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Chennai Ran Out of Water — But That's Only Half the Story

Erica Gies Dhritiman Mukherjee

October 30, 2020 |

bioGraphic |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: India, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

The city of Chennai in India is engaging in wetlands restoration and stormwater management by using traditional knowledge and community action to reduce flooding and ensure that people have access to drinking water. Through a development program called Water as Leverage, they are implementing “slow water” projects that restore flow paths for water, which could provide greater water resiliency for humans and protect and restore natural ecosystems. While it can be difficult to get government engineers to embrace green solutions, public awareness of the environmental work is helping move the projects forward.

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King County hospitals are making sure patients can vote

Hannah Weinberger

October 30, 2020 |

Crosscut |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

Hospitals in King County launched programs to help inpatients register to vote and cast their ballot. Some adopted VotER, a program that sets up voter registration kiosks and QR codes that can be scanned for voting information. If inpatients don't have someone who can bring them their ballots, hospital staff can print them online. Since the state has universal mail-in voting with ballot boxes that anyone can drop ballots in, hospital staff also helped deliver ballots. With health care policy often on the ballot, helping patients vote is another way healthcare professionals care for their patients.

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#EndSARS: Inside Nigeria's Fight to End Police Brutality

Innocent Eteng

October 29, 2020 |

Yes! Magazine |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Nigeria, Lagos

Modeled in part on America's Black Lives Matter protest movement, Nigerian protests against brutality and extortion committed by the police have in a brief time attracted uncommon levels of support across ethnic and religious lines. The government responded by disbanding the primary focus of the protests, its notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), and made other concessions. Protesters say these steps, while welcomed, might easily be undercut by government intransigence. So they have vowed to continue pressing for reform of the Nigeria Police Force.

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We can't vote in San Quentin prison. So we held a mock election

Juan Moreno Haines Kevin Deroi Sawyer

October 28, 2020 |

The Guardian |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, San Quentin, California

Two men incarcerated at San Quentin prison tell how the men incarcerated there held a mock presidential election, despite a pandemic-related lockdown and prison officials' failure to distribute ballots that had been sent to the prison. Using handwritten ballots, the "voters," denied their actual voting rights by the state, managed to cast 176 mock votes (heavily favoring Joe Biden) by distributing the ballots during limited time outside their cells. Voting gave the men the opportunity to express their views, not just by checking a box but by adding comments on their ballots.

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Bus Stop Shakespeare

Dorota Salus

October 26, 2020 |

Transitions Online |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Poland, Gdansk

A program at the Gdansk Shakespeare Theater in Poland is creating job opportunities for people with Down syndrome after partnering with the city and a local foundation that supports job training and coaching for special-needs individuals. The project has not just benefited the participants – patrons of the company as well as other businesses are realizing "that people with Down syndrome who have the appropriate skills can prove themselves at work."

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Nigerians don't trust the government to respond to emergency calls. So they created apps instead.

Innocent Chizaram Ilo

October 24, 2020 |

Rest of World |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Nigeria

Fearful and distrustful of corrupt and abusive police forces, Nigerians by the thousands have downloaded locally developed mobile apps like Sety and Aabo to call friends for help during abductions or other emergencies. These first-responder apps feature panic buttons that alert contacts or people nearby during an emergency. The app makers do not share usage data, but users say they feel safer by having such apps available if they are harassed by the police or in need of protection from an attack.

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To Recognize Misinformation in Media, Teach a Generation While It's Young

Amy Yee

October 23, 2020 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Media Literacy Now is a nonprofit aimed at combatting misinformation, especially on social media platforms, and lobbying for media literacy education in schools. The organization was started by Erin McNeill in 2013 and played a hand in the formation of 30 bills in 18 states. The organization also provides resources on its website, including toolkits for teachers to incorporate media literacy in their lessons, and templates for emails and letters people can send to their local officials in support of increased media literacy in schools.

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They lost their brothers to addiction. Now they're tackling deadly stigmas head on, with humor

Tim Greiving

October 22, 2020 |

Los Angeles Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

Two women who lost their brothers to heroin overdoses launched the podcast "Last Day" to address death – by drugs and, in season two, by suicide – with a mix of humor, unsettling candor, and conventional-wisdom-busting storytelling. At first a modest startup, their production company now employs 17, topped the podcast charts with almost 4 million downloads, and has rolled out other programs on such topics as body image, bullying, the pandemic, policing, and loneliness. Many of the topics were proposed by listeners to "Last Day," who wanted their problems or questions to get the same treatment.

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Rogers Pass ski permit system adds to 'Holy Grail' of mitigation strategies

Tom Hallberg Bradly J. Boner

October 21, 2020 |

Jackson Hole News & Guide |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Canada, Rogers Pass, British Columbia

Terrain closures, avalanche education, and parking management are some of the topics that Canada’s ski permit system tackles. This government-regulated permit system has resulted in zero skier-triggered slides on Rogers Pass. Officials in Wyoming as looking to their northern neighbors to see if a similar system could work at Teton Pass.

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Musical Empowerment bridges technological divide to teach local students

Ben Greer

October 20, 2020 |

The Daily Tar Heel |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Musical Empowerment provides mentors for children who do not have access to music education in their community. About 160 student-teachers mentor children in instruments like guitar, piano, violin, brass, saxophone, and even voice. The group uses grants and donations to help with technological and internet disparities, as well as provide instruments if needed. Learning music helps young people in many areas of their lives, including self-confidence and self-discipline. Mentors are paired with a mentee based on instrument interest and compatibility, and also experience personal growth from the relationship.

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