I recently attended a neuroscience summer camp called CNV-X (clinical Neuroscience Virtual Experience), which was taught by Stanford professors who are incredibly learned in the subject. During this experience, I was given the opportunity to work with five other members to create a capstone project. As the neurotechnology team, we decided to set up a clinical trial using TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation), a new treatment for diseases that affects the brain. Our target population were the elderly most affected by Alzheimers.

About 5.8 million Americans are devastated by Alzheimers each year. It is also the fifth leading cause of death for those aged 65 and older, and the #1 leading cause for disability and poor health. Alzheimers causes severe memory loss, slurred speech, wandering, change in personality, and difficulty completing daily tasks.

Alzheimers is a neurodegenerative disease that leads to the decline of behavioral and cognitive thinking skills. The disease begins in the temporal lobe, located at the center of the brain, and then slowly expands to other parts. It first arises from amyloid and tau tangles (protein malfunctions) that are often caused by high blood pressure. The clumps bind to the receptors of the neuron and change the structure of the synapse, thus disrupting neurological communication. The clump deposits outside the neuron creating dense plaques. Eventually, this will cause tangles in the actual nerve cell, destroying the structure of the cytoskeleton, and collapsing the neurons transport system.

There are a few common stimulants of Alzheimers, first being hereditary. If someone had a first degree relative, say a parent or sibling, they are two to three times more likely to get the disease. Moreover, if you previously had a moderate concussion than you are two to three times as susceptible. Finally, if you ever had a severe concussion, then you are three times more prone to get Alzheimers when you are an elder.

My group decided to look into how TMS can become a common treatment for people affected by Alzheimers. TMS (Transcranial Magnetic stimulation) is a frequent and non intrusive treatment for brain diseases.

During Alzheimers, neurons slowly deteriorate and die, which will break the connections that are vital for a human to function properly. To solve that issue, TMS uses a short, electromagnetic coil to send a powerful outburst to help stimulate neurons in your brain. The stimulation helps the neurons continue to communicate smoothly. One session of TMS is a daily process lasting up to 60 minutes for four to six weeks. TMS is at a rather nascent stage, but is proven to be relatively successful. TMS is also cheaper in comparison to other treatments, especially compared to DBS(deep brain stimulations). Many insurance companies such as Aetna and Cigna are slowly working to absorb most of the cost. The side effects are also minute, there may be a small headache but that quickly dissipates. In contrast, deep brain stimulation is very invasive and going through surgery can produce many complications, of which the elderly are particularly vulnerable.

TMS commonly used for patients with PTSD, OCD, and depression. There are many existing studies to test the effects of TMS on Alzheimers disease. However, there are many shortcomings in those trials. For instance, they had a small sample size (<15). Also, they did not take into account that Alzheimers and depression overlap up to 50% of the time, therefore it is difficult to discern if it affected Alzheimers or other diseases. Finally, the unit of measurement was usually a test, nevertheless most patients would improve after the procedure because they practiced, not purely because of TMS.

My neurotechnology group sought to improve upon these studies and produce a more accurate clinical trial. We will first implement a larger sample size so we can control for confounding variables and also extend the duration to flesh out more data. We will create multiple cognitive tests with family members faces and also examine their ability to perform daily tasks (brushing teeth, combing hair, simple conversations etc.). Lastly, a questionnaire will be given a few weeks after the session to see their overall discomfort and emotional state. In the future, we hope to test for concomitant medication that will positively impact the patient and may decrease the length of each session.

If successful, TMS will be a key way to alleviate the torment of Alzheimers disease in an elderly person. Not only will it help the patient strive to become more self-reliant, but also give the community more contributing members. The positive impacts of TMS are endless.

Read more:

Column: CNV-X Capstone Project the effects of Alzheimer's and how TMS can help - Los Angeles Times

The largest sample of individuals prospectively treated for a major depressive episodeTMS used among 5,000+ patients is now published in the peer-review literature.

Information is power. It is essential to know the most possible when clinicians make treatment decisions for our patients needs.

