Human Rights/Racial Justice / Public News Service

One of Connecticut's largest job sectors is government. The growth rate gap in that sector<br />has widened and is a contributing factor in the state's weak job growth. (Adobe Stock) — One of Connecticut's largest job sectors is government. The growth rate gap in that sector
has widened and is a contributing factor in the state's weak job growth. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 20, 2021

Report: Connecticut's Economic Growth Still Slowed by Great Recession

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Connecticut's economy has shrunk since the 2008 Great Recession, and combined with highly inequitable wage distribution, that has …

Puget Sound Agrarian Commons' property on Whidbey Island is about an hour north of Seattle. (Northwest Meadowscapes)

Monday, September 20, 2021

WA Project Aims to Reshape Access to Farmland

WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. - A farming project on a Puget Sound island is looking to reshape agriculture and access to land. The nonprofit Agrarian …

Oregon's Latino workforce numbers 200,000, according to the organization Causa. (F8studio/Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 20, 2021

Initiative Shows How to Tackle Digital Divide for Latino Households

PORTLAND, Ore. - A growing slice of the workforce is Hispanic, but a disproportionate number of Hispanic households don't have regular access to the …

A new report spotlights the economic impacts of limiting a woman's right to safe and legal abortion. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Restricting Abortion Access Brings Big Financial Trouble

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Limiting women's access to abortion and other reproductive health care can have a devastating impact on state economies. According …

Oregon's Hispanic population grew 30% from 2010 to 2020. (Gstudio/Adobe Stock)

Hispanic Heritage Month Offers Opportunity for Reflection

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Hispanic Heritage Month began this week, and will be celebrated through Oct. 15. Oregon has a rapidly growing Hispanic population…

People confined in Pennsylvania jails are eligible to vote as long as they are not currently serving time for a felony conviction. (Adobe Stock)

Report: PA Lacks Universal Policy for Voting in Jails

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Many Pennsylvania county jails don't have clear policies to support voting access for people in jails, according to a new report …

Michael Watkins of Raleigh spent six months in prison for felony breaking and entering in 1988 and the next three decades getting his life on track. He earned a bachelor's degree last year at Campbell University in Buies Creek, N.C. (Michael Watkins)

Formerly Incarcerated Face Barriers to Normalcy

By Herbert L. White, Reporting for the the Charlotte Post Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan, Public News Service CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Michael …

During the Great Recession, 50 million Americans experienced food insecurity, compared with an estimated 38 million during last year's economic fallout from COVID-19. (Adobe Stock)

Food Insecurity Rose for Single Moms, Families of Color in 2020

DENVER - The rate of people experiencing hunger in Colorado and across the U.S. remained statistically steady overall during 2020, according to …

The Muslim community in Austin will participate in the Sept. 11 "National Day of Service and Remembrance" by feeding the hungry and offering free COVID-19 shots. (Ronile/Pixabay)

TX Muslims Engage Community With Vaccines, Hot Food to Mark 9/11

AUSTIN, Texas -- Tomorrow marks 20 years since the fateful events of 9/11, with followers of Islam reflecting on progress in the treatment of …

As the federal eviction moratorium ended this month, organizations including Arkansans for Stronger Communities have written to Gov. Asa Hutchinson, calling for the state to do a better job at getting the $173 million it received from the federal government in rental assistance to communities in need. (Adobe Stock)

Federal Lawsuit Challenges AR 'Failure to Vacate' Statute Against Renters

MALVERN, Ark. -- Arkansas is the only state in the country with what's known as a "failure to vacate" statute, which criminalizes the failure to pay …

Islam is the second-largest religion in the world behind Christianity. (AdobeStock)

20 Years Later, Muslims Still Face Post 9/11 Hate

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- As the nation marks the 20th anniversary of the Sep. 11 attacks, Muslim groups are reflecting on progress in the treatment of …

Muslim American advocates are among those eager to welcome refugees from Afghanistan to resettle in Maine communities. (danr13/Adobe Stock)

Groups Work to Stop Hate Crimes, Islamophobia 20 Years After 9/11

PORTLAND, Maine -- As the nation marks the 20-year anniversary of the Sep. 11 attacks, groups said stopping hate crimes and bigotry toward Muslim …

