Engage with news and opinions from around the web about under-reported, untold stories from undercovered communities.
In Florida, students born to illegal immigrants sue over tuition
“A class-action lawsuit has been filed in Miami by Florida residents being charged out-of-state tuition rates to attend state colleges and universities. The students are American citizens — children who were born in the U.S. to illegal immigrants — and they say Florida’s regulations violate their constitutional rights.” – National Public Radio
Census: As all-white enclaves vanish, U.S. neighborhoods defined by diversity
“Around the region and across the country, the archetypal all-white neighborhood is vanishing with remarkable speed. In many places, the phenomenon is not being driven by African Americans moving to the suburbs. Instead, it is primarily the result of the nation’s soaring number of Hispanics and Asians , many of whom are immigrants. The result has been the emergence of neighborhoods, from San Diego to Denver to Miami, that are more diverse than at any time in American history.” – The Washington Post
Dia de los Muertos holiday remembers the living
“The pre-Hispanic, Mayan and Aztec roots of the Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, date back at least 3,000 years. Traditionally associated with Mexico, its celebration has also found its way around the world, often blending in local cultural influences with the ancient traditions.” – MSNBC
Vivek Wadhwa: To increase entrepreneurship, encourage diversity
“This means that the key to boosting entrepreneurship and innovation is to encourage diversity, mentor entrepreneurs and facilitate their networking. Science parks and industry subsidies can’t do this. This holds important lessons too for groups that are left out of tech entrepreneurship—such as women, African Americans, and Hispanics. They need to continue to form new networks and strengthen existing ones in order to uplift each other and address concerns unique to their communities. Government can’t make that happen either.” – The Washington Post
New chief of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences balances change with tradition
“In June, [Dawn] Hudson was named to replace the academy’s retiring executive director, Bruce Davis. A 20-year presence on the independent film scene, she arrived with a commitment to social and ethnic diversity, a determination to raise the academy’s public profile and a reputation for shaking things up … At issue today is whether Ms. Hudson can accomplish a delicate balancing act: opening the group to fresh talent and unleashing its vast resources — net assets topped $258 million last year, while television deals for the Academy Awards guarantee a billion dollars in revenue over the next decade — without losing the confidence of a 43-member board that built its nest egg, and the Oscar brand, by protecting what already works.” – The New York Times