANYBODY TO PICK UP HER WONDERFUL FILM AND STREAM IT.

AND I TOLD HIM I FEEL SO COMPELLED JUST TO RUN TO THE STAGE AND GET ARRESTED IN THIS VENUE AND MAYBE BRING SOME ATTENTION.

>>LOIS: WE HAD TO HOLD YOU DOWN.

>>TINA: BUT, SO YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING HOW THINGS TURN OUT SOMETIMES.

>>LOIS: SO JUST TO EXPLAIN, SO WE, THE FILM HAD A TREMENDOUS RUN IN FILM FESTIVALS AND NOW WE ARE DOING ONE-OFF SCREENINGS IN COMMUNITIES THAT INVITE US TO DO A SCREENING.

>>LORENE: WELL, DO YOU MENTION SOME SCREENINGS THAT ARE COMING UP.

>>LOIS: YES, SHOULD I DO THAT NOW?

>>LORENE: SURE.

>>LOIS: SO WE WOULD LOVE ANY OF YOUR LISTENERS TO ATTEND THE SCREENING IN ALBUQUERQUE ON MAY 3RD, IT'S A SUNDAY AT 12 NOON AT THE NATIONAL HISPANIC CULTURAL CENTER.

IT'S A FREE SCREENING AND IT'S GOT HUGE SEATING CAPACITY, IT IS GOING TO HAVE SO MUCH ENERGY.

THAT'S MAY 3RD IN ALBUQUERQUE.

THEN MAY 16TH IN SANTA FE ON MUSEUM HILL AT THE NATIVE AMERICAN MUSEUM, IT'S CALLED THE O'KEEFFE CINEMA, THAT'S SATURDAY, MAY 16TH.

WE'RE HAVING ONE SCREENING, BUT THEY'RE NOW AS OF TODAY, TRYING TO HAVE A SECOND SCREENING.

>>LORENE: YEAH, BECAUSE IT WILL BE MOBBED.

>>LOIS: IT'LL BE MOBBED, AND THOSE ARE FREE SCREENINGS.

WHERE WERE WE GOING BEFORE?

>>LORENE: WELL, WHAT I WAS GOING TO MENTION, BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED THE ARCHBISHOP, THAT ONE OF THE ARCHBISHOPS HAD SAID THAT WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE THERE ARE NUCLEAR GIANTS AND ETHICAL INFANTS.

>>TINA: HOW PROFOUND IS THAT?

HOW PROFOUND IS THAT?

HAVING THE ARCHBISHOP IN TULAROSA ON THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BOMB, ALONG WITH THE BISHOP FROM GALLUP.

THE PEOPLE IN TULAROSA WERE OVERWHELMED BY THIS BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET A VISIT FROM THE ARCHBISHOP, EVER, SO TO HAVE HIM THERE, IT WAS STANDING ROOM ONLY AT THE CHURCH.

WE HAD THE MOST AMAZING CANDLELIGHT VIGIL THAT EVENING, BUT TO HAVE HIM SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE AND SAY THE WORDS THAT YOU JUST SAID WAS AMAZING AND PROFOUND AND IT SPOKE TO EVERYBODY.

WE HAD THE LARGEST CROWD WE'VE EVER HAD, YOU KNOW, FOR ANY OF OUR EVENTS THAT DAY, AND IT WAS BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE RELIEVED.

YOU KNOW, AS I SAY IN THE FILM, SO MANY PEOPLE AT THE END OF 2024 WHEN THE BILL DIED AFTER US HAVING OVERWHELMING SUPPORT IN THE U.S.

SENATE, SO MANY PEOPLE CALLED ME AND SAID, IT'S OVER, IT'S DONE.

WE'RE NEVER GOING TO GET THERE, IT'S DONE, TINA, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NOW?

PEOPLE WERE DEVASTATED AND THEN TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN IN JULY OF 2025, ALMOST OUT OF NOWHERE.

BECAUSE I TOLD PEOPLE, I FELT LIKE I HAD TO STAND UP FOR OUR EFFORTS, I SAID, WE'RE NOT IN A WORSE PLACE OR A BETTER PLACE THAN WE WERE LAST YEAR, WE JUST START OVER, AND WE'VE DONE THAT YEAR AFTER YEAR.

WE CAN DO IT AGAIN THIS YEAR AND WE'RE GOING TO AND SO I MAINTAINED AN ATTITUDE ABOUT THAT, THAT WAS NECESSARY.

BUT IT WAS A DIFFICULT THING TO SELL TO PEOPLE ANYWAY, I OBSERVED IT.

PEOPLE WERE SO ELATED WHEN WE FINALLY WERE INCLUDED AND LORENE, I GET CALLS FROM PEOPLE WHO TELL ME, I JUST GOT A CLEARED RECA APPLICATION.

THEY ASKED ME FOR MY BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER, I'M GOING TO RECEIVE THE MONEY, YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS MEANS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY.

>>LOIS: LORENE, I'M ON A MISSION RIGHT NOW IN YOUR PROGRAM AND YOU, WITH YOUR DEVOTED FOLLOWING, CAN HELP US.

ALTHOUGH WE'VE BEEN AT FILM FESTIVALS AND WON COUNTLESS AWARDS, AND HELPED TO GET THIS LEGISLATION PASSED, WE NEED A STREAMER TO DISTRIBUTE OUR FILM.

WE NEED A STREAMER TO SEE OUR FILM, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAS.

