Items

• 
  2021-12-09

  Isabel Vara and Grace Griffin Oral History, 2021/12/09

  The audios I have uploaded share different perspectives on Covid-19 after learning about past pandemics
• 
  2020-06-30

  What Might the Artworld’s ‘New Normal’ Look Like?

  The ArtReview article comments on the new normal and the possible dangerous path we are propelling towards as a society with accelerated speed. The article specifically discusses the use and imminent fears on future reliance of technology in the art sector. Looking on the positive side, social justice and pressure from activism groups and the Black Lives Matter movement have spurred the beginning of greater reform within the art world including decolonization efforts in museums, diversity in collections, exhibitions, and staff.
• 
  2021-04-05

  Online Article: ‘Burned out’: Portland cops leave scathing exit interviews

  This article from Oregon Live/The Oregonian was picked up by Police1, and it discusses a number of exit interviews that retiring and resigning Portland Police Bureau officers, detectives, and administrators left during the past year. Of particular interest is the section that discusses the story of Jaykary Jackson: "Young officers of color have left, including Jaykary Jackson, who went to Boise, and Elise Temple, who was one of the Police Bureau’s recruiters. Temple declined to comment on the record. Jackson didn’t respond to messages but he was one of the officers who spoke out last summer about being on the front line of racial justice protests as an officer with the Rapid Response Team. A graduate of Portland State University who joined the Police Bureau after working for Nike for 10 years, he said then that he became a cop because he “wanted to make the most out of my life by helping others.” He also was following in the footsteps of his father and aunt. But Jackson said he was disgusted by the hatred he and other officers faced while standing on the police lines. He got hit by an explosive one night, felt tingling in his fingertips and heat from the device, and got berated by young white protesters. Often when he tried to talk to someone of color at the protests, he said, “Someone white comes up and blocks them and tells them not to talk.” Or yells, “Eff the police ... don’t talk to him.” He left shortly after he was named to be a new community engagement officer." The article illustrates the additional concerns that officers in major cities and law enforcement agencies face, especially when their civilian oversight overwhelmingly seeks to placate protests with emotional vindication in lieu of reasoned, rational, and planned reforms.
• 
  2020-10-09

  How COVID-19 Is Changing American Judaism

  Judaism in America is rapidly changing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Historically, the Jewish community, while having various splits (i.e. Orthodox, Reformed, etc.), has continued to view itself as one, unified community. However, the pandemic has highlighted the various ways in which the community is perhaps more fractured than previously thought. For example, while the Reformed community has quickly adopted having services over Zoom, the Orthodox community, though allowing certain services to be performed over Zoom, will not allow specific holy days to be Zoomed. The pandemic is not only creating new rifts within the American Jewish community, it is bringing previously extant rifts to the fore.
• 
  2020-12-10

  Movements & Memes: How The Struggle For Social Justice Shaped 2020

  Elly Belle refers to the year 2020 as a year of reckoning for North America. There are no better words to describe 2020. It was also a year of progress in spite of so much adversity. In the article Elly Belle seems hopeful saying, " The organizing and calls for justice that have taken place have provided the necessary framework that will influence work for decades to come — marking lasting changes in conscience beyond the ballot box. In turn, those who helped to secure food and housing for people, to hold police accountable, and transform what social services are funded will continue to push for meaningful, material change in the new year. From all that happened in 2020 alone, it's certain they’ll continue shaping conversations and movements in pivotal ways we haven't yet imagined."
• 
  2020-08-21

  Arizona’s opioid epidemic under COVID-19

  The rise of COVID-19 cases and restrictions have been linked to a rise in both smuggling arrests and overdose cases. In July 2020 alone, the overdose deaths in Pima County nearly outnumber the entire number for 2019. Members of addiction centers talk about what caused the spike and ways to help, and a candidate for county attorney talks about justice reform that will help with addiction recovery.
• 
  2020-06-18

  Calls for Early Release in Florida Jails as COVID-19 Cases Grow

  Activists and prison reformers have been calling for inmates that do not pose a public safety risk and have either served most of their sentence, are elderly, or who are at high risk for covid complications due to pre-existing conditions to be released early. Advocates believe this not only helps the prisoners from contracting or even dying from covid but it also protects the larger community. While many jurisdictions/states have released inmates early Florida's governor has thus far refused.
• 
  2020-03-26

  Mass Poor People's Assembly & Moral March on Washington

  Twitter thread about social reform in the US and organizing a digital protest called the Mass Poor People's Assembly & Moral March on June 20th.