#women's organization for national prohibition reform

[boreal-sea]

Who is Tim Walz?

Kamala Harris has apparently picked Tim Walz as her running mate. He seems good, based on his record. He's also responsible for the widely spreading "Republicans are weird" meme I've seen quite a lot of.

He has a good record. Just like I did for Kamala Harris in a post that has become quite popular, I will do a simple review of things I like from Tim Walz' political history. Again, as with Harris, this is just from his Wikipedia page. Let's go!

House of Representatives

Opposed increasing troop numbers in Iraq

Co-sponsored a bill to raise Minnesota's minimum wage

Voted for stem cell research

Voted to allow Medicare to negotiate pharmaceutical prices

Voted against the act to Prohibit Federally Funded Abortion Services

Voted to advance the ACA

Has received a 100% rating from many progressive organizations like Planned Parenthood and the ACLU

Was a member of several caucuses, including the LGBT Equality Caucus

Governor of Minnesota

Signed into law police reforms after the murder of George Floyd

Had Minnesota join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, meaning that all of the state's electors will vote for whichever candidate wins the popular vote nation-wide.

Under his governance, Minnesota passed laws for requiring paid leave, banning non-compete agreements, cannabis legalization, abortion rights, universal free school meals,

Political stances

Pro cannabis

Against bailout bills that loan taxpayer money to large banks and auto manufacturers

Was a former teacher for many years, and is very pro-education and supporting public schools. He is against merit pay for teachers (this is a good thing), and supports lowering tuition costs

Used to be pro-gun, but after Parkland he changed his mind, and as Governor he signed a bill mandating universal background checks

Pro-LGBT - has voted for LGBT rights many times, including as Governor, where he signed bills banning conversion therapy and protecting gender-affirming care

Supports veterans rights and support

Supports abortion rights and women's rights

I am going to copy-paste the entire section for his views on the Israel-Hamas war, because I don't want people claiming I am taking anything out of context. Overall, he has views that echo my own in many ways:

Walz condemned Hamas's October 7 attacks in Israel and ordered flags to be lowered to half mast in the following days. After the 2024 Minnesota Democratic presidential primary, in which 19% of voters cast "uncommitted" ballots, Walz took a sympathetic view toward those doing so to protest President Biden's handling of the war in Gaza, calling them "civically engaged". Of the protests against U.S. funding of the war in Gaza, Walz said: "This issue is a humanitarian crisis. They have every right to be heard... These folks are asking for a change in course, they're asking for more pressure to be put on… You can hold competing things: that Israel has the right to defend itself, and the atrocities of October 7 are unacceptable, but Palestinian civilians being caught in this… has got to end." Walz also said he supports a ceasefire in Gaza.[100]

[mariacallous]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Building Back Together Communications Director Blake Goodman released the following statement on the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA):

“Today, we celebrate three decades of the Violence Against Women Act, a transformative piece of legislation that has saved countless women’s lives from dangerous, potentially deadly situations. “President Biden’s laser-focus commitment to ending domestic and intimate partner violence is nothing new. Thirty years ago, then-Senator Biden authored the original bill that would become the VAWA — pushing our nation’s representatives to recognize and finally deal with the scourge that is domestic and intimate partner violence. Now, he and Vice President Harris continue to lead the most pro-survivor administration in our nation’s history. Their unwavering dedication to strengthening and expanding the VAWA has resulted in groundbreaking protections for underserved communities, increased funding for life-saving services and a renewed national focus on preventing violence before it occurs. “From President Biden’s authorship of the original bill as a Senator to Vice President Harris’s tireless advocacy for women and survivors throughout her career, this administration’s commitment to ending gender-based violence is not just good policy — it’s personal. At Building Back Together, we stand proudly with President Biden, Vice President Harris and survivors across the nation in celebrating this anniversary. We recognize that while we’ve made tremendous strides, we remain committed to supporting the Biden-Harris Administration’s bold vision for a future free from gender-based violence — a future where every individual can live, work and thrive without fear.”

Thirty years on, VAWA has seen many significant successes in the fight against domestic and intimate partner violence:

VAWA has helped reduce intimate partner violence by 64% between 1993 and 2010.

Over $9 billion in federal grants have been awarded to support community-based organizations working to end violence against women.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline, established under VAWA, has answered over 7 million calls, texts, and chats since its inception.

The 2022 reauthorization expanded protections for BIPOC women, LGBTQ+ individuals and immigrant survivors.

The Biden-Harris Administration continues to build on VAWA’s legacy by:

Ending forced arbitration for sexual assault and harassment through the signing of the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021.

Signing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which narrows the “boyfriend loophole” by helping to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers by prohibiting people convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence crimes from possessing guns for 5 years.

Reforming the military justice system to address sexual assault, harrassment, and related crimes through the National Defense Authorization Act.

Strengthening regional leadership to prioritize the crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous people, including gender-based violence.

Supporting multinational efforts to address online harassment and abuse through the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse.

Expanding national programs to combat human trafficking through the Department of Health and Human Services Innovation Challenge to Prevent Human Trafficking and the new National Human Trafficking Prevention Framework.

For more information on steps the Biden-Harris Administration has taken to prevent and respond to gender-based violence at home and abroad, see the White House’s Fact Sheet here.

[coochiequeens]

After stories like this break I always hope it will lead to those supporting surrogacy to agree that there needs to needs to be more regulations.

IVF Centers in Delhi NCR: CBI Uncovers Child Trafficking and Fake Doctors in Fertility Clinics

CBI investigation reveals alarming illegal activities in Delhi NCR fertility clinics, including child trafficking, illegal surrogacy, and employment of unqualified practitioners. The probe exposes violations of the Surrogacy Regulation Act 2021 and links to organized crime. This shocking revelation raises urgent questions about regulation and patient safety in the fertility industry, prompting calls for immediate reform and stricter oversight.

Posted byby Ajay Gupta Political journalistAugust 3, 2024

NEW DELHI, August 3, 2024 – A recent investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has unveiled a disturbing network of illegal activities within In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) centers across Delhi NCR, sending shockwaves through the fertility industry and raising urgent questions about regulation and oversight.

IVF Centers in Delhi NCR Key Findings

Numerous IVF centers Delhi NCR implicated in child trafficking schemes

Surrogate mothers exploited in violation of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021

Organized syndicates linked to organ trade and forced begging identified

Fake medical credentials and forged adoption documents discovered

The Investigation Unfolds IVF centers Delhi NCR

The CBI’s probe, which began as an inquiry into a single child trafficking incident, quickly ballooned into a comprehensive examination of the fertility industry in the National Capital Region. Investigators uncovered a complex web of illegal activities, with some IVF centers serving as hubs for various criminal enterprises.

“What we’ve found is deeply troubling,” said CBI spokesperson Rajesh Kumar. “These centers, which should be helping families, have instead become conduits for exploitation and trafficking.”

A Pattern of Abuse Illegal IVF centers

The investigation revealed multiple schemes operating under the guise of legitimate fertility services:

Baby Trafficking: Newborns purchased from surrogate mothers were sold to childless couples or, more alarmingly, to criminal networks.

Illegal Surrogacy: Despite the ban on commercial surrogacy, many centers continued to offer paid surrogacy services, exploiting economically vulnerable women.

Document Forgery: Staff at several clinics were found creating false adoption papers and medical records.

Unqualified Practitioners: Some centers employed individuals with fake medical degrees, putting patients at severe risk.

Legal Framework and Violations

The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, explicitly prohibits commercial surrogacy in India, allowing only altruistic arrangements. However, the CBI’s findings indicate widespread disregard for these regulations.

“The law is clear,” explained Dr. Shalini Mishra, a legal expert in reproductive rights.

“Surrogacy can only be altruistic, with no financial compensation beyond medical expenses. What we’re seeing here is a blatant violation of both the letter and spirit of the law.”

The Greater Noida Gang

In April 2022, authorities arrested a gang operating out of an IVF center in Greater Noida. The group, which included two female employees of the clinic, lured prospective parents with promises of baby boys, a practice strictly forbidden under Indian law.

The Fake Doctor Incident

September 2022 saw the arrest of an IVF clinic owner following the death of a woman during a procedure. Subsequent investigation revealed the owner’s medical degree was fraudulent.

The Egg Donor Mastermind

A 2021 case involved the rescue of a two-year-old child from a trafficking ring. The operation’s leader was discovered to be an egg donor with connections to multiple hospitals in the region.

Implications IVF Centers in Delhi NCR

The scale of illegal activities uncovered by the CBI raises serious concerns about the oversight of fertility clinics in India.

Dr. Amit Banerjee, a reproductive health specialist, warns of far-reaching consequences:

“This isn’t just about illegal adoptions or surrogacy. We’re talking about potential links to organ trafficking, forced labor, and other forms of exploitation. The ramifications for public health and safety are enormous.”

As the investigation continues, calls for reform are growing louder. Experts suggest several key steps:

Enhanced Monitoring: Implement more frequent and rigorous inspections of IVF centers.

Stricter Licensing: Tighten requirements for operating fertility clinics.

Patient Education: Launch public awareness campaigns about legal surrogacy and adoption processes.

Inter-Agency Cooperation: Improve coordination between health authorities, law enforcement, and child welfare organizations.

The CBI’s investigation into illegal IVF centers in Delhi NCR has exposed a dark underbelly of the fertility industry, highlighting urgent needs for reform and vigilance. As authorities work to dismantle these criminal networks, the challenge remains to ensure that legitimate fertility services can operate safely and ethically, providing hope to families while protecting the vulnerable from exploitation.

For the latest updates on this developing story, visit the CBI’s official website or follow our continuing coverage.

[gacha-incels]

[Journalist's View] The Courage and Solidarity of the Victim in the 'Jinju Convenience Store Misogyny Assault Case'

published oct 9 2024 Reporter: Kim Saewon

this article is originally in Korean and has been mtl and edited into English here. it’s not going to be 1:1 but the basic info should be there, if you see any discrepancies though lmk and I’ll edit it asap. thanks everyone for your continued help and understanding.

Verdict hearing for the 'Jinju Convenience Store Assault Case' scheduled for October 15

On the morning of August 27, outside the Changwon District Court in Gyeongnam, a press conference calling for the severe punishment of the perpetrator in the 'Jinju Convenience Store Assault Case' was held by the Gyeongnam Women’s Association and the Gyeongnam Provincial Emergency Response Committee of the Women's Party. ⓒReporter Kim Saewon

On September 21, I visited Hyehwa Station in Seoul to cover the 'Protest Calling for Severe Punishment of Deepfake (Illegal Synthetic Material) Sexual Exploitation Crimes.' There, I encountered a familiar face—the victim of the 'Jinju Convenience Store Misogyny Assault Case,' known as Ms. A. Despite still suffering from ear pain due to incomplete recovery, Ms. A greeted me and other protest participants warmly.

