Dr. Melissa: You're back with The Takeaway and it's time for us to look back at it and bring you some updates on some stories we've been following.
A few months ago, Louisiana announced they were transferred children from a juvenile detention center to a facility on the grounds of the infamous adult state penitentiary, commonly known as Angola. In September, we spoke with Ms. Molly, a parent of a 17-year-old son who was set to be transferred.
Ms. Molly: That is an adult prison where people were executed. He's scared, he's worried he's already suffering with depression nightmares. I just think that it's making his trauma worse.
Dr. Melissa: This week. The Takeaway spoke to Ms. Molly to get an update.
Ms. Molly: He was not transferred to Angola because he didn't meet the criteria. They actually did an assessment.
Dr. Melissa: She remembers the moment she learned her son would not be transferred to Angola.
Ms. Molly: I was on the tip of my toes because I didn't know what was going on. It's just that moment with tears of joy because I don't think no kids should be in Angola. They're kids. They made mistakes and it was just a moment of joy for us.
Dr. Melissa: While her son remains in state custody at another juvenile detention center, Ms. Molly says he's doing better and he's making progress towards his goal of becoming a welder.
Ms. Molly: He's better. He sounds better. He has this OSHA certificate. He has one more test to take, but he's transitioning to a young man. He wants to come home, take care of his siblings, go to work. He wants to start over and do the right thing.
Dr. Melissa: Still being separated makes this time of year particularly hard on their family.
Ms. Molly: The most wonderful time of the year may be the hardest for 10 of thousands of young people locked up for the holidays. He is sad, he's away from home but I just keep the faith and I keep talking positivity to him. It's so hard for me this year because I missed two Christmas with my son and it is hard.
Dr. Melissa: In February, his case is up for review. From there, there is a chance that he'll be coming home.
Ms. Molly: I just fall on my knees and have faith of a mustard seed that he's going to come home and that God is going to open doors. Right now, I feel like we're starting to see the end of the tunnel. We're starting to see some light here.
Dr. Melissa: We reached out to Louisiana's Office of Juvenile justice for comment about the status of juveniles in Angola. As of the time we went to air, we hadn't yet received a response from them. The most recent reporting from the Advocate in Baton Rouge indicates that eight young people have been transferred to Angola so far and are quote, currently housed at the old death row building that stands near the gates to the sprawling prison grounds. The state has indicated they may move up to 24 young people there. Let's leave Louisiana and head to Texas.
Dexter Thomas Jr.: Here in San Antonio, Texas, because there's a drag show happening at the Aztec Theater. I'm here because there's a large group, which is told a bunch of people to show up armed to protest the drag show.
Dr. Melissa: That's Dexter Thomas Jr. A correspondent for Vice News. This time those protestors were outnumbered by counter-protestors who drowned out shouts and homophobic slurs and the show went on. We've been covering the rise of drag phobia here on The Takeaway, and recently spoke with Naomi Dix the drag performer, who was headlining a show in Moore County, North Carolina on the night that two electrical substations were targeted in shooting attacks, which left 40,000 people without power. An official investigation is still ongoing.
Naomi Dix: This is not only affecting just drag artists, but this is also affecting trans people. This is also affecting people queer people as a whole.
Dr. Melissa: Meanwhile, this week in New York City, protestors gathered outside of a public library where city council member Erik Bottcher was attending a drag story hour event. Here is Bottcher outside the event.
Erik Bottcher: Inside you have love and joy and peace and acceptance, and outside you have hate and violence.
Dr. Melissa: Later in the week, protestors vandalized the hallways leading to Bottcher's office and the outside of his home writing hate speech messages. One of his neighbors was also allegedly physically attacked, and two protestors were arrested. According to GLAD as of November, there were at least 141 protests and threats against drag events in the US this year. We're going to continue to follow this story on The Takeaway.
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