Daily Archives: December 23, 2021

By Dennis W. Pullin

It was a year ago this week that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine arrived at New Jersey hospitals like a much anticipated holiday miracle.

We had visions of finally ending the unsettling pandemic that had gripped us with fear for the better part of 2020.

With awe and respect for the science that ushered in Americas most historic vaccine drive, we stored the early precious vaccine vials in special freezers and referred to them as liquid gold.

I recall that, in the beginning, securing a vaccine appointment was like scoring seats to the hottest concert or sporting event in town. Our call center phone lines crashed at one point, never designed to accommodate so many people wanting a health appointment at once. It was promising and exhilarating.

As we headed into 2021, we were hopeful to be on our way to stopping the spread of this virus and the unconscionable loss of life.

As I reflect on all that has transpired this past year, I find it well worth pausing to celebrate the countless number of lives that have been saved by the courageous efforts of our health care providers and the remarkable impact of these safe and effective vaccines. For this, we truly can be grateful.

Sadly, however, today we face nearly the same daunting surge of hospitalizations as we did a year ago. Only this time, our health care workers are depleted in numbers and wearier in spirit. Many are asking how it is possible that we have a safe and proven solution to the sickness and death, yet, are still in such a state of alarm. Too many Americans remain unvaccinated and, perhaps worse, unfazed by the consequences of their decision.

The future of the COVID-19 pandemic is in our hands, literally. Its not just about whether health care workers keep showing up or whether most people take the right precautions. The future depends on all of us and what we do collectively for ourselves, for our families, for our colleagues and our communities. Its not an either/or moment; its an all-in-together moment.

I have come to learn that the heartlessness of this virus is that there is no real relief. The virus can endure and keep targeting people. It can change and get stronger. Its here to stay until we decide, through our own actions and sense of collective responsibility, to finally stop it. No one is exempt from COVIDs potential devastation and therefore everyone is vulnerable.

The COVID vaccines have undergone the most intensive safety evaluation in U.S. history. The risk vs. benefit equation is clear, and our best path forward to our new normal or next possible is for each of us to be vaccinated.

I know many are looking forward to the holidays and anticipating fun family gatherings and overdue reunions with friends and colleagues. As you think about finding the best gift to bring, I implore you to think beyond what to get and, instead, consider what to do. Perhaps the greatest present we can give those we love is to show up vaccinated a demonstration of an intentional community-centered, life-saving action.

Lets use this season to rewrite the ending of this public health story once and for all. Roll up your sleeves so you can reach out your arms and embrace the new year with renewed hope in humanity.

Dennis W. Pullin is president and CEO of Virtua Health. To date, the South Jersey health care organization has administered almost half a million COVID-19 vaccine doses.

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A holiday miracle that comes in a vial | Opinion - nj.com

Transformational. Historic. Once in a generation. Thats how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has been framed by leaders across the country, including here in Colorado.

Now that funding is starting to be dispersed to Colorado, if we arent intentional and proactive, this funding could maintain the status quo, or even worse, increase the serious, negative impacts our current transportation system has on public health, access to economic opportunity, and the environment.

Colorados Department of Transportation is set to receive federal funding and plug it into existing avenues, like CDOTs 10-Year Plan, which reads like a menu of transportation proposals where highway projects are the entrees and public transit, biking, and walking improvements are side orders.

READ:Colorado Sun opinion columnists.

Doubling down on highway projects will only make life worse for Coloradans, especially for poor communities and communities of color which are most heavily impacted by air pollution, burdensome household transportation costs, and increased greenhouse gas emissions.

For too long, weve widened Colorados highways on the misguided assumption that one more lane will fix it. The results? More driving, more fatalities on our roads, and more toxic air pollution.

The benefits from the historic investment in transit under the new federal infrastructure law will be overshadowed by the negative impacts of expanded highways unless we choose a different way forward one that will not only decrease the negative impacts of our current transportation system, but also improve Coloradans quality of life and repair communities who have long taken on the heavy burden of these environmental hazards.

We applaud CDOTs recently adopted Greenhouse Gas Pollution Standard Rule and are hopeful that it will make it easier for government agencies to make decisions that represent a fundamental shift in our transportation system to meet the needs of the moment and the needs of the futureequity, climate, and safety.

We have a few ideas about how Colorado can do that.

First, Colorado should ensure that every dollar that is eligible to be used for public transit projects is allocated for it. Programs like the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program, Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality, Highway Safety Improvement Program can fund transit projects and, under limited circumstances, even the National Highway Performance Program can be used for transit.

If we are going to meet the transportation needs of a growing state, increase access to opportunities for low income Coloradans, reduce the number of traffic fatalities and achieve our commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, we must use as much funding as allowable for public transit. Funding new highways moves us in the wrong direction and prevents us from being able to meet those needs and improve the lives of Coloradans.

Next, even though it is not mandated by the infrastructure law, Colorado should commit to a fix-it-first approach with any funding spent on highways.

According to CDOT, more than 100 of Colorados bridges are in disrepair. We must first ensure that our existing infrastructure is safe for people regardless of their choice of transportation. Spending money on new infrastructure while bridges remain in a questionable state of repair all while people walking and biking along CDOTs main streets experience unsafe conditions would be irresponsible, if not negligent.

Lastly, Gov. Polis, CDOT and state leaders should explore opportunities to best capitalize on the momentum from this infusion of federal funding. For this to really be transformational for transportation in Colorado, leaders should consider opportunities at the state level such as providing consistent operating funding for transit agencies and dedicated funding for Indigenous communities to help them build expertise related to transportation and land use so they can take advantage of these new investments. If Indigenous communities are to have a chance to be meaningful contributors to any kind of dialogue with government officials, they first need some relief from the consuming worries of poverty.

