Journalism

Obits Rarely Cross That Taboo “Write Ill Of The Dead” As They Look For The Positive In People’s Lives
Journalism

Obits Rarely Cross That Taboo “Write Ill Of The Dead” As They Look For The Positive In People’s Lives

Capturing a life accurately and sympathetically is a challenge, more so if it is one that lasts nearly a century. So when a notable person like the Duke of Edinburgh dies, obituary writers face a quandary: What should be highlighted, softened or even ignored? News organizations were quick to remember Prince Philip’s long marriage to Queen Elizabeth II and decades of public service. But any character flaws or mistakes, including past public racist comments, were diminished. CNN’s coverage on April 9 provides a good example of this softened approach. “The duke,” it noted, “was known for off-the-cuff remarks that often displayed a quick wit but occasionally missed the mark, sometimes in spectacular fashion.” The Associated Press made more direct mention of Philip’s racist comments – but fo...
Expanding SNAP Benefits On Campus Will Help Stave Off Hunger For 1 In 3 College Students
EDUCATION, Journalism

Expanding SNAP Benefits On Campus Will Help Stave Off Hunger For 1 In 3 College Students

It’s harder to learn when you are suffering from hunger or searching for your next meal. But while around 30 million K-12 students in public schools are eligible for free or reduced lunch, it is a different matter when they leave. Many of those who graduate from high school and enroll in higher education institutions find they no longer have access to federal food programs. The nation’s leading anti-hunger program for adults, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, provides food assistance to almost 44 million Americans. Only an estimated 18% of college students have been eligible for the program in recent years, with a low 3% actually receiving food assistance. This may be changing. Congress recently passed legislation that included relief for the estimated one in three...
Another Blow To Black And Latino Students – Ending Testing For New York City’s Gifted Program
EDUCATION, Journalism

Another Blow To Black And Latino Students – Ending Testing For New York City’s Gifted Program

After years of relying on a single controversial test at age 4 for admission to their gifted programs, New York City schools are about to embark upon a new way to identify gifted students. The city’s Department of Education announced in February that it would stop testing students for its gifted program, which places top students in schools with curriculum designed for high academic achievement. Instead, preschool teachers will refer students for consideration. The city’s new schools chancellor, Meisha Porter, who was named to that post March 15, has said that overhauling the gifted and talented system is one of her top priorities. That means the new system likely won’t be long-term, though there’s still reason to be concerned. Research has shown that teacher referrals tend to lead to fe...
Even When It’s Not A Hate Crime, Racism Is Behind Anti-Asian American Violence
Journalism

Even When It’s Not A Hate Crime, Racism Is Behind Anti-Asian American Violence

Over the past year, attacks on Asian Americans have increased more than 150% over the previous year, including the March 16 murders of eight people, including six Asian American women, in Atlanta. Some of these attacks may be classified as hate crimes. But whether they meet that legal definition or not, they all fit a long history of viewing Asian Americans in particular ways that make discrimination and violence against them more likely. I have researched and taught on Asian America for 20 years, including on the pernicious effects of stereotypes and attacks on individuals. Race can play a role in violence and prejudice, even if the offender does not clearly express a racist intent. Much remains unknown about the attacks in Atlanta, but the man charged with the murders has said he did ...
Even When It’s Not A Hate Crime, Racism Is Behind Anti-Asian American Violence
Journalism

Even When It’s Not A Hate Crime, Racism Is Behind Anti-Asian American Violence

Over the past year, attacks on Asian Americans have increased more than 150% over the previous year, including the March 16 murders of eight people, including six Asian American women, in Atlanta. Some of these attacks may be classified as hate crimes. But whether they meet that legal definition or not, they all fit a long history of viewing Asian Americans in particular ways that make discrimination and violence against them more likely. I have researched and taught on Asian America for 20 years, including on the pernicious effects of stereotypes and attacks on individuals. Race can play a role in violence and prejudice, even if the offender does not clearly express a racist intent. Much remains unknown about the attacks in Atlanta, but the man charged with the murders has said he did ...
Early Data Indicates Only A Handful Of US Foundations Quickly Pitched In As The COVID-19 Pandemic Got Underway
Journalism

