The unexpected way that Bollywood could help millions

The Kansas City nonprofit KC Can Compost is preparing people experiencing homelessness, formerly incarcerated men, and youth aging out of foster care for jobs in the environmental sector with its Green Core Training Program. Those enrolled in the five-week program learn about environmental issues, solutions, potential jobs, and necessary work and life skills before receiving a pre-apprenticeship certification.

In Kansas City, the nonprofit Pawsperity trains parents facing financial instability to groom dogs. Students of the program learn the basics of dog grooming four days a week and like skills one day each week to help break the cycle of poverty and prepare them for a job in the field.

An educational program called ROOTS (Restoring Our Original True Selves) taught at San Quentin prison in Marin County, California, has transformed into the Literature Club due to the pandemic and has reached other nearby prisons. The Literature Club, started by the Asian Prisoner Support Committee in Oakland, pairs people who are incarcerated with people outside, and they exchange emails to update each other on their reading progress and reflections. "More than a reading group, it’s a supportive space where emotions are openly discussed."

Doctors and staff at Howard Brown Health, a Chicago health center for LGBTQ patients, is using its years of experience in containing and treating HIV and other sexually-transmitted diseases with contact tracing to help contain the spread of Covid-19. The conversations can sometimes be emotional and difficult. The team has found some people are afraid to get the test and others who have lost a loved one to the virus. They have interviewed over 200 people, with many more in the pipeline, and about 65% of those they talked to also tested positive for Covid-19.

In Michigan, the lack of a GED or high school diploma is often what is standing between motivated workers and good jobs. A partnership between Battle Creek Public Schools, community organizations, and local employers is working to address common barriers, such as transportation, that prevent people from obtaining GEDs.

With the extremist group Al-Shabab active in the country, music has been a source of trauma for Somalis with music banned in Shabab controlled territory and musicians assassinated. A reality show centered around musical performance is hoping to bring music back into public life.

Why do schools teach music in a way that turns off so many young people rather than igniting their imagination? A program that taps into students’ passion for pop and rock is revitalizing music education in many schools.

Across the UK, music initiatives like the Olympias Music Foundation, Normans ReTune Project, and Nucleo are rescuing thousands of discarded instruments each year, repairing and redistributing them to children who couldn't otherwise afford to play. These initiatives train teachers and technicians to repair instruments, partnering with music hubs to collect damaged instruments, and pairing restored violins and cellos with free lessons. Students report building confidence, while the projects divert waste from landfill.

In response to a wave of youth suicides, educators at Buffalo Hide Academy in the Blackfeet Nation are teaching about heavy metal to connect youth to a sense of community and catharsis through the music. The school also works in tandem with the Fire in the Mountains metal festival to give students opportunities to perform and to enjoy the live music with their peers, leaning on metal’s therapeutic benefits.

Nuci’s Space aims to prevent suicide by providing a safe space for people of all ages, particularly youth, to connect and play music. They also offer affordable practice spaces and mental and physical health care services for participants, including affordable counseling.