Monthly Archives: March 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Go here to read the rest:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SI: How did you decide to work together?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Avril: Were not doing this for any notoriety.

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

SI: Can any of you actually play basketball?

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

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

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

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

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

Baldwin: Gonna quote anybody else, Mike?

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

More NFL coverage:

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

See the rest here:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Excerpt from:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But it could take decades.

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

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

More here:

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

When Major League Soccer decided to build Centene Stadium in St Louis, the first priority was honoring the hard truths of the past. The 22,500-seat soccer-specific stadium is designed with canopy shading and is 40ft below street level. It also sits on the same block that was once a part of Mill Creek Valley, the predominantly Black neighborhood on the Southwest end of St Louis once home to 20,000 residents, 800 businesses and more than 40 religious institutions. In addition to Madame CJ Walker, Americas first Black woman millionaire, Mill Creek was also home to Josephine Baker, Scott Joplin and General William Tecumseh Sherman. Even poet Walt Whitman was known to visit the thriving Black community. But in the summer of 1959, the residents of Mill Creek Valley were displaced and the neighborhood demolished in the name of urban renewal.

Now the embryonic MLS club St Louis City SC and Great Rivers Greenway are using the stadium as a platform to tell the story of Mill Creek Valley.

It was really setting a precedent of starting as a community-led brand and community-led club that was actually entrenched in the community in more ways than just the sport, says Khalia Collier, vice-president of community relations for St Louis City SC.

Mill Creek Valley, as it once was, spanned the downtown west district of St Louis. Today, the one-mile stretch of the Brickline Greenway linking Centene Stadium to Harris-Stowe State University, the citys HBCU, will be a standing tribute to the community that was lost. Artist and native St Louisan Damon Davis says Mill Creek Valley is a virtually unknown part of Black history he was previously not aware of.

I learned about it during the research phase of preparing the application, Davis says. I was kind of embarrassed. Growing up we learned about Black history and I knew about all these people around the world, but I didnt know this place existed.

Davis won the bid to design the artwork for the Counterpublic Civic Art Exhibition in 2023 and, after learning about the neighborhood, he wanted to know more. As a result, Davis was moved to create a monument that he says will never be forgotten. The public art installation runs along Market Street on the southwest side of the stadium and consists of eight pillars or hourglasses that represent time, or a collective history Davis says has been glossed over. Within each hourglass is a pyramid symbolic the earth or sand at a standstill.

If the sand is not falling that means time is not moving, so the idea of the pyramid being in the top chamber, is the idea we have stopped for a second to commemorate and to have reverence for these histories that were purposely covered up, Davis says. There was an intention behind removing these people from the narrative of St Louis and now there must the same intention behind bringing their stories back to life.

In between the pillars in front of Centene Stadium and Harris-Stowe University will be signage and individual pillars connecting the few remaining buildings from Mill Creek Valley along the greenway. The segment of the Brickline Greenway will include Harris-Stowe State Universitys renovated Stars Park, former home to the St Louis Stars of the Negro Baseball League, and Vashon Community Center, one of the only remaining structures from Mill Creek Valley, that will be converted into the Don and Heide Wolff Jazz Institute and National Black Radio Hall of Fame.

From the 1950s to the mid 80s, St Louis was considered the soccer capital of the US thanks to a large immigrant population from Germany, Italy and Ireland that produced more homegrown soccer players than any other state. Currently St. Louis has acres of soccer fields spanning out into the suburbs of the St Louis region, but when you cross the Daniel Boone Bridge you wouldnt know the sport exists in the same way, Collier says.

St Louis City FCs headquarters, training facility and stadium are strategically located within the downtown west district. The location makes it easy to prioritize resources and give sustainable infrastructure where it did not exist, Collier says. Right now, the expansion club is working through an infrastructure plan to make the game more accessible. The areas of impact are youth development which prioritizes Black and Brown children having access to soccer community investment, social justice, and health and wellness.

You can say bridging the gap in the game of soccer is really lofty, but how were going about doing it is incredibly intentional and were calling community members in, so they see these opportunities of us integrating technology and sport innovation in a way thats simply hasnt been done, Collier says.

