Before Mnica Hurtado could persuade anyone to volunteer personal information for the 2020 census, she had to be persuaded herself. And three years ago, she was a big skeptic.

We know how deep is the distrust of BIPOC [Black, Indigenous and people of color] communities of big systems, said Hurtado, the racial justice and health equity organizer at Voices for Racial Justice. At the time, it became apparent that the Trump administration was intent on adding a citizenship question to the census, which added to her hesitancy. So because of our own fears, we said theres no way we are going to participate in this work.

Mnica Hurtado

Now, she is once more seeing similar fears around community safety play out. Early last week, President Trump ordered the Secretary of Commerce, who oversees the Census Bureau, to exclude unauthorized immigrants from data to be used in the upcoming process of redrawing congressional districts. His July 21 memo says, For the purpose of the reapportionment of Representatives following the 2020 census, it is the policy of the United States to exclude from the apportionment base aliens who are not in a lawful immigration status under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

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It was a move that may again serve to discourage immigrants from filling out the census.

People, not having the time to understand the whole piece and understanding that, yes, the memo is out there but what is the real impact to them? said Hurtado. What are the data sets that the government can use to remove what they are calling undocumented people from the districts?

Its unclear whether the Census Bureau can actually make those exclusions in time for apportioning congressional seats at the end of the year. Experts say its an enormous task for the Census Bureau to accurately determine who in the country does not have proper documentation. Legal scholars also doubt the constitutionality of the directive, and at least four lawsuits from local governments and other organizations have been filed against the Trump administration over the order.

There is no data source that would allow the administration to carry out this memo. The data just dont exist; theres no list of people who are undocumented and living in Minnesota, said Susan Brower, the state demographer.

Susan Brower

Its my expectation that [determining who is undocumented] will not be something that the Census Bureau can operationalize in the amount of time that it has left, Brower said. But it may have an impact just through the mechanism of raising fears of people who are already hesitant to respond to the census.

The fear may complicate getting households with undocumented residents to answer, likely leading to an undercount of already hard-to-count populations.

Rodolfo Gutierrez, the executive director of Hispanic Advocacy and Community Empowerment through Research (HACER), a research nonprofit, has spent several years building connections with the Latino community throughout southern Minnesota.

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Undocumented immigrants who live and work there worry that answering the census will expose them and their relatives to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said Gutierrez, who has a background in demography. Immigrant advocacy groups also caution households not to answer questions from government officials who come knocking, a caution that may carry over to the census.

Further, the uncertainty caused by discussions about adding a citizenship question has not yet faded.

Just being asked, are you a citizen? What does that mean? Whos going to be looking at that question? And what is the purpose of that question? That is still resonating, Gutierrez said, citing that he still gets calls about whether the census form asks for citizenship information.

We need to explain no, it was removed, it was not accepted, or whatever happened. And then they are still pretty uncomfortable, Gutierrez said. The Supreme Court blocked the citizenship question from appearing on the 2020 census last year, writing that the Trump administrations reason for adding it seemed contrived.

Rodolfo Gutierrez

Depending on the variables the Census Bureau uses to approximate who is undocumented, citizens who live with unauthorized non-citizens could get excluded as well, Gutierrez said. Over 64,000 U.S. citizens in Minnesota lived in mixed-status households between 2010 and 2014, according to the Center for American Progress.

The outcome of the census will determine whether Minnesota hangs onto its eighth seat in the U.S. House. Projections by Pew Research Center show the state would keep its seat if apportionment did not include undocumented immigrants, while California, Florida and Texas would each lose a seat.

Estimates have Minnesota losing a seat by about 20,000 to 23,000 people, but thats a number the state could still make up, according to Brower. Apportionment will also depend on how other states do, and even in the middle of the pandemic Minnesota is leading the nation in response rates.

It looks like its possible that we could lose a seat, but its not a foregone conclusion because its not such a huge gap that we could never make it up, Brower said.

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Still, community organizations that have been working to count all groups worry that the exclusion would leave out the voices of people of color when it comes time to make policy decisions.

Hurtado said she will continue telling people about the laws that protect their privacy and the importance of completing the census.

I think everybody benefits if we are counted, because we will have the resources, the political representation to create good policies that improve the lives of the ones that are being left behind. And we will not go through what we went through with the George Floyd murder.

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Minnesota census workers reassure the undocumented as Trump memo renews fears - MinnPost

This year's update highlights how AMD and its technologies are addressing sustainable technological and scientific advancement, environmental and supply chain responsibility, workplace inclusion and belonging, and community support.

"We complete twenty-five years of sustainability reporting recognizing the role that semiconductors contribute in helping solve many of the complex challenges our world faces," said Susan Moore, corporate vice president of international government affairs and corporate responsibility at AMD. "As we navigate this changing world, fueled by the resilience of our employees, communities and customers, AMD remains focused on responsibly delivering high-performance technology that helps us achieve more together."

AMD is committed to developing and deploying its high-performance technology to enable a better and more sustainable world. In 2020, AMD exceeded its six-year goal to deliver an unprecedented 25 times energy efficiency improvement in its mobile processors. The new AMD Ryzen 7 4800H is 31.7 times more energy efficient than the baseline metric, far surpassing the award-winning 25x20 Energy Efficiency goal set in 2014.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, AMD announced the AMD COVID-19 High-Performance Computing (HPC) Fund to provide research entities with computing resources powered by AMD EPYC servers and AMD Radeon Instinct GPUs to accelerate medical research about COVID-19 and other diseases. Additionally, AMD is supporting organizations delivering medical services and humanitarian relief worldwide, contributing more than $1.2 million USD in grants, to date, and hundreds of thousands of personal protective equipment.

Operating ResponsiblyAMD extends its commitment to transparent reporting throughout its operations and supply chain. AMD values environmental protection and is currently ahead of target for its 2014-2020 greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.

AMD also increased supply chain responsibility efforts, engaging with 100 percent of direct suppliers and conducting additional supplier audits, with a focus on ensuring all workers are treated with respect and that working conditions are safe.

Strengthening CommunitiesAMD is dedicated to positively impacting the communities in which it operates, with a focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)-related initiatives. Through AMD partnerships with educational organizations around the world, more than 1,000 students and teachers are learning in labs powered by the latest generation of AMD CPUs and GPUs, with ongoing engagement from employee volunteers.

AMD employees regularly share their time and talents in community engagement. In 2019, they drove a 10 percent year-over-year increase in company-sponsored volunteerism to support the needs of AMD communities spanning STEM education, meal preparation, park clean-ups and more.

Empowering PeopleAMD fosters a culture of inclusion and belonging to enable employees to do their best work. In 2019, AMD expanded its Employee Resource Group (ERG) program with five new groups and eight new site chapters of existing ERGs, empowering employees with more ways to celebrate their diversity and support each other.

Aligned with the company's commitment to diversity and inclusion and in light of recent events that highlight the work still ahead to end racism and social injustice, AMD announced its first steps to cultivate change with donations to high-impact non-profits focused on social and racial equality and support for their empowerment, scholarship and mentorship programs. AMD is committed to helping its employees and communities effect systemic and lasting change.

Demonstrating its commitment to environmental, social and workplace progress, AMD continues its track record of company recognition with features on this year's Best 100 Corporate Citizens list, Forbes and JUST Capital JUST 100 ranking, Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, and Human Rights Campaign Foundation Corporate Equality Index.

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AMD Commemorates 25 Years of Corporate Responsibility Reporting - guru3d.com

Tree women of the Otavalo indigenous community of Ecuador stand on the Arbolito park in Quito, Ecuador during the 10th day of social protests that took place in October, 2019. Isadora Romero hide caption

Tree women of the Otavalo indigenous community of Ecuador stand on the Arbolito park in Quito, Ecuador during the 10th day of social protests that took place in October, 2019.

RUDA, named after the potent rue plant, is a collective of 11 female and nonbinary documentary photographers from Latin America. It formed in September 2018 as an answer to the lack of female representation in the region and the need to portray social developments from the female and local gaze.

While challenging sexist and colonial narratives deeply rooted in the region, these women, image makers, are creating a safe space to put themselves on the international map as photojournalists.

A peaceful march takes place in Valparaso in Chile, where more than 100,000 people from all corners of the country walked to the national congress and demonstrated. The sign reads: "War? No! We're the people demanding justice and dignity." Paz Olivares Droguett hide caption

A peaceful march takes place in Valparaso in Chile, where more than 100,000 people from all corners of the country walked to the national congress and demonstrated. The sign reads: "War? No! We're the people demanding justice and dignity."

Each member of RUDA comes from a different Latin American country, where they currently reside: Bolivia, Paraguay, Guatemala, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. Members are based in their respective country.

Mayeli Villalba from Paraguay and Isadora Romero from Ecuador met in Asuncin when Romero was invited to a local festival and stayed in the country working on a personal project with Villalba. After discussing the lack of representation in the community, they decided to form the collective. Both invited other female photographers from the region with whom they share the same ethos to join RUDA. As a group, they have formed a multinational alliance with the intention of generating and disseminating narratives reflective of their personal experiences.

Photography has a history of being controlled by the male gaze and while female photographers have existed and thrived, who gets visibility is still in the hands of men, according to data from the World Press Photo State of Photography study.

(Left) A woman protests wearing the Chilean flag at the Valdivia Square in Chile. (Right) Protesters raise their hands in Bogot, Colombia. Paz Olivares Droguett / Ximena Vsquez hide caption

(Left) A woman protests wearing the Chilean flag at the Valdivia Square in Chile. (Right) Protesters raise their hands in Bogot, Colombia.

As a result and for the most, society's collective visual archive has been built on a masculine imaginary view of the world. This is further emphasized through images that make it to the front of the world's leading newspapers and win prestigious awards perpetuating an often victimized view of Latin America.

A Waorani woman during the protests of October of 2019 in Quito, Ecuador. Isadora Romero hide caption

A Waorani woman during the protests of October of 2019 in Quito, Ecuador.

On Oct. 2, 2019, Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno announced a series of economic measures, affecting the population at large. Most Ecuadorians turned to the streets to protest. The unprecedented demonstration around the country, led to social revolts around the region, in Chile, Bolivia, and Colombia respectively. Demonstrations in which women and the indigenous communities took a prominent role. RUDA members have been set to cover the demonstrations in their own way.

"We are concerned about the absence of diversity from which the stories of our peoples are told and disseminated," the group told NPR in an email about confronting a reality in which the power structures and production spaces are in the hands of foreign media (non-Latin American) and foreign correspondents telling the stories from the region.

In addition, this lack of diversity and representation deprive a wide variety of sectors of society of the right to tell their own stories and those of their people. Stories told directly from the experience of events, and therefore from the closest and most personal understanding of situations.

As a team, RUDA is interested in deepening its knowledge of problems and opportunities in Latin America, understanding that, although these developments have their differences in each country, the core structures and challenges are often the same.

Protestors on the streets of Quito, Ecuador in October, 2019. These protests were recorded as among the most violent in the country with clashes between protesters and the police that left 11 people dead. Isadora Romero hide caption

Protestors on the streets of Quito, Ecuador in October, 2019. These protests were recorded as among the most violent in the country with clashes between protesters and the police that left 11 people dead.

Protesters on a truck on their way to "El Arbolito," one of the most important concentration points during the social protests in Ecuador, October 2019. Isadora Romero hide caption

Protesters on a truck on their way to "El Arbolito," one of the most important concentration points during the social protests in Ecuador, October 2019.

Latin America is a vast and diverse region with thousands of narratives, stories and peoples. What kind of experiences as Latin American female photographers connect you to one another?

Koral Carballo (Mexico): We're connected because we are women and/or non-binaries, who are at a disadvantage by the patriarchal gaze within photography. For generations it was believed that there were no women capable of covering risky situations or that we could not fulfill assignments in hostile environments. Today, there are institutions that have empowered these voices, and celebrate the stories told from a patriarchal and white look.

Wara vargas (Bolivia): We have a common desire to show and highlight women's roles across the region. Indigenous, female leaders are becoming stronger and stronger as they raise their voices and change history in the region. All of us in RUDA want to show the struggle behind each woman protesting during these revolutionary times.

Isadora Romero (Ecuador): We're connected through the lens from which we see everyday life as a political act. We're connected through the stories that, even though they might not make it to the front page of a newspaper, are nevertheless worthy of being told.

Finally, we're connected through our understanding of the economic systems and historical structures that have been managed in a similar manner all over the region, such as: colonialism, dictatorships, war on drugs and mass migration.

Fires are seen in the city of Valparaso, Chile in October, 2019. Paz Olivares Droguett hide caption

Fires are seen in the city of Valparaso, Chile in October, 2019.

How do you think the use of Instagram has helped you work as photographers during moments of popular movements?

Paz Olivares Droguett (Chile): Instagram has become an important tool to publicize part of our work. It is a very synthetic language, typical of social networks, but at the same time it is visually effective.

The immediacy and popularity of its use has created communication channels that do not necessarily depend on great economic powers. It has become an opportunity to have a voice and be able to act as developments unfold in our countries.

Isadora Romero (Ecuador): During the protests in Ecuador and Chile, Instagram became a fundamental tool to understand and expand on stories that only traditional media present to the public. It has been a tool that has allowed us to denounce human rights abuses, congregate people and share experiences. As an alternative source of information, it serves a huge purpose for the general public to corroborate stories.

A Bolivian woman smokes after being attacked by teargas used by the police to control and suppress the protest. Bolivians went to the streets to call for the resignation of interim president Jeanine Aez Chvez in November, 2019. Wara Vargas Lara hide caption

A Bolivian woman smokes after being attacked by teargas used by the police to control and suppress the protest. Bolivians went to the streets to call for the resignation of interim president Jeanine Aez Chvez in November, 2019.

If there is an absence of diversity from where the stories of our peoples are told and spread, we run the risk of hegemonizing our history.

What kind of visual narrative do you want to manifest or change?

Paz Olivares Droguett (Chile): The visual and aesthetic hegemony in Latin America still has a lot to do with the idea of the "photographic safari", where European or North-American photographers with often a tourist visa, return time and time again with their cameras to tell the world "what this region is like and what we need to improve.'' But many have not yet learned that we have our own thinking, our own culture, and that we produce our own visual archive without a need for validation from the north.

Isadora Romero (Ecuador): We want to go against the production of imagery whose sole purpose is to win traditional competitions. We want to talk about everyday stories, which are at the core of our societies.

Paz Olivares Droguett (Chile): I would like to propose a hopeful vision, but without being naive. Basically, another type of relationship with the stories we tell, one in which real links are generated, in which photography is understood as a vehicle and not necessarily as an end. Where communication is more of a collaborative act that combines voices, rather than an egocentric job that seeks recognition and validation.

