by Mary Johnson-Butterworth When I visited the Equal Justice Initiative Legacy Museum, I sat down at a booth where I was separated by plexiglass from a video of a prisoner who picked up a phone as I picked up my receiver. This prisoner told me of his 12 years in solitary confinement and his struggles […]
Guardians: The Bridge between the Medical and Social Models of Disability
I am currently binge-watching Law & Order: SVU. In one episode, “Competence,” the rape survivor has Downs Syndrome (DS). Her mother, who is also her legal guardian, feels DS limits her ability to function “normally” in the world. The main concern of the mother is her daughter’s ability to care for the baby she is […]
Ending Violence Against Women
by Pam Zuber “But the details about that night that bring me here today are ones I will never forget. They have been seared into my memory and have haunted me episodically as an adult.” – Christine Blasey Ford, 2018 Christine Blasey Ford spoke these words during her opening statement during a September 2018 hearing before […]
Reporting on Human Rights and the Humanity of Journalists
by Andy Carr In human rights, journalists usually are seen as chroniclers: reporters on the front lines of a conflict zone letting the world know of events as they unfold. As such, they also may serve as agents of human rights, since their reporting provides advocacy groups and committed global human rights leaders with vital […]
Los Desaparecidos U.S. 2018
by Mary Johnson-Butterworth “Donde estas, mama’?” Pleads Rosa, Snatched from the breast To live where leche curdles, Where cells cradle and concrete cuddles Those whose cries are not to be Lulled by a lullaby. Donde estan los ninos? Where are these summer camps without play? Structures rife with rancid water? Walled away from los […]
The Plight of China’s Migrant Workers
by Dianna Bai China’s newfound economic prowess since the reform and opening has been shouldered by its massive population of migrant laborers. A significant surplus of unskilled workers and a lax regulatory environment has given Chinese factories, like those in many developing countries, a competitive edge over their counterparts in the Global North. In this […]
Gerrymandering’s Effects on Democracy
by Pam Zuber The Gerry-Mander is a name for a creature that appeared in editorial cartoons in 1812 and 1813. Given how gerrymandering has shaped and can shape politics in the United States, calling a Gerry-Mander a monster is no mere exaggeration. Gerrymandering takes its name from Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry. In 1812, legislators in Massachusetts’s […]
Marching Ardor
by Mary Johnson- Butterworth When someone close to me questioned the importance of my marching with White Birminghamians For Black Lives, I wrote this poem as a response. I proudly carry a sign, “White Silence Breeds Injustice,” every Friday from 4:30-6:30 at Kelly Ingram Park. Everyone is welcome. “WHITE SILENCE BREEDS INJUSTICE,” Words I hold in […]
#MeToo’s Moment of Reckoning: Sexual Assault in the Spotlight
by Dianna Bai Disclaimer: This blog post focuses primarily on women and girls who are victims of sexual assault and harassment, though the author acknowledges that both men and women are survivors. The nation was transfixed on September 27 when Dr. Christine Blasey Ford appeared in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify about […]
The Effects of Low-Income Housing on Health
by Emily Walsh Low Income Housing (LIH) and Public Housing can have serious negative health impacts on those who need these programs the most. Unsafe living environments can be detrimental to residents’ mental and physical health. The people who utilize LIH have often exhausted all other options available to them, and only have risky situations […]
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 6
- Next Page »