Redlining of neighborhoods explained

Redlining is the process of denying mortgage loans based on the racial makeup of a neighborhood.

Michael Nyerges, Cincinnati Enquirer

A recent legal complaint against Old National Bank that alleges the company discriminated against Black borrowers in mortgage lending has raised questions among redlining experts about whether there is a lack of access to financial services in red-lined neighborhoods and majority-Black neighborhoods in Indianapolis.

The complaint filed by the Fair Housing Center of Central Indianaalleges that just 3.86% of the bank's mortgage loans in Marion County went to Black borrowers in 2019 and 2020,even though Black residents comprise nearly 28% of the county'spopulation,according to census data.

Old National Bank is one of the largest mortgage lenders statewide and the largest bank headquartered in Indiana.Legal scholars saythat if the bank'spolicies disproportionately harmed Black residents,the bankcould be liable for illegal discrimination under the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

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Amy Nelson, the executive director of the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, said the Old National Bank case may just be the tip of the iceberg.

In addition to this bank, she said her organization's investigations have found there are about a dozenlenders or mortgage brokers who originate a significant amount of loans in the Indianapolis metropolitan area and offer fewer mortgage loansto Black borrowers compared to others.

Old National Bank officials deny the company engaged in redlining.

"Old National strongly and categorically denies the claims made in this lawsuit. As a community bank, we are committed to fair, responsible and equitable lending practices," saidOld National Bank spokesperson Kathy Schoettlin in an email to IndyStar."That is simply who we are, and its one of the reasons we have been recognized for the past decade as one of the worlds most ethical companies."

The legal complaint accusesthe bank of deliberately closing bank branches in majority-Black neighborhoods, making it more difficult forBlackhome buyers to access mortgage loans.

The legal complaint alleges the bank is guilty of 'redlining,' a term which refers to mortgage loan discrimination perpetuated by the government-sponsored Home Owners' Loan Corporation in the 1930s.The corporation created mapsthat purported to show the level of risk for mortgage lending inneighborhoods all over the country.

Majority-Black or majority-non-whiteneighborhoods were labelledred.The Federal Housing Authoritywould not insure home mortgage loans in the red neighborhoods, effectively denying loan access to prospectiveBlack homeowners.

The term now more generally refers towhen "lenders intentionally avoid providing services to individuals living in predominantly minority neighborhoods because of the race of the residents in those neighborhoods," according to a definition offered by the Department of Justice in a 2019 press release on redlining.

"Over the last decade, Old National has disproportionately closed branches located in Black neighborhoods, while maintaining its presence in neighborhoods serving white residents," the legal complaint states.

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All of the closed branches were located either in or immediately adjacent to a census tract with a 25% or higher proportion of Black residents,according to the complaint.

Unai Miguel Andres, adata analyst at the The Polis Center at IUPUI who researches the effects of redlining, said the lack of financial services in some majority-Black neighborhoods, along with the general lack of services such as grocery stores and shopping malls, is a legacy of the 1930sredlining and the subsequent underinvestment in these communities.

Miguel Andresand two other colleagues found in a June 2021 paper that individuals living in redlined neighborhoods in Indianapolis continue to have worse health incomes, lower incomes and higher violent crime rates than non-redlined neighborhoods.

"Redlining and discriminatory lending practices led to segregation being perpetuated," said Miguel Andres."(Residents in redlined neighborhoods)were denied loans and that affected their capacity to accumulate equity."

Florence Roisman, a legal expert in housing segregation and discrimination at the Indiana University McKinney School of Law, said housing discrimination does not have to be intentional for it to be illegal, citing a 2015 U.S. Supreme Court case.

As long as a practice has a discriminatory effect, which may include perpetuating segregation, and cannot be justified by a legitimate non-discriminatory purpose that could not be satisfied in another way, it is illegal under the Fair Housing Act, Roisman said.

This means the relevant legal question in a lawsuit against Old National Bank is not whether the company intended to discriminate against Black borrowers but whether its actions caused harms that disproportionately affected Black borrowers, Roisman said.

"Their intention isirrelevant," Roisman said.

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Incourt, it may be easier to prove that a company's policies had a disproportionate effect on Black borrowers than that that company intentionally discriminatedagainst Black borrowers.

"Its hard enough to prove what is the intent of a single human being, and when youre talking about multi-member entities, its even harder to prove intent," Roisman said."Courts dont like to say that a person or an entity committed an act of intentional discrimination; its like the reluctance to say somebody is a racist. Courts, like lots of people, are very reluctant to put that label on someone."

In the past five years, there have been two other major casesalleging banks were guilty of redlining inIndianapolis.

A 2017 case againstUnion Savings Bank and Guardian Savings Bankalleged the banksengaged in redlining majority-Black neighborhoods in Ohioas well as the Indianapolis metropolitan statistical area. Similar to the Old National Bank case, this bank was accused oflocatingbranches to avoid serving majority-Black neighborhoods.The case ended in a settlement when the court ordered the banks to invest at least $7 million in a loan subsidy fund and open two full-service branches and a loan production office in majority-Black census tracts.

Two years later,the Justice Department settled a suit against the Muncie-based First Merchant bank, which it and the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana accused ofredlining in Indianapolis by intentionally avoiding predominantly Black neighborhoods.

Contact IndyStar reporterKo Lyn Cheang atkcheang@indystar.com or 317-903-7071. Follow her on Twitter: @kolyn_cheang.

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Old National Bank redlining: discrimination may not be intentional - IndyStar

Last week, we addressed part of A.B.s question about downsizing and whether to relocate to a 55-plus retirement community or one that has no age restrictions. Several age-restricted communities were described. This week well highlight ones that are age-diverse.

The LGBTQ community is a trendsetter in this regard. SAGE, an organization that supports the LGBTQ community, partnered with two affordable apartment buildings in New York City to build Stonewall House. Its a 17-story building with 54 studio and 91 one-bedroom apartments with a roof deck, landscaped terrace, communal lounge and laundry room. It is considered an LGBTQ + Age-Friendly Elder Housing residence.

Co-housing is another example. Some are multigenerational although there are co-housing models for those age 55 and older. Originating in Denmark, they were designed to create what is considered an old-fashioned community with semi-communal living. It typically consists of a cluster of private homes and shared community spaces. Designed by future residents, the community is self-governed. In this model, communities often share activities such as dining and childcare, carpooling and exercise and often gather during the week to prepare and share meals with one another. An economic benefit is the sharing of resources. California has at least three: Mountain View, Pleasant Hill and Southside Park.

University-based retirement communities also are designed for multigenerational opportunities. They typically consist of upscale apartments that are on or adjacent to a college campus. Some have requirements as well as many opportunities. Lasell Village at Lasell University in Massachusetts is the first senior living community that requires residents to commit to the educational goals of 450 hours of learning annually, believing that learning is a way of being. Residents of Mirabella at Arizona State University receive student ID cards that allows them to audit classes and use the university library.

A unique example of an intentional multigenerational community is Bridge Meadows in Oregon. Founded in 2005, it combines former foster-care youth, adoptive families and older adults into an intergenerational community that creates a place of permanence and shared social purpose. Located in several Oregon cities, it is designed to encourage connection between the generations and consists of family townhomes that accommodate three to four children and elder apartments. It has received many awards and has been featured in PBS NewsHour and the Wall Street Journal acknowledging its economic model and its social benefits.

More of these communities are to be developed. In Santa Clara, civic leaders and developers are planning a place that combines contemporary urban living with Santa Claras agricultural past. It is called Agrihood. According to a July 22 story in the San Jose Spotlight, it will consist of 160 mixed-income apartments, 165 homes for low-income seniors and veterans and 36 townhomes with a 1.5-acre farm where residents can grow produce. Retail space is included.

Chip Conley, author of Wisdom at Work: The Making of a Modern Elder (Currency, 2018) and founder of the Modern Elder Academy is planning to replace the traditional retirement community with what he calls regenerative intergenerational communities. The first one will be located in Santa Fe with the intention of shifting the aspiration of leisure in retirement to one that cultivates purpose and connection. Conley intends to build a vibrant community that centers around a campus for midlife retreats and sabbaticals as well as housing opportunities.

Other considerations include climate and access to healthcare, family, friends, airports, religious institutions, cultural activities and more. Of course, affordability is key. Before making a decision, ask if you can spend a week or two at some of thecommunities to experience what life might be like for you.

So, what are the benefits? According to Paul Irving, Chairman of the Center for the Future of Aging, studies indicate such communities enhance a sense of purpose, health, positive attitudes and well-being as well as opportunities for continued learning.

An added note: one way to fight ageism is to create environments for older and younger generations to have shared positive experiences. If that were widespread, age discrimination might just disappear.

A.B., Thank you for your important question and enjoy that next chapter. In the meantime, stay well and be kind to yourself and others.

Helen Dennis is a nationally recognized leader on issues of aging, employment and the new retirement with academic, corporate and nonprofit experience. Contact Helen with your questions and comments at Helendenn@gmail.com. Visit Helen at HelenMdennis.com and follow her on facebook.com/SuccessfulagingCommunity

The rest is here:

Exploring age-diverse retirement community options and their added benefits - Press-Enterprise

Views expressed in opinion columns are the authors own.

When I think of cities, I imagine a densely-packed, interconnected community full of public places that invite you to interact with new people and enjoy the hustle and bustle of city life. However, while visiting Washington, D.C., certain areas of the city dont fulfill this vision of a community-oriented space. As I walked the streets, benches and places to sit were few and far between and were often tilted or curved in an unwelcoming way. I quickly realized that this design wasnt a coincidence, but instead an intentional decision meant to discourage homeless people from using them.

What I encountered in Washington, D.C., is known as hostile architecture city amenities designed to limit the way the space can be used. This punitive approach doesnt solve homelessness, but instead deters homeless populations from occupying public spaces.

Hostile architecture weaponizes the built environment against certain users of public spaces deemed undesirable by businesses and governments. Hostile architecture can include sloped or curved benches, armrests in the middle of benches, and spikes covering areas protected from weather. It can also include ghost amenities, or a lack of amenities such as benches, fountains or buildings with protective overhangs.

Hostile architecture not only punishes the homeless, but other city residents as well, creating city spaces that are uncomfortable, unwelcoming and inconvenient for everyone. Instead of relying on reactive strategies that negatively affect everyone, cities should instead solve the problem at the source by housing the homeless and making cities more accessible and community-oriented.

While hostile architecture pushes away the homeless from wealthier and tourism-driven areas, governments and planners euphemistically justify the acts as protecting public safety and increasing tourism and consumerism. Those designated as non-consumers are alienated from free public spaces through an uncomfortable and hostile environment.

Put simply, these practices have no place in modern city planning. Hostile architecture is not only irrational, but also morally repugnant and detrimental to all of society.

