Captured and Converted: How Methane Powers Art in Western North Carolina

Jessica Bradley Wells

April 27, 2021 |

The Bitter Southerner |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Dillsboro, North Carolina

Jackson County Green Energy Park uses methane leaking from a closed landfill to power blacksmithing and glassblowing studios. The county cleared 550 tons of loose debris and drilled thirteen 70-80-foot wells to capture the methane gas produced by bacteria digesting organic material, the 3rd leading human-caused type of greenhouse gas emissions. The studios, which offset the equivalent of taking nearly 1,000 vehicles off the road, also provide less expensive and more accessible studio spaces that have launched the careers of several artists. Reuse projects can capture up to 90% of a landfill’s methane.

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Africa's Wikipedia Editors Are Changing How the World Sees Their Continent

Tolu Olasoji

April 12, 2021 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: South Africa

WikiAfrica Education increases information about Africa’s diverse languages, cultures, and politics from the voices and perspectives of African people. AfroCuration events enlist the help of young people to create and edit content for Wikipedia. The volunteers receive lessons on democracy and freedom movements and then use that information to create profiles of key events and history-makers. Strategic partnerships provide technical support and other resources, which have enabled hundreds of young people to produce hundreds of new entries and translate many existing entries into indigenous languages.

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Co-Governing to Build Back Better

Hollie Russon Gilman Elena Souris Rebecca Rosen

April 09, 2021 |

Next City |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom, York

The city of York trained volunteers to help identify causes and solutions to loneliness and social isolation, an issue with public health consequences. Volunteers conducted research and spoke to 1,000 fellow residents and 100 other stakeholders to identify community knowledge and priorities. Working closely with local partners, volunteers helped design and implement solutions, including pairing young runners with isolated older citizens to serve as coaches and provide motivation. Participants reported positive outcomes, like feeling less lonely and experiencing improved well-being.

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What Other States Can Learn from Georgia's Historic Elections

Fiza Pirani

April 08, 2021 |

Yes! Magazine |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Georgia

A complex combination of successful fundraising campaigns, engaging with and energizing Black voters, and mobilizing the state’s other ethnic and racial groups helped Democrats flip Georgia blue in 2020. Large financial investments allowed organizers to implement effective voter education and registration campaigns and distribute the resources to areas where the need to mobilize voters was greatest. Organizers tapped into Black culture through food, music, and the Black church to energize voters. They also conducted multiracial, multi-ethnic, and multilingual outreach to engage other marginalized groups.

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Local groups are working to keep 18-year-olds in PA excited about voting after record turnouts in 2021

Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

April 01, 2021 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philly Youth Vote is a nonpartisan effort, organized by a local social studies teacher, to prepare 18-year-olds to vote. In addition to registering about 700 students in the summer of 2020, the group advocates changing social studies curriculum to include more lessons on civic participation. To connect students with on local issues that directly impact them, they brought 27 candidates to speak in 11 virtual classrooms. The students interviewed the candidates and other schools have used the recordings of the interviews as well. 74% of registered 18-year-olds in Philadelphia cast a ballot in 2020.

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How META is helping women deliver safely in rural Benue communities

Desmond Okon

March 31, 2021 |

Business Day |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Nigeria, Gboko

Maternal Expert Thinking Analyzer is a pilot project to prevent maternal mortality that uses a mobile diagnostic, training, and outreach application to help midwives assess the risk of their patients in rural areas. Midwives input data collected from pregnant mothers into the app and generate an automated risk-based assessment score. The pregnant mother then receives a text with advice based on her risk level. A total of 33 midwives across 14 regions are trained to use the app. Initial results indicate that the app has had positive results preventing maternal mortality and even increasing antenatal care.

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Teen invents playing cards that are gender-equal -- and diverse

Scottie Andrew Maria Morava

March 28, 2021 |

CNN |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States

16-year-old Maayan Segal and her father launched Queeng, a deck of cards that represents gender equality and includes a range of racial and cultural identities. The first iteration sold over 50,000 decks but was re-designed after critics cited the lack of racial diversity. The hand-drawn cards include a range of skin tones and facial features, and king cards are replaced by male and female “Monarch” cards, "Dutchess" or "Duke" cards replace queen cards, and "Prince" or "Princess" cards replace jack cards. There are also female jokers. Five days after its release, Queeng 2.0 already sold over 4,000 decks.

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In Sokoto, emergency ambulances tackling maternal mortality

Rakiya A Muhammad

March 25, 2021 |

RMTimes |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Nigeria, Sokoto

A program in Sokoto State uses 300 ambulances to improve access to emergency care in rural areas, which has significantly improved maternal health outcomes. High costs, limited availability of transportation, and traditional gender norms limited women’s access to care, but the program has made it easier to reach care, and more interactions with health facilities helped shift norms about maternal care. Routine immunizations, prenatal care, and nutrition services have also increased. Committees, made up of local leaders and healthcare officials, maintain the vehicles and provide drivers in each ward.

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Charlotte nonprofit taking different approach to making affordable housing available

Lexi Wilson

March 25, 2021 |

WCNC-TV |

Broadcast TV News |

Under 3 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Charlotte, North Carolina

The Lotus campaign helps people experiencing homelessness by paying landlords upfront and, in return, landlords eliminate security deposits, credit checks, and employment records. At the cost of about $800 a year to house someone in an apartment, the Landlord Participation Program has housed more than 250 people and, as of April 2021, 166 people have renewed their leases or found other housing. The Lotus Campaign focuses on finding the units, while other organizations find the candidates and pay some of their rent. All participants are either employed or receiving Social Security payments.

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Michigan caregivers got a $2 hourly boost in COVID. Should it be permanent?

Robin Erb

March 22, 2021 |

Bridge Michigan |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Michigan

The Michigan state legislature temporarily boosted the pay of direct caregivers working with seniors and people that have disabilities by $2 an hour in recognition of their essential and sometimes risky services during the coronavirus pandemic. With about half of direct caregivers living at or near poverty, the pay bump was temporarily renewed at the slightly higher rate of $2.25 an hour, but it is set to expire again in September 2021. The governor has proposed making permanent a pay raise of $2 an hour, which helps the caregivers meet their own basic needs a little better.

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