Over the past 15 years, there have been many studies about Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Therapy. It is clinically evident that TMS Therapy is effective, safe, and durable as a treatment for depression for individuals who have not responded to previous antidepressant medication trials. The early studies demonstrated a level of safety and effectiveness such that my practice began offering TMS Therapy over a decade ago.

At my practice, we provided this option for patients who had not improved adequately with psychotherapy and/or several medication trials. We have found TMS Therapy to be a very positive addition offering patients an alternative when struggling with depression. Now, there are even more options available as ketamine/esketamine, new medications, and augmentation strategies, including combining a non-antidepressant with an antidepressant. Knowing what any treatment looks like with large groups of real-world use over time helps understand how best to use a particular treatment.

We now have that knowledge with TMS Therapy in the largest dataset of treatment for depression ever reported. Clinical Outcomes in a Large Registry of Patients with Major Depressive Disorder Treated with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation will be published in the December 2020 issue of the Journal of Affective Disorders. Currently, the article is available online.

While most people want the bottom line, I think it best to give some background and end with the bottom line.

In 2008, NeuroStar was the first TMS Therapy system to obtain FDA clearance to treat depression. Since then, there have been advances in knowledge of neural targeting, stimulation parameters, and treatment schedule. In 2016, to further understand TMS Therapy use in the routine clinical setting, NeuroStar began a registry to accumulate HIPPA-compliant, confidential information about the treatments.

Study Details:

Study Objectives:

The clinician response and remission rates were 83 percent and 62 percent, respectively, for the group that completed a full treatment course using the FDA-cleared protocol. These results are in a group of patients likely not to have benefitted from multiple medications before treatment with TMS Therapy or a group often diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). This data is a profound result, especially since it includes several thousand patients treated at over 100 facilities. This is a robust antidepressant effect significantly greater than results in earlier studies in this patient population.

These strong findings suggest using TMS Therapy in a treatment-resistant population is important, but unfortunately, it is likely underutilized. Access to TMS Therapy is often limited by insurance company medical policies that require multiple ineffective treatment attempts with medications before allowing access to TMS Therapy. TMS Therapy was developed and tested in a TRD population. However, with this new evidence that it is effective in a less treatment-resistant population, and with its well-established safety profile that includes the lack of medication side effects, TMS Therapy should be considered an appropriate treatment option despite the severity of depression.

The registry study results are exciting, representing the largest study we have about any treatment for depression. The study data provides treating clinicians with exceptional information about TMS Therapy as an effective treatment for the broad spectrum of depression.

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The Breaking, Known News TMS Therapy for Depression Works - PsychCentral.com

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What changes are coming to the United States Postal Service, and how will they affect shippers? How will the hurricanes hitting the Gulf Coast affect logistics in that region and beyond? And the pandemic has accelerated interest in transportation management systems.

Pull up a chair and join us as the editors of DC Velocity discuss these stories, as well as news and supply chain trends, on this week's Logistics Matters podcast. Hi, I'm Dave Maloney. I'm the editorial director at DC Velocity. Welcome.

Logistics Matters is sponsored by DCV-TV. Five channels of streaming video are yours for the viewing on DCV-TV. Major improvements have recently been made to the DCV-TV platform to enhance the viewing experience, provide greater search capabilities, and to expand the capacity of the video library well beyond the 3,000-plus videos already in the archive. Be sure to check it all out at DCVTV.com.

As usual, our DC Velocity senior editors Ben Ames and Victoria Kickham will be along to provide their insight into the top stories of this week. But to begin, what is the future of the United States Postal Service? Can we count on it for timely parcel shipments? For the answer to that question, here is Ben and today's guest.

Thanks, Dave. Joining us today is Dr. Phil Evers, who's an associate professor of supply chain management at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business, where he teaches courses in purchasing, transportation, and inventory management.

Thanks for being here today. Phil.

Thank you for having me, Ben.

