Daily Archives: November 28, 2021

Space law hasn’t been changed since 1967 but U.N. aims to update laws and keep space peaceful – Japan Today

Posted: November 28, 2021 at 9:52 pm

On Nov 15, 2021, Russia destroyed one of its own old satellites using a missile launched from the surface of the Earth, creating a massive debris cloud that threatens many space assets, including astronauts onboard the International Space Station. This happened only two weeks after the United Nations General Assembly First Committee formally recognized the vital role that space and space assets play in international efforts to better the human experience and the risks military activities in space pose to those goals.

The U.N. First Committee deals with disarmament, global challenges and threats to peace that affect the international community. On Nov. 1, it approved a resolution that creates an open-ended working group. The goals of the group are to assess current and future threats to space operations, determine when behavior may be considered irresponsible, make recommendations on possible norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviors, and contribute to the negotiation of legally binding instruments including a treaty to prevent an arms race in space.

We are two space policy experts with specialties in space law and the business of commercial space. We are also the president and vice president at the National Space Society, a nonprofit space advocacy group. It is refreshing to see the U.N. acknowledge the harsh reality that peace in space remains uncomfortably tenuous. This timely resolution has been approved as activities in space become ever more important and as shown by the Russian test tensions continue to rise.

The 1967 Outer Space Treaty

Outer space is far from a lawless vacuum.

Activities in space are governed by the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which is currently ratified by 111 nations. The treaty was negotiated in the shadow of the Cold War when only two nations the Soviet Union and the U.S. had spacefaring capabilities.

While the Outer Space Treaty offers broad principles to guide the activities of nations, it does not offer detailed rules of the road. Essentially, the treaty assures freedom of exploration and use of space to all humankind. There are just two caveats to this, and multiple gaps immediately present themselves.

The first caveat states that the Moon and other celestial bodies must be used exclusively for peaceful purposes. It omits the rest of space in this blanket prohibition. The only guidance offered in this respect is found in the treatys preamble, which recognizes a common interest in the progress of the exploration and use of space for peaceful purposes. The second caveat says that those conducting activities in space must do so with due regard to the corresponding interests of all other States Parties to the Treaty.

A major problem arises from the fact that the treaty does not offer clear definitions for either peaceful purposes or due regard.

While the Outer Space Treaty does specifically prohibit placing nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction anywhere in space, it does not prohibit the use of conventional weapons in space or the use of ground-based weapons against assets in space. Finally, it is also unclear if some weapons like Chinas new nuclear capable partial-orbit hypersonic missile should fall under the treatys ban.

The vague military limitations built into the treaty leave more than enough room for interpretation to result in conflict.

Space is militarized, conflict is possible

Space has been used for military purposes since Germanys first V2 rocket launch in 1942.

Many early satellites, GPS technology, a Soviet Space Station and even NASAs space shuttle were all either explicitly developed for or have been used for military purposes.

With increasing commercialization, the lines between military and civilian uses of space are less blurry. Most people are able to identify terrestrial benefits of satellites like weather forecasts, climate monitoring and internet connectivity but are unaware that they also increase agricultural yields and monitor human rights violations. The rush to develop a new space economy based on activities in and around Earth and the Moon suggests that humanitys economic dependence on space will only increase.

However, satellites that provide terrestrial benefits could or already do serve military functions as well. We are forced to conclude that the lines between military and civilian uses remain sufficiently indistinct to make a potential conflict more likely than not. Growing commercial operations will also provide opportunities for disputes over operational zones to provoke governmental military responses.

Military testing

While there has not yet been any direct military conflict in space, there has been an escalation of efforts by nations to prove their military prowess in and around space. Russias test is only the most recent example. In 2007, China tested an anti-satellite weapon and created an enormous debris cloud that is still causing problems. The International Space Station had to dodge a piece from that Chinese test as recently as Nov. 10, 2021.

Similar demonstrations by the U.S. and India were far less destructive in terms of creating debris, but they were no more welcomed by the international community.

The new U.N. resolution is important because it sets in motion the development of new norms, rules and principles of responsible behavior. Properly executed, this could go a long way toward providing the guardrails needed to prevent conflict in space.

From guidelines to enforcement

The U.N. Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space has been addressing space activities since 1959.

However, the remit of the 95-member committee is to promote international cooperation and study legal problems arising from the exploration of outer space. It lacks any ability to enforce the principles and guidelines set forth in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty or even to compel actors into negotiations.

The U.N. resolution from November 2021 requires the newly created working group to meet two times a year in both 2022 and 2023. While this pace of activity is glacial compared with the speed of commercial space development, it is a major step in global space policy.

Michelle Hanlon is **Professor of Air and Space Law,Universityof Mississippi. Greg Autry is a Clinical Professor of Space Leadership, Policy and Business inthe Thunderbird School of Global Managementand an Affiliate Professor with the Interplanetary Initiativeat **Arizona State University.

The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.