The federal infrastructure package includes historic amounts of funding, but where it is spent is what will determine whether its truly a once-in-a-generation opportunity, or whether its just more of the same. Were calling on Gov. Polis and CDOT to think beyond the status quo with this funding. We must get this right in Colorado. Our future depends on it.

Molly McKinley, of Denver, is the policy director of Denver Streets Partnership. Katara Burrola, of Denver, is environmental justice organizer for Mi Familia Vota. Laura Hickernell, of Niwot, is Colorado organizing manager of Mothers Out Front.

The Colorado Sun is a nonpartisan news organization, and the opinions of columnists and editorial writers do not reflect the opinions of the newsroom. Read our ethics policy for more on The Suns opinion policy and submit columns, suggested writers and more to opinion@coloradosun.com.

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Opinion: Shift Colorado's transportation priorities away from asphalt and toward mass transit - The Colorado Sun

I am very aware that we are one of the few, if not the only, queer spaces in this neighborhood, says Erin Detroit Vesey, the chef, owner, and chief community-maker of Detroit Veseys, a new multi-purpose all-day space in the former House of Machines at 2028 E. 7th Street. I dont think it was intentional to be the only queer space in the Arts District, it was just how things ended up.

Throughout a sprawling conversation with Vesey at her new restaurant, event location, and community-centered gathering space in the Arts District, topics wind from Veseys work with the cycling non-profit event Aids LifeCycle (a multi-day charity ride that rolls from San Francisco to Los Angeles) to mocktails, drag shows, and Valley pizza parlors. One theme runs through it all: this is just how things ended up. Vesey has spent a lifetime in the restaurant industry, working mostly at mid-level spots from Lincoln in Pasadena to Dune to Silver Lakes Mixto, and feels a deep and personal connection to several different core LA communities, including cycling. Vesey is also queer, and sober, two groups underserved by the hospitality community at large in Los Angeles. I thought it might be cool to mash all of those things I love into once space, says Vesey, adding with a laugh: And it seems like there is a need for it outside of my own personal gain.

Both [cycling and queer] cultures have specific times where you often go and do things, says Vesey, who had spent loads of time at the former House of Machines before the pandemic, ending cycling rides with friends and taking in evening shows. I wanted to figure out how to make that work for an all-day, sober situation. On November 28, the first-time owner/operator formally kicked open the doors, offering a mostly breakfast and lunch menu filled with staple LA options like a breakfast burrito (available vegan), a burger, and a fried chicken sandwich. There are nods to Detroit as a dining town too, like Sanders chocolate, cheese curds, and Faygo sodas, and plans to install a new alcohol license to serve cocktails next year alongside quality mocktails and other non-alcoholic drinks for the sober crowd, of course. But ultimately, Vesey knows, her restaurant is less about the food and more about the people who will inhabit it. Opening a restaurant like this... anybody can make this menu. I want to offer space for people to feel comfortable, and not like theyre being judged for not being queer enough, or sober enough, or too sober, or they dont ride the right kind of bike.

To that end, Detroit Veseys large space will offer a variety of programming options in the coming months, from indoor bike parking and cafe tables for laptoppers to down espresso while answering emails to live music events, art exhibitions, and drag shows. Daily bike rides and weekend drag brunches are also planned for 2022, as is a supper club for unhoused youth in Downtown. Itll be a private, sliding-scale meal, says Vesey, and well work with a nonprofit to provide [unhoused youth] with an outfit and a meal for the night. Pre-pandemic, Vesey never planned to have or to be leading any of this. Its just how things ended up.

Detroit Veseys has already been open a month or so, though its garnered almost none of the attention of big-name projects like the incoming Yangban Society around the corner or Guerrilla Tacos at the end of the block. Vesey says shes fine with that; the slower roll-out has allowed her to meet people individually, to grow with her customers while finding her footing as an owner, an overseer, and a gatherer of people and ideas. Most people arent from those communities, says Vesey, theyre just from the neighborhood or whatever. But I think that just being welcoming to people is helpful. Maybe its giving them an experience that they havent had, whether its a sober experience or a queer experience. A colorful mural on the side of the building, painted by friend Nathan Rapport, may offer some sense of the businesss queer connection from the outside, says Vesey, but its not about being any one singular thing, or having any one cultural focus.

The proof is in the pudding, says Vesey. I can talk about community all I want, but until you show up and experience it youre not going to know. I just have to show people that we really are for anyone who walks through the door.

Detroit Veseys is now open at 2028 E. 7th Street in the Arts District, keeping daily hours from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Monday-Tuesday) or 9 p.m. (Wednesday through Sunday).

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Detroit Vesey's Is a New Kind of Inclusive Space For Los Angeles - Eater LA

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The City of Tucson was named one of 60 finalists in the U.S. Economic Development Administrations (EDA) Build Back Better Regional Challenge. More than 500 applicants from across the country competed for the Phase One funding of $500,000.

The award is a required first step in the competition for additional funding of up to $100 million in Phase Two. The City of Tucson is the lead applicant in a regional collaboration of under-coordinated industries to create the next growth cluster to serve our arid regionsustainable agriculture, water resources, and clean energy. The Southern Arizona Coalition for Climate Adaptation and Resilience is the embodiment of Mayor Romeros vision for a national epicenter of climate adaptability. The White House is looking at Tucson and Southern Arizona to lead on climate and equity. This grant funding can seed our future if we think regionally, said Mayor Romero.

Congressman Raul Grijalva stated, The City of Tucson is leading the way for a sustainable future. This project will create good-paying jobs for working people and help us tackle the growing threat of climate change. I am proud to support this coalition and their efforts to make our community more equitable, competitive and resilient.

