Justice begins where inequality ends.

 

RACIAL JUSTICE Investing in racial justice     Our historic social bond was meant to meet these extraordinary times. This month, Fortune featured our announcement of $180 million in funding for organizations addressing systemic racism in the US, doubling our commitment to this critical work.   Learn more     CITIES & STATES ¡Viva Puerto Rico! Three years after Hurricane Maria, Puerto Ricans are still rebuilding their homeland. To help them restore the island, we’ve committed $10 million as part of a coalition to support an inclusive recovery. Learn more.   WEST AFRICA A lifeline for local media In West Africa, COVID-19 and Ebola have demonstrated that accurate information from local media can be life-saving. With the Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa, we’re working to strengthen these vital platforms and counteract misinformation. Learn more.   NATURAL RESOURCES & CLIMATE CHANGE The Amazon has seen our future Many of our world's most pressing problems are already being experienced by the people living in the Amazon. In this New York Times interactive collection, our grantees Sonia Guajajara and Valerie Paye share what’s happening in the region and how to protect the planet’s future. Explore now.   LEADERSHIP Welcome, Ambassador Power! We’re delighted to share that Amb. Samantha Power has joined our Board of Trustees. From her days as a journalist in Bosnia and Sudan to serving in the United Nations and as a member of President Obama’s cabinet, she has a long record of fighting for justice. Meet Ambassador Power.     CREATIVITY & FREE EXPRESSION Provoking a better future     We asked creatives how they’d transform their fields to meet this moment. Creative Futures, our new series of 40 provocations across the arts, documentary, and journalism, presents possibilities for big changes. Too radical, or has their time come? You decide.   Explore now       Justice begins where inequality ends. Discover more stories at fordfoundation.org and on our social media

CISA offers the following resources to share in your communities

CISA offers the following resources to share in your communities and with your stakeholders for National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) and beyond:

CISA's Telework Resources - Telework Guidance and Best Practices

CISA's Cybersecurity Hub - Assessments, Prevention, and Response Resources

CISA's Cyber Essentials - Cybersecurity Awareness and Best Practices Resources

CISA's #Protect2020 - Election Security and Disinformation Resources

National Risk Management - Mitigating Cyber Risks To The Nation's Critical Infrastructure

NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP)’s “Progress in Research” webinar series.

The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP)’s “Progress in Research” webinar series featuring the Superfund Research Center grants awarded in 2020. SRP Center grants support problem-based, solution-oriented research teams integrating projects in biomedical sciences, environmental science & engineering, data management, community engagement, research translation, and graduate training. This series highlights the research underway in these Centers, providing an overview of the complex issues each Center addresses as well as highlights of each of the projects and cores. The webinars are free and open to the public.
 
Registration is open for all remaining sessions (dates/times here, full descriptions are at the end of this email):
 
October 28, 1 – 3 PM EDT
Session II - Legacy and Emerging Contaminants (PAHs, PCBs, PFAS)
Featuring U Kentucky, Oregon State U, and Baylor College of Medicine
Session II Registration
 
November 9, 2 – 3:30 PM EST
Session III – Vulnerable Populations
Featuring Northeastern U and U Alabama - Birmingham
Session III Registration
 
November 19, 2 – 4 PM EST
Session IV – Emerging Exposures
Featuring North Carolina State U, U Iowa, and Louisiana State U
Session IV Registration
 
Archives will be available a few days after the webinar on the respective registration pages (our October 21 webinar on Metals will be posted soon). We encourage you to invite your colleagues, and we hope you can make it!
 
Kind regards,
Heather Henry
NIEHS Superfund Research Program
Phone: 984-287-3268
Mobile: 919-609-6061
Email: henryh@niehs.nih.gov
 
It is EPA's policy to make reasonable accommodation to persons with disabilities wishing to participate in the agency's programs and activities, pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 791. Any request for accommodation should be made to Jean Balent at balent.jean@epa.gov or 703-603-9924.
 