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Climate Change Is Creating a Northern Labor Crisis – The National Interest

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Editorsnote: In November,The National Interestorganized a symposium on the confluence of demographics, migration, and climate change. We asked a variety of scholars the following question: Canmigrationbe a solution to the various demographic challenges facing many nations, or is it a challenge in its own right? How should states adapt to and/or mitigate the effects of changing demographics and influxes of migrants?The following article is one of their responses:

In many ways, Canada seems perfectly positioned to take advantage of climate change. The country sits on a vast wealth of natural resources with an abundant supply of freshwater, oil, and natural gas. Its political system is, for the moment, relatively stable. And as the planet warms, Canadas traditionally unfarmable northern regions could turn into the worlds breadbasket. But for all its advantages, Canada is desperately lacking in one vital resource: people.

Indeed, despite being the worlds second-largest country, Canada has a relatively modest 38 million citizens, a mere one-ninth of the United States population. More importantly, the national fertility rate has long been in steady decline, with the number of Canadian births reaching a fifteen-year low in 2020. This puts the country in a precarious position: while most populations need a total fertility level of a little over two children per woman to survive, Canada sits at just 1.47, representing one of the lowest birth rates in the West. Were this trend to continue, the countrys population could start shrinking within the next two decades.

Theres good reason to see this as a serious national security concern. Most crucially, Canadas dropping fertility rates will bring about a massive shift in the countrys age demographics, with the percentage of Canadians aged sixty-five and older projected to increase from 17.2 in 2018 to over 20 in 2030. The resulting impact on the workforce will be dramatic. Today, the countrys ratio of workers to pensioners is three to one. Over the next fifteen years, that number will fall to two. And indeed, while the cultural implications of this sort of demographic change can be complicated, the economics are rather simple: as Canada ages, its productivity will decline, labor costs will skyrocket, and the countrys robust social programs will crumble under the weight of its retiring population.

Degrowth, then, would represent a catastrophic opportunity loss for a country primed to benefit from global warming. In one famous study, Stanford professor Marshall Burke estimated that if Canada were to take complete advantage of its newfound agricultural opportunities, it could see a fivefold increase in its gross domestic product over the next several decades. But thats a huge if. Canada will need a massive amount of labor to exploit its 4.2 million square kilometers of new agricultural frontier, and as it stands, its population is not growing nearly fast enough to meet the regions growing demand.

So now, with the writing on the wall for its future growth, Canada has started looking abroad. The result has been a dramatic increase in Canadas immigration targets: just last year, Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino announced that the country would be aiming to add an additional 500,000 permanent residents in 2021, an increase of more than 50,000 from 2020.

And yet many still think this doesnt go far enough. One particularly influential group of business leaders and academics, known as the Century Initiative, wants Canada to nearly triple its population by 2100. Growing our population to 100 million by 2100 would reduce the burden on government revenues to fund health care, old age security, and other services, the Initiative's site reads. The group states that 100 million is not just a number. Its a vision for the Canada we want to build for future generations.

Such an approach would have profound socio-cultural implications. To be sure, a 100 million person Canada would look markedly different from how it looks today, raising the question of whether or not Canadians are ready for such a sudden shake-up of the national demographic.

But its a risk that Canada seems prepared to take, and theyre not alone. To the east, Russia and the Scandinavian countriesboth thought to be potential climate winnershave cited underpopulation and declining birth rates as major obstacles to their national growth. Russia, in particularnever known for its subtletyhas discussed flying in hundreds of thousands of Indian workers to its now-arable Far East region. Many in Sweden, too, have pushed for increased immigration rates as the population ages.

Each approach will surely have unique strengths and weaknesses that will lead to different results depending on each countrys specific circumstances. For a nation like Russia, for example, the presence of China to the south means that it must be careful when deciding which foreign nationals (and how many) it wants to allow in. Canada, on the other hand, has the advantage of an immigration system that prioritizes immigrants with perceived value, allowing the country to admit those who best fit its evolving socio-economic needs.

Immigration, then, will have a key role to play in the West as declining birth rates and climate change transform the world order. Indeed, with the right policies, countries like Canada and Russia could see their prospects soar. But with the wrong policies, their economies could be destined to collapse.

Thomas Hochman (@thomashochman) is a Fellow at Citizens Climate Lobby. His work has been featured in The National Interest, The Washington Examiner, and a number of other outlets.

Image: Reuters.

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Will India’s Akasa Air be able to weather the turbulence facing other airlines? – The National

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India has had a history of airlines which have ended in failure. Among them were Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher Airlines, businessman Naresh Goyal's Jet Airways and the country's first low-cost carrier, Air Deccan, founded by former army captain GR Gopinath.

Despite these collapses and a turbulent operating environment, which has only worsened during the coronavirus pandemic, Indian billionaire Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is seemingly undeterred.

He is trying his hand at bringing the new Akasa Air to the skies along with former Jet Airways chief executive Vinay Dube. The new airline is billed as an ultra low-cost carrier and it plans to start operating in the coming months. But Akasa Air will be flying into stormy weather.

Considering the past and present situation, it will not be a cakewalk for the company and it will have to overcome many hurdles to make its way up, says Nitin Shah, the executive director of Findoc, an Indian financial services group.

As the aviation industry worldwide grapples with the impact of the pandemic, Indian airlines are projected to report collective losses of between $3.2 billion and $3.7bn in the current financial year ending March 31, 2022, according to aviation consultancy Capa India.