EDA challenged applicants to create a significant regional partnership that would bring together a variety of organizations, both public and private, to identify a strategy for developing and supporting industry-sector growth unique to the region. Applicants were also required to demonstrate a commitment to equity and inclusion in their proposals. The Citys initial proposal included support from 11 coalition members, 9 municipalities, tribal governments, 22 industry partners and countless additional regional assets conclusively demonstrating that now is the time to leverage momentum, gather joint resources, and make a transformative moonshot to propel our regional economy, and environment, in a new direction. The proposals unique value proposition is in its existing collection of assets, intentional equity-based framework, and the development of a reproducible model for communities to organize around climate challenges at an international scale.

Barbra Coffee, the citys director of Economic Initiatives thinks this is what made the Southern Arizona Coalition proposal stand out. We took the equity framework requirement very seriously when considering our approach, said Coffee. Rather than simply suggest projects that a small coalition of partners thought might be beneficial to the entire region, we decided to create a process to allow widespread community participation in the identification of and selection of the projects that will ultimately be outlined in the Phase Two proposal for funding.

Phase Two proposals will be due in March and must outline implementation plans for 3 to 8 projects that support the industry sector. The coalitions proposal identified five components in which projects would be supported that have the potential to create jobs, increase wages, reduce unemployment in vulnerable communities, and attract high-growth industries. Each one of the primary coalition members will coordinate the review of project proposals from the community in the areas of:

Equity partners also include the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance, and Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area.

This was truly a regional collaboration, said Startup Tucson CEO Liz Pocock. It was amazing to see partners in our region move so quickly to come together around a shared goal in order to start this conversation. As we move forward, we plan to broaden the dialogue even more so that others currently working in these areas, or that want to work in these areas, can join the efforts and the programs can impact communities that have experienced the hardships of a pandemic and decades of disinvestment.

The University of Arizona is proud to partner with the City of Tucson and other members of the coalition to support use-inspired research, development, and innovation within Southern Arizona. And as the states designated land grant university, we look forward to working within our community on such a timely economic development award, said Elizabeth Betsy Cantwell, senior vice president of research and innovation at the University of Arizona. Tucson is the epitome of a resilient community, and we have tremendous assets that we can leverage to bring quality jobs to Southern Arizona.

For more information on the Southern Arizona Coalition for Climate Adaptation & Resilience, go to ConnectTucson.com and sign up to receive future notifications of meetings and important deadlines.

About the City of Tucson Office of Economic Initiatives

The City of Tucson Office of Economic Initiatives coordinates the Citys economic development programs for the purpose of attracting jobs and investment to the City of Tucson. It also offers local small business and entrepreneurial assistance and encourages workforce development to foster a long-term sustainable and diverse local economy. For more information or to contact the Office of Economic Initiatives, visit ConnectTucson.com.

About Startup Tucson

Startup Tucson is 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to transform our regions economy through entrepreneurship and education. Startup Tucson executes this mission by providing education and culture-building programs and events to grow a high-impact entrepreneurial and innovative ecosystem. You can find information about the organization here http://www.startuptucson.com. For questions or comments, please reach out to Liz Pocock directly at liz@startuptucson.com.

About the University of Arizona

The University of Arizona, a land-grant university with two independently accredited medical schools, is one of the nations top 50 public universities, according to U.S. News & World Report. Established in 1885, the university is widely recognized as a student-centric university and has been designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education. The university ranked in the top 20 in 2019 in research expenditures among all public universities, according to the National Science Foundation, and is a leading Research 1 institution with $734 million in annual research expenditures. The university advances the frontiers of interdisciplinary scholarship and entrepreneurial partnerships as a member of the Association of American Universities, the 66 leading public and private research universities in the U.S. It benefits the state with an estimated economic impact of $4.1 billion annually. For the latest on the University of Arizona response to the novel coronavirus, visit the universitys COVID-19 webpage.

About the EDA Build Back Better Regional Challenge:

The Build Back Better Regional Challenge is one of EDAs many programs aimed at building strong regional economies and supporting community-led economic development. EDA was allocated $3 billion in supplemental funding under the American Rescue Plan to assist communities nationwide in their efforts to build back better by accelerating economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and building local economies that will be resilient to future economic shocks. For more information about EDAs American Rescue Plan programs, visit http://www.eda.gov/ARPA/.

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City of Tucson Awarded Phase One Build Back Better Challenge Grant from the Economic Development Administration - Signals AZ

The Soul City Community Market is hosting a holiday-themed bazaar Saturdayfrom 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to encourage shopping with local small businesses this holiday season.

Vendors will be selling a range of products including body oils, candles and crafts and live entertainment will be provided by singer/guitarist Xavier Sumter. Vendors include Just Unwind, Tubbys Taste, Ms.Ps Gluten Free, Thank God 4 Raw Vegan Treats and Balm Yard.

The bazaar is a way of bringing people to Chicago Avenue to let them know what is to come and to build a stable presence within the community, said Mel Newman, onsite manager for the Soul City Community Market.

Soul City Community Market was birthed from a collaboration between Liz Abunaw, owner ofForty Acres Fresh Market, and Morris Reed, CEO ofWest Side Health Authority.

The building, a former Salvation Army, was acquired by Morris and Abunaw in 2020 and will become Forty Acresfull-service grocery storeby the end of 2022. In the interim, the space at 5713 W. Chicago Ave. has been made available for local businesses to come in and sell their products via the Soul City Community Market.

The idea behind it is during the summer months, we usually have farmers markets where all of these different resources are available to the community to come out and support local businesses but also to buy products at a lower cost, said Jaidalyn Rand, director of public health initiatives at Westside Health Authority.

So the idea was for us to use this space, because right now its just an empty space until renovation begins, to expand outdoor farmers markets indoors.

Beyond the holiday season, small businesses in Austin, a community that has survivedyears of disinvestment, are in great need of patronage from residents of Austin and beyond.