The St Louis City SC app features stories about Mill Creek Valley, where fans can learn how the current landscape represents the row houses that made up the vibrant community. The stadium also incorporates plaques into the landscape as hedgerows representing homes and within the landscape is the address of each home. Because St Louis is a predominantly Black city, Collier says its important to share the history of the neighborhood and also include the community in what St Louis City SC is up to off the pitch.

The nascent club is eager to engage the next generation about career opportunities within the sport. The MLS is the youngest and most diverse sports league in the country and St Louis City want to reflect that on every level. Before the stadium opened, the club had the most participation of African Americans on any major project in the city of St Louis. The club also sourced staff from the local workforce to boost economic development in Black and Brown communities. Collier says thats just the beginning as they continue to hire ahead of the official start of play in March 2023.

In addition to the greenways, the Brickline connecting St Louis will be used as a catalyst for growth and partnership. Great Rivers Greenway is focused on community engagement based on equity and economic development, says Susan Trautman, CEO of Great Rivers Greenway. The vision for the Brickline Greenway is 20 miles of pathways that connects 17 neighborhoods including Forest Park, Gateway Arch National Park, Fairground Park and Tower Grove Park. While the area along Mill Creek is largely developed, GRG is partnering with several organizations in an equity economic development working group with goals centered around people, power, places and systems. Trautman says it was essential that the working group receive input from the community about how to revitalize the areas of disinvestment in North St Louis.

Its about using the community voice to make decisions about how land and real estate is developed, Trautman says. And working in tandem with our nonprofit partners we will have an equity economic director who encourage and support development that is driven by community need adjacent to the greenway.

GRG recently released an RFQ for design to build the Brickline North section. The organization then held a mixer to allow small businesses owned by people of color to become part of the major design team effort. GRG is focused on design and construction in the North St Louis area where there is not as much opportunity. and real estate development is focused on the 500ft to quarter-mile perimeter of the Brickline, where economic development is more likely to occur.

The biggest part of making sure people in the community are engaged is educating them on how they can be engaged and introducing them to opportunities where maybe they are a sub consultant to start so maybe they can grow their business, Trautman says.

From Davis artwork to economic initiatives, St Louis City SC is striving to be a new spirit in St Louis through the power of sport. And for the club, acknowledging the past is part of building for a better future. Collier says the monument dedicated to the story of Mill Creek Valley goes beyond the fan experience, but it pushed St Louis in the middle of a national conversation.

Not only do we get to educate St Louisans, we get to educate the world, Collier says. But this is going to be a national monument in St Louis and theres nothing like this in sports.

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St Louis City SC looks to MLS future by remembering hard truths of the past - The Guardian

Sponsorships support virtual event focused on developing leadership skills in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB)

PHOENIX, March 17, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--University of Phoenix is pleased to announce ETS, the worlds largest, nonprofit educational assessment, measurement, research and learning organization, and Diverse: Issues In Higher Education, a premier source of timely news, provocative commentary, insightful interviews and in-depth special reports on diversity in higher education, as sponsors of the Universitys first annual Inclusive Leadership Summit and Career Fair, April 12-15, 2022.

The free, virtual event is open to the public and focused on helping participants develop diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) skills as inclusive leaders and will provide opportunities for networking connection and employment.

"The Inclusive Leadership Summit and Career Fair brings an opportunity to focus on how industry leaders can address systemic inequities of a diverse workforce and workplace," states John Woods, Ph.D., provost and chief academic officer of University of Phoenix. "As sponsors, ETS and Diverse are organizations demonstrating leadership, commitment, and advocacy for equity and inclusion in educational settings, the workplace, and the community at large."

Diverse featured the Inclusive Leadership Summit and Career Fair in a March 15 article.

Titled "Creating the intentional leader of today, tomorrow and beyond," the University of Phoenix Inclusive Leadership Summit and Career Fair offers attendees access to a Career Fair as well as in-depth workshops, research presentations and choose industry-focused tracks: Leadership & Management, Healthcare and Education.

The Inclusive Leadership Summit integrates research findings from University of Phoenix Career Institute and Research Centers to influence topics addressed while highlighting academic fields of study offered at the University.

