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

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  • What a City-Sized Sharing Economy Looks Like

    Lauren Kaljur

    October 05, 2020 |

    Reasons to be Cheerful |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: Canada

    The First Nation–Municipal Community Economic Development Initiative is a nationwide initiative to foster positive relationships, empowering First Nation and municipal leaders to talk as equals. There have been hundreds of requests and 15 pairs completed the program. The goal is to foster joint economic development, but it also initiated discussions about the impact of colonization and ensures First Nations are represented in decision-making. Pairs have cooperated on infrastructure projects, such as highway expansions and solar farms, and have a renewed sense of being connected.

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  • Taiwan's Crowdsourced Democracy Shows Us How to Fix Social Media

    Carl Miller

    September 27, 2020 |

    Reasons to be Cheerful |

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    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: Taiwan

    vTaiwan is a mixed-reality, scaled listening exercise used by the government as a new way to make decisions. The platform provides an online space for citizens to debate and for politicians to listen to. The government lays out political questions, such as regulating Uber or changing time zones, and people can share their feelings, agree and disagree, but divisive statements and trolling are not posted. After debating for a period of time it became apparent that people converged around points of consensus. The government has implemented about a dozen laws and regulations based on the discussions.

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  • The Non-Partisan “Pro-Voice” Abortion Space

    Rikha Sharma Rani

    September 15, 2020 |

    Reasons to be Cheerful |

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    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, Oakland, California

    An organization founded in Oakland, CA is bringing non-partisan abortion counseling to those who feel isolated by platforms that are designated as either pro-life or pro-choice. The goal of the organization, which is staffed with trained volunteers from across the country, is to help "people process their experiences around abortion without any preconceived notions about what that should look like."

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  • Are You Liberal? Are You Sure?

    Will Doig

    September 15, 2020 |

    Reasons to be Cheerful |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States

    “Deep Canvassing” is an approach to political organizing based on the idea that our political beliefs may be more flexible than we think. Canvassers go door-to-door but instead of rallying identified supporters to go to the polls, they approach people who hold opposing viewpoints for meaningful conversations, including substantial active listening. Even though people start out attached to their own opinions, these meaningful connections have shown that people are usually willing to adjust their beliefs towards the center in a quest to find common ground.

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  • Cooperative Housing Is Redefining 'Home' for People with Disabilities

    Eric Krebs

    September 11, 2020 |

    Reasons to be Cheerful |

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    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, Illinois

    Striking a balance between interdependence and independence is crucial for those living with disabilities. Finding affordable housing that is accessible and accommodates a disability is difficult to secure and often the only options are institutionalized living. Able Community is a non-profit cooperative that has designed a house which provides independence along with all the accommodations needed for residents. Residents control critical aspects of the experience from health care to food options and maintenance. The Able community plans to scale its affordable and accessible housing plan.

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  • Inside the Student-Led Movement to Depolarize College Audio icon

    Gregory Scruggs

    September 04, 2020 |

    Reasons to be Cheerful |

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    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States

    BridgeUSA is a student-led organization aiming to find what unites students across college campuses, who may hold opposing views. The organization started in Notre Dame and has spread to the University of California - Berkeley, Oregon State and many others. The model consists of hosting small group discussions on a variety of hot topics like immigration or police brutality and aims to help people find commonalities by engaging in empathic dialogue.

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  • Cincinnati Tenants Are Building Equity With Each Rent Payment

    Emily Nonko

    August 28, 2020 |

    Reasons to be Cheerful |

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    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, Cincinnati, Ohio

    Dividend housing is an innovative initiative in Cincinnati giving renters the benefit of building equity without buying or selling real estate. Residents earn credits by maintaining the property, attending monthly tenant meetings, and paying their rent on time. In addition to equity, residents are guaranteed permanent affordable rent. Rental equity provides a security net, which can be cashed out and is also available as credits that residents can use to invest in other properties being built by their property developer.

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  • Scotland's 'Navigators' Transform Lives in the Emergency Room

    Alasdair Lane

    August 07, 2020 |

    Reasons to be Cheerful |

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    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: Scotland, Glasgow

    In Scotland, the Navigators program performs violence interruption work in seven hospitals, at the bedside of victims of violence, with counseling and connections to social services to nudge people into safer lifestyles. Because Navigators act independently of the police and other authority figures, and because their service follows clients into the community, they are able to win the cooperation of 65-90% of those they approach. A survey of 100 clients showed 23% fewer emergency room visits in the year after cooperating with the program. Navigators started after violence in Scotland raged in 2005.

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  • We Know How to Fix Student Debt

    David Byrne

    July 31, 2020 |

    Reasons to be Cheerful |

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    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States

    A study found that students without debt ended up with a higher income than students with debt, an overall benefit to the larger economy. In the U.S., "44.7 million American adults are saddled with student debt totaling $1.6 trillion.” This article explores what other countries like Germany, New Zealand, and South Korea, among others have done to lower the cost of university tuition and thus student debt.

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  • Wine Country's Farmworkers Are Staying Healthy Against All Odds

    Hannah Wallace

    July 13, 2020 |

    Reasons to be Cheerful |

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    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, Willamette Valley, Oregon

    ¡Salud! mobile clinics were a vital factor in keeping farm workers in Oregon vineyards safe during the national health crisis. The nonprofit is supported by the state's wine industry and has provided primary care wellness checks, vaccinations, and more for decades to workers, the majority of whom do not have any other access to health care. ¡Salud! provided testing and masks early on in addition to information about the importance of masks and social distancing. Translated CDC updates were also sent to the mostly spanish-speaking workers about the constantly-changing guidelines and precautions.

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