A stronger economic network can be built when dollars circulate within a community, said Tina Augustus, executive director of the Austin Chamber of Commerce.

That will require taking out the time to research and see who are the small business owners, minority business owners [in the community] Its all about being intentional with how you shop, Augustus said.

According to theAustin Quality of Life Plan, published in 2018, $159.5 million gets spent outside of Austin by local residents on retail and food.

Dedicated Austin small business owners and community leaders are working to change that.

Typically, small businesses spend their money locally, so theres a compounding impact. If you buy from a local shop, theyre also likely buying from local suppliers local vendors using locally -based business services, Abunaw said.

On top of that, sales tax is very real, and a portion of sales tax stays where its spent. So purchasing locally also helps fund your local municipality just by something you do every day anyway, your normal consumption patterns.

Supporting local businesses is also a way to bring community members together through casual interactions.

Your local businesses are more than just transactional, theyre where you see your neighbors, theyre where you run into your acquaintances, where you run into coworkers. That act of people just pinging off each other creates far more cohesive communities and that all comes with local shopping, said Abunaw.

The holiday bazaar will be Soul City Community Markets last event of the year but there will be weekly food-focused markets starting January 8th.

In addition to the vendors that will be present at the bazaar, here is a list of local businesses to consider supporting this holiday season and beyond:

Avanti Elegant Boutique

Bitoys Sweet Treats

Chicago Eats Sports Bar

Chubbys Char House

Forty Acres Fresh Market

Gone Again Travel and Tours

L & E Vienna

L. May Creations private event space

MacArthurs Restaurant

Maverick Leather LLC Handcrafted leather dog accessories

Naimah Thomas greeting cards, mugs, Afro-centric works

NuBginNs Natural Hair and Wellness Center

Schweet homemade Chicago cheesecake

The Flower Pot & Basket Shop

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Support local businesses this holiday and beyond - AustinTalks

Dr. Pam Hedgpeth Executive Director, Greater Ozarks Cooperating School Districts| Springfield News-Leader

Public school educators are currently caught in a game of political football, despite the fact that their tireless work is nonpartisan. These professionals are focused on educating children while caring for their health and safety during an ongoing pandemic.

Unfortunately, recent political games are leaving school districts with impossible choices, deepening divisions within our communities and prompting distractions to the learning process. We must call out the political gamesmanship for what it represents: a thinly veiled attack on the very foundation of public education.

I am honored to lead the Greater Ozarks Cooperating School Districts (GOCSD), which represents 75 school districts and over 125,000 students in southwest Missouri. GOCSD is striving to help community leaders, politicians and other patrons to be intentional in recognizing and valuing the work of public schools.

Schools in southwest Missouri are the hub of our communities, providing a sense of enormous pride. Most educators chose this great profession because of their passion for supporting children. They need our support, and they deserve to be celebrated.

For the first time in my 40-year career, I worry for the future of public education. Sadly, the current toxic climate is beginning to weigh on many of our dedicated educators. A recent survey indicates half of teachers in Missouri have considered leaving the profession.

More: Greene County health leaders urge masks in schools after Missouri's attorney general orders to stop mandates

Unfortunately, teacher salaries in our state remain among the lowest in the country while ongoing litigation, edicts and unrealistic expectations undermine the work. This perfect storm is harming the effort to retain professionals and recruit a new generation of educators.

Last week, the attorney generals letter instructed schools to no longer rely on local public health authorities for guidance. That letter challenges the local control of school boards to make the best decisions for their communities. Public health agencies have unique expertise that schools have long tapped to ensure students and staff are safe from contagious and infectious disease.

Our school leaders and school boards, working in collaboration with local health officials, have demonstrated a commonsense approach to educational policymaking and have a proven record of success. Our children need our school leaders/boards and health experts to work together to make the best local decisions.

More: Local health departments in Missouri halt 'all COVID-19 work' after court ruling, AG letter

In the midst of a novel coronavirus, educators remain focused on maintaining a safe learning environment, ensuring students are prepared for college and/or a career. Thousands of southwest Missouri educators go above and beyond to meet the most basic needs of students, providing the food, clothingand emotional support that are essential to learning. This is the beauty of public education.

Now is the time for friends of public schools to become more vocal. We need to send a clear message of support and denounce the recent divisive actions and rhetoric, which make it more difficult to educate children. We must not be intimidated into silencebut, rather, boldly share support for our local public schools. Far too much is at stake.

Dr. Pam Hedgpeth is the executive director ofGreater Ozarks Cooperating School Districts.

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Opinion: Friends of public education, its time to speak up - News-Leader

Federal and state authorities announced Tuesday that the female monk seal found dead near Molokais Kawela Stream on Sept. 10 was killed by a bullet wound to the head and theyre seeking the publics help to find who killed her.

That seal, known as L11, was about a year old and known for her playful and curious nature, one local conservationist said. She was also one of at least three of the critically endangered animals that were intentionally killed by humans on Molokai in 2021, according to the authorities.

Make no mistake, the killings of L11 and two other monk seals by blunt-force trauma in April were evil, despicable acts perpetrated against an endangered animal in its own natural habitat, said Jason Redulla, chief of the states Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement.

Someone has information whether they know it or not, he added.

In all, nine of the endangered animals were found dead on the Friendly Isle this year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. A 10th died in May 2020. Officials deemed the cause of death for five of those seals on Molokai inconclusive because their carcasses were either too badly decomposed when found or were swept out to sea.

Nonetheless, NOAA officials say they suspect several of the seals in those inconclusive cases were intentionally killed by humans as well, and the investigations remain open.

Since 2009, some 15 monk seals were confirmed to have been killed intentionally by humans in Hawaii, all on the islands of Molokai and Kauai, according to Angela Amlin, the Hawaiian monk seal recovery coordinator with NOAAs National Marine Fisheries Service.

