Category Archives: Intentional Communities

Governor Tom Wolf sent a letter to House leadership and the chairs of the House State Government Committee outlining his concerns with the proposed new map for Pennsylvanias congressional districts passed by the committee on Dec. 15, 2021.

I have said from the beginning of this process of redrawing congressional districts that politicians should not use it to choose their own voters, said Gov. Wolf. Pennsylvania needs a fair map that ensures communities of interest are maintained and the public can participate meaningfully in the process, which are key principles recommended by my Pennsylvania Redistricting Advisory Council.

The map has significant differences in population among districts, splits multiple communities of interest to improve the chance a Republican will win an election, and falls short on this basic measure of partisan fairness, among other concerns. Pennsylvanians are looking for a fair election map drawn in an open and honest way. They neither want nor deserve a map drawn by self-serving politicians looking to feather their own nests along with those of their political friends. They deserve better and so does our democracy.

Each state draws new congressional district maps every 10 years following the release of U.S. Census data. As populations shift, voting district boundaries are updated so that our congressional lawmakers represent a fair portion of the states population. Under state law, the legislature redraws the maps and passes a bill defining the new congressional district boundaries, which is then considered by the governor.

The letter reads as follows:

Dear Speaker Cutler and Leader Benninghoff:

I write to publicly share my review of the House Bill 2146, Printers Number 2541 map passed by the House State Government Committee on December 15 by a 14-11 vote, with one Republican member joining Democrats in opposing approval of the map. Before and after that vote, I have been asked to negotiate a map with Republicans behind the scenes. Instead of conducting negotiations in this way, I intend to provide my review of proposed maps in a public forum, so that members of the General Assembly, as well as the public, can understand my evaluation process.

Earlier this year, in preparation for the redistricting cycle now fully under way in Harrisburg, I convened a Pennsylvania Redistricting Advisory Council made up of six members with expertise in redistricting, political science and mapmaking, to establish a set of Principles to help guide my review of maps considered and ultimately passed by the General Assembly.

The Council met numerous times, and subsequently held a series of eight in-person public listening sessions across the state, as well as a virtual public listening session, to take public feedback on the Principles and the redistricting process.The Principleswere finalized and made public in late November and consist of guidance for compliance with legal requirements, such as ensuring that population deviations between districts comply with the Constitution, as well as guidance to ensure that communities of interest are maintained, representation is fair, and that the public can participate meaningfully in the process.

The House Bill 2146, Printers Number 2541 map does not comply with the Principles outlined by the Redistricting Advisory Council. First, the difference in population between the largest and smallest district in the HB 2146 map is nearly 9,000 people. While I believe that perfect population equality should be balanced with other goals such as maintaining communities of interest, the deviation in the HB 2146 map may be successfully challenged as unconstitutional.

This significant population deviation is the result of last-minute changes made to the map submitted to the House State Government Committee by Lehigh County resident Amanda Holt and selected by Chairman Grove. The deviation among districts in Holts submitted map was 1 person.

When Republican members of the House State Government Committee objected to aspects of the Holt map, Chairman Grove quickly abandoned the pretext of a citizen-selected map and redrew lines in ways that completely undermine the principles that motivated Holts map in the first place. The result is a highly skewed map.

Second, the revised map splits multiple communities of interest, including splits in Luzerne, Dauphin, Philadelphia and Chester counties that do not appear to be motivated by compelling legal principles, but rather by a desire to make districts more favorable to Republican candidates.

Third, the Council also recommended that I review proposed maps to determine whether their expected performance is proportional to statewide voter preference. The HB 2146 map falls short on this basic measure of partisan fairness, giving a structural advantage to Republican candidates that far exceeds the partys voter support. A comparison of the HB 2146 map to prior election results and to neutrally drawn maps, using rigorous mathematical methodology, has demonstrated that the HB 2146 map would consistently deliver a disproportionate number of seats to Republican candidates when compared with Pennsylvania voters preferences. This appears to be the result of intentional line-drawing choices that favor Republican candidates.

Fourth, the manner in which Chairman Grove has conducted the recent steps of this crucial process has been disgraceful. Despite his promise to conduct the most open and transparent congressional redistricting process in PA history, it is not clear that he consulted with even the Republican members of his own Committee prior to selecting the Holt map much less the Democratic members, who have been completely cut out of the process. And despite Chairman Groves attempt to make up a narrative as he goes, there is no explanation for the changes that were made, beyond the fact that some of them seem to correlate with complaints aired by members of his Committee when the original map was released.

Finally, I have significant concern about the timeline for the final passage of this map. As Acting Secretary Degraffenreid noted in a June 28, 2021 letter to the leaders of the four legislative caucuses as well as the Chair of the Legislative Reapportionment Commission, the Department of State and county boards of elections have historically needed at least three weeks to prepare the Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors (SURE) to facilitate the nomination petition process, which is statutorily mandated to begin on February 15, 2022.

As a result, the Acting Secretary urged in June that it would be ideal for the Department to receive an approved final legislative reapportionment plan that has the force of law no later than January 24, 2022. Both the House and Senate currently have four voting session days scheduled in January 2022, including the 24th. This is an extraordinarily compressed schedule for passage of a congressional map, presentment for my review, and resolution of any legal challenges which may be brought, and further increases my concerns about the transparency with which this process is being conducted. It is not clear why the General Assembly did not move the process along more quickly despite an abundance of time to do so.

In sum, the people of Pennsylvania are looking for a fair election map drawn in an open and honest way. They neither want nor deserve a map drawn by self-serving politicians looking to feather their own nests along with those of their political friends. They deserve better and so does our democracy.

When it comes to drawing election maps, the Constitution invites us to do what we can to make sure the election process is a fair one. It is not an invitation to make cynical deals aimed at diminishing the importance of the vote. It is a recurring test of our commitment to the core principles of a healthy democracy. It is a test that HB 2146 fails.

Sincerely,

TOM WOLFGovernor

The rest is here:

Governor Wolf Responds to Congressional Redistricting Map Proposed by the House State Government Committee - pa.gov

There is again no doubt about the top story of 2021. It is the COVID-19 pandemic, which has dragged on more than 2 years and is covered in these pages every week.

Optimism of a shorter pandemic was high early in the year as the first vaccines became available to health care workers and eventually to everyone age five and older.

Cases dropped dramatically after the vaccine rollout. But the onset of the COVID-19 Delta variant sent cases up again through the latter half of the year as vaccination numbers stagnated, immunity waned, and people lost patience with masking and physical distancing.

Now the Omicron variant is the greatest concern, and there is no knowing at what pace the pandemic will subside or accelerate in 2022.

But the world keeps turning. Communities brought back festivals, events and celebrations.

Businesses opened, while others changed hands or closed. Significant investments were made in local communities. In Barron, a major school referendum passed, La Salle Avenue was upgraded, the County broke ground on several new Highway Department buildings, a field of solar panels went online and the City committed to building a new municipal center and public works building.

Though crimes, each seemingly more heinous than the next, continue to shock and dishearten us, there is always good news to share too. In divisive times, the vast majority of people continue to be generous and supportive of one another. There is photographic proof of that in every issuea good thought to keep in mind as we welcome 2022.

January 6

Eligible individuals throughout Barron County were waiting for the arrival of the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines, including residents at Monroe Manor, first responders and medical personnel.

Meanwhile, dozens of fire vehicles formed a funeral cortege in Clayton to honor 35-year veteran Fire Chief Don Kittelson, who had lost his COVID-19 battle the previous Dec. 17.

Cumberland resident Clayton M. Lauritsen was charged with first-degree intentional homicide in connection with the Dec. 28, 2020, shooting death of Lauritz Robertson in front of a home on Mill Street in Barron.

The days of free-for-all dumping -- at the recycling dropbox containers scattered across Barron County were coming to an end, county authorities announced.

The county recycling program began phasing in changes in an attempt to crack down on people putting materials in recycling bins that are in fact not recyclable.

Waste to Energy/Recycling Plant Director Ray Zeman said the recycling industry had termed the practice wishcycling. He said grills, swimming pools, rain gutters and various other materials had been wrongly dumped in recycling containers for years.

January 13

Ladysmith-based Embrace, a nonprofit that serves survivors of domestic abuse in Barron, Rusk, Washburn and Price counties, was to share in $20,000 worth of cash grants announced Jan. 11 by Mayo Clinic Health System in Northwest Wisconsin.

The local agency got $4,000 to assist with staff development and learning opportunities around cultural responsiveness and inclusivity training, a Mayo press release said.

The grant came in the wake of a late 2020 controversy involving Embrace and Barron County officials who objected to an Embrace statement regarding violence in all its forms, including police violence.

In response, the county approved a $25,000 appropriation from its budget for Embrace

Seventh Dist. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Hazelhurst, described his experiences during the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. He was evacuated from the building before the attackers reached the Senate chamber. We need political leaders who are going to stand up to the anarchists and others who are just out to cause trouble, Tiffany said. It needs to be both Republicans and Democrats that deliver the message.

A survey of Barron Area School District families showed childcare to be a major concern. District Administrator Diane Tremblay said district leaders strongly believe that an early childhood center on ... campus would serve our families best.

January 20

Barron Area School Board members approved a dual referendum asking voters for permission to borrow $24.5 million to pay for capital improvements throughout the district, and a second $1.9 million question to build a daycare center onto Woodland Elementary School.

Distribution of COVID-19 vaccines were increasing throughout the county.

A Cameron woman was charged with offering her daughter to a suspect in a criminal sex trafficking investigation, in exchange for cash and drugs.

January 27

Barron area residents remembered seeing Henry Aaron play baseball for the minor league Eau Claire Bears in the early 1950s, following Aarons death on Jan. 22, 2021, at age 86.

Barron Bakery announced it was closing for good on Jan. 30. Owners Levi and Carissa Borstad said their growing family made the bakery work hours difficult for their schedule, and that COVID-19 had cut into volume.

In an exit interview, outgoing 75th Dist. State Rep. Romaine Quinn, R-Chetek, hinted he might run for office again.

February 3

More than two years after the old Almena Post Office was torched by arsonists, its successor opened during the last week of January 2021. The new structure was built by the village of Almena and is leased to the U.S. Postal Service.

Barron resident Caleb Peterson was accepted at the West Point Military Academy.

The effects of the COVID-19 vaccinations began to be felt with a dropping case rate in Barron County.

Barron Public Library continued to offer a limited set of services as the pandemic continued, requiring appointments for computer use and limiting in-person access.

