when a retired Air Force staff sergeant attends a press conference held by Donald Trump she's looking for answers on his plans to help veterans the black woman asked Trump for a job during his speech and what happens next goes completely viral as always the press conference was packed the buzz and chatter of the gathered reporters and attendees filled the air the Trump campaign was all that had been on anyone's lips for months and the reporters and bloggers knew that any snippet of information they could get from the man who was in the race to become
the 45th president of the United States was worth its weight in gold the anticipation was building people went over their questions in their heads prepared their notes got their cameras ready and waited for Donald Trump to take the stage among the crowd a black woman stood out not just for her Presence at the press conference for she Blended in well but for the extraordinary Journey that had brought her here Alicia Watkins a retired Air Force staff sergeant stood nervously clutching her media credentials she pinned them onto the smart cream suit jacket that she wore identifying
herself as a blogger for troops media it seemed convincing enough who would really question someone who claimed they wrote about military and Veteran issues besides everyone at the press conference was too wrapped up in their own reports to take notice of a blogger Alicia just hoped that no one bothered to look up troops media because they wouldn't find it the site no longer existed the veteran had tried her luck and it had worked the credentials had been mysteriously issued to her by the Trump campaign even though she was not a member of the press all
she'd had to do was give the name of her old site and back it up with what she wrote about and the credentials had been given to her with no further questions Alicia in the Trump campaign perhaps should have been a little more concerned about the lack of security but the black woman wasn't there to cause any trouble her life had been a roller coaster of a journey from the highs of being accepted into the air force a proud moment for someone who was both black and a woman to the frightening battlefields of Afghanistan and
Iraq to living on the streets where she had nowhere else to go and finally to finding herself being so close to the man that was dividing opinion in her great nation Alicia just wanted answers to one simple question one that could stop other veterans from having to live the life the way she had when she'd left the Air Force she had no idea that she would end up becoming part of the media circus that surrounded the campaign the things Alicia had survived were unbel believable she'd proudly served her country only to find the transition back
into civilian life the hardest thing she'd ever have to deal with considering what she had been through returning to a normal life with a stable job should have been the easiest thing in the world but she found something that was rarely disgust the Stark reality that many veterans end up on the streets homeless jobless and begging for their survival it was something that no one should ever have to go through but it felt like a complete lack of care and respect for the people who had risked their lives for their country when she told people
she had survived the horrors of 911 a day that had changed her life forever they listened in a respect as she described how as The Towers fell she was among the brave souls who rushed to help putting her own life at risk to save others when she explained that her military service later took her to Afghanistan and Iraq where she faced the Grim realities of War she was praised for her bravery but when she told people about the daunting challenge of transitioning back into civilian life of struggling to find stable employment and ending up homeless
with many other veterans she always saw people's faces change no one wanted to accept that that was what happened to many people who fought for their country being homeless was the lowest of the low in many people's eyes and just mentioning it still seemed like a taboo subject her Valor and dedication were soon forgotten when people learned of how she' lived her life on the streets it was only a chance opportunity that pulled her out of the dark depth she had fallen into on the streets and finally gave her a chance at a normal life
not many veterans got the opportunity she'd been given and she was determined to use her position and voice now to fight for others like her in 2010 her plight caught the attention of Oprah Winfrey who featured her on the Oprah Winfrey Show the episode highlighted the struggles of homeless veterans and brought alicious story Into the national Spotlight as uncomfortable as it was for a lot of people to accept that this was happening happing to American veterans some good did come of it the exposure opened doors for her and she was eventually accepted into Harvard University
on the GI Bill even though things began to look up for her she could never truly leave the homeless World Behind knowing that there were many other ex servicemen and women out there who didn't get the break they deserved and struggled on in harsh conditions ignored by the rest of society that was how Alicia had found herself at the Trump campaign press conference waiting to hear Donald Trump's speech she wanted to know the ins and outs of his military policy and if he planned to help her fellow veterans when they decided to return to civilian
life the black woman knew he wasn't just hopeful for becoming the next president he was a shrewd businessman who had used his campaign on more than one occasion to conduct business deals his latest Venture included a new Hotel in Washington and Alicia had a burning question on her mind so when Trump took to the stage and began his speech she listened intently as he SP spoke about his military policy she saw an opportunity to advocate for her fellow veterans when the time came for questions Alicia's hand shot up faster than anyone else in the room
and she was called upon Mr Trump she began her voice steady yet filled with emotion I'm a 911 Survivor and a veteran of Afghanistan in Iraq I wanted to ask if your new Hotel in Washington would include a veteran's Employment Program silence filled the room and everyone waited for the answer the military and Veteran were big topics for anyone hoping to become president how Trump tackled this could make or break everyone stood poised to take notes in recordings of his answer Trump's eyes widened in recognition of the opportunity to connect directly with the veteran he
understood the importance of this moment not only for his campaign but for his business ventures too if he could be actively seen helping veterans it certainly wouldn't do his campaign any harm but he had no idea that the woman who asked the questions had gained access access to the press conference under false pretenses something which could cause issues what are you looking for what kind of a position come up here you look so smart and good he said beckoning her to the stage taken aback by the directness of the request Alicia approached the podium had
she just inadvertently asked Trump for a job during his speech she'd actually been wanting to know how he planned to help veterans with jobs at his new hotel but this was an unexpected development and she knew she had to seize the opportunity after after all things didn't happen like this every day and it could be the start of a whole new life for her the crowd watched in silence things like this didn't usually happen at press conferences and certainly not with someone as big as Trump the hopeful presidential candidate was actually conducting an interview right
