Daily Archives: March 18, 2022

ST. PETERSBURG The results from Mayor Ken Welchs December community conversations are in.

Before he took office, the mayor held three public forums two in person and one virtual to solicit feedback for his incoming administration. The city released the findings on Friday in a 132-page online report.

Now the administration is asking residents to further narrow down their areas of concern in an online survey. Residents can rank issues under five focal points highlighted by the Welch administration. Housing opportunities for all received the most mentions, followed by education and youth opportunities; equitable development and business opportunities; neighborhood health and safety; and environment, infrastructure and resilience.

Welch said in a statement that the community conversations series is one way his administration will stay in touch with residents.

I was inspired by the feedback we received from participants, he said. My administration will consider all of the issues raised and suggestions offered as we move forward with policymaking that emphasizes informed decision-making, intentional equity and innovation to identify solutions that benefit all.

There were 2,707 responses from the December forums, which identified 1,122 barriers to progress in the five areas of concern, 1,045 suggested solutions and 540 responses that highlighted current solutions.

In the housing category, residents identified problems such as poverty, accessibility, financial literacy, mental health, homelessness, public safety, systemic racism, lack of education and wages.

According to a summary, residents also expressed strong concern about the impact of out-of-state investors and developers building high-end housing. They also worry that the City Council is approving too many luxury developments.

Residents suggested that they want to see zoning and permitting issues addressed, property tax caps established for residents in low-income areas, and a reparations land trust for Black communities. They took issue with the cumbersome bidding process for city contracts.

Many residents expressed concern that not enough banks in South St. Pete would lend to residents, city officials said in an email. Residents also favor banning plastic straws and increasing the use of solar energy, citing concerns over rising sea levels and climate change.

Welchs New Orleans-based transition consultant, Michelle Thomas, emailed the finished report to Deputy Mayor Stephanie Owens on Feb. 2. Thomas was paid $15,000 in December for her services through Welchs political action committee, Pelican PAC.

The Welch administration also worked with students from the Harvard Kennedy School to study affordable housing for the mayors transition team

Read the original here:

Results are in from Mayor Ken Welchs community conversations - Tampa Bay Times

Exercising, getting your nails done and eating comfort foods are quick and common self-care habits that can temporarily relieve stress. However, these habits alone may not be sustainable or accessible for everyone who wants to manage their stress in the long term.

Portia A. Jackson Preston, assistant professor of public health at Cal State Fullerton, studies stress management and wellness practices for diverse populations. She has published research on practices that promote well-being for Black women and for public health workers. She has also presented two TEDx talks discussing topics like self-care, gardening and resilience.

Self-care should also involve nurturing work that goes beyond the surface layer. A lasting self-care and wellness plan that can effectively manage stress should honor personal experiences and individual backgrounds, Jackson Preston says.

Its really about teaching people systems that are tailored to their journey, and that embrace their culture rather than shame it, Jackson Preston explained.

Jackson Preston created a wellness journey framework that offers starting points for putting together a personalized wellness plan. She recently discussed what sustainable self-care can look like, especially for people from historically underrepresented groups.

In Jackson Prestons research, study participants said looking inward, exploration and reconnection were some of the most helpful facets of their self-care journeys. Jackson Preston says its important to take time and learn what holistic activities your body and mind responds to.

It doesnt have to look like youre doing it perfectly, Jackson Preston says. As someone with an illness, Im aware of my limitations. My physical wellness looks different from other peoples.

When getting started, small but effective actions can include shutting off or silencing your phone for two minutes, drinking one cup of water, and noticing the color of the sky.

Tiny steps, tiny steps, Jackson Preston said. Im not about trying to introduce rituals that take you out of your life. Its an intentional journey. I want people to know that its not only important, but also necessary to show up as your messy, uncurated self.

Jackson Preston says practicing wellness doesnt require being wealthy, having lots of extra time, or learning unfamiliar new age rituals. Everyones path to wellness should look and feel unique, Jackson Preston says.

Maybe I have these cultural foods that really mean a lot to me because they remind me of family connectedness, but the frequency with which Im eating them, the amount in which Im eating them, or the habits that we have are really not serving my highest good, Jackson Preston says.

Jackson Preston encourages creating a wellness plan that incorporates meaningful traditions. Its about prioritizing and valuing what matters most to the individual.

