This is what you get when I'm trying to clean out my inbox and no time to write a lengthy piece about these stories:
- Voto Latino and Planned Parenthood Federation of America convened a panel discussion on Capitol Hill to discuss the importance of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in the Latino community. The event was especially timely as the federal government and community partners on the ground prepare for the rollout of the Spanish language enrollment website, www.cuidadodesalud.gov, this month. Every year, more than 600,000 Latinos -- mostly Latinas -- visit Planned Parenthood health centers to access health care services, including important preventive services like well-woman exams, breast health services, and cervical cancer screenings.
- Soroptimist, the global women's organization, presents the annual Women’s Opportunity Awards, which provides cash grants to women for education and training. The 2013 Women’s Opportunity Award winner is Aziza Kibibi. Aziza was held prisoner and sexually abused by her father, an MTV award winning director affiliated with The Fugees, who was recently convicted to 90 years in prison because of what he did to his daughters. TW: rape, sexual abuse
- Women left behind in the economic recovery: A short video discussion with Kate Gallagher Robbins of the National Women's Law Center with Nia-Malika Henderson about women's economic struggles since the recession ended in 2009, and the dramatic rise in their ranks among low-wage workers. (The Washington Post)
- There's no better way to start debating the state of public education in the US than the PISA results. This is an international assessment of 15-year-olds on their math, reading and science knowledge. According to this assessment the US is getting smoked. But the Education Trust reminds us that if we look "deeper at the data from within the U.S., gaps between African American students and their white peers are equal to more than two years’ worth of learning in math, while gaps between Latino and white students exceed one year. Gaps between U.S. students in low-income schools and those in wealthier schools are even more alarming: Students in the lowest income schools lag behind their peers in the highest income schools by about two and a half years’ worth of learning in math." Dan Montgomery, the president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, claims if we rank results by poverty rates, the US actually comes out on top. This is both awesome, but depressing. Awesome that we can do so well despite our lack of addressing the roots of poverty, but depressing that the US ranks #1 in those who participate in PISA.
- The US Department of Labor is marking its 100th anniversary by creating a list of "Books that Shaped Work in America" and they want your suggestions!