Community Altars for Día de los Muertos Symbolize Tradition, Loss, and Hope
The annual Los Angeles Noche de Ofrenda in Grand Park—where Día de los Muertos blossomed into a national and international phenomenon— returns after a one-year hiatus.
Racial Justice
Chicano Artists Resist Commercialization of Día de los Muertos
After decades of dedicated work by Chicano artists in East L.A. to promote Día de los Muertos as a festival unique to their community, it is now a hyper-commercialized enterprise. Still, many are working to recenter the festival’s original intent of honoring the dead.
Baltimore’s Community Land Trusts Offer a Pathway to Housing Justice
After years of grassroots activism, the city has found success in addressing historical housing discrimination through community land trusts.
Advocates for Haitian Asylum Seekers Call for Humane Treatment
The Biden administration was supposed be different from its predecessor. So why are Haitians are being denied their due process in seeking asylum to the U.S.?
Children’s Author Tells the True Story of Columbus’ Exploits
Oriel María Siu’s new children’s book explodes the myth of Christopher Columbus as a celebrated explorer and re-centers Indigenous narratives of how the Americas were colonized.
How Conservatorships Were Used to Exploit Native Americans
Native Americans were put into a status of guardianship due to a system of federal and local policies developed in the early 1900s. A lawyer explains this sordid history in light of the recent case of pop star Brittney Spears' conservatorship.
What About Work-Life Balance for Low-Wage Women of Color?
Talks of work-life balance often exclude low-wage women workers of color. Including them means investing in basic policies like equal pay and paid time off.
Grief as Pandemic in an Afrofuturist Novel
In adrienne maree brown’s new work of speculative fiction, grief is a pandemic that devastates Detroit.
4 Ways Reparations Can Address Racial Inequality in Education
Unequal schools are one of many manifestations of systemic racism. Changing the way schools are financed and homeowners are taxed can be a vehicle for reparations.
On America’s Residential Caste System—and How to Abolish It
In her new book “White Space, Black Hood,” author Sheryll Cashin makes a compelling case for how segregated U.S. cities are organized as a residential caste system.
Black, Hispanic, and Asian Donors Give More to Social Justice Causes, Survey Finds
Giving to racial and social justice causes is on the rise—especially among donors of color. African Americans are the most likely to give to strangers of all racial and ethnic groups.
4 Years After Hurricane María, Will We Finally Listen to the Voices of Survivors?
Survivors of one of the worst storms in Puerto Rico's history share their stories and how they resorted to mutual aid in the face of government neglect and incompetence.
How I Embraced My Muslim Identity After 9/11
As a Muslim American woman coming of age in post-9/11 America, I was terrified of being stereotyped. Over two decades, I’ve learned how to embrace my religious identity.
Identity and Islamophobia in a Post-9/11 Graphic Novel for Teens
In “Piece by Piece: The Story of Nisrin’s Hijab,” a young teen struggles to define her identity in the aftermath of a hate crime.
This Experiential Learning Farm Helps Youth Build a Better World
At Freetown Farm, members of the community can learn the names of medicinal herbs and harvest vegetables, all while developing a deeper relationship to the land and local community.
Why Empowering Workers Is a Form of Reparations
Slavery was the ultimate labor distortion. A crucial part in the discussion on reparations today should center on reshaping the labor relationship between employers and employees.
How Public Health Partnerships are Encouraging COVID-19 Vaccination in 4 States
Public health and communications experts from Michigan, Indiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina discuss efforts to encourage people in their states and local communities to get vaccinated.
Uganda’s Long History of Hosting Refugees
The country has a reputation of being progressive on refugee issues—but its efforts are underfunded.
How to Confront Vaccine Refusal in Black and Brown Communities
Getting communities of color vaccinated is a matter of racial justice—and that means confronting the history of medical racism in the U.S. and massive online misinformation.
How U.S. Wars Abroad Are Intimately Tied to Police Brutality at Home
The demands to defund the police are linked to the call for ending militarism. There is a strong case to be made for these movements to join forces against both forms of violence.
As Our Bodies and Planetary Systems Become “Inflamed,” How Do We Heal?
In their new book, authors Rupa Marya and Raj Patel explore how capitalism and colonialism have caused sickness and how Indigenous knowledge can offer healing.
How to Prevent Crime Without Relying on Police
Crime is rising in America. But rather than rely on the knee-jerk response of increased policing, one violence-prevention expert offers his solutions on using a justice-lens to reduce crime.
How Will Recent Political Instability Shape Haiti’s Earthquake Response?
The devastating temblor came just weeks after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse—an event that underscored the precarious political and security environment in modern-day Haiti.
How “Whitey on the Moon” Perfectly Captures Bezos’ Space Joy Ride
The themes of Gill Scott-Heron’s seminal poem written decades ago resonate more strongly than ever as billionaires like Jeff Bezos spend their money on lavish vanity projects.
Decolonizing Our Dreams
Dreams aren’t practical, they are a vision of what is possible.
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