For example, my mother and I would love to talk everyday, but I also have so much to do. Jackson Preston said. Ive told her Call anytime you want. I will answer the phone if I can. But, I will try to make sure at least once per week, we have a conversation where she can talk about whatever she wants for as long as she wants, and I will not interrupt her. That has been sustainable.

Jackson Preston said many people, such as first-generation students, are vulnerable to stress while pursuing an education or career because they see it as a pathway to transform their entire familys lives.

Its a really significant investment of their time and energy, Jackson Preston said.

Jackson Preston said she promotes self-care as community care, noting that individuals versed in self-care can eventually help others care for themselves and find resources. As a person living with a chronic illness, her goal is to teach others how important it is to protect their health and well-being.

I think I am a much more gracious professor now than when I was accessible all the time, Jackson Preston said. Now that my students know that theyre going to get 24-hour responses during the week and 48-hour ones on the weekends, I show up better. Im far more understanding of the things that theyre dealing with during this pandemic.

My boundaries have taught my students that its okay for them to have boundaries, she said.

See the article here:

'Tiny Steps' are the Key to Self-Care for Diverse Communities | CSUF News - CSUF News

As Starbucks looks to expand its store portfolio, its turning to data.

Using a calculator that measures the self-defined very basic ingredients of human well-being, it plans to open more stores in communities that it thinks would benefit most from the jobs, community spaces and coffee.

Ahead of its annual shareholder meeting Wednesday, Starbucks says its looking to expand its commitment to inclusivity both with accessible store designs and new locations in communities positioned to benefit from a new coffee joint. It announced Monday it will open or rebrand 1,000 community stores globally by 2030, expanding its community footprint by hundreds.

Starbucks launched its community store initiative in 2015, targeting neighborhoods in 15 U.S. cities to open stores in diverse, underrepresented neighborhoods and work with local leaders to create new opportunities for economic development and community engagement. It now has 150 community stores, including two in Seattle at White Center and Northgate at the Kraken Community Iceplex.

We make an intentional commitment to local hiring, to working with local artists and being very intentional about creating physical gathering spaces for the community as well, said Katie Young, senior vice president of global growth and development. Thats a place where the community should see themselves reflected, because they are part of that store and theyve helped us create it.

Starbucks has partnered with Measure of America, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit that researches and analyzes human-development data, to use the Human Development Index, a way to calculate well-being that goes beyond money metrics.

To decide where to open each new location, Starbucks has turned to a calculator that measures the very basic ingredients of human well-being: health, education and income.

Young said Starbucks cant break down its decision process into just one equation or algorithm because its more of a balance that looks at multiple factors across the community. Starbucks is not just looking for average income, she said. Its actually looking at the area, that specific area, and saying will this benefit from job creation?

Young did not disclose what locations Starbucks is considering.

Starbucks also committed Monday to update its stores physical and digital experience by 2030 to be more accessible.

To start, its creating new inclusive design standards by mapping the coffee experience.

Young says the company is breaking it down into steps open the door, walk to the barista, place your order, grab your drink, etc. and finding all those possible places when somebody got left behind.

What we realize is that by looking so systematically at these points of exclusion, and thinking about how we can open up a welcoming space, weve made it better for everyone, including our partners, Young said.

Starbucks has opened 11 signing stores for the deaf and hard of hearing community to connect through sign language. It offers a free service to connect people who are blind or have low-vision with a visual interpreter to provide access to visual information about the customers surroundings through a smartphone app.

It plans to test new speech-to-text technology that will allow store employees and customers to see a conversation in real-time, as well as an order status board that will help customers see where their order is and confirm when its ready.

Young declined to disclose how much Starbucks was investing in its accessibility framework and new community stores.

While Starbucks looks to expand its store portfolio, workers are increasingly considering unionization to gain more control in store policies around staffing, shift scheduling and safety protocols. Six of the 9,000 Starbucks stores have voted to unionize and many more have started union campaigns.

Asked if the latest announcements are in response to workers demands for changing working conditions, Young said the company remains deeply committed to listening and hearing our partners and communities.Starbucks announced its new inclusivity initiatives days before its annual shareholder meeting.

In a proposal slated for Wednesdays meeting, shareholders are requesting the board of directors oversee an annual public report describing the effectiveness and outcomes of company efforts to prevent harassment and discrimination against employees.

It asks the report to include the number and dollar amount of disputes settled by the company, the average length of time it takes to resolve harassment complaints, the number of complaints that are pending and whether the company includes nondisclosure clauses in employment agreements.

