URL Weekly 6/9

Next-level reporting. Innovative Black & Brown publishers.

Friday, June 9, 2023

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Today is Friday, and we’re highlighting stories from across the URL Media network about making tennis more accessible for Black and brown youth, a Native American (Lakota) man who became the first Indigenous person to summit Mt. Everest, and the time Tina Turner showed just how humble she was during a trip to Tulsa.

June is Black Music Month, and in tomorrow’s newsletter, we’ll be highlighting coverage about the impact of Black music and its legacy on American culture.

— Alicia Ramirez

Uplift. 🙌🏼 Respect. 💯 Love. 💛

Trans adults in Fla. struggle to access health care after Gov. DeSantis’ latest law: Transgender adults in Florida are grappling with the consequences of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Senate Bill 254. The bill, which focuses on limiting access to gender-affirming care for youth, also impacts trans adults by prohibiting their access to telehealth and limiting the types of clinicians who can provide hormone care. Prism has more here.

Life as a graduating trans high school student: As state legislatures across the nation introduce dozens of anti-LGBTQIA+ bills, trans teens like Violeta Acuña are simply trying to finish high school. palabra. goes behind the scenes at a trans-welcoming charter school in Southern California. Read more here.

How NYC parents would spend $38K per public school student: As the number of New York City public school students continues to shrink for the 2023-2024 academic school year, the Department of Education is planning to spend a record $38,000 per child. Epicenter-NYC asked parents how they would spend the money. Read their responses here.

Why are so many Pa. teachers quitting?: Ed Fuller, an associate professor at Penn State, recently talked with Wake up with WURD’s Solomon Jones about the high attrition rate of teachers throughout the state. 🎧 Listen to the interview here.

Earthquake in southern Haiti’s claims three lives: Three people were reported dead immediately after an 5.7-magnitude earthquake struck Les Abricots, a seaside town in southern Haiti. The earthquake follows heavy rains that have killed more than 40 people and comes in the wake of the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis. The Haitian Times has more here.

ICYMI: The Haitian Times founder Garry Pierre-Pierre spoke about the earthquake’s impact on Drive Time with Michael Wallace. 🎧 Listen to the interview here.

The New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic's crisis of credibility: Since its founding in 1998, the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic has provided vital access to medical resources and social services for the city’s vulnerable and often neglected community of performing artists. But, as Scalawag reports, calls are growing louder for the organization’s leadership to step down. Find out why here.

As Latino homeownership grows, N.C. buyers find affordability outside Charlotte: Latinos are the fastest-growing demographic in North Carolina and the U.S. and they’re a younger demographic, which means more of them are entering their peak years for home buying. La Noticia has more here.

Detroit’s Board of Ethics struggles to conduct meetings: Three members of Detroit’s Board of Ethics have resigned from their positions since the end of April, leaving the board with four members and just one absence away from not having enough members to hold meetings at all. The board is responsible for investigating complaints against city employees who may have violated the city’s Ethics Ordinance. Outlier Media has the story here.

Growing the game of tennis in Calif.’s Inland Empire and beyond: The United States Tennis Association for Southern California is hoping to collaborate with more tennis programs in the Inland Empire to address the lack of diversity across the sport and create more opportunities for Black and Brown youth. Black Voice News has more here.

Urban heat islands leave Black people more vulnerable to heat strokes: Black people have experienced heat-related deaths more than other groups for decades. From 2000-2012, nearly half of New York’s population that died from heat were Black. PushBlack has more here.

Layoffs, shutdowns, and cancellations: The latest news about the news: Between layoffs, show cancellations, downsizing and network shut-downs, some are calling the recent news about the news an all out “media massacre.” Will this disintegration of outlets cause increased polarization? Our Body Politic host Farai Chideya digs into the issue. 🎧 Listen to the full episode here.

Your guide to New York City’s Caribbean Heritage Month: Every June, New Yorkers celebrate the rich cultural heritage and significant contributions of Caribbean people. It’s an opportunity to recognize and honor the diverse Caribbean diaspora, which has greatly influenced American society. Documented has put together a brief guide for those wanting to join in on the fun.

Read more here

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Indigenous Food Lab Market celebrates Native cuisine and knowledge: The Indigenous Food Lab Market opened last week in south Minneapolis serving up a variety of foods inspired by Indigenous traditions from around the world. The space also includes items from Indigenous makers and producers, including ready-to-eat food, beverages, game meats, soaps, cookbooks and more. Sahan Journal has more here.

Tulsa remembers Tina Turner: In February of 1968, The Ike and Tina Turner Revue came to Tulsa to entertain the home crowd. Even back then, fans recall that Tina showed up at the North Tulsa-based Big Ten Ballroom with her self-styled diva glamour. The Oklahoma Eagle has more here.

Unmasking our ‘emotional identities’: In this week’s Immigrantly episode, host Saadia Khan talks with business and legal strategist turned consultant Raha Francis about what it means to be human beyond our careers and how our “emotional identities” are influenced by the cultures we grow up in. 🎧 Listen to the full episode here.

Lakota man becomes the first Native American to summit Mt. Everest: Against the backdrop of Tibetan prayer flags, Dr. Jacob Weasel, a 36-year-old citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, made history last month. Perched atop the Himalayas, Dr. Weasel became the first recorded Native American to summit Mount Everest. Native News Online has the story here.

GHR Foundation awards Sahan Journal $1.5 million

GHR Foundation, one of Minnesota’s leading philanthropic organizations, has awarded URL Media partner Sahan Journal $1.5 million over three years to support its mission of advancing racial equity as an entrepreneurial nonprofit that covers communities of color. The award is the largest grant the outlet has received to date. Read more here.

The Haitian Times founder featured on CBS News

Garry Pierre-Pierre, founder and publisher of URL Media partner The Haitian Times, was recently interviewed by CBS News about local Haitian youth mobilizing to fight back against violent crimes committed by gang members. Watch the full clip here.

Scalawag welcomes Zaire Love as creative director

URL Media partner Scalawag recently announced that Zaire Love has joined its team as the organization’s first-ever creative director. Love is a multimedia storyteller who uses film, photography, audio, graphic design, and writing to craft captivating stories about the Black South. Read more here.

Sara Lomax-Reese, CEO of WURD Radio, media entrepreneur for almost 30 years, served as Program Lead for the inaugural Facebook BIPOC Sustainability Accelerator and is currently a JSK Fellow.

S. Mitra Kalita, former SVP at CNN Digital, current CEO & Publisher at Kalita Mukul Creative Inc., which publishes Epicenter-NYC, The Unmuted and The Escape Home has worked at The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The LA Times, and has launched brands like Mint and Quartz.

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