Human Rights/Racial Justice / Public News Service

The call for a fast in solidarity with Palestinians is on Nov. 23, which is Thanksgiving Day. (Solidarityfast.com)

Call for global fast in solidarity with Gazans on Thanksgiving

Organizations are asking people to join them in a fast on Thanksgiving in solidarity with people suffering from war conditions in Gaza. Groups …

The courts have commended Georgia for its progress in increasing political opportunities for Black voters in the 58 years since passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. But some observers argued the progress has not been shared equally among Black voters across the state. (Lamar Carter/Adobe Stock)

Voters weigh in on need to include growing groups in GA's redistricting

In just over a week on Nov. 29, state lawmakers will return to Atlanta to decide on Georgia's new congressional voting district maps. Grassroots …

Business leaders have reported workers with disabilities bring a strong sense of positivity and ownership of their work. (Adobe Stock)

Diversifying the workforce can change companies for the better

By Ramona Schindelheim for WorkingNation.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Wyoming News Service reporting for the WorkingNation-Public News Servic…

Black Americans were 9.3 times as likely as whites to be homicide victims in 2020, American Indians were 4.3 times as likely, and Latino Americans were 1.9 times as likely, based on age-adjusted figures. (LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS/Adobe Stock)

Report cites disparities in crime and policing

The lifetime likelihood of imprisonment for Black men has changed significantly from one generation to the next, according to The Sentencing …

Rashida Tlaib is the only Palestinian American and just one of two Muslim Women in Congress. (Drew Angerer/Getty)

Bush stands by censured congresswoman who says she won't be silenced

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, the sole Palestinian-American voice in Congress, was officially reprimanded last Tuesday, but many of her colleagues say …

Rashida Tlaib is the only Palestinian American and just one of two Muslim Women in Congress. (SuperBasementBoy/flickr.com)

Censured Michigan congresswoman says she will not be silenced

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, the sole Palestinian-American voice in Congress, was officially reprimanded last Tuesday, but many of her colleagues say …

Research shows Black women have a maternal mortality rate nearly three times that of white women in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Report finds Kentucky maternal deaths extend into postpartum period

Maternal mortality has increased in Kentucky, and the latest data from the United Health Foundation show more moms - especially those of color - are …

Revenue from Washington state's cap-and-trade program has exceeded expectations, bringing in $1.5 billion this year. (martin33/Adobe Stock)

WA cap-and-trade spending falls short for frontline communities

Washington state's Climate Commitment Act promised funds for communities on the front lines of climate change. One group is tracking those dollars to …

More than 30,000 labor activists have signed a letter calling on top U.S. union leaders to

Postal Workers become largest union to demand ceasefire in Gaza

One of the nation's largest labor unions has become the latest organization to demand a ceasefire in Gaza as Israel's war with Hamas plays out…

Last year, Kansas voters overwhelmingly rejected efforts to eliminate the right to abortion under the state Constitution. Missouri's total abortion ban went into effect in June 2022. (trac1/Adobe Stock)

KS ruling broadens access to abortion, reproductive healthcare

A Kansas state court judge has blocked several abortion-related restrictions, in a decision which is bound to have an effect in neighboring Missouri…

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott believes new laws and the continuation of Operation Lone Star are necessary to

Civil rights groups call Texas' proposed laws, razor wire dehumanizing

A set of border security bills under consideration by Texas lawmakers will cause harm to migrants, residents, and state law, according to a state …

Alabama Values sent out more than 45 news releases and 52 e-blasts around redistricting. The organization also created nearly 130 toolkits and social media posts, and conducted more than 50 interviews for an upcoming documentary on redistricting. (Alabama Values)

Reflecting on AL voters’ fight for fair representation

Many Alabama voters are celebrating the state's new voting maps for congressional districts and the groups who worked to get them redrawn are reflecti…