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Register for the University of Phoenix Inclusive Leadership Summit here.

About ETS

At ETS, we advance quality and equity in education for people worldwide by creating assessments based on rigorous research. ETS serves individuals, educational institutions and government agencies by providing customized solutions for teacher certification, English language learning, and elementary, secondary and postsecondary education, and by conducting education research, analysis and policy studies. Founded as a nonprofit in 1947, ETS develops, administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually including the TOEFL and TOEIC tests, the GRE tests and The Praxis Series assessments in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide. http://www.ets.org.

About Diverse: Issues In Higher Education

For more than three decades, Diverse: Issues In Higher Education has been Americas premier source of timely news, provocative commentary, insightful interviews and in-depth special reports on diversity in higher education. Savvy individuals who appreciate the crucial and ever-changing role that higher education plays in the lives of students, professionals, their families and their communities make reading Diverse a regular habit.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix is continually innovating to help working adults enhance their careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, and Career Services for Life help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220317005941/en/

Contacts

Sharla HooperUniversity of Phoenixsharla.hooper@phoenix.edu

Excerpt from:

ETS and Diverse: Issues In Higher Education Announced as Sponsors for the University of Phoenix Inclusive Leadership Summit and Career Fair - Yahoo...

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC) is pleased to announce the keynote speakers for its upcoming Women's History Month Luncheon on Thursday, March 24th, 2022 in Washington, DC in partnership with AT&T.

The theme of the Annual Women's History Month Luncheon is "Redefining Empowerment" and features two dynamic women of power, Natalie Cofield, SBA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Women's Business Ownership, and Nicole Cober Johnson Esq., Founder of The BOW Collective.

"AT&T is a proud supporter of the U.S. Black Chambers of Commerce and we are excited to celebrate Women's HERstory Month with the organization. It is such an important time to highlight and uplift Women in the business community, and we applaud the U.S. Black Chambers of Commerce for being a champion for Women and Black-owned businesses." Says Tanya Lombard, AT&T Vice President, Global External & Public Affairs

Both Natalie Madeira-Cofield and Nicole Cober Johnson Esq. have a rich history of championing women entrepreneurs and women in leadership by providing executive coaching, access to capital, business strategies, and business development.

USBC couldn't be more excited for our upcoming event, powered by longtime corporate partner AT&T on March 24th in Washington, DC. This event will celebrate women entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds who have made significant contributions in business and their communities.

"USBC is being intentional about challenging the status quo by curating a conversation about women's entrepreneurship. We will honor the achievements of women who've broken through glass ceilings and challenged traditional definitions of success, while also examining the many factors that prevent Black women from achieving their entrepreneurial dreams." Says USBC President & CEO, Ron Busby.

The event will showcase the "Giants of Women's Entrepreneurship" and unpack how we can redefine what it means to intentionally empower women at every stage of their journey. National News Journalist Taylor Thomas will emcee USBC's Women of Power Luncheon, featuring fireside conversations moderated by Jotaka Eaddy, Founder, and CEO of Full Circle Strategies, and USBC EVP, Talisha Bekavac.

The hybrid event will host 80 special invited in-person guests in addition to being broadcasted for virtual attendees. The event is expected to draw a hybrid audience of more than 300 business owners, influencers, entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and community leaders from across the country.

Attendees will hear from founders, investors, and community leaders who are setting new standards for the industry, discover how to get more involved with female founder initiatives, and network with other like-minded individuals.

For more details about this amazing event, check out the event page here.

Media Contact

Tiffany Murphy, The Culture Equity, 1 281-900-5494, usbc@thecultureequity.com

SOURCE U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.

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SBA Assistant Administrator Natalie Cofield and Nicole Cober Esq., Founder of The BOW Collective to Keynote USBC Women of Power Luncheon - 69News...

Litter, like the weather, is something easy to complain about but harder to change, at least on a community-wide level.

A small group of Columbus citizens is hoping to rally the city and county to join efforts in tackling the litter problem but needs all the help they can get if the campaign is going to reach critical mass.

During his weekly Wednesday press conference, Columbus Mayor Keith Gaskin lent his support to the group, which is staging its first Pick It Up Possum Town litter clean-up event on April 2 in each of the citys six wards.

