soledad: right now on "matter of fact." 50 million working adults don't earn a living wage. >> they are in high effort, low skilled, low wage jobs, basically they are working their tails off without a lot of upward mobility. soledad: until now. >> you took a kid from west virginia that didn't have much going on and opened up a whole new world opportunity for me. soledad: how a group of investors is turning lives around in 8 weeks or less. >> plus soledad hosts a candid , conversation about criminal justice reform. soledad: are you guys adversaries? i mean, you're about blowing up the system. you're like you are the face of the system at this moment. >> it depends on what he says

next. soledad: a big city prosecutor and an abolitionist get real while our cameras roll. >> and schools are open. but without enough teachers, custodians, or bus drivers. >> today we're utilizing any sub that we have. both of our mechanics are driving busses. >> what this iowa school district is doing to make sure its students get to class every day. ♪ soledad: i'm soledad o'brien. welcome to "matter of fact." perhaps this is an understatement, but right now the job market is hot. job openings outnumber available workers by almost a two-to-one margin. but while demand is high, a skills gap is making it tough to find employees with the right training to match available jobs. not long ago, our correspondent jessica gomez visited an innovative training program for diesel mechanics and technicians in columbus, ohio. that's where she met 28-year-old

cam judy. ready for a new beginning. >> everyday i don't know what i am going to get handed. it's like a big puzzle, you know. it's problem solving. jessica: cam judy, less than a month into a brand new job as diesel technician in columbus, ohio. over the past year, a lot has changed for the 28-year-old. his wife lost her corporate job and his job as a chiropractic assistant wasn't enough to pay the bills. cam: i started looking at what can i do to have that advancement in something i enjoy doing? >> we need to know our battery health. jessica: that i when he found american diesel training centers in ohio offering a 5-week training program with no upfront tuition costs and help with things like transportation and living expenses. cam: i thought, this was too good to be true. my grandfather worked in the automotive industry for years

working on cars. no way i can learn what he knows in five weeks and people are going to hire me. jessica: but in an industry with tens of thousands of job openings, even before graduating from the program, cam had multiple offers. he's now making nearly $42,000 a year at kenworth trucks, more than double what he was making just a few months ago. tim spurlock: it allows people very quickly, with very little risk, to elevate their socioeconomic status, sometimes exponentially. >> have you got interviews and offers? jessica: tim spurlock, ceo of the training program, says his biggest challenge, recruiting students. most are low wage earners, who can't afford the $10,000 tuition, or to take time off of their current jobs, and many don't have the credit to get a loan. >> for four years that is a payment max of $13,000. jessica: but recently, they found a solution partnering with

social finance, a financial nonprofit, headquartered in boston. tracy palandjian: the american dream doesn't work for everyone. it used to work much better. jessica: the nonprofit, co-founded by tracy, raises money from philanthropic foundations and uses it to help pay students' tuition. but it's not a donation, it's an investment. this is how it works. at american diesel, for example, graduates who don't get a job or make less than $30,000 a year, are off the hook for the cost their $10,000 tuition. those making between $30,000-$40,000 pay back about 70% of their tuition in capped, monthly payments. earners bringing in $40,000 or more, pay it back in full, plus an additional $3000. they get sick or lose their job, they don't pay. >> the investors are taking on a huge risk. they know they may only get the principal back, and they know if

it's a really tough economy, they might only get $.80 on the dollar back. jessica: the engine powering the deal, tim spurlock says, accountability. >> we all have skin in the game. if we don't recruit quality people, give them good training and put them out into industry, into successful jobs, making payments, social finance will find another program to invest in. jessica: for cam judy, his new career, playing out even better than he expected. cam: looking toward settling down, buying a house, doing the adult things, the american dream stuff. so we are just excited about our future. jessica: in columbus, ohio, for "matter of fact," i'm jessica gomez soledad: we wanted to know how the american diesel training centers are doing in meeting worker demand for the trucking industry. tim spurlock is the ceo. tim: right now this year out of , 500 graduates, 85% are