Hostile architecture doesnt solve homelessness far from it. Instead of solving the socio-economic roots of the problem, it just moves homeless people out of sight. And, from a moral standpoint, it seems wrong that governments are more focused on harassing and punishing those who need help, rather than establishing the supportive programs needed to solve the problem. Through this mindset, homeless people are not treated as humans, but as public nuisances that must be removed from public spaces.

In addition to the ineffectiveness and moral repugnance of hostile architecture, it is also a net-negative policy for everyone who uses public spaces. It fundamentally transforms public spaces from places of community, where people can chat with neighbors and enjoy the scenery, to unwelcome environments intended to prevent people from using it for too long. This approach creates discomfort and inconvenience for everyone, but especially neglects the accessibility needs of many. Why do we as a society tolerate harming everyone for an immoral policy that doesnt solve the homelessness problem?

The ideology of punishing vulnerable populations for issues often out of their control shouldnt be the status quo.

Governments can and should invest in housing the homeless and providing the support they need to get on their feet. Studies have shown savings for local governments when the homeless receive housing instead of spending the money on the punitive approaches currently used across the country. In addition to solving homelessness at the source, cities should remove uncomfortable hostile architecture that divides us. They should instead focus on creating functional public spaces that connect people together and create a sense of community.

Hostile architecture does not make sense and has never made sense for solving societal problems. Its primary goal is not to solve the problem of homelessness, but to exclude and isolate people from public spaces. It is unethical, ineffective and has the simultaneous effect of ruining the community aspect of shared spaces. Public space is meant for everyone, and designating it for only socially desirable people who can spend money reflects poorly on our supposed morals. Our country must move past apocryphal anti-homeless policies and instead create thriving, sustainable and supportive communities that work for everyone.

Zach Wandalowski is a sophomore government and politics and economics major. He can be reached at zachwand@gmail.com.

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Hiding homelessness through hostile architecture only hurts the community - The Diamondback

By Blaine Howerton, PublisherNorth Forty News

We often receive reader feedback, both positive and negative. I am grateful for that as it means that folks in communities throughout Northern Colorado are reading our newspaper!

With our focus on solution-driven journalism sometimes our content may seem mild by that I mean that some of our articles could have more personality, even written in the first person. You may have noticed a shift in a few of our recent articles and its intentional. But when it comes to politics, complex community issues, or anything where our readers need to make an informed decision, based on facts, we make every effort to center our reporting, providing both sides of the issue. And if one side of the issue isnt available, we publish only the facts.

This leads me to thePublishersLetters.

As with so many people, the pandemic led to a major change in my life circumstances where I needed to make some significant decisions going forward. My two young sons, (whom I have custody of every other week) and I talked about the fun times we spent up on our mountain sanctuary and whether we could make that arrangement a more permanent lifestyle. Living off-grid is challenging and always seems to be a work in progress there is so much to learn. But we agreed to take it on.

My sons and I couldnt be happier about the decision we made that made one of the most challenging times in our lives more bearable so many new adventures to focus on! And as we met each new challenge of living off-grid, I decided to share my journey with our readers and the feedback we have received is that many readers look forward each week to reading the next installment perhaps because it may encourage them that they too can face change and uncertainty and master it, no matter how challenging it may seem at first.

As the season transitions into winter, life at 6,300 feet always presents new challenges but living off-grid has reduced my living costs.

And like so many people in these times of Covid and uncertainty, I am struggling. This newspaper takes everything I have to keep it going. Well before the pandemic, 4 years ago before I took it on, the newspaper was about to close and that would have left many towns and rural areas throughout Northern Colorado news deserts.

I am grateful for the people in our community who have supported us with their readership, their subscriptions, and their advertising. They are THE reason that North Forty News still exists today. And that includes people who write to us your feedback helps shape this newspaper.

LOCAL NEWS IS A NECESSITY CRITICAL AT A TIME LIKE THIS!

Help us report on the new local reality!

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Or contact usatads@northfortynews.comto learn more about advertising with us including how your ad in our print edition will also show up in the online digital replica of our current edition along with on our website.

Show your support for Local Journalism by helping us do more of it. It's a kind and simple gesture that will help us continue to bring stories like this to you.

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Publisher's Letter: Our Newspaper and Reader Response - North Forty News

BALTIMORE (WJZ) Mayor Brandon Scott along with the City Council announced Tuesday plans to reauthorize three tax credits set to expire.

The tax credits include the CHAP Tax Credit, the Newly Constructed Dwelling Tax Credit and the High-Performance Market Rate Tax Credit.

Officials said the reauthorization bills associated with the credits were introduced by the City Council Monday evening. They will now begin to move through the councils process for approval.

Mayor Scott is also set to establish a Tax Credit Review Committee that will evaluate the citys existing tax credits and ensure the incentive program sustainably and equitably grows the tax base.

I look forward to working closely with Council President Mosby, Councilman Costello, Shelonda Stokes, and the Tax Credit Review Committee to ensure our incentive structure is fit for todays Baltimore, while simultaneously benefiting our residents, homeowners, local business community, and overall strategy for growth, said Scott.

Growing Baltimore in a responsible and equitable way is paramount, and getting our tax code right plays an important role in achieving that goal and ultimately transforming our city, said City Council President Nick J. Mosby. As Baltimores leaders, we must always be intentional about developing sustainable solutions that bolster smart and equitable development. I am excited to help establish this review committee and will do all I can to support and extend tax credits that deliver results.

The reauthorization of these three tax credits would build predictability into the process and aid projects in moving forward.

The reauthorization of these credits is critically important to growing our City, creating new jobs, and ensuring opportunity across all neighborhoods, said Councilman Eric T. Costello, chairman of the Councils Ways and Means Committee. By establishing the Tax Credit Review Committee, the Mayors deliberate approach will make sure that we continue to offer credits that have demonstrated results in growing our city and that we act in a fiscally prudent manner to drive economic development in all communities.

These tax credits have fueled development across the city so its important to keep them going while we perform a comprehensive review of whats working, whats not, and where we have unmet needs, said Downtown Partnership President, Shelonda Stokes. The process matters moving forward, as we create new tools to stimulate investment, equity, and economic opportunity.

Officials said more information will be announced in the coming weeks.

Original post:

Mayor Brandon Scott Announces Plans To Reauthorize Three Tax Credits - CBS Baltimore

Reflections from the Reading 360 Summit

By: Dr. Lisa Coons, Chief Academic Officer

The inaugural Reading 360 Summit resonates in my mind as one of the most powerful learning opportunities of my career. Listening to several Tennessee leaders in the sessions over the three day summit highlighted and reinforced the incredible literacy work that is occurring in across the state. I am incredibly humbled that almost 2,000 educators attended and shared the literacy focus on Tennessee that is occurring in schools and districts over the past 18 months. Social media has been filled with quotes, comments of appreciation, and the recognition that the Reading 360 work outlines the literacy accomplishments in Tennessee.

Launched in January 2020, the Reading 360 Initiative provides a comprehensive focus on literacy improvements for educators, universities, families, and communities. District-facing strategies include early reading trainings for Pre-K to grade 5 educators and focused implementation networks to support district literacy improvements. Supports to districts also include Communities of Practice, implementation grants, and video models. Families have had the opportunities to order decodables and receive weekly text messages supporting literacy. Community partnerships for literacy tutoring will occur in Tennessees urban settings as well. Finally, a Tennessee Reading Research Center is launching this fall to analyze the focused work of Tennessee and study each of these initiatives and their impact on student achievement. The Reading 360 Summit was designed to highlight these efforts and celebrate the work of districts within Reading 360.

The Reading 360 Summit was designed intentionally. The conference began by reflecting on the success of the summer early reading training and the commitment of 11,000 educators; the presenters focused on how to support educators to implement the practices, protocols, and research learned. The panel focused on the neuroscience of the training and the importance of intentional foundational skills instruction. The conference sessions then moved to set Tennessees focus on literacy opportunities for every child and discussed the importance of access points that high-quality instruction materials provide that allow all children to have grade-level literacy opportunities every day.

On the second day, the conference focused on district and school leaders. District leaders spoke to their own vision-setting, building a theory of action, and equipping leaders and teachers with the knowledge and skills necessary to execute the plan of action. The district leaders described the importance of working shoulder-to-shoulder with school leaders to ensure a collaborative culture where leaders are chief learners to support growth in classrooms.

The final day defined the vital roles families and communities play in ensuring all children have strong daily literacy experiences. Community partners across Tennessee shared their focus on grassroots collaboration to connect with families and elevate the focus on literacy. The conference closed with discussions with education preparation leaders and their focus on growing our newest educators to use cognitive reading science when teaching children to read along with the importance of using high-quality materials as the foundation for instruction.

I am so thankful for the conversations, the chats, and the connections that were sparked in the Reading 360 community that were made over the three-day summit.

Our schools and our children are so lucky to have the educational leaders who have spoken, engaged, and shared their practice during the summit. It is clear that our district leaders are creating a vision for success, ensuring the why is clear in the work, and that they are working shoulder-to-shoulder with their school leaders and teachers.

Sumner Countys Chief Academic Officer, Scott Langford, explained principals need feedback just like teachers do to Norma Gerrell, Director of Schools from Paris Special Schools, who reminded us that you have to put faces with data and be transparent. Our leaders truly shared how important honest and focused leadership is to improving literacy experiences for children. Clint Satterfield from Trousdale County encouraged school leaders to own their instructional changes, not just create buy-in. Hamilton Countys Yvette Stewart noted that school principals are the drivers of the bus. These leaders also discussed the use of Tennessees Instructional Practice Guide to dive deeply into the content, student learning, and actionable feedback that fosters growth in practice.

Haywood Countys Director of Schools, Joey Hassell, discussed the focus on all learners and reminded us that just because a student is struggling to read doesnt mean that they are struggling to think and Rachael Cornett from Rutherford County asserted that high-quality instructional materials level the playing field because all students are given access to rich instruction. Jeta Donovan, the principle Early Reading Training course designer, explained to teach our youngest readers to how to read, we have to understand more than just what reading is. We have to understand the processes behind it. Instructional leaders, Carissa Comer from Putnam County and Shannon Tufts from Lenoir City Schools, shared the importance of key tools to support educators in implementing foundational skills including collaborative lesson preparation and focused clear walk through feedback and Penny Thompson from Lebanon Special Schools showed us that early literacy starts in Pre-K.

One of our community leaders, DeMarrus Miller from the Salvation Army advocated, If a parent cannot read well, it is likely that their child will struggle as well and StandardsWork CEO, Barbara Davidson, explained we have a great opportunity here in Tennessee; there is nowhere else in the country with such a comprehensive and coherent approach to literacy instruction. In the discussion around preparing tomorrows teachers to teach reading, Dr. Carolyn Strom from New York University explained everything we do should be aligned to science and what we know about teaching reading. Our teachers need knowledge, skills, and mindsets to be successful. And University of Tennessee Knoxvilles Dr. Zoi Philippakos stated if we teach students to break the code and understand the system of reading, we give them the opportunity to access a world full of knowledge.

