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Race & Discrimination
States push back on EEOC plan to end workforce demographic reporting
Septermber 1, 2026
A group of eight state and local civil rights agencies is urging the federal government to preserve longstanding workforce demographic reporting requirements, arguing that eliminating the data could make it harder to identify and investigate employment discrimination.
Agencies from Illinois, Oregon, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and the District of Columbia co-authored an Aug. 24 letter opposing the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s proposed rescission of federal workforce reporting requirements, including the EEO-1 report.
For sixty years, EEO workforce data has given federal, state and local agencies, employers, and policymakers information about workforce representation by race, sex, job category and other characteristics. The agencies said the data does not identify individual employees but provides a baseline for examining disparities across industries, occupations and regions. Read More
Jessica Pegula, Frances Tiafoe happy to see diversity at US Open
August 28, 2026
American players Jessica Pegula and Frances Tiafoe said tennis is moving in the right direction on diversity as Tiafoe highlighted increased representation at the top of the game and the financial barriers facing young players.
Pegula said the sport’s global reach was one of its strengths, pointing to players from around the world and the varied fan bases they attract.
Pegula cited representation among Black players, as well as the growth of tennis in Asia due to players such as Alex Eala of the Philippines and Qinwen Zheng of China.
“You see talent from all over the world. I think it’s honestly one of the most diverse sports.” Read More
Why colleges are cutting Black studies departments, majors and classess
August 25, 2026
U.S. colleges are increasingly slashing their African American studies and related programs, citing low enrollment and limited funding, at a time when the federal government is exerting intense pressure to end racial diversity efforts.
Some academics blame politics, pointing out that Republicans and the Trump administration have taken aim at scholarships, admissions policies and other efforts to boost diversity. At least a dozen schools, including private colleges and public flagship universities, have scaled back Black, African or African American studies programs since Trump signed an executive order targeting diversity, equity and inclusion programs, a Washington Post review found.
“Politics is the engine, not a factor,” said Jafari Sinclaire Allen, director of the Institute for Research in African American Studies at Columbia University.
Allen, whose institute has surveyed colleagues around the country, says the cuts are so deep that they could damage the pipeline for important research and training for new scholars for years to come. Read More
ACLU queries Tennessee school districts on Ten Commandments
August 21, 2026
A group led by the American Civil Liberties Union is seeking information from five Tennessee school districts about their plans to post the Ten Commandments after a new state law allowed the Bible document to go up in school buildings’ “prominent” locations.
The ACLU of Tennessee, ACLU, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Freedom From Religion Foundation sent letters Thursday requesting public records from school districts that are planning to put the Ten Commandments in school buildings. The letters went to the Blount County School District, Rutherford County Schools, Washington County Schools, White County Schools and Wilson County Schools, whose school boards authorized the posting.
The letters request all school district emails and other communications, including school board documents, dealing with the display of the Ten Commandments, in addition to proposed or approved designs for the displays. Read More
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Censorship/Book Bans
Librarians Suing Over Wrongful Termination for Defending Books Are Winning: Book Censorship News, September 11, 2026
September 11, 2026
Texas.
Colorado.
Arkansas.
Texas.
Wyoming.
These five names and the four states in which they live and work represent something significant. Each of these librarians was fired for standing up against censorship when it was demanded of them, filed a wrongful termination lawsuit, and successfully settled their cases. None of them won much money, but in none of the cases was the money the point. No quarter of a million dollar settlement is enough to undo the damage of being fired, of being publicly dragged, of losing one’s income and health insurance, or of seeing one’s reputation be tarnished for upholding their ethical obligation to the field of librarianship. Read More
This Is The Single Most Valuable Free Resource In America — And Conservatives Want It Gone
September 9, 2026
September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month. Since 1987, the American Library Association has used this month to remind families, students and communities that a library card is the single most valuable free resource in this country.
This year, I’m asking you to do more than sign up. I’m asking you to pay attention to what’s at stake.