In addition, I want us to keep on questioning ourselves about what kind of structures we are holding with our images. Structures from where we continue to discriminate against minorities, from where we victimize the victims, from where we repeat a discourse of eternal suffering.

We want to talk about social empowerment, we want to talk about the dignity of our peoples, about alternative ways of building ourselves as societies, from the collective and the eternal interest for the other and for ourselves.

Women from the Otavalo community cover their faces in front of tear gas during the October, 2019 protests in Quito, Ecuador. Isadora Romero hide caption

Women from the Otavalo community cover their faces in front of tear gas during the October, 2019 protests in Quito, Ecuador.

Anything else you would like to share?

We are a collective under construction. In the short time that we have been together, we've seen the urgency of narrating what is happening in our region at this time. Just as the urgency of knowing where we are located as photographers and as Latin Americans.

Being a representative of each country allows us to debate about our general realities as a region and as individuals in our countries, by doing so, we're continually expanding our perspectives.

It's a lifelong lesson.

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Female, Latin American photo collective covers the region in a personal way : The Picture Show - NPR

Why Global Citizens Should Care

Back in 2018, at the historic Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100in Johannesburg, South Africa, the Global Citizen Fellowship Programme was announced, powered by the BeyGOOD initiative.

Inspired by Nelson Mandelas passion for youth development and education, as well as his legacy of empowering future generations, the inaugural class of the Global Citizen Fellowship joined the Global Citizen Africa team in 2019.

Now, the Fellowship programme is kicking off for its second year with an extraordinary class of 10 young people who we cant wait to introduce.

"With all that is happening in our world, educating, empowering, and employing our youth to use their voice and vocation to makepositive impact is essential to creating lasting change,says IvyMcGregor, Director of Social Responsibly at Parkwood Entertainment, headquarters for BeyGOOD.

McGregor adds:The model BeyGOOD has designed through the Fellowship programme, in partnership with Global Citizen, has become a pathway for sustainable economic impact.We are proud to welcome the class of 2020 they have entered at such a critical time, pivotal to dynamic outcomes and overall success.

Designed to empower young people with work experience, the programme is not only supporting the vision of a South Africa that nurtures its youth.

The Global Citizen Fellowship is also equipping young people with the skills they need to play a role in social justice, helping their communities achieve the UNs Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and amplifying causes that they believe in.

Global Citizen is a leading advocacy organisation that has already impacted 880 millionlives, while the BeyGOOD initiative has a legacyof empowering young people, women, and marginalised communities. By working together through the fellowship programme, the partnership offers young people an opportunity of a lifetime.

Take, for example, how the programme is structured. It has multiple phases designed to offer each of the 10 fellows a fully immersive experience.

Eachfellow will also have the benefit from personalised mentorship from leaders in entertainment, business, government, and civil society all aimed at enabling them to realise their potential to become global agents of change.

The programme will cover subjects such as leadership, advocacy, international development, and global citizenship.Meanwhile, Fellows will also have the opportunity to take part in a series of masterclasses given by industry leaders. The programme also features educational field trips designed to help Fellows develop into value-centred, community-driven leaders.

Furthermore, Fellows will be placed within the Global Citizen Africa team, which will offer invaluable hands-on work experience within the Marketing, Rewards, Campaigns, Policy, and Content teams.

This is aimed at providing Fellows with the skills and resources needed to help them secure work at the end of the year-long programme.

The second cohort of the Global Citizen Fellowship programme was chosen after a rigorous selection process that started with 765 applications; only 30 candidates were chosen to continue with a series of tests. From these scores, the judging panel assessed 20 applicants.

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The judging panel was made up of Clayton Naidoo, Managing Director of Sub Saharan Africa at global technology giant CISCO; the Executive Director of Africa Leadership Institute, Jackie Chimhanzi; Moky Makura, Executive Directorof Africa No Filter; businesswoman and producer, Bonang Matheba; fashion brand and designer extraordinaire, Rich Mnisi; and Isha Philips, Global Citizens Senior Human Resources Lead.

Noted individually for their incredible personal achievements, collectively, the judging panel brought their experiences leading global organisations and brands, and are revered for being leaders and experts in their fields.

The judges were lookingfor candidates whose potential was complemented by their understanding of developmental issues. Candidates also had to show how they have already started effecting change in the spaces they occupy, for instance, through supporting community causes or standing up for social issues

I think all applicants are unique in their own right and have the power to go out into the world and affect positive change, said Mnisi.

So, without further ado, meet the Global Citizen Fellowship programme class of 2020.

Chibwe is passionate about skills development and youth empowerment.

Charity Chibwe, from Ivory Park in Tembisa, Gauteng, believes that building a global community of active citizens is the key to ending extreme poverty a mission that she is passionate about.Chibwe, who is 24, wants to use her time in the fellowship programme to learn skills that will empower young people economically.

This way, she adds, shell be able to impart knowledge and experience that other young people in her community needs.[Small businesses] can help reduce the number of young people who are unemployed, she says.

She is speaking from experience. She has already tried her hand at running a small business that earned up to R2,000 a month. However, she could not sustain it as the money from the business was used to look after her family.

I would like to see myself being my own boss, running a successful business, and creating opportunities that benefit young people, she says.

Rakhetsi is interested in issues that include citizenship, girls and women, education, and food and hunger.

Born in Mamelodi in Pretoria, Aaron Rakhetsi applied for the fellowship because he wants to turn his digital activism into community service.He is particularly interested in issues of citizenship, health, education, women and girls, and food and hunger.

I'm very passionate about education because I know its importance in one's life. I know what it feels like to give up on going to university because of my financial background, and I do not want anyone to experience this, Rakhetsi explains.

He adds: I believe in equality of the sexes and I believe that women and girls should be given the same opportunities that men receive, and be treated as their equals.

As one of the most unequal countries in the world, South Africa faces significant challenges, like hunger. For example, even though the country is food secure, 27%of children experience stunting and malnutrition.

Rakhetsi, who is 24, has future plans that include urban farming, which will allow him to uplift the youth and women while feeding his community.

Ndwandwe is determined to fight gender-based violence in South Africa. a

The mere honour of being chosen to make a positive change is a driver for me to do the best that I can to deal with the issues of the world, saysZamokhule Ndwandwe, 24, about being a Global Citizen Fellow.

Ndwandwe is from Sam Reno in Western Cape. Her ambition of ending gender-based violence (GBV) comes from personal experience.

Im a victim of a taxi robbery that occurred in 2019. I was kidnapped for 15 to 30 minutes by criminals who want money and sex from people, she recalls.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, in March 2019, declared GBV a national crisis,in South Africa.

Ndwandwes kidnappersonly took her belongings, but for many girls, women, and gender non-binary people in South Africa the story often ends in tragedy something that sparkedNdwandwes determination to combat GBV.

She says: Right now, my country is going through a very difficult time of what I would call women and children genocide, and I would love to come across other young leaders from other countries who might be able to advise on how to curb this terrible epidemic.

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Moloi's passion is menstrual health management and ending period poverty. She is also passionate about educations and women's rights.

Hope Moloi, 22, became a Global Citizen in order to play her part in the movement of people who want to help end extreme povertyby 2030.

Moloi, from Alexandra in Gauteng, applied for the programme because she wants to gain skills that will help lead community activities that support girls and women, in particular menstrual health management.

Girls miss school due to not having pads, which has a negative impact on their studies. By giving pads to girls, well be keeping girls in school, says Moloi.

Moloi wants to use her time in the programme to learn skills that will help her amplify her voice as an advocate, and later, to launch a non-governmental organisation that leverages corporate partnerships for social good. Her organisation will champion girls rights and access to quality education.

Women earn less than meneven with the same qualifications and experience, while girls and women also have to live with the effects of GBV, Molio says.

She adds: Every person has a right to education. Education is important and can change lives to be successful.

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Xaba is looking for ways to help her community beat the systemic causes of poverty and inequality.

Nomthando Xaba, from Soweto, Johannesburg, supports causes that she is passionate about by taking Global Citizen actionsthat are aimed at helping end the systemic causes of poverty and inequality.

However, she wanted to do more.

Ive always wanted to find a way to give back, and while taking Global Citizen actions is [impactful], I also want to find other ways of working towards ending extreme poverty, she says.

Xaba, 25, is passionate about education, and believes that empowered young girls make future leaders.

This is why she wants to study towards becoming a teacher.

She adds: Since I dont have a qualification yet, I want to teach young girls about sexual health because our schools only focus on the basic things. Girls are not given the platform to express themselves and talk about their experiences.

Morake is passionate about equality and human rights.

I wanted to be part of the Fellowship programme because I want to empower others, and promote education and equality in my town, Letshego Morake says about the decision to take his chances and apply for the programme.

Morake comes from the small town of Heuwel, in Thaba-Nchu in Bloemfontein, where opportunities are scarce, and information that can help young people empower themselves even more so.

I want to be the one to bring change as Im a huge fan of Beyonc [the founder of the BeyGOOD initiative]. She inspires me in so many ways, and has definitely had a very huge impact in me bettering myself.

Morake, who is 23, is an advocate for access to education. A lot of people from where I am from have given up on it due to lack of funds to continue with their studies. They are also discouraged by the fact that other people who have studied still do not get jobs after graduating.

Equally close to his heart is equality.

Im a young gay boy who lives in a town where its still seen as wrong to freely be myself. I want to live in a country where people are proud of each other, support each other, and love each other," he says.

He adds: I want to be an active voice for the people who do not see themselves worthy of anything, host campaigns and rallies, create awareness on social media, and just have an impact on the lives of those who cannot stand upfor themselves because they are scared to.

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Tsolo is interested in gender equality, ending period poverty and helping girls reach their full potential.

Growing up in Sebokeng, an undeveloped community in Vanderbijlpark in the south of Gauteng, Tsolo always knew that her purpose was impacting and transforming lives.

This is why I identify with BeyGOOD and Global Citizen. This is a network of people who are impacting their work and changing lives. Being part of this network will not only expand my reach in changing lives, it will also provide me with the opportunity to grow others and help them change their lives for the better, Tsolo says.

Tsolo, 24, adds that South Africa is facing what she calls the triple trouble of poverty, inequality, and unemployment.

She adds: Being part of the Fellowship will assist me in gaining skills and knowledge on how I can make my solutions sustainable. I also want to uplift comuunities.

She wants to use her year as a Global Citizen Fellow to learn more about universal access to education, especially the public schooling system.

[At the moment] the public schooling system is failing those who go through it, she says From experience and observation I have seen that the system is setting up the children for failure; it needs radical transformation.She is also passionate about gender equality and access to clean water and safe sanitation, including menstrual health management. Young girls across the country miss out on important school days because they are on their period. They dont afford to buy pads because they live on social grants, and have to choose between buying bread and buying a packet of sanitary pads.

A social grant is a monthly payout funded by the government to support child-headed households, pensioners, children, and people living with disabilities.

Tsolo added: [Menstrual health management] is an issue closest to my heart because Ive seen young girls use unsanitary materials to get through their cycle days, which has led to multiple health risks.

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She also wants to lend her voice to causes that support the dignity and human rights of immigrants.

With the conflicts and issues faced by various African countries, I believe that as a continent, there is more that needs to be done regarding how South Africa deals with immigrantswho are fleeing from their countries in search of a better life, she said.

As well as taking part in the Fellowship programme, Tsolo also runs a non-governmental organisation called Her Pride. It offersservices that help students develop their confidence and life skills.

The organisation has already reached more than 2,000 students.

We provide academic support, entrepreneurship training, career planning, and more. We have been able to expand our small reach to providing care packs to the Lifeline and Thuthuzela women and children centres.

Lifeline offers free counselling over the phone, while Thuthuzela centres offer support and medical care to victims of sexual violence.

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Shabalala in inspired by the spirit of Ubuntu, and believes that we are accountable for each other's well-being.

Sengie Shabalala, 22, believes ending inequality and extreme poverty is a valuethat we should all live by.The popular South African saying"umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu calls on all of us to work together, she says.The saying is essentially a call to action urging each of us to be accountable for another persons well-being.

Shabalala says being a Fellow is an opportunity to gain knowledge that shell use to uplift others. Shabala, who is from Benoni in Gauteng, wants to galvanise communities to start taking action against GBV.

Being a woman, GBV affects me and one starts being afraid [of the possibility of experiencing GBV]. I decided to take action in my community, and raise awareness, she says.

Dlulane believes that economic empowerment puts women in a position to take ownership of their lives.

BuhleDlulane, from Soweto, is determined to tackle gender inequality by promoting girls and womens empowerment.[This] comes from my passion for gender equality and business. I believe that women are equal and effective in influencing the economy, from the formal sector to the informal sector, she says.

She adds: I believe that earning a decent living allows women to improve their own lives, are less inclined to stay in abusive relationships, and have the power to make their own decisions without abusive influence.

Dlulane, who is 21, says gender equality has a massive role to play in ending extreme poverty because women tend to lift others in their families and communities as they rise.

We are all aware that by women being educated and working they inevitably improve their own lives and the life of their families, she says.

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And so it then became important for me to understand why such powerful economic participants are not paid equally, not represented in powerful positions within companies, why there is a hesitance to allow them equal rights and access to basic amenities.

Moreover, she adds, with understanding the problem comes the biggest question of all: what she can do to change the status quo.

All of us have a responsibility to build the society in which we dream of living in, and the only way for change is effective participation. I do believe that there is no better time than now for us as young people to start thinking about personal, professional, and communal transformation, she says.

Dlulane is inspired by Rwanda and South Africa, two countries she calls home.

South Africa and Rwanda have a need for do-ers; people that are willing to apply their knowledge in everyday global challenges, she says. And there is a need to equip young people with the necessary skills in communication, personal, and professional development to be able to build the confidence to take action.

Lephuma is taking up space, and working towards a future where girls and women are equal to men, with equal access to opportunities and leadership roles.

Ntombizodwa Lephuma, 24, wants to take up space. Meaning make impact that will have a reverberating impact like her hero, Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi.Hailing from Centurion in Gauteng, Lephuma is a linguist with the goal of pursuing a postgraduate degree in education.

I want to teach young girls the power education has and how it will better equip us to be better business women, she says, I need the skills from the BeyGood fellowship to assist me and better equip me.

She wants to raise generations of girls who shape their futures, and in doing so, transform their societies.

Read more from the original source:

Meet the Class of 2020: The Global Citizen Fellowship Powered by BeyGOOD Kicks Off Its Second Year - Global Citizen

Major artists including Nevermade, Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya and Thomas Wimberly are collaborating with MoveOn, a leading national progressive advocacy organization, and Amplifier, a design lab that builds art to amplify the voices of grassroots movements, to launch Your Vote Is Power.

