>> LAURA: HI, EVERYONE.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

I'M HERE TODAY WITH EZEKIEL GONZALES, REAGAN RUSSETTE, AND MIABELLA BUROLLA.

THANKS FOR BEING HERE, Y'ALL.

SO THE EPA DID SEND A REPRESENTATIVE TO YOUR SCHOOL TO TALK ABOUT THE PLANS.

I'M CURIOUS, EZEKIEL, WE'LL START WITH YOU.

WHAT WERE YOUR TAKEAWAYS FROM THAT VISIT FROM THAT REPRESENTATIVE?

KENYON LARSEN I THINK WAS THE NAME.

>> GONZALES: HE WAS A GREAT GUY.

GREAT GUY.

I REALLY JUST GOT ALONG WITH HIM, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY.

I AM GLAD THAT THEY DID AT LEAST GIVE US THE TIME AND THE TIME OUT OF THEIR DAYS TO COME DOWN.

SOME STUFF IS A LITTLE HARD TO BELIEVE.

LIKE WHAT THEY'RE DOING, THEY THINK THEY'RE IN THE RIGHT, BUT THEY'RE WRONG.

THEY'RE THINK THEY'RE DOING IT RIGHT JUST BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY CAN JUST 80 YEARS LATER COME AND HELP.

BUT YOU KNOW, THEY'RE STILL WRONG AND THEY STILL MADE THAT MISTAKE.

BUT I FEEL LIKE IT WAS AT LEAST EDUCATIONAL AND HELPED US THAT THEY CAME DOWN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME I'M STILL FIRM ON I DON'T WANT WASTE IN MY TOWN IN THOREAU.

>> LAURA: MIABELLA, WHAT WAS YOUR TAKEAWAY FROM THAT VISIT FROM THE EPA?

>> BURROLA: I JUST FELT LIKE THEY WERE LIKE THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AND YOU CAN'T DO NOTHING ABOUT IT.

IT'S LIKE IT'S SET IN STONE.

LIKE NOTHING WE CAN DO IS GOING TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS.

SO IT'S LIKE WHAT'S THE POINT OF THEM COMING OVER HERE IF THEY'RE SAYING THAT THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND WHEN WE LIKE INTERVIEWED HIM, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY, HIS ANSWERS TO SOME QUESTIONS HE KIND OF LIKE SLIPPED UP AND IT WAS REALLY -- LIKE IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING TRUE?

OR IS IT JUST TO EASE OUR PAIN TO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH?

>> LAURA: REAGAN, YOUR TAKEAWAY FROM THAT VISIT?

>> RUSSETTE: I THINK IT'S JUST THE SAME AS THESE GUYS.

IT'S JUST I THINK IT'S POINTLESS TO SAY IT WILL BE A PUBLIC DISCUSSION OR LIKE GETTING THE OPINION FROM OTHER -- LIKE THE PEOPLE IN THE THOREAU COMMUNITY.

AND SAYING THAT OUR -- WHAT SEE SAY OR WHAT WE WANT IS LIKE VALUED IN THEIR EYES, BUT I FEEL LIKE THEY JUST TOOK EVERYTHING WE SAID LIKE AS STATEMENTS.

AND JUST LIKE ME AND BELLA SAID, IT'S GOING TO BE-- NOTHING'S GOING TO CHANGE IF-- LIKE REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE WANT OR WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS TO SAY, NOTHING'S GOING TO CHANGE.

BUT I FEEL LIKE WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW, AND LIKE WHERE WE ARE, I FEEL LIKE WE'LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BUT NOT AS MUCH IF WE DON'T HAVE LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH US.

BUT MY INITIAL THOUGHT TO KENYON WAS HE PUT A NICE -- LIKE A NICE FACE ON FROM WHAT HE REALLY WAS BECAUSE THE PODCAST, MOST QUESTIONS THAT THEY ASKED, HE WOULDN'T REALLY ANSWER THEM.

HE JUST KIND OF PASSED THEM OFF.

OR DURING THE MEETING WHEN OUR NAVAJO TEACHER ASKED QUESTIONS, OR ANOTHER TEACHER WOULD, THEY WOULD PASS IT OFF TO THE NAVAJO NATION EPA WHICH IS A NAVAJO WOMAN.

SO HE WOULDN'T ANSWER IT COMING FROM US.

>> LAURA: SO YOU GUYS HAVE A PODCAST, IS THAT RIGHT?

SO YOU INTERVIEWED HIM FOR YOUR PODCAST?

>> RUSSETTE: YEAH.

>> LAURA: YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF AN EXPERIENCE REPORTERS SOMETIMES HAVE TOO WITH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.

WHERE THEY WANT TO GIVE US A PRESENTATION, BUT THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS GREAT AT ANSWERING QUESTIONS.

DID YOU FEEL LIKE YOU -- LIKE THEY HAD THEIR TALKING POINTS?

OR WAS IT A CONVERSATION YOU COULD HAVE?

>> RUSSETTE: IT'S JUST TALKING POINTS.

THERE WASN'T LIKE ANY SPACE FOR -- LIKE THEY MADE IT SEEM LIKE THERE WAS NO SPACE FOR US TO TALK.