Recordings from all sessions will soon be available on Best for All Central. You will be able find these discussions and many other experts with empowering quotes, discussion points and strategies. As a next step, I encourage you to watch these recordings again and share these with your colleagues and extend this weeks learning into your own districts journey. Download the reflection guide and start a discussion and think about what is next for your school or district.

My dear friend, Millicent Smith from Lenior City, reminded us that we have to get uncomfortable to change and improve our practice. So, I hope you get uncomfortable, see students in the data, own your change, and use neuroscience to ensure every child in Tennessee has high quality learning experiences every day, every week, every month, year over year!

Read more:

Tennessee Educators Lead the Nation in Literacy Focus - tn.gov

In a moving ceremony, the Illinois State campus community celebrated on October 15 the new Multicultural Center, a recently renovated space dedicated to providing support for students and strengthening the Universitys commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Center Director Dr. Christa Platt, M.S. 09, Ph.D. 17, began the event with an acknowledgment of the Indigenous Peoples whose homelands Illinois State now occupies, closed the ceremony with a ribbon cutting, and in between reflected on what the new center means to the campus.

Its a special day, and honestly, its an emotional day, Platt said. Its a special day for us, the collective, the campus community, not just for me and my colleague Kwame (Patterson), who worked for the last year and a half together to make this venture be what it is, but its for the campus community, a moment in history that is special for us.

About 100 students, faculty, staff, donors, and university and community leaders gathered at the Multicultural Center for the celebration, which was held during Homecoming Week. The event was moved inside due to the weather forecast and was livestreamed on the centers Facebook page and on a big screen in the Bone Student Center, where about another dozen people watched the hourlong event.

Watch the celebration and ribbon cutting for the new Multicultural Center on Facebook.

Students Caleb Mangruem and Daisy Rodriguez welcomed attendees with a statement read in English and Spanish: Welcome to the sacred moment for our community, a moment to reflect, a moment to remember, and a moment to honor, Mangruem said in part. Welcome to an opportunity to share in gratitude with our communities who have asked, advocated, protested, demanded, and planned for this center. We welcome you to honor the mission and the vision to the center that seeks to equip all Illinois State University students to be change agents and enact a culture of anti-racism, equity, and justice.

After the event, center staff offered attendees tours of the facility, which opened in August in the former Instructional Technology and Development Center at 301 South Main Street. The 16,200-square-foot building underwent a $4.4 million renovation and now includes spaces for events and culturally- and community-based student organizations, conference rooms, a social justice library, a media room, staff offices, a kitchen, all-gender restrooms, and a reflection room.

Illinois State administrators spoke about the crucial role students served in pushing for and developing the concept of the center.

While were excited to complete this construction project and the opening of the center, were even more proud of the commitment to the student experience throughout the entire planning process, said Dr. Levester Johnson, vice president for Student Affairs. Our students asked for the Multicultural Center, and we listened. We were intentional about listening to their feedback and making decisions that will ultimately make their experience at Illinois State even better.

Illinois State President Dr. Terri Goss Kinzy called the centers opening a momentous occasion.

For some, this center is a symbol of our dedication to equity, Kinzy said. For some, this center will be a refuge, a place to recharge, to have the energy to continue important work. But for me, the center is a promise to forge ahead for infusing equity into the infrastructure of the Universitys practices, policies, and initiatives. It is also a place where we must have constructive dialogue, including on difficult topics and between different views.

The event also featured an Interfaith Blessing, a thank-you to the alumni who have financially supported the center, a rendition of the song The Blessing by the Interdenominational Youth Choir, and readings by the student leaders of the Black Student Union, Asian Pacific American Coalition, Pride, and the Association of Latinx American Students.

As current student leaders on this campus, we commit to serving our student body by recognizing the humanity of the most marginalized students, we affirm their Blackness; their Asian identity, their Latin histories; and their gender, sexual, and romantic identities, said Ximena Sanchez-Ramirez, president of the Association of Latinx American Students. We welcome each intersecting identity of our peers and invite them into the Multicultural Center. We center the experiences of minoritized students. We envision the possibilities for them, and the possibilities of what this space can and will offer students. We envision what the center would have been for a Black man graduate student, like Jelani Day. We will continue to foster community that Jelani would have wanted to belong to.

Dr. Khalilah Shabazz (assistant vice chancellor for student diversity, equity, and inclusion at IUPUI) has served as a consultant to the Multicultural Center. During her keynote speech, she said cultural centers provide a safe haven for students who often find themselves existing along the margins on college campuses.

Look at these amazing students. These are your why. These are the faces of our future. These are your why. And for you all students, this is your place, this is your space, Shabazz said.

Learn more about the Multicultural Center.

Julie Mana-ay Perez contributed to this story.

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ISU community celebrates the opening of the Multicultural Center - Illinois State University News

Peter Tonguette| Special to The Columbus Dispatch

Filmmakers Melissa Gira Grant and Ingrid Raphael knew there was a story behind the wave of killings of young people, most of them Black, by police officers in Columbus.

I would be at the protests, and the families would be telling their stories, but when you would read and try to find more information, the media outlets that were covering the stories would only be giving the stories from the perspective of the police reports, said Raphael, a 28-year-old artist then living in Columbus.

Then Raphael, now living in Philadelphia, was introduced to Grant, a 43-year-old journalist based in Brooklyn, New York, who had been traveling to Columbus to write about police violence in the city.

I had started covering the story of Donna Dalton, who was shot and killed by (former police officer) Andrew Mitchell and then some months later, he was charged with murder in her death, said Grant, a staff writer at The New Republic magazine.

More: Columbus intends to pay family of Donna Castleberry $1 million in wrongful death case

That story really stuck out, because, at that time, before Mitchell was indicted, no Columbus police officer for the entire tenure of former prosecutor Ron OBrien had been charged with murder, Grant said.

More: Everyday Heroes: Adrienne Hood turns pain into purpose as a social justice leader

The two colleagues joined forces to co-direct a new 20-minute documentary being shown at Mershon Auditorium on the campus of Ohio State University at 7 p.m. Oct. 22. They Wont Call It Murder examines the topic through the perspective of surviving female family members of victims of police shootings namely, Adrienne Hood, the mother of Henry Green; Bobbi McCalla, the older sister of Dalton; Malika King and Derrea King, the mother and grandmother of Tyre King; and Jamita Malone and Maryam Malone, the mother and younger sister of Julius Tate Jr.

More: 5 juveniles have been fatally shot by police in Columbus since 2016. Here's a look at their cases

More: Opinion: "We cannot achieve social justice without environmental and climate justice."

The screening to be followed by a discussion with guests Grant, Raphael, Hood, Derrea and Malika King, and Jamita Malone is part of the Unorthodocs documentary film festival presented by the Wexner Center for the Arts (where the other screenings will take place).

(The film) really spends time with especially the women in the families of victims of police shootings mothers, grandmothers, sisters and how they build communities of support and try to figure out how to get justice, said Chris Stults, Wexner Center associate curator of film/video.

The goal is to give voice to figures whose perspectives might be omitted from official accounts of their loved ones deaths.

We knew that we had the ability, because of the relationships and the trust that we had, to tell the story in a really different way and in a way that gave these women and their families the power back, Grant said.

The film began production in December 2019 and wrapped toward the end of February 2020, but Grant and Raphael revisited the project following the death of George Floydin May 2020 while in police custody in Minneapolis.

We had yet again another unfortunate event in American history where a Black man was killed by police and we had these national uprisings, said Raphael, who decided that Columbus protests needed to be documented, too.

They Wont Call It Murder is the centerpiece of the fifth installment of Unorthodocs, which was originally intended to have a larger scope.

The pandemic curtailed those comeback plans just a bit: Instead of taking place over as many as five days, as in years past, the in-person component of this years festival is set for two days, Oct. 22 and 23.

But, as if by design, this leaner version of the festival has a focus it might not have otherwise had.

I didnt even realize this until after we finished the lineup, but at least in terms of the feature (documentaries), theyre all made by women and primarily women of color which wasnt intentional at all, but just seems like the most exciting work that we had planned to show, Stults said.

And, while last years Unorthodocs festival was entirely virtual, this years in-person screenings boast five programs that will make full use of the big screen; just one film, the documentary Prism, featuring contributions by three separate filmmakers, will be shown online this year (starting Oct. 24 and continuing through Oct. 30 on http://www.wexarts.org).

They are just overwhelming cinematic experiences that really needed to be seen on a screen, Stults said of the films selected to be screened in-person.

The festival opens at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 22 with Unorthodocs Shorts, a 75-minute program of short documentaries. Two filmmakers featured in the lineup Rasel Ahmed and Lydia Cornett will speak afterward.

After the screening of, and discussion related to, They Wont Call It Murder later that evening, the festival will resume on Oct. 23.

At 2 p.m. Oct. 23, Jessica Beshirs Faya Dayi will be screened. The documentary offers a look at the Ethiopian crop khat, which, when chewed, can lead to a feeling of euphoria.

Its the most lucrative crop in Ethiopia, Stults said. The film enters an appropriately meditative dream state. Its not one of those issue films, where you learn facts and figures like you would in a magazine article.

Also on Oct. 23, showing at 4:30 p.m. is Rosine Mbakams Delphines Prayers, which draws on the filmmakers interviews with a woman who had been a sex worker in Cameroon before relocating to Belgium; and at 7 p.m., Natalia Almadas Users, which utilizes sweeping cinematography to capture the role of technology in the natural world.

Despite being shorter than usual, the festival promises a thorough look at some of the most exciting voices in documentary filmmaking.

You can see a lot of the most striking documentaries all in one sitting, Stults said.

tonguetteauthor2@aol.com

The Wexner Center for the Arts Unorthodocs documentary film festival will feature in-person screenings Oct. 22-23 at the arts center, 1871 N. High St.

They Wont Call It Murder will be shown at no charge at 7 p.m. Oct. 22 inMershon Auditorium. A discussion with the filmmakers and those featured in the documentary will follow.

Other in-person screenings cost $9, or $7 for Wexner Center members, $5 for students.

Visit http://www.wexarts.org for more information.

Masks are required.

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Work of female filmmakers, primarily women of color, to be featured in Unorthodocs festival - The Columbus Dispatch

Hamilton, New JerseyGrounds For Sculpture is following a path of health and wellness that is both unique and beneficial for residents of the mid New Jersey region. As part of an extended initiative to make Grounds For Sculpture more accessible and inviting to a wider array of visitors, guests, and museum members, the sculpture park is working hand-in-hand with local leaders and artists to further develop its wellness programming, and is doing so through a thoughtful process incorporating ideas from the public and from groups who may have been excluded in the past.