Most recent FBI data shows at least 7,759 hate crimes and 10,532 related offenses. (JP Photography/Adobe Stock)

Group: Hate Crimes Often Go Unreported in Muslim American Communities

CONCORD, N.H. -- As the nation marks the 20-year anniversary of the Sep. 11 attacks, groups said stopping hate crimes and bigotry toward Muslim …

A new study about how parents talk with their kids about racial violence will focus in part on Missouri, where Black families still deal with the impacts of the police killing of Michael Brown in 2014. (Elvert Barnes/Flickr)

Study to Probe How Black Parents, Kids in MO Discuss Racial Violence

ST. LOUIS -- More than a year after the police killing of George Floyd that sparked nationwide protests, a professor in St. Louis is taking on a …

Nine in ten Nebraskans told researchers that voter redistricting should be driven by 2020 census data, not by making deals that benefit a political party. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraskans Can Give Feedback on New Voter District Maps Next Week

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Next week, Nebraska lawmakers will hold three public hearings on how new voter maps should be drawn for the state's 49 districts…

The Oregon Legislature released two different maps, with Plan A above, for how to draw its six congressional districts. (Oregonlegislature.gov)

Short Period for Public Input on OR Voting Maps Begins

PORTLAND, Ore. -- A small window for public input is open to discuss the Oregon Legislature's proposed voting maps. After receiving detailed census …

Members of Congress introduced bills in June banning use of facial-recognition technology by state and federal entities. (Electronic Frontier Foundation/Wikimedia Commons)

Portland's Facial-Recognition Ban Seen as Model for U.S.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- A year ago today, Portland passed one of the most sweeping bans of facial-recognition technology in the country. The ban includes …

Massachusetts officials expect roughly 1,000 Afghan refugees will be resettled in the Commonwealth. (jinnifer douglass/Adobe Stock)

A Call for Transparency in Resettlement of Afghan Refugees

BOSTON -- Advocates for human rights and civil rights in Massachusetts are urging more transparency and clear information on plans to resettle Afghan …

In order to receive meals from the Feeding Our Communities program, about 120 cars line up every Thursday. (United Way of King County)

Breaking Cultural Barriers to Feed Communities

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. - An organization in one Washington state city is bringing together diverse communities and breaking down barriers to food…

Connecticut gets 3% of the refugee population coming to the United States every 12 months, according to the Connecticut Immigrant and Refugee Coalition. (Adobe Stock)

CT Gears Up to Aid Hundreds of Afghan Refugees

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- As hundreds of thousands more people seek to leave Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal and Taliban takeover, Connecticut …

Nearly 240,000 Idahoans identify as Hispanic or Latino, according to the 2020 U.S. census. (mmg1design/Adobe Stock)

ID Grows More Diverse, But Not Its Redistricting Commission

BOISE, Idaho - The redistricting process begins today in Idaho, and some are raising concerns that the commission overseeing it doesn't reflect the …

Nearly one in five Americans has an unpaid medical debt currently in collections. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — Nearly one in five Americans has an unpaid medical debt currently in collections. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: Expense Tops Coloradans' Health-Care Concerns

DENVER - Coloradans increasingly are concerned about rising health-care costs, according to a new poll. It found many Colorado families are …

Resettlement agencies in Illinois helped 37 people from Afghanistan from July 2018 to 2019. In the coming weeks and months, 500 refugees are expected to come to Chicago. (vivalapenler/Adobe Stock)

Chicago Prepares to Welcome Hundreds of Afghan Refugees

CHICAGO -- In the coming weeks and months, more than 500 Afghans are expected to make their homes in Chicago, following the U.S. withdrawal from and …

The Biden administration is sticking with an Aug. 31 deadline to rescue refugees and remove U.S. troops from Afghanistan. (Adobe Stock)

Afghan Refugees Arriving Through Philadelphia International Airport

PHILADELPHIA - Several hundred refugees from Afghanistan started to arrive at Philadelphia International Airport this weekend, only a few days after …