The new initiative will use art and culture to drive voter registration and turn out young voters this November. Through billboards, posters, stickers, GIFS, memes, and more, the Your Vote Is Power campaign will seek to provoke young people with a vision of how to change the direction of our country and our politics with our votes.

If our votes held no power, no one would try to silence us. Our aim is to connect people to this message through the power of art, said Michael Crawford, Cultural Director at MoveOn. Art and visual symbols from the Obama Hope poster to Trumps MAGA hat have played vitally important roles in past elections and have the ability to shape the way people see candidates, electoral politics and their personal ability to make change. We started Your Vote Is Power because we want to connect voters with unique and artistic images that inspire them to vote and continue fighting for their right to do so.

New artwork will be promoted weekly including on digital billboards in states like Georgia, Kentucky, and Wisconsin, where people had to wait in hours-long lines to vote in primaries this spring. In addition to the attached artwork, which will be distributed as stickers, postcards, and posters, as part of the Your Vote Is Power effort, MoveOn will also work with GIF and meme creators to boost voter turnout by countering disinformation narratives that tell young people that their participation does not matter.

We, the people, hold immense power, yet so much of our society tells us otherwise, said Cleo Barnett, Executive Director at Amplifier. Our goal is to reclaim our visual landscape with messages of empowerment, with images reminding us that we are stronger when we act together and that our democracy depends on us all taking to the polls this November.

The Your Vote Is Power initiative follows MoveOns #MyAmericanFlag project, produced in collabortion with celebrity writers, actors, musicians and performers including Billy Porter, Roxanne Gay, Alfre Woodward and Ashley Judd, who shared images of uniquely designed American flags that reflected their own multinational heritages and encouraged people to register to vote.

American identities span across a variety of age groups, locations, occupations and political affiliations, and a powerful image that resonates with people exemplifies arts ability to unify others. We hope these images will do just that in the weeks and months ahead leading up to November, added Crawford.

Both #MyAmericanFlag and Your Vote Is Power are part of a larger effort from MoveOn dedicated to engaging people of all ages, races and ethnicities who share progressive values with help from celebrities, artists, writers, and influencers.

See more here:

"Your Vote Is Power" campaign reminds public that our democracy depends on everyone going to the polls - Milwaukee Independent

Because of Syracuse success at one year anniversary, Cities for Financial Empowerment awards FEC funding to bring on additional full-time counselor

Syracuse, N.Y. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh and partners celebrate the one-year anniversary this month of the launch of the Syracuse Financial Empowerment Center (Syracuse FEC). The city service, led by the Department of Neighborhood and Business Development (NBD), provides free one-on-one, professional financial counseling to city residents.

Because of the programs success in the City of Syracuse, the Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) Fund announced that it will increase funding to Syracuse in the year ahead to enable the City to bring on an additional full-time professional financial counselor. The CFE Fund is a national organization that works with mayoral administrations to improve the financial stability of lower to moderate income households by embedding financial empowerment strategies into local government.

Financial Empowerment Center 12-month overview

The work being done through the Syracuse FEC has already impacted hundreds of families by providing the kind of financial knowledge and guidance that leads to a better quality of life for many Syracuse residents, said Mayor Walsh. The Syracuse community and many partner organizations have embraced the FEC, which is why we have had so much success in our first year. For many residents in Syracuse, having access to this financial resource will help plant the seeds that can lead to financial stability for future generations to come.

Funded by the CFE Fund, Greater Syracuse H.O.P.E., the Allyn Family Foundation, and the CNY Community Foundation, Syracuse FEC focuses on helping individuals set personal financial goals and eliminate barriers that inhibit financial stability. Home HeadQuarters and United Way of Central New York are also key Syracuse FEC partners.

According to data in 2018 from the U.S. Census Bureau, 30.5% of city residents live below the poverty line, making the need for targeted, expert help to manage financial resources essential.

The first year goal to have 180 outcomes was exceeded by 360% with FEC clients achieving 575 measurable results. With the help of Syracuse FEC counselors, 244 (42%) clients reduced delinquent accounts; client credit scores were improved by at least 35 points; and 82 (14%) clients reduced non-mortgage debt by at least 10%.

Kerry Quaglia

Jasminn Ray, Jenna McClave, Kazmira Pitzrick, and Thom Dellwo, Syracuse FEC counselors, have managed to advise residents consistently since the launch with in-person meetings but also remotely throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Between the group of professional counselors, nearly 2,000 sessions were held with clients. The public health crisis has increased the need for financial advice in light of widespread job loss and disproportionately affected communities of color, making the added counselor crucial to residents recovery.

Syracuse FEC client, Brendon M., has received assistance through the Home HeadQuarters location. My counselor, Jenna, is the best around. Shes calm, she explains everything to you that you dont understand, and she has a great game plan. She helps with my ultimate goal of achieving financial freedom for me and my family.

Home HeadQuarters is a proud Syracuse Financial Empowerment Center partner, said Home HeadQuarters Chief Executive Officer, Kerry Quaglia. Every day, we see the tangible outcomes surpass every expectation for the program. To date, more than $600,000 in total debt has been reduced for those City of Syracuse residents who have taken advantage of this amazing and free opportunity. We cant wait to see what year two brings for our community.

On average, clients participated in 2.4 sessions to improve credit, decrease debt, increase savings and begin banking by opening safe and affordable bank accounts (31 (6%) clients opened new banking accounts). Increasing cash reserves, 104 (18%) clients were able to save one week of their pay or at least 2% of their income.

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh and Allyn Family Foundations Director Kate OConnell

Greater Syracuse H.O.P.E., an organization helping to address poverty through systematic change, has seen its clients make upward improvement in their credit scores after utilizing Syracuse FEC services. With a goal to reach a total of 150 clients in identified H.O.P.E. census tracts in the city by the end of 2020, 110 (73%) clients have already received support. A significant increase in credit scores for 21 clients by an average of 35 points has also been recorded, in addition to over 30 clients saving an average of $3,000.

The financial industry is an intimidating place for middle and lower-income individuals and families, said Ocesa Keaton, executive director of Greater Syracuse H.O.P.E. High-interest rates, credit denials, and emergencies often result in de-stabilizing families into poverty. The Syracuse FEC is a way to remove barriers and help people transition through financial challenges.

Meg OConnell, executive director of the Allyn Family Foundation stated The Allyn Foundation applauds the work over the past year of the FEC. OConnell continued, The ability for families and individuals to become financially independent is a critical component to our work, and the Syracuse FEC is accomplishing this goal by helping families eliminate debt, repair credit, and build savings.

One year ago, City of Syracuse formally announce the Financial Empowerment initiative on the steps of City Hall.

A testimonial from a FEC client, Jessica V., stated how she took advantage of the one-on-one counseling to learn how to build her credit score and create a foundation in preparation for homeownership. The counseling I received gave me much more knowledge on spending and savings tactics. I would highly recommend the FEC to anyone who is seeking to improve their finances or just learn more in general about money/debt handling, said Jessica.

The United Way of Central New York is proud to partner in Syracuses Financial Empowerment Center. We are committed to the shared efforts to make it possible for every individual and family to become self-sufficient, securing and maintaining education and income to support their basic needs and build wealth, Nancy Eaton, president, United Way of Central New York, Inc. stated. We join in celebrating the outstanding first year of implementation of the life-changing work being done through the FEC.

The Central New York Community Foundation has been honored to support the Financial Empowerment Center because it has provided much needed support for families as they seek to thrive financially especially in a time of great economic uncertainty, said Frank Ridzi, vice president of community investment, Central New York Community Foundation. The center provides innovative ways for our nonprofit network of service providers to work together for the common good.

Remote counseling is available by way of virtual meetings, email or phone calls. To make an appointment, residents can visit http://www.syrgov.net/FEC, call 315-474-1939 ext.5, or email fec@homehq.org.

View post:

Syracuse Financial Empowerment Center Helps Syracuse Residents Reduce More Than $600k In Debt and Increase Over $300k In Savings - URBAN CNY

By Sarah Kenshall leads Burges Salmons cross-departmental FinTech practice and is a director in the firms Technology and Communications team.

We talk of data streams, so lets imagine a vast river of free flowing data.

How are we to control and harness this flow? A simple analogy would be that of a dam think Hoover or the Grand Coulee, the huge hydro-electric dams built in the US in the 1930s, and so eloquently eulogised by Woody Guthrie. By damming the river, that energy can be harnessed to work more constructively for the community. Hydro-electric dams provide not only a stored source of fresh water, but also electricity. Water and electricity two of the most basic building blocks on which modern society is founded.

Getting back to data. In our age where sector after sector is undergoing digital transformation in readiness for the smart world powered by 5G, the Internet of Things and edge computing, data is itself a building block of modern living; an extremely valuable economic asset, if only we can control and harness its flow so that it can be used properly for the benefit of the community.

Step in GDPR (as expressed in the UK through the Data Protection Act 2018). GDPR is rarely seen as a building block towards a free flowing of data, but rather a sometimes cumbersome and often costly measure that only restricts this flow. Whats more, it is certainly the case that some companies use the GDPR as a shield to avoid sharing data within a wider eco-system. Yet Recital 13 of the GDPR states that the proper functioning of the internal market requires that the free movement of personal data is not restricted or prohibited for reasons connected with the protection of natural persons.

The purpose of the GDPR is not just to empower individuals; rather, through that empowerment, it is there to create trust such that individuals can reliably devolve the management of the flow of their data to connected eco-systems of companies, in the knowledge that they can exercise rights to restrict the flow if needs be. These are companies they trust to store, use and share their personal data in a secure, reliable manner in conformance with their legal rights. GDPR provides both the dam and the turbines.

Why build the dam?

So there we have it. GDPR, as both dam and turbines, empowering individuals, and through such empowerment, facilitating data flow. We can see exactly how this empowerment is working in financial services.

Open Banking, a UK initiative mandated by the UK Competition and Markets Authority required nine of the biggest UK banks to implement a common standard API to allow third parties to access customer bank accounts with customers explicit consent. There is no limit on the number of third parties permitted by a customer to access their accounts. Some of these third parties may be empowered by the customer to onward share data directly with other permitted third parties. The hope is that the initiative will bring about innovation in the payments industry and break down any data sharing barriers that may be hindering effective competition. A related EU initiative is instigated under the second Payment Services Directive (PSD2) which introduces a similar regime for certain financial service providers (including current and savings accounts providers, e-money and credit card providers but this is just the start). There are over one million customers now using some form of Open Banking provider, from the newly launched Ordo, whose app aims to take the pain out of billing and payments, to established high growth players, such as Revolut, whose app allows you to see your accounts and transactions in one place.

The information commissioner considers PSD2 and Open Banking as key to unlocking individuals rights to data portability. Under Art 20 GDPR, the right to data portability gives individuals the right to receive personal data they have provided to a controller in a structured, commonly used and machine readable format. It also gives them the right to request that a controller transmits this data directly to another controller without hindrance where it is technically feasible to do so.

These overlapping initiatives make it easier for us as consumers and businesses to hold multiple accounts and compare or switch financial products, perhaps ultimately managing finances through one chosen digital platform, with a proliferation of apps to personalise the services. (Digital platforms acting as the sluice gates to the GDPRs dam).

Of course, new frontiers come with their own challenges and risks, and the harnessed flow of data is no exception. The GDPR, powering the data turbines, is not proof against cyberattack, any more than the Hoover dam is proof against explosives. It is however there to mitigate the risk of data misuse and accidental or negligent leakage. There are challenges around privacy and security with a potentially complex and extended supply chain of providers sharing personal and financial data. However, you can check whether providers are authorised to participate in the Open Banking ecosystem here. It is also worth mentioning that unauthorised payments are still the responsibility of your bank to sort out, even if the payment was initiated through a third-party provider (provided the payment didnt arise as a result of fraud or your negligence). In the case of fraud, the banks have further put in place initiatives to counter, for example Authorised Push Payment fraud, which we have written about here.

Finally, the digital world has a tendency towards concentrating power in the hands of a small number of platform providers (for example, Amazon, for on-line market places, Spotify, for music). It is quite conceivable that tech giants such as Google, Facebook or Amazon could get in on the Open Banking act and manage every aspect of your financial life. Or maybe the provision of a dominant integrated financial service platform will be a new name? Perhaps a fledgling challenger banks, yet unknown.

Where else does the river flow?

The FFD Regulation, an EU regulation for the free flow of non-personal data, has been applicable in the EU and the UK since May 2019.

The regulation is primarily aimed at cloud providers (of storage and other data processing services) establishing, amongst other things, self-regulatory codes of conduct to make it easier for businesses to switch data service providers (or repatriate data to themselves). The aim is to avoid vendor lock-in practices, such as requirements for specific data formats or contractual arrangements.

Data from these B2B tributaries may also flow into our river. The FFD regulation stipulates that where non-personal data is inextricably linked with personal data, the GDPR governs the whole dataset. The Commissions guidance note on the regulation goes on to note: Mixed datasets represent the majority of datasets used in the data economy and are common because of technological developments such as the Internet of Things (i.e. digitally connecting objects), artificial intelligence and technologies enabling big data analytics.

Therefore, thanks to the right of portability under the GDPR, these mixed datasets may be shared at a users behest, between competitors, further harnessing the rivers flow for the benefit of society[1]. There are constraints; it is not a free for all. The data portability obligations only apply to data controllers that process personal data based on customer consent or to perform a contract involving the data subject and if the processing takes place by automated means (i.e. excluding paper files).

A river without banks is a flood. A river with a dam is a power source. This trend towards a harnessed, flow of data within a trusted ecosystem is likely to transform the financial services sector as we know it today.

More:

The Information Flow - Global Banking And Finance Review

Mountain Brook High School graduate Caroline Moore really wants to be a feature film producer.

So much I could scream it from the nearest rooftop, she said. Being the woman behind the curtain, making sure that a story has the proper footing to stand tall, is my dream, she said.

Moore is well on her way to reaching that goal.

Graduating summa cum laude from the University of Alabama this spring, Moore earned a degree from the College of Communication and Information Sciences in communication studies with a concentration in creative producing and a minor in business administration.

While attending Alabama, Moore gained production experience by working for Crimson Tide Productions (CTP) in the schools athletic department during her four years at UA.

In addition, she gained admission to one of the most prestigious graduate film programs in the world in the School of the Arts at Columbia University in New York, which shell attend this fall.

Moving to the Big Apple fulfills another of Moores dreams. This is really a culmination of what I have wanted since I could remember, she said.