Walk into your public library. Sit down. Stay as long as you want. No one will ask you to buy anything. No one will check your credit card, scan a membership code or nudge you toward the register. You can read. You can think. You can rest.
That transaction, or rather the absence of one, is becoming rarer in American life by the day. Coffee shops charge $6 for the right to sit. Co-working spaces require subscriptions. The library is one of the last places in this country where you can simply exist, free of charge, for as long as you need.
That alone makes it worth protecting. But what’s happening inside those buildings goes far beyond a place to sit. Read More
Landmark Study Finds Little Free Libraries Dramatically Improve Book Access and Reading in Indigenous Community
September 9, 2026
A new study on the Tohono O’odham Nation offers rare research into how expanding access to books can influence reading in Indigenous communities—and the results are striking.
The study found that Little Free Library’s Indigenous Library Program significantly increases access to books, helps overcome major transportation barriers and supports more frequent reading among families and children.
Among the findings:
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89% of respondents say they have access to more books because of Little Free Library book-sharing boxes
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96% find books they are excited to read
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38% of families with children report reading more since using the book boxes
Shelf-Censored: Book Bans Don’t Start With a Bonfire
September 7, 2026
I spent several years working in public library spaces in the rural South, first as an assistant and later as the manager of a small, rural branch of a library system. It sits in an unassuming, quiet town where everybody knows your name, your family tree, and your attendance record at the local Baptist church.
Though my role at the library was one that I loved, I eventually left as I realized I had transformed into a complicit gatekeeper of the silent censorship that had crept and overgrown the library stacks like a Virginia creeper vine left untended.
When you work in a rural Southern town, the pressure isn’t always a loud protest at a board meeting. It is the weight of a hundred unspoken expectations. It’s the grandmother who asks, with a thin-lipped smile, why we have “those kinds of books” in the young adult section. It’s the way a local donor, the one whose family funded the new children’s collection, looks at you when they see a Pride display. In these spaces, censorship doesn’t occur with a bonfire or a dramatic public ban. It happens in the margins, in the quiet, and in the managerial decisions we make to keep the peace. Read More
A new children’s book archive defies the right’s effort to erase LGBTQ+ identity
September 6, 2026
As new fathers, Randall Tarpey-Schwed and his husband loved the bedtime ritual of reading stories with their kids, so much so that they ran out of books that contained their favorite themes: acceptance, community, and love in families like theirs.
“We read all kinds of children’s books to our kids,” San Francisco resident Tarpey-Schwed told KQED. “But I wanted to make sure that some of those showed their kind of family.”
“I’d ask them, ‘What do you want to read tonight?’” Tarpey-Schwed recalled. “Sometimes they would say, ‘Oh, I want a Papa and Daddy book.’”
Those requests set the gay dad on a quest to find every possible children’s book that fit the description. The new Tarpey-Schwed LGBT Families Children’s Book Collection is the result.
Housed in San Francisco at the Mechanics Institute, a private 19th-century library, the collection includes over 200 books, magazines, and other printed materials that feature queer characters, themes, and other diverse representations of families. Read More
US public libraries at ‘breaking point’ amid ideological attacks, report finds
September 1, 2026
Public libraries in the US are “at breaking point” because of an onslaught of political interference, harassment and ideological censorship, a new report published on Tuesday said.
Book bans, cancelled story hours, attacks on librarians, funding cuts and the undoing of libraries’ independent governance are examined by the free expression advocacy group PEN America in its study called Out of Circulation: Expanding Censorship in Public Libraries.
“Public libraries can be a foundational democratic institution only if they can speak to everyone and only if librarians’ curation decisions can occur free from partisan pressure or restriction,” the report, compiled by PEN America’s Freedom to Read Project, said.
“However, ongoing political and public pressures are challenging these very principles. Public libraries nationwide are reaching a breaking point.”
