Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • Democracy isn't working: five ideas that are already helping to fix the problem

    Communities around the world are increasing citizen participation in political decision-making in innovative ways. Participatory budgets allow locals to decide how cities spend money and in some Kenyan cities this has successfully engaged marginalized communities. Citizens’ Initiative Reviews in Oregon and Representative Population Samples in Brazil have allowed the public to weigh in on important policies. In Taiwan, citizen-led digital participation platforms helped to control the coronavirus and avoid major shutdowns. These alternatives require funding and public trust, both of which can be hard to get.

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  • Solar Power Fills Gaps in Underserviced Rural Argentina

    Solar energy has provided an affordable and efficient source of energy to rural farmers in Argentina, who live too far off the electrical grid and have traditionally relied on powerful diesel-fueled water pumps. Solar panels have reduced carbon emissions, eliminated the need for expensive diesel fuel, as well as the hassle of transporting it to the countryside - often over rough roads. The initial investment in solar panels is recouped in a short amount of time and has resulted in a drastic reduction in water consumption.

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  • Promotoras: A community model with heart — and teeth

    Promotoras is a model used in Latin America since the 1950s, where respected community members perform health outreach and host events to answer questions about healthcare access and treatments. The program seeks to ensure that Latinx communities are not prevented from receiving quality healthcare because of traditional obstacles such as distrust, lack of transportation, lack of insurance, or language barriers. Research and surveys consistently show that this model achieves success by improving access to health services for the majority of people they interact with.

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  • Las visitas médicas virtuales florecen en la era del coronavirus

    A medida que el acceso a la atención médica en las áreas rurales de los Estados Unidos continúa disminuyendo por múltiples razones, incluida la pandemia, médicos en Oregon acuden a la telesalud. "A inicios de marzo, antes de que pegara el COVID-19, 5% o menos de los pacientes de la clínica tenían citas de telemedicina. A inicios de abril ese número brincó a un 45%."

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  • This is how the Police Advisory Commission should work in Philadelphia

    Truly independent citizen review boards can serve as an effective check on police misconduct if they are structured properly, but too many cities are like Philadelphia, where a lack of power and resources means they serve mainly as window dressing. The history of the Philadelphia Police Advisory Commission shows how initial efforts by community groups to establish real oversight fizzled through political gamesmanship and limits on the panel’s power to investigate and discipline. More promising models exist in Phoenix, Denver, and St. Louis.

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  • Community groups step in to provide immigrants COVID testing, relief

    To meet the financial needs of undocumented immigrants caught in the gap left by the federal CARES Act pandemic relief program, the advocacy group Aliento has distributed financial aid, educated workers about unemployment benefits, and conducted outreach to young people and families. Aid checks of $500 are aimed at helping cover rent, utilities, and health care costs for families in which layoffs, particularly in the construction and hospitality industries, have caused hardships.

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  • Lonely Hearts Club

    In Poland, a volunteer helpline connects elderly residents who call in with volunteers to engage in compassionate conversation during the coronavirus pandemic. While other hotlines exist that help provide aid services to the isolated elderly citizens, this helpline only focuses on offering conversation or, when the situation calls for it, connection to a trained therapist.

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  • How Puerto Rican Scientists Hacked The COVID-19 Response

    In Puerto Rico, scientists, students, and educators from different organizations created a consortium to help develop a way to expand the territory's testing capacity for COVID-19 after the government continuously struggled to obtain test kits and was only conducting 150 tests per day. After developing a molecular test and partnering with a swab manufacturer in Italy, their efforts culminated in the distribution of 3,000 tests per day.

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  • A Job for Elves

    The coronavirus pandemic has invigorated organizations working in the Baltics to counter disinformation, particularly from Russia, by flagging suspicious accounts, fake news, and hate speech. For example, Covid-19 led hundreds of Lithuanian medics to a group called the Elves to flag disinformation about the virus and related government responses. The groups partner with and receive funding from local and international sources, including Facebook and the Google News Innovation Fund. Some question whether highlighting stories, websites, and user accounts as fake might actually help to disseminate them further.

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  • How Indie Theaters Are Reimagining The Moviegoing Experience

    Art house independent movie theaters across the U.S. have joined with distributors to create virtual cinemas. After shutting their doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic, patrons can rent first-run indie films on local theaters’ websites and the proceeds are split evenly between the theater and the distributor. Combined with grants and donations, these purchases are helping indie theaters stay afloat during the shutdown. However, independent theaters that don’t primarily show art-house movies are not receiving the same benefits and are struggling to stay in business.

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