Social Justice Archives

Biden administration’s rapid-test rollout doesn’t easily reach those who need it most

by Hannah Recht and Victoria Knight
January 22, 2022

Two rapid-testing initiatives the Biden administration released in the past week are inaccessible to some residents of multifamily housing, people who don’t speak English well, or those without internet access.

Ky. suspicious child deaths rising as state investigation backlog grows

by Jasmine Demers
January 19, 2022

Most Ky. children who die or nearly die from abuse or neglect are under 3. They’re disproportionately Black. And more than 70% were part of a family that had been assessed or investigated by the state.

Ky. students rally against bill limiting how teachers talk about race

by Ryland Barton
January 13, 2022

Lawmakers are considering bills that would ban teachers from talking about race in ways that make students feel “discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of his or her race or sex.”

Hopkinsville march planned Monday for MLK Day

by Jennifer P. Brown
January 12, 2022

Dr. David Kabithe, a general surgeon in Hopkinsville, will give a keynote address on health and wellness.

Afghan refugees face an American housing crisis

by Brandon Duong
January 12, 2022

Resettlement agencies have been racing to house tens of thousands of Afghan refugees in communities across the U.S., but high housing costs and a shortage of available units is making it more difficult than ever.

Small-town Pride celebrations emerge — and show LGBTQ life in America is flourishing outside of cities

by Beck Banks
November 4, 2021

The Pride celebrations in small towns are as important, if not more, to queer culture in America as the metropolitan events.

Ky. lawmakers grill state officials about juvenile inmate abuse allegations

by Ryland Barton
October 8, 2021

Juvenile Justice Commissioner Vicki Reed, who was appointed to the position in August, said the department is working to correct the issues, but defended staff using holds to defend themselves or control kids.

Racism a strong factor in Black women’s high rate of premature births, study finds

by Anna Maria Barry-Jester
October 5, 2021

Black women are about 1.6 times as likely as white women to give birth more than three weeks before their due date.

Dr. Paula Braveman, director of the Center on Social Disparities in Health at the University of California-San Francisco, says her latest research revealed an “astounding” level of evidence that racism is a decisive “upstream” cause of higher rates of preterm birth among Black women. (Nancy Rothstein)

Americans are in a mental health crisis – especially African Americans. Can churches help?

by Brad R. Fulton
October 3, 2021

Black Americans are twice as likely to die of COVID-19 and their communities have also been hit disproportionately by job losses, food insecurity and homelessness as a result of the pandemic. Meanwhile, racial injustice and high-profile police killings have amplified stress.

Emancipation celebration Sunday at Pennyroyal Area Museum

by Jennifer P. Brown
August 7, 2021

The museum will be open, free of charge, from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday with a focus on several Black history speakers and artifacts.

Loan program to help Black farmers keep land they inherited informally is finally starting

by The Rural Blog
July 30, 2021

Under the program, landowners can borrow up to $600,000 to "buy out other people with claims to land, consolidate a title and clear the titles on the ground. Those farms would then become eligible for other USDA agricultural programs as well."

USDA adds online listening sessions to its review of racial justice and equity

by Xandr Brown
July 22, 2021

USDA also added more time for stakeholders to comment on how the department serves marginalized and vulnerable communities. The effort is a response to an executive order affecting all executive branch agencies.