A Dutch artist completing a master’s degree in photography at the time of the spill, Marjan was drawn back to the Gulf Coast after a prior visit, with the goal of illustrating the disaster in a different light through her art. Having grown up in the small city of Ghent, Belgium, the variety of wildlife she encountered both shocked her and evoked a deeper affection for the ocean and its coastal habitats. As a volunteer with Share the Beach, an Alabama based sea turtle conservation program, the trash she found during daily “turtle walks” inspired her photography projects. Her time volunteering ultimately led her to a career in coastal conservation as she eventually landed a job supporting and implementing the Leave Only Footprints initiative in Orange Beach, Alabama. The initiative aims to raise awareness and participation in Leave No Trace principles along the Alabama Gulf Coast, an area that attracted nearly 7 million tourists in 2019.
With over 30 miles of beaches, the Alabama Gulf Coast habitat is strained by the balance of beachgoers and marine life such as sea turtles, dolphins, and birds. Marjan and the Leave Only Footprints initiative aim to educate the millions of visitors every year about the importance of local wildlife and maintaining clean, healthy beaches. On the beach, Marjan participates in cleanups and science programs, and educates beachgoers about the thousands of turtles that rely on clean beaches to be their nesting grounds during the busiest months of the year. In an area that did not have a recycling program when she arrived in 2010, she is struck by how much litter, trash, and even perfectly functional gear is left on the beach every day. The coastal resources team recycles everything they can - metal, glass, beach chairs, boogie boards, etc. and even has recycled toy boxes at public accesses to give plastic beach toys a second and third life instead of going straight to the landfill.
Just a small portion of the boogie boards the Coastal Resources Team collects during the summer months
Having been an artist prior to coming to the Gulf Coast, Marjan saw her work on the beach as an opportunity to combine her passion for art and conservation in a novel way to help educate beachgoers. The idea came to her during a cleanup when her colleague found a barnacle covered wig washed up on the beach. A spontaneous thought occurred to her, “I need to create a person with this wig.”4 This was the birth of her alter-ego, Jane Trash. Marjan took the idea, and the hundreds of scraps she finds on the beach, from the fabric on boogie boards to random washed up items, and created ocean trash garments. In her ocean upcycled attire, Jane Trash takes to the beach, using her colorful outfits and knowledge of the local ecosystem to inspire kids and parents to clean up and protect their beaches. She explains how children and beachgoers find the character especially compelling, “... when I go and clean up the beach and children see it, they start picking up too. Leading by example is definitely a really good way to go.”
Additionally, as she collects and recycles more and more items, she selects specific pieces to be part of her OceanTrash Bible, a collection of photographs of the oddities she finds on the beach. Her goal is to connect people to the environment in a unique way, while supporting coastal conservation by donating half of her earnings made from her art to coastal cleanup efforts.
Jane Trash at work with young beachgoers (Above); one of a growing number of Oceantrash Bible pieces, collected and photographed by Marjan (Below)
Being the multi-faceted and creative individual she is, Marjan is also a member of Exxpedition, an all-female group that investigates the impact of plastic pollution in the oceans through research-focused sailing voyages. Though the sailing has been put on hold due to COVID-19, they continue to conduct plastic pollution research and explore potential solutions. With a greater understanding of the pollution problem and its impact on the environment, the Exxpedition team seeks to inspire others to take action and find their own means of contributing to fixing a global problem. For Marjan and her fellow Exxpedition crewmates, the team also offers the incredible group of multidisciplinary women a space to connect and grow while working towards the common goal of a plastic free future.
When asked how she approaches what's often seen as an overwhelming issue, Marjan explains, “take little steps. You’re going to give up if it looks too overwhelming… if you do little stuff… try to find a solution to that one thing and work on that, and once you have that down, just do another thing and do one step at a time. And look after two years where you came from and where you are now - you just don’t even realize that you did all that work.” As part of Exxpedition and the Leave Only Footprints initiative, this means breaking down the issues of ocean pollution or beach littering into more achievable tasks, such as researching microplastics or implementing waste disposal and recycling policies on the beach. In her personal life, she takes the same approach towards reducing her own plastic consumption, starting with analyzing the plastic she finds in her trash. She identifies a specific plastic item and replaces it with a more environmentally responsible alternative, such as making her own beeswax plastic wrap, formulating her own toothpaste to prevent plastic tubes from going to the landfill, or simply cutting plastic water bottles out of her shopping list and using her own reusable bottle throughout the day. She stresses that everyone can take similar steps in their own daily routines to cut down on single use plastic items, and that it’s important to reflect and give oneself credit for progress made towards solving global problems.
Marjan implements this same approach towards her OceanTrash Bible and her biodegradable design and clothing line that she plans to release in the next year. She hopes her positivity towards such a widespread, challenging issue will inspire and help others reach their “shift” moment, in which they realize that something commonplace in their lives, such as plastic consumption - plastic bags, bottles etc, has negative effects towards the environment, but also has equally as approachable solutions. If you’d like to learn more about Marjan, her art, and her experience on Exxpedition, you can visit her site here. For more information specifically on the Leave Only Footprints initiative or Exxpedition, visit cleanisland.org or exxpedition.com.
Sources
“I would say first and foremost the reason we had such a high turnout in Texas was because of organizing. We saw it not only in Texas but in Georgia and we saw it in Arizona. Both of those states were able to turn blue because of the grassroots organizations that were out there.” Marcy Miranda, Communications Director of Jolt Action, told me during our interview. Jolt Action was founded in 2016 in direct response to Donald Trump’s election victory and is the largest Latinx progressive organization in Texas.
Jolt’s core mission is focused on building political power and influence among Latinx youth through education programs that show how they can become the next influential leaders of the state of Texas. Jolt accomplishes this by uplifting issues and voices in the Latinx community, endorsing candidates up and down the ballot, conducting year-long issue advocacy to engage voters on the issues that matter most to them, and providing training to Latinx youth on public speaking, advocacy, digital organizing, and mobilization so that they can be effective leaders for their community.
