Living In The 21st Century, Episode 3
Show on Newton Cable Access, Hosted by Errol Forde. This episode features a discussion with Dr. Andrew J. Bacevich, a Boston University Professor
Errol Forde always wanted to produce a television show. He is extremely passionate about politics and the issues facing society today, and he wanted a forum to share his views with the public. Moreover, he wanted to present important issues in an easily digestible form to people with busy lives. So, about a year and a half ago he joined NewTV and set out to produce Living in the 21st Century.
When Errol began working on the show, there were many subjects he felt strongly about. He invited industry professionals to appear on the show and elaborate on these topics. The premiere episode was about climate change, specifically how it is now affecting and will affect Boston in the future. Errol said, “I’ve always been concerned about that [issue], so that’s why I decided to do my first episode on it.” His guest was Julie Wormser, the Executive Director of the Boston Harbor Association. Errol expressed concerns that the sea level is rising and he feels the government isn’t educating society on what is happening. He asked Julie to share her insights on how the government is dealing with the potential future impact of climate change on Boston. She shared steps that Mayor Walsh has taken to try and make sure the Boston environment is secure.
From there, Errol has covered topics such as terrorism, inequality, and empowered women. He is not afraid to tackle difficult issues, “My whole idea of becoming a producer is that I think in the 21st century we [face] so many different challenges and an everyday person like myself who just works and tries to make ends meet…doesn’t get a chance to zero in on the realities that exist around us…I wanted my TV show to be an informative program that [would] enable people who don’t have time to catch up on what’s going on to [get a sense] of what is actually going on. That’s why I have so many topics.” In addition to the topics he has already covered, Errol is passionate about topics such as police brutality, gun control, healthcare, and immigration, to name a few.
Errol’s passion for politics and current issues carries over into his everyday life; he is the president and founder of the Socio Economic Development Foundation of Boston (SEDFOB Inc.), a non-profit organization that works to support and develop academic achievements, performing arts and sports tourism. The belief is that by promoting these activities, they will also create employment and economic growth, along with positively affecting diversity. One of the initiatives that Errol is most passionate about is the one to bring cricket, a sport that’s extremely popular in his native Barbados, to Boston (and eventually Newton) in order to increase sports tourism to the area. He also sees it as a way to positively impact the lives of local children: “I have no doubts about having these young people get their training. I want to make superstars out of them in every form: monetarily, socially…”
Yet, as busy as he is with SEDFOB Inc., he shows no signs of slowing down on Living in the 21st Century. Errol is, “concerned a lot with politics and how it affects the day to day living of people…who don’t have a lot of time to think about politics…Poor people don’t have time to sit around and study what they want the future to be. They’re trying to keep the heat on and get the kids to school.” He will continue to explore different key issues and condense them into a manageable, episodic format. About his experience producing so far, Errol says, “Even more than myself I have to extend the greatest appreciation to NewTV for making this happen. Having NewTV give me their support – I couldn’t appreciate it any more. I owe a lot of credit to the members, management, and staff that help out. They have played an integral role in making this become a reality.”