 
Full Descriptions:
 
October 28, 1 – 3 PM EDT, Session II - Legacy and Emerging Contaminants (PAHs, PCBs, PFAS), Session II Registration

• The University of Kentucky SRP Center, "Nutrition and Superfund Chemical Toxicity," explores human health challenges arising from exposure to halogenated organic substances such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethene, and per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS). They conduct research on lifestyle changes such as nutrition and exercise and the relationship with pollutant exposure and disease risk. Center scientists also study remediation systems and engineering solutions for toxicant removal. The goal is to develop prevention strategies for diseases associated with chlorinated organic contaminants through a combination of enhanced remediation and healthy lifestyle components.

• The Oregon State University SRP Center, "PAHs: New Technologies and Emerging Health Risks," investigates polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) mixtures before and after remediation. Center scientists work to track PAH movement through the environment, measure PAH exposure in individuals located near contaminated sites, predict the products of PAH transformation during remediation, determine the toxicity of complex PAH mixtures, and link PAH exposure to health outcomes.

• The Baylor College of Medicine SRP Center, "PAHs: Ultrasensitive Detection, Early-Life Exposures - Clinical Outcomes (Preterm Births, Chronic Lung Disease, and Neurocognitive Deficits), Prevention and Remediation," works in Harris County, Texas to explore maternal exposure to PAHs and the increased risk of preterm birth. They are investigating the molecular mechanisms behind the increased preterm birth risk after maternal exposure to PAH mixtures. Center scientists are also working to develop methods for detecting PAH-based compounds in air, water, and soil, remediation technologies to treat contaminated sediment, and strategies to prevent and reduce the health burden associated with PAH exposure.

 
November 9, 2 – 3:30 PM EST, Session III – Vulnerable Populations, Session III Registration

• The Northeastern University SRP Center, "Puerto Rico Testsite for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT)," conducts research on pregnant mothers in Puerto Rico and the relationship between contaminant exposures in drinking water, socioeconomic factors, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. They study a variety of toxicants such as chlorinated volatile organic compounds, phthalates, metals, pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and the mechanisms by which these chemicals can contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Center scientists also investigate how extreme weather events can exacerbate exposures and work to develop methods to reduce exposure risk.

• The University of Alabama-Birmingham SRP Center, "Impact of Airborne Heavy Metals on Lung Disease and the Environment," studies airborne heavy metal pollution and its impact on respiratory health in the area surrounding the 35th Avenue Superfund site in downtown Birmingham. This community is predominantly African American and has higher levels of chronic lung diseases compared to neighboring control areas irrespective of smoking, socioeconomic status, or demographics. Center scientists are developing tools to measure toxicants in the field, studying the efficacy of materials for contaminant removal, and working to understand the connections between environmental degradation and lung health.

 
November 19, 2 – 4 PM EST, Session IV – Emerging Exposures, Session IV Registration

• The North Carolina State University SRP Center, "Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS," focuses on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) which are ubiquitous in the environment and have been associated with health effects such as cancer and thyroid, liver, and immune system toxicity. Despite this, these compounds have not been well-studied. Center scientists are investigating human exposure levels to PFAS in impacted areas, PFAS toxicity and the underlying mechanisms behind reduced thyroid and immune function, the potential for PFAS bioaccumulation, and effective remediation approaches for PFAS contamination.

• The University of Iowa SRP (ISRP) Center, "Airborne PCBs: Sources, Exposures, Toxicities, Remediation," explores polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the health impacts stemming from inhalation of these toxic chemicals. Center scientists focus on neurodevelopmental and metabolic effects, particularly in adolescents, and the relationship to novel PCB exposure pathways in buildings such as schools. They aim to identify the mechanisms behind PCB interference with lipid metabolism, define the specific environments that contribute to inhalation exposure and its importance compared to dietary exposure, and develop cost-effective strategies to remove or reduce emissions.