Early Data Indicates Only A Handful Of US Foundations Quickly Pitched In As The COVID-19 Pandemic Got Underway

Many U.S. foundations, which disbursed roughly US$76 billion in 2019, say they are giving more money away in the United States because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the health, economic and other crises it’s creating. As geographers who study the connections between money and power, we’re tracking this trend. It’s hard, because foundations do not have to disclose many details about what they do or how they make decisions. Often, foundations share very little information with the public about which organizations they are supporting. To get more insight, we analyzed nine months of data regarding roughly $1.4 billion in grants that 152 foundations pledged for causes related to the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. and the economic pain it brought on. We obtained this data from Candid, a group...
New Research Finds – Staying Active Throughout Adulthood Is Linked To Lower Healthcare Costs In Later Life
Journalism, VIDEO REELS

New Research Finds – Staying Active Throughout Adulthood Is Linked To Lower Healthcare Costs In Later Life

Exercise is good for your health at every age – and you can reap the benefits no matter how late in life you start. But our latest research has shown another benefit of being physically active throughout life. We found that in the US, people who were more physically active as teenagers and throughout adulthood had lower healthcare costs. These findings are especially relevant to people who live in countries without universal healthcare, such as the US. However, our findings apply indirectly to countries with universal healthcare, such as the UK, as a healthier population could result in lower costs for the healthcare system as a whole. For our study, we drew on data from the National Cancer Institute’s study on diet and health, which looked at over half a million adults. As part of this ...
To Prepare Now For The Next Pandemic, Here’s 5 Strategies
IN OTHER NEWS, Journalism

To Prepare Now For The Next Pandemic, Here’s 5 Strategies

While the world is still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, public health and emergency management experts are already preparing for the next one. After all, biologists are certain another dangerous new pathogen will emerge sooner or later. We are public health researchers engaged in both leading public health disaster response and evaluating emergency management. Here are five strategies that will give the world a head start – and maybe even help prevent the next outbreak or epidemic from blowing up into a pandemic. 1. Shore up the systems already in place The identification in February 2021 of a new outbreak of Ebola in Guinea showed how critical surveillance and reporting are for rapidly responding to and containing infectious disease. The process generally works like this: Once an ...
Behind Donations Of $50 Million Or More To Colleges And Universities, Alumni Gratitude And Support For Causes
EDUCATION, Journalism

Behind Donations Of $50 Million Or More To Colleges And Universities, Alumni Gratitude And Support For Causes

The top motive people cite for their donations of US$50 million or more to colleges or universities was a desire to repay a university for what they or a loved one had gotten out of attending, according to a study we published last year. The second two most common reasons were an effort to simply do what they believe is the right thing and a wish to support a particular cause or political agenda. We found this out when we researched the motives of 30 of these higher education megadonors, through random sampling, from 2010 to 2018 and reviewing about 1,700 publicly available documents and news items that discussed their gifts, including some that quoted the donors themselves. Many donors mentioned more than one motive when they explained why they gave so much money to a school. Why it ma...
Why Black Biomedical Scientists Still Lag In Research Funding Matters To All Americans
Journalism

Why Black Biomedical Scientists Still Lag In Research Funding Matters To All Americans

The statistics tell the story. People of color are more likely to be infected, hospitalized and killed by COVID-19 than white, non-Hispanic people. This grim reality is just one more illustration of an unacceptable truth: Science does not benefit all Americans equally. While part of the solution lies in making access to health care more equitable, I believe the key to real change is more fundamental. If science is to benefit all Americans, science first must be done by all Americans. As a Black woman in America and an academic biomedical engineering researcher, I have encountered racial, ethnic and gender discrimination and systemic racism at every stage of my life and career. Through these lived experiences, I have become deeply committed to addressing the “diversity problem” in the aca...