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How Philadelphia Has Tried to Address Water Debt

Emily Nonko

September 01, 2020 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

An income-based payment structure has alleviated water debt in Philadelphia. Decreasing federal aid to municipal water utilities in conjunction with rising costs associated with climate change has increased the cost of water, making it unaffordable for many. Philadelphia created an income-based program, which caps water bills at three percent of income. The Tiered Assistance Program, or TAP, also provides debt elimination for those who make their minimum payments. Advocates have successfully pushed for similar reforms in Baltimore.

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More People With Felony Convictions Can Vote, but Roadblocks Remain

Lindsey Van Ness

August 31, 2020 |

Stateline |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

A longstanding campaign to restore voting rights to people with felony convictions led nine states since the 2016 presidential election to create or expand such rights, benefiting hundreds of thousands of potential voters. As of 2016, an estimated 6.1 million people were unable to vote because of a felony conviction. As that number has dropped, advocates have faced another obstacle: getting newly enfranchised people to register and vote. Nationwide, a number of advocacy and public-interest groups are racing to register the formerly incarcerated as the 2020 election approaches.

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Fishing for change: Local management of Amazon's largest fish also empowers women

Claudia Geib

August 31, 2020 |

Mongabay |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Brazil, São Raimundo

After high demands for arapaima fish led to near extinction, a co-management system in the Amazon rainforest has resulted in the recovery of the fish as well as the economic empowerment of local women. The work includes counting, catching, protecting, harvesting, and bringing fish to market. When more workers were needed, women stepped in and gained respect in the community as being essential members of the fishery. The women collecting an income from the program previously fished for subsistence and now receive payment for their work.

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New York Police Change Attitudes After Implicit-Bias Training

Ben Chapman

August 30, 2020 |

Wall Street Journal |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Mandatory implicit-bias training for all New York Police Department officers influenced the thinking and behavior of a majority of the department, but there is no proof that it reduced racial and ethnic disparities in the department's enforcement practices. A survey conducted after the $5.5 million, 2018-19 training program found that 70% of officers reported a better understanding of the problem and 58% said they attempted to put the coaching they received into practice. The training was aimed at increasing officers' awareness of their racial biases in order to improve relations with the community.

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How Angela Merkel's great migrant gamble paid off

Philip Oltermann

August 30, 2020 |

The Guardian |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Germany

Five years after Germany sparked controversy with a welcoming message to the flood of refugees applying for asylum, more than half of those 1.7 million refugees have work and pay taxes, their youth show strong signs of belonging to their German communities, and more than 10,000 have mastered the language enough to enroll in German universities. Refuting anti-immigrant skeptics meant overcoming, or enduring, enormous social and economic challenges. Despite many bumps, the policy now appears to have avoided the nightmare scenarios foreseen by critics, such as inviting even more refugees.

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Green teen memes: how TikTok could save the planet

Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu

August 28, 2020 |

The Guardian |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Many young TikTok users are sharing videos about environmental issues, like climate change and biodiversity, and it is leading to resource sharing, personal connections, and people reaching out to learn more about environmental topics like gardening, soil restoration, renewable energy, and environmental racism. Some believe the Covid-19 lockdown has increased engagement even further. A subculture called “grass TikTok” emerged to share information about plant species and has nearly 380 million views. The potential ban of TikTok in the US could lead to declining biodiversity engagement online.

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Cincinnati Tenants Are Building Equity With Each Rent Payment

Emily Nonko

August 28, 2020 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Cincinnati, Ohio

Dividend housing is an innovative initiative in Cincinnati giving renters the benefit of building equity without buying or selling real estate. Residents earn credits by maintaining the property, attending monthly tenant meetings, and paying their rent on time. In addition to equity, residents are guaranteed permanent affordable rent. Rental equity provides a security net, which can be cashed out and is also available as credits that residents can use to invest in other properties being built by their property developer.

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Carbon County, aiming to be age-friendly, aligns with national network

Juliana Sukut

August 27, 2020 |

Montana Free Press |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Montana

AARP is providing the framework, resources and accountability for local governments to make their cities more senior-friendly. From transportation, to health and community services, 450 communities across the country - and two in Montana - have pledged to work toward specific goals within five years. Carbon County has been working on improvements since 2018 and has reevaluated its efforts in the wake of a pandemic that has highlighted the specific vulnerabilities faced by senior citizens.

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How do you teach antiracist curriculum to the youngest students?

Aaricka Washington

August 27, 2020 |

The Hechinger Report |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Students and educators across the country are discussing how to implement anti-racism curriculum in the classroom. Although it can be challenging, educators are using a myriad of methods to teach students about racism. “We are a part of the curriculum, the way that we show up, the way that we enter spaces.”

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Truth and Redistribution

Darrick Hamilton Naomi Zewde

August 26, 2020 |

Yes! Magazine |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: South Africa

Racial injustice in America and the resulting wealth gap are a result of entrenched systemic inequities that can only be addressed if a collective acknowledgement of the past is made much like it was in South Africa. The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) identified and cataloged the trauma endured during the apartheid era in order to shed light on the physical, mental, and economic toll of South African apartheid. Publicly and collectively acknowledging the trauma allowed the nation to peacefully transition into post-apartheid. Acknowledgement is the first step to undoing inequity.

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