But analysts also point to room for growth in India's aviation sector, as Asia's third-largest economy is expected to expand in the coming years.

The country's economy is forecast to grow 9.5 per cent this year and 8.5 per cent in 2022, according to the International Monetary Fund, after shrinking 7.3 per cent in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

By 2030, Indias international air traffic is projected to increase by between 50 million and 60 million passengers a year compared with pre-Covid levels, to reach 115 million to 125 million, according to Capa. It is then expected to double again by 2040, to 240 million.

Increasingly, Indians are expected to take up air travel. Currently, only a single-digit percentage of its population of almost 1.4 billion travels by air. And that is the market potential Akasa Air is targeting.

India is one of the fastest-developing aviation markets and has extraordinary potential, says Mr Shah. There is a huge potential for the sector to grow in future. The Indian aviation sector has witnessed a strong recovery in the post-lockdown era.

But the near-term challenges are great, analysts say. Even before the Covid-19 crisis hit, India's aviation industry was going through turbulence. Factors including price wars between India's carriers and soaring taxes on fuel pushed several airlines into steep losses, leaving them in a precarious position.

High fuel and running costs, and a capital intensive business, along with cut-throat competition, has made the business of even the best-placed players quite vulnerable to any adverse developments, says Richa Agarwal, a senior research analyst at Equitymaster.

High fuel and running costs, and a capital intensive business, along with cut-throat competition, has made the business of even the best-placed players quite vulnerable to any adverse developments

Richa Agarwal, senior research analyst, Equitymaster

In recent history, the full extent of the woes of the sector came into sharp focus with the demise of Kingfisher Airlines in 2012. The airline, set up by liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya, started operations in 2005. It launched amid great fanfare and gained a lot of popularity among consumers, becoming known for its high levels of customer service.

But the competitive environment and the airline's high costs meant that it became unviable, and it became a struggle for the company to pay its staff and bank loans. It was the airline's failure and insolvency that led to Mr Mallya becoming a wilful defaulter, as he fled to the UK, where he is currently based. The Indian government is fighting to have him extradited.

Air Deccan went down with Kingfisher after the budget airline, which had run into losses, merged with Kingfisher in 2007.

Following Kingfisher's demise, low-cost carrier SpiceJet was on the verge of collapse. But Ajay Singh, its co-founder, stepped in with a rescue package. This involved restructuring the airline's ownership. SpiceJet survived, seemingly against the odds.

Indian billionaire Rakesh Jhunjhunwala. Prashanth Vishwanathan / The National

Players in this segment have shut shop in the last few years due to mounting debts, poor acquisitions and cheaper prices offered by competitors, says Gaurav Garg, the head of research at CapitalVia Global Research. Also, the rising fuel prices and a depreciating rupee seem to be a major reason in the increasing operating costs of the airlines.

Jet Airways also became a victim of the tough operating environment and it stopped flying in April 2019, when it ran out of cash.

Even Air India, the country's flag carrier, has long struggled with losses and mounting debt. This led to its long-awaited privatisation this year, with Tata Sons acquiring the ailing airline.

In the past decade, seven airlines have ceased operations, including regional carriers like Air Costa and Air Pegasus, alongside bigger players.

There is fierce competition among Indian carriers, as the market continues to recover from the impact of Covid-19. Akasa Air's plan to hit the skies coincides with Jet Airways' aim to resume operations in 2022 under new ownership.

We believe the entry of another low-cost operator, Akasa, will only make the going tough, Ms Agarwal says. The industry dynamics will remain challenging with the fight for slots and traffic, and high costs.

For these reasons, she does not think it is a good investment.

We believe that in the past, quite often, tycoons obsession for airline business has been more driven by megalomania than a sound investment decision based on economics, she says. Its not bad luck.

The impact of Akasa Air on low-cost carriers is likely to be similar to that of Kingfisher's on full-cost carriers seen in 2005, according to Kapil Kaul, chief executive and director at Capa India.

Kingfisher's impact on full-cost carriers was very strategic, which led to some bad decisions by Jet Airways, including the acquisition of Air Sahara, he says.

However, Akasa Air is regarded as a major emerging player based on the financial strength and the hiring strategy so far, Mr Kaul says.

Working in its favour is the Bengaluru-based airlines strong team, which offers a chance at success, some experts say.

Mr Jhunjhunwala, the co-founder of Akasa Air, holds a 40 per cent stake in the new airline. A stock trader and investor, he is often referred to as the Warren Buffett of India because of his savvy stock investments.

Mr Dube is the chief executive of the new airline, and Aditya Ghosh, the former president of India's largest domestic carrier, IndiGo, is also on the board.

Certain carriers have committed the mistake of over expansion and taking on huge debt, which led to stretching too wide and ultimately, the collapse of the business, Mr Garg says.

On the contrary, Akasa being a well-capitalised new entrant, holds the potential to be successful over the long term if it focuses on certain crucial elements like managing its fleet composition, distribution model and destination selection, which would differentiate it from the existing players and provide a competitive edge.

Akasa Air is already well-positioned for its take-off in 2022, having placed an order this month for 72 Boeing 737 Max planes, valued at close to $9bn.