This type of work is what drew Marcy to the organization as she has had prior experiences working in journalism, government, politics, and advocacy for a few years now. When she moved to Texas she recognized that “There is a lot of power and potential for Latinos and communities of color in Texas. And ultimately, I really wanted to turn Texas blue. I really hoped that Jolt could help turn Texas blue. I think it is possible.”
As the Texas demographic shifts, Latinx and people of color are about to constitute the majority of the population by 2030. To put that in context, Marcy describes how “Every year, 200,000 Latinos become eligible to vote.” That is a large enough voting block that can swing an election. For instance, Marcy and others at Jolt Action refer to how the Texas Senate race between Ted Cruz and Beto O'Rourke was a major indicator of the potential to transform Texas politics. “I think the 2018 midterms election was an incredible opportunity to see some of that shift in how the ground is really shaking for Republicans because Beto O'Rourke, was 2 points away from beating Ted Cruz. That hadn’t happened since the 70s. We had such a close race for Democrats. If you think about it now, we have 200,000 young Latinos come of age, I think 241,000 was the number in which Beto lost” (Miranda, Interview 2021). This shows that as each year passes, more voters become eligible and Republicans can no longer take the results of elections for granted. Furthermore, candidates on both sides of the political aisle will have to work hard, invest resources, and prove to these new voters that they will have their best interests in mind in terms of policy.
This is where Jolt comes in. Just because Latinos come of age and are eligible to vote does not guarantee a vote for every and any Democratic candidate. Their vote must be earned by political organizers engaging these voters, and by politicians addressing relatable causes. Jolt recognizes this by bringing together shared values that tie these communities together. Marcy states, “We care about family, we care about our community, we care about our kids, we want to live the American dream and have a better future…. So, when we talk to folks in our community that is kind of what we go to, we go back to our roots to what it is that brings us here and what it is that ties us together... We understand that we may all come from different places and spaces, but at the root of it we all have the same shared history that allows us to connect with each other, and that is what we try to bring to the table at Jolt - that same culture those same values, that is how we connect with them.” These efforts have shown to be effective in terms of turning out the Latinx vote in recent elections.
For example, Jolt led a specific get out the vote campaign and targeted 75,000 young Latinos under the age of 40 who are low propensity voters. These voters are typically ignored by political parties because they are considered unsafe voters who cannot be relied on to turn out. Jolt did the opposite. “We went to those folks, mostly Latinos and we said, your vote matters, your vote counts, has anyone asked you to come out? The thing about Latino communities is we are not going to come to a party if we are not invited to it. And most politicians in both political parties don’t come and invite us to their party. So we at Jolt took it upon ourselves to go out to our communities and say, this is your party, y'all are invited to show up” (Miranda, Interview 2021). The results were astonishing for many people at Jolt and for the state of Texas. By the time early voting came around, 26% of those whom Jolt had reached out to had already voted, and at the end of early voting, 38% of the first-time voters had already cast their ballot. To put this in perspective, on average, only 6% of first-time voters are likely to vote. Jolt was able to accomplish 38%. Of that 38% of first-time voters, 80% were under the age of 35 (Marcy, Interview).
This shows campaigns and voters that investing more in outreach into these communities can have a much more significant impact than once expected, especially, for younger voters of color. “That is why I think it is so important for campaigns to do that for parties and I think that is why I am hopeful for Texas because we did it in our own small way and our own little mini experiment, so when we do it on a bigger level when a lot of organizations like us come together with big money, there is no way that Democrats can’t win. It is really ours to lose. We just have to get the investment, get the infrastructure in early so that we can truly transform Texas” (Miranda, Interview 2021). Despite the success that Jolt has had organizing at a grassroots level by engaging youth at a young age to achieve record turnout, Democrats are losing the state as these Latinx voters are continually suppressed and marginalized when it comes to having an equal opportunity to vote and participate in politics.
Currently, the Republican-led state legislator and (R) Gov. Greg Abbott has already attempted to curb the most recent turnout in Texas by introducing HB6. The bill aims to reduce the likelihood of voter fraud in elections, even though there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in Texas or elsewhere. The bill contains the following:
This clearly reflects the desire to make it harder, but also scarier to cast one’s ballot based on the criminal provisions in the state of Texas. “The truth is our elections are secure and that is proven to be true for many years, even Donald Trump’s own Department of Justice said that they didn’t see any evidence of election interference. So we know this is just another way Republicans are trying to get back at communities of color, at young people who showed up and vote and it is another opportunity for them to try and suppress our vote and we are not going to stand for it” (Miranda, Interview 2021). Furthermore, Jolt has taken it upon itself to incorporate efforts to fight back against these efforts to suppress these voters.
One way the organization is attempting to resolve these voter suppression efforts is to expand and grow the coalition that they have done so well to create. As mentioned earlier, even though Texas voters have turned out at a higher rate than in years past, it has not produced the results for Democratic candidates that many people on the ground have hoped for. Jolt believes that they can continue to build upon a Democratic coalition with more investment from state and national resources. According to Marcy, “Whether people want to recognize it or not. [Texas] is a voter-suppressed and gerrymandered state. If we had more money or more organizations on the ground doing the work that we are doing, not just 4 months before the elections or 6 months before the election, but the years in between, building up those opportunities, building up the pipeline, getting the word out, we would be in a much better state.” It would be a mistake to overlook the results that Texas has generated for Democrats. The numbers are clearly there, especially in a matter of time when people of color become the state’s population majority. This demographic of voters tends to vote democratically. Therefore, “An investment in Texas is exactly what democrats need. It is exactly what progressives need in order to really make big wins. Texas is a battleground state” (Miranda, Interview 2021). Still, as of now, there is a lot of excitement about what the state has in store for the future of Texas politics because of organizations like Jolt Action that are being inclusive to the political realm and building the next generation of leaders in a state has been so severely underrepresented the Latino community.
