Tennessee attorney and advocate Keeda Haynes on bending the arc toward justice

A formerly incarcerated person who went on to become a public defender in Nashville, Haynes made headlines when she ran for Congress in 2020. Now a voting rights advocate with the Sentencing Project, she has a new book out about fixing the brutality of the criminal justice system titled "Bending the Arc" and recently talked about it with Facing South. (1/27/2022)

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Medicaid expansion could be a lifeline for rural hospitals in the South

Rural hospitals were able to survive 2021 with special pandemic assistance, but some aid is set to expire by the end of this year. Advocates say state Medicaid expansion could help rural hospitals confront the worsening staffing crisis and provide much-needed care in their communities. (1/28/2022)

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Will North Carolina GOP use a Jim Crow tactic to reshape high court?

As the N.C. Supreme Court prepares to hear a lawsuit challenging gerrymandered election districts, a prominent Republican leader has brought up the possibility of the legislature impeaching judges. It hasn't happened in well over a century, when white supremacist Democrats impeached two justices, as well as a Klan-fighting governor. (1/27/2022)

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VOICES: We can't rely on the courts to determine abortion access

Since a strict anti-abortion law went into effect in Texas in September, many Texans seeking abortion care have gone to Louisiana, even though that state also has severe abortion restrictions and only three clinics offering abortion services. State Reps. Mary González of Texas and Mandie Landry of Louisiana write about the ongoing fight to defend bodily autonomy in states that are especially hostile to women. (1/19/2022)

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The fight to legalize lifesaving fentanyl test strips in Southern states

Drug overdose deaths are climbing nationally and across the South, driven in large part by street drugs contaminated with fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid. Many of these deaths could be prevented by allowing drug users to test their supply for fentanyl's presence, but some states still ban testing strips as paraphernalia.

Looking for summer interns!

The Institute for Southern Studies, publisher of Facing South, is now accepting applications for paid summer internships. An Institute internship is a great way to gain hands-on writing and research experience on issues related to democracy, justice, and sustainability in the South. Internships are paid and typically last 6-8 weeks. For summer 2022, the Institute will be accepting applications for both remote and in-person internships at the Institute’s offices in Durham, North Carolina. Application deadline is 5 p.m. ET on Friday, March 4. For more information, visit here.

GOP bans on teaching about racism drive out educators

As Republican state lawmakers across the South pass laws restricting how public school teachers can talk about racism with their students, a new national poll of teachers finds that over a third say the surge in such classroom speech bans makes them more likely to leave the profession at the end of this school year.