Grounds For Sculpture welcomes, surprises, and engages visitors in its 42-acre sculpture park, museum, and arboretum founded on the site of the former New Jersey State Fairgrounds. Opened to the public in 1992, it is one of the premier cultural destinations in New Jersey, and has embraced and enchanted over three million visitors. Traditionally, tourists travel from places like New York City, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia to see and experience the immense collection of larger-than-life outdoor sculptures and indoor beguiling art installations and exhibits. However, after a deep review of who is benefitting from the museum's offerings, the administration and the board felt they could do more to reach out and work with residents throughout New Jersey.

During a recent strategic planning process, the organization developed a long-term vision that set its aspirations "to be a leader, magnet and vibrant forum that invites a diverse public to create, learn, and discover personal meaning in their interactions with art, nature and one another." Their new strategic plan identifies impact, relevance, and capacity as their key strategic priorities.

Over the summer, part of this vision was actualized when Gary Schneider, Grounds For Sculpture's Executive Director announced his hiring committee's choice to invite Kathleen Ogilvie Greene to become the organization's first Chief Audience Officer. As an experienced executive with a demonstrated history of creating sustainable institutional impact through program creation, community engagement, and audience development, Kathleen was the perfect match for the work ahead. She will play a critical role in prioritizing equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), and wellness, initiatives across Grounds For Sculpture and the broader arts community.

Kathleen describes herself as an advocate for cultural workers and living artists and is skilled in inclusive programming, intentional partnerships, and nonprofit management. She arrived at Grounds For Sculpture from The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia where Kathleen excelled as a team and systems builder, created and managed a wide range of programs in response to the collection while established fruitful and long-standing partnerships within the greater region of southeast Pennsylvania.

The function of museums is evolving, with many now playing a significant role in the well-being of their community. Grounds For Sculpture engages the premise that the arts, resonating deeply with the human experience, are saturated with the potential to promote healing and wellness, not only in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, but also within the fabric of the region. Wellness-focused programming began at Grounds For Sculpture nearly ten years ago and the museum recognizes that the two elements, art and nature, united on its premises are healing. The sculpture park is in an ideal position to become a cornerstone for wellness in the community. While Grounds For Sculpture has made strides in achieving this goal, the staff and board members alike are in agreement that there is still much work to be done.

Late this summer, during a sunny Saturday afternoon, a convening of invited stakeholders, medical professionals, leaders, artists, staff members, and volunteers, congregated under an outdoor tent to brainstorm wellness programs, each participant sharing ideas from their own perspective and areas of interest. Kathleen stated, "The hope was to end the day with ideas that considered audience, partners, and purpose. We were fortunate to have the Michael Graves Architecture & Design firm lead the process and the group created an amazing range of possibilities! The convening has the potential to expand and deepen our participation in, and creation, of wellness programs throughout the region. It also provides the opportunity to expand our audiences across ability, zip code, economic and racial classification. Broadening our audience, and ensuring our work are beneficial to them is center to this work, as we want to increase our benefit to the community. One of the many goals to deepen our relationship and accountability to the convening attendees. They made an investment in us, by sharing their expertise, and we need to ensure that gift grows. So, another beneficial outcome is this suite of stakeholders who are already looking to us asking 'what are you going to do now?' Moving forward, the goal is to shift all these wonderful possibilities into actionable next steps, ensuring our strategic plan stays central in our decision making."

The recent wellness convening at Grounds For Sculpture generated ideas which ranged in scope from developing an accessible greenhouse to be utilized by communities who have mobility and/or visual impairments as well as the broader community, to providing opportunities for visitors and local residents to enter the grounds for free and participate in Tai Chi, meditation, and/or "Wellness Walks" while enjoying soothing live music provided by local musicians.

Focusing on community engagement and the expansion of wellness initiatives was on the docket for Grounds For Sculpture well before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the experience of enduring and then surviving a lockdown further solidified the need to initiate activities, events and programming that pushed the envelope on what is typically offered by similar cultural destinations. According to the United Nations' Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), "Museums preserve heritage for future generations, promote lifelong learning, provide equal access to culture and spread the values on which humanity is based." Their purpose in terms of inclusion is also critical to help bridge communities and cultures, and museums play a significant role in both the creative and tourism industries. The entire cultural sector was severely affected by the pandemic, and is still experiencing losses, with museums hit particularly hard." On UNESCO's website, it is reported that "90 percent of museums had been closed for an average of 155 days, and since the beginning of 2021, many have had to shut their doors again, due to surging infection rates. This has resulted in a 70 percent drop in attendance on average, and a 40 to 60 percent decline in revenue compared to 2019."

Rising from the COVID pandemic lockdown ashes, Grounds For Sculpture survived being closed for several months and is continuing the process of looking into diversified revenue models as the typical membership and visitor ticket sales paradigm was severely challenged in 2020. In a recent survey of 1,004 museums, "15 percent of museum directors said that there was a 'significant risk' of closing permanently in the next six months or that they were unsure whether they would survive through that period." Fortunately, Grounds For Sculpture's outdoor oasis has visitors, volunteers and staff bouncing backslowly and steadily with increasing attendance. Their goal of intentionally activating the outdoor space to support mental and physical well-being will help the guests to stay connected with each other and with the healing energy of art within nature.

Lucky for all of us living in the mid New Jersey area, residing within easy driving distance of Grounds For Sculpture, we can continue to cherish our hometown cultural jewel and support future programming. To sign up for and receive the organization's newsletter and get up-to-date announcements on events, exhibits, wellness programs, and educational offerings, go to: Grounds For Sculpture Newsletter Link Sign Up. To see a calendar of events, including wellness activities, go to: Grounds For Sculpture Calendar.

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Sculpting Wellness and Well-Being for the Community - Patch.com

Construction has a long way to go to move the needle on diversity and inclusion in its ranks. While the industrys numbers, compared to the nations overall workforce, skew heavily white and male, companies are making efforts to change that.

Currently, over 1,100 firms are taking part in Construction Inclusion Week, which kicked off October 18. The initiative, founded by six major construction firms, looks at leadership accountability, unconscious bias, supplier diversity, jobsite culture and community engagement in the industry.

CIW, which is modeled on the industrys highly successful Safety Week, is aimed at bringing diversity, equity and inclusion to the forefront of constructions workforce. In addition, the initiative is designed to make diversity and inclusion a focus in construction 365 days a year, CEOs of the founding companies told Construction Dive.

One firm thats been doing that is Burns & McDonnell, an employee-owned, full-service construction and engineering firm based in Kansas City, Missouri, with a legacy in construction dating back to 1898.Here, Construction Dive talks with Leon Harden, Burns & McDonnells diversity and inclusion strategy manager,about what the company is doing to change the face of its workforce.

Leon Harden

Courtesy of Burns & McDonnell

CONSTRUCTION DIVE: What inclusion and diversity goals have you had on projects?

Leon Harden: Across all our projects, we work proactively to team with small and large businesses owned by women, veterans and minorities to help prepare us to meet and exceed our clients expectations and strengthening the communities where we work. One recent project example is Burns & McDonnell World Headquarters Expansion, which we designed and built ourselves.

In 2020, we completed the final phase of the Burns & McDonnell expansion, a new 142,000-square-foot building on our campus in Kansas City, Missouri. Since breaking ground in 2018, crews worked more than 134,000 hours on the project without any safety incidents.

Nearly 30 minority and women-owned businesses worked on the campus expansion, surpassing the goals of having 24% of the team providing construction services minority and women-owned businesses.

What are the results of working toward those D&I goals as a company?

In the last 5 years, more than $2.4 billion or 27% of Burns & McDonnell invoiced expenditures was paid to small and diverse businesses.

Our business diversity efforts seek to address any inequities in access to opportunities by establishing business relationships with all communities. In 2004, Burns & McDonnell began an intentional focus on supplier inclusion. Since then, we have been recognized with more than 56 industry-related awards for our demonstrated commitment to the utilization and growth of diverse projects for corporate operations. As a federal contractor, we are audited by the federal government and the most recent audit of our Small & Diverse Business program was rated Highly Successful.

We also seek to create alliances with organizations and businesses in our community. To help address racial inequities, Burns & McDonnell deposited $1 million in Douglass National Bank a Black-owned bank. We are active in, and in many cases board members of, more than 16 organizations that promote diverse business inclusion. We have hosted 17 Community of Inclusion events to recognize the mutually beneficial alliances experienced by our diverse partners and our employee-owners.

We have awarded minority business owners with scholarships to attend the Executive Education Program at Dartmouth College. We also organized the nations first corporate collaboration with Dartmouths Tuck School of Business and hosted programs at our firm. Each session was attended by more than 30 diverse business owners.

How do you recruit diverse workers?

Harden: For more than a decade, Burns & McDonnell has had a targeted diversity recruitment strategy, focusing on intentionally reaching and hiring diverse candidates. Our female hires have grown from 25% of total hires to 31% during that time, and our minority hires have increased from 14% to 25%. We are incredibly proud of this progress, but we know there's work still to be done.

Our growth across regional markets exploded during that same timeframe, allowing us to tap into new talent pools.

We participated in more than 75 diversity job boards, attended over 120 diversity recruitment events each year, leveraged partnerships with professional organizations like the Society of Women Engineers, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, National Society of Engineers and more to cast a wider talent net, and started earning recognition as a best workplace to strengthen our employment brand and earn a reputation as an employer of choice.

We also welcome opportunity to work alongside students attending historically black universities or diverse institutions. We have worked with Tennessee State University, Alabama A&M University, Clark Atlanta University, Lincoln University and Donnelly College, among others, where we have provided support with project submittals, sponsored a conference on women's issues and assisted in relaunching a pre-engineering program.

By working with universities and campus organizations, we've seen a deliberate increase in our female and minority new grad hiring. In the past five years, we saw a 3% increase in minorities and a 6% increase in females.

Why did you do this?

Creating an equitable and inclusive workplace for all is our top priority. Our goal is to be the best place to work for all people, and we work hard to achieve that. We recognize that we have room for growth in this area, and every day we strive to push ourselves toward becoming an even better company. A company with an inclusive culture, where everyone feels valued, respected and engaged, where our collective diversity is a catalyst for innovation and our varied perspectives lead to better solutions for our clients, our communities and our people.

What advice would you give to other contractors who want to improve diversity and inclusion in their workforce?

Our firm has been in business for more than 120 years. A key driver of our success has been diversity diverse business lines, diverse workforce, diverse partnerships. Weve seen firsthand how diversity leads to better, more creative solutions for our clients. Here are some of the steps we take to maintain this level of diversity:

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Why one third of new hires are women at this 120-year-old construction firm - Construction Dive

By Kenita Barrow, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.