The 16-page document relates countless episodes and incidents across the US to support its assertion. They include verbal and physical attacks on librarians, disproportionate targeting of literature featuring LGBTQ+ people, a proliferation of bans on books dealing with gender identity and sexuality, and instances of politically appointed officials installed to override the policies of democratically elected library boards. Read More
Here are some of the books Dan Patrick wants removed from schools – or else
August 31, 2026
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick recently threatened school districts with penalties and retaliatory legislation if they do not remove inappropriate, graphic books from their libraries.
Patrick said he would pass legislation to knock schools down an entire letter grade if they do not remove flagged books from classrooms and libraries. The state’s annual performance ratings, like letter grades A through F, are what the state can use to seize control of low-performing school districts, as it did this year in Fort Worth.
“It’s the law and we expect you to follow the law,” Patrick said during a news conference at the Texas Capitol on Aug. 19. “So we’re coming for the books. We ask that you do it on your own and remove these books.”
The list from Recover America, an organization intended to engage ministers and pastors in politics, spans 2,193 titles the organization deems inappropriate. The list scores books from one to five, with five being “the most sexually explicit and pervasively vulgar.” Read More
Florida School Board Leading “War on Woke” Loses Conservative Majority
August 20, 2026
A Florida school board—known for its book bans, anti-mask mandates, and anti-LGBTQ stance—has lost its conservative majority.
The Sarasota County School Board election, which was led by a co-founder of the conservative group Moms for Liberty, saw two Democrat-endorsed candidates, Megan Tennimon and Beth Mayberry, cruise to victory. A third Democratic candidate, Jimmy Glover, will face a run-off vote in November. If he is victorious, he will be the first person of color to ever sit on the five-person Sarasota County School Board.
“I really think at the end of the day, regardless of political affiliation, our community was just tired of the culture wars, the political theater and being the center of national attention for all the wrong reasons,” Tennimon, a former teacher, said.
“I think that they realized how destructive those divisive policies really were,” Mayberry, also a retired educator, added. “What they’ve seen in the last four years, with basically the tabloid happenings on the school board and a lot of the policies and resolutions that were being made, our general community did not agree with.” Read More
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Advocacy
York Human Relations Commission planning dinner to celebrate diversity
September 2, 2026
York City’s Human Relations Commission is hosting an event to bring the residents, business leaders and others together to celebrate the diversity that strengthens the city.
Jamiel Alexander, a former NAACP York President and senior fellow at the Aspen Institute, will be the keynote speaker for the dinner, which will run from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Valencia Ballroom.
Registration is required due to limited space.
The event will offer dinner, music, networking and presentations about the Human Relations Commission’s services and mission. The hope is that those who attend the dinner will better understand the commission and how it helps residents who have experienced discrimination in housing, employment or public accommodations. Read More
Our Kids Have Rights. But Rights Aren’t Enough.
August 31, 2026
As I sent my sixth and ninth graders off for their first day of school in Los Angeles Unified School District, I had mixed feelings.
On one hand, I was looking forward to the learning, growth and new friendships ahead of them. My sixth grader put on her uniform and headed off for her first day of middle school eager to take dance and animation, continue her Spanish and start a new chapter. Meanwhile, my ninth grader began high school looking forward to her first ethnic studies class and more student activism opportunities. Last year, she got involved in the LAUSD student walkouts, the first time she joined a protest on her own.
But alongside that parental optimism, I worry about whether school will be a safe and welcoming place for all young people. Read More
Two decades ago, Dover showed how to win elections in conservative towns. They’re still fighting
July 29, 2026
It’s been 21 years since the First Amendment test case of Kitzmiller v. Dover, in which U.S. District Court judge John E. Jones III ruled that “intelligent design,” a form of revamped creationism, is unconstitutional to teach in the public schools.
While the parents who sued and science teachers celebrated, the school board members and their legal team had little to say. Looking back, most people involved in the trial said that few minds were changed. Many were just glad the national spotlight was no longer shining on Dover.