February 10

Prairie Farms Fun on the Flowage event on Feb. 13 was to include human sled dog races and snowshoe and ice skating races as well. Meanwhile, the state-ranked Panther girls basketball team won its first outright conference championship in 30 years.

The Barron Community Fund awarded nearly $21,000 in donations to a variety of local charities and other recipients, thanks to the generosity of area businesses and individuals who donated to the program the previous fall.

February 17

Barron City Council members approved an ordinance allowing the installation of tiny houses in the city to provide transitional housing for qualified individuals. The first tiny house was scheduled for the Foursquare Church campus. Restroom and shower facilities were to be provided by either the church or the Barron Area Community Center.

A Boyceville man was fined $9,932, had his hunting privileges revoked 12 years, lost his hunting rifle and was sentenced to 45 days in jail in connection with 2019 charges that he poached trophy bucks on a Dunn County property owned by Barron County residents.

February 24

Second-degree murder suspect Melanie Kuula was found not guilty after a five-day trial ending Feb. 19 in Barron County Circuit Court. She had been charged in connection with the stabbing death of her boyfriend on Aug. 10, 2019, at an apartment building in Almena, then spent many months in jail prior to raising bail.

Hundreds of people shook off winter blues at the annual Ridgeland Pioneer Day celebration, including a horse parade, crosscut saw contest and the traditional chicken toss off the roof of a downtown building.

March 3

Barron Public Library director Lisa Kuebli was placed on paid administrative leave. City authorities said the leave was unrelated to a recent operating while intoxicated conviction.

Chad and Karla Knutson announced they were selling Pine Crest Golf Course, Dallas, after a decade of ownership.

Ann Matheny was recognized with the Barron Chamber of Commerce annual Distinguished Service Award.

The 57th annual Poskin Lake Sportsmen Club ice fishing tournament brought hundreds of anglers to the lake.

COVID-19 cases flattened in the county as the volume of vaccinations ramped up.

March 10

Hundreds of people drove into the Barron Electric Cooperative garage for a mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinic on March 5. Among those getting the poke was 94-year-old rural Cameron resident Naomi Ligocki.

Barron County released a 15-year management plan for its 16,000 acres of publicly-owned forest lands, including information on forest cropping, sustainability, wildlife preservation and related issues.

March 17

Barron High School student Nathan Kallsen sustained severe injuries in a crash on March 12 on a town road north of Cameron. A GoFundMe campaign was launched to raise $60,000 for his medical treatment.

Devere Jon Popple, rural Cameron, refused to wear a protective mask while serving jury duty in Barron County, setting up a legal tussle that lasted through years end.

Barron Electric Co-op general manager Dallas Sloan announced his retirement after a 37-year career.

Barron High School graduate, inventor and musician Christian Schauf was named to the school districts hall of fame on Monday, March 15.

March 24

Dragsmith Farms, a Barron area business that produces and distributes organic produce, submitted a plan to the Barron County Board of Adjustments that called for a new store, kitchen and camping facility.

A 40-year-old Rice Lake man faced homicide charges after colliding with an Amish buggy the previous Feb. 18 and causing fatal injuries to a 17-year-old riding in the buggy.

COVID-19 cases continued to drop as the number of vaccinated Barron County residents neared the 25 percent benchmark.

March 31

A Barron County resident who refused judicial instructions to wear a face mask while serving jury duty said he planned to appeal a $200 fine imposed by the court. Devere Jon Popple alleged his constitutional rights and liberty were at stake. Meanwhile, Judge James Babler, who imposed the fine, noted that Barron County conducted more than two dozen in-person (and masked) jury trials during the pandemic, while Dane Countys trials were all virtual.

Barron native Jon Yamada, whose professional golf experience includes working as a club pro in two states and managing PGA-level competition in Iowa, was named the new course manager at Barrons Rolling Oaks Golf Course.

April 7

Barron Area School District voters approved borrowing $24.5 million to make building improvements throughout the school district, but turned down (by a 775-685 margin) another proposal to spend $1.9 million on a daycare center at Woodland Elementary School.

County officials started a process to determine how to spend an estimated $8 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds, a $1.9-trillion pandemic relief measure proposed by the Biden Administration.

Veteran Barron County Sheriffs Department detective Mary Dexter was named one of Americas 100 Remarkable Women, following a nomination process by Mextar, Inc., a media company with almost 200 broadcast outlets around the country, including a FOX affiliate in western Wisconsin.

April 14

City authorities decided to delay relocating City Hall to the former Family Dollar site after encountering increased expenses to build the facility, together with a city shop building.

County justice authorities noted there was a prisoner backup at the Barron County Jail, inmates awaiting transfer to state prison facilities because of a ban imposed by the state due to COVID-19.

The pandemic had also put a damper on diversion court participation and victim-impact sessions in the Restorative Justice program, while boosting drug referrals to the Health and Human Services department.

April 21

Work began on a major reconstruction of La Salle Avenue from Seventh Street to Memorial Drive. Thorp-based Haas Sons, Inc., was the winning bidder for the $1,329,188 project.

The week ending Tuesday, April 20 resulted in no new cases of COVID-19, although one person died of virus-related causes.

April 28

A recount in the Barron Area School District referendum upheld the original results, verifying that the $24.5 million school bond proposal had passed by a margin of 740 yes votes versus 725 no.

Increased availability of COVID-19 vaccines prompted an appeal by county officials for people to get their shots to head off the effects of the pandemic.

Owners of a proposed event barn near Turtle Lake were unsuccessful in getting their property rezoned, as the County Board of Supervisors rejected a unanimous vote of the countys Zoning Committee to deny permission for the facility.

The measure was returned to the Zoning Committee, which later voted to allow the facility on five acres of property rezoned from Ag-1 to Ag-2. But the County Board ultimately denied the request. May 5

Drunk driving incidents were on the increase in Barron County, which reported 109 OWI referrals to the District Attorneys Office in calendar year 2020.

A 160,000 square-foot garage was the main feature for a $25 million Barron County Highway Department project ceremonially launched at a May 3 groundbreaking ceremony at Barron.

Four Barron County municipalities, including the towns of Clinton, Arland, and Sioux Creek, and the village of New Auburn were ordered to return nearly $580,000 to Superior Silica Sands following negotiations between the mining company and the state Department of Revenue that resulted in lower valuations for the mostly idle sand company facilities and mines.

May 12

Hillsdale native and longtime Wisconsin Public Radio broadcaster Dean Kallenbach retired after a 46-year career, including 35 years with WPR. A radio listener since he milked cows on the familys farm, Kallenbach began his career in Iowa and worked in Antigo, Rice Lake and Wausau (a television station) before joining WPRs facility in Menomonie.

May 19

Crashes on May 11 and 12 took the lives of two persons from Rice Lake (in a motorcycle accident on U.S. Hwy. 53) and a man from St Cloud, Minn., after a single-vehicle crash along U.S. Hwy. 8 just east of the Rusk County line.

May 26

Ridgeland developers Heidi and Kevin Jacobson won approval from the city Planning Commission May 25 for an eight-unit apartment complex to serve the independent living needs of elderly and disabled residents, as well as other renters.

Law enforcement and emergency responders from five counties met at the L.E. Phillips Scout Reservation near Haugen May 24 for an active shooter training exercise.

Eleven arrests were made and 18 guns and $17,000 were seized in a methamphetamine-related case described in a 47-page complaint filed May 25 by Wisconsin Attorney Generals office, according to a May 25 announcement by the Rusk County Sheriffs Department.

A hiring freeze brought on by COVID-19 meant that Barron County would continue to go without an ag educator, six months after the former educator left the job.

June 2

In spite of the fact that municipal governments in the area had been ordered to return well over half a million dollars in property taxes to Superior Silica Sands, it appeared that the county and town governments had not suffered financial losses during the roughly six years that the sand company was active.

After a one-year absence caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Camerama returned to the village of Cameron over the weekend of June 4-6.

Hillsdale Dairy, owned and operated by the Kraft family, hosted the annual June Dairy Breakfast June 6.

June 9

A Barron landmark became part of history when the old Farmer Store (most recently the Family Dollar Store), 508 E. La Salle Ave., was torn down to make way for a new Barron City Hall.

A Minnesota man convicted of killing his father and dumping the body in the town of Maple Grove in 2013 was sentenced in Scott County, Minn., to a prison term of seven years and nine months. The bones of Gary Herbst, 57, found in December 2017 and identified in February 2020, after years of increasingly exhaustive DNA testing, ultimately led to the conviction of Austin J. Herbst, 27, of New Prague, Minn.

Prairie Farm Lions Club welcomed hundreds of drivers and spectators to a chilly Dust Em Off and Bust Em Loose tractor pull at Ridgeland on May 30.

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Struggle against COVID-19 was biggest story of 2021; Year In Review: The first six months of 2021 - News-shield

Chiropractic Economics December 22, 2021

Logan University contributed to a report from the Saint Louis Regional Health Commission (RHC), Addressing Chronic Pain: Integrating Physical Function Services into Community Health Centers, which provides a blueprint for community health centers to implement physical function services.

These services include treatment therapies such as chiropractic care, occupational therapy and physical therapy that improve healthy moving and functioning and are effective in the management of chronic pain.

We know the importance of providing evidence-based, non-pharmacological treatments for chronic musculoskeletal pain, and we felt the intentional inclusion of all disciplines by the RHC in their chronic pain initiative was the perfect way to do that, said Logans Director of Health Policy and Interdisciplinary Care Patrick Battaglia, DC, DACBR.

Research has shown that chronic pain disproportionally affects low-income adults, women and adults over 65 years old. As chronic pain may affect ones biological, psychological, social and economic state of being, its impact is widespread throughout entire communities.

To access the report go to https://e06f4d0b-672d-4850-89fc-8f0d35c171a6.filesusr.com/ugd/0df934_73366009f917405d8a3762b54578994e.pdf.

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Logan University teams with regional health commission for blueprint to fight chronic pain - Chiropractic Economics

CHICAGO - The family of a woman who a police oversight organization says hanged herself while in custody claims there are inconsistencies in the police account and that the department is hiding facts. Ten days after the incident, the administration of Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Chicago Police Department have yet to release any public statement.

Irene Chavez, 33, was arrested in the early morning hours of Dec. 18 at Jeffery Pub, a gay bar on Chicagos South Side. She was pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center at 11:30 a.m., after police said they found her nearly eight hours earlier, hanging by her shirt while in custody. Late Monday, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA), an agency investigating Chavezs death, said that it was reviewing body cameras of officers who made the arrest but that there were no cameras installed in the police facility where Chavez was held. Officers wear body cameras, but it was not clear whether any were on when they found her body.