The board of directors is recommending shareholders vote against the proposal because the company already has a continuing commitment to create and maintain a respectful workplace, according to Starbucks filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Such reporting would also divert resources from focusing on our continuous efforts to improve our partners experiences and deliver on our partner promise, the filing read.

See the rest here:

Starbucks pledges to make its stores more inclusive by 2030 - The Spokesman Review

It has been two years since the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic first affected Arkansas Tech University.

On March 18, 2020, ATU in Russellville and Ozark began virtual classes and operations as a mitigation strategy against the health threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Classes and operations continued in a remote environment for the balance of the spring 2020 semester. Some in-person classes and operations resumed during summer 2020, but the majority of ATUs academic offerings remained in an online or hybrid environment through the end of spring 2021. Support offices returned to on-campus operations by June 2021.

Now, two years after the arrival of the virus, ATUs successful implementation of its COVID-19 management plan has allowed the university to discontinue its COVID-related mitigation strategies and resume campus operations that more closely resemble life before March 2020.

Arkansas Tech is emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic as a more adaptable and resilient institution, said Dr. Robin E. Bowen, ATU president. We are applying the lessons from the past two years in order to be better prepared for the challenges of the future. The technological advances we have made during the pandemic will help us become a more efficient institution. I hope and I believe the quality of life for ATU faculty and staff will improve as a result of enhanced opportunities for remote work. At least one outcome from the pandemic is certain: Arkansas Tech is better positioned to serve students by providing them with greater access to our academic programs through online and mixed methodology learning.

Ken Wester, chief information officer at ATU and director of information systems, and Steve Milligan, associate director of information systems, reported that 50 classrooms at Arkansas Tech have been upgraded to facilitate remote teaching over the course of the pandemic.

The ATU Office of Information Systems has also implemented increased capacity for remote testing, access to WebEx software as a means of conducting remote classes and meetings, improved wireless internet access and a reinforced cybersecurity posture.

All of these upgrades are designed to support ATUs mission of student access and success, said Bowen. The learning environment has never been more influenced by technology than it is today. Arkansas Tech is compelled by its mission to embrace and expand upon its technological traditions in order to empower individuals from the university community and beyond to achieve their goals. The advances we have made over the past two years have positioned Arkansas Tech to achieve that objective now and in the future.

Isolation was a parallel challenge created by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the physical distance between the ATU community grew, the sense of connectedness inevitably decreased. As a result, mental health became a considerable concern for ATU and its leadership.

Each of us have been in literal survival mode for two years, said Bowen. I do not know that we will fully understand the stress and strain of what we have been throughindividually and collectivelyuntil more time has passed. As we work to unpack the mental and emotional toll the pandemic has taken on us, it is more important than ever that we are intentional about building and enhancing relationships with our colleagues, our students and the communities we serve. Similarly, we must be intentional about breaking down stigmas regarding mental health. Lets help each other regain the joys in our lives that were diminished or unavailable over the past two years.

As part of that process, Arkansas Tech will host guest speaker Dr. Kenton Olliff for a presentation about faculty and staff mental health on Monday, April 4. Three sessions of the presentation --- one on the Ozark campus and two on the Russellville campus --- are planned.

The April 4 presentations have been approved by the ATU Executive Council for all ATU staff members to attend as part of their work day.

More details are available at http://www.arkansastechnews.com/guest-speaker-to-focus-on-faculty-staff-mental-health.

We will continue to monitor trends relative to COVID-19 and be prepared to take actions that support the health and safety of the ATU community, said Bowen. So long as the conditions of the pandemic continue to improve, we will turn our focus to making Arkansas Tech University a great place to learn, live, teach and work. We have withstood perhaps the greatest collective challenge of our lifetime. It is time to reclaim our spirit, our energy, our drive and our passion as a university. It is time to be Arkansas Tech again.

Go here to read the rest:

2 Years Later: How the Pandemic Shaped ATU's Future | Arkansas Tech University - ATU News

Cliff Avril didnt fully realize the impact until after he retired, officially, in 2019. He didnt see how deeply one era of Seahawks football bonded the team with its city, how the Legion of Boom and a Super Bowl title made his efforts outside of football not only possible but optimal. How the combination of all that made his voice impactful and important.

Avril arrived in Seattle in 2013, after five seasons in Detroit. Michael Bennett, the Seahawks resident locker room philosopher, became his best friend. As Colin Kaepernick knelt and the fight against social injustice exploded, Avril, Bennett and their close friend, Pro Bowl wideout Doug Baldwin, all redoubled their off-field efforts. Police officers needed more training. Children needed more resources. Most, in an increasingly divided world, needed joy.