completely funded via our partnership with social finance and our and our company partners. we've been able, for many companies, to double and sometimes even that their retention rate, which saves millions and tens of millions of dollars from them every year and -- in employee turnover. so, we've got about 2000 people out there working in industry now and we just keep going. >> next on "matter of fact." >> 100 to 130 human beings will be arrested in philadelphia and there will be victims. and that has to be dealt with until we get where you are trying to go. richie reseda: i'm not shooting for a utopia as much as new infrastructure through which to deal with harm without without revenge. >> the conversation that will have you thinking about what reforming criminal justice really means. and later. what if we could build a city -- with homes, jobs, stores, and entertainment, all within a 15 minute walk? we'll show you where someone's planning to do just that. ♪

some migraine attacks catch you off guard. but for me a stressful day can trigger migraine attacks, too. that's why my go-to is nurtec odt... it's the only migraine medication that can treat and prevent my attacks all in one. don't take if allergic to nurtec. most common side effects, in less than 3%, were nausea, indigestion, stomach pain. nurtec dissolves fast, so i can get back to normal fast whether i need to treat a migraine

or prevent the next one. treat and prevent, all in one.

♪ soledad: welcome back to "matter of fact." the numbers of incarcerated americans are shocking. approximately 2.2 million people are being held in county jails, and state and federal prisons. making ours the largest prison population in the world. midterm elections are giving state and local candidates a chance to debate issues like criminal justice reform, policing and racial disparities in law enforcement. recently, we invited philadelphia district attorney larry krasner to sit down with an advocate for abolishing the system altogether. he and richie reseda, a formerly incarcerated person and co-host of the spotify original podcast, "abolition x" spoke about what reforming the system means to them. soledad: larry krasner. richie reseda, nice to have you both. let's jump right into it.

what do you each think are the biggest issues that need to be changed when it comes to criminal justice? why don't you start for me? larry: i think that we have a system that is extremely inaccurate and it can only evaluate accountability in one way, which is years of incarceration. i don't think it addresses the needs of victims and survivors who need a whole lot. that isn't somebody doing a bunch of jail time. and i think we need to really focus on things that work. soledad: add on to that list or tell me if there are things on that list that you disagree with. richie: i love that list. i think what i would say is we just need to get away from the whole model of revenge is justice. but ultimately, the criminal justice system runs on the assumption that revenge is justice. and i think that when we take revenge out of the equation altogether and we take domination out, then we can actually get to accountability, honesty, safety, all the things that we're really looking for. so, what what i propose is really changing the system at its foundation. soledad: people talk about

rehabilitation. is that -- that a joke? is the system not about rehabilitation in any way? larry: the american system is not. it should be. it works. if you go into a, you know, a jail in berlin and you will see people who are going home for dinner with their families. then they come back to the jail to sleep at night. they're wearing street clothes. they are paid street wages to do work. and the whole point is to reintegrate them into society. it works. we just don't do it richie: though i agree with mr. krasner that the systems they have in germany is better, i also think the idea of rehabilitation is inherently racist and classist. when we talk about rehabilitation, we're usually talking about poor people of color. in those countries, it is usually immigrants. the word rehabilitation almost implies that there's a specific kind of healing for the poor, dark skinned people in jail that are worse than us. and we, the good people, need to fix them so that they deserve to be around us again. larry: to me, accountability and healing are part of rehabilitation. at least the way i see the work. you know, i think that we have

to have a system that meets people where their needs are and tries to give them what they need so that they can succeed in society. they can have good lives. the system has been a one size fits all approach for a very long time. all about revenge. i completely agree with that. it has abandoned notions of actually reintegrating people in society, helping them and getting them past their problems . soledad: what does the justice system that you want to see literally look like, if we're getting rid of the system that exists? richie: it would not be a separate entity that exists within the government and the rest of us just live regular lives where we're expected to make money every day until something goes wrong. then we call that entity. it would look like a culture that we all share, where we are being active in the creation of peace in our lives. so, first we would need a just country. we would need a place where people are paid a living wage when they work. we would need a place where people have health care. a place where people have mental health care. a place where people are taken care of. soledad: what does it look like to you?