We are already witnessing a strong recovery in air travel and we see decades of growth ahead of us, Mr Dube said at the time of the deal, announced during the Dubai Airshow.

Akasa Air's core purpose is to help power India's growth engine and democratise air travel by creating an inclusive environment for all Indians, regardless of their socio-economic or cultural backgrounds.

As an ultra low-cost carrier, Akasa Air will have an opportunity to win over passengers with low fares, says Mr Shah. But the key to profitability will be focusing on keeping operating costs even lower than other airlines like IndiGo and SpiceJet, and making profits by selling a big volume of tickets.

Akasa Air will have to navigate its way through strong headwinds, but soaring profits could be on the horizon.

Updated: November 28th 2021, 4:40 AM

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Arusha landmarks in 60 years of independence – The Citizen

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By Zephania Ubwani

Arusha. Maybe much is not known or documented on how the struggle for independence fared in Arusha prior to 1961.

But there is no contention it had much to do with Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere who used to traverse the country to mobilise citizens for the great day.

Old citizens who are still alive in this great city would recall Mwalimu sneaking in to create or strengthen his network of supporters.

At times he would put up at the Kilimanjaro Villa, an accommodation facility in the heart of the town, said to be the first multi-storeyed building to be put up by an African.

His supporters before Uhuru were the likes of Selemani Migire, a towering Tanu stalwart from Mbulu who would erupt like a volcano in defence of Mwalimu at all times.

The other was Jackson Kaaya, an elder from the slopes of Mt. Meru -now incapacitated due to old age. He served as the party chairman for years in the 1970s and 1980s.

For Arusha, the sunset months of the colonial era were ushered in style; with the full presence of Mwalimu when he officiated landmark projects in the city as the Chief Minister. One of them, according to accounts by elders who spoke to The Citizen, was the official inauguration of the city hall by Mwalimu a few weeks to December 9th, 1961.

The three floor building along the Boma Road is still there, with its amphitheatre-like hall for meetings of the councillors and offices for different departments.

Nyerere was also to grace an international meeting on wildlife conservation which, among other things, issued the historic Arusha Manifesto.

That was also a few weeks before Independence and was enough sign that Tanzania and Arusha, in particular, were to play an important role in conservation.

During the 1960s, though, there were not many national, regional or international conferences that Arusha used to host until about five years ago. But the city on the slopes of Mt.

Meru was to host an important meeting that charted a way forward for the countrys turn to Socialism and Self Reliance from 1967. The Arusha Declaration was crafted during a meeting of the Tanu National Executive Committee (NEC) under Nyerere which took place at a community hall in Arusha.

The building, near the main stadium, has since been turned into a National Museum with relics (documents, photos and booklets) on the countrys journey to socialism. It was in the same year (1967) that Arusha was designated the headquarters of the East African Community (EAC), a milestone for the town until then famous as a settlers paradise. Probably it was due to the importance of Arusha that a number of high profile regional institutions were allowed to set their headquarters here.

In the 1970s, these included the then Commonwealth Health Secretariat, now known as the Eastern, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC).

The other prominent organization was the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (Esami), arguably one of the high profile training institutions on management issues.

With Arusha continuing to attract regional organizations despite the collapse of the EAC in 1977, the citys link to the Socialism declaration prevailed.

It was while in the same region that Mwalimu Nyerere announced officially that the villagisation programme was binding under the policies of the day.

During his visit in 1973 to Mbulu district - now in Manyara region - he firmly directed that villagisation should not be viewed as voluntary for the rural dwellers.

Mwalimus timeline was that Tanzanians living out of towns and cities should or must settle or be resettled in registered villages by 1975.

The villagisation policy - which was being implemented under the Socialism and Self Reliance policy -had its criticisms although not much said during those days.

It looked like the densely populated highlands like the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Meru, the south-western highlands and parts of Kagera region were spared.

They were spared on grounds that the majority of their inhabitants were already settled in villages, engaging in more productive agriculture or livestock rearing.

Compulsory villagisation under the Ujamaa policy appeared to target large swathes of semi-arid central and western parts of the country or the coastal areas.

Even though,criticisms reigned. Thats despite the government insisting it would enable citizens to enjoy socio-economic services when they are settled together.

Some rural planning experts argued that the move would usher in land degradation as the people would be squeezed together in small plots of land.

The exercise was equally not well received by the nomadic pastoralists or the traditional livestock keepers with large herds in general. Nomadic herders have for generations been allergic to any move by the authorities to interfere with their mode of life, including where to take their animals for grazing.

With villagisation, their concern was on how to balance their mode of production with the likely over-grazing due to concentration of large herds in small areas.

Again the scholars did not fully support the programme on fears of the carrying capacity of land would not support large herds in open grazing areas under it.

But Mwalimu Nyereres blueprint for Socialism and Self Reliance remained and on February 5th, 1977, Arusha was to host the 10th anniversary of the Declaration. In 60 years of Uhuru, Arusha has transformed into one of the major cities in the country, being a hub of the multibillion shilling tourism industry.

