Category Archives: Intentional Communities

Once again, the people of the United States are pressed to reflect on the complex problem of white racism. The recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many other unarmed Black and Brown men and women by law enforcement officials are stimulating renewed concern about the persistence of this social-political-economic cancer in our nation.

Although enduring demands for corrective action are part of our countrys historic legacy for racial justice, there are a couple of key factors that distinguish the current call of conscience from past efforts. First, the availability of social media provides unequivocal evidence of the indisputable murders of unarmed Black and Brown men and women by law enforcement persons. This social media impact is penetrating some of the apathy that has marked Many white persons reactions to racial injustices in the past.

Second, the rising number of white persons, who willingly and publicly display their abhorrence of these murders by supporting the Black Lives Movement, is resulting in a level of a multiracial unity that has too often been absent in such large numbers in the past.

Despite these important advances, a major barrier impeding our country from more effectively expelling racism within the general public is the narrow ways many people especially white persons think about this social pathology. White persons, in particular, need to expand our collective understanding of the multidimensional nature of white racism and to take a stronger anti-racist stand in our future collective corrective actions.

As a white anti-racist, I have spent the past 40 years learning about many of the idiosyncrasies of white racism through my personal experiences as a racially-privileged individual. These experiences are complemented by the four decades I have spent as a faculty member and social scientist in a number of universities and colleges.

The insights I have gained from these experiences increased my understanding of the very narrow ways many perhaps most white people think about white racism. In order to stimulate more expanded and accurate ways of thinking about white racism in our nation and in our communities, it is helpful to describe how white racism continues to be manifested in different ways in our nation, state, and local communities. Here are four types of racism that continues in our country:

Overt intentional white racism is reflected among white persons commonly associated with the Ku Klux Klan and other domestic terrorist groups. What distinguishes this type of racism from others is the way white people openly, intentionally, and without any remorse express hatred and engage in violent actions towards persons-of-color. This form of white racism is unquestionably unacceptable. It nevertheless gains much attention from the mass media. Despite this media attention, it is important to understand that the overall negative impact of this type of white racism pales when compared to other forms of racism in the United States.

Overt unintentional white racism is similar to overt intentional racism in that both reflect open and public displays of racist thinking and behaviors. One main difference is that overt unintentional racism, while open and public, is not done consciously with intentional racist intent.

One example of this form of white racism occurred when I was working as a counselor in the athletic department of a large public university. During one of the mens basketball teams practices, a white player jokingly said to another player to, Get your cotton-picking hands off me, when this teammate was playing tight defense. This incident caused an uproar among Black players.

As I worked with the team to address the racially-charged situation, the African-American players acknowledged that they did not believe their white teammates comment was an intentional racist act, but rather unconsciously manifested out of ignorance to its negative impact on African Americans.

Ultimately, this event turned into an important learning experience as the white player expressed remorse and embarrassment. He also stated interest in learning more about the ways white people are exhibit overt unintentional racism without understanding its negative impact on many persons-of-color.

Covert unintentional racism refers to behaviors that are not overt, but nevertheless allow racial injustices to go unchallenged. An example of this type of white racism occurs when good-hearted and well-meaning white teachers, counselors, and administrators help to administer racially-biased tests and implement related education assessments in school settings.

Education researchers point out that numerous educational tests and assessment processes are not valid or reliable academic measures when used among racially-diverse students. These researchers explain how such racially-flawed tests and assessment processes often result in an adverse impact on many non-white students educational opportunities and outcomes.

It is important to acknowledge that even well-meaning white teachers, counselors and administrators, who are complicit in this racial injustice, inadvertently perpetuate institutional racism in our society. Anti-racist white allies acknowledge the importance of unveiling this form of covert unintentional racism so appropriate corrective actions can be implemented to eradicate this racial injustice in schools.

Covert intentional white racism is arguably the most pervasive and harmful racial injustice in our nation. This type of white racism has a serious negative impact among larger groups of persons-of-color when compared to the more limited adverse effect of overt intentional and unintentional white racism.

A person does not have to openly express racial hatred or articulate obscene racial comments publicly to be guilty of covert intentional racism. Instead, this form of racism occurs when white persons create policies and/or support another persons policies intentionally designed to disadvantage racial minority persons.

A pattern of actions by President Donald J. Trump are examples of this type of racism continues in our society. Examples of this pattern demonstrated by Trump include:

Trump being sued by the government in the 1970s for alleged racially discriminating housing policies while building his real estate empire in New York City;

In his support of the Stop and Frisk strategy in New York City as this institutionalized racist policy was implemented daily from 2004 2012; and

In President Trumps recent efforts to dismantle the Fair Housing Act a federal legislative policy that supports African Americans chances to secure fair housing opportunities in our nation.

The purpose of describing these four types of white racism is to help white persons develop a more accurate and expansive understanding of the different ways these complex problems continue to be perpetuated in our society. It is also hoped that the information presented will motivate white persons in Massachusetts to work with other anti-racist allies to promote a greater level of racial justice by finding ways to diminish the perpetuation of these forms of white racism in our communities.

Michael DAndrea is an associate professor in the Springfield College School of Social Work and Behavioral Sciences. He is the executive director of the National Institute for Multicultural Competence and president of the non-profit Social Justice Creations organization. He can be contacted by email at michaeldandrea1@gmail.com

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One House, One People: Broader understanding needed to address white racism (Guest viewpoint) - masslive.com

Navigating the Immigration Process: The William & Mary Law School Immigration Clinic is staffed by its director, Stacy Kern-Scheerer, Professor of the Practice, and, through private financial support, has welcomed an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow attorney for the 2020-21 year. Courtesy W&M Law School

by David F. Morrill, W&M Law School | February 2, 2021

Through the William & Mary Law SchoolImmigration Clinic, students work under supervising attorneys to provide much-needed access to representation for immigrants living in Hampton Roads who have claims before the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The Clinic is committed to preparing the next generation of immigration attorneys for this challenging practice area and is one of the few nonprofit entities that providespro bonorepresentation on immigration matters in the Hampton Roads region.