By 2017, the trio agreed on the difference between a mob and a movement: follow through. Their community involvement did not end when their playing careers did. Instead, they have some news. Big news, they believe. No, none of them plan to return to Lumen Field, at least not in uniform. But they did form a philanthropic organization, Champions of Change, and they all will display what remains of their athleticism in the city where they starred. In late June, the trio will hold a series of fundraising events designed to raise money for local, grassroots nonprofitsthe kind of organizations they partnered with while playing for the Seahawks.

The plan: a game changer auction, a day of service and a celebrity basketball game, which will take place at Climate Pledge on June 26. It will feature Seattle sports legends and mark the first of what they hope is an annual event.

In a conversation with Sports Illustrated, the retired Seahawks ruminate on why they must continue with their efforts, why follow through matters and how the landscape of athlete activism has changed since Kaepernick first knelt. Their conversation was less of an announcement and more of the kind of debate they used to have inside their locker room. Bennett cited philosophers, authors and activists. Baldwin connected then to now. Avril marveled at their impact. What follows is their why.

Sports Illustrated: I was talking to Dr. Harry Edwards recently, and he was describing how athlete activism tends to unfold in cycles. He said were nearing the end of the cycle you three were so deeply involved in. Agree?

Doug Baldwin: Were from an era where there was the proliferation of social media and advancements in technology and also just the expansiveness of being able to see whats happening in real time around the world. When you have instances like George Floyds death, you see that in real time. The collective mindset of society is: Where do we go from here? What is the follow through after the rhetoric and the conversation have died down a little bit? But that doesnt mean the problems dont still exist.

Michael Bennett: There is a sense that the revolution has been hijacked. The idea of protest has been hijacked by capitalism, because everything has turned into capitalism. Thats where athletes are having a hard time, because the NFL gets involved, and now (its) speaking for us. But at the same time, theres a lot of critiques in their own house. Everything the NFL does is facing outward. But they should be facing inward. Look at what happened to Brian Flores, whats happening to other Black coaches in the league.

Baldwin: Were moving out of the reactionary phase and now its like, O.K., what are we doing? How can we make sure these things dont happen again?

Bennett: I agree with Dr. Edwards. Theres not enough people studying the history, what happened before. We end up on the same stairs, rather than building a new staircase. The past, the present and the future are all connected at one time. Its just like space. Sometimes, space creates memories. And within those memories, we can see whats happened in the past. When I think about slavery, or Jim Crow, those experiences seem so far away from me. But at the same time, those systems are so close.

SI: You mentioned Flores and the lack of Black coaches in the NFL. How does that finally change? Will it ever?

Bennett: The player has to speak up for the coach, because, in the future, the player wants to become the coach. They need to demand change, just like they did for police brutality. Thats the kind of work that needs to be done.

Cliff Avril: Even the Flores situation, its about understanding what youre trying to do. In all reality, in America, you need capital to make real change. Now the thing is, making sure youre getting the right partners to make those changes. The Flores situation, its not surprising. People who are in the league know.

Bennett: For every luxury, somebody is suffering. We have to figure out how we can create the greatest luxuryfreedom from an incarcerated mind. Thats the point where I get confused, where the water is real cloudy, because we, as athletes, just become part of the symbolism. I see so many athletes who turned protests into business. Its weird.

SI: Did your ties to the Seattle community help? The work youve done here?

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Bennett: We think about Seattle for all of us. Its where we became men. We got married here, bought houses here, had kids here. The city became part of our lives, and it made sense for us to express our gratitude.

Avril: We dont take for granted those packed stadiums, or the fans who stood outside in the rain waiting for our flight to land. This is our second home.

Bennett: Its a maturation of who we are. Theres a connection for us on a human level. The bond we built is not on a physical or mental state. Its on a spiritual level we all shared. Seattle helped us find our purpose.

SI: How did you decide to work together?

Baldwin: We asked ourselves, Why dont we combine forces to galvanize the community in the way we know best? Were champions. We know how to bring teams together. We know how to strive for a bigger goal.

Bennett: It was something we were talking about as we got older in the league.

Baldwin: Over the past two years, weve been forced to kind of isolate from each other. We havent spent time together as a community. Add in all the issues weve seen play out on TV. With the divisive nature of our political landscape, its vital for us to get together, to see each other. For us to recognize were all human.