WELL, FROM WHAT I FELT LIKE.

LIKE, ANY TIME WE SAID SOMETHING THAT I THINK WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE A GREAT WAY -- A GREAT CONVERSATION TO HAVE TO GET MORE OF AN UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE WHEN THEY CAME I FEEL LIKE I LEARNED A FEW THINGS.

AND I GOT TO SEE ON THE SIDE OF THE FENCE JUST TO SEE MAYBE I'LL UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE PUTTING IT HERE.

BUT I'M STILL 100% NOT ALLOWING IT TO COME HERE.

BUT I THINK IT WAS JUST TALKING POINTS.

THEY DIDN'T REALLY CARE TO GET WHAT WE WANTED OR OUR TAKE FROM IT.

>> LAURA: WHEN I VISITED YOUR CLASSROOM IN MAY, THERE WERE LIKE MAYBE TEN OR FIFTEEN OF YOU WHO WERE HELPING ME UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SOMEONE MENTIONED WAS THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE EPA REASSURED YOU THAT YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING SICK IN YOUR LIFETIME, IF YOU WERE EXPOSED TO THIS WASTE.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AMONG ADULTS ALL THE TIME, KIND OF LIKE THIS SORT OF WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN KIND OF LINE OF CONVERSATION.

Y'ALL REALLY SURPRISED ME.

BECAUSE AS TEENAGERS YOU WERE KIND OF SAYING WE'RE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT OUR LIFETIME, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT KIND OF THE TIMELINE YOU'RE LOOKING AT, AND WHO YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT?

WE'LL START WITH YOU, REAGAN.

>> RUSSETTE: SO, FOR ME, I THINK HAVING THIS WASTE HERE IT WILL BE HARMFUL TO MYSELF, OF COURSE.

BUT I MAINLY CARE ABOUT MY SIBLINGS AND THEIR LIVES AND MY PARENTS LIVES.

BASICALLY, EVERYONE ELSE IN THAT COMMUNITY.

LIKE THE LITTLE KIDS THAT LIVE THERE.

IF THIS COMES HERE AND SOMETHING -- LIKE SOMETHING BAD TO WERE TO HAPPEN, OR LIKE THE WHOLE TOWN GET WIPED OUT, AND WHERE'S THE FUTURE GENERATION GOING TO COME FROM?

THERE WON'T BE ANYBODY THERE.

LIKE THE LAND IS GOING TO DIE.

NOTHING'S GOING TO STAY ONCE CONTAMINATION HAPPENS.

IT'S JUST GOING TO BE LIKE EVERY OTHER PLACE.

LIKE AMBROSIA.

LIKE NOBODY GOES THERE.

IT'S ISOLATED AND EVERYTHING.

I MAINLY CARE ABOUT THE SAFETY GOOD HEALTH FOR MY FAMILY AND EVERYBODY ELSE.

>> LAURA: EZEKIEL, WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT WHERE YOU LIVE AND WHY WE SHOULD ALL CARE ABOUT PROTECTING IT?

LIKE ANYBODY WATCHING THIS SHOW ANYWHERE IN NEW MEXICO.

>> GONZALES: BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, THINK ABOUT IT.

IF SOMEONE -- IF IT WAS YOU, OBVIOUSLY, YOU WOULD CARE AND YOU WOULD WANT PEOPLE TO CARE FOR YOUR SITUATION THAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH.

OBVIOUSLY, WE CAN'T MAKE PEOPLE CARE, BUT WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO AND WE WOULD ASK THEM TO CARE AND FOR THEIR HELP.

AND THE LAND IS BEAUTIFUL.

YOU KNOW, WHAT I COULD TELL YOU IS IF YOU COULD GO TO THOREAU AND SEE THE SUNSETS, AND THE HORIZON AND THE MOUNTAINS, YOU WOULD PROBABLY UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY WE WANT TO SAVE THAT LAND.

AND OBVIOUSLY, THOREAU THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE, A POPULATION OF AROUND 2500, POSSIBLY.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT URANIUM THERE AND THEN HAVE ALL THOSE PEOPLE LEAVE.

IT'S A PLACE THAT'S UNCONTAMINATED.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

WHY DESTROY IT?

JUST SAVE IT AND PRESERVE IT.

>> LAURA: WHAT ABOUT YOU, MIABELLA, WHY DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO CARE?

>> BURROLA: I WANT PEOPLE TO CARE BECAUSE IT'S LIKE MY HOMETOWN.

IT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME.

BECAUSE IF IT WAS THEIR HOMETOWN THEY WOULD REALLY DEEPLY CARE ABOUT IT.

I DON'T WANT IT TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH NUCLEAR WASTES.

>> LAURA: SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ONE OF THE OTHER STUDENTS WHEN I WAS VISITING SAID, AND I'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REALLY STOP THINKING ABOUT THIS SINCE THEN, AND I THINK HE WAS TALKING ABOUT NOT JUST YOUR COMMUNITY, BUT I THINK NAVAJO PEOPLE AND NATIVE PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN AFFECTED BY URANIUM MINING.

AND HE SAID, MAYBE THE GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO KILL US.