Friends and relatives of Chavez suggest the lack of building cameras is intentional.

There is no video anywhere in the district office, nowhere - nothing in the room, nothing at the entrance, nowhere in the office, said Crista Noel, a family friend. So well never know what happened. Its the police narrative against someone who is dead.

The Chicago Police Department directed all inquiries about the incident to COPA.

Chavez, a Black and Puerto Rican woman who her family said identified as queer, served a combined six years in Army tours of Kuwait and Afghanistan before returning to Chicago, where she worked for Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Iris Chavez, her sister, said that they had discussed post-traumatic stress disorder but that Irene Chavez had never received a diagnosis and that her case manager at the local veterans hospital told the family she had no signs of any struggle. Iris Chavez said both sisters talked around Thanksgiving, when Irene told her she would be with the family for Christmas.

The family said its distrust of the police grew within hours of receiving notification of the death.

The responding officer was inconsistent in his story about Irene Chavezs arrest, her sister said. At first, the sister said, he told the family that Irene Chavez was not handcuffed while in custody because she was a veteran. The next day, he reportedly said she was handcuffed. That was the first red flag. It made even less sense for someone to hang themselves while bound, Iris Chavez said.

The three-page incident report police gave to the family is heavily redacted, specifying little more than the nine officers involved in Irene Chavezs arrest and detention. The family had not received her possessions, including a cellphone, as of Monday night.

Jamal Junior, manager of Jeffery Pub, said he is just finding out about the details of the case and would not comment further.

The family is comparing the case to that of Sandra Bland, the Black woman found hanging in a Texas jail cell in 2015 after she was arrested in an investigation of a minor traffic violation.

We have strong suspicion this is another Sandra Bland situation, said Jessica Disu, Chavezs friend. The police have nothing to corroborate their narrative that she kills herself.

Ephraim Eaddy, a COPA spokesperson, said the incident details are being shared with the state attorneys office and the FBI for possible criminal review.

Unlike in officer-involved shootings, Eaddy said, the Chicago Police Department is not required to notify the public of deaths that occur while the person is in custody. Though COPA is under no obligation, he said, we will review [that policy] because we understand it is part of the public interest.

Noel, the family friend, said Illinois needs its own version of the Sandra Bland Act, which became law in Texas in 2017 and mandates that law enforcement ensure the safety and security of inmates who may have mental illness.

How is it that, if Im shot by a police officer, everyone knows it, but if I die while in custody in a police station with a bunch of police officers around me, no one is notified? No one, Noel said.

According to a 2019 report by the Illinois Deaths in Custody Project, prisons in the state have a reported suicide rate of 16 per 100,000 incarcerated people, which is nearly double the suicide rate for the general public.

Eaddy said COPA had no discussion about the incident with the mayors office.

A spokesperson for Lightfoot, a Democrat, did not respond Tuesday to a request for comment about whether the mayors office was aware of Chavezs death.

On Dec. 16, two days before Chavezs death, a law firm hired by the city released a report that found failures in oversight and accountability by the mayors office, the Chicago Police Department, the citys law department and COPA in their combined response to a botched police raid of the home of Anjanette Young, a Black social worker who was handcuffed while naked in front of 15 male police officers in 2019. On Dec. 15, the City Council approved a $2.9 million settlement with Young. The investigation said there was no evidence that the mayor or the police tried to conceal evidence of the raid.

Sheila Bedi, a professor at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, said Chavezs death demands action from the mayors office because of the police departments history of using violence on people who are noncompliant.

The Chicago Police Department continues to be under a federal consent decree established in early 2019. The outlined changes cover how the department handles training, use of force, accountability, and the relationship between officers and the community. Bedi said a U.S. Justice Department report from 2017 showed the departments systemic shortcomings in treating gay people fairly, particularly when they come from communities of color.

You cant read that investigation and not walk away with the sense that the CPD has a deep-seated problem with misogyny and gender-based violence, she said. Being a Black and Puerto Rican woman who identified as queer made Chavez incredibly vulnerable when interacting with the police, Bedi said.

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She was arrested at a bar, then found hanging in a cell. Police haven't given her family answers. - Stars and Stripes

As we leave 2021 behind, it would be easy to fall into the trap of reducing our expectations for 2022 based on the way the last two years have gone.

Sure, there have been positive things going on in our communities, but its been since early 2020 that weve been able to make decisions without a global pandemic factoring in.

That has impacted our government, our economy, our education system, economic development efforts and direction, really every aspect of our lives. It does appear we wont be able to enter 2022 completely free of COVID-19, but we have more tools than ever to fight the virus from vaccines to recently approved at-home treatments that could be a game-changer in our fight against the pandemic.

And thats where our focus needs to lie as we switch our calendars from December 2021 to January 2022 the possibilities for the future, the opportunities.

Eastern Kentucky and Central Appalachia, prior to 2020, was at a turning point one of the most important times of setting a course for the future that the community has faced. That hasnt changed, though the progress has been delayed.

While we continue to navigate the pandemic, its important that we not allow delays to become detours. We must stay on course and work to determine the best direction for economic development. We have found over the past two years that we have weaknesses on which we must work in this new environment.

However, weve also found we have strengths. A look across the Tug River at the progress on ATV trails there and how attractive theyve been to visitors in the pandemic should tell us thats definitely a direction to consider.

The seemingly growing attraction to the outdoors and outdoor adventure that has ensued since March 2020 is another area on which we can capitalize if we are intentional.

We also must continue seeking to bring in businesses from outside to replace jobs lost in the coal industry, but weve also been shown the importance of supporting local entrepreneurship, ensuring that local businesses have every opportunity to succeed.

We still exist in a global economy the same way we did prior to 2020, but the parameters and realities of what that looks like has changed. Our leaders must seek to educate themselves on how we can take advantage of the shifting winds and then react accordingly.

The key, however, to all of this remains the same as it was in January 2020 and the same it was in January 2000 that we not give up hope, that we not simply give up. This area has never seen progress easily in fact, its sometimes taken moving mountains but with hope, dedication and desire, we can move beyond not only our past, but this pandemic, into a brighter future.

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Hope is key to the coming year, beyond - Appalachian News-Express

Just like the rest of us, the financial services industry wasn't immune from the numerous and unprecedented pandemic-related challenges over the past year. Through our annual Financial Markets Litigation and Enforcement Symposium Series, we were able to take a deeper look at the state of futures, trading, and securities regulatory and enforcement trends.

Along with our guest speakers, we examined the latest in gamification, the role of next-gen traders, the impact of dramatic growth of assets under management, and the regulation of virtual currencies and digital assets. We were also briefed on the significant diversity and inclusion efforts by financial institutions.

In this review, we share our key takeaways, trends to watch, and predictions for the months ahead.

Market Trading: Why Regulator Activity Is Expected to Accelerate

Gamification tactics and investment advice from social media influencers and chat rooms are disruptive technologies and behaviors capturing the attention of regulators in 2021 and forcing them to take a closer look and react. For the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the question becomes how far this new generation of investors should be allowed to take advantage of these new tools, apps, and free trades, and what guardrails need to be in place to protect investors and ensure market integrity? The consensus is that we can expect regulatory guidance to accelerate in 2022.

In discussing developments in best execution and payment for order flow, disruptive technology, a new generation of traders, we highlight five topics to consider.

A New Generation of Investors Are Making Their Mark

In 2020, one clearing firm reported opening six million new accounts, a 137 percent increase over 2019. One million of those new accounts were from Generation Z with an average age of 19 years old. With so many more people interested in market trading, and a significant number of whom are taking guidance from social media, it should be no surprise that 2021 delivered some unexpected developments. Among them was the GameStop trading frenzy fueled by social media platforms and socioeconomic undertones.

On the Reddit internet chat board "WallStreetBets,"retail investors reveled in the knowledge that GameStop, a dying breed of brick and mortar video game stores, was shorted heavily in 2020 and vulnerable to a short squeeze. Wanting to "stick it to"hedge funds, Wall Street, and the "1%,"these new investors encouraged each other to buy the stock and push it up further. The activity caused a massive price surge up 928 percent during the first few weeks of 2021 and effectively forced short sellers, including large hedge funds, to remove their short positions and buy shares. In turn, the run-up led to unprecedented market volatility and resulted in some significant losses for large investors.

In the wake of the GameStop run-up, clearing houses and brokerage firms began pointing fingers at one another. But an October report issued by the SEC after congressional hearings on the matter concluded that the price surge was in fact caused by a large group of individual retail investors taking cues from social media. Although the report did not make specific policy recommendations, regulators are expected to eventually respond.

'Fin-fluencers'Are Getting Mixed Reviews

Following in that same vein, 2021 saw a significant uptick in the number of social media influencers entering the financial space. In general, social media influencers have established credibility in a specific industry, have access to a huge audience, and can persuade others to act based on their recommendations. Though influencers have been around for some time, financial influencers are fairly new.

"Fin-fluencer"social media activity runs the gamut from pitching stocks on the rise and how to get-rich-quick schemes to sharing educational material or personal stories. On the up-side, some believe fin-fluencers fill a gap in financial literacy, despite most lacking formal qualifications. On the downside, there is a lack of transparency regarding risks associated with products and investment strategies they recommend and the potential for pump and dump schemes.

Further, with fin-fluencing growing, more firms are adding them to their marketing mix. There is no better way to reach the new generation of investors than through social media. Firms and broker-dealers are using (and paying) fin-fluencers to talk about stocks and services on their behalf. Regulators are now looking into broker-dealer practices and have issued requests for information, asking for a detailed history of relationships with influencers, how they first identified them, how they are compensated, and any referral agreements they may be engaged in. The inquiry letters also give several pages to privacy concerns regarding sharing client information with influencers. This is certainly a ripe area for more regulation and guidance in the near future.

Gamification Is Playing Havoc With Traditional Regulatory Rules

Closely related to fin-fluencing and chat room investment advice is gamification, also known as digital engagement practices. Similar to a fitness tracker, investment apps using gamification tactics can track the individual's trading activity and encourage trades, sends alerts, use a leaderboard and reward the user with badges when they reach certain milestones. The regulatory issues involved are numerous. For example, is an app that encourages an investor to trade considered a broker recommendation that falls under regulated activity? We expect FINRA and the SEC to issue more guidance on gamification in the near future.

