Advanced filters

Search Results

You searched for:  -

There are 1197 results  for your search.  View and Refine Your Search Terms

  • American Democracy Is Only 55 Years Old—And Hanging by a Thread

    February 11, 2021 |

    The Atlantic |

    Text |

    Over 3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, Mississippi

    The federal Voting Rights Act required states to ensure access to the polls for Black voters and created federal enforcement mechanisms. The law worked well in the Jim Crow South, but it wasn't built to deal with racial disenfranchisement more broadly. Congress and the courts have stripped important provisions from the bill over time, like those ensuring enforcement. A 2013 Supreme Court ruling dismissed the need for preemptive measures to protect Black voters, which created an opening for states to pass more restrictive voting laws that have created unfair burdens for Black, Latino, and Indigenous voters.

    Read More


    Go to Original Story

  • A handful of Washington schools are rapid testing staff and students for COVID-19. Is it working?

    February 08, 2021 |

    The Seattle Times |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, Washington

    13 Washington school districts are piloting COVID-19 testing. By doing so, they can catch stop asymptomatic people from spreading the virus, offer testing to families who might not have access, and add a “sense of security for many staff members who are nervous.” Three of the districts participating “have tested more than 4,000 people using nearly 10,000 tests.”

    Read More


    Go to Original Story

  • Plan to beautify 50 vacant lots falls short nearly two years later

    February 07, 2021 |

    Chicago Sun-Times |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

    Since June 2019, Chicago's Grounds for Peace pilot project has begun cleaning up vacant, city-owned lots using an approach to urban beautification that has been shown in other cities, and in one Chicago neighborhood, to reduce crime and boost residents' feelings of safety. While the city and its contractors consider the project a success in the making, thus far only two of the original 50 targeted lots show signs of improvement. Project leaders blame funding shortfalls, disruptions due to the pandemic, and difficulties in removing abandoned vehicles.

    Read More


    Go to Original Story

  • Planting Trees Sounds Like A Simple Climate Fix. It's Anything But.

    February 05, 2021 |

    The Huffington Post |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United Kingdom, England

    As governments and businesses make pledges to cut their carbon emissions, planting tress has become a popular solution to combat the effects of climate change. But tree-planting schemes take time and proper management to actually be effective. Many efforts have failed to take some key factors into consideration, including types of trees, location, and even community-involvement.

    Read More


    Go to Original Story

  • A GOP Governor and BLM Activists Agreed on Restoring Voting Rights to Felons. Will It Last?

    February 04, 2021 |

    Politico |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, Iowa

    More than 3,000 Iowans voted in the 2020 presidential election thanks to an executive order signed by the Republican governor after a protest campaign by activists to erase Iowa's permanent ban on voting by people with felony records. But that number was just a fraction of those newly eligible to vote, due to limitations in the order and a lackluster effort to inform the public. Iowa has a disproportionately high number of disenfranchised Black citizens who could be helped by a more permanent constitutional fix. That fix has now been stalled by the choice to act by executive order.

    Read More


    Go to Original Story

  • Getting vaccinated is hard. It's even harder without the internet.

    February 03, 2021 |

    MIT Technology Review |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States

    A focus on infrastructure has been emphasized as the solution to bridging the digital divide, with “billions of dollars going into expanding broadband infrastructure.” Rural communities have historically struggled with broadband infrastructure but many people living in cities are also kept from accessing reliable internet service due to high costs. Affordability, not just infrastructure alone, must be addressed into order to remedy a lack of internet access.

    Read More


    Go to Original Story

  • These States Found the Secret to COVID-19 Vaccination Success

    February 02, 2021 |

    Stateline |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, Alaska

    Only a few states in the U.S. have had a successful COVID-19 vaccine rollout, but the ones that did relied on similar tactics: a centralized operation, local collaborations, and an early reliance on the National Guard to set up clinics. Although these strategies weren't without limitations, they have yielded better vaccination rates than those states that took other routes.

    Read More


    Go to Original Story

  • How New York's Vaccine Program Missed Black and Hispanic Residents

    February 01, 2021 |

    The New York Times |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, New York, New York

    New York’s vaccination effort has largely left out Black and Latino people due at least in part to the decision to use an online-based system for booking appointments. With the data to back this observation up, the government is actively working to increase vaccination rates within these communities by making changes including setting aside vaccine appointments in 33 high-risk areas.

    Read More


    Go to Original Story

  • The NFL's Covid-19 Finding That Saved the Season

    January 31, 2021 |

    Wall Street Journal |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States

    Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the NFL played all scheduled games during its regular season – including the Super Bowl – by enacting strict protocols and using data to make adjustments as necessary. The league relied heavily on contact tracing and testing, which prompted the CDC to change guidelines after the NFL's data showed that previous guidance about exposure was likely too lenient.

    Read More


    Go to Original Story

  • South Korea's COVID Success Stems From an Earlier Infectious Disease Failure

    January 29, 2021 |

    Slate |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: South Korea

    Having learned from a failed response to Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS), the South Korea government and health officials enacted a proactive and effective strategy to contain the spread of 'Covid-19. Relying on better information control as well as technological advancements that aided contact tracing and quarantine protocols, the country has seen only seen 2.67 deaths per 100,000 people thus far.

    Read More


    Go to Original Story

Solutions In Focus

Discover curated content about themes that matter to you, exclusively from the Solutions Story Tracker. Explore collections, resources and more.


Go to All Solutions in Focus