The Clinic is staffed by its Director,Stacy Kern-Scheerer, Professor of the Practice, and, through private financial support, has welcomed anImmigrant Justice Corps Fellow attorneyfor the 2020-21 year. Every semester, students in the Clinic handle a variety of matters impacting the clients served by the Clinic.

The Clinic focuses on aiding noncitizens seeking relief as victims of crime (U visa), domestic violence (VAWA and Removal of Conditions), and human trafficking (T visa) and also represents individuals claiming asylum, as well as those currently held in detention seeking release on bond, DACA holders, and individuals applying for naturalization.

Student interest really helped propel the Clinics establishment. Current and prospective students understandably have a lot of interest in and passion for this area of the law. Immigration law and practice is challenging, timely and extremely impactful on communities, families and individuals. The Law School recognized this interest, and took steps to secure private starting funding for the Clinic.

The Clinics first semester was Fall 2019. Moreover, there is a huge need forpro bonoimmigration legal services everywhere, and the Williamsburg area is no exception. The Clinic provides students the opportunity to use and expand their legal training while filling an unmet need in the community.

The Clinic relies on private funding to sustain itself. I am delighted that a leadership gift from an undergraduate alumna of the university, and a pioneering social justice advocate and attorney,

Sybil Shainwald 48, LL.D. 19, established the Shainwald Immigration Law Clinic Fund. We are dependent on gifts to the Fund from alumni, parents and friends to continue the Clinics operation.

We are currently in need of private support in order to keep our Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow,Nicole Alanko 18, here in the Clinic next year. Given the high demand for our services, the demand in enrollment, and the intense nature of our work with the students and clients, another dedicated Clinic attorney (in addition to me) is imperative. Nothing is more critical to ensuring the Clinics continued success and growth.

The Clinic provides direct representation to immigrants in Hampton Roads. Our representation focuses on humanitarian immigration protections, such as asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), U Visas (for survivors of crime perpetrated in the United States), T visas (for survivors of human trafficking), protections under the Violence Against Woman Act (VAWA), DACA, and medical deferred action.

Because the individuals, families and communities we serve have often experienced extreme harm, either in their home countries or in the United States, we are particularly committed to providing trauma-informed representation and advocacy.

We represent immigrants in their petitions before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security. For individuals and families in removal proceedings, we represent them in Immigration Court, which is part of the Department of Justice.

That is a great question, because the individuals and communities served by the Clinic are often in spaces that can be difficult to find and adequately reach. Being a trusted member of the immigration advocacy network in Hampton Roads is an essential aspect of the Clinics mission.

Word gets out by reaching out to organizations and individuals who work with immigrants. Even before the Clinic opened its doors, I did a lot of research into organizations serving the underserved immigrant communities in our area and in Richmond. I showed up wherever I thought partners might be. In the Clinics first semester, one student and I called and wrote letters and emails to every potential partner organization we could identify in Hampton Roads. We reached out to domestic violence shelters, trafficking shelters, houses of worship, victim advocates, social workers, refugee relief organizations, private immigration lawyers, community leaders, anyone we thought might come into contact with individuals we are here to serve and represent. I talked to anyone who would listen! Our outreach efforts have proven effective, because we now regularly get calls and referrals from the networks and partnerships we have formed.

The Clinics first client was a young woman seeking asylum, fleeing horrific violence she experienced in Central America. She came to the United States alone as a young teenager and was held in a youth detention facility for a while before being released to a family member in our area. We are representing her in her asylum petition. She is awaiting an asylum interview, which under the current backlogs, can take years. Hers, like the vast majority of our cases, will take months, if not years, to resolve.

There are no pre-requisites for the Clinic. What is most important is that a student coming into the Clinic is ready to learn and is committed to working hard for our clients.

The students are given an enormous amount of responsibility in the Clinic, with close supervision and guidance from me and our incredible Immigrant Justice Corps FellowNicole Alanko 18. Students have their own caseloads, but also work in assigned teams, which fosters an intra-Clinic community of support and understanding of the work we do.

In the Clinic, students gain experience with very practical lawyering skills: how to build client rapport and trust, craft interview plans, conduct interviews, work with interpreters, draft client and witness affidavits, develop a record through intentional evidence gathering, counsel clients effectively, and draft persuasive memos and briefs for submission to DHS and the DOJ.

In this Clinic, students put those skills to work in a challenging context. Many our clients are survivors of violence and trauma who have had to navigate (and continue to navigate) a great number of personal and structural barriers. The Clinic is committed to training trauma-informed advocates, which means we teach students to consider the impact of trauma on our clients at every stage of case development and preparation, from client interview planning to final trial preparation. The students also see first-hand the structural barriers to representation that our clients face, and that is often an eye-opening experience.

Clinic training also includes recognizing and mitigating the effects of secondary trauma and reflecting on professional identity. We openly discuss strategies for self-care, which are often necessary to reduce depression and burnout in our profession. I hope that in addition to the practice skills students learn that being an effective legal advocate is a multi-dimensional endeavor: you have to marry the practical lawyering skills with productive and informed client management, time management, teamwork, and self-care and reflection.

In just the first three semesters of the Clinics existencehalf of which has been under challenging COVID circumstancesClinic students have provided more than 2,600 hours of service to the Clinic and our clients. We estimate these hours to equal approximately $395,000 of services in the private market. We anticipate that these numbers will continue to rise.

We have seen an incredible growth in the number of Clinic clients after just a few semesters. Serving more immigrants and training more students go hand-in-hand, so I am very proud of how we have expanded both the number of clients we representandthe number of students who can enroll in the Clinic in this short span of time.

Good question. The system is truly Kafkaesque at times, which can be extremely frustrating for everyone, particularly our clients. Law students and lawyers, like most people, would like institutions and systems to work logically, but that is just not the way the world works sometimes. The students see that first-hand.