Payment for Order Flow Is Drawing Added Scrutiny

PFOF, which over time has survived calls for banning the practice, has faced renewed scrutiny that could result in rule changes or even barring the practice altogether in 2022. The renewed scrutiny followed the market volatility created by the meme-stock frenzy in 2021. In October, SEC Chairman Gensler said that the agency is indeed looking into whether PFOF should be changed or barred, with the objective being to create a more competitive marketplace.

Drawing additional scrutiny in 2021, is the growth in size of payments received by retail brokers for their retail order flow. During the first three quarters of the year, PFOF grew by 41 percent compared to the same period in 2020. A large percentage of that increase is tied to options trading and regulators are concerned brokers are encouraging retail investors to jump into these complex derivative markets without understanding the risk. Commissioner Gensler suggested that the Commission could propose new rules in the near future.

Securities: Four Asset Management Trends Amid Exponential Growth

When the United States Investment Company Act and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 came into force, assets under management were a mere $1 billion. Sixty years later they topped $20 trillion, and by the end of 2020, they skyrocketed to $110 trillion. Along with the considerable increases in the United States economy and markets, the industry is experiencing dramatic growth and success. In just the past seven years, from 2013 to 2020, the number of registered investment advisors grew by 50 percent.

So, where is this success originating? The answer lies among the increasing popularity of exchange traded funds (ETF), particularly the new Bitcoin futures ETF, the SEC's big wins, and rule changes for asset managers.

Where Growth Is Trending2020 performance shows that, while still the largest single asset group, hedge funds were static, and private equity funds, once a growing segment, were flat. However, the asset management sector is showing serious growth, primarily from three distinct areas: robo-advisors, separately managed accounts from individuals, and venture capital funds. Overall, private funds comprised approximately $20 trillion of the total $110 trillion in assets under management in 2020.

Globally, registered funds tallied about $60 trillion, with United States registered funds accounting for roughly half that number, holding 30 percent of public company equity, 23 percent of public company debt, and almost 30 percent of municipal bonds. Nearly 61 million Americans now have a substantial percentage of their retirement savings invested in registered investment companies.

Of peculiar note, 2020 saw a pandemic-fueled exodus of people from the Northeast, California and Illinois home to numerous regulated entities to states such as Texas and Florida. If this trend continues, we're likely to experience a dramatic sea change in where investment advisors register their principle place of business.

Exchange Traded Funds Take Center StageAfter more than eight years of stops and starts, on October 19, the SEC approved the first-ever Bitcoin-linked ETF, the ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF. The launch marked one of the biggest of all time, with the Bitcoin futures ETF accumulating more than $1 billion in assets over the first two days. Notably, the Bitcoin futures ETF gives institutional investors exposure to bitcoin but through the more-regulated futures market bitcoin futures contracts rather than bitcoin. Proponents of Bitcoin and the cryptocurrency industry, more generally, hope cryptocurrency-linked ETFs will increase the industry's legitimacy through broader exposure and adoption.

While other cryptocurrency-linked ETFs are eager to launch, the SEC indicated it was not ready to approve leveraged Bitcoin ETFs or spot market-based Bitcoin ETFs, largely over concerns that investors may take ill-informed risks and lose significant sums of money. However, because Canada has already approved a spot market-based Bitcoin ETF that has been operating for several months, there is pressure on the SEC to reconsider its approach. Notwithstanding such pressure, the SEC recently rejected yet another application for a spot market-based Bitcoin ETF, this time filed by Cboe BZX Exchange to list and trade the VanEck Bitcoin ETF.

Not to be overshadowed by the Bitcoin futures ETF, both traditional and non-traditional ETFs continue to be attractive for most investors, which are relatively inexpensive and tax efficient. In fact, many analysts believe that the Biden Administration's proposal to increase US capital gains taxes should fuel further interest in ETFs as opposed to mutual funds, with a few caveats. Non-traditional ETF performance over time can be magnified in volatile markets. For firms, regulators continue to pursue disciplinary actions relating to the sale of non-traditional products to retail investors and advise heightened monitoring processes, carefully drafted disclosures, and adequate training for brokers and supervisors regarding risks going forward.

Why The SEC Is WinningThe overall consensus is that the SEC is winning big and advisors can expect more pain next year. Several significant court rulings affirm or increase the SEC's power.

In October, the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld a disgorgement order issued by the SEC, marking the first appellate ruling on the topic since the Supreme Court's Liu decision (Liu v. SEC.) in 2020. The ruling allows the SEC to continue to seek disgorgement as a remedy in federal courts. The impact of Liu is not so much an issue of whether the SEC may obtain disgorgement but under what circumstances it may obtain such relief.

In another 2021 win for the SEC, the Supreme Court denied a petition for a writ of certiorari by a broker dealer involved in an SEC suit for violating anti-money laundering rules, leaving in place the Second Circuits ruling affirming the authority of the SEC to enforce certain Bank Secrecy Act requirements under the Exchange Act.

Also, in the past year, courts have rejected challenges to the SEC's "gag rule."The SEC's "gag rule"provides that when a party settles an SEC enforcement action, the party cannot deny the allegations after the settlement. The gag order is written into every settlement agreement and the settling party must agree to the gag order. Two recent challenges to the rule failed, all but rendering future challenges to the gag rule dead. In both cases, courts refused to invalidate the gag rule, finding that if the settling party did not like the terms of the settlement, it should not have settled in the first place.

Rule Changes Drive Disclosure ActivityNew rules, collectively referred to as the "Marketing Rule,"went into effect in May and dramatically change advertising and solicitation practices for investment advisors. Investment advisers have until November 4, 2022 to comply.

Additionally, the SEC approved a Nasdaq listing requirement where public companies must disclose the diversity of their boards. Public companies without a diverse board must explain why. SEC Chairman Gensler is also considering such disclosure requirements for money managers and brokers.

On the ETF front, Rule 6c-11 provides certain ETFs with exemptions from the 1940 Act and also imposes the following conditions: (1) ETFs must provide a daily portfolio transparency on their website; (2) ETFs are permitted to use baskets that do not reflect a pro-rata representation of portfolio funds if they have certain written policies and procedures in place; and (3) ETFs must disclose certain other information on their website, including historical information regarding premiums and discounts and bid-ask spread information.

Futures: Emerging Trends and Enforcement Priorities

Priorities relating to swap dealer matters, exchange enforcement and CFTC enforcement lead discussions, with three takeaways to note.

Enforcement Is 'Business as Usual'

In the wake of Covid-19, enforcement actions across the financial markets were surprisingly "business as usual."The focus continues to be on preserving market integrity. Despite some ebb and flow, 2021 saw the usual numbers and types of cases, including actions involving: swaps market manipulation; spoofing; wash trades; insider trades; and swap reporting failures. With respect to swaps reporting failures in particular, the CFTC brought and settled five swaps manipulation enforcement cases in 2021. Supervisory practices and digital currencies continued to garner attention from regulators in 2021.

Rounding out the state of enforcement activity in 2021, efforts to coordinate investigations across agencies and exchanges continue. Although each regulator and exchange has a different mission, communicating on joint investigations and resolutions benefits all. Similarly, the CFTC and others continue to enhance regulatory outreach and education, and as well as improving internal capabilities to flag suspicious activities for further investigation.

Swap Reporting Failures Continue to Be a Top Enforcement Priority for the CFTC

While the CFTC understands that no reporting party will accurately and timely report swap data to a swap data repository 100 percent of the time, the CFTC's recent swap reporting enforcement actions against several swap dealers and for the first time a swap execution facility, highlight the fact that the CFTC continues to view swap reporting failures as a top enforcement priority. The CFTC has repeatedly noted that swap reporting is essential to its swap market oversight function. For that reason, swap reporting parties need to continue to assess and improve their swap data reporting systems, compliance framework and governance.

Not all swap reporting failures tend to become the subject of enforcement actions. Analyzing the facts of the CFTC's various swap reporting cases over the last eight years reveals that certain failures may likely result in an enforcement action. These failures include: the same or substantially similar root cause failure being repeated over a multiple-year period; substantially late reporting; missing data fields that the CFTC considers critical (i.e., creation data); the lack of (or a deficient) supervisory and governance framework focused on swap data reporting; and high volumes of reporting failures overall (i.e., in terms of a gross number) or as a percentage of the reporting party's total number of swaps reported.

To avoid a reporting failure turning into a potential CFTC enforcement action, reporting parties should: promptly identify and remediate any reporting failures through reconciliation and review of swap data at each SDR to which the reporting party reports; after any remediation, follow-up to ensure that any past failures do not resurface; and maintain a comprehensive swap data reporting compliance framework that includes active governance. Where significant reporting failures are identified, a reporting party should consider whether self-reporting to the CFTC would be appropriate.

Who Oversees Virtual Currencies, Digital Assets and Decentralized Finance (DeFi)

Jurisdiction and enforcement cases regarding virtual currency markets continues as a hot topic among regulators and participants. The Commission, which brought its first crypto-related enforcement action in 2015, handled several important crypto-related enforcement cases in 2021, including the first manipulation case a pump and dump scheme that used Twitter to tout a certain cryptocurrency. The CFTC also brought or settled various actions alleging the entities offered margined retail commodity transactions or binary options in digital assets without properly registering with the CFTC.

Regulator jurisdiction with respect to decentralized finance, or DeFi, a blockchain-based form of finance is being examined by regulators such as the CFTC and SEC. CFTC efforts to become more knowledgeable in the digital asset space continue. The agencies can be expected to proceed if one of them concludes that an appropriate enforcement case has arisen.

In November, the President's Working Group on Financial Markets issued an interagency report urging Congress to pass legislation to make stablecoins, a class of cryptocurrencies that attempt to offer price stability and are backed by a reserve asset, to be subject to federal banking laws. The regulators also asserted that they would use their current jurisdictional authorities to monitor the stablecoin market. The report also described the growing market for stablecoins and also discussed DeFi-related issues.

We expect the CFTC and exchanges to continue to be active in all of these areas in the future. We also expect 2022 to deliver more collaboration to foster responsible innovation, promote consistent regulatory approaches, and identify and address potential risks that arise from digital trading and financial assets.

D&I Update: What Financial Institutions Are Doing to Move the Needle on Diversity

In 2020, during the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, a rapid succession of events forced Americans to take a hard look in the mirror regarding systemic racism. Profound national conversations ensued. Many in the financial services industry published statements emphasizing their commitment to diversity and inclusion, but few statements did what 12 general counsels were able to accomplish in September 2020.

In an open letter addressed to the legal community, general counsels of some of the world's largest financial institutions came together to not only discuss the violence against the Black community and their commitment to diversity and inclusion, but more importantly, to set an example by providing an action-driven statement.