When Moore was 4 or 5 years old, she told her grandmother she was going to be a dancer in New York but that her grandmother shouldnt worry because she could come visit her.

I made good on my word in some ways, I suppose, Moore said.

She also has a strong conviction regarding the social importance of film and aspires to do more than merely entertain her audiences.

I see a film as much more than a way to spend two hours, she said. It acts as a mirror in that it should reflect our culture, the bad and the good, in a way that cannot be ignored and is revered for the honesty it portrays.

While working at CTP, Moore amassed valuable training and experience more than she can fully express that will help her in the film business, she said.

It really started from the ground up: the etiquette of a production, the chain of command, when to stick to it and when to break it, the excitement a group of people with one common goal can feel, she said.

Working about 20 hours a week, Moore didaudio and video production for all sports and often worked for ESPN and the SEC Network.

The job was both fun and challenging, and Moore made a lot of good friends and found some valuable mentors.

I always felt like my skills were being furthered by those people we refer to as full-time staffers, Moore said.

Justin Brant and Wyatt Caruthers encouraged her to pursue audio engineering, and she was inspired by Kaye Proctor, who was shining the light ahead for all females in CTP, Moore said.

The work at CTP taught Moore how important the energy of the crew is to the sustainability of the production, she said.

CTP also provided her with some lessons about the tough side of production work. I learned how to take a hit when it came to errors because we were students, Moore said. We needed to be tossed into the madness in order to persevere, to give our utmost effort and, for lack of a better phrase, leave it all out on the field or court, depending on the sport.

It makes sense that she was involved in sports. Moore, who graduated from Mountain Brook High School in 2016, was a four-year starter on the Spartans softball team.

Sports run deep on her fathers side of the family, she said. Moores grandfather, Bud Moore, was a college football head coach and is a member of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

While at CTP, Moore came to honor and value the people with whom she worked and realized how important it is to be invested in people and their purpose within the production and outside of it, she said.

A production, whether its sports or narrative film, requires humans of all different backgrounds and different positions to meld together and make it great, Moore said. I learned what a team looks like at CTP, and I aspire to build one as strong and diverse as I have had the pleasure of serving on.

This belief in teamwork feeds directly into Moores vision of what film producers do.

Producing is making sure that the ideas are heard and people know what they are getting into and they are excited about it, Moore said.

A producer must put herself in everyone else's shoes, understanding the integrity of their position and giving them the credit they deserve, she said

Moore is confident she has the personal attributes, including good people skills, that she needs to succeed in the film industry.

My effort is contagious, and I think that is an integral part of why I want to manage story and people together, she said. I am a very active listener, and I invest myself in conversations and things that are important to other people in order for them to know how invested I am in them as a person.

She has a forceful personality and can feed off of other peoples energies, Moore said.

She looks forward to working with the many eclectic creative professionals in the business. I cant help but think that I would fit and communicate well with them, she said.

A strong sense of values undergirds Moores approach to her creativity, as well. Ive never been good with putting up with intolerance or injustice, and it definitely shows, she said.

Storytelling is also a critically important way to bring people together, Moore said.

If I dont create and build connections between people, then I might as well cease to exist, she said. My empowerment hinges on that of human storytelling. I have no desire to stand idly by and be the only character in my own story because that isnt what life is. Life is in the crossovers and connections and the parts that we cant handle alone.

This applies to social movements such as the Black Lives Matter movement, which needs those connections between all peoples to make their platform stronger than it already is,'' Moore said.

Film is part of that platform, she said, citing the documentary I am Not Your Negro and the TV series When They See Us as examples.

Film is a reflection of the culture we fight to make our own, she said. I am in service to these stories and the people they shine light on. My purpose in life is to empower people, and film is how I choose to do that.

The rest is here:

On her way: MBHS grad Caroline Moore to attend film school in NY, dreams of producing films - Village Living

coronavirus, courier mail, coronavirus, covid-19, queensland, two women, spreaders

Trust, community and a sense of common purpose is all that stands between the Australian public and a deadly second wave of the novel coronavirus. Splashing the names, faces and personal details of people who have defied border closures to carry COVID-19 from outbreak areas on the front page of Brisbane's Courier Mail under the incendiary headline "Enemies of the state" not only undermines this fragile balance, it poses a far greater risk to our collective health than the virus. While scientists race for a vaccine and effective treatments, looking to the virus for flaws, epidemiologists and public health doctors have their eyes on the bigger prize, and that's the host. Us. How we behave dictates whether COVID-19 can survive; adapting swiftly, and in unison, holds our best hope of success. The essential ingredient to a successful public health strategy is trust, at every level. Containment is an unglamorous enterprise at its heart, and it pivots on a very simple mantra: test, trace, isolate, treat. We know that this formula works because we have done it before, leading the world with our response to HIV. In contrast to other Western nations, Australia's strategy was predicated on consultation, partnership with, and empowerment of affected communities, not moralising and criminalisation. That approach, now upheld as an exemplar in health promotion, focused on education, counselling and case management, with public health orders and detention used rarely, as a last resort. Then, as now, detractors demanded punitive measures, insisting that people would only do the right thing (in that case, wearing condoms) if it were a crime not to. It is a testament to the leaders of the day, and to those at the forefront of the community-led response, that they resisted the impulse, instead placing faith in the population to do the right thing, which they did, because they were invested in both the process and the outcome. Known as responsive regulation, research has shown that these least-coercive approaches work best in earning, and maintaining, public trust. Trust is everything at this critical moment in our coronavirus response, and it ought not be squandered in the tabloid thirst for clicks, scapegoating and demonising infected people with reductive, xenophobic tropes that only serve to deepen race and class divides. Dog-whistle doxxing puts all of us at risk. It sends the message to marginalised communities that, if they come forward for testing, their identities are fair game for moralising, mere grist to the mill of the culture wars. Privacy becomes a luxury afforded only to a certain class and character of person, those who can afford ski trips and summer cruises. Everyone else is an "enemy of the state" to be pilloried in the public square as a warning to us all. The insistence that, because the women in question were allegedly involved in a criminal enterprise, they deserve the treatment meted out to them, is a dangerous precedent to contemplate. It implies that due process is not a right but something to be adjudicated by the mass media and withheld on a populist whim. Privacy is central to the provision of health care, and the therapeutic relationship. People seek care on the proviso that their confidence is sacred, and the same applies in public health. Co-operation with mammoth efforts to test, trace and isolate COVID-19 cases rests on a tacit understanding that information shared with officials will be handled sensitively and discreetly. Without this assurance, the dance is lost, and so too our best - indeed only - chance at containing the novel coronavirus. Trust begets testing begets tracing begets success. This matters not just at an individual level but, as we have seen with HIV, in engaging marginalised communities. The Queensland Human Rights Commission has warned of a "second wave of COVID-related racial hostility", with members of Brisbane's African community reporting increasing harassment in the wake of the coverage, and the women themselves receiving death threats and calls for summary execution. Sensationalised media coverage has long been the engine room of HIV stigma, but we engage in naming and shaming at our peril, losing sight of the structural drivers that have allowed this pandemic to rip through the same populations the world over: a growing precariat of essential workers without a safety net. SARS-CoV-2 does not discriminate in who it infects, but we socially select for its spread, and then seek to condemn on the basis of circumstance. READ MORE: Blaming individuals is cheap and easy, for the media and politicians alike. It doesn't require any kind of critical thinking or impulse for reform, it allows governments to evade responsibility for failings that have contributed to or driven the outbreak. Daniel Andrews' "we are all in this together" turns to "disappointment in these individuals not doing the right thing". But blame becomes a feedback loop, encouraging punitive responses which generate further media coverage, reinforcing blame. It offers justification for sending police into housing estates, detaining citizens under military guard, suppressing protests and "surveillance creep", which is difficult if not impossible to wind back. It also serves as a perverse incentive, emboldening individualistic rhetoric that privileges personal freedoms above the common good (let's call it the "Bunnings Karens effect"). Once we set foot down that path, it will be extremely difficult to recover the collective mindset we need to overcome this crisis. Trust in the process isn't all that matters, we also need to trust one another. Breaching public health orders places that fragile bond in peril, but polarising communities and feeding vigilante impulses poses a far greater risk. In a time of crisis, the media plays an essential civic role. Eschewing that for tired culture-war tropes is not only seriously poor judgment, it's myopic self-service with potentially fatal consequences.

https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/tPntrWhUbGLyDWYCTv46rt/97868c6c-c7c1-44ff-b73d-28415725ac0d.jpg/r12_758_4793_3459_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg

OPINION

July 31 2020 - 2:40PM

Trust, community and a sense of common purpose is all that stands between the Australian public and a deadly second wave of the novel coronavirus.

Splashing the names, faces and personal details of people who have defied border closures to carry COVID-19 from outbreak areas on the front page of Brisbane's Courier Mail under the incendiary headline "Enemies of the state" not only undermines this fragile balance, it poses a far greater risk to our collective health than the virus.

While scientists race for a vaccine and effective treatments, looking to the virus for flaws, epidemiologists and public health doctors have their eyes on the bigger prize, and that's the host. Us. How we behave dictates whether COVID-19 can survive; adapting swiftly, and in unison, holds our best hope of success.

The essential ingredient to a successful public health strategy is trust, at every level. Containment is an unglamorous enterprise at its heart, and it pivots on a very simple mantra: test, trace, isolate, treat.

We know that this formula works because we have done it before, leading the world with our response to HIV. In contrast to other Western nations, Australia's strategy was predicated on consultation, partnership with, and empowerment of affected communities, not moralising and criminalisation.

That approach, now upheld as an exemplar in health promotion, focused on education, counselling and case management, with public health orders and detention used rarely, as a last resort. Then, as now, detractors demanded punitive measures, insisting that people would only do the right thing (in that case, wearing condoms) if it were a crime not to.

It is a testament to the leaders of the day, and to those at the forefront of the community-led response, that they resisted the impulse, instead placing faith in the population to do the right thing, which they did, because they were invested in both the process and the outcome.

Known as responsive regulation, research has shown that these least-coercive approaches work best in earning, and maintaining, public trust.

Trust is everything at this critical moment in our coronavirus response, and it ought not be squandered in the tabloid thirst for clicks, scapegoating and demonising infected people with reductive, xenophobic tropes that only serve to deepen race and class divides.

Dog-whistle doxxing puts all of us at risk. It sends the message to marginalised communities that, if they come forward for testing, their identities are fair game for moralising, mere grist to the mill of the culture wars.

Privacy becomes a luxury afforded only to a certain class and character of person, those who can afford ski trips and summer cruises. Everyone else is an "enemy of the state" to be pilloried in the public square as a warning to us all.

The insistence that, because the women in question were allegedly involved in a criminal enterprise, they deserve the treatment meted out to them, is a dangerous precedent to contemplate. It implies that due process is not a right but something to be adjudicated by the mass media and withheld on a populist whim.

Privacy is central to the provision of health care, and the therapeutic relationship. People seek care on the proviso that their confidence is sacred, and the same applies in public health.

Co-operation with mammoth efforts to test, trace and isolate COVID-19 cases rests on a tacit understanding that information shared with officials will be handled sensitively and discreetly. Without this assurance, the dance is lost, and so too our best - indeed only - chance at containing the novel coronavirus.

Trust begets testing begets tracing begets success.

This matters not just at an individual level but, as we have seen with HIV, in engaging marginalised communities. The Queensland Human Rights Commission has warned of a "second wave of COVID-related racial hostility", with members of Brisbane's African community reporting increasing harassment in the wake of the coverage, and the women themselves receiving death threats and calls for summary execution.

Sensationalised media coverage has long been the engine room of HIV stigma, but we engage in naming and shaming at our peril, losing sight of the structural drivers that have allowed this pandemic to rip through the same populations the world over: a growing precariat of essential workers without a safety net. SARS-CoV-2 does not discriminate in who it infects, but we socially select for its spread, and then seek to condemn on the basis of circumstance.

Blaming individuals is cheap and easy, for the media and politicians alike. It doesn't require any kind of critical thinking or impulse for reform, it allows governments to evade responsibility for failings that have contributed to or driven the outbreak. Daniel Andrews' "we are all in this together" turns to "disappointment in these individuals not doing the right thing".

But blame becomes a feedback loop, encouraging punitive responses which generate further media coverage, reinforcing blame. It offers justification for sending police into housing estates, detaining citizens under military guard, suppressing protests and "surveillance creep", which is difficult if not impossible to wind back. It also serves as a perverse incentive, emboldening individualistic rhetoric that privileges personal freedoms above the common good (let's call it the "Bunnings Karens effect").

Once we set foot down that path, it will be extremely difficult to recover the collective mindset we need to overcome this crisis.

Trust in the process isn't all that matters, we also need to trust one another. Breaching public health orders places that fragile bond in peril, but polarising communities and feeding vigilante impulses poses a far greater risk.

In a time of crisis, the media plays an essential civic role. Eschewing that for tired culture-war tropes is not only seriously poor judgment, it's myopic self-service with potentially fatal consequences.

Read the rest here:

Naming and shaming COVID-19 spreaders will drive this virus further underground - The Canberra Times

Cisco Australia has won an award from Great Place to Work Australia naming it as the #1 Best Place to Work that has more than 1000 employees.

Ken Boal, vice-president of Cisco Australia & New Zealand, said in a statement: "This is such a proud moment for our Cisco Australia & New Zealand team to be recognised at the #1 Best Place to Work in Australia.

"We've improved our results by listening to our employees and improving our workplace culture through increased transparency, trust, and our greater purpose to power an inclusive future."

The study that made the award took into account the workplace culture at the company.

The Cisco team had a good meal to mark their award.

Factors that made a workplace great were trust in people one worked for, having pride in what one does and enjoying what one does do and working with the people in one's team.

Cisco employees also shared insights about why their office was the best place to work.

Some of the sentiments expressed were: The culture and the feeling of care you get from colleagues is what makes it special to work here. We work hard, and yet we look out for each other when we see someone struggling.

Serious about looking after employees and doing the right thing for business and the community.

Female employees celebrate after Cisco was given the award.

Flexibility to work from home. High levels of personal empowerment and responsibility and trust.

Being surrounded by the best in the industry inspires everyone to perform at their absolute best.

Great Place to Work Australia managing director Zrinka Lovrencic said, The COVID-19 pandemic is a challenge facing organisations across the globe, and it puts a premium on being a high trust people-first culture.

"We celebrate the companies that earned places on our 2020 Best Places to Work benchmarking study, and we hope this will inspire more companies to continue maintaining and building trust with their team members.

Cisco employees celebrate the award during a virtual online chat session.