A new report that examines racial gaps between Black and white Virginians shows 60% of majority-Black neighborhoods in the state have eviction rates greater than 10%, quadruple the national average. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — A new report that examines racial gaps between Black and white Virginians shows 60% of majority-Black neighborhoods in the state have eviction rates greater than 10%, quadruple the national average. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Universities Offer New Cures for Closing Virginia’s Racial Gaps

RICHMOND, Va. - In response to last year's protests against racial injustice across the country, a new report shows cities such as Richmond are …

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley of Boston is one of the community leaders featured in the Uncornered Boston Photo Project. (Boston Uncornered)

Exhibit Showcases Ties Between Boston Residents, Historic Mayoral Race

BOSTON -- A new photo exhibit in the Seaport District showcases the surprising ties between a wide swath of Boston residents. The Boston Uncornered …

This week, state Sen. Katie Muth, D-Moyersford, and Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia, started circulating memos in the General Assembly seeking sponsorship of bills to increase TANF benefits to 50% of the federal poverty level. (Annie Spratt/Unsplash)

Report: TANF Benefits Vital for PA, But Program Needs Overhaul

HARRISBURG, Pa. - This week marks the 25th anniversary of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the cash-assistance program commonly known as TANF…

Plaintiffs in a lawsuit say despite an initial court filing last year, the State of South Dakota has yet to correct their concerns about voter-registration obstacles for Native Americans. (Adobe Stock)

Lawsuit Over SD Native American Voter Registration Continues

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- In Congress, efforts are underway to boost the voting rights of Native Americans. It coincides with an ongoing lawsuit in South …

Access-A-Ride returned to scheduling shared rides on July 6, with a mask requirement per governor's order, but no vaccine mandate for passengers or drivers. (Flickr/Chris Sampson)<br /> — Access-A-Ride returned to scheduling shared rides on July 6, with a mask requirement per governor's order, but no vaccine mandate for passengers or drivers. (Flickr/Chris Sampson)

Disability Advocates Call on MTA to Resume Solo ‘Access-A-Ride’ Trips

NEW YORK - Tomorrow, advocates for New Yorkers with disabilities will ask the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to stop the shared-ride model for …

Analyzing body camera footage from more than 100 police officers and 250 audio clips, a new study finds officers spoke to Black men with less warmth, respect and ease compared to white men. (Adobe stock)<br /> — Analyzing body camera footage from more than 100 police officers and 250 audio clips, a new study finds officers spoke to Black men with less warmth, respect and ease compared to white men. (Adobe stock)

New Virginia Research Center to Connect Police, People of Color

PETERSBURG, Va. - As Virginia law enforcement agencies adjust to a number of new policing laws this year, a new state think tank represents the first …

This year, May 31 was the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, when a white mob killed an estimated 300 Black residents of the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Okla. (Susan Vineyard/Adobe Stock)

Graphic Novel Spotlights Black Wealth Before 1921 Tulsa Massacre

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- A graphic novel illustrated by a University of Illinois professor aims to serve as a primer for young people to learn about the …

Along with wage increases, Portland janitors are ensured more COVID-19 protections from their new contract. (SEIU Local 49)

On Pandemic Front Lines, Janitors Get Union Contract Victory

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Janitors have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, more than 2,000 in the Portland area have been rewarded with a …

Advocates say failures by policymakers to address climate change are a breach of their obligation to protect the human rights of all people. (Adobe Stock)

ND Voices: Climate Change a Human Rights Issue

FARGO, N.D. -- From smoky air to extreme drought, scientists say the visible effects of climate change are surfacing just about everywhere. In North …

Two bills approved by the Arizona Legislature would drop certain people from the list to receive early ballots and make it more difficult to resolve a mismatched signature on a mail-in ballot. (Simone/Adobe Stock)

AZ Voting Rights Groups Sue to Block Election 'Suppression' Laws

PHOENIX -- A coalition of Arizona voting-rights groups has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block new voter-suppression laws enacted by the state Le…

Tyson Foods brings in more than $42 billion in annual revenue. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Tyson Foods' Control Over Poultry Industry Hurts Workers, Farmers

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Tyson Foods is one of the largest poultry producers in the country, and a new report showed the Arkansas-based company's …