Works Cited:
Harper, Karen. “Despite record turnout, some Texas voters were still shut out.” Texas Tribune. November 6th, 2020.
Miranda, Marcy. Interview. Conducted by Nikhil Inalsingh. March 1st, 2021.
Balkis Chaabane distinctly represents someone who strives to create a positive impact in her community through a commitment to organizing, civic engagement, and education. Currently, she is the Youth Engagement Community Practice Advisor of USAID (United States Agency for International Development), Regional Director of World Youth Alliance, and Selection Committee Advisor of IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board), but describes her work as an interdisciplinary effort that goes beyond just her professional titles. She earned a BA in English with a triple major in linguistics, literature, and civilization, but discovered that her true passion lies in international affairs, conflict resolution, peacebuilding, training, and facilitation. According to Balkis who has been especially focused on empowering the next generation of activists, “All of these things have really allowed me to have a set of skills that are quite diverse that I can use working with youth.”
Balkis grew up in Tunisia at the height of the Arab Spring and the Tunisian Revolution and had consequently been exposed to how activism and community organizing can leave an impact on something larger than oneself. “I think all that has definitely [created] the person that I am today,” Balkis said in our interview. “...because growing up and witnessing dictatorship. And then witnessing the country transition into a democracy and all the things that came with it and the difficulties.” Living through conflict is immensely challenging, and it is often difficult to fully consider all the nuances of the people and populations involved in conflict-ridden countries.
At a young age, she gained an understanding of current events and the history of the Middle East, which she attributes to one of her biggest inspirations - her father. “He has been the one that is telling me about all these things that are happening in the world since I was little, to be honest. I always say by the age of 12 I knew everything that was going on in the Middle East. And that made me passionate to learn more.” Ultimately, living through these events is what sparked Balkis’ mission to find resolutions to these types of conflicts on a professional level. “We need to do something, we need to change the narrative,” Balkis says.
Through the work that she does via her many professional and voluntary roles - one noteworthy goal Balkis has is to become a peacebuilder. Peacebuilding is an interdisciplinary practice that aims to resolve injustice in nonviolent ways and transform the cultural and structural conditions that generate deadly or destructive conflict (United Nations). Since there are many variables to assess in peacebuilding work, it can be extremely challenging to create lasting unity in intense conflict. Therefore, an important aspect of peacebuilding is creating sustainable solutions that will work in the future. Balkis notes, “First of all, you have to understand the history behind the conflict, you have to understand the cultural background of the people and to also really understand all of the foreign powers and different countries and laws that contributed to it. So, it is quite complicated.” Due to the complexities of these conflicts, she stresses that shortcuts should be avoided.
Ultimately, solving a conflict that only yields a short-term solution has the potential to create an even more developed conflict in the future. Balkis outlines a two-pronged approach to achieve peace. “First of all, it is not the people it is the government, and even if the people voted for that government, they probably didn’t know a lot about [what] those governmental officials had in mind or wanted to do or what their agendas actually were because we all know when they run for office it is one thing, but when they actually take the office it is a whole different story. [Second,] And also people need to understand that, at the end of the day, another person living in that country is a human being just like you who is trying to survive on a daily basis in whatever state that they are in and under certain restrictions.” This is the power that governments tend to exert over their constituents, promising one thing but delivering something else. Ultimately, their influence in already destabilized regions can turn people against each other, people who may come from different backgrounds or cultures but, at the end of the day, are trying to survive like everyone else. With 5 years of experience working in the non-profit sector, Balkis has a greater understanding of the functions of the industry and is using her experience and knowledge to found her own project - the Leading Impact Institute.
In her mind, the Leading Impact Institute will be a “think and do tank” that has an emphasis on not only brainstorming and research-based analysis but providing real solutions that can be implemented in everyday life. “Our vision is to create a more sustainable world, where information is accessible, and every person’s potential is fully explored and equal. This came with the frustrations that I have faced, and so I knew at one point in my life that I needed to start doing more…” In practice, Leading Impact Institute will provide research, learning resources, and certified training to the public for free, with a specific focus on creating a more just and sustainable world through education, international development, social change, and leadership.
As her project is still in the early phases, she is treating the organizational framework as, “led by youth, empowered by experts.” At the core of this idea, Balkis acknowledges how experts can be helpful and even invaluable but emphasizes that keeping youth at the center of decision-making is ultimately the most important aspect of this organization. She explains, “when you hear ‘think tank’, it is usually led by a board of professionals, and focused on people with more experience. This is what I wanted to change; I did not want to limit myself to that being the only framework. I wanted to create a space where you work in an environment that is like a family and provides equal opportunity to people that will work in the Institute.” She hopes that the Leading Impact Institute will maintain and grow its influence to eventually provide recommendations for policy and peacebuilding in areas of conflict.
Balkis acknowledges that although they have their work cut out for them to achieve this goal, she’s committed to finding creative solutions to the complex issues that have affected and continue to affect millions of lives, including her own. When asked about how she got started, her response was simple, “starting this organization was just an idea, and I just decided to get started.” She sees this as evidence of how one can make a bold impact - get started, and you will be surprised at the results that one can make. Even if the idea is small right now, it has the potential to grow into something bigger.
Works Cited:
Chaabane, Balkis. Interview. Conducted by Nikhil Inalsingh, 1 February 2021.
United Nations, Peacebuilding Support Office. Peacebuilding: An Orientation. September 2020.
The Coronavirus pandemic has presented many challenges that continue to affect our everyday lives to different degrees. Even with vaccine distribution undergoing, our nation still has a long way to go to recover from the residual impacts. One community that has been disproportionately impacted by Covid-19 was restaurants and other food and beverage businesses. This industry represents the fabric of local economies and cultural identity within communities through food and hospitality. As the pandemic unfolded, a vast majority of these businesses did not have adequate support to withstand the collapse of this industry. Now, many question the future of the industry and how it might recover.