In recent years at least four seals have died from gunshots including a pregnant female, according to a NOAA fact sheet.

Its unclear whether theres been an increase in the intentional killings in recent years because authorities have also received more alerts on monk seals from a growing number of volunteer networks and from a NOAA statewide hotline, Amlin said Tuesday.

The animals, which are endemic to Hawaii, also face peril from toxoplasmosis, a disease that originates in cat feces, and from fishing hooks and nets. There have been 15 confirmed monk seal deaths from toxoplasmosis alone since 2001 and probably many more, Amlin added.

Overall there are about 1,400 monk seals across the Hawaiian archipelago, including some 300 to 350 of them in the main islands.

Their numbers in the wild have seen some modest gains in recent years about 2% annual growth between 2013 and 2019. Amlin said data collection on the species wasnt as sharp in 2020 due to Covid-19, and the data for 2021 isnt yet available.

Still, a NOAA press release on Tuesday called the intentional killings of the animals devastating to the recovery of this population.

We are committed to engaging with partners and community members to exchange information and support protection of natural resources and cultural traditions on Molokai, the release added.

Todd Yamashita, Molokai operations manager for the nonprofit Hawaii Marine Animal Response, said via text Tuesday that there's been active "disinformation" campaigns on the island to convince locals that seals are "stealing" their fish and that they have the right to stop any animal that gets in the way of that.

The seals consume relatively small amounts of food in a given area and the majority of their hunting occurs far offshore, Yamashita said. "The idea that seals are taking fish off our table is just as misplaced as saying that sharks are eating all the fish in the ocean. It's simply untrue."

Amlin added that the intentional killings are not broadly reflective of the Molokai and Kauai communities that have deep-rooted traditions of stewardship.

Molokai is home to roughly 70 monk seals and sees at least a dozen seal births each year -- the most of any of the Main Hawaiian Islands, according to Yamashita.

Redulla said that the investigations into monk seal killings are especially difficult because the animals really dont have any way to tell us how they got killed except for the evidence thats found at the scene.

NOAA thanked Hawaii Marine Animal Response, which aims to rescue and protect monk seals, and state authorities for recovering L11s carcass quickly and in sufficient condition to determine what killed her. A NOAA release says a bullet fragment was found in association with evidence of severe, lethal trauma. NOAA is awaiting test results to see if L11 had any diseases, but does not expect the results to change.

Killing monk seals is a state and federal crime with a punishment of up to five years in prison under state law alone, Redulla said.

Authorities encouraged anyone with information about the deaths of monk seals to contact NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement hotline at 800-853-1964 or the DOCARE hotline at 808-643-DLNR (3567). They can also use the DLNRTip app on their phones.

"This is a very sad and difficult time -- to know that one of our people here on Molokai would choose to hurt these critically endangered animals," said Yamashita, a fourth-generation resident of the rural island.

Civil Beat reporter Brittany Lyte contributed to this story.

Civil Beat's coverage of Maui County is supported in part by a grant from the Nuestro Futuro Foundation.

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Endangered Monk Seal Died Of Gunshot Wound To The Head, Authorities Say - Honolulu Civil Beat

Hank Willis Thomas, All Power to All People (2020).

When Percy Ricks reached out to the Delaware Art Museum searching for a location to host the revolutionary exhibition he was curating, he didnt even receive the courtesy of a return call. Not only was the museums answer no, it was delivered with an insulting dismissal at his even imagining to exist on its level.

Big mistake.

That was 1971.

Ricks was Black.

The Delaware Art Museum was white, its brick exterior disguising its white insides: a white director, white board and white curators representing white patrons looking at white artists in a white neighborhood.

Ricks would have to settle on the Wilmington Armory to host his show.

What a show it was.

Black artists who had achieved recognition and would go on to become icons of American artRomare Bearden, Sam Gilliam, Los Mailou Jones, Faith Ringgold, Alma Thomas, Hale Woodruffwere joined by up-and-coming Black artists as well as local Black artistsHumbert Howard, Simmie Knox, Edward Loper, Sr., and Edward Loper, Jr.

Photograph of Delilah Pierce, Alma Thomas, and Dorothy B. Porter with Larry Erskine Thomass ... [+] AfricaThe Source during Afro-American Images 1971 opening, Wilmington Armory, Delaware, 1971.

Ricks (19232008) mined his deep connections across the artistic community to assemble an exhibition which proved broadly representative of African American creativity circa 1970. From Washington, D.C. where he was born and educated at Howard University, to Philadelphia where he earned a graduate degree at Tyler School of Art and exhibited his own work, to New York where he earned a second graduate degree at Columbia Universitys Teachers College and established a friendship with a pillar of the Black art community there, Bearden, Ricks brought artists working in a variety of styles, across various media, exploring a range of content together under one roof.

His guiding philosophy for Afro-American Images 1971 was a purposeful commitment that the exhibition be organized by the recommendation of those who are totally involved and committed to the Black art community, particularly the artists themselves in his words.

On the 50th anniversary of the show, the Delaware Art Museum makes amends for its historic snub by presenting Afro-American Images 1971: The Vision of Percy Ricks, a restaging of the exhibit.

Presenting Afro-American Images 1971: The Vision of Percy Ricks cannot right the countless wrongs the Delaware Art Museum committed in the past, but it is an essential first step in publicly acknowledging its past, the role it played in upholding institutional racism and its exclusion of so many people and stories, Margaret Winslow, Curator of Contemporary Art, Delaware Art Museum, told Forbes.com.

The show has been rehung as accurately as possible to its original version. Fifty-eight of the 66 artists participating in the 1971 exhibition have items on view here, including some of the exact same pieces.

Percy Ricks with painting c. 1970. Unknown photographer.