Before coming to William & Mary Law, I spent 10 years on Capitol Hill. During those years, I learned how to keep an even keel when everything at work seemed to be going sideways. I learned that if you let your frustration dominate your mood and your actions, you will be twice as exhausted and no closer to resolving whatever problem your client needs you to solve. Because of what I learned, I work with the students to take the red tape in stride, and channel our frustration into even stronger determination to help our clients navigate the system.

The COVID pandemic has certainly brought challenges. Many Clinic clients do not have reliable access to the internet or a computer. This means that meeting with clients through programs like Zoom is often not an option, and we have to rely more on the telephone. But, as you can imagine, conducting interviews about trauma over the phone is not ideal for numerous reasons.

It has not been easy. Even when the government makes COVID accommodations, like accepting scanned signatures instead of original signatures on documents, that only helps if your client has access to the technology to enable them to send you their scanned signatures. Weve had to be flexible and creative. Sometimes weve had to mask up and meet with clients in outdoor spacespicnic tables, parking lotsto conduct interviews and sign documents. It has been a learning experience for everyone, and the students have been extraordinary throughout.

It is true that translation and interpretation services are necessary in the vast majority of the Clinics cases. We have had to communicate with clients and other individuals who speak Spanish, Arabic, Urdu, Pashto, Russian and Qeqchi (and I might be forgetting a few others!). In some situations, we partner with community organizations who have interpreters. Most of our clients primarily communicate in Spanish.

This means that students who interview these clients, receive documents from the clients countries, or research conditions in the home countries must work with interpreters and translation services in order to fully represent their clients. Some of our students are bilingual, but many are not. We have had volunteer and paid positions for law students who are not students in the Clinic but who have Spanish interpretation and translation skills and experience they are willing to share with the Clinic. Having reliable, consistent and skilled Spanish interpreters is particularly imperative to the Clinic.

Next year, I hope to continue expanding the number of students in the Clinic, which would naturally allow for an increased caseload. We are also actively working on building partnerships across campus, such as with the Office of Community Engagement, the William & Mary School of Education counseling program, and professors in other academic disciplines, to support the work of our Clinic students and our Clinic clients.

Looking a bit farther into the future, hosting conferences, becoming a host site for Citizenship Day in Hampton Roads, and engaging students with state policy advocacy are all possibilities. I have a vision of the Clinic becoming a regional leader in immigration advocacy, providing the students with exceptional practical training and serving the underrepresented in our community. With the support from alumni and friends, and the ongoing commitment of our incredible students, I am confident we can do it.

To learn more about the Immigration Clinic, visit itsweb pageandblog.

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The Immigration Clinic: Q&A with Director Stacy Kern-Scheerer - William & Mary News

Selection of leadership at EPA (OECA) and DOJ (ENRD)

To head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), President Biden has selected (subject to Senate confirmation) Michael Regan, who currently leads the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. The new administration will also get to select the leadership subject to Senate confirmation for two key enforcement offices at EPA and the Department of Justice (DOJ): the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) at EPA and the Environment and Natural Resource Division (ENRD) at DOJ. Within EPA, OECA sets and oversees EPAs administrative, civil and criminal enforcement priorities. For more significant civil cases, as well as all criminal cases, OECA will typically work with ENRD attorneys to investigate the matters, settle them, or bring them to trial. Thus, the leadership of each office can significantly affect the shape and emphasis of federal environmental enforcement. Indeed, resource constraints mean that the federal government can never investigate and pursue every environmental violation. Thus, these leaders will necessarily influence enforcement efforts, where those resources are directed over the next four years. These leaders also sign off on the specifics of particularly large or high profile cases and settlements, meaning that their views will affect the final terms that EPA and DOJ are willing to reach in these larger cases.

SEPs are projects that defendants in environmental enforcement cases often have agreed to undertake to improve the environment, usually in exchange for some penalty relief or reduction. A defining characteristic of a SEP is that it is a measure not required for ongoing compliance with existing regulatory requirements. In March 2020, the head of DOJs ENRD issued a memorandum prohibiting almost all use of SEPs in ENRD negotiated civil settlements, notwithstanding that including such SEPs was a long-standing practice in civil settlements and SEPs were thought by many to often provide a means to help bridge divides that emerged during settlement talks. This directive analyzed certain statutory provisions, and concluded that SEPs de facto unlawfully diverted penalty dollars from the U.S. Treasury to private purposes, violating the Miscellaneous Receipts Act, among other statutory provisions.

In addition to prohibiting most SEPs, the Trump DOJ had ban the use of third-party payments in settlements, and ENRD had issued separate guidance further explaining this policy. Unlike a SEP, which involves the defendant directly spending money on a project, third-party payments were provisions where a defendant agreed to pay money to a non-governmental entity that was not the victim of the crime as part of a settlement resolution. The then-head of ENRD released several additional memos just days before the end of the Trump administration regarding the use of third-party payments in environmental settlements, the Divisions enforcement principles and priorities, and further recommendations on the use of enforcement discretion.

Because of their widespread use, the ENRD directive seemed to find few friends, however correct it may have been as a matter of law. It seems very likely that an early act of the incoming head of ENRD will reverse the no SEPs directive, freeing ENRD lawyers to return to seeking SEPs as a routine element of environmental consent decrees. In addition, the Biden administration included the DOJ-wide prohibition on third party payments in settlements on its first day list of agency actions to review, indicating that these prohibitions will be revisited. The new head of ENRD is likely to also set his own policies for environmental enforcement.

EPA regularly specifies and publicizes its national program priorities, called National Compliance Initiatives (NCIs), that are used to focus and guide its staff in executing their enforcement and compliance assurance responsibilities. In essence, the NCI areas represent areas for particular focus and heightened effort, but live alongside various day-to-day core enforcement activity. The current NCI strategy runs through September 2023, and includes six focus areas. The new administration might not wait until 2023 to put its own stamp on the NCIs and might consider moving the following regulatory programs from the day-to-day core enforcement program into a national initiative.

