If you’re looking to get out and about, and maybe unleash a bit of pent-up activism, opportunities abound. Whether it’s advocating on behalf of COVID survivors, in favor of the expanded Child Tax Credit, or simply want to see Congress enact more family-friendly policies, a number of activities are on the horizon.
Archives: Voices
Experts: Impending ‘hunger cliff’ could affect millions
Hunger is once again on the rise in America. Experts say it is about to get worse – and it could get a lot worse.
CHN’s COVID-19 Watch: Tracking Hardship, April 18, 2022
The tax fairness edition. COVID-19 cases are on the rise in a majority of states as well as Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. — in some cases, sharply. Thankfully, we are not seeing any increases in deaths or hospitalizations. Meanwhile, it is that time of year when Americans are asked to settle up with the IRS. Well – some of us are asked to settle up. We now know that the wealthiest Americans, along with large corporations, profited greatly during the pandemic and are not required to pay their fair share of taxes.
Resilient But Not Recovered: After two years of the COVID-19 crisis, women are still struggling
You may have heard a lot lately about the nation’s recovery – despite inflation woes, wages are surging and we’re witnessing the lowest unemployment rates in years. But recovery from a pandemic-related recession is not at all equal. It discriminates on the basis of race, income level, industry, and even geography. And in this case, it particularly discriminates on the basis of gender.
A Pandemic of the Poor
As our country approaches 1 million deaths from COVID-19, it can feel impossible to wrap our heads around such a devastating figure. But it’s essential if we want to treat the pre-existing conditions that made it so deadly. In the beginning, many thought the pandemic would be “a great equalizer,” since the virus doesn’t distinguish between rich and poor. But the tragic reality is that our economic and public health systems do discriminate.
Americans are Calling for Federal Assistance to Save a Failed Private Child Care Market
High-quality child care plays an essential role in children’s development, allows working parents to remain employed, and provides an income for child care workers. However, child care centers have become endangered species. In fact, economists are calling the child care crisis a perfect example of a market failure.
How virtual learning led to racial inequity in education achievement gaps
As families continue to navigate the pandemic, Black and Latino students remain at risk academically. One critical reason involves virtual learning. Early on, virtual learning was viewed as an innovative and necessary response to school closings. Students couldn’t be in the classroom in the pandemic’s early days, but they could still learn, the thinking went. But it did not always work out that way.
Lessons about poverty in America’s heartland
I grew up poor. My single-dad grew up poor. And now, even as entrepreneurs — the embodiment of America’s “can-do” spirit and the engine of our economy — my partner and I are only just making ends meet. I’ve had to learn a lot about poverty over the years — the endless toil, the insufficient health care, the exposure to polluted environments. It grinds down the body and the spirit. But I’ve also learned that suffering can be transformed into powerful movements for change.
CHN’s latest Human Needs Report: A look at President Biden’s FY23 budget proposal
CHN just released another edition of the Human Needs Report. Read on for a comprehensive look at President Biden’s FY 2023 budget proposal.
CHN urges all members of U.S. Senate to support the nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson
On Monday, April 4, the Coalition on Human Needs delivered a letter to all members of the U.S. Senate, urging a yes vote on the nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. The text of the letter, which was signed by CHN Executive Director Deborah Weinstein, is below.
CHN celebrates the “very good news” of Biden Administration’s ending inhumane rejection of asylum seekers
The Coalition on Human Needs applauds the announcement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that it is terminating its Title 42 public health order that suspended the rights of people from even making a claim for refuge in the United States, effective May 23. This is very good news for thousands of desperate people. It also affirms the rule of law and the urgent need to carry out federal policy in accordance with human rights.
CHN’s COVID-19 Watch: Tracking Hardship, April 1, 2022
The move aside, omicron AB.1 edition. New COVID-19 cases in the U.S. continue to decline, and deaths and hospitalizations are way down. But the decline in new cases is not nearly as sharp as it was two weeks ago – just 12 percent, compared with 43 percent in mid-March. And some states, including New York, are now reporting an increase in new cases. All of this comes as omicron AB.2, a subvariant of its predecessor and more infectious, has emerged as the dominant variant in the U.S.