Bennett: When Cliff and I went to Haiti, it opened my eyes to thinking about things from a global aspect. Theres such an intersectional connection between property and education. In the words of the great Gil Scott-Heron, when it comes to people, money wins out every time. We realized that the communities we went into lacked foundation, lacked opportunity; theres a sense of scarcity, access to nutrition, ability for growth. We know what its like at the bottom. We know what its like at the top. Theres such a war on color. We need to empower soldiers of change.

Avril: Were passionate about this, because we come from the same community. Were not disconnected from the issues. Were trying to help because weve been there, and we empathize with them.

SI: The organizations youre supporting all seem to fall under the general umbrella of your aims. The Odessa Brown Childrens Clinic promotes improved pediatric care and family advocacy. DADS wants to eradicate the epidemic of absent fathers in America. Women United Seattle provides systematic support for kinship caregivers and the children they care for. Humble Design Seattle transforms empty houses into welcoming homes to combat homelessness. And Dignity for Divas (which, by the way, sounds like it could also be a support group for star receivers) restores self-worth for women who have lost their homes. All grassroots. All local. All specific. Intentional, I imagine?

Bennett: Our platform is driving us as a group, but we want the attention to focus on these organizations and the work theyre doing.

Baldwin: It also symbolizes why we were so great on the field. We genuinely liked one another. We genuinely cared for one another. How we played, we showed up, and not just to games but to everything. Childrens birthday parties. Celebrations. Times of need.

Avril: Were not doing this for any notoriety.

Bennett: Im basically social media non-existent. My wifes like, Every time I post something, people think you dead. Theres all sorts of ways to talk about this stuff. We do it spiritually, and maybe thats our own battle with not being too corporate, to avoid trendiness. But sometimes you have to be a bit trendy to have a bigger voice. The work that were doing shouldnt be dormant. It should look enormous, in the words of Jay Z. Just to be clear, Im quoting Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, Jay Z on here.

SI: Can any of you actually play basketball?

Bennett: Im the best athlete. But everybody else is probably better at basketball. I dont really play basketball anymore.

Baldwin: Basketball is a great analogy for the work we are collaborating on in our community. We are attacking issues from angles that may not be in our comfort zone and thats O.K. As a team, we all have a different skill set we bring to the table. But they are complimentary, because we have the same intentions. [jokingly perhaps] And Mike is terrible at basketball.

SI: Should Kaepernick receive some credit here? Not for this weekend thats upcoming, but for the work, the impact and the follow through.

Baldwin: The era with Kaepernick, it put a spotlight on organizations like these that are doing great work on the ground. Corporations are feeling pressure to do something about the issues that we see on our TV screens. If we can galvanize the community to put more pressure on those organizations, to supply resources and change systems, thats a substantial impact. But theres another component of that thats important. Were working with organizations who are supporting human beings who need money and resources. Helping them expand their work is what this is about. The spotlight created the momentum. Were in the conversation. Were in the rooms where typically theres not a lot of people that look like us having those conversations.

Bennett: I think about something W.E.B. Du Bois said. Education is about teaching life. Theres a need for radical reform. Theres a social construct that has been placed upon us. And we focus on victimization a lot in America for the Black experience. To me, its about the resiliency of Blackness and the resilience of my culture, my people. Were looking at Booker T. Washington and the reconstruction of America.

Baldwin: Gonna quote anybody else, Mike?

Bennett: [laughs] At this moment, we should be focused on the light. How we can expand our tunnel, so more light can be on our flowers. So more light can be on the world that we see is ours. We can activate. Gotta start somewhere, right?

More NFL coverage:

The Kaepernick Effect at a Seattle High School From 2017: What Kaepernicks Philanthropy Tells Us About His Vision Behind the Scenes of Eric Kendricks Activism in Minnesota

See the rest here:

Three Seahawks Greats and a New Chapter of Athlete Activism - Sports Illustrated

If the curious were to seek a definition or description on the Internet for free boxing, they might run into offers of actual free cardboard boxes for shipping.

But free boxing is not a thing it is a movement of like-minded people committed to giving away items, from the expensive to the seemingly mundane, for reuse. Free Box participants believe it is better to put things no longer used in one household into the hands of others who need them, rather than allow them to go into landfills.

Free boxing is usually not a random act. Instead, supporters of this movement coalesce into hyperlocal, interactive communities so their donation goes to a neighbor they know, or connect with for the first time in their gifting circle. Beverly Free Box (BFB) is one such circle.

