by Delilah Alvarado
This story was originally published at Prism.
In February, severe winter storms sweeping across the U.S. caused an extreme power crisis in Texas. People across the state went without power for an average of two days, and some lost access to fresh water for even longer and had to boil the water that was available.
by Cat Brooks
This story was originally published at Prism.
In three courtrooms, in three American cities, the same familiar scene is unfolding. With arrogance, disdain, and even laughter, white men who have committed egregious acts of violence in the name of white supremacy are supposedly facing consequences.
by Frances Nguyen
This story was originally published at Prism.
Throughout the pandemic, news outlets have covered the restaurant industry’s struggle with labor shortages and rising costs.
by Lakshmi Gandhi
This story was originally published at Prism.
Urban planners and community advocates have long noted that the interstate highway system was designed to separate and isolate poor Black and brown communities from the economic hearts of their cities.
by Nick Nguyen and Carmen Scurato
This story was originally published at Prism.
So far the Facebook Papers have led to dozens of stories about how the company knew it was failing to remove hate speech, misinformation, and calls to violence in languages across the globe. As much as this focus on Facebook’s global harm is vital, we shouldn’t overlook the role that the social media language gap plays in harming communities within the United States.
by Juliana Clark
This story was originally published at Prism.
From an early age, Joel Velasquez knew that Texas A&M University was his dream school, drawn by the university’s sizable student population, traditions, and leadership opportunities.
by Lakshmi Gandhi
This story was originally published at Prism.
Last week, activists and organizers from Amazon’s Staten Island distribution center traveled to their regional National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) office to deliver the signatures needed to formally request a vote to form a union. Shortly after the signatures were delivered, Natalie Monarrez noticed an instant change in the moods of her coworkers.
by Aria Velasquez
This story was originally published at Prism.
Last week, the Supreme Court ruled again in favor of law enforcement officers invoking qualified immunity in cases of excessive use of force. Based on a pair of 2016 cases from Oklahoma and California, the decisions were handed down without the court hearing oral arguments or any sign of dissent from the justices.
by Sydney Pereira
This story was originally published at Prism.
At first, COVID-19 put people out of work. Beginning in March 2020, millions lost jobs practically overnight as government leaders locked down nonessential businesses, and Congress expanded jobless payments to help people weather coronavirus outbreaks.
But nearly two years in, the entire labor market has turned upside down.
by Montse Reyes
This story was originally published at Prism.
Lawmakers in Texas have unveiled a new proposed congressional map that stands to protect Republican incumbents throughout the state at the expense of accounting for the massive growth of Black and brown populations.
by Jennifer Chowdhury
This story was originally published at Prism.
On Sept. 23, the New York City Council passed a historic set of bills establishing safety and security for delivery workers, particularly those working for food delivery apps.
by Jenn Fang
This story was originally published at Prism.
Texas’ abortion ban, known as State Bill 8, is by far the harshest in the nation and has already all but eliminated abortion access in Texas. With an estimated nearly 250,000 Asian American adults who identify as female residing in the state, the ban is certain to disproportionately impact their communities. While the ban now faces a legal challenge from the U.S.
by Bareerah Zafar
This story was originally published at Prism.
Pro-choice organizations across Texas are working to provide residents with access to free emergency contraception and other reproductive health needs in the wake of the state’s near-total ban on abortion.
by Cirien Saadeh
This story was originally published at Prism.
Voters in Minneapolis will soon be able to vote on a brand-new system for public safety. The Minnesota Supreme Court recently announced that the Yes4Minneapolis charter amendment, which would replace the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) with a multifunctional Department of Public Safety, could be included on the November 2021 city ballot.
by Lakshmi Gandhi
This story was originally published at Prism.
While conservative movements and bills taking aim at anti-racist approaches to education have primarily focused on schools, libraries can also be particularly vulnerable as repositories not just for books, but for information, education, and resources.
by Maurizio Guerrero
This story was originally published at Prism.
Tens of thousands of immigrants with strong ties to their communities are deported from the United States every year just because they cannot afford an attorney. Immigrant advocates nationwide are pushing the Biden administration for decisive action and funding to support universal legal representation efforts to give immigrants a fighting chance to determine their future.