When different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds come together, it sparks innovation that can drive significant technological advancement. The most diverse companies are now more likely to outperform their less diverse peers.1Beyond company performance, ensuring adequate representation throughout the product development pipeline leads to better-tailored treatment outcomes and care for patients in underserved and underrepresented communities. The criticality of improving treatment outcomes for these populations has led to a need to bring together relevant stakeholders (e.g., payors, academia, government, healthcare professionals, patient advocacy groups, and patients) using platforms such as the MedTech Color Collaborative to develop best practices, education, and awareness aimed at increasing diversity and inclusion within product development and clinical research. This will proactively further advancements for racial and ethnic minority populations and address health inequities.

One of the main areas where change is greatly needed is the recruitment and retention of diverse individuals within medtech organizations. Diverse individuals are often not provided exposure or information about the various roles that exist in medtech during their collegiate experiences. Colleges and universities have made great strides in creating programs focused on advancing individuals of color in the life sciences.

I myself benefited from such a program as a member of one of the cohorts of the Meyerhoff Scholarship Program. The program, founded by the Robert and Jane Meyerhoff Foundation, focuses on increasing diversity in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. A key component of the program that prepares students to pursue advanced degrees and obtain successful careers in STEM involves participation throughout their academic tenure in internships and externships. There remain opportunities for medtech companies to address recruitment by creating impactful collaborative experiences with academic institutions, further exposing the offerings of the industry to undergraduate students participating in these programs.

The creation of programs such as the one described above that partner with the medtech industry would allow students to gain exposure to premarket development plans, including principal investigator interactions and early-stage advisory boards, and post-market strategies such as the development of marketing materials and engagement with key opinion leaders.

Participation in these activities allows diverse students to gain an understanding of the impact their voice and perspective can have when they are in the room. Providing emerging graduates with this experience increases the likelihood that these students will pursue careers in medtech. Additionally, even for those who may not choose to have a career in medtech directly, it highlights the areas and spaces where they can engage with the industry as an external party and still make a difference. As an added step, organizations can further demonstrate their commitment to diversity by providing career opportunities for individuals in these programs who excel in the work performed during their internships and externships.

Such collaboration can continue beyond the undergraduate space. An example currently underway at Otsuka involves the Legal Affairs team. Our legal group is facilitating a diversity accelerator secondee program for firm counsel. The program began through negotiations with three outside counsel firms to bring secondees in-house at Otsuka for a period of up to six months. The secondees have the opportunity to work in several different legal practice groups, network with attorneys throughout the organization, and interact directly with business teams and executive leaders. Upon their return to their firms, the secondees are given significant career advancement opportunities such as origination credit or participation in mentorship and leadership programs. The secondee program brings additional perspectives to legal decision-making across the organization and demonstrates Otsukas commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion both internally and externally.

I have seen first-hand how having diverse perspectives in the room positively impacts all stages of the processes involved in the product development life cycle.

For example, it is essential to understand that African Americans are generally represented as a subset of Blacks when presenting statistics related to race and ethnicity. The definition of Blacks can have a global connotation encompassing, but not limited to, individuals such as South Americans, West Indians, Latin Americans, and Africans. However, the definition of African Americans is often defined as Americans with African ancestry. Definitions for these groups are often misunderstood or misrepresented, yet these definitions are vital when examining how a product will or will not impact a sub-population. Highlighting this distinction is crucial for representing the facts from a scientific perspective and demonstrating that an organization accurately understands the communities of the patients it serves.

Another example that often arises in the product development life cycle involves access-related issues. Considerations such as the location of clinical trials, provisions for trial participants to travel, and how best to advertise for study recruitment all need to be determined as part of the strategy for product development. When diverse voices are missing from the strategic planning table, the industry can overlook critical conversations examining the impact these determinations can have and, as a result, representation from underserved and underrepresented communities can be lacking.

Other issues around access revolve around what is needed to utilize a product successfully. An increasingly relevant example presents itself with the evolution of product development involving software applications. One simple question that should be asked is whether all participants will have access to smartphones or any other technology, if required, to utilize the software application as intended. Such components are often taken for granted but can become a barrier to product use, further demonstrating health inequities for underrepresented populations.

Recognizing these critical nuances and taking steps to increase diversity at all levels of medtech organizations will help tremendously in bridging the gaps and lack of trust that we see between industry and underserved communities.

Medtech companies must also participate in activities that reflect the diverse communities of both their employees and the patients they serve. Companies can achieve this by being intentional in their external activities.

Prioritizing participation in patient advocacy or other volunteer opportunities that include organizations representing underserved and underrepresented communities is essential. Ensuring these communities are represented when providing sponsorships and donations is equally important. Taking these additional steps will further highlight the renewed commitment that the medtech industry has to diversity, forging a defined pathway toward increased inclusion.

About The Author:

Kenita Barrow is executive director, deputy general counsel for Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. Outside of her legal role, Kenita donates time to STEM programs for young women and to initiatives working to increase diversity in all areas of clinical research. She is a member of the executive planning committee for the MedTech Color Collaborative and also serves as a member and past chair of the Montgomery County Ethics Commission in Maryland. Kenita has a J.D. from Vanderbilt University and a B.S. in biomedical ethics (biology/sociology/philosophy) from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Kenita has also completed graduate work in the Pharmacology and Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience at Georgetown University.

Originally posted here:

How To Create A Pathway For Diversity In Medtech - Med Device Online

Published 12 hours ago

Submitted by Fifth Third Bancorp

COLUMBUS, October 19, 2021/CSRwire/- Fifth Third and Enterprise Community Partners today announced the establishment of a neighborhood program to support and continue revitalization efforts on the Near East Side of Columbus. The Neighborhood Investment Program will focus over three years on the PACT geography and cross-sector collaborations. PACT, which stands for Partners Achieving Community Transformation, is a partnership initiated in 2010 by the City of Columbus, The Ohio State University, the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) and Near East Side stakeholders. The Near East Side PACT Neighborhood, which is bounded by Woodland Ave to the east; Broad St to the South; I-71 to the west; and I-670 to the north, was one of the locations selected.

Fifth Third is eager to continue our existing collaboration with one of the citys most historic neighborhoods, the Near East Side, and to invest in a unique way by taking a thoughtfully structured approach to solve real-world systemic issues, said Regional Fifth Third Bank president, Francie Henry. We have partnered with this neighborhood since 2015 and during the past six years, have made investments in several efforts including the United Way of Central Ohio Neighborhood Leadership Academy, Columbus Urban League, Minority Business Assistance Center, and PACT Exterior Home Repair Program. Now, we are excited to continue our efforts in an even bigger and magnified way. PACTs mission is Honoring our Heritage and Building our Future and we are pleased to continue long-term support.

Fifth Third is collaborating on the initiative with Enterprise Community Partners, a national nonprofit that exists to make a good home possible for the millions of families without one. Together, they managed a criteria-based, invitation-only application process to select nine majority Black neighborhoods that have seen a sustained period of disinvestment. The Near East Side PACT Neighborhood was one of the locations selected. Enterprise will provide technical assistance to support each neighborhood in developing and implementing a plan tailored to the unique challenges it faces. Enterprise will then assist with assessing the plans effectiveness at improving the economic well-being of residents and small locally owned businesses. Successful outcomes will include investments in small businesses, homeownership and workforce development to create successful outcomes such as increased employment, economic stability and growth.

The Fifth Third Neighborhood Investment Program shows what is possible when we make intentional investments that center on Black life and legacy," said Priscilla Almodovar, president and chief executive officer of Enterprise Community Partners. "Enterprise is so excited to join Fifth Third and this group of committed neighborhood partners on an initiative that powerfully aligns with our goals as an organization: increase the housing supply, advance racial equity and build resilience and upward mobility."

This investment represents our commitment to holistic community development, said Fifth Third Central Ohio Community & Economic Development Manager, Sheldon K. Johnson. Through the Neighborhood Investment Program we are focused on contributing to sustainable solutions that address racial disparities in health and wealth. By collaborating with PACT and Enterprise and other community stakeholders we can build upon the foundation of work thats already been done and have some transformative impact in this historic community.

Fifth Third intends to commit up to $20 million in lending, investments and philanthropic support, including grants from the Fifth Third Foundation to the Near East Side PACT Neighborhood. A combination of capital, products and services will be invested into small businesses, mortgages, philanthropic efforts, and neighborhood revitalization loans and investments.

The Near East Side PACT Neighborhood was invited to apply for the program based on its ability to meet specific criteria, including collaborating with the neighborhoods Black residents, existing civic infrastructure in the neighborhood and its capability to manage equitable investment and wealth-building opportunities. The programs funds will cultivate investments and resources from additional stakeholders to support the economic mobility of low- to moderate-income residents in the identified neighborhoods.

Elizabeth Seely, founding board member and current chair of the PACT Board of Directors, said PACT will use the funds to further advance initiatives from PACTs Blueprint for Community Investment including safe and affordable housing, health, education, and employment opportunities. Potential investments in the program include funding the development of new black-owned businesses, supporting public art creation, providing down payment support for residents middle-income and ladder-up housing opportunities to build generational wealth, expanding access to health services, and creating financial education, literacy, and savings programs for the areas young peoples future dreams. Infusing good development practices and principles interwoven with community engagement, culture, and legacy has been our vision and our dream. The expertise and investment of Fifth Third combined with the knowledge base of Enterprise make this an exceptionally critical moment for our community. And were ready- were just poised to leverage it, said Seely.

The Neighborhood Investment Program is part of Fifth Thirds $2.8 billion commitment that will provide $2.2 billion in lending, $500 million in investments, $60 million in financial accessibility and $40 million in philanthropy from the Fifth Third Foundation as part of Fifth Thirds Accelerating Racial Equality, Equity and Inclusion initiative. The commitment is focused on four strategic pillars that directly impact customers and communities with targeted outcomes enabling the Bank to track progress and measure success in the areas of strategic investments, access to capital, financial inclusion and education, and social justice and advocacy. This program also aligns with Enterprises new strategic plan and three central goals: to increase housing supply, advance racial equity and build resilience and upward mobility.

The additional recipient neighborhoods and lead organizations that will be driving the communitys efforts as part of the neighborhood program are:

To learn more about the Neighborhood Investment Program, please visit 53NeighborhoodInvest.org.

About Enterprise Community Partners

Enterprise is a national nonprofit that exists to make a good home possible for the millions of families without one. We support community development organizations on the ground, aggregate and invest capital for impact, advance housing policy at every level of government, and build and manage communities ourselves. Since 1982, we have invested $44 billion and created 781,000 homes across all 50 states all to make home and community places of pride, power and belonging. Join us at EnterpriseCommunity.org.

About Fifth Third

Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank, National Association, a federally chartered institution. As of June 30, 2021, the Company had $205 billion in assets and operates 1,096 full-service Banking Centers, and 2,369 Fifth Third branded ATMs in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. In total, Fifth Third provides its customers with access to approximately 53,000 fee-free ATMs across the United States. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending, and Wealth & Asset Management. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of June 30, 2021, had $483 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $61 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations through its Trust and Registered Investment Advisory businesses. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at http://www.53.com. Fifth Thirds common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol FITB.