We have a lot to talk about today, because there are lots of changes that the U.S. Postal Service, which just in May confirmed its latest Postmaster General, whose name is Louis DeJoy. And he comes to the agency from a background as a logistics executive with XPO Logistics, the enormous transportation and third-party logistics provider, and he has stated a goal of being at the agency to try to right the ship in terms of its financial operationswhich, the agency has been posting for many quarters, for several years now, some real steep financial losses. And it's been interesting to see some of the early changes that he's made to try to have the agency operate more profitably. And so, we would love to dig in a little bit to those, and see what some of the impacts might be from customers' point of view. Can you explain a little bit to us about what the mission of USPS is?

The mission of the U.S. Postal Service is essentially to provide services to bind the nation together. Think of this in terms of first-class mail. The obligation is to provide prompt, reliable, and efficient services to all areas. I think the big issue here is, how do you define "prompt, reliable, and efficient." That could be in the eye of the beholder.

Over time, the mission has changed. In 1970, the United States Postal Service was removed from its cabinet position within the federal government to an independent federal agency within the executive branch. By removing this, the intention was to ensure that there was a continuity of management. Prior to that time, some of you may be aware that postmasters at individual post offices were often political appointees. The 1970s changed that so there was more of a traditional business-management focus within the Postal Service.

Interesting. I didn't realize some of that history there.

As you say, the post office has been around for a long time, and it seems like some of the basic ground conditions have shifted under its feet. For example, with the advent of email, people are sending fewer postal letters. And with the advent of e-commerce, people are sending a lot more parcels through the network. So, can you explain a little bit why the USPS has been losing money for so long, and what sort of changes might be needed to fix that?

Sure. Recognize that federal agencies are typically not profit-driven. At bestat bestthey strive to be breakeven. And that's the case with the U.S. Postal Service. When they do generate a profit, they tend to face scrutiny. Are they charging too high of rates? Are they cutting corners? Are they not providing the appropriate level of service?

In 2006, Congress passed legislation requiring the U.S. Postal Service to prepay retiree and health benefits 75 years in advance. Ever since 2006, the U.S. Postal Service has had big deficits, roughlynot completelybut roughly equivalent to the size of these payments. Obviously, a change to the prefunding law would have a tremendous impact on the Postal Service financial status.

Interesting. Yeah. And I imagine that those conditions are very different from what some of the other agencies providing similar services, like a FedEx or a UPS, might face. It seems that they probably don't have to manage that same sort of prepaid burden there, on their books.

Most other state and federal agencies do not prepay their retiree benefits in advance. Certainly not 75 years in advance.

Right, right. It's a really important thing to keep in mind here. Are there other factors that come into play on how the agency performs? And how might those impact the service that people see?

Sure. So let's start with some facts. On the revenue side, the Postal Service is having two components. There's a non-competitive component and a competitive component.

The non-competitive space is essentially first-class mail. First-class mail volumes are down roughly 50% since their peak in the early 2000s. That's not coming back. And currently, rate increases on first-class mail are based on inflation. It's unclear to what extent cost changes based on volumes are considered in the rate increases. Moreover, mail categories are generally priced such that there are no cross-subsidies. For example, first-class mail is expected to pay its own way. Bulk mailwhat some people might call junk mailbut, bulk mail and pre-sorted mail are also expected to pay their own way as well. So it's not like first-class mail is subsidizing bulk shippers or vice versa.

On the other hand, there's also the competitive space, and that's the express-mail and package side. That business has been growing dramatically over time. But it is competitive and they doand the U.S. Postal Service does not have a monopoly in that area. As we know, there's UPS, FedEx. Amazon has stepped in as well. From the Postal Service perspective, there's no foreseeable reductions in sight. The number of packages that they handle continues to grow. Moreover, package shipments can be priced in accordance with market forces.

So, over time, there's been a dramatic shift in the Postal Service delivery composition, from the non-competitive first-class mail to the competitive package and express mail. On the cost side of the business, there are over 30,000 post offices in the U.S. Add to that all of the processing facilities, the vehicles, the equipment, plus approximately 600,000 employees, many of whom are organized, and all told you have an extremely large infrastructure with very high fixed costs. With this type of structure, pricing is a challenge.