The goal of the grass-roots group is not merely to set aside a day to remove litter, but to create a sustainable anti-litter program that will focus on prevention.

In lending his support to the effort, the mayor introduced Mayor Possum, a bespectacled plush toy possum, a nod to the name given to the area by native Americans in the early 1800s, and his own childhood, when the Litter Bug raised awareness among children about litter.

When a person is taught to wear a seatbelt as a child, it becomes second nature to wear them as they grow up. The same principle applies to litter. The mayor said he plans to take Mayor Possum and his Dont Be a Litter Critter into schools and churches.

Littering is almost always a thoughtless act. Few people are deliberately motivated to mar the landscape with cans, bottles, wrappers, etc. So awareness is a first step in any campaign. Awareness leads to being intentional about properly disposing of litter. Those conscious acts become a habit that can create a culture.

Any successful anti-litter campaign follows that pattern.

In 1970, the Keep America Beautiful campaign introduced a memorable TV public service ad featuring a crying Indian as he surveyed a landscape polluted by litter. More recently, Texas employed its Dont Mess With Texas ad campaign, which saved the state millions of dollars in state highway clean-up funds as people were reminded to properly dispose of their trash.

For grown-ups who perhaps have never considered the full range of negative consequences of litter, its important for them to know that litter isnt simply an eyesore but has far-reaching implications. Trash can become a breeding ground for rodents, cockroaches and bacteria they often carry. Its a threat to public health, but it can also affect a community in other damaging ways: collecting in and clogging drains and sewers and costing the city taxpayer dollars for clean-up. The local economy can suffer, too. Tourists do not look favorably on communities where litter abounds.

Melissa Parsons, who is leading the group, hopes to collaborate with other groups in ongoing efforts in the area, including the Ive Got Your Block program in the Columbus Municipal School District, as well as programs at Vibrant Church and the YMCA, among others.

We encourage businesses, civic groups, churches and individual residents to join this continuing effort. We note the model used by The Salvation Armys Red Kettle program where groups volunteer to serve on a particular day or weekend.

In preparation for the April 2 clean-up day, Parsons group met with city council members to identify areas in their wards where litter is particularly bad. One practical suggestion is for the city to make sure there are trash cans in those areas. People will use a trash can for their disposables if there is one nearby. They are more likely to litter when no trash can is in close proximity.

Enforcement is often cited as a means of combating litter, but the most successful enforcement is again awareness. Years ago, the city had a litter control officer who, acting on tips from the public, sent letters to letters to offenders reminding them of the negative effects of litter. Aside from the most egregious examples of littering, the best enforcement may be raising awareness.

The litter problem wont be solved overnight. It will take a sustained, community-wide effort to keep our city and county clean.

The good news is that if each of us do our part, we can and will succeed.

The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.

Original post:

Our view: Awareness is the first step in combating litter - The Commercial Dispatch

Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim was a reunion, a thinktank and a launchpad in one, eliciting joy, camaraderie and urgency. It challenged and inspired, and for those approaching with curiosity, raised as many questions as it did answers.

One thing is for certain: the $274 billion natural products industry is flourishing, and its future is rooted in purpose. With 2,750 exhibitors, including 625 first timers, Expo West was the place to see whats next for this industry. Here are the top takeaways that will drive responsible growth, intentional innovation and far-reaching inclusion.

No stranger to entrepreneurship and Expo West, former Honest Tea CEO Seth Goldmans journey came full circle as he showed up as CEO of his new brand Eat the Change, which sells plant-based snacks such as mushroom jerky and carrot chews. "This is a movement conference. Its a business event, but we are all also working on a common cause," Goldman shared during Brand-Building Connections, a session geared toward young innovators that attracted many first-time exhibitors.

The State of Natural and Organic keynote centered around themes that will move the needle for the industry and society at large, specifically equity and impact. Carlotta Mast, New Hope Network senior vice president, called for the industry to "harness the technology and J.E.D.I to build a prosperous, high-integrity industry that creates health, joy and justice for all people while regenerating the planet." Meanwhile, Nick McCoy, managing director of Whipstitch Capital, made the economic case for it, pointing out heightened investor focus on ESG (environment, social and governance) that will drive responsible industry growth. "Primary investors are increasingly demanding ESG validation, he said. "Mission-driven companies will benefit from the increased demand and the impact will accelerate." Good news for the many Expo West brand and product launches focused on solving problems related to agriculture, climate change, waste, inequity and more.