This was not my first time seeing Ms. A outside the context of the incident. In July, I had met her at a policy discussion hosted by the Women’s Party on the issue of dating violence and related legislative reform. This event was attended by the bereaved families of victims of the Geoje dating murder case, the families of victims of dating violence in the hair clipper assault case, and the bereaved family of the Incheon stalking murder case. After the event ended, as I was packing up, someone approached me—it was Ms. A. She had come to Seoul to support the victims and families of dating violence cases.

Our society is currently facing an intense backlash against social changes, especially regarding gender issues. This backlash is evident across all fields of Korean society, and I’ve felt it firsthand. Despite being assigned to cover gender issues for only a few months, I’ve already received multiple requests from interviewees to avoid mentioning the government’s policies on women, not to bring up specific women’s issues, or not to use the term 'misogyny.'

The reasons for avoiding women’s issues were varied. Some feared that any mention of 'misogyny' in articles would lead to uncontrollable backlash against the victims of misogynistic crimes. Others worried about potential disadvantages from the government. One parliamentary office staff member, who had earlier asked me not to bring up women’s policies, later confessed that in the past, the National Assembly would at least make token gestures toward addressing women’s issues, but now, even that has become too difficult amid the backlash.

As a reporter visiting these scenes, I often feel frustrated. I frequently think, "It would be great if more women weren’t afraid to come forward and speak up." But the fact that so many women avoid discussing women’s issues publicly is a clear indicator of how severe the attacks on them have become.

Crimes targeting women, even those who are complete strangers to the perpetrators, continue to make headlines. Just recently, a teenage girl was murdered in Suncheon, Jeollanam-do, in what seemed to be another misogynistic crime. Yet, discussions about misogynistic crimes remain lukewarm. At last month’s protest at Hyehwa Station, the organizers handed out black hoods to participants and prohibited individual interviews with the media—measures taken to protect the predominantly female participants. Living in a reality where women feel threatened daily, it’s no wonder that speaking out publicly is not an easy task.

In this context, the courage shown by Ms. A deserves special attention. Not only has she attended events like the dating violence discussion and the Hyehwa Station protest, but she has also consistently raised her voice against misogynistic crimes through her social media and interviews with the press. In April, she even published a journal documenting her experience with the convenience store assault, titled One Day, I Became a Victim. She also shares cases like the 'Busan Classmate Assault, which Left the Victim in a Vegetative State' on her social media, encouraging solidarity among victims.

While backlash continues to sweep through our society, we must keep moving forward. The courage and solidarity expressed, even amid threats, will ultimately come together to change the world. This month, the Changwon District Court will deliver its verdict in the 'Jinju Convenience Store Misogyny Assault Case.' In the second trial held in August, the prosecution rejected the defense’s claim of the perpetrator’s mental incapacitation and sought the same five-year sentence as in the first trial. As the October 15 verdict approaches, Ms. A needs continued support and solidarity from us all.

[art-portraits]

Pauline Morton Sabin

Artist: Philip Alexius de László (Hungarian, 1869 - 1937)

Sitter: Pauline Morton Sabin, 23 Apr 1887 - 27 Dec 1955

Date: 1926

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Collection: Smithsonian Institute Washington, DC

DESCRIPTION

Pauline Morton Sabin (April 23, 1887 – December 27, 1955) was an American prohibition repeal leader and Republican party official. Born in Chicago, she was a New Yorker who founded the Women's Organization for National Prohibition Reform (WONPR). Sabin was active in politics and known for her social status and charismatic personality. Sabin's efforts were a significant factor in the repeal of Prohibition.

[naibilll]

Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Gender Discrimination in Fertility and the Labor Market in China

Image by Olha Khorimarko

Gender inequality remains a very persistent problem in China, deeply rooted in cultural traditions and social structures, leading to discrimination and inequality against women. Traditional beliefs favor boys over girls.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, China's sex ratio will reach 111.3:100 in 2022, much higher than the international normal range of 105:100. Surveys show that about 20% of families choose to have multiple births until they have a boy because of gender preference.

The result of this bias is that a large number of girls are not born or are neglected, which not only affects the structure of the family, but also exacerbates the problem of gender inequality.

Therefore, we should take the issue of gender discrimination more seriously and make our governments fairer and better reflect the interests of the people they serve. Let's delve deeper and understand the gender inequality and gender discrimination in China.

Gender inequality issues in China fertility

Here are some experts perspectives about Gender inequality issues in China fertility：

• Dr. Yun Zhou (2023) argues that without a genuine commitment to gender equity and reproductive rights, China’s birth-incentivizing measures are unlikely to result in any sustained fertility recovery. Instead, these pro-natalist efforts will reinforce existing patterns of gender inequality.

• According to Lu Pin (2024) in traditional Confucian culture, women were expected to bear "heirs" for the family. In contemporary China, under Communist Party rule, it is seen as a woman's duty to contribute to a "high quality" next generation, aligning with the state's fertility control policies.

These are just a few perspectives. There are also many different professionals who have expressed concerns about gender inequality issues in China fertility.

Solutions to change gender inequality in fertility in China

• Policy Reforms: Implement policies that promote gender equality in family planning and fertility treatments. This includes equal access to fertility services and support for both men and women.

• Legislation: Enforce laws that prohibit discrimination based on gender in reproductive health services and employment. Strengthen legal frameworks to protect women’s and men’s rights equally.

• Healthcare Access: Improve access to comprehensive reproductive health care for both genders, ensuring equitable treatment and support.

Gender inequality issues in Chinese labor market

The following arethe most prominent gender inequality issues in China labor market：

• Wage Gap: “Women in China earn, on average, 30% less than their male counterparts. Despite having similar qualifications and experience, female employees face significant pay disparities in nearly every industry” (China National Bureau of Statistics, 2023).

• Employment Opportunities: “Women often encounter barriers when applying for jobs, especially in male-dominated fields like technology and engineering” (International Labour Organization, 2023).

• Pregnancy Discrimination:“Pregnant women or those with young children face discrimination in hiring and promotions. Employers may hesitate to hire or promote women they perceive as having potential family-related absences” (Human Rights Watch, 2023).

Gender inequality affects Chinese women in a variety of ways, including but not limited to wage gaps, employment opportunities, pregnancy discrimination, workplace harassment, career advancement, and unpaid labor.

Image by Tommy

Solutions to change gender inequality in labor market in China

• Support for Female Entrepreneurs: Offer financial and advisory support to women starting their own businesses. Encourage entrepreneurial initiatives and provide resources to help women succeed in the business world.

• Public Awareness Campaigns: Conduct campaigns to challenge stereotypes and biases about gender roles in the workplace. Promote positive role models and success stories of women in various professions.

Image by Mariya Brussevich and Ms. Era Dabla-Norris

We must shatter the glass ceiling for gender inequality between men and women as well as gender discrimination in China.

It's time to change the problem of gender inequality and gender discrimination in China!

Sources：

1. Mariya, B. (2021). China's Rebalancing and Gender Inequality. International Monetary Fund.

2. Pin, L. (2024, February 13). How gender inequality is fueling China's fertility crisis. Trtworld.com; TRT WORLD.

https://www.trtworld.com/opinion/how-gender-inequality-is-fueling-chinas-fertility-crisis 16960869

3. Statista. (2017). China: population by gender 2017 | Statista. Statista; Statista.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/251129/population-in-china-by-gender/

4. Yun, Z. (2023, March 8). Gender Inequality: A Key to Understand China's Population Decline - Australian Institute of International Affairs. Australian Institute of International Affairs.

https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/gender-inequality-a-key-to-understand-chinas-population-decline

5. China National Bureau of Statistics. (2023). Report on gender pay gap in China.http://www.stats.gov.cn/

6. International Labour Organization. (2023). *Women in male-dominated fields: Barriers and opportunities*. https://www.ilo.org/

7. Human Rights Watch. (2023). *Discrimination against pregnant women in the workplace*. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/

[pinoyaksyonnewsph]

FFW-Visayas Local Unions Join Legal Challenge to ‘Indecent’ Constitutional Proposal

Iloilo City — In a conference in Tigbauan, Province of Iloilo, the Federation of Free Workers (FFW)-Visayas local unions and affiliate have announced their readiness to join forces with FFW, other labor groups in the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition, Church-Labor Conference and other like-minded organizations in a legal battle in court and in the parliament of the streets to block the charter change proposal using the ‘people’s initiative’.

The FFW-Visayas Unions are planning to join FFW National Initiative to file a petition, before  the COMELEC or Supreme Court, challenging the legality of the proposed tinkering to insert “joint voting” through a people’s initiative (PI) as it is a substantial alteration or a revision of the fundamental law of the land.

Lambino vs COMELEC and COMELEC itself in its Resolution 10650 prohibited PI to include substantial change.

The FFW Visayas signed the “Manifesto of the FFW-Visayas Against Charter Change” today.

Warie Espada, union president of the Lopez Sugar Central-FFW Chapter, asserted, “our priority now is our  strong advocacy for a  legislated  P150 wage hike, across the board, nationwide, towards living wage — indi kami sa CHACHA.”

“This decision was deliberated during the FFW’s regional meeting in the Visayas, indicating a united front from the  local unions and chapters in the Visayas,” FFW Vice President for Visayas Tiffany Ong said.

Ms. Ong, who is also the union president of the Iloilo Mission Hospital Employees Union-FFW, asserted, “we  staunchly oppose the proposed amendment via people’s initiative, it is an ‘indecent proposal’.

This tinkering that aims to enable joint voting between the Senate and the House of Representatives to modify the nation’s supreme law is a revision. Such will result to a substantial or  structural change of the balance of power between both Chambers– the House of Representatives would overwhelm the Senate by numerical superiority in the deliberation and voting process.

Echoing Justice Antonio Carpio’s views, FFW contends that the people’s initiative mechanism should be limited to straightforward amendments but in prohibits substantial change that amounts  to revisions.

Significantly shifts in the balance of power between the legislative chambers, require a more thorough and considered approach through a deliberative body.

Ma. Victoria Bellosillo, FFW Women Network President, added, “we acknowlege that we need constitutional reforms but charter change (chacha) is not the workers’ priority now”.

“Wala rin ito sa 5-year plan ng NEDA — thus, instead of allocating P28 billion for this CHACHA, can’t we redirect the funds to ‘TANGO’ – trabaho, ayuda, negosyo, gawing oportunidad para sa obrero?”, humorously quipped Bellosillo who is also the union president of the Central Philippines University Rank and File Labor Union-FFW.

NEDA said that Charter Change requires P28 billion from proposal to its ratification or rejection.

Bellosillo explained that this substantial amount could be more effectively used for job creation, providing assistance to the unemployed, and offering training and skills development to enhance employability.