Over the last 30 years, Great Place to Work research has confirmed every year that employees flourish in high-trust workplace cultures. This year, 39,156 Australian-based employees from 124 companies participated in the benchmarking study.

The 2020 Best Places to Work was published in a feature insert in the Australian Financial Review, http://www.greatplacetowork.com.au, http://www.wrkplus.com, and http://www.workforthebest.com on 22 July.

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Cisco Australia NZ named best place to work in region - iTWire

Annual update highlights progress on environmental, social and community initiatives

SANTA CLARA, Calif., July 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) today announced its 25th annual corporate citizenship update, providing a transparent view of the companys corporate responsibility initiatives. This years update highlights how AMD and its technologies are addressing sustainable technological and scientific advancement, environmental and supply chain responsibility, workplace inclusion and belonging, and community support.

We complete twenty-five years of sustainability reporting recognizing the role that semiconductors contribute in helping solve many of the complex challenges our world faces, said Susan Moore, corporate vice president of international government affairs and corporate responsibility at AMD. As we navigate this changing world, fueled by the resilience of our employees, communities and customers, AMD remains focused on responsibly delivering high-performance technology that helps us achieve more together.

Purpose-Built Technology AMD is committed to developing and deploying its high-performance technology to enable a better and more sustainable world. In 2020, AMD exceeded its six-year goal to deliver an unprecedented 25 times energy efficiency improvement in its mobile processors. The new AMD Ryzen 7 4800H is 31.7 times more energy efficient than the baseline metric, far surpassing the award-winning 25x20 Energy Efficiency goal set in 2014.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, AMD announced the AMD COVID-19 High-Performance Computing (HPC) Fund to provide research entities with computing resources powered by AMD EPYC servers and AMD Radeon Instinct GPUs to accelerate medical research about COVID-19 and other diseases. Additionally, AMD is supporting organizations delivering medical services and humanitarian relief worldwide, contributing more than $1.2 million USD in grants, to date, and hundreds of thousands of personal protective equipment.Operating ResponsiblyAMD extends its commitment to transparent reporting throughout its operations and supply chain. AMD values environmental protection and is currently ahead of target for its 2014-2020 greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.

AMD also increased supply chain responsibility efforts, engaging with 100 percent of direct suppliers and conducting additional supplier audits, with a focus on ensuring all workers are treated with respect and that working conditions are safe.

Strengthening CommunitiesAMD is dedicated to positively impacting the communities in which it operates, with a focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)-related initiatives. Through AMD partnerships with educational organizations around the world, more than 1,000 students and teachers are learning in labs powered by the latest generation of AMD CPUs and GPUs, with ongoing engagement from employee volunteers.

AMD employees regularly share their time and talents in community engagement. In 2019, they drove a 10 percent year-over-year increase in company-sponsored volunteerism to support the needs of AMD communities spanning STEM education, meal preparation, park clean-ups and more.

Empowering PeopleAMD fosters a culture of inclusion and belonging to enable employees to do their best work. In 2019, AMD expanded its Employee Resource Group (ERG) program with five new groups and eight new site chapters of existing ERGs, empowering employees with more ways to celebrate their diversity and support each other.

Aligned with the companys commitment to diversity and inclusion and in light of recent events that highlight the work still ahead to end racism and social injustice, AMD announced its first steps to cultivate change with donations to high-impact non-profits focused on social and racial equality and support for their empowerment, scholarship and mentorship programs. AMD is committed to helping its employees and communities effect systemic and lasting change.

Demonstrating its commitment to environmental, social and workplace progress, AMD continues its track record of company recognition with features on this years Best 100 Corporate Citizens list, Forbes and JUST Capital JUST 100 ranking, Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, and Human Rights Campaign Foundation Corporate Equality Index.

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Supporting Resources

About AMDFor 50 years AMD has driven innovation in high-performance computing, graphics and visualization technologies the building blocks for gaming, immersive platforms and the data center. Hundreds of millions of consumers, leading Fortune 500 businesses and cutting-edge scientific research facilities around the world rely on AMD technology daily to improve how they live, work and play. AMD employees around the world are focused on building great products that push the boundaries of what is possible. For more information about how AMD is enabling today and inspiring tomorrow, visit the AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) website, blog, Facebook and Twitter pages.

2020 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. All rights reserved. AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, EPYC, Radeon Instinct, Ryzen, and combinations thereof are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Contact:Sarah FellerAMD Communications(512) 602-4333sarah.feller@amd.com

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AMD Commemorates 25 Years of Corporate Responsibility Reporting - Yahoo Finance

Submitted by Perry L. Newell.

We live in an extraordinarily complex world. As school districts have been forced to embrace remote learning during the pandemic, teachers and students alike have found ways to adapt to the new normal. And as school districts plan for the fall semester, many are turning to online learning because students and teachers may not be together in their school buildings.

Many of the resources may be lost. The interaction between students and teaching staff may be felt for years to come. The Funding College Project, and Cash for Kids are non-commercial activity, which has been asked to supply to newspapers and community bulletin boards serving the area information about active awards, and scholarships and insightful advice. It is our hope that you find the information useful.

Information is made available weekly and can be found at: http://www.educatingouryouth.org

Do you think the Internal Revenue Service can help you?

INTERNAL REVENUE TAX CODE will help you determine if youre eligible for certain educational credits or deductions including the American Opportunity Credit, the Lifetime Learning Credit, and the Tuition and Fees Deduction. http://www.irs.gov/help/ita/am-i-eligible-to-claim-an-education-credit

THE POSSE VETERANS PROGRAM The Posse Veterans Program identifies, trains, and supports veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces interested in pursuing bachelors degrees at top colleges and universities.

Those accepted into the program attend college as part of a team of veteransa Veterans Posse. Participants receive training prior to matriculating on campus and mentoring once enrolled. In addition, Posse partner colleges provide veterans in the program with supplemental funding to cover the full cost of tuition. http://www.possefoundation.org/shaping-the-future/posse-veterans-program

CONGRATS 2020-21 FELLOWS AND GRANTEES!

AAUW is excited to announce more than 200 awards and $3.5 million in funding for fellows and grantees in the 202021 award year. These exceptional recipients, who were notified by email on April 15, will pursue academic work and lead innovative community projects to empower women and girls. http://www.aauw.org/resources/programs/fellowships-grants/

VIRTUAL COLLEGE TOURS COVID-19 doesnt stop the college process, these virtual college tours. docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sO7pVos0EvK0BvXoMbnyg00K6r7hXbOQE0HNXF4N4eM/edit

BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU NORTHWEST + PACIFIC STUDENTS OF INTEGRITY SCHOLARSHIP

AVAILABLE IN ALASKA, HAWAII, IDAHO, MONTANA, OREGON, WASHINGTON AND WESTERN WYOMING.

BBB Foundation offers the Students of Integrity Scholarships to recognize high school juniors and seniors who personify and communicate ethics in the real world, as demonstrated through community service, personal integrity, and academic accomplishments.

Scholarships will be awarded to the winning applications submitted by students residing in Alaska, Oregon, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Washington or Western Wyoming*. High school juniors and seniors from across the Northwest and Pacific are encouraged to apply by submitting either a 3-minute video or a 500-word essay on the listed topics. bbb-scholarship.org/scholarships/

WEVE FOUND 4,352 JOBS NEAR YOU!

Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on current or past events. The word journalism applies to the occupation, as well as citizen journalists who gather and publish information. Journalistic media include print, television, radio, Internet, and, in the past, newsreels.

Concepts of the appropriate role for journalism vary between countries. In some nations, the news media are controlled by government intervention and are not fully independent.[1] In others, the news media are independent of the government but instead operate as private industry motivated by profit. In addition to the varying nature of how media organizations are run and funded, countries may have differing implementations of laws handling the freedom of speech and libel cases.

The proliferation of the Internet and smartphones has brought significant changes to the media landscape since the turn of the 21st century. This has created a shift in the consumption of print media channels, as people increasingly consume news through e-readers, smartphones, and other personal electronic devices, as opposed to the more traditional formats of newspapers, magazines, or television news channels. News organizations are challenged to fully monetize their digital wing, as well as improvise on the context in which they publish in print. Newspapers have seen print revenues sink at a faster pace than the rate of growth for digital revenues. itsmycareer.com/

GROUNDBREAKER LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP

The Against The Grain Groundbreaker Leadership Scholarship provides financial assistance and promotion of Asian American college seniors and graduate students who have exhibited exemplary leadership, vision, and passion that is blazing a trail for others to follow and changing lives in the Asian American community. Awards: $1,500 to be applied toward school tuition and fees. againstthegrainproductions.com/groundbreaker-leadership-scholarship/

YES, THOSE WHO ARE SMART CAN APPLY IN 7TH GRADE.

Young Scholars Program Sponsor: Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Amount: Up to $40,000- Program is open to high-performing 7th grade students with financial need. http://www.jkcf.org

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR SPONSORS ???????????????????????????CAREERONESTOP, which provides a list of nationally available scholarships, in addition to resources about career exploration, training, and jobs. Search more than 8,000 scholarships, fellowships, grants, and other financial aid award opportunities.

http://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Training/find-scholarships.aspx

SCHOLARSHIP AMERICA Were Your People There are tons of scholarships out there, designed to help students like you get toand stay incollege. Start exploring and start the application process with the click of a button. We Have One Passion Every Student.

At Scholarship America, were passionate about student success. Its what drives us. Developing leading scholarship solutions and partnering with people who also believe that a student should never, ever give up on their dream because they didnt think it was possible. scholarshipamerica.org/students/browse-scholarships/

253 PLU BOUND FULL TUITION SCHOLARSHIP PLU offers a scholarship for students who are College Bound eligible, attend a high school in Washington state, and have a 3.30 or higher weighted cumulative GPA. Students who qualify will be awarded full tuition for their four years at PLU through a combination of federal, state, PLU grants and scholarships, and the College Bound Scholarship. http://www.plu.edu/admission-first-year/financial-aid/scholarships/253-plu-bound-scholarships/

Do you know a top student leader who will be graduating high school in 2020 and may be eligible for THE GATES SCHOLARSHIP? Please dont hesitate to apply now! http://www.thegatesscholarship.org/

ARE THERE SCHOLARSHIPS SPECIFICALLY FOR LATINOS?

The number of Latino students starting college this year has grown. There will be more new students of Latino descent than any other minority group. And while college costs can be too expensive for many students, scholarships are available.

To qualify for scholarship money, Latino students should consider their grade point average (GPA), test scores, and community involvement. These are some of the factors that can help with winning scholarship money. Always check the rules and requirements for scholarships. http://www.unigo.com/pay-for-college/scholarship/scholarships-for-latinos

WOMENS INDEPENDENCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Application Deadline: Rolling Description: Womens Independence Scholarship Program (WISP) was created in 1999 as a project of The Sunshine Lady Foundation. In 2008, we were spun off from SLF to focus solely on scholarships for survivors of intimate partner abuse. Were excited to launch the on-line application process this year and are looking forward to your submissions! wispinc.org/

THE ACCESS PROGRAMS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND are designed to promote academic excellence and expand college opportunities for Tacoma Public Schools middle and high school students from traditionally underrepresented groups in higher education.

Access Programs are open to students in grades 7 through 12 enrolled in the Tacoma School District who are members of one or more of the following groups:

first-generation college students

minoritized groups underrepresented in higher education

groups with socioeconomic statuses underrepresented in higher education

Access Programs include three types of programs

1. Access to College Initiatives: academic-year tutoring/mentoring/academic support and Access Club activities in Tacoma Public Schools middle and secondary schools and Tuesday Night Tutoring and College Access Days on the University of Puget Sound campus

2. Summer Academic Challenge: four-week tuition free STEAM based program at the University of Puget Sound campus

3. Access Cohort Program: provides financial, academic, and social support to Access Program students who enroll at the University of Puget Sound. http://www.pugetsound.edu/about/offices-services/access-programs/

GIRLPRENEURS The importance of girl empowerment work being done through building a dedicated mentorship program for girls. Powered by role models and entrepreneurs from all fields, the interactive event series will introduce girls to entrepreneurship, of all kinds, and aims to cultivate the doer, maker, innovator spirit in these leaders of tomorrow. http://www.womenyoushouldfund.com/girlpreneurs/

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS CAN BE EASY! Filling out all of those scholarship applications can be time-consuming, but it doesnt have to be. With Scholar Snapp, apply in a fraction of the time its fast, easy, and free. http://www.scholarsnapp.org/students/

REFER-A-STUDENT QuestBridge connects the nations brightest students from low-income backgrounds to top colleges across the United States. We have two programs, the National College Match for high school seniors, and the College Prep Scholars Program for high school juniors.

SOROPTIMISTS LIVE YOUR DREAM AWARDS PROGRAM is a unique education grant for women who provide the primary financial support for their families. Live Your Dream Awards give women the resources they need to improve their education, skills, and employment prospects.

Every year, Soroptimist distributes more than $2 million in education grants to about 1,500 women all over the world.

Over half of our Live Your Dream Awards recipients are survivors of domestic violence, trafficking, or sexual assault. Nearly all of the women and families we serve have overcome enormous obstacles including poverty, teen pregnancy, and drug or alcohol addiction. Live Your Dream Awards recipients may use the cash award to offset any costs associated with their efforts to attain higher education, such as books, childcare, tuition, and transportation. http://www.soroptimist.org/our-work/live-your-dream-awards/index.html

SWENEXT OUTREACH PROGRAM FOR GIRLS K-12 To expand the SWE community, developing a new way for girls (ages 17 and under) to learn and participate in engineering-introducing SWENext! Provides young girls, parents, and educators with the tools to increase their understanding of the engineering field. Establish engagement in engineering early on. swe-sc.org/outreach2/swene-outreach-program-for-girls-k-12/

WASHINGTON STATE COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP 7th and 8th grade students may apply for College Bound if they meet one of the requirements. Deadline to complete the application is June 30 at the end of the students 8th grade year. readysetgrad.wa.gov/college/college-bound-scholarship-program

MICHAEL AND SUSAN DELL FOUNDATION Amount: $20,000 Scholarship is open to graduating high school seniors who have participated in an approved college readiness program (such as AVID, GEAR UP, Upward Bound see full list on website) in grades 11 and 12. Applicant must have earned a minimum GPA of 2.4 and demonstrate financial need. http://www.dellscholars.org/scholarship/

MINORITY SCHOLARSHIPS A large percentage of the U.S. college population is comprised of minority students from various backgrounds and races, including African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic and Latinos, Asian and Pacific Islanders, and others.

