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'An awakening': the George Floyd protests spur surge in Black voter registration

Megan Botel Isaiah Murtaugh

August 07, 2020 |

The Guardian |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Advocacy organizations conducted voter outreach and registered new voters at Black Lives Matters protests on a scale not seen since the civil rights era. HeadCount, a voter-registration organization, created QR codes that anyone with a printer could put on protest signs. Other attendees could scan the codes with their smartphones to immediately register to vote. The group registered 14,898 new voters in June 2020, compared with 1,204 in June 2016. Political organizing at the summer’s protest events contributed to higher turnout in local and national elections, particularly among Black and Latino voters.

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The birth of the Black is Beautiful movement

Precious Adesina

August 03, 2020 |

BBC |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

The African Jazz-Art Society & Studios (AJASS) kickstarted the Black is Beautiful movement with 1960s fashion shows elevating Black models with dark skin and full bodies, who agreed to keep their hair natural year-round. As events increased and photographs spread, and famous Black women adopted their style, natural hair became more normalized. The founders recently released a song called We Will Breath to empower black people to “take back control of the narrative surrounding their lives.” The group continues to inspire Black entrepreneurs, such as Rihanna, and encourages people to support Black businesses.

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Black Lives Matter Protests Rarely End in Violence – Especially in Appalachia

Chris Jones

July 23, 2020 |

100 Days in Appalachia |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, West Virginia

Thirty-six people protesting police violence and racism held the first civil rights march in Terra Alta. Met by counter-protesters with guns who were expecting out-of-town agitators, the groups engaged in peaceful and respectful dialogue rather than conflict. Each side expressed their viewpoints and shared the personal experiences that helped form those views. While they did not agree on many topics, they both felt that social media and mainstream media portrayals of the two groups fueled misinformation and ill will. Instead, both sides saw each other as human beings rather than stereotypes and caricatures.

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How Churches Fight the Stigma of H.I.V.

Keren Landman

November 21, 2019 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Atlanta, Georgia

Improving outcomes in addressing HIV requires reducing stigma. In Atlanta, Georgia, faith-based communities are embracing HIV prevention campaigns and courses. Bible Way Ministries provides HIV testing at community events and offers awareness campaigns aimed at reducing stigma. In Philadelphia, Faith in Action similarly recruits religious communities to increase HIV awareness.

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With Paper Monuments, New Orleanians Draft The City's History Themselves

Zoe Sullivan

November 19, 2019 |

Next City |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New Orleans, Louisiana

Bringing the community into conversations about commemoration opens new ways to present public history. The Paper Monuments project in New Orleans asked residents to draw monuments that they would like to see replace the four Confederate monuments removed in the city. The project brought organizations like the New Orleans Arts Council and New Orleans Public library together with community members to re-imagine new narratives, installations, and representations of local history.

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Displaying, not Hiding, the Reality of Slave Labor in Art

Alina Tugend

October 23, 2019 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Norfolk, Virginia

Coming to terms with the past requires reexamining the way we represent both history and art. The Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, VA, is on the forefront of correcting the absence of enslaved craftsmen in representations of art. The museum’s exhibit on the architectural work at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello home presents a fuller story by illuminating the presence and work of enslaved laborers.

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Sacred Conversations: This Battle Creek book group tackles race and healing through words and action

Jane Simons

October 10, 2019 |

Second Wave Michigan |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Battle Creek, Michigan

A very special 15-person book club in Battle Creek, Michigan is using the book club format to discuss hard topics like race. The conversations steer profound, intimate, and personal, and many members testify to how much it has changed them. In addition to having read 68 books, the group also performs social justice work such as donating to the Equal Justice Initiative, rolling bandages for doctors in the DRC, and donating food and goods to local pantries.

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These Young Activists Are Fighting Chicago's Gun Violence With Lobbying and Group Hugs

Kim Bellware

September 03, 2019 |

Teen Vogue |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

A group in Chicago called Good Kids, Mad City is made up of youth who have been affected by gun violence. They offer support and accountability to each other and use the group as a way to cope with the daily violence they face every day. In addition to the therapeutic benefits of the group, the youth have even lobbied and passed legislation that expunges non-violent marijuana offenses as part of the state’s marijuana legalization proposal.

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How Chicago Is Facing Its Violent History

Jonita Davis

July 26, 2019 |

Yes! Magazine |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

Discussing history can help communities heal from racial violence and trauma. Organizations like the Greater Bronzeville Action Plan, the Chicago Race Riot of 1919 Commemoration Project (CCR19), and the Chicago Center for Youth Violence Prevention are helping the Bronzeville community heal from the violence of the twentieth century by promoting education and commemoration about events like the historic 1919 riots. Partnerships between organizations such as these raise the level of discourse surrounding issues of racial trauma, promoting long-term social healing.

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How giving entrepreneurs 30 days of free retail space revived a North Avenue storefront and built a collective

Sarah Hauer

April 12, 2019 |

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Pop-Up MKE was a pilot program that provided a risk-free way for artists to see if their products would sell in a retail space by giving 19 urban entrepreneurs 30 days of free retail space and mini-grants up to $2,000. Four participants formed The Bronzeville Collective MKE LLC and, after negotiating to stay in the retail space, they doubled their own sales and feature products from other creatives, particularly entrepreneurs of color. They split the rent four ways and collect a 20% vendor fee. Other participants in the pilot moved to permanent storefronts and/or expanded their retail presence.

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