About the Fifth Third FoundationEstablished in 1948, the Fifth Third Foundation was one of the first charitable foundations created by a financial institution. The Fifth Third Foundation supports worthy causes in the areas of health and human services, education, community development and the arts in the states where Fifth Third Bank operates.

CONTACTS

Elizabeth BoyukRegional Marketing Manager (Media Relations)Elizabeth.Boyuk@53.com | 614-586-6223

Gayle Saundersgayle@thesaunderscompany.com

Jordan Miller (Media Relations, Enterprise Community Partners)JMiller@GroupGordon.com | 212-784-5703

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CSRWire - Fifth Third Neighborhood Investment Program to Support Transformation of the Near East Side of Columbus - CSRwire.com

Posted: Feb 3, 2021 / 09:59 AM EST / Updated: Feb 3, 2021 / 10:01 AM EST

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)The Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) is creating a new department to expand opportunities for low-income people that are primarily Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC).

The new department will be called the Department of Equitable Economic Planning (DEEP).

Prioritizing the empowerment of historically disenfranchised communities does more than elevate those communities circumstances, said Tony Willis, the person selected as the Chief Equity Development Officer to lead DEEP.

Strategically infusing equity into economic development practices grows quality jobs and increases entrepreneurship, ownership and wealth while increasing profit opportunities for our businesses, which in turn cultivates a stronger, more competitive economy on the whole, Willis said.

Investing in equity practices just makes good economic sense. Since 2000, the United States economy lost an estimated $16 trillion due to discrimination, according to a September 2020 study byCiti Group. By addressing the racial wealth gap by 2028, U.S. GDP would grow by an estimated $1.5 trillion, or 6% of its current level, according to an August 2019McKinsey report.

Currently, LEAPs equity-focused programming includesOne and All, an inclusive entrepreneurship initiative launched in 2020 andThe Hatchingbusiness pitch competition series. Together these programs aredesigned to increase successful entrepreneurship and small-business ownership among historically underrepresented populations and those who are struggling to maintain a basic cost of living and are open toresidents of Clinton, Eaton, Ingham and Shiawassee counties.

Additionally, LEAP staff participates in a diversity, equity and inclusion training pilot program at Lansing Community College, which began in January 2020.

In its first year, DEEPs strategic goals include plans to support the conversion of existing DBAs to LLCs andhelp support and reconstitute business organizations within the Black and Hispanic community;revising and improving LEAPs existingdiversity statement, which is readopted and signed by LEAPs board of directors each year; creating a comprehensive application, review and award process for LEAPs annual Diversity Star Award program; and developing a strategic approach to seeking grant funding to increase capacity for long-term goals and future programming.

Long-term goals for the department include programs to strengthen business ownership, from supply chain advancement to cooperative creation; community empowerment and economic development education; and advocation for and implementation of progressive business policy.

Addressing systemic inequitybeginsby just getting started, said Willis. As an organization and as a community, theres much work to be done. The creation of DEEP represents an important, intentional step to more vibrant, equitable communities that truly represent our vision of stronger together.

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Heres how Lansing Economic Area Partnership plans to help the BIPOC community - WLNS

One of Reddit's most active communities is no longer public.

For the past week, Reddit's r/WallStreetBets community has been the center of an epic war between large Wall Street investors and small-scale social media betters. On Wednesday evening, the community reeled from seeing the subreddit locked and hidden, only to be made public again about an hour later. Meanwhile, chat app Discord has banned WallStreetBets outright.

Around the same time,spooked investorsappeared to dump GameStop and AMC shares the community had been buying up to take on people betting against the company's futures.

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Then, as suddenly as everything began, the subreddit came back, a new Discord community was formed, and others bought in to the stocks, sending AMC and GameStop prices back up.

OK.

If all this is confusing, don't feel bad. These fast and dramatic moves are happening amid one of the most dramatic weeks on Wall Street in years. At stake are millions of dollars that small-time investors working together on social media have made while taking on Wall Street investors who bet GameStop and AMC stock would plummet. Instead, as the two company's stocks have soared, the Wall Street investors have reportedly hemorrhaged billions of dollars.

Now playing: Watch this: What does GameStop's skyrocketing stock have to do with...

10:15

As the drama unfolded from the Discord ban and the Reddit community going on lockdown, GameStop shares fell 32% in after-hours trading late Wednesday, to $218.32 per share, down from $347.51 at their close. During the day, they'd more than doubled. AMC shares also fell, dropping more than 40%, to $11.90 per share, after closing at $19.90. That stock had risen more than 301% during the day.

Both stocks have recovered somewhat, and the r/WallStreetBets community is back. If you'd taken an hour and a halfto watch Pixar's new movie, Soul, you'd have missed it.

Though GameStop shares have been jumping in recent days, analysts and experts say they're doing so because of quirks in the market and not because of actual increased value for the struggling video game retailer. The same is true for the movie theater chain AMC, which had warned it was near bankruptcy late last year.

All this wasn't the only bad news for the WallStreetBets community. Its worst community members, who repeatedly broke Discord's rules, caused the group to be banned from the platform, the chat app company said in a statement. "Today, we decided to remove the server and its owner from Discord for continuing to allow hateful and discriminatory content after repeated warnings," Discord said. It added that the ban had nothing to do with any talk of finances or stock that happened among WallStreetBets users.

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla who's helped to drive attention to the GameStop stock madness, tweeted his disappointment with Discord Wednesday.

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Reddit's WallStreetBets is back, taking on GameStop stock after intentional lockdown - CNET

CoLab cultivates relationships between neighboring universities and communities to collaboratively address complex local problems through research, professional development, resource mobilization, and jointaction.

We explorehow higher education institutions can have meaningful, long-term engagements to better serve their local communities. Our vision is aMonterey County in which communities and neighboring universities co-create knowledge that promotes equity, that advances social justice, and solves localchallenges.

In addition to the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, our current higher education collaborators includeCalifornia State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB).

CoLab prioritizes the following values in ourprojects andpartnerships:

Community members, faculty, and students from local universities leverage their respective strengths and experiences to create change and positively impact theircommunities.

We understand and honor that expertiseknowledge of root problems and their solutionslies equally in communities and universities. CoLab creates conditions to join these perspectives so that partners see each other as assets for achieving mutually agreed upongoals.

We recognize that understanding and confronting complex challenges takes time. At the heart of CoLabs work is an emphasis on building trust, exercising transparency, and cultivating mutually-beneficial relationships between community partners anduniversities.

CriticalAction

Colab projects are intentional. Partnerships result in useful and tangible outcomes from the perspectives of everyoneinvolved.

Ourfirst iteration is in partnership with the City of Gonzales. The Gonzales CoLab supports and builds on the innovative, youth-centered community-building processes currently underway in this small, rural community of 9,000 residents in MontereyCounty.

The Gonzales CoLab will mobilize higher educations research, data-gathering, analysis, and interpretation resources to strengthen the decision-making processes, quality, and positive impact of programs in Gonzales. The primary goal is to engage in collaborative inquiry to a) analyze and reflect on current efforts, and b) make changes that enhance the communitys capacity to be more thoughtful and grow from their experiences in publicinnovation.

In addition, the higher education partners will be able to identify and bring into the conversation other best practices from communities across the country and across the globe, who are similarly experimenting with innovative approaches to community-building and to enhancing the quality of life for theirresidents.

CoLab will bring students from the Middlebury Instituteand CSUMB to Gonzales as collaborators and research assistants. The presence of young college students will help connect the dots, in a very personal and human way, between the youth of Gonzales today, and their own future as college graduates andprofessionals.

For more information,visit the CoLab site.

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Rising consumer demand for wellness lifestyle real estate and communitiesin the recent past has aided the global wellness real estate software market in the recent past and is expected to continue the same trend over the forecast period. People are getting gradually aware about the impact of lifestyle and social factors on their well-being. Wellness real estate services are developing to enable healthier lives for individuals and communities. It comprises of various components, of which the primary types are wellness lifestyle estate and wellness communities. This industry is an evolving industry which identifies the potential to meet immense health challenges. Many activities like green and sustainable building movement, urbanism and intentional communities among others are being modified and executed in different ways into a novel and forthcoming wellness-focused real estate projects. Global wellness real-estate mainly includes investments, buildings, transactions, single family and multi-family housing. It also includes houses that are constructed beside destination spas, wellness retreats and hospitality projects.

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The need for wellness industry has been increasing day by day. The rising need for wellness establishment leads to the increasing demand for the wellness real-estate software in the market. Decades back, wellness buildings were normal buildings to stay, isolated and included care takers. After the outbreak of technology, the demand for wellness-based technologies steeply rose, which paved way for wellness real-estate software market. A major factor that drives the market is the changing attitude of people towards wellness institutions. On earlier days, people considered wellness real estate building for treating people who were affected by mental illness. Nowadays, modern working environment resulted in creating huge work pressure among the employees which forced them to adopt the wellness mechanism. It boosts the demand for the wellness real-estate software in the market. The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) claims that residential real estate will be a major trend that is drastically evolving throughout the wellness industry. Rising market share for tech companies in the real estate sector is creating a major revolution in the market. Even though technology has not completely consumed the wellness real estate sector, rising advancements in the technologies is driving the wellness real-estate software market. The market has also witnessed huge investments in real estate software. Its majorly due to the limited number of companies in the market which further attracts new investors due to the untapped potential within the market. Investment has followed in suit with over $2.2 billion in 97 modern wellness startups globally.

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In terms of revenue, global wellness real estate software market was valued at US$ 458.6 million in 2018 and is expected to reach US$ 835.5 million by 2027, growing at an estimated CAGR of 7% over the forecast period (2019 2027). The detailed research study provides qualitative and quantitative analysis of wellness real estate software market. The market has been analyzed from demand as well as supply side. The demand side analysis covers market revenue across regions and further across all the major countries. The supply side analysis covers the major market players and their regional and global presence and strategies. The geographical analysis done emphasizes majorly on the different geographical regions world wide

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Global Wellness Real Estate Software Market:

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Wellness real estate software market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7% over the forecast period (2019 2027), owing to the rising investment...

As the daughter of a medical technician, Hanna Hyland was raised to put her faith in science. But Hyland, 18, also was raised as a person of color in a country with a healthcare system marred by historic instances of racism. When it comes to deciding whether to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or not, the latter and vaccine fears for others is winning out, for now.

As an Asian American, I know the United States has had no issue with lucrative testing in marginalized groups, said Hyland, a freshman at Mesa Community College. I have never had an issue with getting any sort of vaccination. In fact, I think getting fully vaccinated is important to personal safety and to protect those around you, but I am skeptical about this vaccine for many reasons.