“Additionally, it could serve as additional income if allocated to worker’s livelihood or funding for MSMEs and small entrepreneurs, rapidly benefiting workers and small business owners”, added Espada who is also the Chairperson of the Food, Beverages and Agriculture Industry Trade Federation  (TF-1) of FFW.

[anvayglobal]

Introducing ‘ANVAY’, Setting the Stage for an Unprecedented Global Dialogue on Harassment & Discrimination

The Legal Swan and its brands  POSH at Work and Respekt are organising an extraordinary and groundbreaking initiative titled ‘Anvay’ (www.anvayglobal.com), A Global Dialogue on Harassment & Discrimination taking place VIRTUALLY from 8 - 9 Dec 2023. It is a first of its kind Dialogue happening Globally.

Event Details:

Name: Anvay, A Global Dialogue on Harassment & Discrimination

Venue: Virtual

Date: 8-9 December 2023

Time: 10 AM to 6 PM IST

Event Link: https://www.anvayglobal.com/

Registration Link: https://www.anvayglobal.com/register/

Why Anvay?

Bhanwari Devi’s indomitable spirit in the face of adversity became a catalyst for significant legal reforms. In 1992, she courageously exposed a child marriage in her Rajasthan village, only to be subjected to a horrifying gang-rape as reprisal. Despite her quest for justice, the legal system failed her, prompting a national outcry.

Bhanwari Devi’s ordeal spurred the creation of the Vishaka Guidelines, shaping India’s response to workplace harassment. These guidelines paved the way for the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, colloquially known as the POSH Act. To honour Bhanwari Devi’s resilience, we are hosting a global dialogue on harassment and discrimination, where she serves as our esteemed chief guest.

What is the purpose?

The aim of the dialogue is to create awareness around laws, rights, and remedies available, normalize conversations around ‘taboo’ topics, drive towards the inclusion of all irrespective of one’s gender, sexuality, disability, etc., see the performance of our laws so far, what we can do in future, learn about good practices across sectors globally and look for solutions for positive change. This is a dialogue with a cause and for a cause.

What will be discussed?

Anvay features expert discussions on harassment and discrimination and will see insights from Speakers from UN, NCW, UNICEF, Judiciary, Harvard University and more. Our agenda covers discussions around intersection of technology and law, experiences of persons with disabilities, future of the metaverse, measures in schools, challenges faced by the queer community, the judiciary’s role, media’s role in creating awareness, young adults and role of universities, and strategies for organizing the unorganized.

Who are the speakers?

Unveiling the luminaries set to grace our event—the following distinguished speakers who will ignite, inspire, and illuminate the discourse.

Rekha Sharma, Chairperson, National Commission for Women

Susan Jane Ferguson , Country Representative, UN Women

Kate Jenkins AO , Chair, Creative Workplaces Council, Former Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission

Kiranmayi Addu , Scientist-B, UNICEF, ICMR-NIN

Priyanka Chirimar , Founder at AAPC & Co-Founder at Nanshe

sujata nabar , DGM - Ethics & Governance, Mahindra Group

Mahendra Itkarkar , Executive Director, Human Resources, Morgan Stanley

Poonam Kapoor , Head of Employee Relations, Credit Suisse, India

Vindhya Undurti , (Former) Professor at Tata Institute of Social Sciences

Jitendra Mohan, President: Asia-Pacific Association of Psychology, Former President: International Society of Mental Training for Excellence, Editor-in-Chief: Indian Journal of Psychology, Editor-in-Chief: Asian Journal of Psychology and Education

Dr. Anjhula Mya S. , International Psychologist, Trauma Specialist

Alankrita Shrivastava, Screenwriter, Director and Producer

Kopal Naithani , Founder/ Director - Superfly Films

Rachel DiBella, LICSW , MSW, Associate Director, Strategic Prevention Initiatives Office for Gender Equity, Harvard University

Zeinab Farokhi, PhD , Assistant Professor (LTA), Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, University of Toronto, Mississauga Concordia University

Aniha Brar , Dean, Young India Fellowship and Vice Chancellor’s Office Ashoka University

Dr. Vinita Chandra, Associate Professor, Ramjas College, Delhi University

Kevin Lee, CEO, Yuvaa

Arvind Rao , Advocate Supreme Court of India, Legal Counsel in Adigator Media, IPC NEWS NETWORK, Corporate Advocate

Dr. Meenu Bhambhani , Vice President- Global Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (GIDE) Business Consultant, State Street

Dr. Kiran Nayak. B , Disability and Transgender Activist, Karnataka

Nina Jane Patel , Safe, Responsible Innovation & Development of Frontier Technology, Head of Research, Doctoral Researcher, Kabuni

Kinjal Maulin Salvi , Founding Member, World Metaverse Council

Kapil Dhiman , Award winning CEO, Built the Metaverse Startup of the year, Web3 Advisor

Bradley Poynting , Child Safeguarding & Child Protection Consultant, Poynting Consulting & Advisory and Australian Red Cross Greater Brisbane Area, Australia

Ju'Riese Colon , Chief Executive Officer, U.S. Center for SafeSport

Dr. Charlene Doak-Gebauer , Founder/Chair Internet Sense First, Founder and Chair the AICET Council, Global Chair Childcare and Protection, G100

Indu Madhavi Iragavarapu , Professional Development Manager, Nord Anglia Education, The Oakridge International School

Matt Skallerud , LGBTQ+ Marketing, Advertising, PR & Social Media, World's Leading LGBTQ+ Global Media Company, Pennsylvania, United States

Luiza Drummond Veado, Human Rights and Gender Specialist, SOGIESC Expert, New York, United States

Scott Sallée , Social Impact & Sustainability at Dentsu International, Co-Chair: Wellbeing, Steerco: LGBTQ+, Neurodivergent

Zainab Patel , Inclusion Catalyst, Lead Inclusion & Diversity, Pernod Ricard India

Satvik (he/they) , Co-founder, Transmen Collective and Consultant, Transgender Division, NISD, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, GoI

Hon’ble Justice Sujata Manohar (Retd.), Authored the Vishaka judgment in 1997, paving the way for the Vishaka Guidelines and setting the foundation for the POSH Act of 2013

Hon’ble Justice A. K. Sikri (Retd.), Authored the groundbreaking NALSA judgment in 2014, a cornerstone for the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019

How are different voices being covered?

Anvay also presents Video Insights, a dialogue-driven initiative which features in-depth conversations on harassment and discrimination with experts and individuals worldwide, hailing from diverse jurisdictions such as Pakistan, Nepal, Indonesia, Kenya, Canada, Wales, and more.

Akhil Neelam, 30 for 2030 Youth Leader at UN Women, Building a Think tank on gender and politics in South Asia Hyderabad, India

Aleena Ahmed, Lawyer, Associate at Ijaz Ahmed & Associates

Bhawana Shrestha, PhD, Co-Founder at My Emotions Matter Team Lead Office of Safe and Respectable Learning (OSRL) King's College Nepal

Colin Druhan, Executive Director at Pride at Work

Dr. Smita Ghosh, Psychologist, Human Rights & Women Empowerment Activist, Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Johanna Robinson, Wales National Adviser Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

Joy Matheka, Legal Officer at Kenya Alliance for Advancement of Children | Expertise in Children rights, Human rights, and Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (OCSEA)

Naomi Hunter-Epson, Cambridge Politics + IR BA Hons Undergrad Finalist, Events Officer for Cambridge University, Gender Studies Society

Oviana Fathul Jannah, Child Rights Advocate Project Manager ECPAT Indonesia

Siddhantt Shah, Founder at Access for All India

Swechhya Rajbhandary, Educator, Education & Awareness Lead at Office of Safe and Respectable Learning (OSRL) King's College Nepal

Viveka (Paul) Chattopadhyay, Consultant in Autism and Cerebral Palsy Delhi, India

Christine Uyoga, Gender Equality & Social Inclusion, Sexual & Reproductive Health Rights, Safeguarding/ Prevention of Sexual Exploitation & Abuse, Harassment Nairobi

Stuti Jalan, Founder, Women Inspiring Network (WIN) and Crosshairs Communication

Harshita Singh, Mother caring for a child with Lobar Holoprosencephaly

Dr. Parul, Mother caring for a child with Cerebral Palsy

Srikant, Individual using wheelchair

We have got an exciting roster of additional speakers waiting to be unveiled! Stay tuned for more introductions and updates.

Who are the Partners?

Who are our Knowledge Partners?

Introducing our esteemed Knowledge Partners, a consortium of renowned academics and experts shaping the intellectual foundation of our global event on harassment and discrimination.

1.    Gujarat National Law University

2.    Nishith Desai Associates

3.    DY Patil University

4.    Svarniti Law Offices

5.    Pier Counsel

Who is our Platform Partner?

Introducing Unstop – our dedicated Platform Partner, a tech innovator!

Who are our Media Partners?

Anvay proudly presents a collaborative effort to amplify the voices and impact of our collective mission with the following Media Partners:

Advocate Khoj

Manupatra

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Adv. Aishwarya Nagar

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Who Will Attend?

Leaders (such as CEOs, Board of Directors, HoDs and other Key Managerial Personnel).

Employees in the role of HR, Legal, Ethics & Compliance and Learning & Development.

Internal committee members handling complaints of sexual harassment.

Complaint officers handling complaints related to harassment, bullying, discrimination etc.

Managers who, in any other capacity, conduct training or assist in handling complaints.

Individual Lawyers, Psychologists, HR and other practitioners acting as consultants, external members or counsellors who assist with resolving harassment, discrimination and bullying related concerns.

Students looking to work around harassment, discrimination and bullying.

Event Access Fee: 

Students 

For One Day - INR 750 + Taxes 

For Two Days - INR 1000 + Taxes 

Professionals 

For One Day - INR 3,000 + Taxes 

For Two Days - INR 5,000 + Taxes 

Benefits: 

Be a part of something truly groundbreaking – A Global Movement for Change – Towards a Positive Future.

Gain insights from thought leaders and experts.

Participate in interactive sessions and workshops.

Ticket cost is inclusive of access to all discussions virtually on both days. 

Certificate of participation. 

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Shout out on social media. 

Who are the Organizers?

The Legal Swan is an organization that aims to provide 360-degree solutions against bullying, harassment & discrimination and promote diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging through its brands POSH at Work and Respekt.

Meet the Organizing Team!

Dive into the profiles of the team managing the event!