There's the difference between rural deliveries and urban deliveries. Obviously, urban deliveries tend to be a lot less expensive. There's a lot more volume in a small space, a lot more density. Rural deliveries are much more expensive, especially in some parts of the U.S., which are extremely rural and very, very difficult to get to. Moreover, they are big cross-subsidies in terms of distance. It's a whole lot more expensive to send a letter or a package across the country than it is across a city. And not all of these things are taken into account in the pricing. The result of all this: Very difficult situation that the Postal Service finds itself in.

Yeah, it sounds like some real challenges. It'stheir hands certainly seemed tied by some of those differences in competitive pricing between parcels and letters and expensive rural delivery. And those soaring consumer expectations that we cover so oftenalso called the Amazon effect by many peopleabout wanting their service as fast as possible, for as little as possible in fees there. Do you have any ideas about what USPS can can do going forward, and what sort of changes that customers might see, both on the parcel side and the letter side?

Sure. So, let's look at this in terms of the Postal Service's strengths and weaknesses.

One of the strengths of the Postal Service is, it is a government agency without a profit motivation. So, that gives them a little bit more leeway in terms of what they do and how they do it. And another benefit of being a government agency is they avoid a lot of taxes. They don't pay property taxes on their buildings, they don't pay vehicle taxes on their fleetsthings like that. So they do avoid certain costs. Another strength of the Postal Service is that they gowell, practicallyevery address in in the U.S. six days per week. That's a tremendous strength that no other carrier is even close to doing. Nor do most carriers want to do that six days a week. They provide last-mile service for, not only their own shipments, but also for many shipments from Amazon, UPS, and even FedEx.

The weaknesses of the U.S. Postal Service, though, are many as well. First off, they're a government agency without a profit motivation, and they can be subject to political involvement. One proposal that's been made is to charge rates based on ZIP code, similar to the zone pricing that a UPS or a FedEx might charge.

Some of the possible changes: First off, you have a postal carrier that goes to every location every day of the week. Take advantage of those delivery routes. For example, you could set up meter readings so that, as the postal carrier drives by a home, they read the utility meters, whether it's electric or water. Another possible change is to cut back on daily deliveries. Again, we're talking here last-mile service. And as we all know, in all aspects of logistics, last-mile service tends to be by far the most expensive. One way of cutting back on daily deliveries might be to have fewer deliveries per week. Another possibility is perhaps maybe not to do daily delivery service at all. Recognize that through the mid-1800s, mail actually had to be picked up by customers at the post office. Now how many people would actually drive to their post office to get the mail every day? I'm not sure that that many would, but that may also indicate the true value of daily delivery. Now, of course, the big drawback of this approach is its impact on package deliveries. Another possible change is a charge for delivery service. My economist friends all tell me if you want to find out the true value of postal service, charge the recipients for delivery, and see how many people would actually sign up for that.

Now, certainly there are other possible changes, and there could be a lot of operational changes as well. I'm not sure that there is an answer here. Otherwise, I believe the U.S. Postal Service would already be doing it. Unfortunately, the timing, with the current pandemic, and of course, the upcoming election, it's an unfortunate time to be doing some of those changes.

Right? It sure is. Boy, that's a fascinating array of potential changes that we might see at an agency that so many of us are accustomed to interacting with nearly every day. Thank you so much for walking us through some of the possibilities there in the future. It's obviously going to be something that the entire country is keeping its eyes on going forward here. Appreciate so much your being with us today, Dr. Evers.

We've been talking today with Dr. Phil Evers from the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Thank you for joining us.

Thank you for having me.

Thank you, Phil and Ben.

Now let's turn to some other supply chain news from the week. Victoria, you reported this week that the pandemic is accelerating interest in new logistics technologies. And one of the latest areas to gain some steam is transportation management systems, better known as TMS. What are users looking to gain from them?