Organizations, celebrity chefs, and local consumers recognized that these establishments have a significant impact on their local communities that went beyond the flavor of the food, so they decided to step up by providing much needed financial assistance. The Southern Smoke Foundation, located in Houston, Texas, is one example of an organization that has taken it upon itself to provide disaster relief funds for workers in the food and beverage industry. Kathryn Lott, their current director, spoke with me about how she started working at the foundation and helped carry out their mission to support struggling restaurant and hospitality workers through financial relief.
Kathryn, who has a background in the nonprofit world - specifically performing arts, was contacted by her dear friend and co-founder of the Southern Smoke Foundation, Chef Chris Shepherd, who asked if she would participate in the foundation as a consultant. At first, Southern Smoke rallied to raise funds for the MS Society as a dedication to Chef Shepherd’s friend and former sommelier, Antonio Gianola, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Southern Smoke has donated $654,000 to the MS Society, making it the largest third-party fundraiser in a five-state area. Just three months after Lott joined the team, Hurricane Harvey hit Houston and Lott was catapulted into a much larger role in the foundation by expanding Southern Smoke’s mission by launching their emergency relief fund.
Establishing this relief fund meant providing much-needed assistance for the people working in the food and beverage industry in Houston who may be facing a variety of crises: for example, medical bills, a car accident, weather catastrophes, family support assistance, unemployment, and mental health needs. Kathryn recalls a conversation with Chris after Hurricane Harvey made landfall when they realized they needed to do more,“When Hurricane Harvey hit here in Houston, Chris Shepherd, our founder, called me and said, ‘Hey I need to figure out how to get money directly into the hands of people in the food and beverage industry that are experiencing this particular crisis’” (Lott). From that moment on, the Southern Smoke team embarked on a whole different system for the disaster relief fund by identifying a void in monetary support for a vulnerable constituent base. “We really pivoted at that time to make it our main focus, meaning the emergency relief fund, and continuing to operate on a full-time basis as far as funding full-time workers that were in crisis” (Lott). Applicants could apply to Southern Smoke to access these funds to help them recover from the impacts of this natural disaster. Ultimately, The Southern Smoke Foundation was able to donate $501,000 to 139 people in need during Hurricane Harvey.
As Southern Smoke was channeling their energy towards Houston food and beverage workers through the Hurricane Harvey Crisis, “[Chris] just kept saying, ‘We got to take care of our own...There is nobody else out here doing this.’ And I called him after one of our meetings and I told him ‘Oh, that is our tagline’” (Lott). Chris and the Southern Smoke team helped restaurant workers as if they are family by supporting them through times of crisis. Their goal of helping their urban neighbors ultimately created the framework for conducting their mission-based work in Houston and eventually expanding it to help restaurant and hospitality workers around the country.
Covid-19 has created a larger role for Southern Smoke to help restaurant and hospitality workers during this challenging time. Kathryn and the rest of the Southern Smoke team recognized the dire circumstances that many of the applicants have faced because of the pandemic and immediately knew their attention had to be focused on this emerging national crisis. The food and beverage industry has always been a reliable source of employment and economic opportunity - especially during times of hardship. However, this crisis has caused mass furloughs, layoffs, and restaurant closures, and has left many workers to wonder if they will ever be able to restore their livelihoods and get back to work.
At the beginning of 2020, Kathryn was the only full-time employee before they slowly started hiring case managers, application screeners, and communication specialists, all of whom had been furloughed or lost their jobs in the food and beverage industry due to the Coronavirus. Kathryn said, “we stayed the course as far as our value and operation system [and had] already established the best operating procedures for us. . . obviously, it was a little bit more extensive considering the massive influx of applications that we had for the amount of people we had to train, but that part of what we do has always stayed the same” (Lott). Case managers would work on a case-by-case basis that would operate in real time and prioritize applicants according to urgency. As Southern Smoke continued to grow and garner nationwide attention from food and beverage workers seeking financial relief, more opportunities became available through collaboration with other organizations to help even more people on a national scale.
Collaborating with others is what has strengthened Southern Smoke’s Covid-19 relief efforts. Kathryn highlights how this collaboration enabled them to create a bigger impact, “One of the first phone calls that we received was from the Restaurant Community Foundation, an incredible organization that is at the top of everybody’s giving list, when they were researching who to donate to during this time. I think this is pretty new grounds for a lot of people who are looking to support. They called us and said, ‘Hey, how do we do this? How do we process these applications, how do we go through the scrutiny and verify employment?’ And I responded, ‘Tell you what, why don’t you do what you do so well, and we do what we do well.’ So, we created a partnership immediately with them where half of their funding for COVID-19 is given to Southern Smoke, [and] Southern smoke is the operational arm of this partnership” (Lott). This truly reflects the organization's ability to work at a grassroots level and provide relief where it is most needed. As of now, the foundation has gifted in almost every state across the country.
Kathryn notes though that despite their success with raising money for food and beverage workers, they still face challenges with going into different markets and cities that have their own unique regional circumstances. “We must do a lot of leg work to gain the trust of those in any market we go into. We partner with many other like-minded nonprofit organizations from women’s shelters to immigration nonprofits to domestic violence to wherever. So, then we try to integrate ourselves through the food community there as well” (Lott).
The food and beverage industry has always been a reliable place of work for the middle-class, immigrant communities, people of color, and those who seek out the American Dream through owning their own business. According to Kathryn, she feels that “[this] safety net for this country is going through its own entire financial crisis and it is not going to be there for those folks” (Lott). The lack of a support system in place for the food and beverage industry makes the money that Southern Smoke provides even more important and necessary for this industry to recover. “At the end of the day, that is sort of what I bring it back to, as far as being one of the only organizations out there that can take on this amazing challenge… At this point in time [we have] distributed over 5 million dollars to people in need. Which is great. We are geared up to hopefully achieve that entire number next year, our goal is to hopefully distribute close to 6 million in a 12-month period of time,” says Lott (Lott). Southern Smoke has truly taken it upon themselves to provide financial relief, employment opportunities, and mental health resources, and continues to find ways to leave a bold, lasting impact as we recover from this pandemic.
