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

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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

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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.

Demystifying the MOOC

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/02/education/edlife/demystifying-the-mooc.html

Jeffrey J. Selingo

The New York Times

29 October 2014

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The creators of online classes hoped to provide quality education to the disadvantaged but have instead created an international supplement to classroom learning and tool for professional development.

Fewer dropouts, more degrees: How Walla Walla Community College does it

http://seattletimes.com/html/education/2023636445_edlabwallawallaxml.html

Katherine Long

The Seattle Times

17 May 2014

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Individualized advice and counseling, boosted by software tools, is helping hundreds more students earn degrees and certificates each year at Walla Walla Community College in Washington.

From slipping through the cracks to the college track

http://www.seattletimes.com/education/from-slipping-through-the-cracks-to-the-college-track

Claudia Rowe

The Seattle Times

14 April 2014

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The Rainier Scholars program in Seattle places fifth graders, who are all minorities, in special coursework through middle and high school, finally offering rigorous college coaching. In Oakland, CA, the National College Advising Corps directs recent graduates into schools to be role models and guides for at-risk students.

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

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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.

Improving Economic Diversity at the Better Colleges

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/05/improving-economic-diversity-at-the-better-colleges

Peg Tyre

The New York Times

5 February 2014

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Students with low-income that attend public schools can find themselves locked in a system that prevents them from getting into the best colleges, from being unable to afford tuition, to not having the ambition, to not knowing a school that would welcome them. Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA targets high-performing low-income students. The college provides outreach to high school students in poor communities, financial aid to low-income families, summer workshops, and on-site advising and academic support.

In Egypt, Sowing Seeds of Gender Equality

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/22/in-egypt-sowing-the-seeds-of-gender-equality

Elizabeth Stuart

The New York Times

22 January 2015

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Muslim women in Egypt are expected to marry young and to stay close to home, and if they do not, they can be subjected to abuse or heavy criticism by men in the household. Save the Children’s Choices program offers educational workshop sessions for boys and girls, ages 10 to 14, which help them explore gender identity. Through discussions, the program hopes to change gender norms.

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

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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.