Most awards can be found with a simple search on the internet, counselors and advisors, prospective colleges may have a list or can nominate you directly. A good place to start your search may be:

http://www.scholarships.com, http://www.unigo.com/scholarships, http://www.salliemae.com/, http://www.nitrocollege.com, and scholarshipowl.com

ONLINE SCHOLARSHIPS Online scholarship opportunities are abundant, as are online scholarship searches. There are even scholarship programs specifically for students who also attend class online. Technological advances and marked increases in access to the Internet have revolutionized the scholarship world, allowing all kinds of college students and college-bound students more access to money for college than ever before. Of course, in addition to offering a host of scholarship information, application, and awards, the online world can also propagate scholarship myths and scams. Get more information with a click to: http://www.scholarships.com/financial-aid/college-scholarships/scholarships-by-type/online-scholarships/

The Funding College Project, and Cash for Kids are non-commercial activities, its success is due in part to the contributions and participation of elected, public, and private individuals, organizations, and schools too numerous to name and through the support of the College Networks. More Electronic Listings: http://www.educatingouryouth.org

Your actions will dictate your opportunities!

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Mariam Nasrri is the 2020 Courage to Come Back award recipient in the Medical category.

Growing up in the 1980s, Mariams childhood was influenced by a civil war that had devastated her birth country of Afghanistan.

During the war, her parents tried to protect her and her siblings by moving constantly and providing the children with shelter and education at every chance. However, Mariam couldnt avoid traumas she both witnessed and experienced. By the time she reached young adulthood, she had survived a school bombing, molestation, physical abuse, illness caused by starvation and dehydration, an abusive marriage arrangement and house imprisonment, and other unthinkable traumas.

After I witnessed the bombing and killing of my classmates and friends, I started to suffer from survivors guilt. Although they were loving and caring, they could not shield me from the horrors of war no matter how deep they dug or how far they ran from city to city.

In December 2000, Mariam sought asylum from the United Nations in India. Hungry, alone, and scared, she sat outside the office for days on end until she got the attention of a UN worker. Within forty days, she was placed with a refugee family, but she was soon stigmatized, alienated, and assaulted by the community who did not approve of her and her actions.

The next year, Mariam turned to the Canadian Embassy and received sponsorship from the Canadian government to move to Vancouver to live with relatives. Her battle with the challenges of emigration, such as language barriers and community ostracism, continued. Despite this, Mariam finished high school, enrolled in university in Victoria, and found a paralegal assistant job in the government.

Then, in 2009, Mariam fell down a flight of stairs and sustained a concussion, spinal injuries, and damage to the left side of her body.

Over the next year, as matters deteriorated and her immune system suffered, Mariam became increasingly isolated and immobile, finding it difficult to get out of bed, let alone venture outside. She went through various states of mind during this time, from numbness to self-pity to frustration.

The bitter reality dawned upon Mariam that she may have to live with these life-long injuries and chronic pain. She also struggled with PTSD, as the horror of the years of war and hardship she endured as a refugee added to her loneliness, guilt, hopelessness, and depression. Mariam tried as hard as she could to fight back by processing her emotions and finding solace and strength in her situation.

In the present, I felt completely lost and in a dark place. In order to go forward, you have to know where you came from. I was given a new life, I was given an opportunity to be here in this country. Giving up wasn't an option, and that thought kept me alive.

With her future and her family as her motivations, Mariam decided to reach out for social support and accept the assistance available to help her heal mentally and emotionally.

With the help of medical specialists, physiotherapists, and chiropractors, she was able to persevere through lengthy and painful physical rehabilitation. Slowly, she felt the effects of the therapies, and she felt hopeful again. Mariam found people who became part of her healing journey and made friends that loved her unconditionally. The care and support she received restored her faith in humanity and as she excelled in her recovery, she regained her confidence.

Marian Nasrri. Photo: Avrinder Dhillon.

While in recovery, Mariam had time to reflect on who she really was today and where she wanted to go next.

From there, she decided to make big changes in her education and career pursuits. Fuelled by her passions for writing and the creative arts, Mariam returned to university and switched to a creative writing program, She also earned a certificate from Harvard University online, studying the works of Shakespeare. Currently, with support from Bard on the Beach, she is writing an adaptation of Romeo & Juliet set in Afghanistan.

After the fall of the Taliban regime, Mariam reunited with her family in Afghanistan in 2012. Here, she was inspired to move onto her next mission in life using the creative skills and humanitarian spirit she developed in Canada to help give Afghan women a voice.

She video documented the personal stories and struggles of women from different walks of life. Behind veils, she interviewed women who live in remote regions to hear their stories, uncut and uncensored.

As her profile began to rise, she began facing retaliation from those in the society who were against her actions. She recounts being shot at, being attacked, and receiving threats and almost being kidnapped by the Taliban, she began receiving threats from the Taliban.

Mariam refused to let anything stop her from pursuing her goals, seeing an amazing opportunity to bring greater awareness. She continued to return to Afghanistan over the years to give Afghan women a prominent voice on the international stage.

Mariam is the founder of a Canadian non-profit called Nahz Empowerment of Women and Girls, an organization that facilitates opportunities for vulnerable women and girls in Afghanistan to improve their literacy skills, to help them find sustainable employment, and ultimately, to teach them how to become independent.

Trained in the 12 Steps program for addiction and trauma therapy in Canada, Mariam brought her knowledge over to Kabul, where she volunteered at a women and childrens hospital for the homeless who suffer from substance abuse, drug addiction, and mental illness. Mariam was the first woman to organize the 12 Steps program for Afghan women in Kabul, and held the first-ever all-womens meeting for those who suffer from substance abuse.

If I could educate women, they'd be able to influence their children, and give them choices. I want to forge that path for those families in need of support.

In an effort to help those who have gone through personal trauma, Mariam decided to share her story openly with others.

When you have a second chance in life, what do you do with it? I want to do my part to give others hope through sharing my experiences, and especially with the younger generation. They are our future.

She has been a guest speaker for various organizations, focusing on mental health, emigration challenges, and violence against women.

As the world endures the effects of COVID-19, Mariam remains optimistic for the days ahead.

We're facing a very uncertain future due to the pandemic. Human history makes me feel absolutely and utterly sure that we will persevere. Human beings have survived many pandemics before, and it's because of our humanity. We're a global community right now. With todays technology and medical advancements, a cure will be found.

In overcoming war trauma and migration, Miriam has struggled and triumphed over remarkable obstacles by following her dreams. In choosing to look ahead and give back to her communities in Afghanistan and Canada, Mariam is an example of resilience in the human spirit.

I want to be a voice for the voiceless. I want to be part of a force that helps restore faith in humanity. I hope others can find a way home as I have a safe place where their spirits can be free and safe, where they are free to love and live.

The Courage To Come Back Awards celebrate British Columbians who have overcome significant adversity, injury or illness and who inspire and give back to others.

For the past 20 years, the Courage To Come Back Awards have raised more than $18.5 million for Coast Mental Health to support people recovering from mental illness in the Lower Mainland, through housing, support services and employment.

The awards celebration is a major fundraiser for Coast Mental Health, which believes that, through compassionate care and support, everyone can recover. This year, instead of the in-person gala, Coast Mental Health is celebrating Courage To Come Back Month in July.

Find more inspirational stories and to find out how you can support, visit: couragetocomeback.ca.

This Content is made possible by our Sponsor; it is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff.

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Mariam Nasrri is taking a stand as a voice for the voiceless through her creativity and courage - Vancouver Is Awesome

Written by Pratik Datta | Published: July 31, 2020 12:40:36 am The proposal to cap the tenure of a bank CEO needs to be supported by adequate empirical evidence rooted in Indian realities. (Representational image)

Last month, the Reserve Bank of India released a discussion paper on governance in commercial banks in India. The apparent objective is to align the current regulatory framework with global best practices while being mindful of the context of the domestic financial system. However, the proposal to cap the tenure of a bank CEO needs to be supported by adequate empirical evidence rooted in Indian realities.

The paper proposes to cap the maximum tenure of a promoter/major shareholder of a bank as a CEO or a Whole Time Director (WTD) at 10 years. The rationale offered is that 10 years is an adequate period for a promoter/major shareholder of a bank as CEO/WTD to stabilise its operations and to transition the managerial leadership to a professional management. The corresponding limit for a CEO who is not a promoter/major shareholder is 15 consecutive years. Thereafter, that individual is eligible for re-appointment as CEO or WTD only after the expiration of three years.

Ordinary corporate governance norms exhort managers to run a company in the interest of shareholders. Global experience suggests that this approach may not be suitable for all types of banks. First, banks are highly leveraged, creating powerful incentives for shareholders to engage in risky strategies at great risk to creditors, including retail depositors. Second, bank failure could involve systemic risk, which could result in a government bail-out. This moral hazard creates even more high-powered incentives for shareholders to engage in risky strategies. Third, financial assets held by a bank are hard to monitor and measure. Consequently, external scrutiny of a bank by depositors and creditors, among others, is difficult. Overall, these unique factors are likely to encourage bank managers to take excessive risks to maximise shareholder value.

Bank governance seeks to curb such excessive risk-taking. It encourages prudent risk-taking by bank managers such that shareholders interests are secondary to depositors interests. This is the main logic for regulating the banks board structure and managerial compensation, as suggested in the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision guidelines and the Financial Stability Board principles respectively. From this perspective, it is unclear whether imposing a maximum cap on CEO tenure to separate ownership from management would encourage prudent risk-taking by the management.

Research suggests that CEO tenure could have important implications for corporate performance. This is because the managers decision horizons are usually shorter than the investment horizons of other corporate stakeholders, which may encourage myopic decisions by a CEO.

For Indian banks, the limited empirical evidence seems to suggest that bank performance improves with increasing CEO tenure. For instance, a paper by Jayati Sarkar and Subrata Sarkar (2018), published in International Journal of Financial Studies, examines whether board governance structures (including CEO tenure) impact the performance of Indian state-owned and private commercial banks both in terms of asset quality and profitability. It uses a sample of 25 state-owned banks, 14 old private banks and seven new private banks for a period of 12 years from 2000 to 2012.

The paper finds that an increase in CEO tenure is associated with significant improvements in asset quality with an accompanying increase in the overall performance of the bank. Moreover, the effect of CEO tenure increases rapidly with the year of CEO tenure. Consequently, the later years of a CEOs tenure are more effective than the initial years in affecting bank outcomes. Further, CEO tenure effects are stronger in private banks, both old and new. These findings seem to be at odds with RBIs suggestion to cap CEO tenure.

Concerning public sector banks (PSBs), the P J Nayak Committee report had identified shorter tenure of chairmen and executive directors as a key reason for weaker empowerment of their boards. This conclusion was based on a working paper from ISB-Hyderabad authored by Krishnamurthy Subramanium, Arkodipta Sarkar and Prasanna Tantri (2014). This paper argues that an incoming CEO in a PSB is likely to be wary about the quality of bank assets during his predecessors tenure. Given the threat of prosecution, the incoming CEO is unlikely to lend until he understands and obtains full information about the banks existing assets. Accordingly, the paper finds that the quarter in which a new CEO takes charge, market-adjusted lending declines by 1.7 per cent and the stock price also falls by 1.1 per cent. In such circumstances, a shorter tenure creates incentives for the incoming CEO to engage in earnings management to present an overtly positive view of the banks business and financial position. In contrast, CEOs with longer tenure have lower incentives to engage in earnings management. Although these findings do not apply to private banks, they seem to suggest a case for a minimum CEO tenure but not maximum CEO tenure.

To clarify, this is not to suggest that the proposal on CEO tenure cap in the RBI paper is incorrect. What is merely being highlighted is that the proposal does not appear to be supported by any cogent evidence, empirical or otherwise, which is available in the public domain. This assumes significance in light of the recent decision of the Supreme Court in Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) v. RBI. In this case, the Court struck down an RBI circular prohibiting dealing or settling in virtual currencies on the ground that RBI did not adduce any cogent evidence of the likely harm that its circular sought to address. While there is no direct parallel that can be drawn, it may be prudent for the RBI to publish an empirical study on the impact of CEO tenure on bank performance before translating this proposal into an enforceable regulation.

The writer is senior research fellow at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co., New Delhi. Views are personal

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Short may not be sweet - The Indian Express

This week has not one, but two events examining from different perspectives (neurological, emotional, innovative, and creative) the evolving relationship between teenagers and technology, a livestream exploration of Leimert Park, an IGTV storytelling festival, a new avant-garde movement piece celebrating the resilience of our heroic and essential neighbors, a special webinar on the pleasure principle in iconic fashion photography, an exhibition series curated friend-to-friend, a show comprised of artist couples, an online book launch for an acclaimed progressive comics-based vision, and a surprisingly reasonable documentary on a polarizing titan of modern photography.

Thursday, July 30

Dreams, Genes & Machines: Are We Living Science Fiction? at ALOUD. Of course its not only young people whose brains are being rewired by avalanches of screen time, but the effects for socialization, cognition, language and other neurological aspects are especially potent at that stage of development. Dr. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, professor of Education, Psychology, and Neuroscience at the Brain and Creativity Institute at USCs Rossier School of Education, explores how trauma and current events and the mediated effects of witnessing the world through the filter of the virtual informs how teens think and feel about themselves in relation to the world. Thursday, July 30, 5pm; free with rsvp; eventbrite.com.

Nexus Soyuz at the Wende Museum. Nexus Soyuz presents the results of the GENESIS organizations Virtual Pioneer Summer Internship program in a virtual exhibition. The tech educators and museum staff worked together to support the research undertaken by a group of high school students engaged in gaming, 3D modeling, and VR. The idea was to recreate the sights and sounds of the Eastern Bloc in an interactive mixed reality environment that also reflects the quality of isolation we are currently experiencing. Thursday, July 30, 6-8pm; free with rsvp; wendemuseum.org.

Leimert Park Live! at LACMA. Leimert Park is a current and historically vibrant hub of African American arts, culture, music and activism in Los Angeles, whose central role in our citys evolution must be celebrated always. This virtual exploration of the neighborhoods treasures will be led by co-founder of Black Lives Matter, Patrisse Cullors; co-lead organizer of We Love Leimert, Kaya Dantzler; CEO of Urban Design Center, Sherri Franklin; founder of the California Jazz & Blues Museum, Barbara Morrison; artist Alison Saar; and co-owner of Sikas, Milan Wilkinson. Following the virtual tour, an expanded conversation unpacks this moment of a Black art renaissance and its historical antecedents. Participants include historian and curator at the Autry Museum, Tyree Boyd-Pates; founder of Kaos Network, Ben Caldwell; and art collector and advocate, Dr. V. Joy Simmons. Moderated by independent curator and producer Autumn Breon. Thursday, June 30, 7-8:30pm; free with rsvp; lacma.org.