In the early 1960s, the city looked like a paradise for the settler community involved in commercial agriculture,tourist hunting, hotel business and missionary work. Now it is the EAC regions diplomatic city being the headquarters of allied organisations and diversified economic activities from horticulture to gemstone mining.

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Intergenerational housing bringing vulnerable youth and seniors together spreads to Nevada – The Nevada Independent

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A new Reno housing complex will pair five young women who transitioned out of foster care with five senior citizens in need of affordable housing.

Affordable, intergenerational housing communities have been a growing trend since the 1990s. In Portland, Oregon, former foster youth living in dorm-style housing can pop into a nearby community of foster families and senior citizens for some Grandma love. In Easthampton, Massachusetts, young people and seniors meet for dance and yoga classes, writing workshops and bike rides. In Washington, D.C., new moms who have transitioned out of foster care receive tutoring and share communal dinners with the elders living among them.

But more recently, similar models have been built for another often-overlooked group: Youth who have transitioned out of foster care and are living on their own, usually without financial and emotional support.

In September, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed a bill promoting intergenerational housing developments for senior citizens, caregivers, or transition age youths. The new law backed by nonprofit housing developers, mayors and the AARP expands low-income tax credits, offers incentives to developers and clarifies previously restrictive housing laws so that the projects can more easily be built.

Such housing models nationwide have dual aims: soothing the loneliness of often-isolated seniors and youth who find themselves alone in the world, with limited income. They also solve deeper social problems that arise when these needs are not met people both old and young ending up on the streets, or hospitalized, suffering both physically and emotionally.

The Reno facility, set to break ground next month, is one of the latest examples. Dubbed the Gen Den, the 10-unit building will house residents who will pay $500 a month for a one-bedroom apartment. The project aims to be open in about a year.

Monica DuPea, founder and executive director of the Nevada Youth Empowerment Project that will be sending its graduates to Gen Den, said the goal is not just to provide housing. It also aims to build a mutually beneficial community to help the young women with less-concrete needs.

Residents will be able to tap on seniors for knowledge, wisdom, an ear, and just some guidance and support, DuPea said. Whereas seniors can tap on youth for their youthfulness, like being able to run across the street to the store or get up and change the light bulb.

As the pandemic continues on its grim march, the project couldnt come at a better time for Reno. Home prices here have reached record highs and, according to the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association, the state is roughly 80,000 units short of meeting its affordable housing goals.

Amy Jones, executive director of the Reno Housing Authority, which is partnering with the youth program on the Gen Den, said rental prices for one-bedroom apartments in Reno have nearly doubled in the last 15 years, from about $650 to well over $1,000. Combined with a low vacancy rate, it is extremely hard for low-income individuals to find apartments and units that are affordable, Jones said.

The project fills a problematic hole in the safety net. While preference for low-income housing in the region is now granted to the elderly, people with disabilities, families, Washoe County residents, and veterans, Jones said, homeless youth tend to fall in this gap where were not able to help them.

The benefits go far beyond affordable rent, project proponents maintain. Homes for multiple generations of kin can help children and young adults thrive, said Ana Beltran, co-director of the nonprofit Generations Uniteds National Center on Grandfamilies. For transition-age youth, connections with relatives or a network of support increases their self-worth, their identity, their ability to navigate life.

Not all foster youth have kin to lean on, however. Thats where housing initiatives like the Gen Den aim to make a difference in young lives.

Tom Berkshire, president and executive director of Generations of Hope a nonprofit based in Springfield, Illinois said communities like these provide a sense of stability. Communal parties and volunteer activities help the residents form authentic connections.

The seniors basically provide a quality social service, and theyre there all the time, Berkshire said. Thats much better than seeing a caseworker once a month and having him or her say, You should do this or that and look for problems rather than solutions.

The idea for intentional, intergenerational communities for societys most vulnerable began decades ago in Illinois, when sociologist Brenda Krause Eheart was researching better alternatives for children in the states overwhelmed child welfare system. In response to her findings, Generations of Hope was formed to create a diverse intergenerational neighborhood to support families of adopted foster children.

They opened their first community called Hope Meadows in Rantoul, Illinois in 1994. Today, the nonprofit has consulted with seven communities that are currently operating, and 12 more that are in development across eight states. Residents range from adoptive and foster families, to grandparents, veterans and disabled people, but few specifically serve transition-age youth, the target population for Renos Gen Den.

New Meadows, the Portland housing complex for transition-age youth, encourages residents to visit the nearby intergenerational complex Bridge Meadows for bonding activities. Though they dont live in the same complex, the young people still need Grandma love, said Executive Director Derenda Schubert.

The model helps young people whove been mistreated by the adults in their lives find trust again, and build authentic relationships. The seniors have the time and the ability to share their wisdom, whether its, Dont make the mistakes I made, or Heres a route you might want to try, Schubert said. Or they can just be a sounding board, somebody to give you a birthday card, someone to celebrate that you got the job or to cry because the partner broke up with you just people in your life.

When Gen Den opens in Reno, former foster youth residents will not only get help finding jobs and developing life skills, theyll have the opportunity to build relationships with other adults as well even when life gets messy and complicated.

