A Year of Intersex Victories

Mari Wrobi

December 31, 2020 |

Autostraddle |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

To promote the need to end intersex surgery, an organization launched a multi-pronged campaign that raised awareness about the potentially damaging impacts of the practice. The group used social media, created a petition, and held protests outside of a local hospital – all of which resulted in the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago issuing an apology and declaring that "they will no longer be performing intersex surgeries unless absolutely medically necessary moving forward." Throughout the world, similar awareness efforts have also garnered positive outcomes.

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Digitized health records, safety apps could be game-changer for athletes at every level

Rob Kleifield

December 31, 2020 |

Cronkite News - Arizona PBS |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Columbus, Ohio

The introduction of a digitized health care database known as PRIVIT has helped give athletes and athletic associations access to the longterm medical records of the athlete, which offers both parties a more comprehensive understanding of the athlete's medical history. While there are limitations to the security and access of the information, this telehealth technology has been adopted by "K-12 school districts, college and university athletic departments and professional and developmental sports organization."

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Fragile cities are being inundated with people fleeing the impacts of climate change. How can they cope?

Ambika Chawla

December 30, 2020 |

Ensia |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Somalia

Durable Solutions Initiative (DSI) aims to create long-term solutions to help internally displaced people in under-resourced urban areas, many of whom fled climate-related disasters. DSI relies on ideas from the displaced communities about how to move towards self-reliance. In Somalia, the participatory and locally-created approach led to Midnimo I, a donor-funded initiative that created short-term jobs, built or upgraded community-prioritized infrastructure projects like schools and hospitals, and improved relations between authorities and displaced communities, benefiting nearly 350,000 people directly.

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What A Solar-Powered, Portable Library Looks Like

Christine Ro

December 30, 2020 |

Forbes |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Arizona State University’s SolarSPELL project developed a waterproof device with a solar panel and other equipment that allows users to connect to “offline WiFi” networks and browse preloaded webpages. SD cards store open access educational content and national education ministries have the ability to add national textbooks and other culturally relevant content. About 25 users can connect without slowing browsing speeds and the ASU team provides training on how to use the device. While the device is primarily charged using the solar panel, it can also be charged using electricity during cloudy weather.

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How two nontraditional newsrooms in Vermont are winning readers

Mark Shanahan

December 28, 2020 |

The Boston Globe |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Burlington, Vermont

VTDigger is an online nonprofit that publishes breaking news, policy reporting, and investigative work. A newsroom with 20 full-time reporters and editors generates about 8-10 stories a day that are relevant to residents' lives. The financially successful model is gaining the attention of those concerned about growing news deserts. VTDigger’s monthly readership expanded from 15,000 in 2010 to about 700,000 in 2020. Their success attracted financial support from foundations, institutions, and business people, including a “growth” fund that allows the outlet to continually invest in staffing and technology.

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An Alternative to Police That Police Can Get Behind

Rowan Moore Gerety

December 28, 2020 |

The Atlantic |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Eugene, Oregon

A street-level view of White Bird Clinic's CAHOOTS program in Eugene explains its appeal as a cost-saving, humane alternative to sending the police to 911 calls concerning mostly minor problems involving homelessness, mental illness, and substance abuse. From the decades-old program's countercultural beginnings to today's 24/7 presence, the private agency's publicly funded teams of a medic and crisis worker have helped keep problems from escalating into violence and jail time. But a number of factors call into question how scalable this approach would be in larger, more diverse cities.

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Fish out of water: How B.C.'s salmon farmers fell behind the curve of sustainable, land-based aquaculture

Sarah Cox

December 28, 2020 |

The Narwhal |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Canada, British Columbia

Dwindling numbers of wild salmon have been reported in British Columbia’s coastal waters, so many organizations, governments, and fishers have advocated for land-based salmon farming. The transition to more sustainable practices from open net pen farms, though, has not been easy. Some say the science behind land-based salmon farming has not been decided yet. However, Kuterra was the first commercial-sized land-based salmon farming facility in North America and it harvests about 90,000 Atlantic salmon a year that is sold in grocery stores and restaurants.

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Businesses Adapt Better to Covid-19 After Lessons Learned From Spring Surge

Paul Hannon Austen Hufford Tom Fairless

December 27, 2020 |

Wall Street Journal |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

As a second surge of the coronavirus pandemic spreads throughout much of the world, some manufacturers in the West have found ways to successfully avoid the economic fallout despite heightened restrictions. In one case, a manufacturing company "began requiring masks, banned employees from congregating during breaks and started checking their temperatures at the door," which initially decreased efficiency and productivity; but, as the employees continued to stay healthy, business returned, and the company is now "on track to meet its most ambitious forecast."

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After Abusive Ex Left Her for Dead with Stabbing, a Trauma Center Helped Ohio Woman Reclaim Her Life

Jeff Truesdell

December 24, 2020 |

People |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Cleveland, Ohio

A network of trauma recovery centers nationwide helps victims of violence and survivors of murder victims by focusing on their emotional, medical, and financial needs first. What started as a single healing center run by San Francisco's health department in 2001 went statewide in California in 2013 and since then has expanded to 35 centers in multiple states, including at Cleveland's Circle Health Services. The concept, promoted by California-based Alliance for Safety and Justice, stands in contrast with policies that respond primarily to victimization with punishment of those who committed crimes.

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Ranked Choice Voting Debuts in 2020 Basalt Mayoral Election

Kathleen Shannon

December 22, 2020 |

KDNK Community Radio |

Podcast |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Basalt, Colorado

Ranked choice voting (RCV) lets voters select multiple candidates in order of preference. If no one gets a majority, there is a second round where the candidate with the fewest first choice votes is eliminated and the second choice on those ballots is counted. The process repeats until one candidate gets a majority. More elections use RCV, including Basalt ’s 2020 mayoral race where another RCV-experienced city shared public information materials and election judge training. RCV requires close attention to all ballots and campaigns are more civil because of the incentive to be a voter’s second choice.

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