Ending absenteeism to change the future for struggling communities

In researching a book on distressed communities, nothing has become clearer than the role of education in lifting the health, and economic prospects, of a community. Yet as this article describes, poor kids face the greatest obstacles in succeeding in school. In one community I’m reporting in, a rural county in Northern California, 1 out…

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Teens from rural counties struggle to get heard

On Aug. 5 and Aug. 6 this year, about 100 youth converged on the State Capitol in Sacrament, under the umbrella of the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color. They walked the hallways, meeting with lawmakers and their staff to push for laws that help young men of color succeed and live healthy lives…

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Great summation of black/white health disparities

This write-up has a clear, narrative summary of what’s doing on with health disparities, especially among blacks. Excellent charts too. From VOX: WHITE PRIVILEGE IS THE BEST MEDICINE Updated by Julia Belluz and Steven Hoffman on August 25, 2014, 7:00 a.m. ET With the eyes of the world on Ferguson, Missouri, our collective attention is focused on the different…

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