Personal growth comes from the training, the opportunities to practice, by somebody who you respect and look up to giving you constructive feedback and really building upon that, DuPea said. Its real-relationship based.

Once the housing is built, graduates of the Nevada Youth Empowerment Project which serves homeless young women leaving foster care will be eligible to apply for a unit. The young residents are expected to cycle in and out of the intergenerational housing, but there will not be time limits on how long anyone can remain at Gen Den.

Nina Shapey, 28, who graduated from the youth program in 2015 and now works as a liaison between the young women and the staff, said Gen Den is an opportunity she would have loved to have.

At 21 years old, Shapey had aged out of foster care and was working more than 40 hours a week while going to school full time at Truckee Meadows Community College. Earning just $8.75 an hour and paying $1,000 a month in rent, she could barely make ends meet.

But its not just the affordability of the Gen Den that appeals to her; its the reciprocal relationships.

Somebody explained it to me like this, and it stuck with me: We come into this world needing to be taken care of, Shapey said. Our parents are supposed to take care of us, change our diapers, feed us, raise us, all of that kind of stuff. We go out of this world needing to be taken care of. Our elderly have worked their whole lives. They have a lot of experience and a lot of knowledge. It doesnt take that much to be kind or to just be helpful towards somebody.

Editor's note: This article by freelancer reporter Colleen Connelly was co-published at The Imprint, an independent daily news outlet focused on the nation's child welfare and youth justice systems. The Imprint is a publication of Fostering Media Connections, a nonprofit organization that seeks to lead conversations about children, youth and families in America.

Colleen Connolly is a Minneapolis-based independent journalist who writes about child welfare in Minnesota for The Imprint. She also writes about education, native rights and immigration. Her work has appeared in The Guardian, Smithsonian magazine and The American Prospect, among others. She is a graduate of DePaul University and New York Universitys Global Journalism program.

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Intergenerational housing bringing vulnerable youth and seniors together spreads to Nevada - The Nevada Independent

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These are the Christmas gifts every working mom wants – WRAL.com

Posted: at 9:51 pm

By Stephanie Llorente, WRAL contributor

Thanksgiving is over, and its officially the most wonderful time of the year! At least, we want it to be. But, if youre the one tasked with planning and executing all the family gifts, parties, travel and school holidays ON TOP OF your regular day job, the holiday season gets overwhelmingfast.

For everyone with a working mom on their Christmas shopping list, allow me to make your gift purchasing process super simple: All working moms want for Christmas this year is a break. Thats it. Nothing fancy. Nothing expensive. Just, a break.

Because, after two years of managing homes, schedules, work loads and mental loads in the midst of a pandemic, were just flat out exhausted. In fact, I surveyed my Instagram following and asked, What is the best Christmas gift a working mom could receive? Literally every response fell into three categories: time, experience and community.

So, here are a few ideas to help the working mom(s) in your life feel recharged, renewed and restored with the three gifts they crave most. Plus, if youre reading this as a working mom yourself, simply copy this link and send it to those shopping for you this season!

Time is a hot commodity for moms in the workplace. Anything that can make our lives easier while creating new pockets of time for us is always a win. Here are some ways you can gift time:

Experiences are always a welcome gift because they provide moms with small pockets of time to reconnect with themselves. Much of mothering is focusing on others, so its a treat to place focus on your own wellness.

Working moms (all moms!!) need community, and I cant say this enough. They feel largely unseen and isolated, and this was happening well before COVID came along. We were built to be in community with each other, and its always fascinating to me how many moms want this for themselves, but dont know how or where to find it. So, help them find their people, and youll be giving a gift that literally keeps on giving. Here are a few of my favorite local mom communities, plus one national in scope:

All in all, I think its safe to say that moms who work outside of the home dont need another kitchen gadget or coffee mug (neither do moms who work inside the home. They want a break, too!), so use an idea from the list above or get creative. And, if you really want a give a useful, tangible gift to a working mom in your life, Ive got a list of those over on the Restored blog. Happy gifting, friends!

Stephanie Llorente is a mother of two children and a regular Go Ask Mom contributor. She is the owner of Prep Communications and Restored, a faith-based business that delivers relevant resources and intentional community to working moms.

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‘It is astonishing’: More than $2 million raised so far for victims of the Waukesha Christmas Parade tragedy – USA TODAY

Posted: at 9:51 pm

Cathy Kozlowicz and Alex Groth| Milwaukee journal sentinel

After an SUV drove into the Waukesha Christmas Parade on Sunday, killing six and injuring more than 60, the community has stepped up to help in a big way.

In the week since then, people from across the country have contributed at least $2 million to victims and other efforts in a variety of ways, including GoFundMe accounts, local fundraisers and more.

Donations have been flooding into the United for Waukesha Community Fund, which was set up shortly after the tragedy.

Waukesha Christmas Parade crash: Red vehicle seen speeding in Waukesha Christmas parade amid reports of injuries

Charges filed: Prosecutors charge Waukesha suspect with five counts intentional homicide

Since Sunday, the United for Waukesha Community Fund received roughly$1.8 million, with 7,000 individual donors.There have been donors from all 50 states and from 12 countries.