But roots run deep in south-central Pennsylvania, and history repeats itself. Some on the religious right quietly started preparing for the next opportunity.
Randall Wenger, an attorney with connections to the trial, analyzed the mistakes made by the Dover school board and set about laying out a future strategy. Wenger had unsuccessfully tried to intervene in Kitzmiller on behalf of the Foundation of Thought and Ethics, the publisher of the creationist-turned-“intelligent design” textbook Of Pandas and People. Read More
Vermont chose belonging. Let’s keep it that way.
July 11, 2026
For transgender youth and their families, the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision allowing state bans on transgender athletes to stand is painful and deeply disappointing. But it is important to understand what the court did — and did not — do.
The ruling upheld laws in Idaho and West Virginia, finding they do not violate the equal protection clause or Title IX. It did not create a nationwide ban on transgender athletes, nor did it require states like Vermont to change their policies. That distinction matters.
Here in Vermont, transgender students remain protected under state law. And just as importantly, our communities have chosen inclusion. The Vermont Public Accommodations Act and our strong anti-discrimination protections prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. The Vermont Principals’ Association and Vermont Agency of Education continue to affirm that students can participate in school sports consistent with their gender identity. That reflects who we aspire to be: a state where every young person is treated with dignity and has the opportunity to belong. Read More
Instead Of Saying 'Hey, Guys!' At Work, Try These Gender-Neutral Alternatives
July 11, 2026
“Hey, guys!” It’s the greeting that launched a thousand meetings and Zoom calls.
Etymologists trace the term “guys” to the historical figure Guy Fawkes. It’s evolved from the name of one man who attempted to assassinate King James I in 1605 to an informal address for a group of people in contemporary American English.
But when used to address your colleagues, it’s a gendered greeting that could be sending signals about who is ― and isn’t ― included in your workplace.
The Case Against Using “Hey, Guys”
The problem with “guys” is that it is a “masculine word,” according to Amy Jeffers, an organizational development specialist in diversity, equity and inclusion. There are better alternatives, such as “Hey, everyone” or “Hey, folks” that are not gender-assuming, Jeffers added. Read More
Teachers in Michigan school district can pick from 32 phrases or face legal review over classroom posters
July 8, 2026
Teachers in Michigan’s Romeo Community Schools have 32 motivational phrases they’ll be able to display in their classrooms next school year.
And if they want to display another motivational phrase? It could take four layers of review, including sign-off from legal counsel.
The approved messages are inoffensive: “Everyone is welcome.” “Be Yourself.” “We value all voices.” But a few phrases missing from the list, like “Hate has no home here” or “All are welcome here,” have become synonymous with LGBTQ acceptance — along with lawsuits and disputes in school board meetings across America. Read More
Where Every Student-Athlete Belongs
Supporting environments where every student-athlete can thrive. Explore NCAA initiatives and resources, focused on belonging, accessibility, leadership and student-athlete well-being.
Campus Belonging Initiatives
Banned Authors Speak Out on Supporting Kids’ Access to Information | ALA Annual
July 5, 2026
As censorship and book banning attempts continue across an acrimoniously divided country, librarians, authors, and fellow intellectual freedom advocates must balance advocacy work with the very real dangers of public-facing support.
Authors Jess Callans and Kit Rosewater, as well as author and public librarian Jarrett Dapier, discussed this challenge and more in an ALA Annual panel entitled “Toxic Exclusion: Banned Authors Share How to Support Children’s Access to Information,” moderated by Winfield (IL) Public Library’s Julia Nephew.