• The Louisiana State University SRP Center, "Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals (EPFRs)," studies an emerging class of contaminants which are produced during thermal treatment of hazardous wastes and have been shown to induce cardiac and pulmonary dysfunction in exposed populations. They are investigating mechanisms of EPFR-induced health impacts, determining how EPFRs form, stabilize, and decay, and demonstrating a link between EPFR exposure and poor respiratory health in children. The research goal is to understand how to attenuate EPFR formation, facilitate EPFR decay, and limit exposure to EPFRs.

Global Health NOW: Is Isolation Killing the Elderly?

 

GHN News

 

Jeanne Fregeau, 93, in her room at a Marlborough, Mass. nursing home. August 26, 2020.  Image: Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe/Getty

 

Is Isolation Killing the Elderly? “Sometimes the doors to their rooms are open, and you just see someone sitting in a chair with tears running down their face,” said geriatrician Louise Aronson of University of California, San Francisco.  For elderly people, COVID-19 restrictions designed to protect them may also be leading to deadly isolation. The data may be scarce, but the reality is tangible; researchers say it can include: accelerated aging and dementia more falls “sudden frailty” weight loss depression Deprived of his children’s weekly visits to his long-term care facility in Minnesota, 98-year-old Chester Peske passed away in June. The cause of death was listed as “social isolation / failure to thrive related to COVID-19 restrictions.”   The Quote: “In many respects, the side effects are worse than the potential harm of a slightly higher risk of infection,” said David Grabowski, a Harvard Medical School health policy professor.   NBC News

Violence ends in death. Current Philadelphia and other events reported to 911 end in death. October 2020

 