The biggest donor was GE, at $100,000.Kohl's, the Walbec group and American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation each donated $50,000, a representative from the Waukesha County Community Foundation verified.

As of Friday,more than $1 million had also been raised for victims under the umbrella page that includes 29verified GoFundMe pages.

The GoFundMe for the Sparks family has raised the most, with$428,498pledged as of Friday. Tucker Sparks,12, is recovering froma fractured skull and roadrash.His brother,Jackson Sparks, 8, died Nov. 23 as a result of his injuries.

Four other accounts raised more than $100,000, while six others have raised more than $50,000.

Culver's of Waukesha donated 50% of its Wednesdayproceeds to the Xtreme Dance Team, whichhad many members sustaining injuries from the Waukesha Christmas Parade Tragedy.

Aqueue of cars snaked around the outside of the Culver's building on Grandview Boulevard, blocking a lane of traffic.

"I didnt expect this," saidWaukesha Xtreme Dance Team director Sandy Feller.

Culver's on Grandview raised$28,000 for thedance team.

The Culver's Waukesha locations on Sunset Driveand East Main Street togetherraised $44,000.

"Customers were out the door and through the lobby. Not a single customer complained. The drive-thru was wrapped around the building and down the street," said Kyle Soderstrom, the owner of the Culver's on Grandview.

"For us, this was more about grieving and coping than the financial part of it. To sit down and talk with parents and the dancers. I can tell you that the dance team loved the outpouring of support," Soderstrom said.

At Coop, a downtown restaurant that is donating all of its Nov. 26 proceeds, a line formed even before the restaurant opened, said owner Joseph Fifnaios. It is great and heartwarming. People were lined up and ready to go inside by 7 a.m. It was astonishing."

Jersey Mike's Subsraised $18,000 Nov. 24 between its two Waukesha locations, donating 100% of its proceeds to help those affected by the Waukesha parade tragedy.

"It was pretty awesome to see the community turn out in the way they did," said owner Tim Downing."It is a great reminder to meas to why I do what I do, which is to be an active business in the communities that my stores are a part of and to enhance the lives of others through a sub sandwich."

"It was very inspiring and humbling to see theamount of people show upthat didto support our efforts to support the community," he said.

The restaurant donations all went to theUnited for Waukesha Community Fund.

Numerous other fundraisers by local businesses continue to raise money for victims.

Contributing: Sarah Volpenhein

Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @kozlowicz_cathy.

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'It is astonishing': More than $2 million raised so far for victims of the Waukesha Christmas Parade tragedy - USA TODAY

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Girls Inc. honored to be a part of One Bank’s 120th anniversary – Oak Ridger

Posted: at 9:51 pm

Girls Inc. is the beneficiary of a matching donation program put on by One Bank in honor of the bank's 120th anniversary.

During the month of October, donations made to Girls Inc. at One Bank in Oak Ridgewere matched at 120% for Girls Inc.'s programs for area girls ages 5 to 14.

Girls Inc. of TennesseeValley is a local nonprofit organization that provides intentional and research-based programs in the areas of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), economics, healthy mind, and body, and more to more than 1,300 girls across Anderson, Blount, and Knox counties.

"Inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold is our main mission, and we know that empowering girls in our community improves lives, strengthens communities, and benefits society as a whole," stated a news release.

Girls Inc. of TennesseeValley has been providing programming in Oak Ridge for more than 40 years, and they are excited for what this donation brings to the organization.

"Many of the girls we serve are in need of affordable, reliable, and quality childcare, but many times (their parents or guardians) do not have the ability to pay the high cost of childcare. Our program offers need based scholarships that the donations from our community members and One Bank will directly impact. With this donation, we will be able to offer more scholarships for our girls going into the new year," Kirby Deal, executive director, stated in the release.

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$500000 grant will advance preservation of the South’s audiovisual history at University Libraries | UNC-Chapel Hill – UNC Chapell Hill

Posted: at 9:51 pm

Since 2014, support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has enabled archivists and digitization specialists at UNC-Chapel Hills University Libraries to investigate new methods for preserving audio and video records of the American South at a large scale. Now a capstone grant of $500,000 from the foundation will help them develop a long-range model for continuing this critical work.

The newest grant, which focuses on sustainability, began Oct 1 and will end Sept. 30, 2023. It brings the nine-year funding total for Extending the Reach of Southern Audiovisual Sources to $3.4 million. Prior phases were devoted to research and development, implementation and expansion.

Carolinas libraries have been working on audiovisual preservation since the 1980s, but those efforts tended to focus on individual items. The series of Mellon Foundation grants have allowed staff to consider how best to tackle collections that include thousandsor tens of thousandsof recordings, such as the holdings of the Southern Folklife Collection and the Southern Historical Collection, both part of the Wilson Special Collections Library.

The work is urgent, according to Erica Titkemeyer, associate head of repository services and grant co-lead.

Audiovisual recordings are at risk of both obsolescence and deterioration. They will not be retrievable after a certain number of years, said Titkemeyer. There is a ticking clock that we are working with.

Titkemeyer said there are three main goals for this final phase:

While there is urgency to preserve AV materials, Titkemeyer said that the emphasis on materials from minoritized communities requires a different mindset.

