Social Justice
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Haley Lerner’s Presbyterian Faith Calls Her to Seek Justice
Haley Lerner discovered that social justice is rooted in her Presbyterian faith when she was in college. Now, just a few years later, she guides college students toward this same discovery. Lerner, a Philadelphia native, moved to Atlanta in 2016 to pursue her Masters of Divinity at Emory University’s…
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In Georgia, The Most Dangerous State for Pregnant Women, Policy Change Could Save Lives
Black women in Georgia are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women nationally, according to data from the CDC. Georgia, which has the second-highest maternal mortality rate in the nation, is one of the most dangerous states to be pregnant in today. According to CDC…
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‘We Have a Responsibility:’ Local Jewish Groups Respond to Injustice, Racial Oppression
As a people group with a horrific history of discrimination, Jewish groups in Athens have explained why pursuing issues of social justice are paramount to their religious identity and urgent after the death of George Floyd in May 2020. Ellie Reingold, a junior interdisciplinary theater and animation major at…
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New Start-Up, Old Non-Profit Discuss How Businesses Can Be Anti-Racist
After a summer of civil unrest, conversations about race are at the forefront of every aspect of life, and corporations have had to make decisions about where they stand on racism. For many, the concept of “anti-racism” was a new issue. However, actively combatting racism isn’t new for many operators…
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‘Live As Kindly As Possible’: Animal Rights Activist Gene Baur Lectures at UGA
“But even if we rescued a million animals every year, it would be a drop in the bucket. There are millions of animals killed every day,” Gene Baur said at his lecture “Eating Plants to Save the Planet.” Baur has been an active member of the animal rights community for…
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Georgia Hate Crimes Legislation Stalls in Senate, Proponents Hope for Passage in 2020
The state’s first hate crimes bill, HB 426, passed the Georgia House but stalled in the Senate and will not be taken up until the next Georgia state legislative session in 2020. Dacula Republican Rep. Chuck Efstration sponsored House Bill 426 in the most recent 2019 legislative session. HB 426…
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Georgia Preparatory Academy: The Unsung Heroes in Education
Transitioning into middle and high school is hard: new teachers, difficult classes, and tough social settings. But these difficulties are no match in comparison to the transition from juvenile detention back into the school system. The Georgia Preparatory Academy strives to aid this transition by creating a learning environment that prepares…
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Can Foster Homes Keep up with the Increase of Children Entering the Foster Care System?
Dr. John DeGarmo lost his first child 23 years ago. This loss fueled a passion in Dr. DeGarmo to help children who are suffering. He and his wife Dr. Kelly DeGarmo opened their doors to more than 60 foster children. Nationwide the increase in the number of children in need…
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An Inside Look at Addiction Recovery Stigma
“What’s right with you?” That’s the first thing people hear when they go to an addiction recovery workshop hosted by the nonprofit People Living in Recovery. Tucked inside the second floor of a Christian ministry in Athens, PLR provides a safe, positive space for people on the journey to recovery.…
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Favor House: A Mission Against Addiction, Recidivism
Rev. Dr. Charles McDonald was very quick to tell me that Favor House Ministries is not a halfway house. To its residents, typically numbering in the dozens at a time, Favor House may be a last resort, a longshot opportunity to salvage their lives and relationships. Inversely, it may mark…