Sure. Well, a study this week from Odyssey Logistics & Technology, they studied 350 shippers earlier this spring. And they found that companies are really looking to TMS solutions for a variety of reasonsparticularly to increase shipping transparency, to automate cost management, and to really, what theydo what they say is "close the customer communication gap."

So when it comes to shipping, maintaining communication with customers consumes a huge amount of time and can cause a lot of stress for pretty much everyone in the channel. So, automating that process really helps reduce that stress and anxiety. So they said that this has really been exacerbated during the pandemic, as we've seen with the volatile, you know, marketplace we're dealing with. So alleviating the stress is really helpful. So the communication aspectimprovement there is a big plus, and a big reason why they're seeing increased interest in these kinds of systems.

Can you share some of the statistics that came from the survey?

Absolutely. So, a couple of things stood out to me.

So first, the researchers found that nearly two-thirds of respondentsabout 65%said that particularly having cloud-based access to shipping operations is either critically important or very important, considering the effects of Covid-19 on logistics operations. So, that really shows that, you know, what's going on recently, you know, they really want access to that information.

Second, as the pandemic continues, they found that more than half of respondents said they're likely to reassess integrating a cloud-based TMS. So, you know, those that don't have it now are really, really looking at that, as I said, to sort of gain, gain that visibility, transparency, that kind of thing. So, to me, it's just further proof that technology, you know, continues to shape the business landscape, and logistics in particular.

Yeah, I think we will continue to see the growth of those cloud-based technologies. Thank you, Victoria.

Ben, Hurricane Laura is making its way through the middle of the country as we record our podcast, leaving, of course, lots of devastation in its wake, sadly. What effects is it having on supply chains?

That's right, Dave. Hurricane Laura was a Category 4 storm when it made landfall yesterday, which was early on Thursday, in Louisiana, some parts of Texas. And that made it even stronger than Hurricane Katrina, which hit New Orleans back in 2005 as a Category 3.

So some of the impacts on supply chain have been happening for days, even before it arrived. The major container ports were closed, at Port Houston and New Orleans. Oil refineries were shut down.

But fortunately, we seem to have dodged the worst potential harm, since the storm swung slightly East at the last minute. So it missed the major refineries in Houston, which is the biggest concentration of chemical plants and oil, petroleum refineries in the country. And also that it passed much faster over land than Hurricane Harvey did three years ago. And our listeners may remember that Hurricane Harvey had caused much of its damage because it sort of stalled out over the coast and just generated enormous amounts of rain and flooding over a series of days.

Some of what you just talked about were anticipating the storm's arrival. Now that Laura has hit, do you see that those potential effects actually happened?

We have seen some effects actually happen for sure.

I mean, one example is that there was a rise in spot rates in the trucking market, as shippers had scurried to move their inventory out of the path of the storm. So that's going to have effects on the trucking market, as I said.

And another impact will probably be rising gasoline and diesel prices, because whenever those oil refineries shut down, that creates a shortage and that tends to drive prices up.

A third change, of course, is that there's an enormous amount of wreckage in terms of the impact on physical infrastructure, and that has left hundreds, or perhaps thousands of businesses without electrical power all on the coast.

So, a lot of these changes will certainly be felt for some weeks to come.

Thank you, Ben. Hopefully, help will come to those who need it. And of course, we encourage our listeners with logistics capabilities that can be applied to relief efforts and helping people to go to the American Logistics Aid Network at ALANaid.orgthat's A-L-A-N-A-I-D dot orgto see what they can do to help. And also go to DCVelocity.com to find out more on these and other stories.

Thanks, Ben and Victoria, for sharing highlights of our news this week.

Thank you, Dave.

You're welcome. Good to be here.

And again, our thanks to Professor Philip Evers of the University of Maryland for being with us today. We encourage your feedback on this topic and our other stories. You can email us at podcast@dcvelocity com.

And a reminder that Logistics Matters is sponsored by DCV-TV. Be sure to check out the latest videos on DCVTV.com, the largest and best source of videos for the supply chain industry, including DCV-TV Channel 4. This viewer-contributed channel includes hundreds of videos that DC Velocity readers and industry suppliers have uploaded directly to the channel. Stop by often to see the latest uploads. Go to DCVTV.com to view them.