This story was originally published at Prism.
By Jennifer Chowdhury
On Sept. 1, Hamed Ahmadi tweeted a picture of a few slices of stale chicken breast and melon in a styrofoam container with the caption, “Not complaining but this is what I got last night for dinner and the next meal is 12 hours later. Refugee life might be safe but never easy & favorable.”
Twenty-eight-year-old Ahmadi had worked on the ground in Afghanistan for several years.
This story was originally published at Prism.
By Jessica Helen Lopez
After 140 years, nine young Lakota relatives who lost their lives at a Carlisle, Pennsylvania, boarding school were recently brought home and ceremoniously laid to rest at the Sicangu Rosebud Reservation of the Sioux Tribe in South Dakota.
by Montse Reyes
This story was originally published at Prism.
Michigan’s largest insurance companies have announced they will stop free treatments for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 starting Sept. 30, joining other states across the country who have sunsetted their fee waiver programs. Vaccines and booster shots will remain free.
By Lakshmi Gandhi
This story was originally published at Prism.
Millions of Americans are entering Labor Day weekend knowing that one of the key unemployment benefits that has been keeping them afloat throughout the pandemic is coming to an end. States across the country have announced they will not be extending the specially created federal pandemic unemployment beyond Sept. 4, leaving workers and advocates scrambling to figure out what to do next.
by Umme Hoque
This story was originally published at Prism.
The battle over how schools teach students about the roles of slavery, racism, and other forms of oppression in American history and life may be ideological, but the consequences are real and growing—particularly for teachers of color.
By Aimee Registe, J.D. and Jasminee Yunus, J.D.
This story was originally published at Prism.
At midnight on Sept. 1, our greatest fears became a reality in Texas under Senate Bill 8, which bans abortion before most people even know they’re pregnant and deputizes strangers to sue anyone who supports or assists another person in accessing abortion in violation of the law.
by Aysha Khan
This story was originally published at Prism.
Content note: This article contains descriptions of suicide and violence. If you or someone you know are struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available 24/7 through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Muslim youth can also call Naseeha’s confidential helpline at +1 (866) 627-3342 for support.
by Lakshmi Gandhi
This story was originally published at Prism.
Andrew Cuomo resigned Monday, marking the end of a tumultuous, months-long saga that included multiple women—many of whom are current and former staffers—coming forward to detail their experiences with sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior by the 56th governor of New York.
This story was originally published at Prism.
By Jessica J. González
Shortly before entering a Walmart near El Paso on August 3, 2019, a man took to social media to cite a litany of white supremacist and anti-immigrant conspiracy theories as justification for mass murder.
This story was originally published at Prism.
by Ahmed Al Tamimi
Over the past four years, President Donald Trump and his administration have worked tirelessly to dismantle the Refugee Act, a 40-year-old federal program that provided systematic and comprehensive resettlement provisions.
This story was originally published at Prism.
by E. Lily Yu
After over a decade of covert and overt involvement in Afghanistan that cost billions of dollars under multiple administrations, the U.S. exited Afghanistan in 1992, claiming its primary objective had been met. Daniel Berger declared in The Baltimore Sun that “Afghanistan may be safely … left to the Afghans.
This story was originally published at Prism.
By Micaela Gaviola
I was 20 years old the first time I had a conversation with my parents about making an appointment to go to the OB-GYN. My parents were confused and not keen to talk about it—making an appointment didn’t seem necessary in their eyes since I wasn’t sexually active. I wanted to get more information, to take charge of my health, and to plan ahead, so I made the appointment myself.
This story was originally published at Prism.
By Frank Gettridge
The past year has been tough on educators as health and safety overwhelmed instruction and learning. Moreover, an abrupt shift to remote learning made it difficult for schools to prioritize much beyond ensuring students and families had the resources they needed to thrive in an unpredictable and unimaginable circumstance.
This story was originally published at Prism.
By Umme Hoque
An open letter from AAPI high school students in Massachusetts begins with a simple statement: “We are high school students from Boston, Malden, and Quincy, members of the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (BCNC) Youth Center. We ask educators and superintendents to address the surge of anti-Asian racism that followed the COVID-19 outbreak.