A packed ballroom throughout Climate Day programming proved that plant-friendly practices are top of mind for the natural products value chain. We have always been mission driven but having high ideals and doing something good in the world is very different from looking at the data knowing what you have to do to have an impact, said Rebecca Hamilton, owner and co-CEO at W.S. Badger Co. Speakers throughout Climate Day reinforced that we are just scratching the surface of our climate work and emphasized that theres a great need to bring more equity into our climate activism.

Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr.s message that "climate justice is racial justice and racial justice is climate justice" echoed throughout the show. Investing in BIPOC farmers, bringing diverse voices to the table and addressing the communities most impacted by climate change is critical to advancing both movements. "For us, it means centering the voices of frontline communities, the people who are affected first and worst should be developing the solutions," said Karen Lickteig, community coordinator at B Corporation, which recently published its Climate Justice Playbook.

During our Natural Products Expo Virtual Expo West kickoff event keynote, Goodles co-founders Gal Gadot and Jen Zeszut revealed one of the driving forces behind their healthier mac and cheese company: joy. That theme was reinforced throughout the week at Expo West, whether with a NEXTY-winning natural glitter popcorn, mood-supporting supplements and beverages, the whimsical booths decorating the Anaheim convention center or Tabitha Browns empowering messages of self-care. "Joy is how I live my life. The world didnt give it and the world cant take it away." There seemed to be an awareness that despite the big and very real challenges we are facing as a global community, joy can amplify our work to support the health of people and planet. Indeed, embracing (and packaging!) happiness is a trend were hopeful wont fade away.

With more than 625 new exhibitors at Natural Products Expo West, innovation was on display in Anaheim. From the Fresh Ideas Organic Marketplace to the North Hall and Hall E, emerging brands proved that theyre the heartbeat of Expo West. Categories and trends delivering the most innovation included plant-based, functional beverages and climate-friendly foods. While dietary supplement innovations werent giving us too much to talk about, cannabinoids beyond CBD and the evolution of alternative delivery formats such as shots and gummies infused some energy into the category. Innovation of the future will focus on serving broader demographics to ensure the natural products industry's impact is far-reaching and inclusive. Peruse our full trends guide, all exhibitors in NPEV and our NEXTY Award winners.

From full attendance of plant-based education sessions to the number of new foods and beverages on the show floor, plant based was abuzz. "Plant based is expanding its roots," said Kathryn Peters, SPINS executive vice president, during the State of Natural keynote. "It keeps propagating and propagating." Yet, industry leaders pointed to the need for more guardrails and transparency, as two plant-based movementsembracing whole real foods and pushing the envelope with food technologysparked lively conversation.

In advance of Expo West, Shelley Sapsin, New Hope Network's director of market integrity, shared New Hopes position on food tech, which had a strong presence in Anaheim. We do have a position but its not for, or against, food tech. Its about transparency. We all want solutions to some of the significant challenges we face: food access, climate change, fresh-water depletion, nutrient-deficient foods, food waste and more. At the show, it was clear that more conversations and deeper commitment to transparency are necessary, and that for some, food technology's presence is a direct conflict with the show's roots. But there were also bright spots. During Innovations in Plant-Based Meats and Alternative Proteins, Perfect Day and Chi Foods beautifully shared their unique approaches to plant-based foods and how theyre each striving to change the food paradigm.

New Hope Network has planned a year of activities on our community platform, Natural Products Expo Virtual. Discover thousands of amazing companies, more pre-show programming and livestreamed sessions including Climate Day, Pitch Slam and the State of the Natural & Organic Industry keynote.

Explore the Natural Products Expo West agenda and the NPEV agenda to learn more and make your plans. Access to NPEV is included with Expo West in-person registration.

Originally posted here:

The future of CPG: 5 takeaways from Natural Products Expo West - New Hope Network