Astro Bug

WASHINGTON - AstroBug -- People's Television and Be A Hero today release, for the first time, the full, uncut conversation between Vice President Kamala Harris and the late activist Ady Barkan, a leading advocate for healthcare justice and progressive policy. Filmed in 2019 during the making of the award-winning documentary Not Going Quietly, this intimate discussion captures an emotional side of Harris that audiences have never fully seen. While ten minutes of this conversation were released during the 2019 primary, the complete, nearly one-hour exchange has remained unseen—until now.

Released on the one year anniversary of Barkan's passing, this footage highlights the power of Barkan's legacy and arrives at a crucial time, inviting viewers to see Harris' character and reflect on healthcare access, economic justice, and the urgency of political engagement as we approach a pivotal election.

"Documenting this conversation I witnessed firsthand how Ady had an incredible ability to call leaders into moral clarity while calling us all into action. In releasing this conversation in its entirety, we hope to bring his voice into this urgent moment, and honor his commitment to a more just, compassionate country," said Nicholas Bruckman, director of Not Going Quietly.

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"Ady was an incisive and big-hearted activist who knew the power of connecting our lived experiences to policy demands. His conversation with then-Senator Harris is a master class in how we can advance our fight for healthcare justice by sharing our stories, pointing out how policy is failing patients, and getting commitments from elected officials that make a difference in people's lives," said Jamila Headley, Executive Director of Be A Hero.

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A Personal, Unfiltered Policy Conversation

In this full-length footage, viewers will see Harris and Barkan engage in a candid dialogue that is both deeply personal and timely. Ady speaks passionately about healthcare and urges Harris for bold, uncompromising reform. Harris, visibly moved to tears, opens up in more detail than ever before about the challenges she faces as a caregiver for her mother, who battled cancer. Harris recalls the quiet, intimate details of caregiving, such as finding "soft hats and scarves" for her mother as her skin grew sensitive from treatment, adding, "we cannot keep the people we love alive as long as we'd like," she states, "but we can make the system kinder."

In the full conversation, Barkan notes that his insurance company had just denied his claim for home care services. Harris outlines previously unheard elements of her healthcare policy including prioritizing long-term care and support for caregivers—particularly family members and low-wage care workers who receive little to no compensation for essential work. This policy vision is borne out in Harris's recent groundbreaking proposal to modernize Medicare to cover long-term home care and to expand coverage to vision and hearing services.

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About Be A Hero
Be A Hero fights for health justice for all by organizing people across the country who have been harmed by our broken healthcare system. Founded in 2018 by Ady Barkan and Liz Jaff and now led by Jamila Headley, Be A Hero works to advance the idea that healthcare is a human right that should be guaranteed to all. We have activated hundreds of thousands of people to shift the political debate on healthcare in America and create new windows of opportunity for transformational change.

About People's Television
People's Television is the production company behind the documentary Not Going Quietly, whose films have been acquired by Hulu, Netflix, PBS, HBO, Nat Geo, and Vice Media. Not Going Quietly, received 2 Emmy® and 3 IDA nominations, and won the SXSW Audience Award and Special Jury Prize, and released worldwide to critical acclaim. Known for their work with global brands, foundations, and social movements, People's Television continues to leverage the power of storytelling to spark conversation, uplift unheard voices, and create social change.