Shivangi Prasad , Founder & Director – The Legal Swan, POSH at Work & Respekt, Legal Consultant & Author, Trainer & External Member, WICCI, ASH Maharashtra President

Divya R , Trainer & External Member, Chief Quality Officer (Social Media), The Legal Swan

Ekta Jaiswal (She/Her) , Trainer & External Member, Chief Quality Officer (Training Management System), The Legal Swan

Pallavi Poswal , Trainer & External Member, Chief Quality Officer (Complaint Management System), The Legal Swan

Vatsal Chorera , Chief Legal & Compliance Officer, The Legal Swan

Ajeet Dubey , Chief Technology Officer, The Legal Swan

Vivekanand Kumar Singh , Social Media Manager, The Legal Swan

Soham Sen , Legal Associate, Respekt

Ayushmita Bardhan , Paralegal, Respekt

Khushi Sharma , Designer, The Legal Swan

Raano Gupta , Legal Intern, The Legal Swan

Yashvi Bhavsar , Legal Intern, The Legal Swan

Ashish Thakur , Marketing Intern, The Legal Swan

Ankit Mathur, Marketing Intern, The Legal Swan

Connect with us on social media for latest updates!

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For collaboration requests or inquiries, feel free to contact the Organizing Team at connect@anvayglobal.com!

Let us join hands for a dialogue that matters! Together, let's pave the way for a world free from harassment and discrimination. #AnvayGlobal 🌍

[dunilefra]

Facts of Laos's Constitution

Preamble

Since the 1930's, under the correct leadership of the former Indochinese Communist Party and the present Lao People's Revolutionary Party, the multi-ethnic Lao people have carried out difficult and arduous struggles full of great sacrifices until they managed to crush the yokes of domination and oppression, tumble the colonial and feudal regimes, completely liberate the country and establish the Lao People's Democratic Republic on 2 December 1975, thus opening a new era - an era of genuine independence for the country and true freedom for the people.

During the years since the country has been liberated, under the leadership of Lao Revolutionary Party, our people have together been implementing the two strategic tasks of defending and building the country, especially the undertaking of reforms on every side, guided by the principles of mobilizing the resources within the nation and the era to preserve the people's democratic regime, the people's wealth, prosperity, social harmony, democracy, justice and civilization, creating conditions to move towards socialism.

Article 3

The rights of the multi-ethnic people to be the masters of the country are exercised and ensured through the functioning of the political system with the Lao People's Revolutionary Party as its leading nucleus.

Article 4 (Amended) (Part of it)

Voters have the right to propose the removal of their own representatives if they are found to behave in a way unbefitting their [honorable positions] and to lose the people's confidence.

Article 7 (Amended)

The Lao Front for National Construction, the Lao Veterans Federation, the Lao Federation of Trade Unions, the Lao People's Revolutionary Youth Union, the Lao Women's Union and other social organizations are the organizations to unite and mobilize all strata of the multi-ethnic people to take part in the tasks of protection and construction of the country, to develop the right of self-determination of the people, and to protect the legitimate rights and interests of members of their respective organizations. They have the right and duty to monitor the activities of the National Assembly, Local People's Assemblies and other members of such assemblies.

Article 8 (Amended)

The State pursues the policy of promoting unity and equality among all ethnic groups. All ethnic groups have the right to protect, preserve and promote the fine customs and cultures of their own tribes and of the nation. All acts creating division and discrimination among ethnic groups are prohibited.

The State uses every measure to gradually develop and upgrade the socio-economic levels of all ethnic groups.

Article 9 (Amended)

The State respects and protects all lawful activities of Buddhists and of followers of other religions, [and] mobilizes and encourages Buddhist monks and novices as well as the priests of other religions to participate in activities that are beneficial to the country and people. All acts creating division between religions and classes of people are prohibited.

Article 10 (Amended)

The State manages and protects the society through the provisions of the Constitution and the laws.

Party and state organizations, the Lao Front for National Construction, mass organizations, social organizations and all citizens must function within the bounds of the Constitution and the laws.

Article 36 (Amended)

Lao citizens aged eighteen years and above have the right to vote and those aged twenty years and above have the right to be elected, except insane persons, persons with mental disorders and persons whose rights to vote and to be elected have been revoked by a court.

by Dunilefra, working for Political Analysis

[amcsociety]

Happy Closing to “Scottsboro Boys” at 42nd St. Moon Theatre at The Gateway in San Francisco

"The Scottsboro Boys" musical has received critical acclaim for its powerful storytelling, music, and performances.

The musical, with music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb, and book by David Thompson, has been praised for its innovative structure and use of the minstrel show format to explore the injustice faced by the Scottsboro Boys. It tackles challenging subject matter with sensitivity, while also incorporating elements of satire and dark humor.

“The Scottsboro Boys" has been recognized for its thought-provoking portrayal of racism, discrimination, and the struggle for justice. It sheds light on a significant historical event and raises important questions about society's treatment of marginalized groups.

Ultimately, reviews of the musical have often praised its powerful storytelling, emotionally charged performances, and its ability to engage audiences in discussions about race, inequality, and the pursuit of justice.

True Story

The Scottsboro Boys were a group of nine African American teenagers who were falsely accused of raping two white women in 1931 in Scottsboro, Alabama. The case and its subsequent trials became a landmark in the history of civil rights in the United States.

On March 25, 1931, a group of young black men, aged 13 to 19, were traveling on a freight train when a fight broke out between them and a group of white men also on the train. The white men were forced off the train, and in an attempt to avoid trouble, the black youths claimed that the white women on the train had been raped.

The nine young men, known as the Scottsboro Boys, were arrested and charged with rape. Despite a lack of evidence and contradictory testimony, they were quickly convicted by all-white juries in a series of hasty trials. The accused were not provided adequate legal representation, and racial bias heavily influenced the proceedings.

The case garnered national and international attention, with many activists and organizations advocating for the boys' release and fair treatment. The Communist Party USA took up their cause, leading to increased scrutiny and public awareness of the racial injustice they faced.

After years of legal battles and appeals, the Scottsboro Boys' case eventually reached the U.S. Supreme Court multiple times. The Court's decisions established important precedents in ensuring fair trials, including the right to effective counsel and the prohibition of racial discrimination in jury selection.

Although some of the accused served time in prison, their convictions were ultimately overturned or pardoned. The case exposed the deep-seated racism and flaws in the American criminal justice system, contributing to the broader civil rights movement and inspiring future activism against racial discrimination.

The story of the Scottsboro Boys continues to serve as a reminder of the injustices faced by African Americans and the ongoing struggle for equality and justice in the United States.

Current Relevance

The case of the Scottsboro Boys remains significant in highlighting the issue of injustice in the 21st century United States. While progress has been made in civil rights and racial equality, systemic injustices persist and continue to disproportionately affect marginalized communities.

In the 21st century, the United States has grappled with a range of issues that reflect ongoing injustices, including racial profiling, discriminatory policing practices, racial disparities in the criminal justice system, and unequal access to resources and opportunities.

Instances of police brutality against African Americans and other minority groups, such as the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many others, have sparked widespread protests and conversations about systemic racism, police reform, and the need for accountability.

Racial disparities in incarceration rates also persist, with African Americans and Hispanics being disproportionately represented in the prison population. Factors such as racial profiling, biased sentencing, and unequal access to legal resources contribute to these disparities.

Additionally, disparities in educational opportunities, housing, healthcare, and economic conditions continue to affect marginalized communities, perpetuating cycles of inequality.

The Scottsboro Boys case serves as a reminder that systemic injustices and racial biases are deeply ingrained in society and require ongoing efforts to dismantle. It underscores the importance of addressing racial inequality, promoting equitable policies, and fostering understanding and empathy across communities.

While progress has been made in the fight for justice and equality, the legacy of the Scottsboro Boys and their struggle reminds us that there is still work to be done to achieve a more just and inclusive society in the 21st century United States.

Kander and Ebb’s works

John Kander and Fred Ebb were a highly acclaimed duo in the world of musical theater, known for their collaboration on numerous successful works. They created several iconic musicals, often tackling challenging and thought-provoking subject matter. Some of their notable works include:

1. "Cabaret" (1966): Set in 1930s Berlin during the rise of the Nazi party, "Cabaret" explores themes of love, politics, and the decline of the Weimar Republic. The musical is known for its memorable songs, including "Willkommen" and "Cabaret."

2. "Chicago" (1975): Set in Prohibition-era Chicago, this satirical musical follows the stories of murderesses Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly. It delves into the media sensationalism surrounding crime and celebrity. "Chicago" became a major hit and has been revived multiple times, both on Broadway and in the West End, winning numerous awards.

3. "Kiss of the Spider Woman" (1992): Based on the novel by Manuel Puig, this musical tells the story of two prisoners in a Latin American jail—a gay window dresser and a political revolutionary. It explores themes of escapism, friendship, and the power of imagination.

4. "The Scottsboro Boys" (2010): This musical, with a book by David Thompson, examines the true story of the Scottsboro Boys case. It utilizes the structure of a minstrel show to portray the racial injustice faced by the nine African American teenagers. The show received critical acclaim for its powerful storytelling and social commentary.

Kander and Ebb's works often incorporated social and political themes, exploring issues of justice, sexuality, and human nature. Their music, characterized by catchy melodies and sharp lyrics, continues to resonate with audiences and has had a lasting impact on the world of musical theater.

[gayexpressions-ig]

Embracing Equality: Promoting LGBTQ Rights in Namibia

The struggle for LGBTQ rights has been a long-standing issue worldwide, with many countries still grappling to fully recognize and respect the fundamental rights of the LGBTQ community. Namibia, a southern African country, is among nations that have been experiencing difficulty in accepting and promoting full equality for LGBTQ people. However, it is time to give all Namibians the rights and freedoms they deserve, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. In this article, we highlight some of the challenges faced by the LGBTQ community in Namibia and what can be done to promote their rights and safety.

Challenges faced by the LGBTQ community in Namibia:

Namibia is a conservative country with deeply entrenched societal and cultural attitudes against LGBTQ people. Same-sex sexual conduct is illegal, and members of the LGBTQ community are frequently subjected to harassment, discrimination, and violence.

Apart from the legal and social obstacles, the LGBTQ community in Namibia faces significant health challenges. Stigmatization and marginalization cause many individuals in the community to shy away from accessing healthcare services, leading to increased rates of sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS, mental health problems, and other health issues.

How can we promote LGBTQ rights in Namibia?

The first step towards promoting LGBTQ rights is to create awareness and promote dialogue about the issues facing the community. People need to understand that LGBTQ people are equally human, deserving of respect, dignity, and protection from harm.

Education, especially among the youth, is crucial. By teaching young Namibians, we can break down the barriers of ignorance and prejudice that lead to discrimination and violence against LGBTQ people.

Legal reform is also necessary, including the repeal of laws that discriminate against LGBTQ people, such as the prohibition of same-sex conduct. Advocacy groups and human rights defenders must continue to push for legal change and ensure that LGBTQ voices are heard.