Wilmingtons Black community was staggered in 1971. Martin Luther King, Jr. had been assassinated in 1968. The frustration of mourners who took to the streets remembering him evolved into two-days of unrest, looting and vandalism.

That uprising resulted in a nine-month occupation of the 40% Black population city by the National Guard, the longest military occupation of a U.S. city since the Civil War. Another racist page from American history largely ignored.

It was against this backdrop that Ricks formed Aesthetic Dynamics, Inc., a local organization supporting Black artists in the community. Afro-American Images 1971 would be the first major undertaking for the organization which persists to this day and partnered with the Delaware Art Museum in presenting the rebooted show.

The Delaware Art Museums institutional racism led to an incomplete understanding of this moment in history, Winslow said of the museums refusal to host the show. We can gain much in acknowledging that and exploring what other work needs to be done.

The Museums other work to correct its historical biases has included years of serious research, publications, visual and performing arts commissions, and exhibitions centering the diverse stories of our citys contemporary art history, Winslow remarked, adding, internally, these changes have led to an intentional centering of diverse local perspectives throughout the Museums galleries and a practice of seeking guidance from community partners and advisory committees.

Black Orpheus, 1969, Humbert Howard (19051992). Oil and collage on Masonite , 49 3/4 40 inches. ... [+] Delaware Art Museum, Gift of Dr. John E. and Carol Hunt, 2009.

Afro-American Images 1971: The Vision of Percy Ricks comes as the result of seven years of research at the Museum along with input from a committee of dedicated and knowledgeable community advisors and the work of current and former Aesthetic Dynamics members.

It is the work that the Museum must do to ensure that it supports its community, celebrates its creativity, and preserves those histories for future generations to ensure the wrongs of the past are not perpetuated today, Winslow said.

Anecdotally, the Museums efforts appear to be working. Winslow recounts the recent remarks from a longtime school partner on changes she has seen during student tours.

In the beginning, students liked the art, but couldnt connect with it. Now, the artwork they see looks like art they can do. The people in the art look like people they know. The stories seem like their grandparents stories. They can see themselves, Winslow recalled being told, adding that the partner shared, the most important thing the Museum is doing is listening.

These comments reflect the Museums progress in centering center diverse voices in special exhibitions, within the permanent collection galleries and in Museum programs.

There remains much work to be done to respond to our history of exclusion and create a more equitable Museum. This work requires a continued commitment to address and overthrow systems and power structures rooted in inequity, deep engagement with our Black audiences, shared authority, and responsiveness to our community's interests and needs, Winslow said. Ricks' legacy offers a model for honoring the rich diversity of our local artists, learning from the expertise of our communities, and assessing our history of exclusion to shape a more inclusive future.

How does the show, on view through January 21, 2022, hold up 50 years on?

It feels as inspiring and relevant today as it must have 50 years ago! Winslow said. Indeed, the word used most often by visitors to describe how they feel after seeing the exhibition is inspired.

Coby Kennedy Kalief Browder: The Box (2021).

Four contemporary art superstars, Black artists who took inspiration from and stand on the shoulders of the historic artists featured in Afro-American Images 1971, now have major public installations on view in Philadelphia, 30 miles north of Wilmington.

The Monumental Tour, an exhibition empowering social change through the arts, puts Arthur Jafa, Coby Kennedy, Christopher Myers and Hank Willis Thomas in a group exhibition through January 31, 2022.

The works call attention to each artists distinct visual voice and simultaneously they engage with one another in a curated discourse, Marsha Reid, the director of Kindred Arts which has produced the exhibition, told Forbes.com. Collectively, the works honor and examine aspects of the African American experience, from the first slaves brought over in the 16th century to the present-day prison pipeline and the struggle for liberation in between. Individually, the sculptures invite the viewer to consider themes such as colonization, oppression, privilege, Black middle-class labor, and the decline of industry, Black pride, Black power, Black joy and subjugation.

Reid carefully considered public sites along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Delaware River Waterfront to place each artwork. For Kalief Browder: The Box, she chose Thomas Paine Plaza.

Directly facing City Hall, the building and plaza have been a historic backdrop to life in Philly for more than half a century. Most recently, citizens protested and demanded the removal of a polarizing larger-than-life statue of Frank Rizzo, Mayor of Philadelphia, former police commissioner and an overt symbol of white police officers' brutal treatment of black people and other minorities, she explained. It was fitting that the first monument to inhabit this site since Rizzos removal is Coby Kennedys protest piece. The work is a critique of the gross abuses of civil liberties found in the carceral systems.

Each site throughout Philadelphias Center City where artworks have been placed is highly visible.

Directly adjacent to the magnificent Central Branch of The Free Library of Philadelphia was Shakespeare Parka resplendent oval that was a perfect debut site for Christopher Myers piece Caliban's Hands, Reid said. The title references a character from Shakespeare's Tempest. Many consider the play an allegory of European colonization.

Christopher Myers, Caliban's Hands (2020).

Monumental Tour sites are free to visit.

Hank Willis Thomas: All Power to All People. Eakins Oval, 2451 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19130

Christopher Myers: Calibans Hands. Shakespeare Park, Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19130

Coby Kennedy: Kalief Browder, The Box. Thomas Paine Plaza, 1401 John F Kennedy Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19102

Arthur Jafa: Big Wheel IV. Cherry Street Pier, 121 North Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Located within walking distance of all of these locations except for the Cherry Street Pieras well as the Barnes Foundation, the Rodin Museum and the Philadelphia Museum of Artthe Logan Hotel places guests directly in the heart of the citys cultural district and amongst its collection of almost 2,000 artworks created by local artists making it the ideal accommodation for time spent in Philadelphia.

Read more here:

Black Artists, Then And Now, On View In Wilmington, Delaware And Philadelphia - Forbes

A coalition of education groups is pushing forward with efforts to increase the number of educators of color working in the nations public schools, with the goal of adding 1 million teachers and 30,000 leaders of color to the workforce by 2030.

