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September 15, 2024

Weekend Edition: Direct support for classrooms in need, the harm of migrant crime stories, and advocacy at NYFW.

Mr. Andy teaches at a school in his home community, the Flushing neighborhood of Queens in New York City. Teaching at a school educating a majority of students of color and a majority of students from low-income communities, Mr. Andy often notices that families at his school sometimes have to make difficult financial decisions, like choosing between groceries and books for their kids. He’s taken it upon himself to provide the local community with Little Free Libraries stocked with books that families can take as they please.

Through DonorsChoose, he requested and then received a fourth Little Free Library to provide for local families. Mr. Andy said, “These libraries have become invaluable assets for our families and residents, providing them with easy access to books and other resources.

This month, we’re working with DonorsChoose to help more teachers like Mr. Andy. And this Wednesday, September 18th, all donations made to fundraisers at Equity Focus Schools will be matched, meaning your support will have 2x impact!

TAKE ACTION

• Use the DonorsChoose website to find an Equity Focus School near you. You can search by project type, city, and state. Remember, all donations will be matched next Wednesday, September 18, so set a notification to donate then!

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Why Trump is spreading the lie that schools are performing gender-affirming surgeries on children. The former president is using anti-trans rhetoric to distract from his waffling on abortion, experts say. 19th News >

Hurricane Francine leaves 400,000 Louisianans without power. Some residents required deep-water rescues as more than 441,000 people went without electricity. Capital B News >

Cooked in custody: Four incarcerated people describe dangerous conditions in Texas state prisons. In this collection of testimonials, Kwaneta Harris and others incarcerated in Texas state prisons describe their unsuccessful daily attempts to evade being cooked in custody. Prism >

Young NYFW designers have a lot to say, but Is anyone listening? New York Fashion Week could be the epicenter of a changing industry. Does it matter when the larger takeaway is to sell clothes within a deeply flawed system that prioritizes overproduction and capital over everything? Teen Vogue >

Palestinians urge court to rehear lawsuit accusing Biden administration of complicity in Israel’s genocide. Amicus briefs from legal scholars, civil rights groups, and former diplomats poured in this week in support of a petition to rehear the case, which was previously dismissed. Prism >

Migrant crime narratives are really about excluding immigrants and asylum seekers. This op-ed explains some of the false narratives about migrant crime. Teen Vogue >

Gentrifying beyond borders: How Americans displace locals abroad. Americans are incentivized to gentrify places like Mexico and the Dominican Republic, leaving local residents displaced and more vulnerable. Prism >

It’s been “another appalling year” of violence against land defenders. As the climate crisis intensifies across the world, at least 196 environmental defenders were killed last year, most of them Indigenous or Afro-descendant. Democracy Now explores how this violence persists. Democracy Now >

As election day nears, AI deepfakes are spreading — and facing little oversight. Watchdogs want more than the current patchwork of regulations governing artificial media created to mislead the public. Truthout >

As we explore solutions for educational equity this month, it's important that we understand how we got here. This month marks several influential events that shaped educational access and opportunity. Today, we’re reflecting on the anniversary of the  bombing of the  Sixteenth Street Baptist Church.

On September 15, 1963, four members of the Ku Klux Klan bombed the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama during its Sunday School session. Four young girls – Denise McNair (11), Addie Mae Collins (14), Carole Robertson (14), and Cynthia Wesley (14) – were killed in the blast, and dozens more were injured.

The FBI investigated and confirmed that the attack was led by members of a radical group of the KKK, but, under the direction of J. Edgar Hoover, chose not to proceed with charges. It took thirteen years for leader Robert Chambliss to be convicted for murder, and it wasn’t until the early 2000s that two other men – Bobby Frank Cherry and Thomas Blanton – were also convicted of murder for their roles in the bombing. A fourth participant, Herman Cash, died before he could be put to trial.

Many people also don't realize that the bombing sparked justified Black-led protests and unjustified violent clashes with police officers. Because of this, two more children lost their lives.  16-year-old Johnny Robinson was shot by police as he fled down an alley, and and 13-year-old Virgil Ware was shot and killed by a mob of angry white kids.

This act of racial terrorism drew widespread condemnation and galvanized support for civil rights legislation. The bombing highlighted the violent resistance to desegregation in the South and became a turning point in the struggle for racial equality. It helped build momentum for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, marking significant legal victories for the movement.

Sources: EJI, NMAAHC