Friday, July 31

Big City Festival: Stories That Move. A three-day live-streamed conversation series from the folks behind Big City Forum, in that same spirit Stories That Move aims to, serve as a community dialogue to bring together culture makers, activists, change agents, and creative visionaries to explore the role of art in building a strong democracy and collaboratively shaping a better future. In this first of what is sure to be a robust series, Bianca Nozaki-Nasser, Natalie Patterson and Christopher Rivas share personal stories of how they view the transformation of the world and with it, the self. Between stories, there will be live DJ performances by Bruja Prieta and Baby Bruise in Mexico City. IG Live, Friday Sunday, July 31 August 2, 2pm daily; instagram.com/bigcityforum.

Diavolo: This Is Me Letters From The Front Lines. Diavolo, known for their innovative, athletic and emotional aesthetic, creates a new film commissioned by the Soraya, following the paths of military veterans and first responders as they confront the current multiplicity of crises. At a time when most have been asked to halt and withdraw, reads the creative statement, others, like soldiers, are charging forward. Directed and choreographed by Diavolos founder Jacques Heim, and filmed by Aaron Mendez. Streaming live at Facebook on Friday, July 31, 4pm; free; diavolo.org.

Saturday, August 1

The Power of Pleasure: Decoding the Art of Visual Seduction webinar with Matthew Rolston at LACP. This professional development webinar by legendary photographer Matthew Rolston takes the idea of pleasure very seriously indeed, as this lion of fashion and celebrity photography deconstructs the strategic elements of visual seduction. Within the historical context of how beauty and luxury brands communicate, Rolston will impart insight into the analytical framework of how beauty operates on our consciousness, with the goal of making you a better photographer/artist/designer/maker and a more savvy viewer. LACP, Saturday, August 1, 10-11:30am; $45 / members $35; lacphoto.org.

Personal Contacts at Durden & Ray. The artists collective Durden & Ray is known for its innovations in exhibition and curatorial models, and the new IRL / online series Personal Contacts is another creative response to this hybridized time. Part gallery show on view by appointment at their downtown space, and part live-streaming video interviews, every two weeks members of the collective invite guest artists into the conversation. The result is not only physical and non-material, but beguilingly intimate considering the enforced distance that prompted the idea. The first installment goes live this weekend, and features Mark Acetelli with Brian Thomas Jones, Shiva Aliabadi with Gul Cagin, Chaz Guest with Max Presneill, and Kimberly Morris with Sean Noyce. Durden & Ray, 1206 Maple Ave, #832, downtown; Saturdays, August 1 & 8, 11am-5pm (two people at a time, masks on); livestream artists talk, Monday, August 3, 7pm; free. durdenandray.com.

Sunday, August 2

Terra Incognita at Orange County Center for Contemporary Art. History is full of examples of couples in which both partners are artists. From Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, to Ed & Nancy Kienholz, Gilbert & George, Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner, Georgia OKeeffe and Alfred Stieglitz, Christo and Jean-Claude and there is a special dynamic that takes place in those relationships, whether or not the pair are regular collaborators. A new exhibition takes a closer look at the variations of this theme, peering into the private studios of several significant local artist-couples Joe Forkan & Crystal Yatchin Lee, Jeffrey Gillette & Lauri Hassold, Robert Repp & Robin Repp, Victoria Reynolds & Jeffrey Vallance, Eric Stoner & Stephanie McManus. OCCCA, 117 N. Sycamore St., Santa Ana; August 1-29 by appointment; virtual opening reception: Sunday, August 2, 7-8:30pm; occca.org.

Context-Con at Human Resources. Co-hosted by Human Resources Los Angeles and New Yorks Participant Inc., New York, this online book launch event celebrates Alexandro Segades new graphic novel The Context (Primary Information). Reimagining the superhero comic book as a queer parable of belonging, that fuses Segades lifelong love of the comic book universe with his education and practice in advanced semiotics and lived experiences that prompt social reimaginings. The storys six characters Biopower, Cathexis, Barelife, Objector, Drives, and Form each embodies a concept from critical theory and possesses powers that are as existential and philosophical as they are cosmic. Sunday, August 2, 4pm; free; participantinc.org.

Ongoing:

Helmut Newton: The Bad and the Beautiful on VOD. About halfway through Gero von Boehms new Helmut Newton documentary The Bad and the Beautiful you realize there have been no interviews with men. Other than the extensive (and quite rare) footage with Newton himself, the voices heard throughout this film are entirely those of the women in his life and work from his wife and partner June Newton, to his publisher Anna Wintour, and his most high-profile models/subjects such as Grace Jones, Isabella Rosselini, Claudia Schiffer, Charlotte Rampling, and Marianne Faithfull.

Newton became famous in the 70s for his racy and hyper-sexualized fashion campaigns and magazine spreads obsessing over the female form a very specific, very naked, fantasy-driven version of the female body as an object, that still inspires both cultish fandom and charges of exploitative misogyny. Throughout the film, footage of Newton at work is woven with modern-day interviews that function as surprisingly warm, witty, and insightful interviews from his models and subjects, testifying to the narrative of their personal empowerment and the works useful artistic and social transgression. A 1979 interview with the late Susan Sontag, who calls him out on the I love women trope oft-repeated by misogynists is the only moment of discord in an otherwise keenly empathetic documentary.

The dynamic of the models and subjects defenses of Newton is fascinating and obviously sincere if rather one-sided, and the huge amount of works and archival materials offers a richly textured and definitely NSFW visual pageant, but perhaps the most intriguing part of the film is the unpacking of Newtons history as a young Jewish Berliner. In a comparison that seems obvious in retrospect, Newton was both repulsed and influenced by the Leni Riefenstahl aesthetic, and had apprenticed with a pioneering female fashion designer before he fled the Nazis as a teenager. He headed to China then to Australia, where he met his wife June (aka the photographer Alice Springs) whom he clearly loved and respected immensely, and who essentially ran his career and studio from that point on until he died in 2004, aged 83, after his car crashed into a wall on Sunset Blvd. outside the couples local home base at the Chateau Marmont. Now playing at Laemmle Theaters VOD; $12; kinomarquee.com.

Excerpt from:

Arts Almost All at Home: July 30 - August 2 - L.A. Weekly

Exactly a year ago today, the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019, was passed by both Houses of the Parliament. This Act, in substance, declared the triple talaq, ie talaq-e-biddat or any other similar form of talaq, illegal. Any Muslim husband who pronounces such talaq to his wife can suffer imprisonment for a term of three years and also be liable for fine.

The offence under this law is cognisable only if the information given to the police is either by the married Muslim woman to whom the talaq is pronounced or by any person related to her by blood or marriage. This is designed to prevent misuse by outsiders. Under the Act, bail can be granted only after hearing the victim woman and on reasonable grounds.

There is provision for subsistence allowance for the wife and her dependent children as determined by the magistrate, including the right of the wife for the custody of her minor children. Significantly, the offence punishable under the Act has also been made compoundable but only at the insistence of the Muslim woman and with the permission of the magistrate on appropriate terms, which the court may determine.

It is indeed a sad commentary that in spite of more than 20 Islamic countries having regulated triple talaq in one form or the other, it took us more than 70 years since Independence to pass such a law in Parliament, after so much opposition and campaign by vested interests. I had repeatedly argued in Parliament that this legislation is only designed for gender justice, equity and empowerment and has no religious overtones at all.

Should an India be governed by constitutional principles including fundamental rights, which so proudly proclaim gender justice and empowerment, allow a big segment of our women to suffer this rank discrimination, that too when majority of the victims came from economically weaker sections? Prime Minister Narendra Modi was very clear that the government must work to ensure justice to victims of triple talaq, support their cause in the court and also bring out a robust law.

While doing the homework for the Bill, I was distressed to learn about many instances wherein triple talaq, irrevocably annulling the marriage, was pronounced for the flimsiest of reasons which included food not being cooked properly, or the wife waking up late in the morning. An IT professional, who reached out to me, had to suffer the ignominy of triple talaq through WhatsApp from her husband from a Middle Eastern country, because her third child was also a daughter.

Today is also the occasion for me to salute the great courage shown by many Muslim women organisations and victims, who took up this cause and challenged it in court. The Supreme Court ultimately declared triple talaq as unconstitutional in a majority judgment. Two judges declared triple talaq to be manifestly arbitrary and therefore violative of Article 14 of the Constitution.

All India Muslim Personal Law Board vehemently argued before the court that they will themselves educate their community against this form of divorce and the court shouldnt intervene. Regrettably, instead of educating their community effectively they took the lead in opposing the proposed law itself when it was under parliamentary scrutiny.

Our post-Independence history has always witnessed progressive laws designed to curb instances of atrocities against women. Dowry Prohibition Act 1961, or Section 32 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005, or Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) relating to cruelty against a woman by her husband or his relatives, are all cognisable and non-bailable offences and they are religion neutral. Further, Section 304B of the IPC made the offence punishable with life imprisonment if death because of harassment of the wife occurs within seven years of marriage. Requisite amendments were also made under the Evidence Act about presumption of abetment to suicide and dowry death.

In 2018, we amended Section 376 of the IPC where deterrent punishments of death in case of rape has been provided if the victim is 12 years or below in age. I need to acknowledge that all these legislations were supported over the years by all the political parties where religion of the offender or victim was irrelevant. Why is it that in case of triple talaq, such progressive evolution of Indias society and polity was found to be wavering? The only inference is that from Shah Bano in 1985 to Shayara Bano in 2017, vote bank politics continued to dominate vested political interests at great cost to Muslim women.

While moving the Bill in the Parliament, I had shared statistics on the continuation of practice of triple talaq even after the judgment of the SC. I am happy to learn that the department of minority affairs has elaborately examined the state wise data, after getting feedback from various Waqf Boards and other sources, and found out a significant decline in number of cases of triple talaq after the enactment of this law, as compared to the number reported earlier. Further, in many cases, respectable compromise has also been achieved. This is an assuring sign of empowerment and redemption. Getting this historic legislation passed by the Parliament was indeed personally very satisfying for me.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

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Law banning triple talaq: A year ago today, we reached a defining moment in empowerment of women - Economic Times

PORTLAND, Ore., July 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As consumers' concerns about their digital privacy continue to grow and who is responsible for guarding it remains unclear, new research conducted by Ponemon Institute, a renowned research center dedicated to privacy, data protection and information security policy, and sponsored by ID Experts reveals a startling lack of empowerment consumers feel when it comes to their data privacy. The complete Privacy and Security in a Digital World: A Study of Consumers in the United States report is available for download at https://bit.ly/3f1W5NM.

The research points to a privacy gap between the consumer data protection individuals want and what industry and regulators provide. While the majority of consumers want their data protected, they're still waiting on or expecting the federal government or industries to provide this protection. For instance, a majority of consumers (60%) believe government regulation should help address the privacy risks facing consumers today, of which 34% say government regulation is needed to protect personal privacy and 26% believe a hybrid option (regulation and self-regulation) should be pursued.

Dr. Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder of Ponemon Institute, said, "This research revealed much of the tension surrounding digital privacy today. Based on my polling experience, these findings make a compelling case for the important role identity protection products and services play in protecting consumers' privacy. The study shows that many consumers are alarmed by the uptick in privacy scandals and want to protect their information, but don't know how to and feel like they lack the right tools to do so."

Tom Kelly, president and CEO of ID Experts, commented, "What we're seeing is a privacy gap between Americans' desire for a solution due to their growing concern for their digital privacy and the services that the actual protection government and industry leaders offer. Consumers must recognize that there are simple tools and practices they can implement to guard their data privacy, and government leaders and online platforms won't do it for them."

Interestingly, the study found that 64% of consumers say they think it is "creepy" when they receive online ads that are relevant to them, but not based on their online search behavior or publicly available information. This confirms that many consumers experience this phenomenon and are alarmed by it. In addition, ID Experts' research findings reveal that 73% of consumers say advertisers should allow them to "opt-out" of receiving ads on any specific topic at any time.

This research also reveals a lack of empowerment that consumers feel in their ability to protect their privacy. While 74% of consumers say they have no control over the personal information that is collected on them, ID Experts' research reveals they are not taking action to limit the data they provide when using online services. In fact, 54% of consumers say they do not consciously limit what personal data they are providing. This lack of empowerment can have devastating effects on consumers' privacy if it goes unchecked.

Other key findings include:

About the Privacy and Security in a Digital World study

The research was conducted by Ponemon Institute and included interviews of over 650 adults across the country who represent a diverse sample of gender, age, race, political and religious beliefs, educational backgrounds and income levels.

For more details, read the full report here.

About ID Experts

ID Expertsis the leading pure-play data breach and identity protection services privacy technology company.MyIDCare, its flagship digital privacy and identity protection product, is built on a secure, SaaS cloud-native platform that utilizes an agile delivery system. As the largest provider of identity protection services to the U.S. government and a trusted provider to Fortune 500-sized companies and millions of Americans, ID Experts delivers lasting peace of mind from privacy cyber risks.

About Ponemon Institute

Ponemon Institute is dedicated to advancing responsible information and privacy management practices in business and government. To achieve this objective, the Institute conducts independent research, educates leaders from the private and public sectors and verifies the privacy and data protection practices of organizations in a variety of industries.

SOURCE ID Experts

https://www.idexpertscorp.com

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Startling New Ponemon Research Uncovers 74% of Consumers Say They Have Little Control Over the Personal Information Collected on Them - PRNewswire

Americas principles are our strength. Its time to live up to them.

Healing and making progress on needed reforms in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officerbegins with listening to one another so we can work together for change.

But we must move beyond the rhetoric to get to the real. For us, that includes the reality that we come at todays challenges from very different places.One of us is the founder ofUrban Specialistsand thefirst gang specialist hired by Texasto negotiate peace among gang members in youth prisons.The other issenior vice president of Stand Together and a former prison guard.

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But what we have in common far outweighs our differences.

Look what happened when about 400 peoplecame togetherinDallas lastmonth when we kicked off what were calling the Heal America Tour. The participants brought radically differentexperiencesand viewpoints. We all started from the shared belief thatthe source of Americas strength its principle of liberty and justice for all is also the solution to its problems.Then we talked, and listened, and heard.

Omar Jahwar

Gatherings like this force uncomfortable conversations. And discomfort is part of the point. In no other way can we get to the heart of the matter and address the gap between the ideals and the reality. We do that by working to discoverwhat we fiercely agree on and what we believe in.

Mark Holden

We believe that as with any endeavor, some police officers, prosecutors, judges, and corrections officers honor their oaths of office and some do not.

