Gov. Katie Hobbs establishes missing and murdered Indigenous people task force

PHOENIX – Gov. Katie Hobbs signed an executive order in March establishing an Arizona Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Task Force. Incomplete data and a lack of collaboration among tribal and governmental entities have blocked addressing the issue.

Arizona Department of Public Safety Capt. Paul Etnire is part of Arizona’s newly formed Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Task Force. He speaks about the issue via video on March 28, 2023. (Video screengrab by Alexia Stanbridge/Cronkite News)

‘Other’ no more: Census change could add MENA, Latino categories, more

WASHINGTON - The Census Bureau may change how it asks about race and ethnicity, a shift that could end what one advocate called the "painful irony" of Native Americans, Latinos and those of Middle Eastern or North African descent having to identify as white or "other."


Los Angeles homeless shelters are opening their doors to residents’ pets

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles homeless shelters recently discovered that they can get more people off the streets by allowing their pets on the property.

Krystal Eubanks shared her story at the My Dog is My Home co-sheltering conference. Her dog Keeper is in training to be a service dog (Photo by Ayana Hamilton/Cronkite News)

Dominican Republic border wall deepens tensions over Haitian immigration

DAJABÓN, Dominican Republic - Regulating immigration has become a hot-button political issue in the Dominican Republic and, as in the U.S., the Dominican government decided that a partial solution to this problem was to build a border wall.

A group of Haitians, including a young girl, are deported to Haiti at the border gates in Dajabón, Dominican Republic, on March 4, 2023. (Photo by Roxanne De La Rosa/Cronkite Borderlands Project)

Standing 4 Black Girls keeps memories alive for missing and murdered Black women

LOS ANGELES – Women’s Leadership project Standing 4 Black Girls wants to increase awareness of the issue and bring justice to the missing and murdered Black girls across the nation.

Event-goers marched around Leimert Park chanting, “We’re standing for Black girls!” (Photo by Ayana Hamilton/Cronkite News)

New sunscreen choices offer ray of hope for people of color

LOS ANGELES – As temperatures rise in Arizona and California, more sun worshippers are reaching for sunscreen. And finally entrepreneurs have woken up to the obvious: the need to cater to people with different skin tones. What they're doing.

Undefined Beauty makes R&R Sun Serum, with the goal of appealing to people with a wide range of skin tones. The CEO says there are diverse illustrations as well on the packaging. (Photo by Karina Romero/Cronkite News)

Have health needs, will travel: ADHS delivers vaccines, tests to underserved communities

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Health Services takes COVID-19 tests and vaccines to low-income and other underserved communities, from migrants to Indigenous residents, across the state. Mobile units and pop-up sites offer temporary help, where needed.

Sample tubes for COVID-19 testing are lined up at a Foundation for Senior Living facility in Phoenix on March 1, 2023. (Photo by Paula Soria/Cronkite News)

Parents of transgender athletes file lawsuit over Arizona transgender athlete ban

PHOENIX – The parents of two transgender youth athletes have filed a lawsuit over Arizona’s ban on transgender girls participating in girls sports.

Sports balls with the transgender pride flag superimposed over them are pictured on a yellow background.

‘I was wrongfully convicted’: Exonerated Arizonan fights to change criminal justice

PHOENIX - Khalil Rushdan spent 15 years behind bars before being exonerated with the help of the Arizona Justice Project. He and others will share their stories at a Phoenix conference of the Innocence Network, which includes groups like the Arizona Justice Project.


LA’s Black firefighters museum marks its 25th anniversary, but the equality fight goes on

LOS ANGELES – The African American Firefighters Museum celebrates its 25th anniversary by honoring retired Black firefighters while discussing the ongoing fight for equality.

A band plays outside in front of a banner for the African American Firefighter Museum's 25th anniversary.

Question for victims, court, is not if Aaron Gunches will die, but when

WASHINGTON - Aaron Gunches was supposed to die Thursday night. But instead the convicted murderer will spend at least two more months on Arizona's death row while courts decide if the state can be forced to carry out an execution it says it is not ready for.


State begins to shed thousands from Medicaid, push them to other care

WASHINGTON - Arizona started purging people from the pandemic-inflated Medicaid rolls this month, a process that could end up pushing more than 600,000 people off the plan, health officials and advocates said.