Law firms and financial institutions in the United States have made progress with respect to women and people of color representation, but these populations remain starkly underrepresented, particularly in senior level positions. For example, women and people of color make up approximately 47.5 percent and 26.5 percent of law firm associates in US law firms, respectively, according to a McKinsey & Company study in 2021. However, Black women and Latinx women each represent less than 1 percent of all partners in US law firms, the National Association for Law Placement reports. In a study of 44 of Americas largest banks, minorities made up approximately 42 percent of the banks'workforce in 2018. That representation dropped precipitously at the executive and senior level positions for the banks the study found that minorities accounted for only 19 percent of executive and senior level employees. This significant drop in representation at senior levels is also seen among women in the financial services industry.

During our FMLE Symposium, four representatives of the open letter's 12 signatories weighed in on initiatives implemented and lessons learned over the last year in the context of the financial services industrys commitment to three pillars: (1) internal actions, (2) external supplier engagements and (3) social action efforts to increase diverse representation and retention. The candid discussion covered initiatives and actionable steps that can be implemented by the financial services industry and legal profession to continue to increase diverse representation in the financial services and legal profession.

Pillar 1: Internal Action recruitment, retention and promotion of diverse attorneys

Recognizing that diverse representation cannot happen without meaningful consideration of qualified diverse candidates at the recruitment stage, law firms and companies have increasingly begun to formally expand their consideration of a broader pool of candidates. For example, the Mansfield Rule, which was created to increase diversity in law firm recruitment and promotion, requires that law firms seeking to achieve certification under the rule to consider women and attorneys of color for at least 30 percent of leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions and senior lateral positions. In the more general corporate context, the Nasdaq Board Diversity Rules, approved in August, require Nasdaq-listed companies to publicly disclose statistics concerning board diversity and, most notably, to have, or publicly disclose why they do not have, at least two diverse directors.

In order to ensure that such consideration of diverse candidates translates to the hiring of more diverse employees, law firms and financial institutions can implement various initiatives. For example, strong diverse candidates who are not hired for a current opening, can become part of a pool of candidates considered for future openings. Law firms and financial institutions can take it one step further by shifting their respective organizations'perspective on hiring. Instead of rejecting a candidate, particularly a diverse candidate, because they do not possess the exact qualifications needed for an open position, an organization can foster an apprenticeship environment to train and improve candidates'skills in required areas. This approach, can not only increase the recruitment of diverse candidates, but also their retention, by ensuring high-level leaders are involved in the training of diverse employees and providing them opportunities to build cross departmental skills and relationships.

Pillar 2: External Action Measuring staffing, advancement and leadership of diverse employees

The impact that in-house attorneys at global and local companies can have on diverse representation present at their law firm partners cannot be understated. Setting the expectation that the staffing of diverse associates is a critical consideration when selecting law firms, along with other criteria, can drive law firms to ensure diverse associates are involved in all aspects of new matters. Some organizations review various metrics and other information to assess representation and engagement of diverse associates in law firms, such as requesting their law firm partners to conduct self-evaluations of their internal culture and community outreach efforts to ensure that diverse associates included on the team have substantive roles in the engagement.

When law firm partners are underperforming with respect to the diversity efforts in staffing, promotion and retention of diverse associates, some organizations have committed resources to help them improve. Indeed, as law firms improve their efforts concerning diversity and inclusion, their success can be shared and drive others to adopt their best practices.

In-house attorneys can also create connections between their organization and diverse associates in law firms to increase opportunities for diverse associates to develop client relationships. Some institutions are developing mentorship programs that match mentors from their organization with diverse associate mentees from their law firm partners, to assist diverse associates in navigating career challenges.

Pillar 3: Social Action pro bono, racial injustice and community initiatives

In order to significantly increase diverse representation in the financial services industry, law firms and in-house counsel cannot merely focus on the recruitment of diverse law school candidates, but instead must drive interest and engagement among students from diverse backgrounds at an earlier stage. Some organizations have created internships and programs that expose diverse students in high school or earlier to the financial services industry to demystify financial markets, products and other unfamiliar legal topics. These programs further instill in diverse students, at an early age, that diverse attorneys can and do succeed in the financial services industry.

In terms of recruitment and engagement, law firms and in-house legal counsel need to continually evaluate the types of colleges and universities they consider for positions. For example, institutions can meaningfully consider diverse candidates from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, for mentoring, recruitment and other programs. Expanding the field of applicants that are considered, will foster an environment in which diverse employees in law firms and in-house legal departments feel welcome and valued, ultimately increasing representation and retention of diverse employees in the financial services profession.

The impact of the pandemic has also created an increased need for communities, especially among ethnic and immigrant communities, for pro bono legal assistance. Being able to provide pro bono legal services remotely, via various platforms and programs, has allowed in-house counsel and law firms to expand their reach to the communities they are able to serve. In particular, in light of recent events, some organizations have also focused their pro bono efforts on racial injustice and providing resource pipelines to underrepresented groups.

What's ahead?

Looking to the future, we can expect in-house counsel to continue to make diverse staffing and representation, at the pitch stage and throughout the engagement, a priority in selecting law firms for new matters. Institutions can also continue to focus on discrete areas concerning diversity and inclusion, including taking a more intentional approach to their internal development of diverse employees and continuing to train on implicit bias and management skills. As institutions improve their diversity and inclusion efforts, other institutions need not recreate the wheel, but instead can adopt the successful initiatives in their own organizations, to create widespread improvement in the financial services industry.

Editor's Note: This advisory is an edited compilation of our coverage of Katten's 2021 Annual Financial Markets Litigation and Enforcement Symposium Series.

Read more from the original source:

Financial Services Industry Year in Review: Regulatory Enforcement and Litigation Trends in 2021 and Beyond - JD Supra

Therapy is traditionally thought of as a place to process mental health issues or trauma, but it can also be a space to work through, well, work. Career- and job-related stress is a pervasive problem, affecting many people in the U.S. workforce.

In a 2019 Everyday Health survey, about a third of American adults reported that their work or career was a significant, chronic source of stress. Unsurprisingly, the pandemic has only perpetuated the burnout. A recent report suggested that upward of 85% of people who experience mental health issues at work feel it is negatively affecting their life outside the office, as well as their relationships and their sleep patterns.

Burnout can progress to clinical anxiety or other mental health issues. Therapists say this is a sign to seek out a mental health professional.

Anxiety in general can always be improved when you have an outlet for your fears and your worries, Jen Kelman, a therapist and mental health expert on JustAnswer, a digital platform that connects people to experts, told HuffPost. Having a therapist as a safe space to talk through [work issues] without fear of judgment is wildly helpful, even if youre not removing the work-related people or projects that are causing severe stress.

Whats more, seeking out a mental health professional can help you learn coping techniques and skills to make the workplace feel more manageable. As Kelman notes, a therapist can help you develop strategies to improve your work habits, communicate more effectively, and advocate for yourself more clearly.

HuffPost spoke with eight people about the best work burnout advice they learned in therapy, and what effect this advice has had on their overall health.

Clearly communicate your work capacity.

I used to struggle a lot with setting intentional boundaries in my work, said Hernn Carvente-Martinez, the Founder of Healing Ninjas, Inc. I used to pick up every call, answer every email, as fast as I could even on days off, which gave everyone the impression I was always accessible.

My therapist asked me to be intentional about communicating my capacity to those I worked with so that they knew how much I could or could not do for them, he explained. This allowed me to improve my workflow and take care of my own energy in a much more intentional way without feeling like I was failing in some way.

Use your vacation days and sick days.

Though many workers in the United States dont receive vacation and sick days, a study found that an estimated 768 million vacation days went unused in 2018 by those who do have such benefits.

Abigail Ortega, the founder of psychotherapy group Love, Listen and Play, said that her therapists advice to use her vacation and sick days was beneficial to her mental health.

American culture praises working hard, long hours no matter what, Ortega said. Having time away from work allows me to decompress, connect with family, rest my mind and body, explore different countries and cultures, and gain perspective. I call my sick days wellness days.

Try to practice empathy when working with difficult people.

Rosario Mendoza, a program associate, told HuffPost she often dealt with not-so-kind customers when she worked in retail. Her therapist told her that people who mistreat you are usually having a bad day, and while that is no excuse, just remember to practice empathy.

Mendoza said that this piece of advice helped her approach work conflict as a learning experience, and taught her the importance of finding supportive co-workers.

I feel like those little self-pep talks which stemmed from therapy helped me get through my college jobs, she said. It helped me grow as a person; I learned to control my anger, but also to empathize [with others].

Westend61 via Getty Images

Its OK to fail.

Eileen Chanza Torres, an associate professor at Westminster College, said the best advice she learned in therapy on this subject was simply that its OK to fail.

Im still working through the process of failure, she said. It has been really hard. I fail a lot, but not with grace. That was part of the conversation [in therapy] how to accept and let things go so they dont fester.

Understand and acknowledge how bias may affect your ability to work, and to show up as your authentic self.

Bias in the workplace against women, people of color and other marginalized communities is a well-documented issue in the U.S. For Barbara Robles-Ramamurthy, a psychiatrist and social entrepreneur, her therapist encouraged her to use their sessions as a space to acknowledge and process how bias was affecting her wellness at work.

Therapy has helped me understand how internalized racism, sexism and other forms of systemic oppression impact my ability to bring my authentic self to my daily professional and personal work, she said. Most importantly, it has helped me strengthen my self-love and self-compassion, allowing me to reconnect with my values, recognize and use my strengths to bring more light to this world and trust the power in me to create positive change.

If you are experiencing discrimination at work, there are ways to securely document it for any future complaints you may need to make.

Abuse and mistreatment in the workplace is never OK.

My therapist straight up told me to quit a well-paying, high-profile job because of an abusive boss, Maggie Mesa, a business owner and skilled laborer, told HuffPost. I quit about six weeks before the pandemic. There were some real moments of financial fear, which translated to anger towards having to deal with the circumstances in the first place. That anxiety was mitigated by knowing I was saving my own life of sorts.

Leaving an abusive job or career can be difficult, both emotionally and financially, so its important to have a plan and a support system in place to help you. Ongoing therapy helped me cope with the transitions, and now Im in a literal different state, [with] an art-based career and a thriving personal life, Mesa said.

Have an identity outside of your work.

Until about a year ago, I was working at a job that I had a love/hate relationship with, said C.B., a student who asked that his full name be withheld for privacy reasons. I had a lot of trouble putting my work down and relaxing, or doing other activities. When I did, I often experienced extreme anxiety.