State assembly district maps, including this close-up of Las Vegas, are likely to change once lawmakers incorporate the new 2020 census data. (Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau GIS)

Armed With Census Data, Community Groups Prep for Redistricting

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Community groups are preparing to help lawmakers draw new political maps, based on just-released census numbers. The data shows …

The 2020 census shows that California is now home to more than 39.5 million people, and Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the country, with more than 10 million residents. (Driftwood/Adobestock)

New Census Data Helps CA Communities Prep for Redistricting

LOS ANGELES - New census data shows California is the second most diverse state in the nation, behind Hawaii - and that has big implications for new …

Pennsylvania's Legislative Reapportionment Commission has held public hearings in Harrisburg to gather input on redistricting based on 2020 census results. (Adobe Stock)

PA Groups Call for Public Comment to Be Part of Census Redistricting

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania's population has grown to more than 13 million, according to new census data - and as the mapmaking process gets under …

Almost half of all Black adults say they do not answer a call from someone they do not know, but two thirds report using the same or similar passwords across different accounts. (Adobe Stock)

Report Reveals Scammer Tactics Targeting Black, Latino Adults

DENVER - Nearly 40% of Black and Latino adults in Colorado and across the U.S. have been targeted by scammers, according to new AARP research…

Missouri is one of just three states without an online ballot-tracking system. (alexandra/Adobe Stock)

Report: MO Voting Laws Hamper Access to Ballot Box

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - A new report finds Missouri lags behind many other states in voting access. The Campaign Legal Center graded states on …

Nearly 20% of undocumented workers in the U.S. have jobs in retail businesses considered essential, including grocery stores and food service. (Adobe Stock)

Immigration-Reform Vigil at Sen. Hickenlooper's Office

DENVER -- Faith organizations joined a prayer vigil led by a coalition of immigrants' rights supporters on Thursday, outside the office of Sen…

Turnover for direct-care professional positions, many of which pay minimum wage with no benefits, has been as high as 60%. (Adobe Stock)

Disabled Community Urges Congress to Boost Home-Care Infrastructure

DENVER -- As infrastructure legislation makes its way through Congress, advocates for people with disabilities are urging lawmakers to boost …

Pennsylvania has the widest funding gap between wealthy and poor school districts of any state in the country. (Adobe Stock)

Some Racial Evidence to Be Permitted in PA School Funding Lawsuit

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- With less than a month until a Pennsylvania public school funding lawsuit is set to begin, a Commonwealth Court judge recently …

Research increasingly points to early childhood, the period from birth through age seven, as the most critical time in a child's life. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — Research increasingly points to early childhood, the period from birth through age seven, as the most critical time in a child's life. (Adobe Stock)

NC Grants Focus on Easing Racial Disparities in Early Learning

RALEIGH, N.C. - In some North Carolina counties, high poverty levels mean kids and parents lack access to quality pre-K learning. Some groups are …

On Friday, an Arkansas judge temporarily blocked the state from enforcing its mask-mandate ban, after state lawmakers failed to lift the prohibition in last week's Extraordinary Session. (Adobe Stock)

COVID Vaccinations Up in AR as Delta Variant Spreads

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Arkansans are well aware the state is seeing one of the nation's worst outbreaks of the delta COVID variant - but it's also …

According to CWEALF, Connecticut's family and medical leave program is the strongest and most comprehensive in the country, from broadening the definition of "family" to a progressive wage replacement rate. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates: Privatization of Paid-Leave Claim Services Raises Red Flag

HARTFORD, Conn. -- The Connecticut Campaign for Paid Family Leave has been raising concerns about outsourcing of the state paid leave program's …

The keynote topic for the Oregon Nurses Association is "health equity as a social-justice imperative." (Pixel-Shot/Adobe Stock)

OR Nurses Conference Explores Fairness in Health Outcomes

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Oregon nurses are holding a conference today on an important topic facing the health industry: equitable outcomes for patients…

In the United States, home-care workers, mostly women and people of color, earn on average only $12 an hour. (Adobe Stock)

NY Disability Rights Advocates Seek Federal Dollars for Home Care

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Advocates for people with disabilities in New York are pushing for the federal budget resolution to include $400 billion in Medicaid …

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