Right now, Southern Smoke is still in the thick of things to continue to get money into the hands of food and beverage workers in crisis. Nonetheless, the team acknowledges that eventually, they will have an opportunity to reflect upon the work they have done this past year and continue to grow as an organization. One will not know when a crisis presents itself. But you can sure bet that Southern Smoke will be ready to tackle any challenge that faces the food and beverage industry and its workers in the future. Read more about Southern Smoke Foundation by visiting their website https://southernsmoke.org/ and learn how you can contribute to their emergency relief fund.
Works Cited:
Lott, Kathryn. Interview. Conducted by Nikhil Inalsingh, 08 Dec 2020.
]]>In order to uphold the American principle of “one person one vote,” our elections need help from the public to create a system that produces higher turnout to hear from all voices, but this is easier said than done. Many Americans face barriers and institutional factors that have created an ineffective system that has made it harder to vote in America.
Covid-19 has generated another obstacle that must be overcome to ensure a fair and efficient election this November. One clear example of the pandemic having an impact on our election is the massive deficit of poll workers registered to work the polls as fewer adults and elderly are volunteering because of Covid-19. With the upcoming 2020 November election being labeled as “the most important election in modern-day history,” this creates a scary reality.
Leo Kamin, the co-founder of Poll Hero, has become increasingly aware of the shortage of poll workers in this upcoming election. As a high school student from Colorado with an interest in politics, government, and civic engagement, he came across the opportunity to work the polls for the Colorado primary earlier in the spring. “I really liked the experience and I also saw my co-workers were much older (ages 70+). I started to understand the demographics of the people that normally work the polls. As we have [learned more about] the Coronavirus, adults and elders that would usually work the polls are really at risk” (Kamin). From that experience, reading articles of massive poll worker shortages, and seeing videos of long lines for voting, Leo knew this was a massive problem that needed to be addressed.
In collaboration with students from Princeton, Denver East High School, and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Poll Hero was created as an organizing effort to help Americans vote during a pandemic. At first, their efforts focused on enhancing and supporting a mail-in-ballot system for all states; however, they discovered that creating national legislation around mail-in voting and receiving federal funding would be incredibly challenging. “Especially trying to lobby the senate as a group of young people with few resources. Tackling the deficit of poll workers was more suited towards grassroots organizing,” says Leo (Kamin).
Their mission arrived at recruiting poll workers (specifically, Gen Z) to work the polls this coming election in November. In the 2018 midterm elections, "nearly 60 percent of poll workers were ages 61 and older. Because of COVID-19, far fewer older adults are volunteering to work the polls” (Barthel and Stocking). However, having a shortage of poll workers is not a new problem that our election system has faced. “Without a pandemic impacting our elections, nearly 70 percent of jurisdictions reported that for the 2018 elections it was difficult to recruit necessary poll workers. Now, it is predicted that a whopping 460,000 poll workers will be needed this year”(Kaldes). One may easily overlook these workers that are essential to ensure a well-functioning election, which led Poll Hero to mobilize their team to recruit workers to operate the polls this November. Without these poll workers, the elections cannot happen.
In less than two months, Poll Hero has recruited and signed up almost 22,000 poll workers - nearly 15,000 of whom were high school students. When Leo started this collaborative organization, he did not have a goal in mind, but he remembers the feeling of seeing the spreadsheet of people who signed up and was amazed. “The fact that we are at 22,000 blows my mind” (Kamin). Despite the progress made so far, he acknowledges the large deficit of poll workers, predicted to be nearly 460,000, and the incredible amount of work to be done as the election quickly approaches.
From starting locally in his home state to expanding Poll Hero’s recruitment campaign nationally, Leo has learned a lot about the complexities of our election system. Helping tens of thousands of people sign up to work the polls has shown that there are different requirements, forums, and ways in which people vote between all 50 states. This makes the mission of motivating individuals to become more civically engaged extremely difficult
Leo suggests creating a singular, streamlined system will make it easier to recruit individuals, apply for polling positions, and work the polls. As he said in our interview, “there are so many laws that I would like to see changed around elections. It seems that most of the regulations that we see these days are around making it more difficult for people to vote when really the problem that we have in the US is that not enough people turn out to vote'' (Kamin). Furthermore, he believes one major policy that could help increase turnout would be making the election a national holiday. “I think that would be a pretty easy thing to do. We see that if you are someone that works an hourly job, it is hard for you to take the time out of your day to vote, especially if there are long lines, for instance, if there is a lack of poll workers” (Kamin). Giving everyone the day off would help increase turnout and ensure that more marginalized communities are able to have their voices heard.
Leo and nearly 80 others of the Poll Hero team have already been discussing the next steps the organization can take on and after election day. “I know I personally will be working the polls and I think it is important for young people, especially for those who can't vote. Because I know in doing it myself, I saw the power of voting and how excited people were to do it and how much it meant to certain people” (Kamin). Leo and the Poll Hero team find that engaging young people under the age of 18 to work the polls is a great first step towards participating in our democracy as it gives them exposure and a sense of ownership over the voting process. After the election, they plan to continue the mission of recruiting young people to work the polls in elections to come.
In most places, there is no official deadline to apply to become a poll worker. A lot of recruitment happens days before the election. If you are interested in becoming a poll worker, visit pollhero.com and find out how you can contact your local election officials. Election disasters have become well documented and poll-workers only really scratch the surface of assuring just and equal elections. Nonetheless, it is a great way to participate in the election and do our part to support America’s Democracy.
Barthel, Michael, and Stocking, Galen. “Older People Account for Large Shares of Poll Workers, Voters in U.S. General Elections.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, July 2020.