My therapist encouraged me to make sure I had a secure identity that wasnt related to my job, which ended up being great advice, he said. As soon as I felt confident in who I was without the job title, I felt safe enough to leave a toxic work environment.

Your self-worth isnt determined by your income or productivity at work.

Wendi Melling, who currently isnt working, says her therapist pointed out to her that her self-worth isnt determined by income or work productivity and this changed how she set about pursuing a job.

Getting that advice helped me decide on what the next steps in my career should be based on my own wellness, rather than on the capitalist model of keep climbing the ranks at all costs, Melling said. It made a world of difference to my mental health, specifically on the job, to give myself permission to stop judging success with a definition that didnt necessarily apply to me.

In some cases, therapy may focus on helping you develop stress-relieving techniques to use in the workplace. In other cases, seeing a mental health professional may provide the support needed to quit a toxic job.

While there is no universal approach to balancing wellness and work, Kelman, the therapist with JustAnswer, said that ultimately, the goal of therapy is for you to feel relief, feel understood and feel safe.

Original post:

The Best Burnout Advice People Learned In Therapy In 2021 - HuffPost

Here are the most-read local stories, commentaries and podcasts on CatholicReview.org for 2021.

1. Our Lady of Victory School to close at the end of 2020-21 academic year (April 16, 2021)

Citing years of declining enrollment exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic and a deficit approaching half a million dollars, leaders of Our Lady of Victory School in Arbutus announced April 16 that the Catholic elementary school will close at the end of the current school year.

George P. Matysek Jr.

Read the full story here.

2. As he prepares to retire, Father Muth says welcoming is a hallmark of St. Matthew Parish (May 26, 2021)

Since his ordination as a priest in 1974, Father Joe Muth said his favorite part of parish ministry has been suddenly and intimately connected with peoples lives.

Somebody gets sick and somebody dies unexpectedly, even couples getting married or having babies baptized, you really get right into a couples or a familys intimate, personal life and you really get to know them that way, he said of his role as a parish priest. Whether its a joyous occasion or a sorrowful occasion, they dont know you, but they trust you with their emotions and their feelings and their story.

Christopher Gunty

Read the full story here.

3. Archdiocese of Baltimore relaxes social distancing for Masses (May 14, 2021)

The Archdiocese of Baltimore announced May 13 that, effective immediately, parishes would be allowed to reduce social distancing in churches from 6 feet to 3 feet between congregants from different households.

The move came after Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan issued an executive order May 9 lifting capacity restrictions for houses of worship and another May 12 lifting remaining capacity restrictions for all other venues.

The announcement said that in light of these orders, the Archdiocese of Baltimore is taking an incremental approach to increasing the capacity of our churches..

Christopher Gunty

Ready the full story here.

4. Mount de Sales graduate elected a successor to Mother Angelica (Aug. 18, 2021)

When Theresa Buck was still in high school at Mount de Sales Academy in Catonsville, she took a standardized assessment test meant to give some indication of the kind of career that would best suit her talents, personality and interests.

Topping the list of potential careers, according to the assessment? Ministry as a nun.

An exercise completed more than two decades ago turned out to be more than prescient. Not only did the former parishioner of St. Agnes in Catonsville enter the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration at the Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in rural Alabama, she has now been entrusted with leadership of the internationally known monastery.

Buck, whose religious name is Mother Mary Paschal of the Lamb of God, was elected abbess July 29, taking on the same post that was once held by Mother Angelica, founder of both the monastery and the global Catholic communications network known as EWTN.

George P. Matysek Jr.

Read the full story here.

5. Archdiocese of Baltimore cuts staff to balance budget (Feb. 15, 2021)

The Archdiocese of Baltimore announced Feb. 10 the elimination of 25 positions at the Catholic Center, its administrative headquarters in downtown Baltimore. Among the positions, 14 were vacant and will not be filled; 11 people were laid off, although some may be transferred to other positions within the archdiocese.

All those laid off will be offered a severance package of up to 20 weeks pay, health insurance through the severance period and outplacement assistance. The layoffs will be effective Feb. 26.

Christopher Gunty

Read the full story here.

6. Archdiocese of Baltimore schools issue mask guidance for fall (Aug. 16, 2021)

The Archdiocese of Baltimore Department of Catholic Schools issued guidelines Aug. 16 for mask usage for the opening of schools this fall.

A memo to parents and guardians notes that Catholic schools in the archdiocese operate in nine jurisdictions/counties within Maryland. All the jurisdictions within the archdiocese except Garrett County have at least one Catholic school.

Over the past 30 days, all jurisdictions have experienced the impact of the COVID-19 delta variant. The result of that impact has been an increase in positive cases across all age groups, with nearly 20 percent of the cases found in individuals between 0-19 years of age, the memo said.

All archdiocesan Catholic schools will follow the case count in the county or Baltimore City in which the school is located, regardless of where the student lives.

By Christopher Gunty

Read the full story here.

7. New policy: No contribution needed for annulment cases in Baltimore Archdiocese (Aug. 10, 2021)

The Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Baltimore will no longer request a contribution to process an annulment case.

Archbishop William E. Lori implemented the policy change, which went into effect July 1. It was in response to a request by Pope Francis in 2015 to make the annulment process quicker and less expensive for couples.

Christopher Gunty

Read the full story here.

8. Hard hit by pandemic, St. Pius X Montessori Catholic School will close after current school year (March 26, 2021)

Facing declining enrollment and financial difficulties, St. Pius X Montessori Catholic School in Rodgers Forge will close at the end of the 2020-21 school year, parish and school officials announced March 26.

The school was already struggling to attract students when the pandemic hit, the officials said.

The daily operating costs and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have made the sustainability of our school impossible without going further into substantial debt and jeopardizing our ability to provide the quality Catholic education that our parents expect and our students deserve, Father Jose Jojo Opalda, pastor of St. Pius X and St. Mary of the Assumption in Govans, wrote in a letter to parents.

Tim Swift

Read the full story here.

9. Approaching retirement, Monsignor Luca leaves monumental legacy of parish expansion and pastoral sensitivity (May 27, 2021)

As he prepares for his July 1 retirement and continues a two-decade, on-again-off-again battle with cancer, Monsignor Luca said all the physical improvements at St. Louis were the result of the tremendous support and cooperation of his parishioners. Although he described shepherding those projects to completion as a real joy, the mild-mannered priest said they arent what he considers the most important part of his priesthood.

Yeah, weve had the opportunity to create a large campus with many wonderful new buildings, said Monsignor Luca, who since 2018 has also led the 800-family parish of St. Francis of Assisi in Fulton as part of a single pastorate.

But when its all said and done, he said, I dont think people are going to care who did it. I think theyre going to care about who ministered to them in their time of spiritual need.

George P. Matysek Jr.

Read the full story here.

10. School Sisters of Notre Dame face challenge of closing facilities (Dec. 8, 2021)

During a property stewardship study conducted from 2012 to 2016, the provincial council decided to close the Maria Health Care Center at Villa Assumpta on North Charles Street. The sisters were moved to Stella Maris in Timonium in June. The council is still considering options for the remaining 40-plus sisters at Villa Assumpta. The facility is for sale and will close once the remaining sisters find a new home.

Two other convents, one in Canada and the other in Connecticut, are also closing. The sale of Notre Dame Convent in Ontario will be completed by the end of December. An international school will occupy the first two floors while sisters will move to leased space on the top two floors. The school is in keeping with the S.S.N.D. mission and it is hoped the sister residents will have some kind of ministry with the students, according to Sister Charmaine.

Mary Tilghman

Read the full story here.

1. Welcome back to Mass: Five benefits of receiving the Eucharist (May 20, 2021)

Will the decline in Mass attendance which began as a health concern became a permanent habit? Will healthy and able-bodied individuals continue attending virtually or not all even after the pandemic?

These questions will be answered in the coming months, and it would be a shame if a decline in in-person Mass attendance was an outcome of the pandemic. While virtual Masses and spiritual communions were a wonderful way to bridge the gap, they do not represent the fullness of the sacrament.

The Year of Eucharist begins on the Feast of Corpus Christi and offers us an option to reflect on the immeasurable graces that flow from regular reception of Holy Communion

Hanael Bianchi

Read the full commentary here.

2. You have something in common with Justin Tucker (Sept. 28, 2021)

The crowd was cheering as Justin Tucker got into position to take the kick. The distance the ball had to travel made a positive outcome seem impossible. But theres always hope, and hes quite a kicker.

Time seemed to pause as the football sailed toward the end zone, bounced off the goal post, and went over.History happenedand maybe a miracleand the Ravens won the game.

You cant watch a moment like that and not be full of awe. Justin Tucker, a practicing Catholic who makes the Sign of the Cross on the field, was born to kickand kick far and accurately. When I see someone so clearly in their element, using talents given to them by God, I find myself thinking about how each person has a vocation.

God gives us gifts to use on this earth. He has something in mind for us that only we can do. God didnt likely mean for you or me to kick a football that far and that way. But just as He gave Justin Tucker that ability, He gave us talents to use in certain ways that can have a dramatic impact on others lives.

Rita Buettner

Read the full commentary here.

3. Celebrating St. Joseph the Worker and all workers (April 30, 2021)

During this year that Pope Francis has dedicated to St. Joseph, let us ask this great saints intercession for our daily work of heart and hand. St. Joseph the Worker is an appealing role model for breadwinners seeking to balance the demands of the workplace with the vocation of establishing a secure, peaceful and faith-filled home. St. Joseph, who worked as carpenter and imparted his skills to Jesus, helps us understand the dignity of our daily work and the contribution God is calling us to make to our world and, indeed, to his Kingdom.

Archbishop William E. Lori

Read the full commentary here.

4.Do you want to be a saint? Seven daily habits for the new year (Jan. 11, 2021)

If you want to be a successful athlete, you have to spend years practicing, working out and learning the game. If you want to be a star musician, you also need to spend hour after hour practicing, working on the craft and learning music theory. You need a plan, strong work ethic and determination to be successful. You cannot just desire to be an athlete or musician.

Everyone wants to be a better person. Everyone tries to be good, but no progress towards holiness will be made without a plan. My personal experience is that without making an intentional effort towards holiness, my spiritual life declines and I fall into sinful habits.

Hanael Bianchi

Read the full commentary here.

