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In the news
- A bill in Congress would ban hair discrimination at work, schools and other places. More than a dozen states have passed similar legislation that allows Black people and others to wear hairstyles that can result in punishment and other forms of discrimination. Students wearing dreadlocks, beads, afros and long hair have sometimes been barred from athletics competitions or been forced to cut their hair without their parents’ permission.
- Recess is often taken away to punish elementary school students, but pediatricians and child development experts say this unstructured time for play is an essential break for kids. In the past year, lawmakers in Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Connecticut have introduced bills that would block schools from withholding recess as a punishment.
- Since 2019, about 260 cities, counties, school boards, health associations and public health departments have declared racism a public health crisis. Capital B reports the declarations have had little to no impact.
On the bright side
- The pandemic placed the digital divide in the foreground, as people who can’t afford the internet have had less access to vaccine information, education, the courts and public assistance, like rent relief. Under a new federal program, about 48 million low-income households will be eligible for reduced or free internet service. Find out if you qualify and how to apply.
- The Department of Justice is creating an Office of Environmental Justice as part of an effort to prosecute environmental crimes that affect communities of color and low-income areas. (Read more: Why low-income communities of color are more vulnerable to environmental hazards and climate disasters)
- This post from Texas Highways had me longing for conchas, the colorful Mexican sweet bread that’s often shaped like a shell. And from Thrillist: How the concha “went mainstream,” reaching high-end restaurants, Instagram feeds and festivals dedicated to the tasty treat.
- At Wiley College, a historically Black college in Marshall, Texas, an anonymous donor gave about $300,000 to pay off the student debt balances for the graduating class of 2022. (Read more: Interest rates for federal student loans are expected to rise.)
New from BigIfTrue.org
At the end of last year, a survey found 44% of domestic workers were unable to pay their monthly rent or mortgage payment.
Freelance reporter Carly Stern wrote about a new housing model being developed in Baltimore, Maryland. It would be the first care-based, co-housing project in the United States – an intergenerational community that will house professional caregivers and their families, older adults and people with disabilities under one roof.
The project aims to make aging and the labor of domestic workers more visible.
This story was written with the support of a journalism fellowship from the Gerontological Society of America, the Journalists Network on Generations and the Commonwealth Fund.
Thank you for reading Hard Reset. You can reach me here at bryant@bigiftrue.org and 405-990-0988.
– Mollie Bryant
Founder and editor, BigIfTrue.org