Those reasons vary, but center on examples of medical experimentation on people of color starting withnonconsensual surgeriesperformed on slaves in the U.S., the Tuskegee syphilisstudiesin which Black men went untreated for decades so researchers could observe the diseases progression, and the covert biological warfareresearchthe Japanese army conducted on Chinese civilians in the 1940s.

Hyland isnt alone in her vaccine fears and worries. As the nation undertakes an enormous vaccination effort to combat a disease that has cost the lives of some 450,000 Americans, medical experts are working to overcome skepticism andmisinformationprompting some to think twice about getting the shots from false claims the vaccines can cause infertility to concerns that they were approved too quickly to be safe.

Hyland said she considers these first vaccinations a test trial, one that can be used to later develop the vaccine.

There are many COVID strains and mutations that have not been accounted for, so as progression of the virus continues, I am sure a more accurate vaccine will come out, she said.

In a survey released Jan. 27 by theCensus Bureau, 51% of adults who had not yet gotten a COVID-19 vaccination said they planned to. Those numbers varied by age, race and ethnicity, however.

Although Black, Native American and Latino people all are more likely than white people to contract the virus, just 47% of Hispanics and 30% of Blacks in the survey said they would get vaccinated, compared with 55% of whites.

A Kaiser Family Foundationanalysisof the most recent available data finds that vaccinations of people of color appear to be lagging behind those of whites. As of Jan. 19, 17 states were publicly reporting vaccination data by race or ethnicity. Among Black people, the share of vaccinations was smaller than their share of cases in 16 states and smaller than their share of deaths in 15 states.

Similarly, Hispanics accounted for a smaller share of vaccinations compared with their share of cases and deaths in most states reporting data. In contrast, vaccinations among white people were higher than their share of the total population in most states.

The Arizona Department of Health Services doesnt report vaccination data by race and ethnicity. When asked why, or whether the department plans to in the future, a spokesperson declined to comment.

As of Feb. 2, an estimated 700,000 vaccine doses have been administered across the state, and about 100,000 people or just more than 1% of the states population have received both shots, according to theDepartment of Health Services.

Gov. Doug Ducey last week issuedan advisoryaiming to speed up the pace, as experts believeat least 80%of people in the United States need to get vaccinated to reach herd immunity against the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

More and more organizations across the country have begun answering the call to promote vaccination.

On Jan. 22, theMayo Clinichosted a free virtual town hall to build trust around vaccines and debunk the myths and misconceptions around COVID-19 in minority communities. Experts on the panel said the best way to minimize fear is for medical professionals to listen to peoples concerns and connect them with correct and accessible information.

We have to be transparent with people, we have to talk about stuff, but we always have to start by listening, understanding and trying to correct the distortions that people may be having, said Dr. Francisco Moreno, professor of psychiatry at the University of Arizonas College of Medicine.

Dr. Juan Gea-Banacloche, an infectious disease expert at the Mayo Clinic who served on a federal advisory committee that reviewed the Pfizer vaccine, said during the town hall that although vaccine data is limited, the efficacy and the benefits clearly outweigh any risks.

You may feel very tired, you may have a headache, you may be unable to function at work for one day, but those are effects that usually last for 24 hours and they typically resolve within three days, Gea-Banacloche said, adding that those side effects of the vaccine are nothing compared with even a mild case of COVID.

The vaccine is just as effective in people of color, he said, noting that the process around authorization has been extremely transparent and that clinical trials included people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds.Pfizerreports 26% of participants in its vaccine trials identified as Hispanic or Latino and 10% as Black.

Its very important to be aware that nothing has been under the table in the authorization of these vaccines, Gea-Banacloche said.

In an interview withArizona Horizon, Gea-Banacloche added there has been a big effort on the part of the federal government to make vaccine information available to those who dont speak English; the U.S. Food and Drug Administration hasfact sheetsin more than 20 languages.

Charlene Tarver, head of theBlack Arizona COVID-19 Task Force, said racist incidents of the past have dramatically decreased the willingness of people of color to participate in the vaccine process and that without more comprehensive outreach, they wont be signing up.

Given historical disparities and distrust there needs to be a much more intentional strategy around how to educate communities of color about COVID-19, about what the public health aspect of this looks like and how the vaccination would roll out, and I think we missed the mark on that, she said.

I think that there needs to be a much more intentional public health campaign across the state that speaks to the concerns and challenges of those communities.

That can start at home, Ivan Porter, a nephrology specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, said in the town hall, noting that everyone has an individual responsibility to protect those they care about through education and partnership.

We have to concentrate on the data that we have, Porter said. It is OK to be afraid about what we dont know, but that doesnt mean we can ignore the data thats in front of us. That is what we know.

Story by Jamie Landers, Cronkite News

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Healthcare experts work to overcome vaccine fears and doubts - AZ Big Media

Indigenous Tourism BC has announced a three-year strategy to help hundreds of businesses get through the pandemic.

Indigenous businesses across British Columbia struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic will have continued support this year and into the future.

Indigenous Tourism BC has just announced a new three-year strategy geared towardhelping businesses survive the pandemic, as well as an additional $5 million in funding for extra grants this year.

The Indigenous Alignment Strategy, 2021-2024, aims to rebuild and grow the provinces Indigenous tourism sector after many businesses, especially those in remote areas, were devastated by shifting travel patterns and lost expenditures from Canadian and international markets.

Destination BC has estimated B.C.s $21.5 billion annual tourism industry may see a reduction down to$6.7 billion in2020 results, or a 67 per cent drop, becauseofthe pandemic.

For indigenous businesses, the impact has been huge.

A survey of ITBCstakeholders shows that 91 per cent of businesses have been forced to close or operate in a limited capacity, while 74 per cent have laid off employees.

Brenda Baptiste, chair of ITBCs board of directors, said the new planwould refocusits previous Pulling Together corporate strategy by targeting areas that will have the biggest impact on recovery and growth for businesses and First Nation communities.

Looking ahead, we are making space for recovery and continuing to rise together, with our actions being very intentional to support Indigenous tourism businesses and communities to succeed, she said.

The Alignment Strategy enables us to build on their support and carve a path for a new generation of business leaders, so we can emerge stronger than ever before.

The strategy has six short term goals to help reimagine and reinvent the post-COVID-19 tourism economy.

The goals include putting programs and tools in place to ensure the survival of 400 Indigenous tourism businesses across the province; further stakeholder engagement and strengthening of relationships; supporting businesses in adopting a digital marketing plan; an increased focus on domestic markets; and working to develop new Indigenous tourism experiences to entice future visitors.

On top of this, Baptiste said the strategy has tactics to directly support stakeholders through funding programs, training and skills development, foundations classes and roundtable discussions.

In the past year, ITBC has distributed close to $6 million of non-repayable grants, with funding support from the provincial government, to Indigenous businesses and has announced a further $5 million in grants through the BC Indigenous Tourism Recovery Fund, in partnership with Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sportthis month.

The fund will provide non-repayable grant contributions of up to $45,000 to eligible Indigenous tourism businesses.

Local businesses continue to struggle and Indigenous businesses are particularly vulnerable, as the majority are small-to medium-sized enterprises that face unique challenges accessing loans or credit, said Baptiste.

An extra $45,000 can go a long way in bridging the gap between the slower winter season and planning for the busier summer, and we hope this funding enables Indigenous tourism businesses across B.C. to continue operating as we move through recovery.

She saidIndigenous tourism businesses on the North Shore have benefited from ITBC'sfunding and marketing programs this past year.

One of the biggest challenges for Indigenous tourism moving forward right now is theIndigenous tourism businesses located on the North Shore have benefited from our funding and marketing programs this past year. uncertainty of when normal travel will resume, explained Baptiste.

With the uncertainties around the pandemic, it is unclear when people will be able to travel within B.C. and to B.C., she said.

As well, for many Indigenous tourism experiences, the international markets are key to the survival of their operations. Shifting from international to domestic can be a challenge in such a short time.

If businesses cannot run their operations due to travel restrictions, they need to receive financial support to ensure their survival. ITBC is thankful for the funding contributions from our partners to support the Indigenous tourism businesses thus far, but more funding will be needed if travel cannot occur in the near future.

While its been an extremely tough year for many businesses, Baptiste said a positive hasbeen seeing a bigger focus on supporting local and sustainable tourism.

The pandemic has made many reflect on what is important, and how much we rely on each other, she said.

Once tourism re-opens, we suspect travel will be more deliberate with a much more pronounced trend towards eco-tourism which is crucial for our communities, and sustainability.

Business owners looking for help, can take part in ITBC bi-weekly roundtable discussions andfind a wealth of information for support at the ITBC Corporate website.

The federal government is offering small and medium-sized Indigenous businesses support through a number of avenues including,Canada's COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, theIndigenous Community Business Fund, and theIndigenous Tourism Stimulus Development Fund.

ElisiaSeeberis the North Shore News Indigenous and civic affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by theLocal Journalism Initiative.

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Indigenous Tourism BC crafts new plan to help businesses survive the pandemic - Vancouver Is Awesome

Why Global Citizens Should Care

When Rihanna isnt selling out her beauty and clothing brands, or inspiring viral memes, shes using her platform to highlight the worlds most pressing social issues.

The superstar shared a CNN article about the escalation of a months-long protest staged by Indian farmers in New Delhi in a now widely shared tweet on Tuesday. Why arent we talking about this? she asked, adding the hashtag #FarmersProtest.

Rihannas post received backlash from pro-government supporters while other Indians applauded her for highlighting the situation.

Also shared by Greta Thunberg, the CNN article reported that the Indian government has blocked the internet in several districts surrounding the New Delhi area after protesters and police clashed over the weekend. Critics have called the shutdown undemocratic.

Indian farmers started demonstrating after three agricultural laws passed in September that they view as a threat to their livelihoods. The laws loosen restrictions on crop selling and farmers believe they could industrialize the agricultural sector and result in corporations taking advantage of them.

Rihannas post was just one of many ways the singer has given back over the years.

The Global Partnership for Education (GPE)Global Ambassadorhasn't been shy about using her platform tocallon world leaders to help bring education to underserved communities around the world. Since 2017, she's joined Global Citizen's campaigns andtweeted at theleaders of the UK, France, Australia, Norway, Canada, Argentina, Japan, Finland, the Netherlands,and Germany, urgingthem to step up their governments' support for GPE, which works to ensure every child in the world has access to a fair, high-quality education.

Working alongside Global Citizens, Rihanna's campaigning efforts not only gotworld leaders to respond and increase their funding, but alsohelped getGermany todouble itscontributionto GPE twice.

She'salso the education ambassador of her home country Barbados and donated $5 million to frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to shining a light on the farmer protests in India this week, here arefour other social movements Rihanna has recently shown support for and helped spread awareness on to her more than 100 million Twitter followers.

