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While his brother might be the new Captain America, Calvin Mackie is a real-life hero to thousands of youth in New Orleans. Mackie, founder and CEO of STEM NOLA, announced that a WKKF grant will support a new hands-on innovation hub designed to improve mathematics and science proficiency among youth and build their confidence and interest in the field. Mackie has four STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) degrees and was the first Black professor at Tulane University’s former School of Engineering. Getting to share stories like this? We can do this all day.
A report by Kellogg Foundation grantees Advancement Project, Once Voice and Mississippi Votes says Mississippi must do better in supporting people returning home from prison, specifically by restoring and ensuring the right to vote. Our Voices, Our Votes: Felony Disenfranchisement and Reentry in Mississippi uses data and stories to show how some laws and policies continue to silence the incarcerated, even after they’re released from prison.
Teamwork makes this dream work: Four Native American-led organizations and WKKF grantees are developing sustainable Tribal entrepreneurial and economic development models to support the skills and talent of Indigenous people – and tackle long-standing infrastructure and resource deficiencies. “Our combined talent, networks, and assets, and most importantly, our success as a collaborative during the pandemic, confirms our belief that the best solutions are found by working together in community,” said Dave Castillo, CEO of Native Community Capital.
The assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse on July 7 shocked the country and thrust it into a state of uncertainty. PRX’s The World interviewed Daphnée Charles, development officer for Kellogg Foundation grantee Haitian Education & Leadership Program (HELP). They discussed the state of her country and the promise it holds, as well as the importance of quality education and ethical leadership.
Community schools are growing in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The education model from the Las Cruces Public Schools puts the whole family and community inside the classroom, where the curriculum is centered on the diversity of children. Two schools will open over the next two years and may include services similar to those of the established Lynn Middle School, such as a food bank, a clothing pantry and a health center to be used by all families.
WKKF grantee Center for American Progress (CAP) recently updated its child care cost figures and found costs nearly doubled during the pandemic, making it more expensive than rent or in-state college tuition for families. At the same time, early childhood educators earn less than $13 an hour on average and rarely have access to benefits. According to CAP, increased public investment in child care is needed to help families access high-quality, affordable child care that meets their needs.