It is a very bold, audacious goal, and were all excited about being associated with [it], said Javaid E. Siddiqi, the president and CEO of the North Carolina-based Hunt Institute, the organization leading the effort.

The One Million Teachers of Color campaign, launched in February, got a financial boost last month from The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative as part of a $9 million round of funding by the philanthropy to groups working on educator diversity initiatives and supporting educators and communities of color.

In addition to the Hunt Institute and the teacher-effectiveness group TNTP, the coalition includes the Center for Black Educator Development, The Education Trust, Latinos for Education, Men of Color in Educational Leadership, Teach Plus, and New Leaders.

The coalitions effort comes as the growth in the number of students of color outpaces the percentage of teachers and leaders of color in public schoolswhile 54 percent of students are nonwhite, 80 percent of teachers and 78 percent of principals are white. Research shows the benefits of educators of color on all students, but also, in particular, on students and teachers of color of the same race.

It improves their lives beyond just high schoolthis is about improving their longer-term outcomes, said Tequilla Brownie, the executive vice president of strategy, policy, and community coalitions at TNTP, one of the anchor organizations on the campaign. Its not a nice to have. The data is pretty unassailable ... that having access to more diverse teachers means students will have better outcomes, both short term and long term.

But getting there requires a dramatic shift in how the federal government, states, and districts approach the issue, Brownie said.

While the percentage of school leaders and teachers of color have increased in the last decade and a half, it has not kept up with the rising enrollment of students of color.

Unfortunately, right now, our policies have led us to a place where we have mostly white teachers and more diverse students, said Brownie, who will become TNTPs executive director next month.

The strategies target the federal and state governments, as well as higher education and school districts.

The campaigns success will hinge a lot on what will happen in statehouses and governors mansions over the next few years. With 36 upcoming gubernatorial elections, the Hunt Institute, for instance, is preparing for briefings and meetings with gubernatorial candidates on both sides of the aisle on the importance of a diverse educator workforceespecially amid a teacher shortage.

The goal is to get the data to the candidates and create individualized playbooks to address the issue on the state and district levelsas well as the implicationsin each of those states, Siddiqi said. The coalition partners are hoping that the governors will commit to producing a share of the one million teachers and 30,000 leaders of color over the next decade.

Additionally, he said, the efforts of North Carolinas DRIVE Taskforce can serve as a blueprint for how governors can take the lead in promoting education workforce diversity.

Working with the Hunt Institute, Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, convened the task force two years ago of stakeholders, including parents, educators, university representatives and government officials, to identify ways to diversify the states education workforce. (DRIVE stands for Developing a Representative and Inclusive Vision for Education).

So, he is on message, said Siddiqi. Imagine if every governor ... every time theyre talking about education, they were talking about this.

The power of a governor and legislature to significantly shape who is teaching in the classrooms or sitting in principals offices goes beyond raising awareness.

Tennessee, for example, adopted a new policy this year requiring districts to create educator diversity goals and update the state education department annually about the progress theyre making against those benchmarks.

State regulatory agencies also can review and revise certification and licensure requirements that often keep people of color from entering education. State legislatures also can adopt policies, such as student loan forgiveness programs, that incentivize teachers to stay in the profession and help districts diversify their pipelines.

TNTP, which has long championed the creation of an effective teaching workforce, sees diversity as going hand in hand with that goal, Brownie said.

Effectiveness means diverse and effective; so they are not two separate priorities. An effective workforce is a diverse workforce, she said.

Jean Desravines, the executive director of New Leaders, a New York City-based school leadership preparation program, argues that states and districts can see teacher shortages as an opportunity to diversify the workforce.

The goal here is not to say that we want to replace existing white leaders, said Desravines, whose group is the only one in the coalition that focuses exclusively on school leadership. Rather, it is: We have attrition through retirement and people transitioning out, we have to be more intentional about building a more diverse pipeline.

The coalition also wrote to the Biden administration earlier this year to urge that educator diversity be a priority in the administration.

If its a stated priority in a federal administration, we can expect to see funding dollars steered toward incentives and programs like removing financial barriers, for example, which is cited as one of the causes and contributors to our inability to diversify the workforce, Brownie said. We can also think about incentives to states as they set policies and priorities around trying to diversify the workforce.

The campaign also is providing technical assistance to states and districts to make progress on their stated diversity goals, Brownie said.

Organizations like TNTP offer alternative certification programs that get more people of color into the pipeline. And grow-your-own programs aimed at students and para-professionals and school support staffwho tend to come from more diverse backgrounds than teacherscan also help districts increase the numbers of people of color in their schools. Recruiting from the broader community is also an economic investment in the communities in which students live, she said.

But to do all of that, districts need a targeted, comprehensive HR policy that not only articulates a diverse workforce as a priority, but also details the steps necessary to accomplish those goals, she said. And those efforts have to include equal emphasis on creating a culture that encourages and supports the retention of teachers of color, who have a higher turnover rate than their white peers.

It doesnt happen by accident, Brownie said, so, paying attention to where you are recruiting from, looking at which districts and how districts are partnering with higher ed [institutions]... Its not just symbolic. It helps them identify where they are getting more diverse, effective candidates from and they can therefore be more intentional about partnering with those programs.

See the rest here:

'Bold, Audacious Goal': Coalition Pushes to Add More Than 1 Million Educators of Color - Education Week

This is part of aseries of regular updatesthat Vice President for Equity and Inclusion Mara Pabn Gautier sends to the campus community.

Dear St. Olaf Community,

Do not be daunted by the enormity of the worlds grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it. the Talmud

As we approach the close of 2021, I found myself reflecting on all the work we did this year and all the exciting work we have ahead of us. We started the year full of hope and caution as we grappled with our current realities and engaged in the change we wanted to see. As a college, this year showed us that we are stronger together. I was humbled by the hands that helped hold the work up and pushed it with the strength that only people who care and are invested have.