Kamin, Leo. Interview. Conducted by Nikhil Inalsingh. September 19th, 2020.
Kaldes, Peter. “The Strength of Our Democracy May Hinge on Our Response to COVID.” TheHill, The Hill, 12 Sept. 2020,
]]>Our reactions to domestic threats in the United States have led to ideological wars such as the War on Drugs and the War on Terror meant to keep Americans and officers safe and reduce crime. To stay true to its commitment towards public safety, the United States responded by providing advanced equipment to local law enforcement. As a result, local police departments have gained access to resources from the larger military-industrial complex to combat any threats in our country.
Despite the intentions of added protection, this has the potential to instill a culture of militarism within local police departments across the country which can influence their actions in the field and escalate their use of force. Addressing police behavior and how they exercise force starts with evaluating the funding of police departments and their connection to our national armed forces. Together with analysis of the policies that have created a culture of violence against the communities our police have sworn to protect, we can then consider alternative solutions to policing in America
America has created the largest and most expensive military network in the world. In 2019, Congress approved a discretionary budget that provided the military $678 billion [over half of the budget] (Congressional Budget Office, 2020). Over time, large annual government spending has generated a surplus of military resources that was enabled to be re-distributed across U.S. local police forces to combat domestic crime.
Following Reagan’s eight-year presidency, the federal government was increasingly concerned that police forces were not equipped to fight crime, particularly drug related crime and eventually domestic terrorism. This led to Program 1208 in 1990, which provided local police departments access to military equipment specifically to combat domestic drug crimes and terrorism. Eventually, the Clinton Administration established Program 1033 in 1997, allowing the DOD to expand the original scope of 1208 to provide local police departments with more military-grade weaponry for purposes other than drug-related crimes, such as arrests and apprehension of criminals. The purpose of this policy was to put our officers in a safer position while simultaneously reducing domestic crime rates across the U.S.
These federal and state law enforcement agencies have requested a variety of equipment, from nonlethal equipment such as high-tech cameras and camouflage/surveillance technology equipment and office supplies to assault rifles, grenades, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, helicopters, and drones (Marshall). Should community members feel safer knowing that local law enforcement has access to our larger military-industrial complex? Supporters of 1033 claim that it reduces crime and keeps cities safer, whereas its opponents claim that the use of these military-grade weapons increases police violence. Studies have argued both sides, but no definitive claims have been made. The uncertainty over the effects of the 1033 Program call for a reconsideration of its intentions and ultimate real-world impact, especially given the disproportionate death and use of force against Black Americans at the hands of police.
The magnitude of military transfers has become problematic and increasingly difficult to understand as to why local police departments need so many of these resources. The Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO), which oversees the transfer process, estimates that over the course of this three-decade policy, $7.4 billion (Barrett) military property has been transferred to more than 8,000 law enforcement agencies (Bove and Gavrilova). However, experts are unclear on exact figures due to the lack of transparency of the transfers that took place. What are police departments doing with this abundance of military equipment, and more importantly, how is police behavior and use of force influenced by the availability of military technology? While there is still more research to be done on the topic, recent events have shown that the magnitude of this program may be instilling a militaristic culture in our police forces that furthers violence in American communities and disproportionately impacts BIPOC.
This transfer program has dulled the distinction between military soldiers and civilian police who are continuing to be armed with military equipment. Incorporating militarism into our domestic protection is based on the theory that “If superior, military-grade equipment helps the police catch more criminals and avert, or at least reduce, the threat of a domestic terror attack, then we ought deem it an instance of positive sharing technology...” (Rizer and Hartman). While this may have been the original intention of Program 1033, a survey conducted by Oxford University shows that 77% of field officers found that using these military resources influenced their policing and made them more aggressive (Marshall). This validates the growing civilian concerns that the use of military resources among local law enforcement “blurs the distinction between soldiers and peace officers” (Rizer and Hartman) while enabling more severe use of force.
Program 1033 started to receive push-back after the tragic murderer of Michael Brown by a Ferguson, Missouri Officer in 2014. On the second day of protests, citizens were met with armored vehicles, assault weapons, and camouflage uniforms. The use of such equipment in this and more recent police events has displayed the culture of militarization in our law enforcement, which has often had the unintended result of generating more violence and tension between police officers and the citizens attempting to peacefully protest. This led the Obama administration to review and curtail the 1033 Program by creating lists of “prohibited equipment” that could no longer be distributed to police, and “controlled equipment” that could only be provided for a demonstrated need.” According to Obama, “Militarized gear gives the impression that police are an occupying force as opposed to a part of the community they swore to protect." (Jackman). His efforts in limiting the 1033 Program were aimed towards creating greater cohesion between police forces and the communities they serve.
The public has had enough of Black Americans dying at the hands of police officers without any sense of accountability or changes in policing policy. The murder of George Floyd mobilized nationwide Black Lives Matter Protests demanding justice and equality. These same protests that demand justice, police accountability, action, and change have also been met with police officers that appear more like soldiers than local police. This overextension of the military into American life has gone too far, especially for BIPOC who are policed differently than their white counterparts. It is time for America to have a systematic discussion over the use of force used by police officers and the equipment they can use.
This article is not meant to target police officers by making them unsafe in the field, but there is clearly a problem with the current method of policing and use of force in our country. Defunding and reallocating the generous budget police departments have at their disposal is a first bold step that can be taken to promote a holistic approach to creating healthier and safer communities that do not involve military weaponry and enforcement. Currently, there is an unprecedented expansion of government power in the realm of policing. There need to be better guidelines that relegate the military mentality that is applied to policing. If there are no established rules and accountability for police officers, innocent citizens will continue to be portrayed as the enemy and criminals instead of the constituency the police should protect.
Works Cited:
Barrett, Brian. “The Pentagon’s Hand-Me-Downs Helped Militarize Police. Here’s How” Wired. June 2nd, 2020.