Every neighborhood needs a Free Box. It reduces landfill waste, helps spread wealth around, and minimizes hoarding and clutter. It also serves as a platform for connection among neighbors. Sussan Navabi, a long-time Beverly Free Box participant

Free boxing is not the kind of donating where you give to a group and then faceless people may later buy or receive your donation, said Frau Rau, founder and administrator for BFB.

Rau started BFB in April 2018, not long after moving to Beverly, a Chicago south side neighborhood known for its suburban, or village, appeal and where over 83 percent of its 19,791 residents are homeowners.

Since graduating from college, Rau had noticed the abundance of still-useful things thrown out as garbage. Some of those things may not have met a certain standard, or were no longer useful to the owner. Other articles may have sat in homes as clutter for numerous reasons. Frau said, These are the things that sit in peoples homes or end up in landfills when they could be reused repeatedly.

Years earlier, while living in Irving Park, a Chicago north side neighborhood, Rau joined a group of moms who operated a local Free Box online to pass on childrens clothing and toys between themselves. Rau wanted to continue this movement in her new neighborhood when she moved to Beverly. I began researching to see if there was free boxing in the area. When I didnt discover any, I began mocking up a Facebook page for a community Free Box, Rau said.

Different Free Box groups operate in different ways. Some, like the Colorado based Telluride Free Box, have actual locations where neighbors, strangers and tourists can visit a physical space to peruse the shelves for things they need. A growing number of similar groups operate online either independently or with the assistance of not-for-profit organizations, such as the Buy Nothing Project or Freecycle Network. Both organizations offer online opportunities for individuals interested in giving and getting stuff free to find people in their neighborhoods with whom to interact. They both also offer online tools for managing reciprocal altruistic experiences, reporting suspicious posts, or blocking unwanted responders, and have paid staff to oversee operations that cater to thousands of users in local groups across the country.

Beverly Free Box is not connected with a larger network. Instead, Rau and friend and co-administrator, Maureen Schleyer, manage the Facebook page where transactions transpire. In addition to promoting the hyper-reuse of various things, BFB also builds community. Weve seen friendships develop. We have people who are really invested in the group, and its a part of their daily lives, Rau said. Ive talked to people who said they didnt feel connected or know the neighborhood as well until they started free boxing.

BFB has over 3800 members and fields approximately 3500 transactions a month. Though the group has a private Facebook page, membership is open to anyone who meets their qualifications. Members must live in Beverly; agree to not claim anything until giving something away; and they cannot be members in multiple free box groups. Rau said these rules help the group remain hyperlocal.

Beverly Free Box is more about the people than the items. We want you to feel connected to the person you are giving to. BFBco-administrator, Maureen Schleyer

Using the site is simple, which was intentional, said Schleyer, who was aware of groups where people had to prove they needed an item before claiming it. With Beverly Free Box, the first to claim, gets the item. Sometimes things are raffled, but you dont have to prove your need, you simply claim it, Schleyer said.

Acquisition of items is decided between the donor and the recipient, and a lot of items are picked up on porches, but the recipient may have to arrange for delivery of larger items, like pianos, organs and armoires. BFB member Clare Duggan acquired a Grange of France armoire, which can be valued at $8000 to $30,000. She paid $500 to have it delivered to her home and says it was well worth the cost due to its sentimental value to her family.

Some of the other higher-priced items passed on have been a four-day vacation to a resort in the Bahamas, laptops and pianos. Among the least expensive were plant clippings, overly ripe bananas, perfume samples and broken crayons.

In addition to posting available items, members can request ISO (in search of) items. BFB member Anne-Marie Williams needed pill bottles to create emergency kits of $3 in quarters and a dryer sheet for people who are homeless. I asked for pill bottles and got 500 overnight. There was an insane amount of people giving, Williams said.

Curb alerts and an in-person swap meets are two other ways BFB promotes reuse. Members may see usable items sitting on a curb prior to garbage pick-up, and will post an alert for anyone interested and able to pick the items up. Members can also post requests for items to help women who have been displaced due to domestic violence, families victimized by fires, or youth seen walking to school without winter coats and boots.

There is always a cascade of giving during those times, said Frau, who is amazed but not surprised by immediate altruistic responses from neighbors, particularly during times of hardship like the pandemic.

