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Dear John,
In Richmond, Virginia, anesthesiologist Claire Rezba spends her days searching for, documenting, and memorializing the COVID-19 related deaths of health professionals by combing the internet, as the U.S. government continues to neglect the ongoing crisis facing essential workers on the front lines of the pandemic. Illinois governer JB Pritzker has announced a plan to restructure the juvenile justice system and move towards more restorative justice practices like moving juveniles to smaller residential centers and making visits with friends and families more accessible.
"Grace", a Black Michigan teen jailed for failing to turn in homework after her classes moved online due to the pandemic, has been granted release by the Michigan Court of Appeals. Many speculated that her arrest was racially motivated, and that the level of punishment would not have been as severe if she were white.
A new study out of the UK shows that 50% of Gen Z men between the ages of 16-24 think that feminism has "gone too far" and makes it harder for them to succeed. Thier attitudes are linked to the far-right movement and they are more likely to hold racist beliefs than their more liberal peers.
Finally, Thursday marked the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, a historic piece of legislation that worked to combat voter suppression in Black communities. A 2013 Supreme Court decision gutted the act, leading to several states enacting measures to disenfrachise voters of color, but a new, stronger version of the bill has been passed in the House. It has yet to come to the floor for a vote in the Senate, but Congress has the power to restore the protections of the act to its full power.
These stories are are linked below, and other important feminist news can be found here.
HEALTH
Claire Rezba Documents Deaths of Healthcare Workers as U.S. Government Ignores Them
Claire Rezba, an anesthesiologist, has been working at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia for years. As the pandemic hit the United States, elective surgeries have been canceled and rescheduled, giving her time to worry about her peers. Her sister is a nurse practitioner, her husband a physician, and many of her friends work alongside her.
RACE | OTHER ISSUES
Illinois Plans Overhaul of Juvenile Justice System to “Reduce the Harm of Incarceration”
Governor JB Pritzker announced a four-year plan to overhaul the Illinois juvenile justice system by transferring incarcerated children out of large prison-like facilities and investing more in restorative justice practices.
RACE | OTHER ISSUES
Teen Jailed for Skipping Online Class Released by Michigan Court of Appeals
Oakland County teenager, known as “Grace,” has been released from jail after public outcry surrounding her imprisonment. Grace was incarcerated for not completing her homework after courses moved online due to the pandemic.
New Study Reports 50% of Gen Z Men Think Feminism Has “Gone Too Far”
The UK-based advocacy group HOPE not hate recently released a July 2020 report detailing the attitudes and actions of 16 to 24 year-olds in the age of COVID-19. This study, titled Fear and Hope, studied over 2,000 Generation Z individuals to determine their attitudes about domestic and global politics. The study found that approximately 50 percent of Gen Z men feel that feminism has “gone too far.”
Today Marks the 55th Anniversary of the Landmark Voting Rights Act
August 6th marks the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). This momentous piece of legislation worked to ensure Black Americans could exercise their constitutional right to vote by combating voter suppression tactics.
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