EPA has brought around 250 criminal, civil, and administrative enforcement cases in the past decade that relate specifically to GHG requirements under the Clean Air Act. These cases relate to the following requirements: renewable fuel standards requirements (204 cases), ozone depleting substance requirements (45 cases), light-duty vehicle GHG standards (1 case), and GHG new source review requirements (1 case). Other cases like aftermarket defeat device enforcement, enforcement of flare performance requirements, and VOC leak detection and repair enforcement have had the indirect effect of reducing GHGs along with non-GHG pollutants.

A Biden EPA will likely view these enforcement cases as a good start, but insufficient to ensure that existing and upcoming GHG regulations actually deliver on the administrations GHG reduction goals. We expect to see continued or increased climate-related enforcement in the following areas:

EPA has long had an EJ program, but the incoming Biden administration has strongly and consistently signaled that it plans to prioritize and heighten the focus on EJ, which is defined by EPA as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. The goal of EJ is to provide everyone with the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards, and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work and this principle is likely to guide EPAs enforcement focus during the next four years. The DOJ climate transition memo for the incoming administration has even proposed a new DOJ division to be known as the Environmental and Climate Justice Division, which would contain authorities and expertise currently housed in ENRD and DOJs Civil Rights Division. Such a reorganization will face hurdles, including potentially Congressional approval, but even the discussion of creating such a new division signals a future strong focus on EJ issues, even if this organizational proposal is not ultimately implemented.

In the short term, we expect the greater impact of EJ to be on the types of enforcement matters that are given priority, on the manner in which they are resolved and on facility siting and permitting issues not directly connected to enforcement. In particular, we expect to see a focus on environmental compliance, facility siting, and facility permitting issues that impact poor, minority, or Tribal communities. For example, candidates for close scrutiny, either by way of an enforcement investigation or permitting restrictions, would be facilities that are located in close proximity to such a community, especially if unauthorized emissions are believed to be reaching such a community. We would also expect the resolution of these cases to involve settlement terms designed to support the future health and welfare of such communities or to resolve harms to the health of community members from past exposure. While certain DOJ policies (such as the SEPs policy discussed above) currently limit the flexibility that ENRD has to craft settlements including such terms, the new administration is likely to revise any formal policy restrictions and to informally push where no firm policies are in place.

President Trump issued an Executive Order in May 2020 requiring that all executive branch agencies consider the principles of fairness in administrative enforcement and adjudication. The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), within the White House Office of Management and Budget, issued in August 2020 a memorandum to further carry out the Executive Order, by directing all executive branch agencies to amend their rules and policies related to administrative enforcement in consideration of, among others, the following general best practices:

The head of EPAs OECA later issued a memo providing assurances that EPA satisfies these requirements and affirming EPAs commitment to them. While these orders and memos reflect somewhat inarguable principles, and it is possible that the new administration will not see benefit in expressly disavowing them, these broad principles leave substantial room in the joints in day-to-day application and new leadership may feel less commitment to the strictest levels of fidelity.

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is designed to protect and recover at-risk species and the habitats on which they depend and includes criminal penalties for taking (which includes the harassment, killing, or capture) of listed species. Likewise, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) criminalizes the taking of migratory birds. There has long been friction about whether the MBTA prohibits only intentional conduct (such as hunting), or also applies to incidental take (such as birds harmed from wind turbine blades, electric transmission lines, or oilfield pits and evaporation ponds but where the point of the activity was not to achieve the take). The central question is what such laws require project developers and operators must do, if anything, to minimize or fully prevent incidental take. In short, the interpretation of this law and whether it prevents only deliberate take or also incidental take has serious implications for the risks associated with certain projects. Courts that have considered the question have split, and the regulatory pendulum may continue to swing in the new administration.

Two weeks prior to the start of the Trump administration, the Obama administrations Department of the Interior issued a memorandum concluding that the MBTA prohibits incidental take. The Trump administration withdrew that opinion and issued a new one, generally siding with and relying on opinions from the courts that concluded otherwise. Nevertheless, in August 2020, a court vacated this Trump opinion, a decision the government currently is appealing. In the meantime, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finalized a rule in early January 2021 clarifying its regulations and applying the prohibition on take only to intentional conduct. The new rule goes into effect on February 8, 2021.

The Biden administration is likely to explore ways to go through the rulemaking process to withdraw it and finalize a new rule or may potentially use a vote of both houses of Congress under the Congressional Review Act to overturn the rule. Indeed, the Biden administration has already indicated in it a memo issued on its first day that this rule is among the agency actions it plans to revisit. Whatever course this rulemaking takes, the Biden administration is also likely to then put in place solicitors opinion similar or identical to the Obama administration opinion applying the MBTA to incidental take. However, even with such a solicitor opinion and a formal abandonment of the Trump rule on take enforcement being limited to deliberate take, that change would not alter judicial precedent in those circuits that have limited the MBTAs prohibition to intentional acts, including the Fifth, Eighth, and Ninth Circuits. Ultimately, resolution of the proper reach of the MBTA is likely to require involvement of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Continued here:

Navigating The Transition: Key Environmental Enforcement Issues To Watch In The Biden Administration - JD Supra

There is no decade like that of ones twenties. At no other time do options feel so simultaneously limitless and restricted. You could be anything you want, so long as it covers your newly acquired bills. You could live anywhere in the world, but make sure its leading toward your future and roommates are available and you can get back home quickly after breakups. The rhythm of school holidays is exchanged for the rhythm of PTO. You begin to hear yourself complain about all the things you werent taught while resolving to fake it till you make it in more areas than are comfortable. Your passport and cholesterol become your problems, and there are signs that you may in fact be evolving into your mother after all.

Faith often gets deconstructed in peoples twenties. Jobs are accepted with pride and social-media announcements. Two-week-notices are submitted with trembling hands. Your friends birth babies. Your friends get divorced. You dissect your purpose like you may never have peace about it. You feel alive in ways that make you wonder if youll ever experience them again.