Prior to the pandemic, a Los Angeles-based Buy Nothing group had just 40 members. A year later it skyrocketed to over 1800 members. BFB membership growth has been consistent over its four-year existence, even during the pandemic. But Schleyer said, the pandemic intensified BFB neighbor connections. We got closer as a community, she said.

Free Box also built a sense of community and camaraderie when we all needed to connect with others in some way to make it through the long periods of isolation. BFB member Monica Wilczak.

While Beverly may be perceived as having primarily higher-income residents, we really represent a greater spectrum of income levels,Wilczak continued. Also, unexpected losses in employment, housing, or health issues caused devastating insecurities during the pandemic. Ive seen free boxers step up when a family becomes homeless due to a fire or marital crisis.

Rau and Schleyer say people have been isolated and anxious, but they dont hesitate to help others. During the pandemic, BFB created an environment of giving, helping and advising. Some posted messages of gratitude or dropped off kind notes, flowers, and sometimes wine. Others joined the fight to thwart COVID-19 by donating bundles of elastic to a group that made masks for people who needed them, long before government-led distributions. Another BFB member asked people to donate wooden tabletops or planks to aid his efforts to build desks for the sudden inflation of remote learners in the neighborhood. I loved being a part of that, Schleyer said.

As unified as BFB is, there have been challenges in administering the group and coming up with answers for every issue. Both women monitor posts to ensure malicious bots do not become members, delete posts that break rules, and handle conflicts and misunderstandings.

Schleyer and Rau address every issue as best they can. They dont always have the answers, but as neighbors moderating a tight-knit community, they are always open to conversation.

Excerpt from:

Beverly Free Box helps neighbors build community and fight waste - Shareable

President BidenJoe BidenRepublican senators introduce bill to ban Russian uranium imports Energy & Environment Ruling blocking climate accounting metric halted Fauci says officials need more than .5B for COVID-19 response MOREs condemnation of Russian President Vladimir PutinVladimir Vladimirovich PutinRepublican senators introduce bill to ban Russian uranium imports Hillicon Valley Invasion complicates social media policy Defense & National Security Blinken details Russia's possible next steps MORE as a war criminal marked a dramatic shift in how the U.S. talks about Russias invasion of Ukraine.

To officially affix the war crimes label to a countrys actions involves a vigorous, often decades-long legal process, and investigators are already beginning to look at Russias conduct.

But experts say the presidents blunt statement to reporters on Wednesday, after resisting using the term for weeks, could serve to more forcefully galvanize the international community toward further isolating Moscow and raise the cost for Russian officials complicit in its war against Ukraine.

The power of the term war criminal or war crimes is that it serves as a unifying factor around which allies can unite, said Mike Newton, a professor of the practice of law at Vanderbilt University and an expert in war crimes.

It says essentially, pick sides. Youre either on the side of the war criminals and therefore you support the murder of civilians, you support war crimes, or youre not.

The presidents new rhetoric, which is being echoed by other administration officials, comes as Putin escalates attacks, including launching strikes that have hit apartment buildings, hospitals and shelters, and as Bidens senior diplomatic and intelligence officials warn Putin may launch a chemical weapons attack in Ukraine as he grows more desperate against Ukrainian resistance.

Secretary of State Antony BlinkenAntony BlinkenDefense & National Security Blinken details Russia's possible next steps Italian minister of culture says Italy ready to rebuild bombed Ukrainian theater Biden raises stakes with allegations of Russian war crimes MORE warned Thursday that Moscow may be setting the stage to use a chemical weapon and then falsely blame Ukraine to justify escalating its attacks, and said he agreed with the presidents remarks.

Intentionally targeting civilians is a war crime, Blinken told reporters. After all the destruction of the past three weeks, I find it difficult to conclude that the Russians are doing otherwise.

The United Nations on Thursday said it has counted 2,032 civilian casualties, with 780 killed and 1,252 injured but believes the actual figure to be considerably higher.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who the U.S. blacklisted as part of wide-ranging sanctions on individuals supporting Russias war against Ukraine, said that Bidens comment was "unacceptable and unforgivable rhetoric," according to Tass news agency.

Blinken on Thursday said international human rights lawyer Beth Van Schaack, who was confirmed Wednesday by the Senate for the post of ambassador-at-large for Global Criminal Justice, will lead the State Departments investigation documenting possible war crimes.