Future outlooks:

Namibia has made strides towards promoting LGBTQ rights, with the establishment of organizations such as the Namibia Diverse Women's Association and the Rainbow Project. However, there is still a lot that needs to be done to achieve full equality.

The most promising future outlook is the rising activism among young Namibians. The youth are more open-minded and accepting of people from diverse backgrounds, including the LGBTQ community. They have the potential to drive change and promote greater acceptance and equality.

Namibia, like other countries, needs to embrace equality fully. The LGBTQ community deserves to enjoy the same rights, protection, and opportunities as everyone else. It's time to create a society that accepts and celebrates diversity in all its forms. The Namibian government, civil society, and individuals need to take responsibility for promoting LGBTQ rights and end the discrimination and stigma. Together, we can make Namibia a place where everyone, regardless of their gender identity, is treated with dignity and respect.

[mariacallous]

When as many as 99 million Mexican voters head to the polls on June 2, they will be casting their ballots in what is certain to be a groundbreaking national vote—no matter who triumphs.

That’s because this election’s top two presidential candidates are both women, effectively guaranteeing that the country will soon elect its first-ever female leader. And then there’s the sheer number of positions at stake: Beyond the presidency, some 20,000 positions are available, including 128 senatorial seats and 500 congressional representative spots.

“It is a historical election cycle for Mexico, not only because it’s its biggest election in its history,” said Lila Abed, the acting director of the Mexico Institute at the Wilson Center. “Everything is set so that Mexicans elect the first female president in the country.”

Mexico’s next leader will be taking the reins of a country grappling with surging cartel violence, sluggish economic growth, sweeping corruption, and a migration crisis. Mexico has also grown deeply polarized under popular incumbent President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (known as AMLO), who expanded the military’s mandate and ramped up efforts to weaken the country’s democratic institutions, including by stripping funding from Mexico’s electoral agency and attacking the judiciary.

Here are the key things you need to know as Mexico readies for its landmark election.

Who is running?

The two top contenders for the presidency are Claudia Sheinbaum, a former Mexico City mayor representing the governing left-leaning Morena party, and former Sen. Xóchitl Gálvez, a tech entrepreneur representing a three-party opposition coalition.

Between the two, Sheinbaum is the clear front-runner. She is the protégée of López Obrador, who has enjoyed high approval ratings throughout his presidency but is constitutionally prohibited from running for another term. Over the course of his six years in office, López Obrador has railed against the media and taken steps to weaken the country’s democratic institutions, pushing for controversial policies that have sparked sweeping protests. Yet he also reduced poverty, raised the minimum wage, and expanded a popular pension program, all of which have boosted his standing among many Mexicans.

Sheinbaum is hoping to capitalize on that support. “She’s riding on a wave of popularity by López Obrador,” said Falko Ernst, an expert in Mexican politics at the International Crisis Group. “She’s been really careful not to overly criticize his government and really not offer too much of a fine-grained profile that opposition and others could use as points of attack against her.”

On the campaign trail, Sheinbaum has pledged continuity with many of López Obrador’s policies, including by increasing the minimum wage and continuing his massive infrastructure projects. She has also expressed support for López Obrador’s controversial constitutional reform proposals that, if passed, analysts warn would further undermine the country’s democracy. The fate of those proposals will depend on whether they get the required two-thirds supermajority support in Congress.

The big question, analysts say, is whether Sheinbaum will choose to chart a more independent political path if she is elected. “Whether she decides to really govern as a mere reflection of López Obrador or makes her own mark remains a mystery,” Abed said.

Gálvez, on the other hand, is a staunch critic of López Obrador’s who represents more pro-business, pro-market interests. She has campaigned hard against López Obrador’s “hugs not bullets” security strategy, declaring that “hugs for criminals are over.” The stated aims of that strategy, which López Obrador campaigned on, were to demilitarize the country and tackle the roots of organized crime by boosting educational and economic opportunities.

However, in practice, López Obrador actually “strengthened the armed forces’ power and expanded their role in society,” journalist Jared Olson wrote for Foreign Policy in 2022, which raised the risk of human rights abuses. Meanwhile, violent crime continued to ravage the country: More people have been murdered or gone missing during López Obrador’s six-year term in office than during any other Mexican president’s term, the Financial Times reported.

Gálvez said the “hugs not bullets” policy has failed. “The bullets have been for citizens,” she told the FT. Her approach would be to pay police better and invest more in security, she said. She has also pledged to strengthen checks and balances in the government.

But the coalition she has aligned herself with may be dampening her prospects. “She’s running under old party names, under old brand names,” Ernst said. Many Mexicans don’t see the parties as “feasible alternatives for turning things around because they stand for the old days of corruption and bad security policies, amongst other things.”

What do the polls say?

Polls indicate that Sheinbaum will triumph by a wide margin. She has maintained a commanding lead, with some polls in March giving her a roughly 30-percentage-point lead over Gálvez. According to data from the Bloomberg Poll Tracker in May, Sheinbaum held 57 percent of votes, while Gálvez had 30 percent.

But Abed, the Wilson Center expert, said she expected the election’s ultimate results to be closer than some of the polls are currently projecting. While Sheinbaum does sustain a clear advantage over Gálvez, she said, “I perceive that the difference is actually much narrower than 30 points.”

What are the key issues that voters care about?

Security tops the list of issues driving voters to the polls. Since López Obrador began his term in 2018, Mexico has logged over 170,000 homicides—more than a quarter more murders than were recorded under his predecessor. Over 111,000 people in Mexico have been “forcibly disappeared” since numbers were first recorded in 1962, according to Mexican authorities, and the country is home to one of the world’s highest femicide rates.

That violence has dominated debates this election season, particularly as powerful crime groups have intimidated and even killed potential candidates in the groups’ bids for influence and power. In the run-up to this election, more than two dozen candidates have already died.

“In terms of the polls, the most important issue is security,” said Luis Rubio, an expert in Mexican politics and chairman of the Center of Research for Development. “Mexicans suffer from extortion, from being assaulted, from being killed. The numbers are staggering in every one of those areas.”

Beyond security, López Obrador’s successor will also be taking the reins of an economy facing sluggish growth, emblematic of the many economic challenges looming over the country. This year, Mexico is expected to record its biggest budget deficit in decades.

During his presidency, López Obrador “substantially increased Mexico’s minimum wage and invested in infrastructure projects in the poorest regions of the country. He has expanded social programs for people over 65 years old and people with disabilities, created new scholarships, and provided resources to farmers and fishermen,” Ana Sofía Rodríguez Everaert wrote for Foreign Policy. “Today, cash transfers of some form reach 71 percent of Mexican households.”

Both Sheinbaum and Gálvez are expected to continue those cash transfers.

How could this election shape the future of Mexico’s foreign policy?

Under López Obrador, who famously once declared that “the best foreign policy is a good domestic policy,” Mexico has turned increasingly inward. The populist leader has been relatively withdrawn on the global stage, shunning major international meetings including G-20 summits and the 2022 Summit of the Americas. “He leaves a legacy in foreign policy that leaves a lot to be desired,” Abed said. “I think that’s one of his biggest weaknesses.”

“If you look at this administration, we’ve seen largely an absence of Mexico on the international stage,” Ernst said. “López Obrador has been very inward-looking. He has been very nationalist in his course and has really failed to sort of propel Mexico to the regional leadership position that many expected to take up.”

One bright spot has been the country’s exploding trade ties with the United States. In 2023, Mexico City officially beat out Beijing to become the top exporter to Washington—the first time that has happened in more than two decades. But that outcome was likely encouraged by other geopolitical headwinds—including the push for nearshoring and rising U.S.-China trade tensions—not by López Obrador’s own efforts, experts said.

“A lot of these economic positive trends that have been felt under the AMLO administration have not been because Mexico has positioned itself as an emerging country very much engaged with the international community,” Abed said. “I just think it got very lucky given the trends that happen around the world.”

Depending on which candidate triumphs—and, in the case of Sheinbaum, how closely she follows in López Obrador’s footsteps—this election could also signal a new chapter in Mexican foreign policy.

“I think we’ll see, potentially, a greater opening toward the international sphere and especially toward Latin America and Central America,” Ernst said, but “it’s still uncertain to what degree.”

[louisianaprelawland-blog]

Indonesia Passes A New Criminal Code That Bans Sex Before Marriage

By Yvonne Kalpakis, Loyola University New Orleans Class of 2023

December 11, 2022

Indonesia's legislature unanimously approved a comprehensive new criminal code that criminalizes sex outside of marriage as part of a series of reforms that critics claim will jeopardize the human rights and freedoms in the Southeast Asian nation[1].

Cohabitation before marriage and apostasy are prohibited by the new code, which also applies to international residents and visitors[1]. It also imposes penalties for criticizing the president or making statements that are conflicting with the dominant ideology[1]. The code won't go into place for three years to give time to create implementing regulations[2].

The legislative commission in charge of updating the colonial-era code was led by MP Bambang Wuryanto. “All have agreed to ratify the proposed amendments into law,”  he said[1]. The old code is of Dutch ancestry and is no longer applicable[1].

The new regulation was “completely counter-productive,” according to Maulana Yusran, deputy head of Indonesia's tourism industry board, at a time when the economy and tourism were just beginning to recover from the pandemic[2]. He added, “we regret the government's blindness terribly. We've previously voiced our worries to the tourist ministry about how detrimental this law is” [2].

Indonesia has experienced an increase in religious conservatism recently and in some areas of the country, such as the semi-autonomous Aceh province where alcohol and gambling are prohibited, strict Islamic regulations are already in effect[1].

Not only have the revisions to the penal code disturbed proponents of human rights who feared that they could strangle individual freedoms, but also representatives of the travel sector who were concerned about how they might affect tourism[1].

Yasonna Laoly, the minister of law and human rights, said during a news conference on Tuesday that creating a criminal code that “accommodates all interests” was difficult in a multicultural and multiethnic nation[1].

He expressed the expectation that Indonesians would recognize that parliamentarians had made every effort to meet “public aspiration” and asked those who were not satisfied to request a judicial review from the constitutional court.

Prior to the voting on Tuesday, rights organizations and detractors warned that the new code will “disproportionately damage women” and severely restrict freedoms and human rights in the nation of over 270 million people[1].

Usman Hamid, the executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia, commented “What we’re witnessing is a huge setback to Indonesia’s hard-won progress in protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms after the 1998 revolution. This criminal code should have never been passed in the first place”[1].

The code broadens current laws and penalties in addition to adding new offenses[1]. According to a draft paper, blasphemy rules have risen from “one to six clauses” and can now result in a maximum five-year prison sentence[1].

Laws prohibiting defaming the nation's leaders and organizing unofficial protests, according to Hamid, will have a damaging effect on free expression[1]. In his words, “The reinstatement of provisions banning insults to the president and vice president, the sitting government as well as state institutions would further create a palpable chilling effect on freedom of speech and criminalize legitimate criticisms”[1].