The brain fully forms in this decade, which is weird. You realize what your generation is called and that people have opinions about it. Loss happens that informs what type of tool box youre going to need for your mental, physical and spiritual health going forward. You begin to name your trauma and triggers. Relationships solidify that will see you through several versions of yourself. You become a little more of who you are becoming, and consider whether you can live with that or not.

As someone who is three and half years out of her twenties, as well as someone who spent most of that decade running an intentional community house of twenty-somethings, I have a special affection for the lives that get lived between 19 and 30. With that sentiment and experience in mind, Ive compiled a list of 10 things to consider doing before one turns 30 (which doesnt include pandemic-unfriendly suggestions like go see your favorite band or travel to a foreign country.) Here they are.

Fr. Richard Rohr writes that, The ego is that part of the self that wants to be significant, central and important by itself, apart from anybody else. It wants to be both separate and superior. It is defended and self-protective by its very nature. Therefore, ego work is personal exploration that helps you see what of your existence is your God-given true self, and what false self you have implemented to survive the world, despite the harm it may cause you or others. Before you get out of your twenties, dive into the work of the mystics, the desert mothers and fathers, or systems like the enneagram to get a better look at how and why youve been experiencing the world as you have.

Certainty is boring (she says as a coping mechanism at the end of 2020). Confident answers are so teen years. Youre in your twenties now, baby doubt and tension are in! Make friends with them, even and especially in your faith. Trust them as guides into a better world, a better theology, a better you. Meet them with welcome, not war.

And by this, I mean live interdependently. Maybe this means as a resident of an intentional community house. Maybe this means as a roommate to a couple others. Maybe this means that your neighbor uses your lawn mower and you use their washing machine, or that youre a part of a group of people who are creating your own health insurance opportunities, house church (Zoom) experiences, or dividing dinner responsibilities. Either way, plant seeds in shared soil. It subverts the toxicity of American capitalist independence and keeps us aware of our need for each other.

And accept the truth that you dont have to feel depressed, anxious, traumatized, or at the end of yourself to make a counseling appointment. You can feel underwhelmed, confused, curious, sad, bitter, unsettled, relieved, proud, grieved, pressed, miserable, afraid, uncomfortable, burned out, calm, guilty, exhausted, inadequate, triggered, grateful, all the things at once, or nothing at all. You need not wait on a remarkable reason to explore therapy. And if you need permission? Here it is: make the appointment.

In an era of DNA tests, the World Wide Web and our elderly living longer, humanity has never had such access to our stories. Find out more about what blood runs through your veins. Who first lived on the land under your feet? Is the story of your family one of oppressed, oppressor, or both? How did those in your lineage demonstrate resilience and changed minds? On whose shoulders are you standing? How will this knowledge inform what you do with your time and resources going forward?

Author Elizabeth Gilbert writes, We are constantly being told to pursue our passions in life, but there are times when passion is a tall order, and really hard to reach. But curiosity, I have found, is always within reach. Passion is a tower of flame, but curiosity is a tiny tap on the shoulder. For many, ones twenties can feel like there are ticking timers around every corner to find the right job, right partner, right city, right calling. This can put a lot of pressure on the presence of passion rather than the breadcrumbs of curiosity. Grow comfortable with the idea that the Spirit guides in next hints and faint whispers, too.

With countless communities suffering at any given moment, it can be hard to know how to invest and where to start with issues of justice. The border? The climate? Anti-racism efforts? Gun violence? Nodding toward the idea of chasing curiosity, consider a thing that is excruciating to hear about for you. What tears your heart in two and threatens your hope for humanity? Let that be an invitation into the work of learning more and becoming involved in small and big ways.

As chaos rages around us, personal traditions can act as stabilizers, and season-markers. They can also give footing to the new identities we are exploring and the old connections we want to continue. And hey . . . you do not have to have a mortgage (or be in post-COVID days) to have traditions. Learn how to can vegetables in the summer. Make an Advent calendar for your kitchen table. Pick a recipe to revisit every New Years Eve. Light a candle to remember those who were taken from us too soon. Take walks on Sundays, meditate in the calm morning hours, end your birthday with an email to yourself. Build your altars of remembrance, even in shifting sand.

Learn that your, yes, to one thing is always a, no, to something else, and that boundaries hurt but dont harm. Practice unapologetic rest and margin-protection. Make a habit out of leaving room to be surprised by life.

And lastly in this non-exhaustive list, look back on the old you with compassion and mercy. Embrace them with care, not embarrassment. Make room for the you that is evolving so that you can learn better how to make room for others who are on their way to their next conversion as well. Picture your old self as the wounded, road-side man in the Good Samaritan story and your new self as the Samaritan, or your current self on the roadside and your future self as the Samaritan. Allow that to inform how you refuse to box others into the one way you experienced them in one place at one time. Press into loving people as you love yourself by first forgiving yourself for being the growing, glorious human that you are.

Best of all? They can each be explored while in quarantine or lockdown. They can each be an investment into your life and that of your neighbor; an investment into a better world for all. Good luck, you, in these brilliant and heart-wrenching years of becoming. In the future, may you look back on them in wonder and gratitude. In the present, may you have peace.

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10 Things to Do Before You're 30 (Even in a Pandemic) | RELEVANT - RELEVANT Magazine

G. Wayne Miller|The Providence Journal

PROVIDENCE United Way of Rhode Island on Friday announced a five-year plan backed by a commitment of $100 million to build racial equity in the state. The Live United 2025 initiative is aimed at improving education, ensuring availability of housing that is affordable and safe for all, and empowering non-profit organizations, among other objectives.

Weve been taught that race shouldnt matter, but the data tells a different story, the United Way states in a 16-page outline of the plan. The data shows that systemic inequities are the root causes of intergenerational poverty among people of color.