“When you limit the information, you’re inviting kids to put something else in there, whether that’s a new opinion of their own or someone else’s garbage opinion,” said Callans. “The silence is ultimately permitting them to hurt without any context.” Read More
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Sex Education
Governor Shapiro Challenges Trump Administration’s Decision to Politicize Funding for Pennsylvanians’ Reproductive Health Care, Family Planning Services
August 27, 2026
Today, Governor Josh Shapiro sued(opens in a new tab) the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) over its attempt to restrict federal funding for reproductive health care and family planning services. In July, the Trump Administration announced new terms and conditions on Title X grants for the 2027-2032 grant cycle, attempting to restrict access to reproductive health care in order advance the Trump Administration’s political agenda.
The lawsuit seeks to stop the unlawful implementation of conditions that require applicants and grantees to demonstrate “alignment” and “ongoing compliance” with the Trump Administration’s political priorities in order to apply for federal family planning dollars appropriated under Title X of the Public Health Service Act — ultimately undermining the program’s purpose and governing regulations. Read More
Northwest Pa. Schools Receive Period Product Funding
August 14, 2026
Schools across northwestern Pennsylvania will receive $201,940 in state funding to continue providing free menstrual products to students during the 2026 to 2027 school year, according to an announcement from the Pennsylvania Departments of Health and Education. The funding is part of a statewide $3 million investment included in Pennsylvania’s recently approved budget.
The allocation builds on the Shapiro Administration’s efforts to improve menstrual equity in schools. Following the state’s first-ever $3 million investment in the 2024-25 budget, Pennsylvania has now committed a total of $9 million over three consecutive budgets to ensure students have access to essential period products while at school.
The funding will be distributed automatically to qualifying school districts, intermediate units, career and technical centers, and brick-and-mortar charter schools. Schools will receive funding based on student enrollment, at a rate of $1.81 per student, and will not be required to submit applications or reimbursement requests. Read More
The new teen pregnancy prevention plan isn’t that focused on prevention
July 23, 2026
The Trump administration has a new plan for teenagers learning about pregnancy: Beginning this summer, it will steer millions of dollars toward organizations that focus on anatomy, fertility tracking, hormonal production and “reproductive goals counseling.”
The plan will also emphasize abstinence from sex and the importance of marriage.
In doing so, it will pivot away from programs that serve populations in areas with the greatest need and that use particular evidence-based programming to reduce teen pregnancies — and some say the new language puts a greater focus on planning for pregnancy rather than preventing it.
The new grant application terms are consistent with an approach called restorative reproductive medicine that has become popular among conservative groups, including those who identify with Make America Healthy Again initiatives Read More
Trump Orders Schools to Make Chilling Change to Sex Ed Programs
July 22, 2026
The Trump administration has canceled millions of dollars’ worth of federal grants to organizations running teen pregnancy education programs nationwide, suggesting that the widely effective underage pregnancy prevention services were inappropriately promoting premarital sex.
The funding did not align with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health’s outlined priorities, according to a government fact sheet that specified the office would not support “content that encourages, normalizes or promotes sexual activity for minors.”
One such organization interrogated by the assistant secretary—South Carolina nonprofit Fact Forward—was accused of including lessons with “advice on making condom use more pleasurable” and promoting discussions that normalize “use of pornography,” according to a copy of the letter obtained by The New York Times. Read More
Fewer Lancaster County teens getting pregnant; schools credit better sex education
April 27, 2025
In the 1990s, government officials and social services agencies recognized teen pregnancy was rising to the level of a public health crisis. In his 1995 State of the Union address, President Bill Clinton labeled teen pregnancy an epidemic.
Since then, schools have increasingly embraced evidence-based sex education that acknowledges teenagers are sexually active, and teen pregnancy rates have steadily declined as access to contraceptives has increased.
PA Rep. introduces resolution for ‘Sex Ed for all Month’
March 3, 2026
A Pennsylvania Representative is looking to introduce a resolution that would recognize May 2026 as “Sex Ed for All Month” in the Commonwealth.
The resolution, authored by Rep. Mary Jo Daley, argued that comprehensive sexuality education gives young people accurate, age-appropriate information about the emotional, physical and social aspects of sexuality, providing them with knowledge to protect and advocate for their health.
