144 issues · 2020–2023
We created a guide to the grassroots and POC-led giving for social justice causes this Giving Tuesday.
Instead of taking accountability or addressing one's grievances, tone policing attempts to discredit and put the aggrieved back in their place.
For Black women and girls, incidences of violence and hate, informed by misogynoir, become a throughline to each of our lives.
Critics of Israel are being silenced, part of a long history of anti-Palestinian suppression. This guide explains your rights when advocating for Palestine.
Examining the role of qualified immunity and the U.S. judicial system in keeping law enforcement from facing accountability.
The story of the Jena Six highlights the double standard Black students experience in the educational and legal system.
Examining how the latest changes to the citizenship test have made it even more challenging to become a U.S. citizen.
White supremacist groups pose the highest risk to our nation's security. Yet, most counterterrorism programs unfairly target communities of color, especially after 9/11.
A brief overview of what power and privilege means and its role in systemic oppression to help you understand how privilege shows up in your life—and what you can do to address it.
Terms Capitalizing “Black” when referring to people in a racial, ethnic, or cultural context is to make language more inclusive and accurate.
Hawai'i has been decimated by its reliance on tourism, an economic decision that fuels the inequities that cause disasters to impact those most marginalized disproportionately.
Solitary confinement is the go-to solution for handling any issue brought on by a system that breaks down those within its confinement.
James Baldwin's work serves as a gateway for all to understand race, sexuality, and the relentless pursuit of justice.
A group of Black boys were criminalized for breaking into a public pool, echoing a history of banning Black people from public swimming spaces.
Lack of infrastructure and accountability from local U.S. governments has led to public distrust in tap water.
Black athletes might be overrepresented but deal with discrimination and stereotyping, unlike their white counterparts.
What will come of efforts to diversify college campuses with the end of affirmative action in higher education?
A new docudrama on Queen Cleopatra has been “canceled” because it cast a mixed-race actress in the role of the pharaoh.
Traditional Pride Month celebrations call for inclusivity and remembrance. But this year, go a step further. Here’s how you can amplify your impact this year and next.
This is the first Hollywood strike in 15 years, and insiders believe this stalemate could last months and have major rippling effects in the industry.
The 1992 Los Angeles riots were sparked by a series of injustices by the criminal justice system against marginalized people that remain unaddressed 30 years later.
Recent shooting incidents have renewed conversations on “stand your ground” laws, their impact, and who is protected by the self-defense law.
The differences between the Central Park Five and the Donald Trump indictments highlight the disparities and bias in the legal system.
There's a persistent narrative in U.S. history that pits the innocence of white women against a false notion of Black aggression.
As our communities continue to reel over the latest school shooting, attention to the types of victims of gun violence is left out of discussions.
The Combahee River Collective Statement advocated that society be reorganized based on the collective needs of those who it most oppresses.
Layoffs are disproportionately impacting DEI roles. Here’s how that will affect representation and inclusion in the workplace.
In recognizing Equal Pay Day, we must center the most marginalized and affected by the wage gap in order to achieve gender pay equity.
Learn how Seattle’s decision to ban caste discrimination addresses how caste discrimination affects the workplace.
The Watsonville Riots was a violent attack on Filipino farmworkers by a mob of white residents in the city of Watsonville, California, between January 19 and January 30, 1930.
This year, the importance of participating in politics and our communities were greatly emphasized, from court rulings to the polarizing political campaigning of key issues.
With the overturning of Roe v. Wade this year, the urgency to protect access to abortions and other reproductive care became a top priority countrywide.
Cities and states are developing unprecedented reparations initiatives to address economic inequities and historical injustice against Black people.
Our biases on gender, class, sexual orientation, disability, religion, and other parts of our identity also influence our perception of race.
The current financial system is inherently inequitable, causing marginalized communities to flock to unregulated alternatives like crypto.
Amplifying the work of Just Detention International, an organization committed to those that experience sexual abuse while incarcerated.
