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How to Meet New People, Even at a Distance

Julia Hotz

August 29, 2020 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Coronavirus-related loneliness increased demand for groups that help people make personal connections and new friends, even if at a distance. A New York MeetUp, “I wanted to do that … just not alone”, has seen attendance at socially distanced activities increase. “Living Room Conversations,” an online platform where volunteers host discussions on timely topics, saw 1,000 new members since March and a 62% increase in page views. The groups encourage vulnerability and connection, but are not meant to replace professional mental-health counseling for those who are struggling with loneliness and other traumas.

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Can Prosecutors Be Taught to Avoid Jail Sentences?

Tina Rosenberg

August 25, 2020 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Columbus, Ohio

A nonprofit consulting firm, Prosecutor Impact, advances the cause of reducing incarceration and related reforms by helping reform-minded elected district attorneys confront one of the greatest obstacles to change: their own staff's opposition. In Columbus, a two-week curriculum educated front-line prosecutors about local services that can serve as problem-solving alternatives to punishment. It also taught them about poverty's challenges and engaged them in dialogue with prisoners, to make them more open to alternative approaches, which a local defense lawyer says was successful.

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Black Artists Find Ways to Make Their Voices Heard in Portland

Zachary Small

August 23, 2020 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Portland, Oregon

A burst of creativity is helping Portland confront its racist histories. From murals appearing on boarded-up buildings, protest art on exhibit at art centers, and artists gathering downtown to display their work depicting clashes between protestors and federal troops, new opportunities have been created for the city's Black artists. Community groups are also connecting artists with affordable housing resources and memorializing displaced Black communities using murals, photography, and oral histories. While a good start, more work is needed to bring about structural changes.

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How Teenage Activists Are Talking to Family About Racial Injustice

Christina Morales

August 22, 2020 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Young people are using social media as an effective way to engage in conversations with their families about racism, police violence, and Black Lives Matters protests. Many share their conversations on social media and find support from other young people struggling with talking about racial justice with family members. Social media is also being used to elevate and circulate images and videos of violence, which some point to as powerful ways to transform the attitudes and beliefs. On the other hand, some young people’s posts exacerbate tensions with family members.

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For Quick Coronavirus Testing, Israel Turns to a Clever Algorithm

David Halbfinger

August 21, 2020 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Israel, Beersheba

The Israeli government is preparing to roll out a new form of pooled testing as the count of COVID-19 cases continues to increase. The methodology, which has already shown promise as a successful pilot project, works more efficiently than other pooled-testing efforts by using a combinatorial algorithm that was "developed a decade ago to speed the detection of rare genetic mutations."

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Nice White Parents: We Know It When We See It

Chana Joffe-Walt

August 20, 2020 |

The New York Times |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

A Brooklyn school district has changed the zoning and middle school admission process to racially integrate schools and level the playing field. White children previously gained admission to schools with the most resources based on impressive grades and extracurricular activities. The new system is based on a lottery and can not screen students for test results or attendance. Black and Latino families have been demanding change since 1950, but this change was a result of the efforts of white parents. Critics question whether the motive was equality or anger over too many white kids kept out of good schools.

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In Prison, Learning Magic by Mail

Annalisa Quinn

August 14, 2020 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

A community of incarcerated magic enthusiasts formed spontaneously around a column published by a magic magazine, thanks to their own initiative and the willingness of Joshua Jay, the magician/columnist, to respond to fan mail. The incarcerated people formed an underground exchange of tips on magic tricks and how to make props from the limited availability of materials in prisons. By perfecting their skills, this community used magic as performative art therapy, easing their sense of isolation and increasing their sense of power and personal worth. One even went pro after his release.

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How the World's Largest Garbage Dump Evolved Into a Green Oasis

Robert Sullivan Jade Doskow

August 14, 2020 |

The New York Times |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Staten Island, New York

The former Fresh Kills Landfill in Staten Island is turning into a public park that will accept visitors in 2021. By capping the trash site with plastic, covering it with soil, and planting native grasses, city officials are restoring the area’s former tidal wetlands and scrublands; nearly 314 plant and animal species have already been sighted. While the successful closing of the dump nearly 20 years ago means that the trash is being sent to other neighborhoods in the United States where people dealing with economic hardship live, the project could be a model for sustainability and urban renewal.

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On Native American Land, Contact Tracing Is Saving Lives

Gina Kolata

August 13, 2020 |

The New York Times |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona

As coronavirus spread throughout the White Mountain Apache tribe in Arizona residents on the reservation turned to contact tracing – not to slow the spread, but to identify those who were high risk and may be infected with the virus, before they became too ill to recover. This strategy focused on testing blood oxygen levels and has resulted in a far lower mortality rate among the tribe as compared to the state. Now, researchers think it could serve as a model for other "hard-to-reach" communities.

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Leaving Gun Towers and Barbed Wire for a Healing House

Patricia Leigh Brown

August 07, 2020 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

A New Way of Life Reentry Project creates homes for women as they leave prison, providing a refuge and programs to help ensure a more successful transition into life on the outside. The network of small group homes, started in Los Angeles and expanded to 16 houses in multiple states, boast a 90% success rate. New Way’s approach prizes ordinary homes in residential neighborhoods, unlike jail-like settings common in transitional housing, which generally caters to men. Classes include careers, therapy, and family reunification.

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