And, despite our best efforts through broad support of our communities in need, we know that our progress is hampered by these systemic inequities. Until we can make sure everyone has an equal shot at the starting line, our work will never reach its full potential.

The plan has been in development since 2019, but events during 2020 magnified racial inequities, thus raising the importance of implementation, United Way declared.

The pandemic showed that where you live and the color of your skin is a powerful determinant of your likelihood to live or die from COVID-19, the charity states in its outline. And murders of our neighbors like George Floyd and Breonna Taylor remind us that Black Rhode Islanders are eight times as likely to be in jail as whites.

Among the hardest-hit communities during the pandemic are Central Falls, Pawtucket and Providence, which have large populations of people of color.

In an interview with The Journal, United Way president and CEO Cortney Nicolato said: I love Rhode Island. I love our tenacity. I love our commitment to community but we have work to do. Rhode Island is challenged in many ways and as a community we have to come together to fix that.

At the very top is the fact that there are incredible equities for our men and women of color. This plan is centered and focused on building racial equity and opportunities and justice for our community. Our community will not thrive, it just won't, unless everyone thrives and that is inclusive of our Black and brown communities.

She added: To this plan has been incredibly intentional, incredibly focused on making sure that our community investments that we make go to the place that makes the biggest impact and so we could not be more thrilled.

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United Way of Rhode Island is launching a five-year plan backed by a commitment of $100 million to build racial equity in the state.

The Providence Journal

Among the specific goals of the five-year plan, according to the charity:

Double the number of Rhode Island cities and towns that are meeting the 10% affordable housing threshold (with a specific focus on core cities).

Reduce by 25% the number of people of color who are underemployed or unemployed.

Increase by 25% the number of individuals enrolled in SNAP benefits [formerly known as food stamps] based on income.

In announcing the plan, Michele Lederberg, United Way board chair and interim president and CEO of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, said:

Housing is a fundamental human right that remains out of reach for many Rhode Islanders. And this right intersects with every aspect of our lives health, education and financial. We may have been taught that all races are equal, but the data demonstrates that not everyone has been treated the same or afforded the same opportunities. This struggle has undermined our states ability to thrive for too long.

Several entities including CVS Health, the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island and the state Department of Education have already endorsed the five year plan. Brown University has committed $600,000 over 4 years, the charity said.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS VACCINES

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United Way to invest $100M to build racial equity - The Providence Journal

Invites community to join in acts of service, advocacy and learning

, Submitted to the Pioneer

GRAND RAPIDS This Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Spectrum Health affirms its commitment to eliminating systemic racism and achieving health equity in the communities it serves, by engaging in intentional conversation with team and community members, elevating the voices of those who marched with Dr. King, and encouraging team members to volunteer virtually.

Every day, our team members see firsthand the structural barriers that prevent many people of color from achieving good health and a healthy lifestyle, said Spectrum Health President & CEO Tina Freese Decker. By designating Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a paid holiday, Spectrum Health is making space for our team members to further Dr. Kings legacy of removing those barriersthrough education, conversation, advocacy and acts of service.

Since 2013, Spectrum Health has organized volunteer opportunities as a way for team members to observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day and to answer Dr. Kings call for justice and equality.

In lieu of in-person volunteering due to the pandemic this year, Spectrum Health is encouraging its team members and others to spend time learning about the American civil rights movement.

To help community members learn more about Dr. Kings local impact, Spectrum Health has produced a series of video stories about Michigan residents who met or marched with Martin Luther King Jr.

Spectrum Health is also encouraging its team members to read a book about diversity to a child, volunteer virtually, and explore other resources available to our community, such as the Jim Crow Museum at Ferris State University.

In addition, Spectrum Health is sponsoring:

Distribution of food baskets in Benton Harbor, in partnership with Feeding America

In-person and virtual programming about MLK Jr.s life and the civil rights movement at the Holland Museum

Donation of hand sanitizers to community partners through Priority Health

Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Week Blood Drive, in partnership with Versiti Blood Center of Michigan.

The blood drive will take place at:

Maple Avenue Church and Ministries in Holland on Jan. 19

Consortium for Community Development in Benton Harbor on Jan. 22

Baxter Community Center in Grand Rapids on Jan. 23

Spectrum Health Big Rapids, in partnership with Ferris State University, on Jan. 18 and Jan. 21

Community members are encouraged to take part in the blood drive throughout the week of Jan. 18 at a location convenient for them.

Our mission, vision and values call us to the work of addressing systemic racism and taking those actions, today and every day, that make our workplaces and communities more just, inclusive and welcoming, said Freese Decker. As Dr. King himself said, Human progress never rolls in on the wheels of inevitability. Human progress comes through the tireless efforts and the persistent work of dedicated individuals.

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Spectrum Health honors legacy of MLK Jr. - The Pioneer

INDIANAPOLISThe FBI Indianapolis Field Office and our law enforcement partners are aware of a report indicating there may be protests at state capitols this weekend and leading up to the inauguration on January 20. There has not been any specific and substantiated threat to the Indiana state capitol or other government buildings in the state. Through a collaborative effort of federal, state, and local public safety agencies, the FBI and our partner agencies will continually monitor for potential security concerns and provide timely notification should this change.

All agencies remain steadfast in our mission to protect our citizens and respect those who choose to exercise their First Amendment rights, including the right to peacefully protest. Our focus is not on peaceful protesters, but on those threatening their safety and the safety of other citizens with violence and destruction of property. Criminal activity, the destruction of property, and the intentional incitement of violence to prevent others from peacefully expressing their First Amendment rights will not be tolerated.

The FBI and our partners take all threats seriously and fully investigates each threat that comes into either our National Threat Operations Center, our local FBI field office, or from partner agencies.

Citizens are urged to report suspicious and/or suspected criminal activity by utilizing:

The FBI and our partners are committed to investigating violent behavior and holding those who violate the law responsible. The FBI continues to remain steadfast in our mission to protect the American people and uphold the U.S. Constitution. We will continue to coordinate with our law enforcement partners to protect all of our communities.