Recent discussions of ethnocentrism often fall short of interpreting the relationship between ethnocentrism and racism.
Initiatives like land rematriation aren't just reparations but a clear way to dismantle white supremacy and center Indigenous communities.
The adultification bias of Black youth, specifically girls, robs them of their childhood and contributes to their trauma.
The Supreme Court reviews a case that, if upheld, will reverse strides in rectifying the cultural genocide and displacement of Native families.
Like the MOVE bombing victims, museums hold the remains of marginalized communities, often without community support or consent.
Halloween is culturally a time when many people wear costumes that include blackface or cultural appropriation, in addition to other oppressive or racially charged attire.
A pair of vintage Levi's jeans sold in an auction had the brand's old slogan, "the only kind made by white labor," printed on its pockets.
How social spaces and tech profit off the exploitative use of Blackness and racial stereotypes in a repackaged and digitized version of blackface.
There are many domestic and global issues calling for our attention, and it might be hard to know where to start. But when we can identify how we can help, the path towards change might become easier.
The backlash following the Netflix series, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story highlights how the genre re-harms victims and their families
The racist backlash of "The Rings of Power" diverse casting follows a trend of excluding marginalized identities from fantastical realms.
Teachers are fundraising to get air conditioning into their classrooms due to record heat waves and inadequate educational infrastructure.
The school-to-prison pipeline introduces students to the criminal legal system, affecting their mental health, academic potential, and livelihoods.
Is it appropriate to check in with a friend or colleague to show support in the aftermath of a major attack against a marginalized community?
In an unjust criminal legal system, the exclusion of marginalized people on juries enables an inequitable system to prosper.
The use of the phrase "woke" has strayed far from its roots and has been co-opted by conservatives and mainstream culture to discredit calls for accountability and justice.
The controversy surrounding Brittney Griner's case reflects the discrimination that women and LGBTQ+ athletes experience at all levels of success.
The story of Jayland Walker, who was shot over 60 times after a routine traffic stop, underscores how inequitable policing is and how over-policing harms marginalized communities.
“What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” is a scathing critique of the failed promises of the Declaration of Independence to Black enslaved people.
In overturning abortion rights, Justice Thomas urged the court to reconsider other decisions that used "substantive due process precedents."
Forty years after the racially motivated hate crime against Vincent Chin, Asian communities are still experiencing rampant hate crimes.
Juneteenth commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States, yet more than 150 years later, Black people continue to fight for their rights and freedom.
The introduction of the Puerto Rico Status Act acknowledges the history of colonization against the island and sets a path for radically shifting the island's relationship with the U.S.
More than 60 years later, the Loving v. Virginia case continues to be “one of the most significant legal decisions of the civil rights era.”
The Cops Off Campus Coalition is a network of students, educators, and community members working to abolish policing in the education system.
Since the protests in summer 2020, over 100 pieces of anti-protest legislation have been introduced or implemented across the U.S.
Many corporations capitalize on Pride Month by rainbow-washing while actively causing harm to the LGBTQIA+ community.
The fight against Roe v. Wade underscores how digital surveillance can be used to incriminate people seeking abortion care.
The latest on abortion rights has led to comparisons between current events and “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a dystopian novel and show.
"Criminal justice system” is used in the U.S to reference the broad, complex system that addresses criminal activity, but rarely are marginalized people afforded justice.
Cinco de Mayo is meant to be a day of solidarity and respecting Mexican and Latine culture, but the Americanization of the holiday has obscured its true historical significance.
A leaked draft from the Supreme Court details the reversal of Roe v. Wade, eradicating federal constitutional protections of abortion rights.
Sharing graphic videos of police brutality may raise awareness, but also cause harm and obfuscate the real effort needed to create change.
Book bans are escalating across the country. But banned books do little to foster a better learning environment for students.
Unlike the unjust trials of the Scottsboro Boys, white vigilantism often ended in lynchings, one of which inspired the song "Strange Fruit."