With the window for AV preservation shortening, it can be tempting to rush prioritization. This grant phase emphasizes slowing down and making intentional choices through the lens of the Reckoning Initiative, they said.

Titkemeyer hopes that the lessons learned can eventually inform other digitization operations at the University Libraries by showing progress and identifying gaps in working with these materials.

Carolina is also uniquely positioned to provide statewide support for AV preservation said Lisa Gregory, director of the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center. The center, which is based at the University Libraries, provides digitization services for libraries, archives, historical centers, and other cultural institutions across North Carolina. In September, the center cemented partnerships in all 100 of North Carolinas counties.

Offering audiovisual digitization as a service for our partners has been invaluable in providing access to these endangered formats, said Gregory. We look forward to making this a sustainable effort over the next few years with our colleagues in Wilson Special Collections Library.

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Cobb Chamber area council for Acworth, Kennesaw and West Cobb chooses Citizens of the Year – Cobb County Courier

Posted: at 9:51 pm

The Cobb Chamber issued the following press release announcing the Citizens of the Year for Acworth, Kennesaw, and West Cobb:

The Cobb Chambers Northwest Cobb Area Council, which represents Northwest Cobbs three distinct districts of Acworth, Kennesaw and West Cobb, has selected three community advocates as 2021 Citizens of the Year: Tia Amlett for Acworth, Jeff Drobney for Kennesaw, and Christal McNair for West Cobb.

The Citizen of the Year Awards are given to honor an individual whose impact through the years will be recognized and regarded with pride throughout the area as a role model. These outstanding citizens are chosen for their definable, exceptional deeds, with which he or she have made their community a better place to live. Awards are given based on local area nominations. The 2021 Northwest Cobb Citizen of the Year awards were presented at the Northwest Cobb Area Council breakfast at Governors Gun Club.

Tia Amlett, Principal of Barber Middle School, is a servant leader who is both humble and kind. Amlett is in tune to the needs, struggles, and challenges that her staff and school families face, and she finds ways to keep those individuals uplifted. During the challenges of the past two years, Amlett has remained a strong and steadfast advocate for teachers, students, and parents. She continues to work tirelessly to ensure that the needs of all stakeholders are met.

Amlett makes the intentional effort to greet each student by name as they climb off the bus in the morning. She knows every student in her school and makes sure they know that they are important and cared for. It is nearly impossible to know the full impact of her service. She does it all to support and lead others, without desire for anything in return. While students, parents, and the community may not remember the specific details of their interactions with her, they will always remember how valued she made them feel.

Under Amletts leadership, Barber Middle School was named a Title 1 Reward School, a distinction that is earned by those schools that are ranked in the top 5 percent of Title 1 Schools in the state. In addition, during that time, Barber Middle School was also awarded STEM School Certification by the Cobb County School District. What others might view as a challenge, Amlett sees as an opportunity for success time and time again.

2021 Kennesaw Citizen of the Year

Jeff Drobney, City Manager of Kennesaw, is a man of action that finds ways to make everything work to benefit those involved. Under his leadership, Drobney has taken the City of Kennesaw to the next level in operations, staffing, technology and economic growth. He has built an all-star team of professionals and created a succession plan to ensure the city is able to maintain exceptional professional services and continued strong economic growth.

An active member of the International City/County Management Association, Drobney has completed and maintained certification of ICMA, the worlds leading association of professional city and county managers who serve local governments. Drobney has continued his professional learning by completing advanced leadership courses and graduating from the Leadership Cobb program. Over the course of 15 years, he has served as past president of the Kennesaw Business Association, executive director of the Southern Museum, agency director for Recreation and Culture, and past board member for Cobb Travel and Tourism.

Drobney has been described by others as Iron Man literally and figuratively. He recently completed his sixth Iron Man competition and finished in the top half of an international field of competitors. Involved in several areas within the city, Drobney has dedicated much of his career to serve and help improve the quality of Kennesaw and the wellbeing of its citizens.

2021 West Cobb Citizen of the Year

Christal McNair, small business owner with Studio Bungee, is an unsung hero to many organizations and people in West Cobb. She is the first to say yes to difficult tasks whether its chairing a new committee with a non-profit, helping to navigate challenging waters during a pandemic, or just pushing hard to get the word out about a cause she believes in.

An active member of the Cobb Chamber, Cobb Executive Women, Marietta Business Association, West Cobb Business Association and Kiwanis of Marietta, McNair shows her passion for the community through her involvement in each organization and acts of service to help her neighbors. In the wake of the pandemic, McNair helped many small businesses translate PPP and manage their financial plans.

McNair is always the first to raise her hand, step in, and happily help to make our community a better place. Her servitude, hard work ethic, and giving spirit make her a valuable contributor to the neighborhoods and communities of West Cobb.

For more information about Area Councils, contact Katie Guice at kguice@cobbchamber.org or 770-859-2334. Thank you to Series Presenting Sponsor, Kaiser Permanente, and Program Sponsors, GeoHydro Engineers and Town Center Community Improvement District.

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Cobb Chamber area council for Acworth, Kennesaw and West Cobb chooses Citizens of the Year - Cobb County Courier

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