Why U.S. cities are enlisting micro-influencers to fight vaccine disinformation and hesitancy

Americans often want to connect to a cause beyond writing a check. Crowdsourcing is creating new forms of philanthropy globally, giving donors more choice and a stronger connection to the projects they fund.

Crises and problems are well-covered in the media. When the media focuses instead on organizations that are doing social good, it has a better effect because then these organizations are more likely to receive support and expand their access.

The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), a charity dedicated to improving health and wellbeing in society, has outlined plans for different occupations – including cleaners, hairdressers, postal workers, and restaurant staff – that could be enlisted to support efforts to tackle the public health crisis in England by nudging reluctant souls of both genders into seeking medical help and advice.

In New Mexico, public libraries are funded by municipalities. That means, if you live in an unincorporated town, there’s no funding stream for a local public library. But, in northern New Mexico, residents in several towns have joined together to create independent libraries that have transformed their communities.

Wikipedia's editorial makeup lacks diversity—a phenomenon that could be detected by the majority “straight white male” makeup of the editing team, and inferred by the lack of information on 'feminine' topics. But thanks to the work of ‘Art + Feminism’, a DIY campaign seeking to diversify and correct Wikipedia’s coverage, people of all genders and races congregate at 'edit-a-thons, which aim for a diverse group to come together in all corners of the world to edit entries.

Testimony from scientists can be crucial for lawmakers, judges, and juries in making critical decisions that impact their communities. The Expert Witness Training Academy program at Mitchell Hamline School of Law pairs scientists with lawyers to improve their communication techniques - from tone of voice to using more colloquial diction - so that these experts can better inform the public on complex topics like climate change.

In Cuba, most access to internet is extremely limited. "The Weekly Package," solves this problem--carried by individuals who travel around on foot each week, it is a single, black market hard drive from which customers may download the content of their choice - telenovelas, news, movies, and more.

Cities are often alone in trying to develop solutions to their problems. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago developed an app— "The Peer Cities Identification Tool"— that matches similar U.S. cities and encourages discussion about challenges and successes.

As immigration policy fluctuates under the current administration and the future of thousands of undocumented migrants remains volatile, uncertain, and complex, many find themselves in a heightened state of stress and fear. But activists in Colorado are attempting to take positive steps and support the immigrant community, specifically through the creation of the Colorado Rapid Response Network and 24-hour hotline. The network helps ensure accurate information about ICE activity is shared and that trained volunteers are available to assist with legal, human, or civil rights concerns.

Poor women encounter numerous hurdles during pregnancy and childbirth, many of which too often lead to the death of the baby, mother, or both. A pilot project in Mumbai called mMitra sends weekly voice messages to new and expecting mothers, providing critical information and advice on how to maintain their own health and that of their child. Hundreds of women have registered for the program, helping not only to increase the number healthy pregnancies and births, but creating additional, indirect impacts such as eliminating taboos against morning sickness and emphasizing the importance of women's health in general.