We encourage you to subscribe to Logistics Matters on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for "Logistics Matters" to find us. Our new episodes are uploaded each Friday.

We'll be back again next week with another edition of Logistics Matters, when we will look at what the rest of the year will look like for the transportation industry. Be sure to join us. Until then, please stay safe and have a great week.

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Logistics Matters podcast: Philip Evers of the University of Maryland on what's ahead for the US Postal Service | S1 E21 | 2020-08-28 - DC Velocity

SANATOGA PA The Post doesnt play with the news, but we do experiment with it.

What youre reading is Fast Three, The Posts latest effort to keep readers informed and entertained. Our weekdays-only goal is to find three local newsworthy items daily between 11 a.m. and 1:55 p.m. (just shy of three hours), condense them into a fast read of three or fewer paragraphs each, and publish them by 2 p.m.

Let us know what you think. Drop an e-mail to thesanatogapost@gmail.com.

A significant number of western Montgomery County residents now work from home because they must. They want to keep earning paychecks but their usual offices or workplaces are closed, so theyve carved out space in a bedroom, or den, or garage to keep on task and the revenue rolling in. Given a chance, would they choose to make the arrangement permanent?, asked Fishbowl, a professionals networking app.

A total of 681 employees who live in Pennsylvania answered a survey Fishbowl conducted May 20-23, it reported in a Friday (Aug. 28, 2020) e-mail. Only 45.81 percent of them liked the idea, compared to 54.64 percent of 17,650 respondents across the country (above). The idea was most favored nationally, 68 percent, by those in technology. Least favored only 34 percent by teachers, aching to return to classrooms.

Working from home can be liberating for those looking to exercise more control over personal schedules. That independence occasionally brings problems, too, Fishbowls e-mail added. Forty-two percent of workers nationally responding to a separate survey admitted they drink while working from home. Fifty-five percent say theyre working more hours weekly than before the pandemic. And 62 percent of working parents say they are unable to juggle working from home and childcare.

Graphic (at top) provided by FishbowlPhoto (above) by Shane Adams, via Flickr, used under a Creative Commons license

Success TMS the acronym stands for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation has opened its 33rd location nationally in Pottstown, the company said in an e-mail received Friday. It started in Florida during 2018; expanded to Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, and during June (2020) opened its doors in the Porter Road Medical Arts complex at 1630 E. High St., Bdlg. 4.

According to the Mayo Clinic, TMS therapy is a noninvasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to improve symptoms of depression. TMS is typically used when other depression treatments havent been effective. The goal is to activate regions of the brain that have decreased activity in depression, it added.

By the way, Success TMS noted, October is designated as National Depression Awareness Month.

For almost 30 years, the Rotary Club of Pottstown annually has sold chances on thousands of plastic ducks to enthusiastic buyers who want to both help Pottstown area non-profits the primary goal of club members and snare a prize (cash and other treasures) for themselves. Most borough residents know the usual drill: Rotarians set the numbered ducks afloat (above) on Manatawny Creek. They gently float to a finish line, and their order of arrival is recorded. Lucky winners are then notified.

Sadly, the coronavirus represents anything but usual. Holding the customary public event wasnt possible, Rotarians agreed. So theyll conduct this years duck race virtually during their meeting Sept. 16 (Wednesday) from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Brookside Country Club, 850 N. Adams St., the Rotary Facebook page announced.

The race winner receives a $1,000 cash prize, and a total of 23 prizes will be awarded.

Photo provided by the Rotary Club of Pottstown

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Fast Three: Would You WFH Permanently?, Treating Depression in Pottstown, and Racing Ducks for Cash - The Sanatoga Post

Netflixs All Together Now is the kind of movie that would make you cry no matter what else was happening in the world. Pair that with 2020, and its the kind of movie that makes you just feel for Amber (Aulii Cravalho) and everything she goes through. Despite the world being, seemingly, against her, shes the kind of person who just wants to help others.

