| | | Texas Governor issues ban on vaccine mandates, placing Texas at odds with federal mandates requiring vaccination and testing. While Seattle encounters a surprising boost, as Big Tech growth spurs growth during a time that many cities experience a pandemic-induced decline. Celebrating Indigenous People’s Day brings reflection and understanding of the contributions of Native Americans to U.S. history. | | |
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| IMPORTANT | | | 1 - Mandate No More Texas Governor bans all COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the state Setting up for a showdown, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order to prohibit any entity, including private business, from enforcing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate on workers, while calling on state lawmakers to pass a similar ban into law. This stance falls in direct opposition to the Biden administration’s upcoming proposal to issue rules requiring employers with more than 100 workers to be vaccinated or test weekly for the coronavirus. Political maneuvering? Some say yes, as the Governor tries to protect his seat from Republican opponents in the upcoming elections. (Source: NPR) |
| 2 - A Surprising Growth Seattle benefits from the growth of Big Tech during the pandemic Despite an overall decline in office leasing in the United States, technology companies gobbled up more space in the Seattle area than they had the previous year. The Seattle region finds itself in a Goldilocks moment, with its momentum accelerated by the pandemic. “We have the key pillars of the ecosystem: the companies, the universities, the skilled workforce, and a compelling place to live,” Mr. Shull said. “The region is poised for even more growth.” (Source: NYT) |
| | | 3 - Reclaiming Visibility Recognizing Indigenous Peoples' Day shines light on our shared history This year marks the first time a U.S. president officially recognized Indigenous Peoples' Day, Monday, Oct 11th. Biden's proclamation signified a formal adoption of a day that a growing number of states and cities have come to acknowledge, including Boston, Arizona, Oregon, Texas, Louisiana, Washington, D.C. It is a day to celebrate and reflect on Native Americans' resilience and their contributions to American society throughout history, even as they faced assimilation, discrimination, and genocide spanning generations. This year, Americans shifted their focus from the shared Columbus Day holiday. (Source: NPR) |
| 4 - A Dangerous Cocktail Covid and cancer menacing mix, especially for people of color More people from low-income communities are presenting with advanced cancers. Doctors surmise it’s due to pandemic-caused delays in diagnosis and treatment. In any scenario this covid and cancer mix is threatening, but it’s even more pronounced for people of color from low-income communities. African Americans and Hispanics are about twice as likely as White people to die of coronavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Black cancer patients are at particularly high risk for complications and hospitalizations. Now, with the pandemic grinding on, many doctors fear those inequalities will worsen. (Source: WaPo) |
| 5 - College Bound NYC invests $100 in college savings for every public school kindergartner In the hopes of closing the wealth gap, roughly 70,000 students are receiving a college savings account with $100 already invested and the potential to receive up to $200 more. These child savings account programs — also known as child development accounts — have been steadily gaining momentum over the past decade, with initiatives stretching from San Francisco to Maine, two of the earliest pioneers. The hope? That these savings programs will incentivize families to pave the path to college from an early age. (Sources: NYT, CNBC) |
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| INTRIGUING | 1 - COVID Legal Woes Tensions mount as pandemic causes strains in the classrooms Families and school administrations increasingly feel the stress of navigating re-engaging kids back in the school building, as we enter the third school year of the pandemic. A mother in Wisconsin is suing her son’s school district after her son allegedly contracted COVID from a classmate. Shannon Jenkens is seeking an injunction for the Waueksha School district and school board to comply with CDC mitigation protocols. This lawsuit follows another filed in Cobbs County, Georgia where parents sued the school district for violating the disability rights of their children. (Sources: The Hill, CNN) |
| | | 2 - Work-Life Balance Remote work is here to stay Remote work’s popularity has grown exponentially in response to coronavirus. Many large tech companies are adopting hybrid work models or not requiring employees to return at all. Although Amazon announced earlier this year it would require a return to office, the tech giant joins the ranks of the companies allowing employees a more flexible work-life balance and for some the opportunity to work from home indefinitely. Amazon will let individual teams decide for how many days corporate employees would be expected to work from office in a week, Chief Executive Officer Andy Jassy said in a message to employees on Monday. (Sources: Reuters, NYTimes) |
| | | 3 - Facebook Review Spotlight remains on star Facebook whistleblower, Frances Haugen After stunning testimony from Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, Haugen will remain in the spotlight as she meets with the social media company’s Oversight board. The Oversight Board is formed and funded by Facebook in 2020 to demonstrate greater accountability after receiving criticism. The meeting comes after Haugen revealed Facebook was aware of the harms it was causing and that its meditation/prevention efforts were failing. In a tweet, Haugen confirmed she had accepted the board’s invitation to testify and “looks forward to sharing the truth with them” and accused the tech giant of lying to the board. (Sources: CNN, WaPo) |
| 4 - Real History Ethnic studies, a new graduation requirement Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law Monday, mandating local education agents and schools that serve high school students to offer one semester of ethnic studies class in the 2025-2026 school year, the governor’s office said in a statement. It marks the first state in the country to require ethnic studies course as a graduation requirement. (Source: The Hill) |
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