After 200 years, the government will finally implement anti-lynching legislation which will make lynchings in America a hate crime.
The trans community across the U.S. faces an onslaught of violent state legislation. Here's a state-by-state guide on anti-trans bills in the U.S. and how you can help those fighting for trans rights.
Defunding the police allows communities to reinvest in other forms of community support while dismantling a system rooted in racism and white supremacy.
The White House symbolizes this country’s unique commitment to liberty and justice for all. Yet, the forced labor of enslaved people literally laid the foundation for American democracy.
No-Knock warrants allow police to legally break into people's homes unannounced, often resulting in fatal outcomes like the deaths of Amir Locke and Breonna Taylor.
Black poetry in the U.S. has been a revolutionary space throughout history, acting as a reminder of American cruelty and strife.
Podcast host Joe Rogan has received backlash for helping spread COVID-19 conspiracies and his repeated use of the N-word. Yet, Spotify refuses to deplatform him.
Whoopi Goldberg’s Holocaust comments on The View inaccurately claimed that the genocide of millions of Jews was not about race. During the Holocaust, Jewish people were labeled as an “inferior race” by the Nazis, echoing similar eugenicist beliefs held in the U.S. during that time.
Black History Month is more than reading about the Black achievements, stories, people, and movements that shaped the U.S. It's essential to take these readings and teachings and put them into action.
Upon the announcement of Justice Stephen Breyer's retirement, discussions on who will be his successor highlight a need for more Supreme Court representation.
Representation in media helps shape how marginalized groups are viewed by society and how they view themselves. While far from perfection, Encanto signals a positive shift in authentic storytelling in the media.
The legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has been whitewashed and gentrified. To honor him, we must remember him in his entirety and not just what's been deemed "appropriate."
Multigenerational living remerges due to the health and economic disparities, a rapidly aging population, and unaffordable housing.
Food is a cornerstone of culture, and our ability to access healthy food and decide what we consume is rooted in the same inequities that other industries face.
Whether it’s a question of sovereignty, preservation, or spirituality, there’s much to unpack with the U.S.'s legacy of land ownership.
Each school year presents an opportunity to reimagine the education system in ways proven to work and ways we know will benefit the students.
This year, allyship had its moment and was even named word of the year by Dictionary.com. But what does it mean to be an ally?
Allyship is word of the year. As our country grapples with racial and social inequity, we reflect on whether we lived up to its definition.
“Equity v. Equality” illustration breaks down the difference between the two terms and how the distinction impacts the necessary work for social change.
Medical illustrations are often only cisgender, able-bodied, white, thin men. Inclusive depictions are essential for healthcare treatment.
If you're heading into the holidays expecting some tough conversations, here are some resources to help you through.
A reflection on the day Ruby Bridges walked to school and role of white protestors to prevent racial integration in education.
Apologies are more than just saying sorry, but taking accountability for harm.
Pay equity can only happen with pay transparency. Talking about your salary at the office is a powerful way to contribute to change.
Columbus Day represents the history of colonization and the erasure of Indigenous communities. Learn about the movement to change it.
When will Facebook hold itself accountable for the harm it causes, and how can we rally our voices?
Despite AAVE being popularized in pop culture, Black people are still ridiculed in workplaces, classrooms, and other parts of society for using it.
The case of Gabby Petito highlights the need to amplify stories of all missing – particularly those most marginalized.
How does "The Activist" address the threats and skepticism that community leaders face IRL?
Two trending videos on TikTok reignite conversations about the horrors inflicted due to white women's tears.
Neighborhoods of color affected by redlining, historic bank and government-sponsored housing discrimination, are five degrees hotter than non-redlined neighborhoods since they have dramatically less tree cover. In Portland, OR, they’re a shocking 13 degrees warmer (NPR). Communities of color are where state and business elites dump toxic chemicals, coal-fired power plants, and chemical factories across the country. “The climate emergency will have a disproportionate impact on Black and Brown communities” (Guardian) since “the lack of equitable investment in low-income communities leaves people even more at risk for climate change impacts” (NRDC).