larry: well, i actually agree with richie. i mean, i think all of this starts with having a just society. but at the same time, you know, i recognize that there are 100 to 130 people that are going to be arrested in philly today, so a lot of what i am after in the short term, is making sure that right here, right now, that 16 year old who got arrested today is going to have some kind of a resolution that gets us as close to justice as we can be right now. and a lot of that means is taking the resources that are used improperly for revenge and reallocating for things that actually prevent crime and make it better. soledad: larry krasner, richie reseda, nice to talk to you guys. appreciate it. richie: so good to talk to you. larry: it's great to be here. >> ahead on "matter of fact." america's school districts don't have enough bus drivers, leaving families in a bind. >> why don't you two just take him to school yourselves? >> because i can't. i have to be to work by 7:00 a.m. >> how one iowa school district is filling in the gaps. and still ahead. photo op. a look at the sunflower super bloom worthy of a selfie.

♪

♪ soledad: the school year is underway for most of the country and it's been a slow haul for districts short on employees. the wave of teachers and staff strikes shows discontent with pay, work load, and conditions. the national bus driver shortage is making it difficult to get children to school. in carroll, iowa, the district has raised driver pay, and is offering a $1000 sign-on bonus for new hires. plus, a retention bonus for

existing drivers. they're down five drivers out of 24 since last fall and are forced to combine routes. drivers are making two trips, from neighborhoods to the school, and then back again. so, schools are opening earlier for drop off, which means employing more staff. correspondent laura chavez visited carroll to see how drivers and families are managing. >> hey, just letting you know bus 22 is not going to be running this morning. >> today, we're utilizing any sub that we have. our transportation director's driving, both of our mechanics are driving busses, we've got our director of teaching and learning, a couple of instructional coaches. >> i mean, i knew we had a bus shortage going on and -- but now i just step in as a -- as a teacher -- that was a very new role to play today. richie reseda: -- laura: teachers and school staff have been stepping up over the last few years to make sure the 1700 students in carroll community get to school.

>> ultimately, if i lose another four or five drivers, i'll have to do away with in-town bussing. laura: removing in-town bussing means kids living within the city limits could lose access to a bus. >> daddy, you seen my tool box? laura: and that won't work for adam and bailey warnke, who live in town about a mile from their son ryder's preschool. why don't you two just take him to school yourselves? >> because i can't. i have to be to work by 7:00 a.m. >> and i have to hold a job as well. there is no way that i could be able to transport him to and from. laura: three-year-old ryder has an undiagnosed muscular issue. at home he can scoot across the carpet. but otherwise, his wheelchair gets him around. so, without a specially equipped bus, he's stuck at home and falling behind. >> you got it. good job. laura: and there's another reason the bus system is important to ryder and his family. >> good morning. laura: it is the special bond

between ryder and his driver, rick hamilton. >> he loves to joke around with rick. >> i've told rick, like he can't retire. >> ryder's just a sweetheart. i love him to death. he's a great kid. laura: rick's been driving a school bus for almost 30 years, and he's seen a lot, but nothing like the current driver shortage. >> i don't remember when i started that there was it was near the problem, filling routes or finding subs. it seems to me like the last few years is really critical. laura: according to rick and other drivers i spoke to, this shortage has been building. do you guys see an end in sight or is this just the new normal? >> i don't see an end in sight pbecause you just can't get drivers. they don't want to do it. >> there are no benefits, really. the pay is not what it should be. >> it takes a special person to drive a school bus. and you have to want to do it or you wouldn't last. >> i always have loved working with kids. we do a lot of talking, a lot of sharing, and so i get really close to my kids. laura: which ryder and his

family know first hand. >> it helps with the start of the day. i'll tell him, ryder, your bus is coming up the road. and he bolts in his wheelchair. he bolts right to the end of the driveway and waits for rick to pick him up. laura: how did it make you feel a first time you saw him ride off on that bus? >> oh, i choked up. i got a soft spot in my heart. >> it all starts right there on a big yellow bus, you know? >> see you tomorrow. laura: on a big yellow bus in carroll, iowa, i'm laura chavez for "matter of fact." >> coming up on "matter of fact." do your dread your commute? we take a look at the plan for a 15 minute city with everything within a few minutes walk that -- walk. it might just might make you think about moving. to stay up-to-date with matter of fact, sign up for our newsletter at matteroffact.tv. of fact, sign up for our newsletter at matteroffact.tv.

every search you make, every click you take, every move you make, every step you take, i'll be watching you. the internet doesn't have to be duckduckgo is a free all in one privacy app with a built in search engine, web browser, one click data clearing and more stop companies like google from watching you, by downloading the app today. duckduckgo: privacy, simplified.

