The Cost of Chocolate
A new report sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor revealed that the world's largest chocolate companies rely on more than 1 million child laborers in West Africa. In 2001, Congress pressured chocolate companies to eradicate child labor, but they failed to meet deadlines from 2005 to 2010. Will they adhere to the new 2025 goal? If the past is any indication, consumers need to get involved.
Whistleblower Alleges Grave Harms at ICE Detention Center
In a whistleblower report submitted by Project South, Dawn Wooten, a practical nurse at a privately-owned ICE facility, discloses staggering instances of disregard for public health and the lack of informed consent when performing hysterectomies on non-English-speaking detainees.
Two Bills, One Mission: Protect Indigenous Women
Two bipartisan bills are on President Trump's desk: Savanna's Act and the Not Invisible Act. Both are designed to protect Indigenous women in the United States through, among other processes, better law enforcement coordination and case monitoring. According to the CDC, murder is the third-leading cause of death for American Indian and Alaska Native women under age 19.
Farmworkers Face Wildfires
As wildfires rage on the West Coast, farmworkers continue to harvest crops. On top of the coronavirus pandemic, they have faced soaring summer temperatures, unpredictable fires, and dense smoke. Some companies, like Oregon's Arlyn Vineyard, have prioritized health and safety over profits, but there's more we can all do year-round to protect these essential workers and valuable members of our community.
Women's Rights are Human Rights
Twenty-five years ago today, Hillary Rodham Clinton was center stage at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing to stand tall for women’s rights and let the world know that “women’s rights are human rights and human rights are women's rights.”
A World Without Landmines
Today is April 4th, the Day for Mine Assistance and Awareness. I learned about landmines because of Princess Diana's iconic 1997 HALO Trust trip to Angola. Mine clearance organizations have worked tirelessly, but Landmine Free 2025 states that "more than 60 million people live in fear of being injured or killed by landmines." On top of that startling statistic, the U.S. government, a champion for landmine clearance since 1993, unfortunately changed their landmine policy in 2020.