Black social media creators are on strike from creating new choreography. Here's why.
Anti-trans legislation adds to the violence and discrimination that affect the trans community, particularly people of color and Black trans lives.
$50B was pledged by corporations to racial equity initiatives. But where's the money?
Black homeowners are routinely experiencing low appraisal values, preventing them from building generational wealth.
According to the ACLU, 11% of U.S. citizens – or more than 21 million Americans – do not have government-issued photo identification (ACLU). Much of the conversation around the need for IDs revolves around voting, driven by the rise of legislation that states across the country are implementing that include stricter identification requirements (NPR). Marginalized groups, including those disabled, the elderly population, and people of color, are less likely to have identification than the general population, which means their voices are minimized in elections. But beyond that, the identification gap causes many issues for people across the country, particularly during COVID-19.
The push to ban critical race theory in schools is a part of a broader campaign to discredit the concept of racism and its effect in the U.S.
If you’ve participated or watched protests unfold in cities across the country this past year, you may have noticed that law enforcement looked more like members of our military than neighborhood police. And that’s intentional, as, over the past decades, the U.S. has made it easier for law enforcement to access surplus military equipment for everyday use.
Anti-fatness bias comprises the systemic and interpersonal oppression that fat people experience in the workplace, the healthcare system, the criminal justice system, and other aspects of everyday life.
For the past month, Derek Chauvin has been on trial for the murder of George Floyd. Finally, the verdict is out. Chauvin faced three charges: second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. To convict Chauvin, the prosecution needed to show each charge beyond a reasonable doubt. The prosecution did not need to prove that Chauvin intended to kill George Floyd to convict him of the charges.
This Thursday, April 22, is the 51st anniversary of Earth Day, one of the most significant secular movements observed worldwide. Modeled after the anti-war and civil rights movements that preceded it, the first Earth Day, held on April 19, 1970, was a massive demonstration where millions of people took to the streets to rally for environmental justice. The event supported the advancement of a series of legislation in the years to come: an amended Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Endangered Species Act; the Marine Mammal Protection Act; the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (Time).
Last week, actor Ray Fisher shared the racism and inappropriate conduct he experienced while working onset for several superhero movies (The Hollywood Reporter). One of his allegations references discrimination that he heard happened on the set Krypton, a Syfy series that focuses on Seg-El, Superman’s grandfather. Actor Regé-Jean Page, the star of Netflix phenomenon Bridgerton, had auditioned for the role. But the producer rescinded, stating that Superman could not have a Black grandfather.
The death has been referred to as an “accidental discharge.” But there is nothing accidental about the death of an unarmed Black man by law enforcement. Our system is designed to maximize interactions between Black and brown people and police officers, which all but ensures that harm will happen. This is enforced through the practice of over-policing, initiatives that have justified increased levels of policing for the sake of the greater good, but often with adverse consequences (Scientific American).
Unpaid internships are inaccessible and further the economic inequities in education and the workplace by relying on exploitative practices.
COINTELPRO, a series of covert and illegal initiatives by the FBI, and its impact on Black activism in the 1960s.
The lack of accessibility in the current vaccine rollout stems from broader systemic disparities evident in healthcare.
5,805 workers at an Amazon facility in Alabama will decide whether they wish to be represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. If they vote yes, they would be the first Amazon warehouse in the United States to unionize.
"This Land is Your Land” performed during the 2021 Inauguration, a song that celebrates American without acknowledging the genocide, oppression, and forced removal of Indigenous communities.
Underserved communities are disproportionately becoming zoned as food deserts as access to grocery stores becomes limited.
