Queer and Roma in Romania

Andrei Popoviciu

June 24, 2021 |

Are We Europe |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Romania, Bucharest

MozaiQ provides support for the LGBTQ community and fosters stronger ties among queer Romanians. The group creates safe spaces and offers programming, from football championships to job fairs and professional skills building classes. It also helps with urgent needs, like finding emergency shelter, and fosters long-term relationships in the community, offering pro bono training to companies on the importance of inclusivity in the workplace. The group has particularly empowered queer Romas, whose intersectional identities compound issues of discrimination, increase their confidence to fight for their rights.

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Safe Spaces: Youth friendly centre provides judgement-free forum for sexual and reproductive health convos in Yola

Bashar Abubakar

June 14, 2021 |

Nigeria Health Watch |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Nigeria, Yolo

Today for Tomorrow Foundation is a youth-led and youth-serving non-profit that provides safe spaces for talking about sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, and other socially taboo topics. Over 40 people have participated in the discussions and other programming. Discussions range from dispelling common myths - like the myth that using contraceptives before marriage prevents a woman from getting pregnant in the future - to teaching safe sex practices and developing a sense of empowerment so that the youth can advocate for their own wellbeing and not be constrained by the judgment of others.

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As Michigan ages, one woman has made it her mission to train family caregivers

Ted Roelofs

June 11, 2021 |

Bridge Michigan |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Michigan

After taking care of her own parents, Paula Duren started “boot camp” sessions for caregivers to share available resources, tips for self-care, and support. Drawing on her experience as a psychologist, Duren started the nonprofit Universal Dementia Caregivers to build and run the workshops, which have moved to zoom sessions because of the COVID-19. The all-day sessions provide information ranging from financial advice to how to access state and local services to stress-reduction tips. The overarching message throughout is that caregivers must take care of themselves to take care of their loved ones.

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Art Teachers Are Teaching Girls to Code

Celeste Hamilton Dennis

June 10, 2021 |

Next City |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Miami, Florida

Code/Art trains art teachers in a curriculum that combines art and coding, with the goal of inspiring girls to code. They also offer weekly clubs for elementary and middle school girls, a Future Female Tech Leaders program for high schoolers, and an annual conference to celebrate the girls’ achievements. Teachers who take the training can satisfy continuing education requirements by learning four lessons: an abstract art generator and donut maker game, coding self-portraits using JavaScript, and 3-D modeling. Facilitators are assisted by college-age interns, who are available to help in the classroom.

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Sustaining the Work of Artists With a Living Wage and Benefits In Western Massachusetts

Emily Nonko

June 09, 2021 |

Next City |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Massachusetts

Artists at Work is a pilot project of THE OFFICE performing arts + film that paired artists with cultural and community partners to work on local initiatives. For their work, the artists were paid a living wage, including healthcare, which resulted in responses to issues like youth mental health, food justice, and COVID-19 awareness campaigns in communities that are marginalized. From empowering youth to build community through food and farming to engaging young queer people of color, the successful six-month pilot led to a new fundraising campaign to continue and expand to seven regions across the U.S.

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'A long time coming': House of Tulip puts trans and gender-nonconforming New Orleanians in control of their housing

Jake Clapp

May 31, 2021 |

Gambit |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New Orleans, Louisiana

House of Tulip is a community land trust that offers affordable housing to transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. After securing seed-funding, the group raised over $400,000 with a GoFundMe campaign that was amplified by social media and national article features. The Trust first rented and later purchased homes to offer zero-barrier housing and office space that serves as a community resource center. The Trust was started by two Black trans women who understood the community’s experiences and the barriers they face. People stay as long as they need and staff helps them pursue other life goals.

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Okemos Public Schools is changing its mascot. Belding already did and says they have no regrets.

Mikayla Temple

May 25, 2021 |

WSYM-TV |

Broadcast TV News |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, East Lansing, Michigan

Many parents and community members lobbied the Okemos School Board, which approved a name change for the public school's mascot from one that objectifies and stereotypes Native Americans to one that promotes a positive imagery for students of all races and backgrounds. Belding area schools also approved a name change after parents protested an interim solution that allowed the use of the mascot’s name without imagery as not going far enough. The Native American Heritage Fund provided grants to schools wanting to change their mascots to help mitigate the obstacle of the high costs of rebranding.

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Can the News Be Fixed?

Amanda Ripley

May 18, 2021 |

The Atlantic |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

E.W. Scripps, a broadcasting company with 60 stations in 42 markets, invested heavily in talking with young people to understand what they want from local news. The results overwhelmingly showed that they want less sensationalistic coverage of crime and conflicts and more in-depth coverage on stories that matter to their community. Many Scripps stations received positive viewer feedback and higher ratings after making changes based on these findings. A Denver station started “360,” a franchise that tackles complicated stories from multiple angles and, with about 100 stories, it is the station’s most popular.

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Police banned from participating in NYC Pride events and march through 2025

Meredith Deliso

May 15, 2021 |

ABC News (American Broadcasting Company) |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

NYC Pride, which commemorates a LGBTQ+ uprising against police harassment and brutality, banned police participation in its events. About 200 NYPD members from the Gay Officers Action League typically participate in the pride march. However, since police presence for some LGBTQ+ people, including people of color and trans people, causes fears of violence rather than security, private companies will provide first response and security and volunteers will be trained in de-escalation tactics. The NYPD will be at least a block away and only intervene if necessary. The policy will be reviewed again in 2025.

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Black Mothers Face Dangerous Health-Care Disparities. Can Midwives Bridge the Gap?

Sarah Weiser

May 13, 2021 |

The New Yorker |

Multi-Media |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Memphis, Tennessee

Choices - Memphis Center for Reproductive Health provides midwifery services and trains new generations of midwives, with a focus on improving the experiences of women of color. Midwives played a central role in Black communities for centuries and research shows that women with low-risk births have better emotional and physical outcomes with midwives. Women also express a greater sense of trust and understanding with Black midwives, who can relate to their experiences as women of color in the healthcare system. Midwives take more of a holistic approach to treating women’s emotional and physical needs.

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