We agree with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, and that when injustices hold people back, America is the worse for it. The recent tragedies highlight how, when racism becomes institutionalized, public policies disproportionately harm minority communitieswith or without anintent to discriminateon the part of those enforcing the law.

Eliminating these injustices requires us to fully embrace our countrys foundational ideals of equal justice, inclusion, and empowerment, which have always been central to our progress as a people.

These shared beliefs are critical. Once people findcommon concerns, the exhausted majority who are not on either extreme can work to fix them.

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We have seen the power of people connecting to each others personal experiences and how that helped them discover common concerns and figure out how to work together. And we have experienced it ourselves.

And right now weneedadiversity of perspectives individuals willing to be candid with each other and to challenge their own assumptions to find innovative solutions to the problems confronting policing and criminal justice reform.Now it is up to each of us to make a difference in the urgent pursuit of equal justice and unite around the principles that will drive progress toward meaningful reform.

Omar Jahwaris founder of Urban Specialists and leads Course Correction Conversations for Stand Together, to bring diverse groups of people together to address injustice and heal after tragedy.Mark Holden, alongtime advocatefor criminal justice reform, issenior vice president of Stand Together.

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If youre interested in joining the discussion, add your voice to the Comment section below or consider writinga letteror a longer-formCommunity Voicescommentary. (For more information about Community Voices, see our Submission Guidelines.)

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To eliminate injustices, look to America's foundational ideals and our shared beliefs - MinnPost

This past Fourth of July, pro skier Amie Engerbretson posted a photo of herself skiing in an American flag top and jean shorts. Her caption described why she always loves to ski on the Fourth but how it was hard this year to find reasons and ways to celebrate. She discussed the extreme world we are living in, the situation, our flaws and the things we are getting wrong. The caption ended with: With all that in mind, I do celebrate the 4th of July today. I celebrate with an awareness of necessary change and with hope. I send that love, consciousness and celebration to all of you. The post was liked by over 3,500 people and widely praised in the comment section nearly 70 times.

When the post came across my feed, I knew its intention was genuine and meant to show solidarity, but I also saw how it was problematic. In the comments, a group of people criticized Engerbretson for failing to specifically name the racism that made the Fourth difficult to celebrate. And by then declaring that despite her discomfort shed celebrate anyway, Engerbretson was criticized for bypassing and being tone deaf. One such critique was deleted because Engerbretson felt it was aggressive, presumptive, and felt mean. And that was criticized as well, for tone policing.

In the past, Engerbretson has used her social media platform and position in the outdoor world for climate change and female empowerment, butlike many of usis new to anti-racism activism. Recently, she committed herself to researching and donating to organizations doing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work in the outdoors, and sharing those organizations with her more than 37,000 followers weekly. Shes reading anti-racism books and articles, following the work of folks like Brooklyn Bell and Rachel Cargle, and listening to podcasts focused on allyship. She amended her contract with Spyder to include mandatory community involvement in diversity initiatives and proposed that all the Spyder athletes do the same. Shes highlighting the work of BIPOC community members in her social feeds. And even with all that, she got this wrong. And she knows it.

I am in my infancy of the work in learning how to be an ally both privately and publicly, she told me over the phone. Its no longer appropriate to just be an athlete. You need to use your platform, your voice to advocate for things. But at the same time, Im not a writer, a researcher, a sociologist, a therapist, a social worker; I am not an expert on any of this. I am terrified to do or say the wrong thing. And I know I am probably going to get it wrong more than I am going to get it right.

Engerbretson messaged one of her critics and had an hour-and-a-half conversation to understand her missteps of glossing over the issues. The criticism was that I wasnt specific enough, she told me. I was speaking about systemic racism, the global pandemic, the lack of political leadership. The feeling behind the post was that I am actually not proud to be an American right now and I dont feel like celebrating because I am appalled at systemic racism and the handling of the pandemic. I am ashamed at our political leadership. Could I have said that very specifically? Yes.

In future posts condemning racism, Engerbretson says shell use more detailed language. I am going to keep trying, and I am probably going to get it wrong more, she said. I learned from this experience. I just have to do better.

Shes right; we all have to do better.

Those of usand by us in this context, I mean white folkswho are trying to move beyond statements of support on social media and to more fully understand our personal biases and blindspots, are discovering a hard truth: Racism and white supremacy within our communities runs deeper than we realized, and the work of anti-racism is more complex than we appreciated.

When outdoor brands, publications, and athletes took to social media in support of Black Lives Matter and condemnation of white supremacy in June, the comment sections did not reflect a unified community (as if wanting to end racism is debatable). Among the praise and support were plenty of racist and bigoted comments. I was appalled and shocked, but I shouldnt have been. Our fundamental problem with racism has more of a spotlight on it right now, but it isnt new.

On July 1, Duane Raleigh of Rock & Ice resigned his position in an open letter to the climbing community entitled, An Apology from the Publisher. Raleigh apologized for a clueless and off-the-mark op-ed, Its Time To Change Offensive Route Names, written by Andrew Bisharat, which completely whiffed on the issue of climbing routes with racist names. Bisharat did not once mention racism or white supremacy, but instead focused on how crude and sexualized route names could make children uncomfortable. Sexism and misogyny also has a storied hateful history in the outdoor community, but Bisharat, Raleigh, and Rock & Ice were criticized for a textbook example of racial bypassing.

Raleigh also came clean on his participation in the historic trend of white supremacy within climbing: I was thinking in part of my past, he wrote, because I gave two routes from that era 40 years ago racist and appalling names. The most egregious used the N word, and I am deeply sorry. Among the many abysmal comments on the article was this: Are we 5? Why care if he named a route with n_____ in the name 40 years ago?

We all should care, and not just care: We must work toward a shift in our entire communitys understanding of these issues. And as Anaheed Saatchi wrote in her story, How Mountain Project Stole From A Woman Of Color & Spent Years Defending Hate Speech In The Climbing Community, climber and web developer Melissa Utomo is way out in front of most of us in this effort, and has been met with willful ignorance, inaction, and the theft of her intellectual property. Saatchi reports that Utomo proposed to both REI and Mountain Project (REI acquired MP in 2015) a flagging feature for racist and discriminatory route names and removal of bigots and racist in the public forums. It was rejected in order to protect the first ascensionists route names, even when those names are insensitive at best and outright hateful at worst. Ultimately, Mountain Project launched the feature in June 2020, neither paying nor crediting Utomo.

In no way am I a social justice expert; Im guilty of having been apathetic, too quiet, and unintentionally racist. Ive used words like tribe and spirit animal out of their intended context. Did I mean to be discriminatory? Absolutely not. Was it still offensive? Yes. And that needs to stop. My privilege as an upper-middle class, straight white male lets me walk around in this world with a blindfold and noise-canceling headphones on. That needs to stop too. And I need to understand how my ignorance has been harmful, and that will be a painful experience.

I grew up just outside of Chicago and attended one of the most diverse public high schools in the nation. Ive always been proud of that; felt that italong with a liberal, progressive familyprovided me with a sense of equality and open-mindedness. But recently an unfortunate memory sprang from the basement of my mind.

I was 14 years old, a freshman, sitting shotgun in the 1990 burgundy Toyota Camry that had become the hand-me-down kid car. My brother was driving us to school. We passed a white kid wearing a First Down puffy jacket. Hmm, I guess he doesnt know, I said. My brother snapped his head around at me, a disgusted look on his face with an intensely furrowed brow, and barked, What the hell does that mean; know what? I knew I had said something wrong, something racist. Know that that jacket is only for Black people, I sheepishly whispered to him. He yelled at me not to be a racist asshole, and then he punched me in the side of my head. And when I screamed in pain and asked why he boxed my ear, he yelled, Because it hurts!

The memory reminds me of something I heard author Kevin Fedarko say about the Grand Canyon and the Trump administrations attack on the environment, Indigenous land, and our national parks. Fedarko said that hope is hurtful, that it doesnt lead to action. He said we should feel despair, we should feel anger, and we should use it as fuel.

If white people in the outdoor community want to be true allies, we have to be OK with being imperfect and uncomfortable and wrong. We are going to stumble, we are going to make mistakes, and we will probably offend people while we are trying to educate ourselves and be more outspoken about the bigotry we see in our community.

If that leads to embarrassment or even shame, thats OK. The most and meaningful personal growth often comes from discomfort. Its like my brothers punch to the headsome of this is supposed to hurt, and that hurt can be the fuel we need to help make real change.

For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!

Continued here:

Solving the Racism Problem in Outdoors Takes More Than Social Media - Men's Journal

The guests posing for photos at a holiday partyBill Morneau held in his downtown Toronto riding in December 2018 were all smiles, but not everyone was having a good time.

Several former employees of WE Charity have toldCBC News they felt pressured to attend the eventand claimed they were not told by their supervisors that the party would be hosted by the federalfinance minister and MP for Toronto Centre.

"None of us wanted to go,"said a former employee, whom CBC News has agreed to refer to as Robin.

Robin is one of three former WE Charity employees who allege co-founder Marc Kielburger's chief of staff, Jackie Pilon, repeatedly asked them to attend the event on Dec. 13, 2018, even after they told her they'd rather not.

Robin claims Pilon asked them to go after work to "fill the room" and that Pilon described the celebration as though it were a "WE event or a Craig Kielburger event," referring to Kielburger's brother and WE co-founder CraigKielburger.

"[She] kind of kept dancing around any details. It was framed as though this was an event centred around Craig, and Bill Morneau would just happen to be there."

When Robin and nine other colleagues arrived at the party, they were surprised to see anti-pipeline protesters outside the downtown Toronto venue, a former community centre known as The 519 that now houses an event spaceand offices of local organizations.

"This was very much about Bill Morneau, and this was very much for the Liberals," Robin said.

Another former employee who attended the Morneau party says WE paid for staff'sUber rides to the venue and offered to let them come in late the next day.

Morneau's director of communications, Pierre-Olivier Herbert, said Morneau often invites "local community groups to the events he hosts in the riding."

"Bill Morneau also hosts an annual BBQ and an annual holiday party in his riding, which is open to the public. Attendance for these free events is not tracked," Herbert said in a statement.

"The WE organization has not received any invitations to any partisan or political events in Toronto Centre."

Under federal income tax law, registered charities can't use theirresources to support political partiesor candidates, but it's unclear whether the holiday party would qualify as a political function without knowing whether party donations were collected at the event, for example.

In a statement to CBC News, WE called theallegations from the former employeesa "significant mischaracterization of events."

"Based on our records, and to the best of our knowledge, WE Charity and ME to WE social enterprise has never circulated an invitation to staff to attend a political event such as a political rally or political fundraiser," the organization said.

"However, as active members of the local community, WE Charity will participate and/or circulate information to staff about local community events."

CBC agreed not to identify Robin and other former WE employees who participated in this story, because they had all signed non-disclosure agreements with WE that prevent them from speaking out.

However, the former employees say they want Canadians to know more about the international development and youth empowerment charity that attracts rich and powerful supporters such as Morneau and his family, who have donated a total of $100,000.

The Liberals are under fire for possible conflicts of interest involving Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Morneau and WE, the charity organization the federal government chose to administer its student volunteer program, the Canada Student Service Grant.

That agreement was eventually dissolved in the face of public criticismthat the government did not seek other bids, that Trudeau had personal ties to the organization and that several of the prime minister's family members were paid for speaking engagements at WE events.

Neither Trudeau nor Morneau both of whose family members had ties to WE recused themselves from cabinet discussions on awarding the contract, which would have seen WE Charity receive up to $43.5 million to oversee the program.

Testifying before the Commons finance committee on Tuesday, the Kielburger brothers said WE Charity is a non-partisan organization that has worked with federal and provincial governments of all political stripes across Canada.

Trudeau is scheduled to testify before thecommittee on Thursday.

WATCH | Craig Kielburger talks about WE's involvement in the student grant program before the House finance committee:

In July 2017, while travelling in Kenya, Morneau's wife and one of his daughters visitedWE facilities and met with WErepresentatives to learn aboutthe charity's work in the country.

Four months later, on Nov. 9, 2017,Morneau chose WE's Global Learning Centre in Toronto to kick off his public budget consultations, which typically include meetings with a variety of special interest groups across the country.

"The goals of these events is to hear from Canadians about their priorities, ideas and suggestions on what should be included in the next budget," Morneau's spokesperson said of the event.

"The pre-budget consultations hosted by WE were one of many events held with a variety of key stakeholders on issues that matter to Canadians, such as science, innovationand gender equality."

A month after the budget consultation, the Morneau familytravelled with WE to Ecuador.

The finance minister recently reimbursed WE $41,366 for travel expenses from the two trips.

WATCH | Morneauhas facedquestions about possible conflict of interest related to his involvement with WE:

Robin says in retrospect, the employeesshould have said no to Pilon, but in the moment, they felt they had no choice but to attend the riding event.

Robin eventually decided to leave WE Charity, formerly known as Free the Children.

"I didn't have a say in the work we were doing, because the need to please and impress donors takes precedence."

CBCNews contacted 15 former WE employees who, when asked, said it was difficult to challenge the Kielburger brothers and members of their executive team.

One former employee, who also didnot want to be named, said she was afraid she'd be fired or lose out on promotion opportunitiesif she pushed back.

"You have to be ready at a moment's notice and say yes to anything they asked you to do," she said.

In its statement, WE said "it would be an inaccurate representation to use anecdotal information of a very small number of anonymous individuals to reflect WE Charity's workplace culture."

"We regret if any of our 2,000 current and former employees have been made to feel as though they cannot be forthcoming with our leadership team," it said.

The former employees all said they are afraid to speak publicly because they signed non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) as part of their WE employment contracts.

CBC News obtained a copy of one such NDA that forbids staff from disclosing "business and/or personal information about Craig Kielburger, Marc Kielburger" and "any person or company" with which WE "enters a strategic alliance or any other partnering arrangement."

Employment Lawyer Danielle Rawlinson with Monkhouse Law in Toronto reviewed the contract for CBC News. She said it is a standard NDA.

"WE Charity could very well sue these employees if they speak in the media," she said.

James Powell was the global head of branding for both WE Charity and ME to WE, the organization's for-profit arm, before quitting in August 2017. Earlier this month, he posted a video to Instagram demanding WE lawyers release him from his NDAs.

After the video went up, Powell claims, he received messages from hundreds of current and former WE employees who also want to speak out but can't because they, too, are bound by NDAs.

In an interview with CBC News, Powell said the NDAs were "lorded over" WE employees.

"We were constantly reminded ... that we were not allowed to gossip or talk or share anything negatively. And so I'm not comfortable on the record talking about those things. And to me, that's wrong."

Read more here:

WE employees say they were told to attend 2018 holiday party in Bill Morneau's riding - CBC.ca