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

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  • Can Pools Help to Deter Crime?

    September 04, 2020 |

    The New York Times |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, New York, New York

    One response to the violent unrest of the late 1960s was New York's installation of a network of swimming pools. The idea: give people a refreshing escape, and a way to cool – literally – the emotions that can lead to violence. No solid evidence proves a causal effect, but serious crime in the city dropped significantly and immediately. In 2020, after the pandemic closed all city pools until late July and then only some reopened, the city experienced a surge in gun violence. Says one sociologist: "There will be problems" when people are cooped up without recreation options.

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  • Young People Are Fighting Hunger and Finding Purpose

    September 01, 2020 |

    The New York Times |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, Culver City, California

    High school and college-age volunteers in Culver City, California are playing a significant role in the creation of a food-distribution system that aims to help their neighbors who have been financially impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. While the project is having a positive impact on the community, it is also having a positive effect on the young voluteers by providing a sense of connection during this time of social isolation.

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  • How to Meet New People, Even at a Distance Audio icon

    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?

    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

    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

    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

    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

    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

    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

    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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