The “Sex Ed for All Month” is coordinated by the Sex Education Collaborative and a national coalition of sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice organizations. The effort is meant to recognize the importance of ensuring all young people have access to education that is comprehensive, medically accurate and inclusive. Read More
Why sex ed should be taught in schools
February 11, 2026
CONTENT WARNING: This story contains mentions of potentially triggering topics. Please use discretion when proceeding.
At one point, most of us have gone through the high school or middle school education system in the United States. However, education quality can heavily depend on the state you were raised in.
Many states such as New York, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Florida and more don’t require sexual education, or only teach abstinence. This leads to education inequality regarding certain topics or ideas, especially wellness, health and sexual education. Read More
Attorney General James Wins Court Order Protecting Health Education Programs
October 25, 2025
New York Attorney General Letitia James today released the following statement after winning a court order preventing the Trump administration from enforcing its illegal requirement for states to censor sexual education programs to erase references to gender identity and transgender status:
“Politics has no place in our young people’s health education. The administration’s illegal attempt to censor effective health education puts youth at risk and undermines programs that help prevent teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Denying the existence of transgender and nonbinary individuals is cruel and wrong, and I will keep fighting to ensure young people get the accurate health information they need.” Read More
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Immigration
In Pa. coal country, local police join with ICE to bring arrests, fear
September 10, 2026
Brett Sell had a bad feeling about coming to work on July 28. The painting contractor was part of a small work crew rehabbing a two-story commercial property in Orwigsburg — a borough of just over 3,000 people in the heart of east-central Pennsylvania’s coal country — and workers had seen what looked like an unmarked law enforcement vehicle circling the site the day before.
“Yo, look up!” Sell said to his fellow painter, Orlando Rivera.
Police cars from Orwigsburg and neighboring Schuylkill Haven, lights flashing, blocked off the street while agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in tactical vests swarmed the work site. Sell was stunned as he and four other workers were quickly handcuffed by ICE agents — even though Sell and Rivera are native-born U.S. citizens.
Rivera, a biracial Puerto Rican who grew up in Bethlehem and now lives in another Schuylkill County borough, Tamaqua, said he was “embarrassed” as he stood in handcuffs while locals came out into the street to gawk. “I do a lot of work in that town,” he said, adding that “it made me feel like I was portrayed as a criminal.” Read More
‘Kids literally disappeared’: Minnesota schools lost at least 1,700 students following Operation Metro Surge
September 1, 2026
One January night, 13-year-old Alessandro, his parents and his two younger sisters slipped out of their St. Paul home. They brought only diapers for the baby and a small suitcase of clothes they grabbed in a hurry, leaving everything else behind.
Thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had come to Minnesota as part of an aggressive campaign to arrest as many immigrants as possible. For two months, the Honduran immigrant family hadn’t left their home even to buy groceries, while throughout the Twin Cities ICE arrested parents at school bus stops and children returning from school.
And now, ICE had come knocking at their door. Days later, the family escaped in the night, heading east to New York City. Alessandro sent a good-bye message to his favorite teacher, saying he hoped to someday return to Battle Creek Middle School. Read More
US halts all immigrant visa applications amid tightening restrictions
August 25, 2026
All US immigrant visa applications have been paused by the Trump administration as the state department moves to tighten restrictions and limit access to applicants who they deem could end up relying on US assistance, a state department official confirmed on Tuesday.
The agency launched the initiative at all embassies and consulates in early August, according to the official and visa appointments had to be adjusted to accommodate “in-depth training”, according to the official. The state department has been working on updated guidance and training since early this year, “to ensure all consular officers are fully equipped to evaluate every visa applicant comprehensively and consistently”, they added. Read More
Efforts to keep ICE off of school grounds ramp up
August 20, 2026
As students return for the 2026-27 school year, immigration enforcement on or near school properties remains a concern for educators and equity advocates.