For many migrant agricultural laborers in Idaho, language is a barrier to mental health services. (fizkes/Adobe Stock)

Advocates seek to expand mental health services among ID's Spanish speakers

Spanish-speaking Idahoans face a lack of mental health resources and advocates in the state want to change it. Kurtis Pugh, mental health manager …

Black individuals are incarcerated at 2.5 times the rate of white individuals in Mississippi. (thawornnurak/Adobe Stock)

Report: Racial disparities remain high in MS incarceration rates

Black people continue to be locked up at disproportionate rates in Mississippi, according to the latest data. The report from the Prison Policy …

The New York City Comptroller's Office reported the number of migrants not living in New York City but still in its care has grown from 276 in May to 2,127 in September. (Adobe Stock)

NYC community health centers focus on migrant health

A network of New York City community health centers is in the crossfire of the city's migrant crisis. Ryan Health is a system of primary health …

At the federal level, hate crime laws include crimes committed on the basis of the victim's perceived or actual race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability. (Argus/Adobe Stock)

Kansas City reassures residents after MO spike in religion-based hate crimes

Some Missourians fear an increase in hate crimes in the wake of a six-year-old's murder in Illinois this week - an incident authorities say was motiva…

Around 36% of Latino voters in Arizona said the issue of immigration has a lot of influence on the candidate they will support for president in 2024. (Adobe Stock)

ASU professor examines legal structures shaping Latino experiences

David Lopez, distinguished visiting professor of law at Arizona State University and co-dean emeritus at Rutgers University, said Arizona State has …

Jewish Americans hold up signs, including

MI advocates of Palestinian-Israeli peace march in DC today

In the wake of a significant protest by Jewish people supporting Palestinian rights last week, thousands are set to assemble on Capitol Hill today…

Jewish Americans hold up signs in support of Palestine at a New York rally. (Zachary Schulman/JVP)

MO groups in DC for today's Palestinian-Israeli peace march

In the wake of a significant protest by Jewish people supporting Palestinian rights last week, thousands are set to assemble on Capitol Hill today…

A new United Nations report found actions between Israel and Palestine have only exacerbated divisions between them. The U.N. said Hamas' initial attack on Israel constitutes a war crime. (Jewish Voice for Peace)

NY group in Washington to protest Israel/Gaza war

A New York group is among many at the U.S. Capitol today, protesting the U.S. response to the Israel-Gaza conflict. Elected officials from President …

At a recent demonstration in Brooklyn, New York, the group Jewish Voice for Peace Action reported more than 50 arrests, including that of an 81-year-old peace advocate. (Jewish Voice for Peace Action)

Jewish groups protest at U.S. Capitol, demand Gaza ceasefire

In Washington, D.C., today, American Jews from Pennsylvania and across the country are converging on the U.S. Capitol to call for an end to the war …

Earlier this year, a total of 74 cases had been filed challenging congressional and legislative maps in 27 states, including Utah, as racially discriminatory or partisan gerrymanders. (Adobe Stock)

Report: UT gets 'C minus' grade for redistricting policies

A new report rates how states are managing their redistricting policies, and the State of Utah didn't fare so well. The national watchdog group …

Oregon ranks in the middle of states in a new evaluation of its redistricting process. (iQoncept/Adobe Stock)

Report: Improvements needed for OR's redistricting process

Oregon has room to improve when it comes to drawing voting-district lines, according to a new report. The nonpartisan elections watchdog Common …

School boards play integral roles in how school districts are governed. (designbydx/Adobe Stock)

Far-right candidates running in WA school board races

Extreme candidates are running for school boards across Washington state, and if they win, opponents warned they could threaten the safety of some …

Climate change board games emphasize teamwork and group success. Either all players win together, or no one survives. (pathdoc/Adobe Stock)

Climate change: Better understood through board games?