AND I'M CURIOUS, LIKE, WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, AND IF THAT KIND OF SENTIMENT RESONATES WITH YOU AT ALL?

>> RUSSETTE: WELL, SHOUT OUT TO AUSTIN BECAUSE HE'S THE ONE THAT GAVE THAT RESPONSE.

I COULD UNDERSTAND WHAT HE'S SAYING.

AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT, BUT I DON'T REALLY THINK SO.

I GUESS IT'S JUST -- IT'S JUST MONEY.

LIKE THEY WANT TO SAVE MONEY.

THEY WANT TO GET MONEY.

SO, JUST MOVING IT TO OUR LITTLE TOWN, IT'S NOT AS EXPENSIVE AS MOST PEOPLE WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE.

BUT I THINK IT'S JUST MONEY, AND LIKE I SAID, I COULD UNDERSTAND WHERE HE'S COMING FROM.

I JUST DON'T REALLY SEE IT.

>> BURROLA: I THINK IT'S LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF COLONIALISM AND A LITTLE BIT OF IMPERIALISM.

IT'S JUST LIKE SO -- THERE'S A LOT OF URANIUM MINES AND DUMPS ON THE NAVAJO NATION COMPARED TO OTHER SPOTS, IT'S ALL ON NATIVE LAND.

IT'S LIKE WE GOT ALL KINDS OF POWER AND YOU GUYS ARE JUST THE POOR BROWN PEOPLE THAT WE COULD JUST DUMP OUR WASTE ON.

BECAUSE NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOU.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT IT, THEY STILL CALL US INDIANS.

INJUNS, INDIANS, AND IT'S REALLY HURTFUL BECAUSE IT'S LIKE NO, WE'RE NOT.

LIKE WE'RE LIVING PEOPLE LIKE YOU TOO.

WE DON'T CALL YOU GUYS BY LIKE THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN OR YOUR NATIONALITY.

WE'RE HUMAN.

IT'S LIKE SINCE YOU'RE NATIVE WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS TO YOU BECAUSE WE HAVE THE POWER AND WE'RE SUPERIOR TO YOU.

>> LAURA: I FEEL LIKE YOU ALL HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THIS ISSUE, BUT PROBABLY LOTS OF OTHER THINGS TOO.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COLONIALISM AND IMPERIALISM, AND MONEY, AND CAPITALISM.

I'M CURIOUS, WHO DO YOU FEEL LIKE IS LISTENING TO WHAT YOU ALL HAVE TO SAY RIGHT NOW?

DO YOU FEEL LISTENED TO?

AND WHO IS LISTENING?

>> GONZALES: FIRST OFF, OBVIOUSLY, YOU GUYS LISTENED.

OBVIOUSLY, THE WHITE PEOPLE LISTENED.

I DON'T WANT TO BE TOO -- AND OUR OWN PEOPLE SAY NATIVE AMERICANS.

LIKE OUR PRESIDENT BUU NYGREN, HE HASN'T EVEN LISTENED.

NATIVE AMERICAN HASN'T LISTENED AND RESPONDED.

>> RUSSETTE: LIKE MULTIPLE LETTERS, AND TRIED TO GET IN CONTACT WITH HIM.

HE KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON AND EVERYTHING.

BUT I FEEL LIKE HE JUST CHOOSES NOT TO GET INVOLVED WITH HOW HIS SOCIAL STANDARD IS.

LIKE HE'S ON TOP WHEN IT COMES TO NATIVE AMERICANS AND RESERVATIONS.

I FEEL HE PROBABLY DOESN'T WANT TO GET INVOLVED.

>> LAURA: WHO ELSE DO YOU WANT TO BE LISTENING RIGHT NOW?

LIKE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION.

WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE PAYING CLOSER ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU ALL HAVE TO SAY?

>> BURROLA: THE PRESIDENT, JOE BIDEN.

BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT TO SAY.

>> GONZALES: OBVIOUSLY, PEOPLE WITH POWER.

YEAH.

>> RUSSETTE: JUST PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO HELP US.

AND LIKE YOU SAID, PEOPLE WITH POWER.

PEOPLE THAT COULD HELP US MAKE CHANGE BECAUSE THIS HAS TO STOP.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALL DON'T WANT TO HAPPEN, BUT WE JUST WANT SOMEONE WHO'S -- LIKE WHO HAS POWER JUST TO HELP US AND TO STAND WITH US.

BECAUSE FROM WHAT I SEE IT -- EVEN HAVING OUR COMMUNITY AND EVERYBODY WE COULD, BUT THEY ARE STILL LIKE -- LIKE THE POOR PEOPLE, ALMOST.

I FEEL LIKE REGARDLESS WE WON'T MAKE ANYTHING HAPPEN UNLESS WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS ABLE TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN FOR US, OR THAT HAS A VOICE IN EVERYTHING.

>> LAURA: WELL, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, FOR MAKING THE TRIP TO ALBUQUERQUE, FOR TALKING WITH ME.

I APPRECIATE THAT YOU CARE SO MUCH ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY.

AND I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST OF LUCK.

>> RUSSETTE: THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> GONZALES: THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.