As indicated nationwide, citizens with information on the incident that occurred at the U.S. Capitol last week or upcoming protests can notify the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or at fbi.gov/USCapitol.

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FBI Indianapolis and Partners Prepared for State Capitol Protests - Federal Bureau of Investigation

Clark Atlanta University (CAU) is proud to announce its partnership with Propel Center, a new global campus headquartered inAtlantathat will support innovative learning and development for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) nationwide.Clark Atlanta Universitywill collaborate with Propel Center and the entire HBCU community to bring leadership and career development programming to its students.

Propel Center was imagined and designed byEd Farm, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing education through technology with Apple and Southern Company supporting the project as founding partners. The Propel Center is designed to connect HBCU students to technology curriculum, cultural thought leaders, entrepreneurship skills development, and accelerator programs, with a focus on social justice and equity.

The first-of-its-kind initiative will serve as a hub for all 100+ HBCUs, and is designed to connect students and faculty from across the community and provide them with the knowledge, skills, tools and resources necessary to transform our nation's talent pipeline and workforce. Curriculum options will include AI and machine learning, agricultural technologies, social justice, entertainment arts, app development, augmented reality, design and creativity, career preparation, and entrepreneurship tracks.

"Propel represents the most inclusive, game changing and collaborative partnership that I have witnessed within my 17 years as both college and university president. Propel will provide HBCU student-scholars across the country access to cutting-edge technology, resources, and programming to be globally competitive across multidisciplinary disciplines and career trajectories said, CAU President andChair of the Atlanta University Center Consortium Council of PresidentsGeorge T. French Jr. Additionally, French noted, "Propel will serve HBCUs across the country in an unprecedented collaborative. This multi-million-dollar public-private partnership will serve as exemplar, with reverberations affecting generations."

Students from participating schools will access Propel Center's online digital learning platform from anywhere, and will also have access to the 50,000 square-foot Propel Center headquarters inAtlanta, equipped with state-of-the-art lecture halls, learning labs, and on-site living for a scholars-in-residence program.

"The HBCU community is a tremendous engine of Black creativity, entrepreneurship, and inclusive opportunity," saidLisa Jackson, Apple's Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. "We are thrilled to join with partners and community stakeholders to support the Propel Center and be part of this groundbreaking new global hub for HBCU innovation and learning, devoted to helping faculty create best-in-class curriculum and ensuring students have access to cutting-edge skills."

"We know inequities exist in our society, and it's up to each of us to be more intentional in our efforts to make a difference and bridge the gap," saidTom A. Fanning, chairman, president and CEO of Southern Company. "We know more must be done, and the establishment of the Propel Center is another important demonstration of Southern Company fulfilling our commitment to move our communities to a more equitable future. Partnering with Apple in this initiative is an exciting way to connect future leaders with these critical resources."

"These investments are critical as we begin to truly scale Black innovation ecosystems," said Anthony Oni, chairman,Ed Farm. "By leveraging technology and partnerships to connect students with unique learning opportunities, we can lift up the talent that already exists at these institutions of higher learning and accelerate their development. In doing so, we will have a hand in shaping the workforce of the future and the leaders of tomorrow."

Additional information on Propel Center can be found atPropelCenter.org.

Originally posted here:

CAU Partners with Propel Center, a New Global HBCU Headquarters for Innovation - WCLK

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced today that vaccine providers that are ready to expand may vaccinate all health care workers and anyone 65 years and older.

Doctors, hospitals and local health departments are working hard to get people vaccinated. There may be a wait, but when its your spot, take your shot to stay healthy and help us get back to being with family and friends, said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D.

Because vaccine supplies are currently limited, states must make vaccine available in phases. To save lives and slow the spread of COVID-19, independent state and federal public health advisory committees recommend first protecting health care workers, people who are at the highest risk of being hospitalized or dying, and those at high risk of exposure to COVID-19.

North Carolina moves through vaccination phases by aligning to federal priorities while giving local health departments and hospitals the flexibility to move to the next priority group as they complete the previous one and have vaccines available. With todays announcement, vaccine providers who are ready may vaccinate adults 65 years and older and health care workers, which will be followed by frontline essential workers, then adults with high risk of exposure and increased risk of serious illness, then everyone. It is the responsibility of all vaccine providers to ensure equitable access to vaccines. This will mean taking intentional actions to reach and engage historically marginalized communities.

We know that people are doing all that they can to learn about the vaccines so they can make the best decision for themselves and their families. It can be hard to know what is true and what can be trusted. We are here to provide you with honest, factual information, said Secretary Cohen.

As part of the ongoing effort to educate North Carolinians about the safety, benefits and importance of receiving COVID-19 vaccinations, NCDHHS launched You have a spot. Take your shot.to provide all North Carolinians with information about COVID-19 vaccine development, testing, safety, side-effects and reactions.

A searchable list of health departments and hospitals administering the vaccination is available on the states COVID-19 vaccination website, yourspotyourshot.nc.gov. There is a wait time in many areas. Counties are in various stages as they deal with new COVID-19 cases and vaccinations. To support communities, NCDHHS is partnering with health systems, local health departments and community health centers across the state to host large community vaccine events for people currently eligible to be vaccinated.

COVID-19 vaccinations are free of charge, regardless of whether or not people have insurance.However, most doctors cannot provide COVID-19 vaccines in their office at this time.Individuals who are currently eligible and would like to receive the vaccine must make an appointment with their local health department or hospital.

In collaboration with local and statewide media outlets, pooled video footage and photos from recent vaccination clinics, PSAs produced by NCDHHS and other resources are available for publication and broadcast use, and can be downloaded from bit.ly/3rTOcS2.

For more information, visityourspotyourshot.nc.gov.

Excerpt from:

North Carolina health care workers and adults 65 and older are next to receive vaccine - Mountain Xpress

When Justin Phan, 20, was younger, his father and uncle struggled with addiction and were not present in his life. In seventh grade, his best friend committed suicide. And then he had his first suicide attempt as a junior in high school.