Bove, Vincenzo, and Gavrilova, Evelina. “Police Officer on the Frontline or a Soldier? The
Effect of Police Militarization on Crime.” American Economic Journal: Economic Policy. (2017).
Congressional Budget Office. “Discretionary Spending in 2019: An Infographic.” April 15th, 2020.
Jackman, Tom. “Trump to restore program sending surplus military weapons, equipment to police.” The Washington Post. August 27th, 2017.
Kraska, Peter. “Militarization and Police - Its Relevance to 21st Century Police.” Eastern Kentucky University. December 13th, 2007.
Marshall, Madeline. “Why America’s police look like soldiers.” Vox Media. June 25th, 2020.
Martin, Nicole, and Kposowa, Augustine. “Race and Consequences: An Examination of Police Abuse in America.” Journal of Social Sciences. January 25th, 2019.
Rizer, Arthur, and Hartman Joseph. “How the War on Terror Has Militarized the Police.” The Atlantic. November 7th, 2011.
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During the 2008 Financial Crisis, small businesses across America were at risk of permanently closing. Unfortunately, MWBE’s (Minority/Women Business Enterprise) were less likely to survive than white-male owned businesses. A 2014 Census Bureau study found that about 60% of white-owned businesses that existed in 2002 “survived” until 2011, compared to 49% of Black-owned businesses. Similarly, 61% of male-owned businesses survived until 2011, compared to 55% of female-owned businesses (U.S. Census Bureau, 2014). As of a result, national unemployment peaked at nearly 10% and required government intervention to initiate an economic recovery.
Many of these small businesses helped drive the economic recovery. For instance, MWBEs added 1.8 million jobs from 2007 to 2012, while firms owned by white males lost 800,000 jobs, and firms equally owned by white men and women lost another 1.6 million jobs (Liu and Parilla, 2020). MWBEs were thriving post-economic recession and played a prominent role in economic recovery. However, the Covid-19 induced economic recession can wipe out the gains of MWBEs based on our previous understanding of the last economic recession. As our world and economy become increasingly uncertain, it is important to uphold the local business that is the inner fabric of the American economy.
In response to the Covid-19 Recession, the Federal Government intervened and implemented the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which made $359 Billion worth of funds available for forgivable small business loans. Forgivable loans under the condition that 75 percent of the loan must be used to cover payroll costs. This loan structure is not ideal because it only leaves 25 percent to cover rent and other operational costs. Additionally, this economic measure has failed to reach the vast majority of MWBEs. The fund was completely exhausted within 2-weeks, having reached only 10% of MWBEs. According to the Center for Responsible Lending, "Roughly 95% of Black-owned businesses, 91% of Latino-owned businesses, 91% of Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander-owned businesses, and 75% of Asian-owned businesses stand close to no chance of receiving a PPP loan through a mainstream bank or credit union” (Cerullo, 2020). Banks like Bank of America, JPMorgan, Chase, and Wells Fargo prioritized larger loans and pre-existing customers during the first round of lending, leaving the majority of MWBEs without any immediate funding.
Since MWBEs were passed up in the first round of loans, the PPP leaves much to be improved upon. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused MWBEs to lose jobs, income, and wealth-building opportunities among these communities and for the economy overall (Liu and Parilla, 2020). What needs to be done? First, MWBEs need funding to cover costs beyond payroll, such as rent and operating costs. Second, more demand from everyday consumers will help prevent businesses from permanently closing their doors. Third, MWBEs require additional institutional support beyond receiving loans from banks to navigate the competitive and biased marketplace that in large part prevents these businesses from opening in the first place.
One non-profit that is fighting for economic equality through the promotion, training, and guidance of MWBEs in the San Francisco based organization, La Cocina. La Cocina, which translates to “the kitchen” in Spanish, acts as an incubator that helps female entrepreneurs from immigrant communities that often lack the resources to grow their small scale food operations. Caleb Zigas and Leticia Landa started La Cocina because of the intense barrier to entry in competitive markets like the San Francisco Bay Area. Zigas has stated, “The changing dynamic of San Francisco only makes that more extreme” (Cadigan, 2019). Low-income women of color are often excluded in the job market, and La Cocina provides an opportunity to move beyond wage labor to start their own businesses. La Cocina looks to nurture new businesses every year by offering resources for growth.
Nite Yun, the founder of Nyum Bai, a Cambodian brick and mortar that offers street food style dishes in Oakland, said “It was all just a dream. And for La Cocina to accept me, it meant that this could actually be a reality. Getting accepted encouraged me to pursue the dream with the support of the community. Being in that program definitely helped me refine the business vision. They have a lot of resources and so from that, I had the opportunity, I was lucky enough to work at various catering gigs and popups. That’s how it all started” (EBB, 2020). Businesses will work under the La Cocina infrastructure for 3-5 years and receive access to affordable kitchen space, technical training, market connections, and hands-on support with launching a new business. Eventually, partners will graduate and open a restaurant at their own location. In 2018 alone, 22 La Cocina graduate owned businesses created 152 full-time jobs in the Bay Area (Babür, 2020). This shows that a program like this is integral for underrepresented communities receiving the training to become economically liberated through the foodservice industry.
Despite the progress that La Cocina has accomplished, Covid-19 has prevented many restaurants, food trucks, and carts from earning their normal business margins. Within weeks of the pandemic, La Cocina's business sales declined by 80-100%, forcing businesses to close and lay off workers. Businesses like those under the umbrella of La Cocina need our support. Luckily, La Cocina has been proactive regarding its Covid-19 response by assisting partners through rent abatement and loan forgiveness, employee assistance, waiving kitchen fees, ensuring businesses are following proper safety measures, providing resources for funding programs outside of federal loans, and setting up a relief fund to provide further financial assistance. This offers hope that small independent restaurants owned by women of color can thrive in the competitive San Francisco Bay Area marketplace without the support of major restaurant groups.
