URL Weekly 9/29

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Friday, September 29, 2023

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Today is Friday, and we’re highlighting stories from across the URL Media network about the latest in the investigation into New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, the continued lack of Latino representation in Hollywood, and a Native woman changing the face of running.

Be on the lookout for tomorrow’s newsletter about student loans, as payments are set to resume for the first time in over three years. — Alicia Ramirez

Uplift. 🙌🏼 Respect. 💯 Love. 💛

💔 Disaster capitalism continues to exploit across many ‘Souths’: Nearly 20 years ago, New Orleans was devastated by Hurricane Katrina — and its Black residents were abandoned by a government that should have protected and helped them. Now the same thing is happening in Maui, only this time it’s the island’s Indigenous population that’s being left behind. Scalawag has more here.

🏛️ Ill. Supreme Court ends cash bail: The Illinois Pre-Trial Fairness Act was deemed unconstitutional by a court in 2021, but this year the Illinois Supreme Court overturned the prior ruling, allowing the state to eliminate cash bail. PushBlack has more here.

👶🏼 The rise of Indigenous doulas: In the U.S., Native American and Alaska Native women are three times more likely to die during childbirth than white women. In Washington, a team of doulas are utilizing Indigenous customs and culturally competent care to help Indigenous women regain their birthing practices, parenting practices and save lives. Native News Online, in partnership with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, has the story here.

🚘 Want to help striking UAW workers?: Tens of thousands of United Automobile Workers union members are expected to walk out of work during their strike against Ford, Stellantis and General Motors for better pay and job security. The strike will leave many families with a devastating loss of income, but here’s how you can help. Outlier Media has more here.

✊🏽 Is defending DACA worth continuing?: What began as a temporary program has become the lifeline for hundreds of thousands of undocumented young people in danger of deportation. But the future of Dreamers remains in limbo. La Noticia has the story here.

📱 US surgeon general issues warning about social media’s impact on youth: U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has issued a clear warning about the impact of social media on youth’s mental health and provided guidance for parents and teens about how to mitigate its negative effects. Black Voice News has the story here.

More: The kids are not alright, but we can help them get there (URL Media)

🎥 Hollywood needs to address the lack of Latino representation in film: Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. residents is Hispanic, but you wouldn’t know that based on Hollywood representation. At the annual Hispanic Heritage Awards earlier this month, the need for more representation in Hollywood was front of mind. palabra. has the story here.

More: ‘Blue Beetle’ let me be the hero for once (URL Media)

✍🏼 WGA ends strike, but SAG-AFTRA still going strong: With a tentative agreement now in place between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the Writers Guild of America (WGA), the writers strike has officially come to an end. So what’s next for SAG-AFTRA? Epicenter-NYC has more here.

🗽 Governor, mayor seek to change NYC’s right to shelter law: For the last 40 years, the city of New York has been required to find temporary shelter for anyone who asks for it. But an influx of immigrants has Governor Kathy Hocul and Mayor Eric Adams trying to find a way out. Documented has the story here.

🎓 19 HBCUs named Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders: The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs recently named 19 institutions of higher education as Fulbright Historically Black College and University Institutional Leaders for 2023. Watch The Yard has the story here.

💵 US pledges $100M for Haiti security mission: The U.S. pledged $100 million for the multinational security mission in Haiti during a week of impassioned speeches, meetings and commitments by world leaders urging the U.N. Security Council to authorize deploying the force. The Haitian Times has more here.

🇺🇲 Can Dems force Bob Menendez out of office?: Kenneth Burns, WHYY's South Jersey reporter, recently appeared on WURD Radio to talk about the latest in the corruption investigation into New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez. 🎧 Listen to the full interview here.

⛪ Okla. church organist celebrates 50 years of music: At 15, Cheryl Surratt started playing the organ at Church of the Living God in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Fifty years later, Surratt is still behind the keys bringing her love of music to the congregation every Sunday. The Oklahoma Eagle has her story here.

📖 Reimagining poetry through Latino voices: Poetry doesn’t have to be dull or confusing. It can be funny and transcend stereotypes. Pulso Podcast host Maribel Quezada-Smith talks with Gabriel Dozal, a Latino poet whose childhood on the U.S.-Mexico border informs his unique style. 🎧 Listen to their conversation here.

🏃🏾‍♀️ Reclaiming running as a Native tradition: After moving from New Mexico to Minneapolis at 34, Verna Volker, now 49, founded a group called Native Women Running to create opportunities and community for and with Indigenous athletes. She’s also changing the face of a mostly white sport. Sahan Journal has her story 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 a former John S. Knight 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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