Its incredibly inspiring and a film that many of us need right now, and talking with Judy Reyes (who plays Donna), its clear she also knows how important a film like this is.

THE MARY SUE:Ill be honest: I cried a lot watching this film, and so I wanted to know what made you want to do this movie in the first place and play Donna?

JUDY REYES:I mean, it was a really sweet, honest film, you know? The character that Justina Machado played was the role that I auditioned for, and she and I are very close friends. Im constantly chasing Justinas tail. She gets roles, and then I get the other, and stuff like that, but it was still just a very moving film about pride and community and kids, and it felt so pertinent to whats going on today, and it was such a lovely role to play. I thought the role of that mother was such a powerful and strong antithesis to the Becky role, and I thought it was a great thing to do, so I said yeah.

TMS: I found this with a couple of movies that have been coming out recently, but so many fit in with whats happening in our world in a strange way, and with this movie, its just such a hopeful movie. Do you think thats a good thing for the film as a whole?

REYES: I think it is, and I think that, you know, young people elevate and inspire older people. When older folks are losing their hope or losing their bearings, young people are finding their strength and finding their hope now, so I think its really pertinent, you know? A sense of community, helping each other. This kid Amber is so hopeful and so strong and so energetic, and she helps her best friend, who is my kid who is autistic, and he helps her.

And this kid and her mom help each other, and shes lost, but that kid is the love of her life and shes full of hope, too. She goes, Were going to get through this, and before she knows it, shes kind of found herself completely lost, but she says, Were going to be great, and they really do believe it, and because she does believe it she has a million jobs and a million things to do and a million places to go and a million people to help because she really does believe it.

And she believes it because her mom believes it, and her mother doesreally believe, but she has a lot of bad problems. But because of her energy, she helps a lot of people and has a lot of jobs and has this incredible talent. You know? And she helps me with my kid, who is her best friend, and all of that is just fuel for hope. Its just infectious, so at some point, you just dont give up, and you cant because if you do, what do you have left?

TMS: Yeah, and I really liked that in the movie because, not to spoil anything, but by the end you realize just how much everyone wants to help each other in the long run of it all. Like with Donna, its never really a question of whether or not Amber can stay with them. Its just that Donna didnt know what was going on in Ambers life, and the minute she found out, she was like, Yeah, of course.

REYES: Yeah, and I think it was because she wanted to respect that space. You know what I mean? She wanted to respect her space and her mothers space, so she just didnt wantit feels so familiar to me. And Justina and I talk about this a lot. Its a very Latin thing. I love how diverse this is. I love how multicultural it is without question. Its just there, which is the world that we live in, the world that I know, the Bronx that I grew up in.

As dark as it got when I grew up and when I left, its the world that we know. Its how we grew up as immigrants. You give help, but you dont ask for it because thats going to get you in trouble, you know? The undocumented or the immigrant world that you come from, its going to get you in trouble. And so it stings with a reminder of how we grew up. You dont ask, and its a pride thing. Its a pride thing for a lot of reasonsfor legal reasons but for cultural reasons. That still stings, as I said, as a reminder. But you connect the dots with her, in terms of story, of how she could get in trouble because of the whole homelessness issue, but ultimately, its just kind of respecting the space until she asks for that help.

TMS: With this film, as you said earlier, your character has an autistic son and its refreshing because its not so much about a struggle of raising a son with autism but is more just like This is my son and Amber helps because we just need a little more help, and Donna is doing her job while being a single mother, and its wonderful. So, do you, as an actress, hope to show those very strong not just mothers but very strong female figures who dont let the weight of their situation completely destroy them? They just find ways to adapt?

REYES: Exactly. Like, it doesnt have to be an event. You know? Because people function. They have their lives, and its such a wonderful opportunity to continue and start to tell people who just, like, function and do what they do as mothers of autistic kids.

__________

All Together Nowis out on Netflix now, and its one youll want your tissues for.

(image: Netflix)

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INTERVIEW: Judy Reyes Talked With Us About the Importance of All Together Now - The Mary Sue