5. Banana bread, coming home, lucky odometer numbers, and more (7 Quick Takes) (July 24, 2021)

We go through many bananas. Many of them we eat, and others go brown slowly as I say, Dont throw them away yet. I might make banana bread. Then I never get around to making banana bread, and we have to discard the bananas.

This week, though, when I saw we had four bananas that were nearing the end of their time, I decided to make banana breadand then actually followed through. The bread was delicious. I usedthis recipe from Sallys Baking Addiction, though I used chocolate chips instead of cinnamon. Im not sure thats technically an acceptable substitution, but it worked for us.

Rita Buettner

Read the full commentary here.

6. Take me to Padre Pio (Aug. 10, 2021)

St. Padre Pio was born in 1887 in Pietrelcina, Italy. He was a priest and is a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. He was born into a devout Catholic family and at the age of 5, consecrated himself to Jesus. He is noted for having the stigmata of Jesus wounds on his body: marks, bleeding and pain corresponding to the wounds Jesus suffered during crucifixion. Typically, many Italians are devoted to the saint and own Pio statues and icons.

In Jersey or Little Italy, take me to Padre Pio, where I will pray, hope and dont worry.

Suzanna Molino Singleton

Read the full commentary here.

7. Encountering Christ together through the synodal process (Oct. 6, 2021)

The theme of the synodal process is threefold: participation, communion, and mission. It is designed to be neither a planning meeting nor a platform for agendas but rather a time of prayerful listening and discernment, reaching out to those who currently participate in the Churchs life as well as those who do not.

The diocesan phase will include meetings in our pastorates and regional meetings. It will also involve religious communities, healthcare ministry and higher education, to name a few. This process will culminate in a diocesan level gathering sometime early in the spring of 2022. Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski, together with the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council and members of the archdiocesan Senior Leadership Team, will oversee the process.

Archbishop William E. Lori

Read the full commentary here.

8. Divine cancel culture (April 14, 2021)

Happily, though, there is such a thing as a good cancel culture. It does not originate on social media or the airwaves. Rather, the good cancel culture comes from the heart of God. It is the stunning truth that God, in his mercy and love, has cancelled our sins.

St. Paul puts it this way: And you who were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive, together with him, having forgiven all our trespasses, having cancelled the bond which stood against us nailing it to the tree (Col 2:13-14 RSV). Indeed, we celebrate this divine cancel culture with special solemnity and joy throughout Holy Week and Easter.

Archbishop William E. Lori

Read the full commentary here.

9. Petook: The Rooster Who Met Jesus makes Easter story accessible for children (April 1, 2021)

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Most popular stories, commentaries and podcasts of 2021 on CatholicReview.org - Catholic Review of Baltimore

One of the biggest trending news over the Christmas weekend was the commissioning of a multi-billion naira complex at the University of Maiduguri by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.

The complex which was built and donated by businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji (Dr.) Muhammadu Indimi will now house the Centre for Distance Learning as well as the International Conference Centre. Facilities at the purpose-built complex include Exam Hall, conference room, e-Resources Centre, laboratory as well as staff offices and recreational areas.

The news was particularly heartening and exciting not just because it will enhance the aesthetics of the Unimaid campus but on account of the pedigree of the giver and his intentional and strategic philanthropy which is indeed worthy of commendation and emulation.

Who is Muhammadu Indimi and why must we commend the building of a complex? Born in Maiduguri 74 years ago, the young Muhammadu was not fortunate to pursue formal education because the number of schools were limited at the time. Most parents ended up sending their children to attend Quranic schools.

But once he encountered the written text, Muhammadu Indimi realised that he needed to be able to read, write and speak English and so was born an autodidact who today is fluent and proficient in six languages: Kanuri, Hausa, Fulfulde, English, French and Arabic.

It must have been from that encounter with the written word that the man who would go on to found Oriental Energy and emerge one of the richest men in Nigeria with a net worth estimated at over $500m by Forbes internalized the primacy of education as an urgent imperative not just for developing the mind but building capacity and empowering the masses.

Alhaji (Dr.) Muhammadu Indimi seems a firm believer in the dogeared aphorism which counsels that to whom much is given, so much more is expected. His journey to immense wealth began auspiciously in his late teens when upon exiting the family business he utilised a 100 loan from a family friend to establish a business selling clothes which he imported from Chad and Cameroon.

By the eighties, Muhammadu Indimi had become well known as an enterprising businessman and when the opportunity of the discretionary bid round to help grow indigenous capacity in the oil and gas industry presented himself, he was one of the lucky recipients of an oil licence.

Applying his famed diligence and sense of purpose to the new enterprise he built up Oriental Energy Resources into one of Nigerias most successful and longest running indigenous oil and gas companies making himself a massively rich man in the process and a bonafide member of Nigerias business elite.

But Muhammadu Indimi quickly made a realization, one in consonance with Warren Buffet, the famed billionaire philanthropist who once advised that If youre in the luckiest 1% of humanity, you owe it to the rest of humanity to think about the other 99%.

Cognizant of the fact that those who have, must of necessity raise those without, Alhaji (Dr.) Muhammadu Indimi set up the Muhammadu Indimi Foundation (MIF) as a vehicle for helping him carry out his philanthropy in a deliberate, intentional, strategic and targeted manner.

Key areas of concern remain Education, Health, Social Enterprise Development & Support as well as Special Emergency Interventions based on exigent circumstances. By defining and targeting where to give, Muhammadu Indimi is making not just positive but maximum impact and the multi-billion naira Unimaid complex is the latest example.

The targeted and strategic nature of his philanthropy is evident in the complex which has facilities for e-learning amongst other. Speaking at the commissioning Alhaji Indimi had noted that I believe that the Centre will help the university in the way it delivers learning, training, and skills, as well as to those who will be taking their courses remotely. This is not surprising since it is a centre for distance learning, but the deliberate provision of remote learning facilities acquires specific gravity when viewed vis--vis the current Covid-19 pandemic which has imposed social distancing protocols and accelerated the migration of instruction from the classroom to the virtual space.

The University of Maiduguri is not the first nor only recipient of Alhaji Indimis large hearted generosity. Since 2009, over 1,000 indigenes from his companys host community in Mbo and Effiat local government areas of Akwa Ibom state have benefited from scholarships provided by Alhaji Indimi.

Still targeting denizens of his host community, the philanthropist donated a Science Laboratory Complex to Community Grammar School to help facilitate STEM scholarship and has also organized capacity building workshops on sustainable community development planning and management for the host communities.

To build further capacity, he built and donated a Youth Empowerment Centre in Mbo LGA where he also sponsored a Sustainable Business Development and Management training for 15 members of the Board of Trustees and management staff of the Centre. All these are eloquent testimonials to the premium he places on education as a formidable means of building capacity and empowerment.

It is heartening to note that the world is taking notice of Alhaji Indimis magnanimity. A recipient of many awards and honours, a count will show that aside from the national honour, Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR) bestowed on him in 2012, the bulk of his recognitions have come from educational institutions at home and abroad and the list includes honorary doctorate from Lynn University, Florida in 2013; honorary doctorate from University of Uyo in 2017; honorary doctorate from the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) in 2018; Doctor of Science, Honoris Causa from the University of Lagos in July 2021 as well as an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Technology from the Kwara State University and another Honorary Doctorate Degree in Entrepreneurship by the Kaduna State University, Kaduna in December, 2021.

Toni Kan is public affairs analyst and can be reached at tonikan11@gmail.com

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Mohammadu Indimi And The Primacy Of Education - LEADERSHIP NEWS

As concern mounts from some parents about concepts like Critical Race Theory and whether it should be taught in K-12 classrooms, which it is not, some other parents are concerned about how to prepare and protect their Muslim, Sikh, Arab and Asian American children from bullying and harassment. Teaching children lessons about hate and racism has been especially important in the wake of major world events, like the withdrawal from Afghanistan, the lingering effects of 9/11, and the COVID-19 pandemic events many children may not even understand.

On top of being impacted by these events along with everyone else, these families also bear the burden of being mistakenly and sometimes violently blamed for causing these events.

Muslim American students often experience harassing comments by peers, such as being called terrorist or being told dont blow us up, Dr. Amaarah DeCuir, American University School of Education, told the PBS NewsHour. They describe being stared at during 9/11 lessons, or being singled out by the teacher to make comments addressing 9/11.

WATCH MORE: Educators reflect on the significance of teaching about 9/11

Dr. DeCuir is currently researching the experiences of Muslim American students, ages 12 to 21, in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia public schools. Early findings suggest that Muslim American students experience bullying and harassment during 9/11 commemorative classroom lessons. These results are in line with a broader 2020 Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) poll in which 51% of Muslim American families reported that their children experienced religious-based bullying in school, 30% of which involved a teacher or school official.

The 9/11 lessons in school typically narrow the instructional focus to the details of the terrorist attacks, rather than the social and political impacts that followed, DeCuir said.

Instead, DeCuir recommends a culturally responsive approach that can protect Muslim American students from becoming easy targets of bullying and harassment while these lessons are being taught in the classroom. She said that teachers should make sure to include stories of heroism, resilience, and service that emerged during 9/11 by many people, including Muslim Americans, immigrants, and other people of color. She also urges teachers to include the social and political impacts that followed 9/11, such as increasing hate crimes that targeted Muslim, Sikh, and Arab Americans; federal immigration and foreign policies that became linked to national security issues; and community multi-faith programs that helped foster increased awareness of others. She also recommends that teachers be prepared to provide social-emotional learning experiences that help all students process the complexity of emotions that emerge from 9/11 commemorations.

Sikh American students hold anti-bullying brochures in New York. Photograph courtesy of The Sikh Coalition

Equally important are the structural responses. School leaders and teachers must be familiar with anti-bullying policies enacted at their state and district levels, and be prepared to utilize these policies should students report race and/or religious based bullying or harassment, said DeCuir. And since one out of every three anti-Muslim bullying incidents involve teachers and school officials according to the 2020 Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) poll, It is incumbent upon district leaders to provide antiracist training to school staff to disrupt this concerning reality.

As for parents, DeCuir advises that they should respond meaningfully to questions or concerns their children have with relevant, age-appropriate content. She adds that parents should also help children and teens feel safe and secure in their surroundings when having these conversations.

When teaching about bullying and hate crimes, Sikh American advocates warn that teachers should be mindful that some students may have experienced bullying or hate crimes themselves, or may have seen the effects of bullying and hate crimes among their friends, families, or communities.

[Teachers] should always give a trigger warning when hate crimes will be discussed in the classroom, Pritpal Kaur, former Sikh Coalition Education Director, told the NewsHour. And students should never be put on the spot and asked to share experiences of hate or discrimination, unless they come forward and wish to share themselves.