Why healing, not policing, can address partner violence, rural America becomes a red zone, and the power of arts and culture to steer action now, in this week’s Covid, Race, and the Revolution. Issue No 28. October 28, 2020 Healing, not Policing: A Transformative Approach to Intimate Partner Violence By Marc Philpart Covid-19 continues to reveal and compound the challenges families face. Among them is domestic violence, which escalated under the economic and emotional stresses of the pandemic. Families of color are more likely to face economic instability during the Covid crisis, with a loss of income intensifying worries about paying rent and putting food on the table. With many childcare facilities and schools closed, parents are grappling with how to care for and supervise the online education of their children. And all of this is happening at a time when public health authorities are urging everyone to limit their activities outside the home to reduce the risk of infection. Across the nation, domestic violence calls for help are surging in what the New England Journal of Medicine calls “a pandemic within a pandemic.” But tragically, the nation’s responses rely almost exclusively on police and punishment, which does nothing to address the root causes of violence or foster healing, accountability for harm, and safety. In fact, by relying on state violence as our primary response to partner violence, we reinforce patriarchal norms and inherently racist institutions that produce violence, while denying communities billions of dollars in funding needed to create real safety. That’s why we must reimagine the nation’s response to domestic violence toward a model rooted in public health and racial equity, one that listens to the voices of people who have been harmed and provides support for all who are impacted — survivors, children who have been exposed to violence, and people who have caused harm. Our response also must acknowledge that family violence doesn’t occur in a vacuum. From the individual causing harm to the family, faith institutions and communities, to public institutions, patriarchy, capitalism, and colonialism — all these actors and systems play a role and should be examined and accounted for in a strategy to end violence. As a country founded upon white supremacy, genocide, slavery, imperialism, and segregation, we must also account for the violence that was and is used to construct this nation and understand how that violence shapes our lives. The first step toward shifting our approach is to stop the overreliance on police as first responders to family violence. Strong relationships are the key to ending violence in relationships and in our communities. By investing in resources that facilitate relationship building and healing, we can get families the help they need before violence occurs, create alternative approaches to intervention, and support people who have caused harm — who are often survivors themselves — to end cycles of violence. Rather than relying on a badge and a gun or the criminal-legal system, these approaches should be grounded in community. When police are called, they prioritize making arrests and reports that lead to family entanglement with the criminal-legal and child welfare systems. Many survivors don’t trust police, which is why almost half of intimate partner violence went unreported to law enforcement from 2006 to 2015. And for survivors who do call the police, about 75 percent found their involvement to be unhelpful or left them less safe. The lived experience and data are clear: families need better options. “Police don’t always treat victims with respect,” said California Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager, who has told her personal story of surviving an unhealthy relationship in advocating for Assembly Bill 2054, the #CRISESAct. This legislation, which was vetoed by Governor Newsom, would have created community-based, police-free responses for people who are experiencing emergencies (including partner violence, mental health crises, houselessness) and need care, not punishment. Kamlager shared, “The bill forces us to re-engage in real, non-carceral solutions to many of the social implications of poverty and sickness that we have ignored. A good friend of mine declared that AB 2054 is a love letter to the possibility of what transformative public safety can look like, trusting that communities know how to self-police and hold themselves accountable.” Additionally, if people who report the violence are also those who are more likely to be targets of police violence, they are more easily arrested and recriminalized, as Survived and Punished highlights in its new #DefundPrisonsDefendSurvivors campaign. This happens most often to those who are Black, undocumented, poor, transgender, queer, disabled, of color, and sex workers. Immigrant families are reluctant to report domestic violence to police because they fear it will lead to deportation. In Los Angeles, the police chief suggested that a climate of fear caused by the federal government’s inhumane immigration policies led to significant drops in the number of Latinx people reporting domestic violence. Instead of continuing to spend tax dollars on criminal-legal system responses to domestic violence, the nation should invest in community-based responses that support all people affected by violence. These support services should be culturally rooted, grounded in an understanding of gender and state violence, focused on prevention and intervention, and made available to all people, not just those in an immediate crisis. This approach would address racial inequities in access to supportive services and create the conditions required for everyone to be safe. We have good models to build on. For example, Fathers and Families of San Joaquin, California, leads the Stockton Trauma Recovery Center, which supports the healing of entire families in a manner that acknowledges the burdens of racial and social injustice that families of color have carried for generations. Through Healing Together, a campaign led by PolicyLink and the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color, more than 80 organizations have come together to end partner violence by engaging men, and people of all genders, to shift system responses toward community-based healing and equity, and away from the punishment system. And philanthropic allies such as the Blue Shield of California Foundation are supporting innovative thinking to address domestic violence. More funders concerned with health and wellness should consider joining them to build momentum for addressing these important needs. This October, millions of advocates and survivors are acknowledging Domestic Violence Awareness Month against the backdrop of Covid-19. The community, health, and social service resources we need for healing and relationship building should be a cornerstone of the nation’s Covid response and its approach to ending family violence. When our relationships are safe and healthy, so are our communities. Marc Philpart is a Managing Director at PolicyLink.    Highlights from the News, Analysis, and Commentary Making A Just Economy In the debut episode of #Unfinished Live, a new online show, Angela Glover Blackwell joins a discussion on what makes a just economy. You can tune in here and get the schedule for future episodes on democracy and voice, technology and humanity, and culture and change. Author Jim Tankersley tells the podcast Pitchfork Economics that inclusion is the key to rebuilding the economy and the middle class. "What history shows us is that the American economy grows and thrives when women and men of color and immigrants are given more opportunity — when we reduce discrimination and give them more pathways to contribute their talents to our economy." Arts and Culture Drive Action “Resist Covid / Take 6!,” a sprawling “social impact” installation conceived by artist Carrie Mae Weems, uses her iconic photography to educate communities of color about the disparate impact of Covid, highlight preventive measures, dispel myths, and celebrate essential workers. The project originated in Syracuse and has expanded to 10 other cities, including Atlanta, Detroit, Philadelphia, Durham, and most recently, New York. You can read about it in the online arts magazine Hyperallergic and check out this 2-minute video of the project taking shape in Philadelphia. More Curated News, Analysis, and Commentary >> Please share with your networks, send your ideas and feedback, and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram using hashtag #COVIDandRace. We hope you find the COVID-19 and Race Series an important tool for keeping up with news about the virus and its impact on communities we serve. As a nonprofit organization, PolicyLink is honored to provide resources to support the needs of our nation's 100 million economically insecure individuals. Generous partners like you make our work possible.