White House press secretary Jen PsakiJen PsakiHealth Care Pelosi shoots higher on COVID-19 funding Defense & National Security Blinken details Russia's possible next steps Biden says US is open to help Ukrainian refugees MORE cautioned the legal process at the State Department to determine if Putin committed war crimes could take some time and didnt specify a timeline.

Its a legal process, where they review all of the evidence and then they provide that evidence and data and information to the international bodies that oversee the investigations, she said on Thursday. We would be supporting those efforts.

Reports and images from the war have shocked the world this week, including Russian attacks on civilian targets, kidnappings and hostage-taking.

The UN said casualties have been caused by shelling from heavy artillery and multiple-launch rocket systems, as well as missile strikes.Those findings underscore U.S. and NATO officials saying Russia has used cluster and vacuum bombs, indiscriminate munitions that can cause wide-ranging damage.

Blinken said Russias strategy is to break the will of the Ukrainian people.

In the southern city of Mariupol, the Russian bombing this week of a theater in which hundreds of civilians took shelter and which was marked with the words Children in Russian drew international outrage. More than 100 survivors reportedly emerged from the rubble on Thursday, the bomb shelter underneath the theater miraculously withstanding the Russian attack.

Last week an attack there on a childrens hospital and maternity ward similarly drew condemnation. The Associated Press documented at least one death of a pregnant woman and her unborn child, who was earlier photographed being carried from the wreckage on a stretcher.

The World Health Organization said it was one of 43 hospitals Russia has attacked.

Vice President Harris, responding to a question from a reporter while in Romania following the attack on the maternity ward, said We are clear that any intentional attack or targeting of civilians is a war crime. Period.

At least five journalists have been killed, and others injured, while reporting from the ground in Ukraine this month and Blinken has said their deaths, if intentional, could also constitute a war crime.

Other Russian attacks viewed as potential war crimes include the bombings of civilian infrastructure, residential buildings, communication infrastructure, municipal offices, the attacks on and seizure of nuclear sites, and Ukrainian civilians reportedly being shot by Russian soldiers as they tried to flee the fighting.

The brutality in Ukraine has been shared on television, Twitter, Reddit, secure messaging systems and other platforms, making information on the ground widely accessible. Newton said this means more data for investigators.

Theres a new clarity of information, he said. But that just means you have to incorporate those things into your investigations. Thats the point, the political rhetoric of war crimes cant substitute for the granular legal analysis.

Investigations are already underway in a number of international fora to document and preserve evidence of possible war crimes.

Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Karim A.A. Khan QC announced on Feb. 28 that the court was opening an investigation into whether Russia committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine.

Khan traveled to western Ukraine and Polandon March 15 to assess the situation on the ground, meet with affected communities and to further accelerate our work by engaging with national counterparts, he said in a statement.

If attacks are intentionally directed against the civilian population: that is a crime that my Office may [investigate] and prosecute. If attacks are intentionally directed against civilian objects, including hospitals: that is a crime that my Office may investigate and prosecute.

On March 4, the United Nations Human Rights Council voted to establisha Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine that has a mandate to investigate all alleged rights violations, abuses related crimes and make recommendations on accountability measures. The resolution also called for Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine.

Thirty-two members voted in favor of the resolution to establish the inquiry, with only Russia and Eritrea rejecting the measure.

Also on March 4, 45 countries part of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) voted to invoke the Moscow Mechanism, appointing independent experts to investigate potential gross human rights violations and war crimes in any of the OSCE member states. The mechanism was established during a 1991 OSCE summit in Moscow.

Further, the International Court of Justice, the top arbiter for the United Nations,on Wednesdaycalled for Russia to immediately halt its military operation and withdraw its troops from Ukraine, responding to a complaint from Kyiv filed last month accusing Russia of falsely claiming genocide to justify its invasion.

The ICJ has no specific authority to compel Russia to withdraw, but its ruling is viewed as another venue where Moscow is being isolated.

Kremlin spokesperson Peskov rejected the courts ruling, telling reporterson Thursday that Russia cannot take this decision into account."

Putin could face trial if charged with war crimes and indicted, likely by the International Criminal Court in the Hague.

But it could take decades.

The trial of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is often used as a modern-day comparison. He was captured by U.S. forces in Iraq in 2003 and faced trial by an Iraqi Special Tribunal for crimes against humanity stemming from the mass killing of civilians in Dujail, Iraq in 1982. He was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging in 2006.

The wheels of justice will grind, Newton said. I just think we have to be in this for the long haul.

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Biden raises stakes with allegations of Russian war crimes | TheHill - The Hill