in front of everyone do you mind if I do a job interview right now Trump asked the black woman had to think fast to use the calmness and bravery of the military as she took a spot on the podium next to Trump she had a mixture of neres awe and excitement was this really happening she didn't want to get her hopes up too much being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey had done big things for her and highlighted the plight of many veterans but being here with Donald Trump was huge this could be a life-changing moment for
Alicia and the thousands of other veterans like her her voice trembled slightly as she explained that she did design briefs and all kinds of decorations surely this wouldn't be enough to impress a businessman like Donald Trump would it Trump nodded it actually seemed to be working it was like he was genuinely listening and impressed by what he heard but what he did next shocked the whole room and went completely viral he then turned to one of his AIDS and said if we can make a good deal on a salary she's probably going to have a
job the crowd erupted in Applause and within minutes Alicia Watkins became a sensation the black woman couldn't hide her Joy or surprise as she broke out into a huge grin and thanked Trump over and over again she captured the attention of the man hoping to become president and a room full of reporters had witnessed it finally people might start to realize just what happened to Veterans when they were no longer in service as she shook Trump's hand she was guided from the stage by his AIDS ready to start negotiations on a potential job for Alicia
she'd done everything and more that she'd come to the press conference for but she had no idea what was to come the video of The Exchange quickly went viral social media platforms were flooded with posts and tweets about the black woman who had asked Trump for a job during his speech newspapers and TV stations were filled with the story and the video was shared millions of times with people across the political Spectrum praising Alicia's courage and Trump's spontaneous decision there was no denying it had been an excellent outcome for Alicia and a fantastic political move
for Trump however the story didn't end there the media quickly picked up on Alicia's past many news reported that the Trump campaign had claimed she worked for a site called troops media which focused on Military and Veterans issues it didn't take long for people to do some digging though and fall short of finding evidence of the existence of the site questions began to arise about how Alicia had obtained her credentials and why the Trump campaign hadn't carried out more extensive checks the black woman found herself wrapped up in a media storm something she never wanted
and she knew that if the focus was to return to the real issue then needed to try and put things right CNN Money received a call from a woman identifying herself as Alicia Watkins she explained that troop's media no longer existed as of that day but before she could explain any further she heard her phone beeping telling her that the battery was dying she promised to send an email explaining everything and then the call was cut short CNN was quick to report that the email never arrived the Trump campaign also remained silent on the matter
further fueling speculation about the veteran and and just what was going on despite the unanswered questions the public remained captivated by Alicia's story not only had she served her country and then been rejected by the very people she'd been protecting but she' braved a public job interview with Donald Trump many saw her as an advocate of the challenges faced by veterans and the need for more robust support systems for those returning to civilian life her story highlighted the importance of not just acknowledging veterans sacrifices but also ensuring that they have opport unities and support once
their service ends everyone wanted to know how Alicia's story would end there was a very simple yet touching explanation of just how Alicia had bagged herself the media credentials that had changed her life though troops media had once existed after her time on the Oprah Winfrey Show she'd had big visions of how to raise awareness for other people like her she'd created troops media in the hopes of growing it into a trustworthy news platform for all issues military and Veteran related she even had the idea that eventually it might grow so big that she could
employ other veterans to write for the site too but the black woman had never had the funds to take it that far even as a small Blog the site cost money that she just didn't have and eventually she had to close it down it was just another door closed on her dreams until the interview with Trump using the troops media name had only been a slight Twist on the truth but it was still one that raised a lot of questions Alicia's sudden r to fame brought her numerous offers and opportunities she became a spokesperson for
veterans issues advocating for better employment programs and support networks her experience of homelessness and struggle to find stability resonated with many not just veterans but others who had also been let down it shed a huge Spotlight on a side of America that many people didn't want to acknowledge existed life was changing rapidly for Alicia but she was determined to see her Mission through she never forgot the years she spent in uncertainty and hardship at times feeling more frightened on the streets than she had in war zones her time at Harvard had taught her the value
of education and perseverance and she was determined to use her Newfound Fame to make a difference but behind the scenes the Trump campaign faced scrutiny critics argued that the entire incident had been staged to drum up positive media attention but supporters praised Trump for his quick decision-making and willingness to help a veteran on the spot the truth remains somewhere in the middle as Alicia's genuine plea for help just happened to collide with Trump's political Showmanship in the weeks that followed Alicia's story continueed to make headlines what had happened at the press conference had gone completely
viral and there was no sign of the attention dying down she received invitations to speak at various events sharing her journey from the battlefield to homelessness her message was clear veterans needed more than just recognition they needed concrete support and opportunities to rebuild their lives people were finally listening and taking action what she'd hoped to create with troops media was finally happening though it definitely hadn't taken the path she'd imagined or intended as the months passed Alicia's hard work began to pay off she collaborated with different organizations to establish veteran employment programs using her own
experiences to create initiatives that truly address the needs of those returning from service her advocacy work led to policy changes and increased funding for veteran support Services ensuring that others would not have to face the same struggle she had soon the idea that Alicia shouldn't have even been at the press conference faded into the shadows and the real issues were highlighted and tackled as Trump's campaign waged on Across America and ultimately ended in him winning the presidential election Alicia's own campaign for veterans got off the ground the viral moment that had thrust her into the
spotlight was more than just a fleeting sensation while news outlets did soon find other things to talk about Alicia's work was already underway and important steps were being taken to ensure that changes actually happened in the end Alicia Watkins Journey was a powerful reminder to ask important questions that everyone matters and that a simple unexpected moment can create big changes her question to Trump during his speech had been a call for help but it had also been a call to action and it was now being answered by the whole nation now it's over to you
do you think Alicia did the right thing do you think things have changed for veterans or could more still be done we'd love to hear your thoughts so please leave a comment below thanks for watching we'll see you in the next video