By Debra J. Rosenthal for The Conversation.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi for Michigan News Connection for the Public News Service-Conversation …

President Joe Biden does not believe the U.S.-Mexican border wall built by his predecessor was effective, but cited a 2019 congressional appropriation of funds as the reason for new border wall in the Rio Grande Valley. (AerialStockFootage/Adobe Stock)

South Texas opponents of new border wall promise resistance

Opponents of previous efforts to build a border wall in South Texas are reeling from the Biden administration's announcement last week to resume…

In Arizona, Latinos 19 to 29 years of age made up the largest block of voters in the 2020 general election, according to Voto Latino. (Adobe Stock)

'Tsunami' of AZ Latino youth vote expected in future elections

The state of Arizona played a crucial role in 2020 and 2022 elections. Experts predict that won't be any different in 2024. President of Voto …

In 1920, Black people made up 14% of all farmers. It is estimated Black farmers lost around $326 billion worth of land within the 20th century. BIPOC farmers now make up less than 5% of all U.S. farmers. (Heather Craig/Adobe Stock)

Advocates bring attention to racism rooted in farming across NC

Advocates are drawing attention to systemic racism in farming across North Carolina and the nation. The National Farm Worker Ministry is hosting its …

The 340B Drug Pricing Program, a part of the 1992 Public Health Service Act, provides outpatient drugs at deep discounts to safety net providers. (Gorodenkoff/Adobe Stock)

Missouri community healthcare centers face 340B uncertainty

While large hospitals and pharmaceutical manufacturers battle over drug costs, Missouri community health centers see themselves as collateral damage…

Latino voters remained solidly Democratic in their voting preferences in 2022, according to the Brookings Institution. (Adobe Stock)

NV organization calls for greater Latino engagement in politics

It's Hispanic Heritage Month, and one Nevada organization wants Latinos to realize the power they can have when they are more politically engaged…

The 78th session of the U.N. General Assembly included a speech from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who spoke of peace with Saudi Arabia. The annual meeting's focus was the global warming crisis. (RawBeautyPixels/Adobe Stock)

Why Israeli politics matter in NYC

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the United Nations General Assembly sparked major demonstrations in New York City on Friday…

Protesters take to the streets of New York as Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu attends the U.N. General Assembly Today. (VICHIZH/ Adobe Stock)

NY rallies for Jewish democracy as Netanyahu meets UN

Protests have heightened in New York as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joins the United Nations General Assembly today. Sonya Meyerson-…

Researchers at Loyola University in Chicago say almost 175,000 people are held in pretrial detention each year in Illinois. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Backers hope IL 'no cash bail' makes justice equitable, less expensive

A set of controversial reforms to Illinois' cash bail system went into effect this week, changing a decades-old system of holding people in jail …

In 2019, Black youths were 4.4 times as likely to be incarcerated in the juvenile-justice system<br />as were their white peers. (Jeffrey Zalesny/Adobe Stock)

Report Offers Ways to Reduce Jail, Prison Populations in NC

The U.S. prison population has grown nearly 500% since the start of mass incarceration 50 years ago and now, reform advocates are calling for its end …

Texas is one of only a handful of states that does not allow online voter registration. (Seventyfour/AdobeStock)

TX Joins Momentous Effort to Register Young Voters of Color

The annual National Voter Registration Day returns tomorrow, and a Texas organization has a goal of registering 1,200 new young voters from diverse …

At least 11 major cities across the United States are hosting National Day of Action rallies today to call attention to reforms they say are needed in the nation's immigration detention system. (Susan Vineyard/Adobe Stock)

Immigration Advocates Host National Day of Action Rally

Immigration advocacy groups are calling on New Yorkers to join them in Foley Square at noon today. It's a National Day of Action to call attention to …

In a new poll from the group A Better Wisconsin Together, 66% of Wisconsin voters say they would rather see the Legislature prioritize education rather than seek the possible impeachment of a liberal state Supreme Court justice. (Adobe Stock)