To the average American, Hawaii elicits a fantasy. Palm trees swaying in the light wind. Hot white sands reflect a radiant sun and kiss a crystal clear ocean. Hula dancers wait at the doorsteps to a hotel overlooking the vast Pacific. But this fantasy is just that, and to many Native Hawaiians, their reality is quite the opposite. This continued exploitation of Hawaiian lands and culture to visitors, many of whom fail to appreciate its deep culture and culture, contributes to the systemic colonization of the Hawaiian islands.
Dr. Timnit Gebru is a well-respected leader in the field of ethical A.I., an industry that’s committed to making artificial intelligence more inclusive and representative of our diverse population. She co-authored a groundbreaking paper that showed facial recognition to be less accurate at identifying women and people of color. She co-founded the Black in AI affinity group. And she was the co-leader of Google’s Ethical A.I. team – that is, until they abruptly forced her out of the company (Dr. Timnit Gebru’s Twitter).
Opioid overdoses are rising during the COVID-19 pandemic and have disproportionately impacted Black people. Harm reduction programs can help mitigate the overdose epidemic.
Middle Eastern representation in Hollywood reinforces racists stereotypes that a group of people should be seen as a threat.
Like members of Gen Z, younger generations' racist beliefs and actions are often seen as youthful mistakes. But white supremacy doesn't end with age.
Native women are facing a crisis of violence. Homicide is the third leading cause of death among Native girls and women aged 10 to 24, and the fifth leading cause of death for Native women aged 25 to 34. In the United States today, American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) women are nearly 2.5x more likely to be sexually assaulted than women in the general population. 70% of these violent victimizations are committed by persons of a different race (Department of Justice).
COVID-19 is exacerbating medical bias and making people in the disability community fearful of finding adequate medical care.
Pervis Payne, a Black man who was convicted for murder 33 years ago, will be executed in December, despite DNA evidence that could prove his innocence (CNN). While the execution of an intellectually disabled person is unconstitutional, the court didn’t recognize Payne’s disability at the time of his trial (Tennessean). The Innocence Project, a legal organization that works to exonerate the wrongfully convicted, is trying to stop Payne’s execution. As of today, “375 people in the United States have been exonerated by DNA testing, including 21 who served time on death row” (The Innocence Project).
It happened. Justice Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed to the Supreme Court Monday evening (NPR). Judge Barrett, who is 48 years old, is likely to serve on the court for decades, solidifying a 6-3 conservative majority. It also gives her immediate power in several upcoming hearings this November that disproportionately impacts the livelihood of communities of color. This is the first time a Supreme Court nominee has been confirmed without a single vote from a major minority party since December 1869 (WSJ). Now that it’s official, inquiries on whether or not Biden, if confirmed, could expand the court, have snowballed into comprehensive calls for action.
Many professional sports teams, such as the Kansas City Chiefs, have names or mascots that revere genocide and racial violence.
The best way to reduce the spread of COVID-19 is for individuals to stay home when they’re feeling sick. However, this isn’t a luxury for many workers without access to paid sick leave.
Police face criticism for their use of ketamine in the arrest of individuals they mislabel as "aggressive" following the death of Elijah McClain.
The impact of the “war on drugs” campaign in the ’70s and ’80s continues to the mass incarceration of Black and Brown people today.
The "bystander effect" often de-incentivizes individuals in groups from being active bystanders and taking action during a crisis.
The memeification of Breonna Taylor aims to keep Taylor's name in the media but is often perpetuating the same systems that harm Black women.
We need to look at our eco-conscious efforts, like reducing plastic consumption, as both environmentally-friendly and an act of anti-racism.
We must leverage our privilege to dismantle racial microaggressions in the workplace and other social spaces.
Facial recognition software is increasingly becoming integrated into society and policing despite coded racial bias.
Systemic racism is pervasive. It's just as present in our criminal justice system as it is in our healthcare and education system.
Breonna Taylor's name, like most Black women, is missing in the fight for justice against police brutality and anti-Black violence due to a lack of intersectionality.