A Better Way to Talk About Faith

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/12/a-better-way-to-talk-about-faith

David Bornstein

The New York Times

12 June 2012

Text / 1500-3000 Words

Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) brings together college students from different faiths so that they develop respect and appreciation for each other and different traditions. IFYC also cultivates interfaith leaders and organizes campus-based campaigns called Better Together. Some students have received push back from their faith communities, but students and faculty have reported the campaigns for interfaith engagement leads to positive outcomes of increasing tolerance on campuses. The organization has trained students who have run campaigns on 106 campuses.

A Racial Gap in Attitudes Toward Hospice Care

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/25/health/a-racial-gap-in-attitudes-toward-hospice-care.html

Sarah Varney

The New York Times

21 August 2015

Text / 800-1500 Words

Despite years of change, African Americans feel ostracized from the medical care community that is dominated mainly by white people, especially when it comes to hospices. Some are trying to remove the stigma of hospice care as well as make health care systems more fair.

Boston: There's an App for That

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/boston-theres-an-app-for-that-107661.html#.VYml6PlViko

Ben Schreckinger

Politico

10 June 2014

Text / Over 3000 Words

Boston had a hard time solving civic problems efficiently and holding its leadership accountable. In response, a team in the Mayor's office was charged with "making Boston better through clever, low-cost hacks" such as a mobile app that allows residents to send government service requests to City Hall.

Ever Wonder Why Nobody Goes to Town Council Meetings? Meet the Folks Who Are Changing That.

http://nationswell.com/meet-folks-upgrading-civic-engagement

Rob Gurwitt

NationSwell

11 December 2013

Text / 1500-3000 Words

Very few people go to city council meetings. MindMixer, a tech startup company, increased civic participation in states across the U.S. with online platforms for city officials and the community to discuss ideas.

How Cincinnati Revitalized Police-Community Relations

http://www.thetakeaway.org/story/policing-police-how-cincinnati-police-community-relations

John Hockenberry

The Takeaway

25 June 2014

Podcast / 5-15 Minutes

After a policeman shot and killed a teenage African American, a community in Cincinnati blamed law enforcement for racial profiling and riots expanded throughout the city. With the help of the Department of Justice as a mediator, Cincinnati made policy changes. The city now has an African American Police Association that brings police officers in communication with representatives of communities.

How Conservative, Tough-On-Crime Utah Reined In Police Militarization

http://www.buzzfeed.com/evanmcsan/how-conservative-tough-on-crime-utah-reined-in-police-milita

Evan McMorris-Santoro

Buzzfeed

1 September 2014

Text / 800-1500 Words

The militarization of police forces in cases such as Ferguson, Missouri’s riots has led the state of Utah to question what can be done to prevent such an overuse of force from happening. Utah expanded upon a law passed by Democratic legislature in Maryland, which Utah’s ACLU reworked with some libertarians, to require the police to provide data about SWAT team usage. Utah’s success demonstrates that demilitarization bills passed with bipartisan support are not impossible.

How Seattle Made Dark Alleys Safer—By Throwing Parties In Them

http://www.yesmagazine.org/happiness/how-seattle-made-dark-alleys-safer-by-throwing-parties-20150826

Araz Hachadourian

Yes! Magazine

26 August 2015

Text / 800-1500 Words

Alleys in Seattle were once places of illicit, illegal, and unsanitary activity. The International Sustainability Institute in Seattle began organizing music and art events to bring in people, which, in turn, cleaned-up the crime and garbage. As an urban development strategy, adjacent vacant storefronts re-opened for business and beautification could be seen in new gardens.

How This Teen's Quest to Define 'Sustainability' Changed State Law

http://thetyee.ca/News/2014/10/17/Sustainability-Definition-Changed-Law

Geoff Dembicki

The Tyee

17 October 2014

Text / 1500-3000 Words

Hawaii private school students were taught about ecological sustainability, but public school students were not. After losing a school essay contest about sustainability, a high school student convinced Hawaii’s legislature to pass a resolution requiring that every student learn the meaning of the concept. Due to this student’s advocacy, the state is also piloting a program to install solar panels on its public schools to teach children how to be more self-sustaining.

From Young Adult Book Fans to Wizards of Change

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/21/from-young-adult-book-fans-to-wizards-of-change

Courtney E. Martin

The New York Times

21 March 2012

Text / 1500-3000 Words

Global social and economic problems are difficult to change. However, fan-activism fuels the interests of fans of popular young adult fiction. Books such as Harry Potter and the Hunger Games have inspired activist groups that raise awareness of global hunger, reading, and relief supplies to impoverished nations, among others. Being a fan has served as a bridge to become politically active and solve the world’s problems.

Former Black Panther Launches Oakland Urban Farm to Give Ex-Prisoners a Fresh Start

http://civileats.com/2015/09/09/former-black-panther-launches-oakland-urban-farm-to-give-ex-prisoners-a-fresh-start

Sarah Henry

Civil Eats

9 September 2015

Text / 800-1500 Words

After incarceration, Black men and women have a difficult time re-integrating into society without financial and educational resources. A former Black Panther activist has created the non-profit Oakland &the World Enterprises to offer an urban farm as a prisoner re-entry program and community center. The Oakland project supports self-sufficiency, self-determination, and empowerment for Black people.