He found help with major depressive and general anxiety disorders from counselors and other resources available at the University of Texas at Austin. But now the college student struggles to get regular access to help as the pandemic has forced much of his education online.

Not being able to accurately deal with those problems in a way I would be able to with healthy coping mechanisms, if we werent in COVID times, definitely sucks and was rough on my mental health, said Phan, the son of two Vietnamese immigrants.

Phan is among the tens of thousands of college students of color in Texas who depend on school-provided mental health services that have encountered new challenges this past year.

Just like the pandemic had a disproportionate effect on people of color, students of color are also going through tremendous trauma this past year and have this sense of hopelessness and despair about what it means to be Black or brown in America, said Michael Lindsey, the executive director of New York Universitys McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research.

In June, 25.5% of young people ages 18 to 24 reported they had seriously considered suicide in the past 30 days, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study.

Self-reported suicide attempts among Black teenagers rose by 73% from 1991 to 2017, according to a study Lindsey coauthored.

I worry about the countrys ability to meet the mental health needs of youth college- bound students as they are contending with the trauma of the loss, the anxiety that were seeing and that theyve experienced, Lindsey said.

Neglecting ones mental health issues can not only have a negative impact on students personal relationships but also on their ability to retain information, pay attention in class and their motivation to study, said Richard Lenox, the director of Texas Tech Universitys student counseling center.

A major challenge for universities throughout the past year has been tackling the strong sense of isolation among their students now that most interactions happen through a screen.

After universities across the country shut down in spring, officials soon heard from students that one of their biggest needs was that connection, said Eric Wood, the director of Texas Christian Universitys counseling center.

They were really, really struggling with loneliness at that time in isolation, Wood said.

Many students also dont have a reliable internet service or a private space in their homes to talk freely.

Even when students can obtain services, its not the same. Phan described his Zoom session with a counselor as impersonal. The centers virtual appointments were often booked, leaving him to wait about a month for an opening. And when he did connect with help, he often couldnt find a room that was private enough in his home, and the talks felt rushed.

Its like, bam, bam, bam, he said. I need to get all my facts out about my whole life, my whole mental disorder history, within 20 minutes, so that we can discuss in another 20 minutes about whats going on and then last 20 minutes about what we should do from this point on.

Phan said he misses the way conversations were less structured when they were in person and how he was able to casually diverge into other topics and make small talk.

To help those from marginalized communities who may not have a support system at home, the University of Texas at Dallas came up with support groups for students that align with how they personally identify -- such as those who are first-generation college students, Asian American or LGBTQ.

Prachi Sharma, one of the assistant directors at the campus counseling center, said it creates a more informal space that doesnt look like traditional therapy -- even if that space is now virtual.

Sharma said it is beneficial for students to speak with someone who shares a similar background or experiences. For example, Sharma speaks Hindi and often speaks with students who are more comfortable conversing in that language.

There has been more of an intentional effort into diversifying our staff to reflect UT-Dallas students, Sharma said.

Phans mother, who was born in Vietnam, has downplayed his mental health struggles, telling him that its just because of his personality or diet or even his day-to-day activities.

Like its my fault, Phan said, pointing out that there are heavy cultural and generational differences between the two of them.

Such cultural viewpoints can make it difficult for many to seek help from a professional, said Lindsey, noting that many communities of color traditionally resolve their emotional and psychological pain within the family.

Complicating matters even further for people of color is the double stigma many face because of discrimination and racism, Lindsey added.

Our society treats people in really bad ways when they are struggling with a mental illness, be it depression or schizophrenia, whatever the case may be, Lindsey said. We frame people who have mental illness as being crazy. We shun them. We dont want to include them or invite them into our spaces. Its almost like we have this perpetual fear of those folks. Well, then imagine if youre Black and brown.

Meanwhile, student services are not as diverse as they should be as counselors need to be culturally competent in order to talk to and understand the unique challenges facing students who are from different communities, Lindsey said.

Many college counseling centers have done regular training in order to provide services to students from various backgrounds.

Attracting diverse staff is difficult, however. At TCU, for example, Wood has overseen the search committee for every counseling center position recently. He can count on one hand how many diverse candidates applied. He added there is a clear need for a pipeline to have more Black psychologists or students or professionals of color get those degrees.

The challenge is not only in finding diverse talent but also convincing them to choose their campuses when so many colleges are competing for diverse talent.

Thats why schools need to invest in creating pipelines, encouraging students of color to go into the mental health field starting as early as high school, Lindsey said.

For now, peer communities led by counselors help fill the gap.

Diane Taing, 21, a junior at TCU, is a leader in one such group. During a typical meeting, Taing begins the discussions by sharing her own story and mental health struggles, which she says helps other students feel more comfortable about opening up to the group..

Taing was sexually assaulted just before she started college, causing her to fall into a deep depression and feel confused about her feelings during her first semester.

The counseling center helped her come to terms with her feelings through its student communities.

Being able to connect with other people who share the same experiences as me, whether that just be the depression and anxiety or sexual assault ... really helped me in return, Taing said.

As the spring semester gets underway, Sharma said universities want to expand their group programming in order to deal with the trauma students are going through because of the pandemic and to be more intentional about establishing connections for students and for college staff.

As a country and world, I think were navigating quite a few challenges concurrently: a pandemic; an economic crisis; a politically polarized election we just went through; a racial justice movement; a lot of uncertainty, depression, anxiety, Sharma said. I also miss seeing our students in person.

The DMN Education Lab deepens the coverage and conversation about urgent education issues critical to the future of North Texas.

The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with support from The Beck Group, Bobby and Lottye Lyle, The Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, The Meadows Foundation, Solutions Journalism Network, Southern Methodist University and Todd A. Williams Family Foundation. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of the Education Labs journalism.

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Lack of diversity and the pandemic challenge colleges to address mental health issues for students of color - The Dallas Morning News