“As students head back into classrooms this year, they’re doing so under the weight of converging threats,” said Adaku Onyeka-Crawford, an attorney and director for the Opportunity to Learn Program at the Advancement Project, a national racial justice organization, in a press briefing last week. “Immigration enforcement is showing up closer to school doors than ever before.”
In 2025 and 2026, there were at least 17 documented incidents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity on school properties, with many additional locally reported incidents off school grounds like at bus stops or outside of schools during student transportation times. Read More
Immigrant detention should not be a death sentence
July 30, 2026
Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal, 41, was dropping two of his children off at preschool in Richardson, Texas, when he was surrounded by masked immigration agents and taken away. Less than 24 hours later, he was dead. Government officials said that Paktiawal, an Afghan national, died due to an “adverse drug reaction.” His March 14 death was ruled to be an accident, although his death certificate was only released this month.
Paktiawal’s death is part of a grim pattern of increasing deaths in ICE detention. The available data suggest that ICE is disregarding its responsibilities to care for detainees. More troubling is the fact that ICE has taken steps to reduce transparency, while the head of Homeland Security has downplayed the extent of this crisis.
The U.S. runs the world’s largest immigration detention system, with more than 65,000 people in custody. However, as the number of detainees has grown, so have the number of fatalities. More than 50 detainees have died during President Trump’s second term, at an average rate of one death every six days. The current mortality rate of those in detention is nearly four times that of the Biden administration. Read More
Immigrants Make Our Countries Stronger. Lawyers Protect Them.
July 30, 2026
An act of violence within the home of three of her young speech therapy clients pushed Caresse Duru, our latest Amicus Mundi Award recipient, to become a lawyer. “There was no justice for the family. They were going through hell during that whole time. That was the turning point for me.”
While some lawyers pursue their careers to fulfill a life-long dream, Caresse’s motivation to practice law was born from a single life-altering moment. She applied for law school almost four years after her career in speech language pathology began. Caresse had initial intentions to practice family and criminal law, eventually finding aspects of both within immigration. “It just kind of fell into my lap,” she said. “I’m a child of Nigerian immigrants…I never thought I’d see myself in immigration because it’s so close.” Read More
Gov. Shapiro faces calls to close youth detention center, end state collaboration with ICE
July 29, 2026
Immigration advocates from across Pennsylvania called on Gov. Josh Shapiro to shut down a youth detention center in Berks County and end state collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Wednesday.
Over 100 people from 15 Pennsylvania counties joined a rally on the Capitol steps, urging Shapiro to protect immigrant communities, limit the enforcement of ICE detainers, and prevent ICE from accessing state databases and information from PennDOT that could lead to enforcement efforts.
“Imagine waking up every day and knowing that going to work could separate you from your family,” said Vincent Nguyen, a youth leader with the Woori Center and intern with the Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition (PIC), at a press conference Wednesday. “My generation is inheriting Pennsylvania, the United States, that today’s leaders are shaping. I want to inherit a commonwealth where every family can … live without fear.” Read More
Monroeville library Pride Month display puts regional fight over LGBTQ+ books back in focus
July 20, 2026
Elected officials’ pressure to end a children’s Pride Month display early at the Monroeville Public Library — coupled with claims that the materials amounted to “sexual grooming” — has reignited a regional conflict over LGBTQ+ books and displays.
The library prematurely removed the display June 26 after council members raised concerns directly with municipal and library officials, without submitting a formal request for reconsideration. The move drew throngs of residents to a July 7 council meeting, where most speakers opposed the officials’ intervention. Members of the public continued to press the municipal council last week.
The Monroeville dispute revives tensions that have rippled across Southwestern Pennsylvania since 2021, as elected officials, school board members and activists have sought greater control over books, displays and policies involving LGBTQ+ identity, sexuality and other politically charged subjects. It is the region’s first high-profile eruption over such materials since a surge of school board activism in 2023. Read More
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