Andreas Harsono, a researcher for Human Rights Watch in Indonesia, called the legislation “a setback for already diminishing religious freedom in Indonesia” and cautioned that they might be abused to target particular people[1]. The risk of oppressive laws, according to him, is not that they would be enforced broadly but rather that they will open up opportunities for selective enforcement[1].

The restrictions are anticipated to cause issues for the business community, especially for those that frequently host and provide for visitors and foreign nationals[1]. Bali, for instance, is strongly reliant on tourist spending and is still recovering from the pandemic downturn that kept visitors away[1]. He claimed that if the regulations were actually put into effect, tourists might end up in jail, which would be bad for the industry[1].

The new laws governing morals, according to Albert Aries, a spokesman for Indonesia's justice ministry, were restricted by who may report them, such as a parent, spouse, or child of potential law violators[2]. “The aim is to protect the institution of marriage and Indonesian values, while at the same time being able to protect the privacy of the community and also negate the rights of the public or other third parties to report this matter or 'playing judge' on behalf of morality”[2].

These rules are among a number of legal modifications that critics claim erode civil freedoms in the third-largest democracy in the world[2].

______________________________________________________________

Yvonne Kalpakis is a fourth-year undergraduate student at Loyola University New Orleans studying to earn a degree in Criminology and Justice with a minor in Forensic Science. She hopes to pursue a career in CSI work after graduation.

______________________________________________________________

[1]https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/05/asia/indonesia-new-code-passed-sex-cohabitation-intl-hnk/index.html

[2] https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/indonesias-parliament-passes-controversial-new-criminal-code-2022-12-06/

[hagleyvault]

Happy Repeal Day! On this day in 1933, the repeal of thirteen years of Prohibition in the United States was accomplished with the passage of the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution.

We’re toasting the occasion today with this August 8, 1932 photograph from a rally of the Women's Organization for National Prohibition Reform (W.O.N.P.R.), an organization founded in 1929 by Pauline Morton Sabin (1887-1955) to advocate for the repeal of Prohibition. By 1932, the organization counted over 600,000 members and had a leadership dominated by women who, like Sabin, were wealthy and well-connected wives of American industry leaders.

Alice Belin du Pont (1872-1944), wife of Pierre S. du Pont (1870-1954), counted herself among the Women's Organization for National Prohibition Reform membership. In this photo, Pierre’s brother, Irénée du Pont (1876-1963) can be seen in the upper row of men, third position from left.

This photograph is part of the Hagley Library’s collection of P.S. du Pont photographs (Longwood) (Accession 1969.002). You can view more items from this collection, including more material documenting the Women's Organization for National Prohibition Reform, by clicking here to visit its page in our Digital Archive.

[robertreich]

Worker Power

Imagine a world where workers have real power. In this world, workers are paid a living wage, are protected by a strong union, and wield enough political clout to ensure Congress passes pro-worker laws. Corporations can’t treat them like robots and abandon communities to find cheaper labor elsewhere. It is a world of low inequality, where workers have a bigger share of the fruits of their labor.

This world is America in the 1950s.

This world was far from perfect. Black people and women were still second-class citizens. Windows of opportunity were still small or shuttered. That’s why it’s not enough to just go back in time. We must build upon it and expand it. For the past 40 years, this world has been dismantled. The voice of workers has been steadily drowned out in both the workplace and on the national political stage by the voice of big corporations. 

This massive power shift wasn’t the result of “free market forces” but of political choices. Now, it’s time to make the political choice to strengthen the voice of all workers.

Start with one of the biggest sources of worker power: unions. Every worker in America has a legal right to join a union free from interference from their employer -- a hard-fought victory that workers shed blood to secure. But corporate America has been busting unions to prevent workers from organizing.

In Bessemer, Alabama, for instance, Amazon used every trick in the anti-union playbook to prevent its predominantly Black workforce from forming the first Amazon union.

Most union-busting tactics are illegal, but the punishment is so laughably small that it’s simply the cost of doing business for a multi-billion dollar company like Amazon.

In addition, 28 states now have so-called “right-to-work” laws on the books, thanks to decades of big business lobbying. These laws ban unions from requiring dues from non-union workers, although non-union workers still benefit from these union contracts. This obviously makes it much harder for workers to unionize.

Corporations are also misclassifying employees as independent contractors and part-time workers, so workers don’t qualify for unemployment insurance, worker’s compensation, or the minimum wage, and don’t have the right to form a union. 

And corporations are waging political fights to keep employees off the books: Uber, Lyft, and other gig companies shelled out $200 million to get Proposition 22 passed in California, exempting them from a state labor law cracking down on misclassification.

It’s a vicious cycle: corporations crush their workers to protect corporate bottom lines, then use their enlarged profits to lobby for policies that allow them to keep crushing their workers -- preventing workers from having a voice in the workplace and in our democracy.

This vicious cycle began in the 1980s, when corporate raiders ushered in the era of “shareholder capitalism” that prioritized shareholders above the interests of other stakeholders. 

They bought up enough shares of stock to gain control of the corporation, and then cut costs by slashing payrolls, busting unions, and abandoning their home communities for cheaper locales -- all to maximize share values. The CEO of General Electric at the time, Jack Welch, helped pioneer these moves: in just his first four years as CEO, a full quarter of GE’s workforce was fired. The Reagan administration helped block legislation to rein in these hostile takeovers, and refused to lift a finger to enforce antitrust laws that could have prevented some of them.

I wish I could report that the Clinton and Obama administrations reformed labor laws to make it harder for corporations to bust unions. But either because Bill Clinton and Barack Obama lacked the political clout to get this done or didn’t want to expend the political capital, the fact is neither president led the way. 

The result of these political choices? Corporate profits have soared and wages have stagnated.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can turn the tide by making new political choices that restore the voice and centrality of American workers.

The most important is now in front of us: It’s called the Protecting the Right to Organize Act. 

Passed in the House in March with bipartisan support, the PRO Act is the toughest labor law reform in a generation. 

It prevents misclassification of full-time workers, bans corporations from harassing or intimidating workers who want to form a union, prohibits employers from replacing striking workers with non-union workers, and beefs up penalties for breaking existing labor laws, among other provisions empowering workers.

Beyond the PRO Act, American businesses need to be restructured so workers have a say at every level. At the top, that means a voice on corporate boards. In many European countries, worker representation has been shown to boost wages, skills, and corporate investment in communities. 

At the local level, we should make it easier to establish worker-owned cooperatives, which have been shown to increase profits, wages, and worker satisfaction.

And our trade and foreign policy can center on American workers without falling into the kind of xenophobia and nativism Donald Trump promoted.

Reversing 40 years of shareholder capitalism won’t be easy. But remember this: you, the working people of America, outnumber the corporate executives and big investors by a wide margin. Together, you can change the rules, and build a world where workers have real power.

[kleptonancydrew]

Nancy Drew and Education

So apparently the Clue Crew is full of teachers? Who knew. Well, as a former homeschooled student, current teacher, and (hopefully) future homeschooling parent/teacher I have been planning on integrating the games into lessons for a long time. Below the cut I have just a few of my many ideas (some more fleshed out than others). Feel free to use, adapt, or add your own! 

SCK:

-        Braille

o   How blind/vision impaired people navigate the world

§  How we can make it more accessible for them

o   How do braille books and printers work

-        ASL

o   Memorizing the alphabet and basic signs

§  Build up fluency

o   How HOH/deaf people navigate the world

§  How we can make it more accessible for them  

o   Connections of ASL to other signed languages

§  French Sign Language versus British Sign Language

-        Dangers of gas leaks

o   What to do if you smell or hear gas

-        Inequalities between mens and womens sporting opportunities

o   See Women’s Soccer

-        What are performance enhancing drugs

o   What is the difference between #steroids and the steroids your doctor might prescribe

-        How drug running is a gateway crime

-        Why blackmailing people isn’t good

-        More reasons to never move to Florida

-        Why you shouldn’t go to an actual high school part one

 STFD:

-        Television in NYC

o   Soap Operas

o   How television sets work

o   Role of director

o   Teleprompters

o   Props

o   Agents

-        Theatre in NY

o   Broadway

§  Learn a show

o   Carnegie Hall

-        Dangers in the ways we obsess over celebrities

o   Paparazzi

o   Stalkers

o   Respecting privacy

-        NY taxi system

-        NY regional accents

-        NY as a center for immigration – salad bowl

o   Ellis Island

-        History of NYC

o   Geography of NYC

-        Typewriters

-        Towers of Hanoi

-        Encoding  

-        How to make chocolates (with or without poison)

-        Read along:

o   New York the Novel (Edward Rutherford)

o   The Power Broker

o   All of a Kind Family

 MHM:

-        San Francisco Gold Rush

-        Earthquake and Fires in San Fran

-        Golden Gate Bridge

-        Angel Island

o   Asian (Chinese) Immigration to the USA

-        Chinese Zodiac

-        Fortune telling (and why it’s not okay)

-        Bed and Breakfasts

-        San Francisco today

o   Technology boom

o   Overpriced everything

§  How this hurts established residents

§  Homelessness in San Fran

-        Bandits in the American West

-        Hauntings in American buildings

-        How to remove and install tile

-        Renovations – refurbish something

-        Antiques

o   Visit an antique shop

-        Importance of fire safety

-        How to install lighting fixtures properly

-        How to fix a dumbwaiter

o   How not to be a dumb waiter

-        Tangrams

-        What is the Victorian period

o   Significance of Queen Victoria

-        Read Along:

o   Little Brother

o   Paper Son: Lee’s Journey to America

o   Angel Island Gateway to Golden Mountain

 TRT:

-        The French Revolution

o   Marie Antoinette

o   Women and the French Revolution

o   Worldwide effects of the Revolution

o   Historians of the French Revolution

-        Writing history

o   How we can focus on different events in history, how we can be sympathetic to certain people, how we can fulfill different spaces in the historical narrative, criticism of history as a field, entering history as a field

-        Wisconsin Dairy industry

-        Alarm systems and how they work

-        Fingerprinting

-        Elevator safety

-        Ski lifts

o   Skiing

-        Vandalism

-        Taking care of libraries

-        Latitude and longitude

-        Keeping records of good events and bad events

o   Nothing you do will ever stop me from loving you

-        Some people keep different sleep schedules

-        Journalism

-        Making translations  

-        Why France has different holidays – to keep the ski lodges from getting too full

 FIN:

-        History of theatre spaces

-        Use of film at theatres

-        Magicians

o   Houdini

o   Learn a ‘magic’ trick

-        Library of Congress

-        Demolition – wrecking balls

o   What’s involved

-        Plaster casts

-        Historic register of buildings

o   Visit a local historic building

-        Price of concessions and movie tickets today

-        Nickelodeons

-        Celebrity stunts for attention from press

o   Celebrity endorsements

-        Jazz music

o   Dancing

-        Kidnapping stories

o   What to do if someone tries to grab you

-        Rubber vs. electricity

-        Art/artists of the 20s

 SSH:

-        Numbering systems (particularly ones not based on 10)

-        Cultures of South America

o   Maya

§  Cultural understandings

§  Connections to what appears at Beech Hill

o   Aztec

o   Inca

-        Myths of lesser civilizations because of European preconceptions

-        Why do countries have consulates/embassies in other countries

-        What is amnesia and other medical memory issues

-        Provenance and why its important part one

-        Roles and responsibilities within a museum

o   Visit a museum

o   How to be critical of a museum and how knowledge is presented to you

-        Modern art

o   Make your own

o   Visit a modern art museum

-        Periodic Table of Elements

-        Positive and negative molds for casting

 DOG:

-        Prohibition

o   Speakeasys

o   Amendments to constitution

o   Drinking age restrictions

§  Comparison of USA to European countries  

o   Connections to modern drug policies

-        Recognizing and photographing local birds

-        Dangers in the forest – ticks and other pests

-        Why water sources are important

o   Flint water crisis

-        Visit a state park

o   Importance of maintaining public land

-        Alcatraz

-        How to care for dogs

-        Noise pollution

o   Light pollution

 CAR:

-        History of carousels

o   Visit a carousel

-        Lathes

-        Harmonicas

-        Band organs

-        Writing messages with lemon juice and other hidden inks

-        How to iron

o   How not to iron

-        How to make a sundae

-        How amusement park rides are designed

-        Soldering

-        What is parole

o   Welcoming those who have been in prison back to society

o   Problems with the American prison system

§  How it disproportionately affects minority groups

o   What can be done in prison reform

o   Abuses in prison

o   Making mental and spiritual help and guidance more available

o   Making sanitary products available

o   Prison for profit hurts everybody except the prison owner

o   Educational opportunities for those in prison

o   More half-way help

o   Juvenile sentencing reform – more out of system help

o   Respecting humanity of prisoners

o   Ending the death penalty  

-        Depression

o   How to get help

o   How to help others

o   Dealing with loss

DDI:

-        Native peoples of the Pacific Northwest

-        Orcas and other whales

o   Whaling industry in Northwest and Northeast

o   Things whale products were used for

o   Visit natural history museum with whale exhibition

-        Visit an aquarium with a good reputation

o   Problems with places that do not take care of their sea life – particularly large sea life like whales

-        What is a chowder and how is it made

o   Try or make chowder

-        Crabs

o   Restrictions on different types of crabs – what type is local

o   Try a crab dish

-        Importance of different knots  

o   Get some rope and learn how to tie different knots

-        Know the NATO alphabet and letter flags

-        Boating knowledge

o   Go on a boating trip – know the port and starboard sides

-        Learn how to kayak

-        Try to learn how to skip rocks

-        Visit a lighthouse

o   Importance and histories of lighthouses

-        Smuggling – what is it and why does it happen

-        Shanghaiing

-        Chess

 SHA:

-        The continuous oppression and mistreatment of Native Americans

o   From Mayflower to Pocahontas to Trail of Tears to Dakota to DAPL to Reservations to food deserts to voting rights to much much more

§  How to support current Native voices and concerns

o   Why Native Americans are not a costume

o   “Possession” of Native American objects and land

§  Arrowheads and native jewelry

o   Broad overview of regional Native American groups – using their own voices

§  Special focus on local Native American groups

·       Is there a local museum/educational resource that is either Native created or known for respecting Native voices

o   Current Native Americans of note (ex: politicians, activists, artists)

o   While the previous focuses on Native Americans in the modern day USA – also discuss First Nations from Canada and Native Groups from more southern areas

-        Why temperature and pan matters when baking (show what happens in the oven when it goes wrong)

-        Magnets and how different metals react differently to magnets

-        How to take care of a horse and other farm animals

o   Visit a local farm

o   Try horse-riding

-        Dangers of rattle snakes and scorpions

-        Lassos and how to use them

-        Legends of outlaws in the American West

-        Ghost towns  

-        Flower stitches when knitting/crocheting

-        Petrified wood

-        How to make a campfire

-        Picking fruits and veggies when they are ready

-        Flower language

-        Read Along:

o   Native American folk tales  

o   Motorcycles and Sweetgrass

o   Gone Away Lake

o   Black Beauty?

 CUR:

-        Where are the moors

-        Different regional accents within the United Kingdom

-        British foods

-        Latin

o   Learn fun phrases and prayers

-        Ancestry and genealogy

o   Map your own family tree and recognize family crests

o   How adoption has historically been a binding and irrefutable concept for lineage

o   Find places your family lived

o   Leaving a history for your descendants

§  Write a story book for them

o   British Royal Family

§  Why incest is bad

-        Parrots and their intelligence

-        Secret passages in old buildings

-        Alchemy

o   Connections to modern understandings of science  

o   Historical understandings of elements

-        Astrological signs

-        Witch trials

-        Legends of lycanthropy and other monsters

-        Importance of not taking other peoples medicines

-        Runic alphabet

-        Feeding your pets a healthy diet

-        Typing practice

-        How to embrace the idea that home taught students are evil geniuses

-        Forges and melting points of different metals

-        Carnivorous plants

-        Succulents

-        Constellations in different places  

-        Read Along:

o   The Secret Garden

o   The London Eye Mystery

o   Beastly

CLK:

-        Great Depression

o   Causes and effects

o   Who was hurt

o   Who was not hurt

o   Areas of America

§  Dust bowl

o   Famous people and literature

o   Homelessness and poverty

§  Bread lines

§  Soup kitchens

§  Anti-homelessness architecture

§  Connections to mental illness and veterans

§  How we can help those who do not have homes today

-        Early Telephones

-        Shakespeare

-        History of Nancy Drew

o   Mildred Wirt Benson

o   Edward Stratemeyer  

-        Fishing – why different fish respond to different bait

-        Orphanages in the early 20th century

-        Gas prices and accessibility of cars through time

-        How to make pie

-        What is jurisdiction and what is significant about crossing state lines

-        How do banks work

o   Safety deposit boxes

-        Identify theft

-        How to use a sewing machine

o   Sew an item of clothing

-        Mini golf – why and what

-        Mirrors and their usefulness

-        Stamp collections

-         

-        Radios and call signs

o   Comparison to modern internet forms

-        Telegrams

-        Read along:

o   Shakespeare

§  Midsummer Night’s Dream

§  Others

o   Pollyanna

o   Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm

o   The Grapes of Wrath

  TRN:

-        Trains

o   Steam trains

o   Visit a train museum

o   Take a train ride (if not a normal event)

o   Importance of transcontinental railway

o   Trains around the USA today

o   Trains around the world (TGV, bullet train)

-        Abraham Lincoln

-        Mark Twain

-        How to make a good burger (you leave off the PB&J)

-        Slugs

-        Periodic Table of Elements – abbreviations

-        Gemstones

-        History of Mining

o   England (Newcastle upon Tyne)

o   American West

o   Appalachia

o   Company Store

o   Health issues for miners

o   Danger of mines

o   Current issues for mining

-        Dancing the Hurley Burley

-        People who collect creepy dolls

o   History of porcelain dolls

-        Embroidery

o   How to

o   Patterns/symbols

-        General Stores in the American West

o   Sears

-        How to make taffy

-        Find a well maintained and beautiful tomb and research who is entombed

-        Focusing light through a magnifying glass can start a fire

-        Read Along:

o   Murder on the Orient Express

o   Mark Twain books

DAN:

-        All lessons in French

-        How using different ingredients and different amounts of ingredients can affect the outcome of your cookies

-        Paris métro

o   History

o   How to read/follow a métro map

o   RER

-        Montmartre and other Parisian neighbourhoods

-        History of Île de la France and Square de Vert Galant Parc and Pont Neuf

-        WWII and the French Resistance

o   Cross of Lorraine

o   Vichy France

o   Abuses of the French gov’t in this period

-        Paris and the fashion world

-        Beauty standards and the rejection of natural beauty by society

o   Dangers of weight and figure standards

o   You are beautiful as you are

-        Catacombs of Paris

-        Famous French Dishes (from this region)

o   Or Bretagne since I know and like them better

-        The French Café

-        Moulin in France

-        Tea and how hot leaf water can taste so bad but still be good for you

-        Buildings of Baron Haussmann

-        Paris History  

-        Decoders

-        Importance of vitraux historically, culturally, and religiously

-        Read Along:

o   Little Kids

§  Madeline

§  Babar

§  Petit Ours

§  Plume

o   High School

§  Hunchback of Notre Dame

§  Les Mis

§  Dale Van Kley

 CRE:

-        History of Hawai’i and her native people

o   How the USA screwed them over and continues to do so

§  Land colonizing today

o   Listen to voices from Native Peoples

-        Pearl Harbor

o   USS Arizona

-        Native myths and legends

-        Local flora and fauna

-        Surfing

-        How to make bead necklaces

-        Snorkeling

-        Entomology

o   Find some local bugs and identify and observe them

-        Horticulture

o   See if you can graft something

o   Watch a carnation placed in water with food dye

o   Regrow a fruit or veggie from the leftovers

-        Go looking for seashells – see how many complete shells you can find

-        Be aware of pesticides and the dangers they offer

o   Dangers of organic food too

-        Make something with pineapple in it

-        Fishing – different kinds of native fish

-        Volcanos

-        Hula  

  ICE:

-        Wolf sanctuaries – respecting wildlife and their place in the wild and not the domestic

o   What to do if you see a wolf in the real world

-        Fur trapping in Canada history

-        Regions and Capitols of Canada

o   Visit Canada?

