Heat waves create dire conditions for the South's incarcerated

As climate change-fueled heat waves become more frequent and intense, many incarcerated people endure dangerous triple-digit temperatures for long periods. Efforts are underway in some states to bring relief from the heat — and to challenge the underlying constitutional provisions that allow prisoners to be treated as subhuman. (8/11/2022)

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Ensuring voting access for people with disabilities

Though they turned out in unprecedented numbers in the 2020 election, voters with disabilities still face barriers to casting a ballot in some places. Initiatives in several states across the South — the region with the highest percentage of residents with disabilities — aim to remove obstacles and improve access for this growing voter demographic. (8/5/2022)

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Racial backlash drives restrictive voting laws, study finds

A recent study from the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice details how racism is behind state laws that suppress voter participation. The analysis comes as the nation gears up for midterm elections in which voters of color will play a crucial role. (8/9/2022)

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From the Archives: Endless War 

In 1982, Southern Exposure magazine — the print forerunner to Facing South — printed an interview with two leaders in the fight to recognize and compensate veterans who had been exposed to Agent Orange. The PACT Act passed by Congress earlier this month expands benefits for U.S. veterans with health problems caused by exposure to the toxin. (8/11/2022)

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Southern communities launch mental health response teams without police

Virginia as well as cities in Florida and North Carolina have rolled out programs that allow people in crisis to get help from mental health professionals instead of police. Advocates hope the efforts will reduce the number of people killed by law enforcement officers.

Photo of Julian Bond  by Eduardo Montes-Bradley via Wikimedia Commons.

Apply now for the Julian Bond Fellowship!

Are you an early-career journalist or researcher who cares about justice and democracy in the South?

The Institute for Southern Studies, publisher of Facing South, is accepting applications for the Julian Bond Fellowship Program.

The Julian Bond Fellowship, named in honor of the civil rights legend and co-founder of the Institute, aims to promote new voices in Southern media and support early-career, public interest journalists and researchers in the South.

The Fellowship is a nine-month, full-time position. Fellows are provided a $5,000 monthly stipend and additional resources for training, conferences, and research.

Journalists and researchers of color are strongly encouraged to apply, as are others who believe their presence would contribute substantially to diversifying the media and public scholar landscape in the South. Candidates must have at least two to three years of experience writing for a public audience, and a demonstrated commitment to promoting justice, equality, and democracy in the South.

The application deadline is Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, at 5 p.m. Visit here for more information or to submit an application. Questions? Email us at [email protected]. No phone calls, please.

COVID-era reforms bring lasting eviction relief

Thanks to policy changes championed by the Biden administration in response to the coronavirus pandemic, eviction filings have remained well below historic averages, even after the federal moratorium ended last year. But experts warn that current trends in the housing market indicate more trouble ahead.