Related Stories Dec. 3, 2020 Why Indian Farmers Are Protesting for Their 'Very Survival' in New Delhi

The Myanmar military arrested President Win Myint, leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and activists, and then declared a one-year state of emergency in the city of Naypyidaw on Monday. Following the overwhelming victory of the National League for Democracy party in the November national elections, the military claimed unfounded election fraud and voting irregularities.

Rihanna tweeted a post in solidarity with the people of Myanmar on Tuesday. My prayers are with you #myanmar! she wrote.

The star retweeted a post from the organization Human Rights Watch calling for the international community to unite to demand that the Myanmar military accept the results of the recent election and relinquish power.

The #EndSARS hashtag first went viral in 2017 calling to dissolve Nigerias Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) for carrying out violence against citizens without any consequences. Following new evidence of a brutal violent attack on Oct. 8, 2020, the online protest moved to the streets, and cities outside the country marched in solidarity.

A week later, on Oct. 20, 2020, Rihanna tweeted a photo of a protester holding a bloody Nigerian flag. Its such a betrayal to the citizen, the very people put in place to protect are the ones we are most afraid of being murdered by! she wrote.

Rihanna also shared words of encouragement for protesters.

Im so proud of your strength and not letting up on the fight for whats right! #ENDSARS, she added.

The murder of George Floyd a Black man murdered by a white police officer on camera in May 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota sparked a global uprising against racial injustice. Floyds death increased support for the Black Lives Matter movement, initially launched in 2013 in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman, the man who shot unarmed Black teen Trayvon Martin.

Rihanna shared a photo of Floyd on May 29, 2020: If intentional MURDER is the fit consequence for drugs or resisting arrest....then whats the fit consequence for MURDER???! #GeorgeFloyd #AhmaudArbery #BreonnaTaylor, she wrote.

Rihanna included hashtags for the names of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, two other Black Americans who were murdered in 2020.

A few months later, Rihanna reshared a petition by the racial justice organization Color of Change calling for the cops who shot Taylor to be held accountable.

Civil unrest erupted in Sudan in June 2019 following military crackdowns on pro-democracy protests. Protesters who rallied to stand up against President Omar al-Bashirs oppressive rule were met with violence from police.

Rihanna showed solidarity for Sudanese protesters on June 30, 2019, in a Twitter thread. They have a right to speak out and demand peace, justice, and a transition to civilian rule, she wrote in the first tweet. The star pointed out the violence that had occurred at previous protests and called for peace.

Praying for no more killings or abuse today, she wrote with a photo of protestors. Fight for human rights in #Africa and stand with protesters in #Sudan. #BlueforSudan #IAmSudaneseRevolution #Watch_Sudan_on_June30th.

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4 Times Rihanna Showed Solidarity for Social Movements Around the World - Global Citizen

Throughout the pandemic, large government contractors like General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) have played a significant role in partnering with government agencies to keep the lights on while simultaneously advancing their critical missions.

We recently spoke with Amy Gilliland, president of GDIT, and covered a lot of ground from her background in military service and dedication to lifting up diverse viewpoints to her thoughts on the convergence of cloud, cyber, and AI in the government IT landscape.

MeriTalk: Your background charts an intriguing path from the Naval Academy to the top of a preeminent technology company. Can you share with us a couple of key experiences or decisions along the way that shaped your path?

Gilliland: Serving as a young Navy Lieutenant shipboard division officer on an Arleigh Burke Destroyer in harms way helped me understand first-hand the gravity of the mission, the dynamic nature of enemy threats, and the importance of technology support to the warfighter. My shipboard experiences also showed me the importance of cohesive teams and strong leadership, which I continue to value and champion to this day.

Another significant turning point was my decision to leave the military to pursue a career in the private sector. At the time, service to my country was still my intention, but I wanted to realize it in new ways. It was important to me to join a company with values that aligned with that purpose, one that would allow me to lead, innovate, and transform through a mission-focused lens. I found that with General Dynamics (GD).

My path at GD has been nonlinear and somewhat non-traditional, but also invaluable. Ive benefited from incredibly diverse experiences from strategic planning and investor relations to serving as Chief of Staff to GDs Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and leading Human Resources. The perspectives I gained from each of these experiences gave me the foundation to lead GDIT.

MeriTalk: How important was your military service along that path? How has it shaped you?

Gilliland: I come from three generations of military service, going back to my great-grandfather, who emigrated to the U.S. from Switzerland at 18 and later joined the Navy. That history gave me a strong sense of pride and deeply influenced my desire to pursue a career of service.

One of the most valuable aspects of my military service was the opportunity to be a part of teams with a shared commitment to a clear mission. Throughout my journey at GD, and now GDIT, that mission focus is paramount, especially when it comes to supporting our customers. It is a privilege to partner with our customers to navigate and innovate around the challenges and opportunities they face as they protect and serve our nation. Equally important to the mission is our culture at GDIT, where we strive to create the best, brightest, most diverse team we can to address the mission.

Being visible and approachable while also setting accountability and high performance expectations are traits I developed while in the Navy and continue to rely on today.

MeriTalk: You have been an outspoken leader on the importance of diversity and ensuring GDIT fosters a culture of respect and inclusion. How does GDIT build a culture that embraces this mindset?

Gilliland: I wholeheartedly believe that diversity, in all its dimensions, brings forth better ideas and enables us to be an innovation powerhouse, the partner of choice to our customers, and a career destination for top talent.

We have been very intentional about the culture we want to foster at GDIT, and Im proud of the progress weve made. We established technical and community forums that give employees additional ways to engage within GDIT outside their project work.

Our Communities of Interest allow technologists to collaborate around key tech domains like AI and cyber. With GDIT Cares, our employees volunteer in their communities and work with organizations like Black Girls Code and Out Teach. And our nine Employee Resource Groups build connectivity and allyship, allowing employees to support one another. These groups were especially valuable over the last year as we engaged in candid conversations on social justice and equality, and they helped us improve how we operate and communicate to better reach all employees.

Even after this very tough year where so many of our employees worked remotely, I believe our culture is as strong as ever. We will continue to put our time and resources toward initiatives that put the power of diversity and inclusivity to work at GDIT for our customers and communities.

MeriTalk: GDIT seems ideally positioned to shape the next chapter in the ongoing Fourth Industrial Revolution. Can you give us a high-level outlook on how your strengths in cloud, AI, and cyber play together for Federal customers?

Gilliland: In many ways, the convergence of these technologies is a game-changer. Not only will it make our government more secure and efficient, it can dramatically transform how we live, how we work, and how we defend our nation from our adversaries, both on the battlefield and within cyberspace.

With this in mind, after we acquired CSRA, we reshaped our portfolio and investment strategy to focus on core technology competencies such as enterprise IT, AI, cloud, and cyber, and we continued to evolve skillsets and delivery models to keep pace with the speed at which technology evolves. This positions us to innovate rapidly and accelerate capability to mission while bringing the full breadth of GDIT to all our customers.

As a result, GDIT has established a leading position in key markets. For example in cloud, GDIT is delivering two of the three clouds called out in the DoD Cloud Strategy through milCloud 2.0 and the Defense Enterprise Office Solution (DEOS). In addition to providing enhanced collaboration and rapid access to the cloud, these enterprise-wide DoD clouds reduce the threat surface and provide unified cyber protection.They also provide a platform for additional 4IR capabilities.

In the health sector, GDIT provides cloud capabilities for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which operates one of the largest public clouds in the federal government, hosting and securing more than 100 highly-visible, critical applications.

To stay ahead, we have strategic alliance partnerships with a network of exceptional commercial partners to bring both big tech and emerging tech to integrate capabilities at speed and scale. We also bring the capabilities of General Dynamics to our customers missions. As an example, GDIT and General Dynamics Mission Systems (GDMS) partner to deliver secure networks and integrated product and services in support of multiple classified customers.

MeriTalk: In our talks with Federal CIOs, its clear that agencies embracing cloud services have been able to navigate the pandemic more surely. How has the urgency for Federal cloud adoption and other technologies changed, and how do you help your customers on that journey?

Gilliland: The last decade has seen a surge in cloud adoption across the commercial and Federal space. The pandemic has accelerated cloud adoption precipitously and magnified the importance of cloud technologies, enabling agencies to pivot quickly in order to maintain mission continuity. Recent cyber-attacks add to the urgency to retire legacy data centers and networks and move to the cloud to improve security posture.

Expanding our cloud practice has been an imperative for GDIT. We operate cloud services from providers like AWS, Microsoft, and Google. We are also a Cloud Service Provider (CSP) through our milCloud 2.0 solution for the DoD, and we run enterprise cloud services for agencies in the Intelligence Community and for customers in the federal civilian market, like the Federal Aviation Administration and Health and Human Services.

This gives us extensive experience in deploying secure hybrid, multi-cloud capabilities for a range of missions. And we keep building: we recently announced the expansion of milCloud 2.0 to include cloud services from AWS. This aligns with the DoD multi-cloud strategy and simplifies acquisition and choice for the DoD and DISA mission partners. They can now take advantage of the latest technology and innovate more quickly with artificial intelligence, machine learning, cyber sensing, and other emerging capabilities.

Like our customers, we have been employing cloud and other technologies within GDIT to provide agility and resilience. For example, by adopting both AWS and Azure we were able to close seven internal data centers over the past few years, driving efficiencies and access to advanced technologies like AI and analytics services. These investments in our infrastructure and other cloud technologies enabled us to transition 60% of our employees to secure remote work environments within days of the pandemic unfolding. We kept our 30,000 employees connected and productive regardless of where they work while continuing to meet our customers stringent security requirements.

MeriTalk: What is the government doing from a technology perspective to get ready for pandemic recovery and meet whatever challenges the future may bring?

Gilliland: The pandemic required our customers to accelerate adoption of technologies to virtually and securely connect and collaborate across the globe. Agencies will continue to invest in workforce productivity, user experience, and secure mobility solutions that enable employees to work anywhere, from any device.

Agencies will also continue to turn to solutions like performance-based managed services to securely shift more responsibilities to vendors, and use other transactional authorities (OTAs) to accelerate bringing technologies to critical programs. The use of DevSecOps in conjunction with the cloud will also hasten the governments ability to bring new mission capabilities to production.

Cybersecurity remains a top priority, and there needs to be a greater focus on consolidating systems to reduce the threat surface. In addition, at GDIT, we are working to stay ahead of the threat landscape by developing intelligent systems driven by machine learning and artificial intelligence.

There is so much happening across government to address from the pandemic to increased cyber threats and the technology is there to respond. Were excited to apply these game changing technologies to our customers toughest challenges, which can have such a profound impact on their missions.

GDIT is kicking off Emerge 2021 a three-part virtual event series this spring, covering critical issues in Digital Modernization, Emerging Technology, and Defense Cloud. Learn more and register.

Continued here:

GDIT's Amy Gilliland on Bringing Technology Vision to Life in Federal IT MeriTalk - MeriTalk