ASU study: 'Team Kids' may improve perception of police through cop-kid activities

Anthony Wallace

August 06, 2020 |

Cronkite News - Arizona PBS |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Compton, California

About 170,000 schoolchildren in four states have participated in the Team Kids Challenge, which promotes healthier relations between youth and police by pairing them in charity work to solicit and distribute donations. Based on research showing Black and Latinx youth distrust police much more than white children do, the program was found in a new study to significantly improve kids' perceptions of police. The study did not measure how long this effect lasts or why it fails, when it does. A researcher also cautions that real trust in police must be earned through good policing.

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Roanoke man creates group to unite the region's Black fathers

Taj Simmons

August 06, 2020 |

WSLS-TV |

Multi-Media |

Under 3 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Roanoke, Virginia

Black Father Families unites Black fathers to provide support and education, while also countering stereotypes that Black fathers are not as competent and/or are absent from their children’s’ lives, which is often internalized without realizing it. The Facebook page posts videos of Black fathers sharing their experiences and advice on fatherhood. The group also organized the Black Father Family Festival so fathers could meet in person. Now, the group supports men as they are trying to figure out how to talk with their children about the social issues and civil rights protests going on around the world.

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The birth of the Black is Beautiful movement

Precious Adesina

August 03, 2020 |

BBC |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

The African Jazz-Art Society & Studios (AJASS) kickstarted the Black is Beautiful movement with 1960s fashion shows elevating Black models with dark skin and full bodies, who agreed to keep their hair natural year-round. As events increased and photographs spread, and famous Black women adopted their style, natural hair became more normalized. The founders recently released a song called We Will Breath to empower black people to “take back control of the narrative surrounding their lives.” The group continues to inspire Black entrepreneurs, such as Rihanna, and encourages people to support Black businesses.

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In Staten Island, A Burgeoning Youth-Led Movement For Social Justice Is Afoot

Chad Small

August 01, 2020 |

Gothamist |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Staten Island, New York

The Young Leaders of Staten Island (YSLI) was created in Staten Island to fight for social justice after young residents of the borough felt the local response to George Floyd's murder was not enough. YSLI mobilized hundreds of protesters to march in Staten Island's largest public protest of 1,800 people. The group has demanded justice through police reform and beyond, hosting voter registration and census completion drives. Their efforts have resulted in 125 people registering for the census and 85 people to vote.

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How A COVID-19 ‘Rapid Response Team' In Chicago Is Working To Fix Decades Of Neglect In Black, Latinx Communities

Dorothy Tucker Samah Assad Carol Thompson

July 31, 2020 |

WBBM-TV |

Broadcast TV News |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

Spurred by the high concentration of COVID-19 deaths in Black and Latinx neighborhoods on Chicago's South and West sides, city government teamed with multiple community groups to form a Racial Equity Rapid Response Team to distribute protective gear, food, financial aid, and other help in the hard-hit neighborhoods. The help included more than 1 million masks, 6,000 boxes of food, 250,000 information flyers, laptops and free internet access, and $380,000 to help pay rent and utilities. The deaths and desperate need for help stem directly from decades of racial disparities in food and health care access.

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How Essential Food Workers Are Fighting Back

Nadra Nittle

July 31, 2020 |

Civil Eats |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Nevada

Meatpacking workers protested Covid-19 safety concerns and a coalition of advocacy groups filed a civil rights complaint with the government accusing Tyson and JBS USA of racial discrimination during the pandemic because the safety issues disproportionately impact line workers, who are largely people of color. Nevada’s Culinary Union also sued Las Vegas Strip casinos for unsafe working conditions. Two casinos have been dropped from the suit after deciding to negotiate privately with the union and Tyson has since instituted some safety measures, but broader impacts of the complaints remain to be seen.

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How Urban Planning Keeps Cities Segregated—and Maintains White Supremacy

Julian Agyeman

July 31, 2020 |

Yes! Magazine |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Urban planning policies can lead to greater racial segregation, sometimes intentionally. While older policies could be explicitly racist, today policies such as zoning, which designates land for residential or industrial use, effectively excludes communities of color, immigrants, and households with lower incomes. Residential segregation leads to education, income, and health disparities. Minneapolis ended single-family zoning so lots can be converted to more affordable duplexes and triplexes and is working towards requiring new apartment projects to reserve units for low- to moderate-income households.

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How A Healer, An Artist And A Chef Are Fighting For Black Food Sovereignty In South LA

Lillian Kalish

July 23, 2020 |

LAist |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

To ensure that Black communities have access to healthy food, three people in Los Angeles are taking different approaches to promote food security and food sovereignty. As part of Feed Black Futures, Ali Anderson packs nearly 100 boxes a week of fruits and vegetables to deliver to Black women and caregivers who have been impacted by incarceration. Artist Lauren Halsey and her Summaeverythang Community Center deliver up to 1,000 boxes a week of free organic produce. Chef Kat Williams is also making sure Black people of the LGBT community have access to healthy meals.

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How sports institutions have overhauled their images in the past

Dana Jacobson

July 18, 2020 |

CBS News |

Broadcast TV News |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Washington, District of Columbia

Renaming the Washington Redskins to remove a racist name and logo will require a difficult and delicate process juggling a host of issues that other professional and college sports franchises have successfully navigated in the past. Often a years-long process, rebranding involves choosing a name and color scheme that replace the harmful imagery with a positive name that passes trademark tests, wins fan support, maintains brand equity and continuity built over decades, and can be reduced to a simple logo that looks good on helmets and in all media, from TV screens to smartphones.

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How Public Banking Could Make Black Lives Matter

Rickey Gard Diamond

July 08, 2020 |

Ms. Magazine |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Black banks have been held up by leaders and celebrities in the community as a way to end Black poverty. Previous efforts have been made in the 1960s when Black banks gave loans to community members after being denied home loans from white banks. But those loans lost money when housing values declined as a result of redlining policies that damaged public schools. Black banking therefore was not the answer to ending Black poverty and bridging the gap between white and black wealth. One law professor believes the answer lies in public banking which is funded by tax revenue and acts as a public utility.

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