SO WHAT WE NEED IS A CELEBRITY OR PEOPLE OF "IMPORTANCE" OR WITH CLOUT TO GET THE ATTENTION OF A STREAMER, WHETHER IT'S NETFLIX OR HBO OR NAT GEO TO SEE OUR FILM AND FALL IN LOVE WITH IT, WHICH THEY WILL, AND SEE HOW WITH A LITTLE BIT OF MARKETING AN AUDIENCE AROUND THE WORLD WILL BE RIVETED.

WE'RE IN A MOMENT OF NUCLEAR TERROR AND INSECURITY AND THIS FILM IS AN INTIMATE FILM ABOUT THE IMPACT OF ONE NUCLEAR BOMB.

>>TINA: AND THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THAT IS IT.

EVERYTHING THAT LOIS HAS JUST SAID I WOULD LIKE TO REINFORCE BECAUSE, AS OF A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WE NO LONGER HAVE ANY TREATIES IN PLACE THAT PROHIBIT THE DEVELOPMENT OR TESTING OF NUCLEAR DEVICES, THE USE OF NUCLEAR DEVICES, THE BUILD-UP OF NUCLEAR DEVICES, AND SO WHILE PEOPLE MAY THINK, WELL, I'M SO FAR REMOVED FROM THIS, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE.

THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF NUCLEAR DEVICES, AND WE ARE THE 80-YEAR HISTORY OF THAT.

AND LORENE, I THINK, SINCE THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU, JUST TO EMPHASIZE THE POINT, MY YOUNGEST BROTHER HAS BEEN NOW DIAGNOSED WITH KIDNEY CANCER.

SO, OF THE THREE SIBLINGS I HAVE, ONLY ONE HAS NEVER HAD CANCER.

HIS DAUGHTER NOW HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH THYROID CANCER, SHE'S 24 YEARS OLD, DIAGNOSED AT 23, THIS IS NOT GOING TO END ANYTIME SOON.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES WITH EXCEEDINGLY LONG HALF-LIVES AND WE'RE AT THIS NUCLEAR PRECIPICE.

THIS STORY NEEDS TO BE TOLD NOW AND IN A STATE LIKE OURS, WHERE WE HAVE ALL OF THIS INVESTMENT, FROM YOU KNOW, THE FILM INDUSTRY, THERE SHOULD BE SOMEBODY OUT THERE THAT SEES THE VALUE OF TELLING THIS STORY.

>>LORENE: WELL, SOMETHING THEY HAVE TO DO TO HELP PEOPLE WRAP THEIR MINDS, WHAT IS A HALF-LIFE OF PLUTONIUM, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT?

>>TINA: THE HALF-LIFE OF PLUTONIUM IS 24,000 YEARS.

>>LORENE: WELL, WE ARE SO OUT OF OUR DEPTH.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE JUST, WE'RE PLAYING WITH FIRE, WE'RE REALLY PLAYING WITH FIRE.

>>TINA: YOU KNOW, WHAT I SAY, LORENE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT'S NEVER COME BACK TO ASSESS WHAT'S IN OUR ENVIRONMENT AND WHERE.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SCIENTISTS NOW COMING FORWARD TO HELP US TO DO WATER, SOIL, AND PLANT SAMPLING, AND THEIR FINDINGS ARE UNBELIEVABLE.

WE HAVE A SCIENTIST THAT TOOK WATER, PLANT, AND SOIL SAMPLES IN THE CANYONS AROUND LOS ALAMOS AND HE FOUND HIGHER LEVELS OF PLUTONIUM THERE THAN HE FOUND AT CHERNOBYL.

SO WE CANNOT LOOK AWAY FROM THIS, AND WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LOOK AWAY FROM THIS, ESPECIALLY AT A TIME WHEN THERE'S NOW DISCUSSION AROUND OPENING UP URANIUM MINING AGAIN, WHEN WE HAVEN'T TAKEN CARE OF THE SUPERFUND SITES THAT EXIST HERE.

WE HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC THAT IS WELL EDUCATED AND VERSED ON ALL OF THIS AND UNDERSTANDS THE HUMAN CONSEQUENCE.

>>LORENE: AND THAT'S AN OUT-OF-STATE COMPANY THAT WANTS TO DO THE URANIUM MINING HERE, AND WE'D BE LEFT WITH ALL THE TAILINGS AND WE JUST CAN'T ALLOW IT.

WE JUST CANNOT ALLOW ANY MORE IGNORANCE OR PRETENDED IGNORANCE ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF WHATEVER WE DO WITH URANIUM.

I'M JUST SO SORRY WE'VE RUN OUT OF TIME, IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC.

I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH, OUR GUESTS TODAY ARE LOIS LIPMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND TINA CORDOVA.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE AND I HOPE IF THERE ARE NEW DEVELOPMENTS, I'D LIKE YOU TO COME BACK AND LET US KNOW BECAUSE THIS AFFECTS SO MANY PEOPLE.

AND I THINK THIS SHOW WILL OPEN A LOT OF DOORS AND OPEN EYES, PEOPLE'S EYES HOW MUCH THIS AFFECTS SUCH A HUGE PERCENT OF OUR POPULATION.

SO I WANT TO THANK YOU, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU.

>>TINA: THANK YOU, LORENE.

>>LOIS: THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS.

>>TINA: ABSOLUTELY.

IF ANYBODY WANTS MORE INFORMATION, THEY CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS TRINITYDOWNWINDERS.COM AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE TRINITY ON THERE AND THEN ALSO, FIRSTWEBOMBNEWMEXICO.COM.

>>LORENE: YES, AND I WANT THEM TO SEE IT WHEN IT'S IN THE SCREENINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED, IT'S REALLY POWERFUL.

ANYWAY, THANK YOU AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, OUR AUDIENCE, FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON THIS REALLY CRITICAL EDITION OF REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM.

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