♪♪♪ my name is austin james. as a musician living with diabetes, fingersticks can be a real challenge. that's why i use the freestyle libre 2 system. with a painless, one-second scan i know my glucose numbers without fingersticks. now i'm managing my diabetes better and i've lowered my a1c from 8.2 to 6.7. take the mystery out of managing your diabetes and lower your a1c. now you know. try it for free at freestylelibre.us soledad: do you dread your commute?

according to the u.s. census bureau, in 2019 americans spent an average of an hour every day getting to work and back. that adds up to almost 10 days a year! but some of our canadian neighbors are embracing the concept of a 15-minute city. that's a neighborhood where everything you need your , workplace, home, or grocery store, is within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. urban planners want to develop the concept in one community located on the banks of lake ontario. the site is a former coal power plant in mississauga. the 15-year project is called lakeview village. planners say the size of the lake ontario site is ideal because it provides a blank canvas for development. brian sutherland is with argo development. >> a mix of options with over 8000 residential units integrated with retail and restaurants. over 9000 jobs associated with an innovation district and employment hub. we also have the opportunity to

implement a district energy system for this project, where we can heat and cool the entirety of the community in a very green, sustainable way. soledad: cities in the u.s. and around the world are trying to find ways to incorporate this sustainable concept into their urban planning. building a neighborhood from scratch obviously can't be cheap. the condos are expected to start at half a million canadian dollars. 5% of the units will be designated as affordable housing. >> next on "matter of fact." we bask in the golden hue of thousands and thousands of sunflowers. ♪ why hide your skin if dupixent has your moderate-to-severe eczema or atopic dermatitis under control? hide my skin? not me. by hitting eczema where it counts, dupixent helps heal your skin from within, keeping you one step ahead of eczema. hide my skin? not me.

and that means long-lasting clearer skin and fast itch relief for adults. with dupixent, you can show more skin with less eczema. hide my skin? not me. 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, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines without talking to your doctor. when you help heal your skin from within, you can change how your skin looks and feels. and that's the kind of change you notice. talk to your eczema specialist about dupixent, a breakthrough eczema treatment.

soledad: and finally, labor day weekend marks the unofficial end of summer. but folks in north dakota use a different, more vibrant, indicator. sunflowers. sunflower superbloom happening

all over the state. this stunning phenomenon appears at the end of every summer. the national sunflower association reports north dakota growers planted 735,000 acres of sunflowers this year. the state is the second top sunflower-producer, just behind south dakota. these flowers are more than just a great tiktok backdrop. there is some history there. after the passage of the homestead act in 1862, ukrainian immigrants ventured to north dakota and began planting sunflowers. the plant is important to ukrainians. before the russian invasion earlier this year, ukraine was the largest exporter of sunflower oil in the world. the superbloom looks different in north dakota each year. farmers rotate their crops, planting sunflowers in former wheat fields and vice versa, to keep the soil healthy. it is a unique way to make the superbloom, super special. that's it for this edition of "matter of fact." i'm soledad o'brien. we'll see you next week.

♪ >> listen to "matter of fact" with soledad o'brien on your favorite podcast provider, watch us during the week on fyi, pluto, and youtube. ♪ which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, my name is douglas. i'm a writer/director and i'm still working. in the kind of work that i do, you are surrounded by people who are all younger than you. i had to get help somewhere along the line to stay competitive.

i discovered prevagen. i started taking it and after a period of time, my memory improved. it was a game-changer for me. prevagen. healthier brain. better life.

today on "asian pacific america" it is time for thanksgiving and we will talk to the head of the bay area's career center ink about the event on september 10th that you can join in on, and then we will finish our interview with lisa ling as we talk about her shows on hbo max "take out with lisa ling" and wrap up with a performance with a performance