On a national level, Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Oregon D-3, has released a white paper that recognizes the importance restaurants have in our society and the additional resources needed for them to survive. The Restaurants Act will make a $120 billion grant program to provide relief through 2020. This proposal seeks to address the initial shortcomings of the PPP by requiring that “...the first 14 days of funds will only be made available to restaurants with annual revenues of 1.5 million or less to target local small restaurants, particularly those that are owned or operated by women or people of color” (Blumenauer, 2020). In addition, it provides a holistic approach to fund the different aspects of a restaurant's expenses including payroll, benefits, mortgage, rent, utilities, maintenance, supplies (including protective equipment and cleaning materials), food, debt obligations to suppliers, and any other expenses deemed essential by the Secretary of the Treasury. Restaurants are deeply entwined within a region's culture and must be protected through programs of this magnitude to ensure a successful recovery for restaurants independently owned by women and/or people of color. With so many individuals and families experiencing financial and emotional hardships, it’s increasingly important that we unite behind MWBE’s to jumpstart economic recovery and put capital back into the hands of marginalized communities.
Works Cited:
Babür, Oset. La Cocina Is San Francisco's Culinary Dream-Maker. 2020
Blumenauer, Earl. “The Real Economic Support That acknowledges Unique Restaurant Assistance Needed to Survive (Restaurants) Act of 2020.” White Paper, 2020
Cadigan, Hilary. “How Do You Start a Small Food Business in America's Most Expensive City? Ask La Cocina.” Bon Appetit 2019
Cerullo, Megan. CBS News. Up to 90% of minority and women owners shut out of the Paycheck Protection Program, experts fear, April 2020.
EBB, “Let’s Eat! A Conversation with Nite Yun of Nyum Bai On The Search For Self and a More Meaningful Life,” 2020.
Liu, Sifan, and Parilla, Joseph. Businesses Owned by Women and Minorities Have Grown Will
Covid-19 Undo That, Brookings 2020.
“Owner Characteristics and Firm Performance During the Great Recession.” US Census Bureau 2014.
“The United States Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy,” 2018 Economic Profile.
]]>Human Trafficking is a 150 billion dollar industry (ILO) that is prevalent all over the world, but Thailand is one of the more extreme examples. In 2016, The Global Slavery Index estimated that there were 40.3 million men, women, and children living in modern-day slavery (Global Slavery Index). Of that massive number, 610,000 modern slaves are estimated to be in Thailand alone (Global Slavery Index). 60,000 being children sexually exploited for commercial gain each year (ECPAT). While there are many factors as to why exploitation is so high in Thailand, poverty is a significant catalyst. There are 6.7 million people living in poverty in Thailand (World Bank). Poverty leads to economic desperation which leads to a vulnerability that can end with exploitation. This vulnerability is exactly why organizations such as The Freedom Story are so important. It is important to address the root of the issue so that it can be avoided in the first place.
I started thinking about human trafficking when I decided to take a course on it during my last semester at UC Berkeley. I chose this course because I felt that I only had a surface-level understanding of what Human Trafficking was. That ended up being a complete understatement. Like many others in the class, I was unaware of how prevalent trafficking is and how much it affects our daily lives.
The first misconception I had was that trafficking meant that someone kidnapped someone else, brought them across a border, and forced them into sex work or working in a factory. I learned that it goes far beyond that. Referring to the legal definitions gives you a better understanding of what trafficking is, however, it is not the end all. There is not a universally recognized definition of Human Trafficking due to conflicting beliefs as to what should be included but I will provide you with the two most important. The first is from The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), a statute passed into law by the U.S Congress on October 11, 2000. The TVPA defines “severe forms of trafficking” as:
The second is from the Trafficking in Persons Protocol. Adopted by the United Nations on November 15, 2000, this protocol has three elements to their definition. The first element is the act (What is done): “Recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons.” The second element is the means (How is it done):
“Threat or use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or vulnerability, or giving payments or benefits to a person in control of the victim”
The third element is the purpose (why it is done):
“For the purpose of exploitation, which includes exploiting the prostitution of others, sexual exploitation, forced labor, slavery or similar practices and the removal of organs (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)."
While there has been some debate as to how effective these definitions are for combating trafficking, it does make it clear, generally, what human trafficking is.
I think instinctively, everyone knows that this is a serious problem but it’s scary to look under the hood and see what’s really there. But simply making an effort to understand the problem and being conscious of it in your everyday life can make a difference. I am by no means an expert on human trafficking, but if there is one lesson I have learned it is that a basic level of understanding of this problem is important and can make a difference.
As Lucy says in the interview, you don’t need to move to Thailand to be bold. You can make an impact in your own community or internationally through organizations that you believe in. Her biggest advice is to not be afraid that the impact you can make will not be enough. It might be difficult to see the impact that you are making as an individual but when we come together, the impact you can see is much greater. So let’s come together. Let’s be BOLD.
If you’re interested in supporting The Freedom Story you can do so directly at: https://thefreedomstory.org/donate/
You can also support us and The Freedom Story by buying The Freedom Tee where 20% of the proceeds will be donated to them: https://boldmovesonly.com/products/freedom-tee
You can listen to my interview with Lucy here: https://anchor.fm/jason-nemerovski
Works Cited
Highlights, Global Slavery Index, 2018, https://www.globalslaveryindex.org/2018/data/maps/#prevalence
Statistics on forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking (Forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking), International Labor Organization (ILO), http://www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/policy-areas/statistics/lang--en/index.htm
Executive Summary Thailand, ECPAT, 2016
Thailand's Poverty on the Rise Amid Slowing Economic Growth, The World Bank, 2020, https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2020/03/03/thailands-poverty-on-the-rise-amid-slowing-economic-growth
Definitions of “Severe Forms of Trafficking in Persons”, U.S Department of State, https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/tip/c16507.htm
Human Trafficking, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/what-is-human-trafficking.html
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