-        How the Canadian government works

-        Use of French language in Canada    

o   Unique features of Canadian French  

-        Ice fishing

-        How to cook omelets, salmon, etc.

o   How to not add paprika cause like ew

-        Fossils

-        Radiation

o   Marie Curie

-        How to be a good maid

-        Snowballs/ice balls

-        Ice skating

-        Winter weather safety

-        Avalanches  

-        Saunas

-        Birthmarks

-        Fax machines

-        How to not lie about bird watching

-        Frozen water safety  

-        Modern offenses against First Nations by Canadian Government

  CRY:

-        Culture of the Arawak and Caraïbe

o   Voodoo

-        Mardi Gras in New Orleans

-        Hurricane Katrina and aftermath

-        French Influence

-        Eyes and their parts and functions

-        Teeth and their parts and functions

-        Alligators in the Southern USA and how they are dangerous pests  

-        Graveyards/cemeteries and how to be comfortable in them

o   Modern burial practices

o   Why are they above ground in Louisiana?

o   Places where they are running out of space for the dead

o   Historic violations of final resting places

-        Ventriloquism

-        Lizards and how to care for them

-        Rube Goldberg machines

-        Curio shops

-        Crystal Skulls  

 VEN:

-        International crime

-        Organized crime

-        Scopa

-        Italian basics

o   Learn an Italian aria

-        Italian food

o   Not just spaghetti

-        History of Venice

o   Current issues in Venice

-        Carrier pigeons

-        Micro-dots

-        “Observing the architecture”

-        Try to make gelato (or just get gelato, either way you get gelato)

-        Disguising yourself – put on an outfit and try to get me to not recognize you

-        Picking locks

-        Secret codes

-        Solfege

o   With hand signs

o   Learn a song in solfege

-        Carnivale

-        Learn how the sausage gets made

o   How to deal with food poisoning

-        How to secure your living space against burglars

o   Glass breaks, motion sensors, keypads, magnets, and more

-        Read Along:

o   Heist Society

o   The Prince

o   Merchant of Venice

  HAU:

-        Irish lessons (as much of this in Irish as possible)

o   Why the Irish language is important

-        Geography of Ireland

o   Provinces and counties

-        Irish names

-        Why Ireland has disliked and should dislike the UK

o   Historically

o   Famine

§  Emmigration

o   Easter Rising

o   Troubles

o   Present-Day

-        Importance of alcohol in Ireland

o   Uisce beatha

o   Guinness

§  Guinness world records

-        Irish music

o   Irish instruments

o   Learn some Rebel songs

-        Ogham runes

-        Irish foods

o   Something with lamb, who cares what

-        Don’t use friends for land development

-        Bogs

-        Chemical Reactions

-        Rockets

-        Inventions and secrecy during WWII

-        Religion in Ireland

o   Pagan traditions

o   Christianity

o   Catholic/Protestant tensions

-        Irish wedding traditions

-        How printing presses work

-        Irish castles

-        Sheep sheering/raising sheep

-        Irish legends

o   Fae

o   Leprechauns

-        Don’t drive and talk on the phone

 RAN:

-        Why blackface is problematic? (the fact that this needs to be said is problematic in and of itself)

-        Scuba diving

-        Sailing

-        Bermuda Triangle

-        Bats

-        Primates and their intelligence

o   Problems with animal research

o   Koko

o   Jane Goodall

-        Island resort culture

-        Metal detectors

-        Pirates

o   And the Caribbean

o   Their abuses

o   Different kinds

o   Modern day pirates  

-        How do walkie-talkies work

-        US mistreatment of island territories

-        Read Along:

o   Bloody Jack (Meyer)

 WAC:

-        Edgar Allan Poe

o   Stories

o   Baltimore

-        Piano

-        Victorian Dining traditions

o   How to set a place for fancy dining

o   How to fold napkins

o   Table manners

o   How to serve someone at a fancy dinner

o   How courses might work

o   How to use your silverware  

-        Why you shouldn’t go to an actual high school part two

o   Just fyi – that’s not how uniforms work

§  Have a school inspired dress code for a week

-        Bullying and why you absolutely will not be a bully

o   How to respond to bullying

o   Importance of talking to adults and counseling

-        Logic puzzles

-        Research the founding of a local school

-        Stringed Instruments

-        Plagiarism

o   Turnitin

-        Making sandwiches – like a good deli style sandwich

-        Photography scavenger hunt – make a digital (or physical) yearbook

-        Squirrels

-        Orthographic projection

-        DNA/RNA

-        Saving every major project on three different thumb drives

-        Getting along with roommates

-        States and Capitals

o   Countries and capitals of the world  

 TOT:

-        Tornados

o   Technology used to observe tornados

-        Meteorology

-        Prairie dogs

-        Life on the great plains

-        Great Plains Native Americans

-        Small towns in the Midwest honestly be like that

-        Defensive driving

-        Make a disaster kit

-        Know what to do in various natural emergency situations

o   What is the local alert protocol

o   What do local authorities recommend

-        How to maintain and fix a car

-        How to fix a broken device

-        What is tenure

-        How to budget

o   Go to the grocery store on a strict budget (however much you come in under budget is your candy budget)

-        Read Along:

o   Little House

  SAW:

-        Basic Japanese phrases

o   Learn to count

o   Writing in Japanese

-        Sudoku, nonograms, renograms

-        Japanese ghost legends

-        Japanese culture

o   Tourism

§  Ryokans

o   Space – everything small

o   Politeness/formalities

o   Hot springs/baths

o   Tatami and paper walls

-        Japanese cultural dress

o   Kimonos

o   Lolita? Fashion

-        Japanese names

o   Last name first

o   How to address others in Japan

-        Martial Arts

o   Ninjutsu

§  Traditional tools

-        Japanese tea ceremony

-        Schools in Japan

-        Teaching English as a foreign language

-        Japanese subway/train system

-        Pachinko and Japanese gaming

-        Japanese vending machines

-        Robotic animals

-        Bento

-        Japanese foods

-        Origami

-        How to fake a haunting

 CAP:

-        Basic German phrases

o   How to make a German word

o   Connections of German to English

-        German food favourites

o   Especially cakes

-        Storytelling as a cultural entity

o   How memory has worked differently in different times

-        Glass blowing

-        How castles provided for the local community

-        Bavaria in Germany

o   Cultural dress

-        Glockenspiel

-        How to make board games

-        Monster stories of central Europe

-        How to monitor security camera remotely

-        Read Along:

o   Heidi

ASH:

-        Arson

o   Watching how different accelerants burn a piece of paper

-        All politicians are at least somewhat self-serving

o   But write a letter to a local politician anyway

§  Different ways to contact elected officials, and why some don’t work

-        How to make ice cream

-        How a police investigation works

o   Problems with police departments around the world – specifically USA

o   Ways that police work unfairly targets minorities

§  If Nancy is innocent how many others are

-        How to use matches and lighters safely

-        Why you should not return to the scene of a crime – particularly a fire

-        Making sure smoke detectors work properly and the system is connected

o   We might not go to school but fire drills are still important

-        What is a mass spectrometer

-        Who to call if you’ve been arrested

-        What to do if you get pulled over

-        How the media can skew the truth and make their own narratives

-        Sound mixing

-        Be careful with what you say/post/record

o   Keep receipts and clarify when possible

 TMB:

-        What not to do at an archaeological site

-        Ancient Egyptian History

o   Pantheon, notable figures, relevant events

o   Pyramids, sphinx

o   Pharaohs

-        Modern Egypt

o   Arabic alphabet

-        History of archaeological digs in Egypt

o   Why they’ve been problematic

-        Dangers of the tombs

-        Mummys

o   How they are put together

-        Tomb raiders

-        Importance of water in the desert

-        How to piece together a broken artifact

-        How to gently brush off an artifact

-        There is no such thing as a dictionary for ancient Egyptian

-        Aliens did not build the pyramids

-        Senet

-        Desert life safety

-        How mirrors can be used to light a room

-        Read Along

o   Rick Riordan

 DED:

-        Nikola Tesla

o   All his fun stuff

o   Tesla Coils

-        3-D printing

-        Gummy fingerprints

-        Faraday Cage

-        Basic electric concepts

o   How to build a circuit board

-        Chemical safety

-        How a lab might work

-        Valuing different skills within academia

-        Ultraviolet light

-        How motorcycles work

-        Freelance photography

-        How to use academic databases

 GTH:

-        Slavery in the United States

o   Origins

o   ‘End’

o   Civil War

o   The connection to “southern culture”

o   Continued abuses of Black people in America

§  Importance of recognizing Black voices and what they are saying

§  Listening even when it’s uncomfortable

§  Checking privilege when you have it

o   Jim Crow Laws

-        Plantations

-        Gone With the Wind

o   The good and the bad

-        Civil War spies – female

-        Carbon monoxide poisoning

-        Burned out houses are not a safe space

-        Do not go digging through people’s coffins – rest in PEACE

-        Understanding that your family can be flawed

-        If you don’t want to get married, if you’re not happy in a relationship, end it

-        When a member of your family is sick you take care of them

-        Make a will, just in case your cousin kills you

-        Bachelor and bachelorette parties should feature activities that everyone is comfortable with

-        Read Along:

o   My Last Skirt: The Story of Jennie Hodgers, Union Soldier

 SPY:

-        Scotland and their identity

o   Celtic Nations

o   Independent Scotland

o   Call a Scottish person

-        Unicorns and other mythical creatures in Scotland

-        Scottish food

o   The appetizing parts

-        History of spies

-        Biowarfare

o   Code Orange

o   Other teenage stories dealing with anthrax

o   Current events and concerns

o   Historical biowarfare (smallpox blankets)

-        Ziplining

-        Archery

-        How to bug someone

-        Tartans and plaids

o   Kilts

-        Augmented Reality Glasses

-        Record players

-        How to reset a circuit breaker

-        Read Along:

o   Gallagher Girls

o   Code Orange

o   Little House (Martha)

o   Little Brother (Doctorow)

 MED:

-        Don’t meet your heroes

-        New Zealand

o   Maori culture

-        Survivor style game shows and realism

-        I’m not saying Aliens can’t exist, I’m saying they def aren’t involved here

-        Kayaking

-        Submarines and what they can do

-        Turtles

-        Earthquakes

-        Be careful with rope bridges

  LIE:

-        Provenance and why it’s important part two  

-        Greek art and how it was originally painted vibrantly

o   Abuses of Greek art through the ages

-        The British Museum and the issues with that

-        Greek pantheon

o   Legends and notable figures

o   Religious traditions  

-        Iliad and Odyssey

-        Art forgery

-        How to fire clay pots and pottery

-        Memorizing lines for a play

o   Staging for a play

o   Role of a director

-        Theatre

o   Lights

o   Curtains

o   Fly system

o   Sound

-        Greek alphabet

-        Historical importance of the Greek language and culture

o   Alexander the Great and Hellenization

-        Olympics

o   Historic and modern

-        Greece and the European Union  

-        Make something with pomegranates

-        Read Along:

o   Iliad

o   Odyssey

o   The Thief

o   Percy Jackson  

  SEA:

-        Iceland

o   Culture

§  Naming traditions

o   Language

o   Music

o   Food

-        Shipbuilding

o   Historic and modern ships

-        Ice caving

-        Northern Lights

-        Tides

-        Snowmobiling

-        Poetry

-        What is xenophobia

 MID:

-        Some games just shouldn’t be made

-        American witch trials

o   What actually went down

o   Misconceptions

-        Treating people with albinism as real people

-        Arson is bad

-        Herbal remedies and how they can interfere with modern medicine

-        Witchcraft and how not to

-        Salem MA

-        Ignorance promotes fear and hatred so we do our best to learn about others