I decided to dedicate this update to highlighting some of the great work that happened this last year. This is just a big-picture highlight of some of the DEI work. It does not include the individual work happening in departments, offices, centers, and student organizations. I will continue to highlight that work in the updates to come, but I didnt want to miss the opportunity to thank you for your support and engagement. You did justly, loved mercifully, and walked humbly.

2021: A Year of Change and ConnectionCo-Creating an Inclusive Community Initiative. This year we launched the Co-Creating an Inclusive Community Initiative that aims to engage students, staff, and faculty in working together to envision and create a more inclusive St. Olaf: one in which people of all identities experience connection, belonging, and agency.

Hostile Terrain 94 (HT94). Our students launched the HT94 exhibition after spending more than a year working on filling out toe tags and educating the community. Hostile Terrain 94 is a participatory art project sponsored and organized by the Undocumented Migration Project (UMP), a nonprofit research-art-education-media collective directed by anthropologist Jason De Len.

Pop-Up Barbershop. The barbershop made its debut in October. A group of student-athletes from Oles Against Inequality, or OAI, came up with the idea. The students, many of whom are students of color, saw the need for barbers who know how to cut different hair textures. The project has already gained outside attention, including a feature story on Minnesota Public Radio.

Professional Development and Learning Opportunities. At the beginning of the year we heard loud and clear that we needed more targeted and intentional opportunities to develop as well as opportunities to have dialogue about areas of diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism (DEIA). Therefore, we provided different opportunities to learn and exchange ideas. Below are a few of those opportunities.

Improvements to Communication. One of the biggest challenges of doing DEIA work is to make sure that we do it authentically, timely, and we communicate throughout the process. This year we made several changes to increase transparency and improve how we communicate around areas of DEIA with our campus community. Among some of the changes are:

George Floyd Fellowship for Social Change. The George Floyd Fellowship directly supports the advancement of Black American students. Students participating in the fellowship will work toward improving the collective experience of marginalized communities, with a focus on advancement of social justice and equity. This year the first George Floyd cohort graduated, advancing a diverse array of social issues.

Council on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The Council worked arduously this year to refresh their mission, outcomes, and engagement with the work of inclusion at the College. We welcomed new members and actively worked in improving transparency about the meetings and efforts.

Climate Surveys and Studies. Understanding the campus climate is a crucial part of engaging in change. Our students participated for the first time in the National Assessment of Collegiate Campus Climates (NACCC) survey. The survey was administered as part of our membership in LACRELA and measures the racial climate on our campus. In addition to measuring student climate, we conducted a BIPOC staff study to understand the racial climate that our BIPOC staff were experiencing at the College (a junior BIPOC faculty study was done in 2020).

To Include is To Excel. This year To Include is To Excel, a four-year, $800,000 initiative funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, came to a close and we celebrated the accomplishments, work done, and excitement for the work that needs to be done.

Diversity in the Workplace Student Workers Training. This is a new DEI initiative sponsored by the Taylor Center, the Piper Center, the Vice President for Human Resources, and the Vice President for Equity and Inclusion. This initiative supports St. Olafs commitment to create an equitable and inclusive community, and gives students perspectives and skills that they can use both on campus and in their work after graduation.

Review of Review Working Groups. The Faculty Governance Committee and the Provosts Office invited faculty this summer to address both external and internal recommendations of the colleges tenure and promotion process, with special emphasis on its effect on early career BIPOC faculty members. Three working groups were formed (Assessments of Teaching, Statements of Significant Scholarship and Artistic Work, and Advocacy), and each group developed a report of areas that need to be addressed during 2021-22 academic year.

Social Justice Award. This year we established the inaugural Social Justice Award to recognize an individual faculty member or group who has made an outstanding contribution to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism at St. Olaf.

Academic Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force. In consultation with the faculty, the Academic DEI Task Force will:

Ole Core. First-year students engaged for the first time this fall with the new Ole Core Curriculum. This new Ole Core responds to the request of students and faculty to be more intentional about integrating discussions and conversations around DEIA. One of the many changes of the new Ole Core is adding a power and race requirement where students gain knowledge of how race and ethnicity can contribute to inequality in contemporary U.S. society, and how these forms of inequality intersect with other social characteristics and institutions such as gender, religion, sexual orientation, social class, and the environment.

Student Support Services for Students with Disabilities (SSSD). SSSD is a brand new, federally funded TRIO college retention program serving 100 students per year. SSSD helps students with disabilities develop the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue and successfully complete a college education by helping them focus on academic and personal development.

Assistant Director of Retention and Success. Although our student retention numbers are strong, we know that we can do better. This year we created a new position, Assistant Director of Retention and Success, to help us think more intentionally about retention, especially across students with marginalized identities.

St. Olaf Orientation to Academics and Resources (SOAR). SOAR was launched for all first-year students in the fall of 2021. SOAR provides an extended orientation for all students in their first year to equip them with the knowledge and tools to be successful at St. Olaf. Students learn key skills like how to utilize campus resources and implement techniques for success with college-level reading and studying through small group conversation, reflection, and the practice of successful academic habits.

TimelyCare. This year we launched TimelyCare, a 24/7, no-cost telehealth service for students to address common conditions that can be safely diagnosed and treated remotely. This service provides students with additional services for medical care, mental health care, health coaching, and psychiatric care.

Thank you to our community who worked to make progress and change happen this year. I am energized and looking forward to building on our dedication and partnership to continue this important work.

Sincerely,Mara

Dr. Mara C. Pabn GautierVice President for Equity and Inclusion

See the article here:

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Update St. Olaf College - St. Olaf College News