solutions journalism
-
Athens-Clarke County
Athens Banner-Herald to Implement Athens Equality Lab: Here’s What You Should Know
News deserts, or areas that lack local journalism, have been increasing over the last 30 years. Northeast Georgia proves to be no exception, as some counties in the area are without a local newspaper. According to a study by the University of North Carolina Hussman School of Journalism and Media,…
-
Diversity
Black Journalists Express Strain That Reporting On Black Trauma Takes On Mental Health
For Black journalists, covering race and reporting on tragedy can be especially triggering when they are exposed to Black trauma. According to the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, journalists are often at the forefront of traumatic news events, and exposure to these incidents can result in mental health concerns…
-
In-Depth
Print Journalism’s Fading Echo: Impact of News Desertification in Northeast Georgia
In Lexington, Georgia, less than 20 miles from Athens, there’s a small, white building tucked behind a gravel parking lot surrounded by overgrown grass. Untrimmed bushes obscure a rusty metal sign that reads “The Oglethorpe Echo.” Framed on a wall of the entryway is a newspaper clipping: a profile on…
-
Diversity
Diversity in the Evangelical Christian Church: A Closer Look at Nations Church in Athens
Diversity is one of the words used by Nations Church, a local Assemblies of God Church off Macon Highway in Athens, to describe itself. Indeed, over the last eight years, nearly 25% of evangelical churches in the United States have become what is considered a multicultural church, meaning no single…
-
COVID-19 Coverage
UGA Green Roof Garden Coping with COVID-19 Harvest Loss
Due to the mandated University of Georgia campus closure in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Abbie Dillon, the Office of Sustainability’s Urban Agriculture intern working to maintain the Green Roof Garden, was barred from campus and forced to abandon numerous crops. As a result, the Green Roof Garden…
-
Athens-Clarke County
CARES: Local Business Owner Relies On Community After Denial
Rashe Malcom, small business owner of Rashe’s Cuisine in Athens, said she was disheartened after being denied access to funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. “I am not just sitting around saying ‘oh, they ran out of money,’ but I got an actual denial, and…
-
COVID-19 Coverage
‘It’s All About People’: Fast Food Employees Become Essential Personnel During COVID-19
As COVID-19 continues its exponential growth, fast food workers have been named “essential workers,” alongside doctors and government officials. Among those personnel is Randy Stewart, district manager of Wendy’s through Meritage Hospitality Group in Jacksonville, Florida. Although the nation’s economy is a big concern, Stewart said, “people are what matter…
-
COVID-19 Coverage
Mental Health Under COVID-19: Using Self-Care to Cope
The worldwide lockdowns occurring due to COVID-19 are creating unique and unprecedented challenges for people who now find themselves stuck at home and dealing with keeping their mental health in check. To cope with this new challenge of keeping sane while working from home, people are turning to methods of…
-
Athens-Clarke County
Athens Service Industry Looks to Online Donations to Survive COVID-19
Four weeks ago, Evan Adams, a server at a restaurant on East Clayton Street in Athens, Georgia added her name to the Athens Virtual Tip Jar. Since then, she has received six online donations — and she’s not alone. Adams has not been able to work since the Athens-Clarke County…
-
Athens-Clarke County
Athens-Area Churches Transition to Online Services
There are two holidays in which Christian churches can count on peak engagement—Easter and Christmas. But this year, due to imposed social-distancing measures, church buildings across Georgia remained empty. Athens-area churches have adapted, using online services to engage remotely. Although they are thankful to meet, conducting services and congressional communication…