READ MORE: Sikh Americans push for greater visibility, awareness against years of hate crimes, misunderstanding

A 2014 Sikh Coalition study found that 54 percent of all Sikh American children have experienced bullying and harassment in school, and 67 percent of Sikh American children who wear turbans have experienced bullying and harassment in schools, nearly double the national average. Twenty-one percent of Sikh American youth were bullied at least once a week, and 51 percent of Sikh American youth did not believe that school officials did enough to address school bullying and harassment.

During the 2017-18 school year, the Sikh Coalition received more legal intakes related to school bullying than in the previous two years combined, the legal team says. And while bullying cases dropped off during the pandemic, as many children were out of classroom instruction, our legal team has seen them increasing once again now that in-person school has restarted for many, it adds.

The mistaken identity narrative is problematic when teaching about hate crimes because it implies that there is another community who should be targeted instead of Sikhs

Advocates also warn that when discussing bullying and hate crimes against Sikh American students, teachers should be careful not to simply frame the abuse as a case of mistaken identity, but should also include issues of healing, community response, advocacy, and solidarity with other communities.

The mistaken identity narrative is problematic when teaching about hate crimes because it implies that there is another community who should be targeted instead of Sikhs, Kaur said. It is true that the Sikh visual identity is conflated with the stereotypes of terrorists but for those stereotypes to be dismantled, better religious literacy is required, and messages of solidarity that hate is not ok against any community need to be shared.

Experts say one way to dismantle stereotypes and to help students better understand their own experiences with bullying and harassment is to frame specific events like 9/11 within a larger view of U.S. history so that students can see their experiences within that greater context.

Richard Mui, who teaches advanced placement U.S. history at Canton High School in Canton, Michigan, told the NewsHour that he and some of his colleagues frame specific events like 9/11 within a larger conversation about terrorism. What is terrorism, and who resorts to terrorist tactics, and things like that, Mui said.

Lesson plans that Mui and his colleagues use to provide historical context include the 1920 Wall Street bombing in which a horse-drawn cart exploded in front of J.P. Morgan & Co. in downtown New York City, killing 38 people and injuring more than 300. The crime was never solved, but launched J. Edgar Hoovers career, a fear of communism, and the targeting and deportation of many Italians, Russians, and Jews.

The deadliest school bombing in U.S. history was in 1927, in Bath, Michigan, killing 38 children and six adults. The bomber was an electrician and farmer who had fallen behind on his mortgage payments and blamed a new school tax for his financial troubles. And the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing by anti-government militants Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols killed 168 people, including 19 children, and injured more than 650 people.

Terrorists and terrorist attacks have been part of U.S. history, Mui said. So its not something new, it has been around with us. And when you look at it through that lens, then its different, the emphasis is not on the religion.

READ MORE: The only Arab American museum in the nation is much more than a building

To help students who may be dealing with bullying and discrimination in their own lives, Mui said the U.S. history curriculum in his classroom frames the issue of discrimination within the broader history of immigration. His classes discuss the different waves of immigration that came to the U.S., the similarities and differences of the immigrant groups, and how America responded to each group, especially if the immigration waves came amid, or following a significant national political or economic downturn.

We like to say, Hey, were all equal, and Were all Americans, and things like that. But then when theres competition for jobs, or people are dislocated from their jobs, theres a tendency to look for scapegoats. And you can see that throughout history, Mui said, noting how Irish, Italian, Mexican, and Asian Americans have all been demonized at different points in U.S. history.

Framing it this way, Mui said, shows students that there are forces beyond them. And once you take that bigger picture, Mui said, You not only can see it happening, hopefully you can prevent it from happening next time.

Although many of the issues that students encounter who are being bullied or harassed on the basis of race or religion have happened before in U.S. history, the problem is that many people do not know that history, especially in places where ethnic studies is not taught.

Michigan high school students in nonprofit organization American Citizens for Justices Youth Leadership Initiative conducting voter exit polling in Detroit on election day, November 2, 2021, as part of Asian American Legal Defense and Education Funds national Asian American Voter Survey. Photographer Richard Mui.

Mui has long been the advisor for his schools Asian Pacific American club and a Metro Detroit Asian American youth leadership initiative sponsored by American Citizens for Justice. During the summer of 2021, as incidents of anti-Asian American violence around the country spiked in response to COVID-19, Mui taught Michigans first virtual summer school course on Asian American and Pacific Islander History. Learning more history gives students room outside of the school curriculum to learn about their communities and transform that knowledge into political engagement particularly as they begin to understand how long and deeply rooted their communities have been in the United States. This past Election Day, Mui took students in the Asian American youth leadership initiative to Detroit to conduct voter exit polling as part of that engagement effort.

Michigan State Senator Stephanie Chang, the first Asian American woman elected to the Michigan Legislature, and who happened to be in Muis Asian Pacific American Club when she was in high school, introduced and was instrumental in getting resolutions passed unanimously in Michigans Republican dominated legislature condemning anti-Asian hate and securing bipartisan support for money in the budget for know your rights outreach to the Asian American and other communities. She is currently proposing legislation similar to the TEAACH Act in Illinois that ensures that students in Michigans public schools learn Asian American history from kindergarten through grade 12.

A number of folks are working on legislation related to teaching Asian American history and Latino history and Arab history and indigenous history and Black history in our schools, Chang said. Every single one of our children should be able to learn their history in our schools.

Chang referred to her two young daughters, two and six years old, as her little motivators. It truly is their future that I am fighting for every day, Chang said at a fall fundraising event.

READ MORE: We have been through this before. Why anti-Asian hate crimes are rising amid coronavirus

Its really educating ourselves, Mui said. And then turn it into some kind of action. Okay, so now you have this knowledge. How can you begin to participate in the political process? What skills do you need to participate in terms of being able to articulate your viewpoint and advocate for yourself for whatever issues? To turn that into action? Thats the way democracy is structured. Those people that are engaged in organizing [and] voice their opinions, are the ones that are hopefully more likely to get what they want. Democracy, thats the competition.

Parents can begin building the foundation for these lessons and experiences early. Adults often worry about introducing concepts like bullying, bias and racism to children, Katherine Reynolds Lewis, author of The Good News About Bad Behavior and a certified parent educator, told the NewsHour. They mistakenly think that by bringing up these issues, they will be ruining childrens innocence. The reality is that as early as age two and three, children notice racial and gender differences and begin to sort by category. This is when they absorb stereotypes and societal messages around skin color, disability, and gender, such as an alleged difference between boy and girl toys and activities. Parents should know that you dont teach prejudice by discussing its existence.

Parents should know that you dont teach prejudice by discussing its existence.

Without parental input to balance societal stereotypes, Lewis warns that children of color may internalize a belief that they are inferior or bad, and children of all ages may display a preference for whiteness because white people tend to hold positions of power in the community and in the media.

As with every difficult topic, we should meet children where they are, Lewis said. Rather than one talk, this should be a series of conversations about race and bias over the course of their childhood. Ask open-ended questions and respond to childrens comments, rather than lecturing. The goal should be a discussion, not a soliloquy. Children mature at different rates, so its always important to share information only at the level that children can absorb.

READ MORE: For Detroits Japanese Americans, oral histories key to preservation of history, future solidarity

Lewis suggests beginning with noticing and acknowledging differences among people and making the topic safe to discuss. At the preschool level, conversations can focus on diversity of appearance and culture, different foods and holidays, all with simple explanations. Help children appreciate their own culture and race, with stories of heroes and role models that resemble them, as well as stories from all cultures.

At the age of four or five, children may share negative comments they have hear, and they may share incidents of aggression or exclusion at school. However, at this age, other children are also learning about diversity, but may not have the capacity for nuance. Dont label other children as bullies or biased. See this as an opportunity for education, Lewis said. Advocate for your child at school, if needed, in collaboration with teachers. Maybe your child doesnt like their hair, skin color or food of your culture. Dont overreact. Accept their messy feelings. Ask questions about their perspective. Trust that over time, they will appreciate their heritage and be self-confident in their identity. Share stories of your own childhood and your family, in addition to heroes and role models, so they feel connected to their origins. Seek out stories of resistance and liberation in addition to those of oppression and bias.

Discussions of bias should be as simple as possible at this age. Lewis suggests saying things like, Some people believe that others are inferior because of their race or heritage. Theyre wrong. We dont believe that. Racism is when people oppress or harm other people because of their appearance. Its wrong and we should speak against it when we see it.

Katherine Reynolds Lewis speaks about parenting and her book The Good News about Bad Behavior at Politics and Prose Bookstore in Washington D.C. on April 22, 2018. | Photograph courtesy of Katherine Reynolds Lewis

Rather than describing racism as something that happened in the past, in other communities, or is something that bad people do, she said that describing it as a mistaken idea that can be changed with advocacy and education gives children a positive way to feel a sense of agency.

Between ages six and eight, most children begin to understand nuance and can have more in-depth conversations about bias and racism. They can understand more complex stories from your childhood and comprehend the difference between systemic racism or violence and more casual bias and everyday prejudice. Again, focus on what we can do to be anti-racist and stand up for ourselves, so theres a positive action they can take, Lewis said.

In the tween and teen years, Lewis recommends asking even more questions as children develop their own sense of moral compass and agency. Support their efforts to make a difference, Lewis said. Encourage them to be an ally and to stand up for themselves. Role play situations they might encounter. Acknowledge that adults arent perfect. Model lifelong learning, as you also need to understand new aspects of diversity and difference, and language around them. The research on racial bias shows that it forms without any conscious effort, as we absorb messages from the world around us. Its very difficult to disrupt bias, but the best path is to slow down our reactions and take intentional steps to be anti-racist.

READ MORE: How Asian Americans in holiday movies can challenge the white fantasy of Christmas

Although some parents would prefer to prevent their children from learning about race, bias, and discrimination in America, parents of children of color or other marginalized groups do not have that luxury, and many students are hungry for content that reflects their experience and history. However these are complicated, evolving topics that could use a lifetime of attention.

We should challenge ourselves to be lifelong learners, expose ourselves to lots of different groups, and acknowledge if we mess up in our actions or language and make amends, Lewis said. Parents play an important role in modeling this process, especially with our teenagers who may feel they know the right words. Let them correct you. It leads to a worthwhile conversation about being able to learn and grow and admit if youve made a mistake.

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You dont teach prejudice by discussing its existence. How to talk to children about race and discrimination. - PBS NewsHour