New Poll: Most Voters Oppose Impeaching WI Supreme Court Justice

Following last spring's election, where Wisconsin voted in a liberal justice to the state Supreme Court, Republican leaders are further exploring a …

In 2019, Black youths were 4.4 times as likely to be incarcerated in the juvenile-justice system<br />as were their white peers. (Christian Colista/Adobe Stock)

Report Explores Ways to End Mass Incarceration in AL

After 50 years of mass incarceration, the U.S. prison population has grown nearly 500% and now advocates are calling for its end in Alabama and …

The United States has fewer than 49,000 Black farmers, accounting for 1.4% of the country's 3.4 million producers, according to the latest Census of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Seek Better Land Access for Marginalized Farmers

With the new Farm Bill debate scheduled for later this month, advocates are calling on lawmakers to write new policy into the measure to ensure more …

The City of San Bernardino recently agreed to a settlement requiring that the city update its plans to build more affordable housing and scrap its Crime-Free Multi-Housing Program. (Matt Gush)

Two CA Cities Repeal Crime-Free Multi-Housing Programs

In the past week, two California cities - Riverside and San Bernardino - have repealed most of their "Crime-Free Multi-Housing" programs, which were …

Those demanding reforms within Minnesota's correctional facilities say incarcerated individuals in Stillwater have lacked access to such basics as showers and recreation time. (Adobe Stock)

MN Faces Calls to Investigate Prison Conditions

Prison reform advocates in Minnesota continue to speak out following a lockdown at the correctional facility in Stillwater. People incarcerated …

More than 150 people showed up at a Fort Pierce, Fla., community gathering in June to raise awareness and demand the end of attacks on immigrant communities. (FLIC)

Political Climate Drains Vital Donations for FL Immigrant Rights Advocacy

Groups aiding immigrants in building economic independence and pursuing citizenship are grappling with funding challenges exacerbated by anti-immigran…

An estimated 2.4 million people work on farms and ranches nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Census of Agriculture. (J�rgen F�lchle/Adobe Stock)

Outdoor Workers in Missouri Suffering from Heat Exposure

By Mónica Cordero, Investigate Midwest/Report for America and Eva Tesfaye, Harvest Public Media for Investigate Midwest.Broadcast version by …

New Jersey's Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act requires a physician to determine whether the patient is a New Jersey resident before writing a prescription for the medication. (Jon Anders Wiken/Adobe Stock)

Some Terminally Ill PA Patients Seek Medical Aid Across State Lines

Some Pennsylvania patients with long-term chronic illnesses are hoping to make legal headway, allowing them to seek medical aid in dying across state …

Intimate-partner violence includes violence, abuse and controlling behavior committed by a partner or former partner. It can result in long-lasting adverse mental-health outcomes, and is a leading cause of homelessness and housing instability. (Adobe Stock)

Housing First Model Helps Domestic-Violence Survivors

Victims of domestic violence who are able to access housing -- at their own pace, and with support for as long as the survivor needs help -- …

In 2001, Texas became the first state to allow undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition, but politics have shifted the state's attitude toward migrants and immigrants. (DanielErnst/AdobeStock)

TX Advocates for Immigrant Rights Say Politics Exhausts Needed Donations

Organizations that help immigrants find a community, achieve economic self-sufficiency, and become legal residents or citizens say anti-immigrant …

Oregon high school students felt less engaged last year than the year before, according to the YouthTruth survey. (coachwood/Adobe Stock)

Survey of OR Students Provides Guidance as School Returns

The new school year is approaching and schools in Oregon are using data to figure out what students need to feel like they belong. The organization …

Detroit Action hosts a Black August event where it strives to reimagine a world through an abolitionist point of view and healing-justice policies. (SmartArt/Adobe Stock)

Art Collaboration This Weekend for Black August in Detroit

Communities around the country and in Michigan are celebrating Black August and promoting liberation of all diversities. Anthony Baber, director of …

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