Bill to ban satanic displays advances, after heated debate on religion
PHOENIX - A Senate committee gave preliminary approval Wednesday to a bill that would ban satanic displays on public grounds, following an often-testy debate over whether Satanism is a religion to be respected or a "desecration of public property."
GOP bill would strike ‘gender’ from state law, limit sex to male, female
PHOENIX - GOP senators want to rewrite state law to define sex as only male and female and not a "subjective sense of self," a move they said will protect women and girls from "unwanted intrusions" by transgender women. Opponents call it another "LGBTQ+ Erasure Act."
Our Ode to You nonprofit offers older adults in memory-care communities free therapeutic music, art programs
PHOENIX – Two Arizona high school seniors are using their talents to give back to older adult memory-care communities. Through free therapeutic music and art programs, Aani Nagaiah and Gage Samaddar are helping them evoke memories and de-stress.
Native nations with scarce internet are building their own broadband networks
Native nations have historically lagged in high-speed internet access, which became even more apparent in the COVID-19 pandemic. So some tribes, such as the Hopi, have taken the matter into their own hands by building their own high-speed networks.
GOP lawmakers renew push to ban DEI programs in state-funded institutions
PHOENIX - GOP legislators are trying again to ban diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at state-funded institutions, saying it "divides communities and dehumanizes human beings." Democrats argued just the opposite, saying DEI promotes inclusion and can be an asset,
Supreme Court considers right to face accusers in Yuma drug case
WASHNGTON - Supreme Court justices grappled Wednesday to decide when testimony from an expert crosses the line into evidence that a defendant should have the right to challenge in court, a question that arose in a Yuma County drug case from 2019.
‘We are survivors:’ National, Arizona projects aim to uncover, preserve histories of Native American boarding schools
PHOENIX – The Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative launched an oral history project documenting the traumatic experiences of Indigenous children in the federal boarding school system. Local preservation efforts have already delved into Arizona’s history of boarding schools and resulting generational trauma.
For immigrants in the Dominican Republic, access to HIV treatment is difficult to obtain
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – AIDS Healthcare Foundation works to provide treatment for people living in the Dominican Republic. But for Haitian migrants, access to care can be difficult.
Arizona Adaptive Watersports provides fun-filled lake days for people with disabilities
SCOTTSDALE – Arizona Adaptive Watersports helps people with disabilities get out on the water and do activities like water skiing and wakeboarding.
One·n·ten organization serves LGBTQ+ youth by providing mental, emotional and physical well-being resources
PHOENIX – One·n·ten, a nonprofit Phoenix organization, serves LGBTQ+ youth by providing resources for mental, emotional and physical well-being. Members share their personal stories and talk about the importance of having safe, inclusive spaces for the LGBTQ+ community.
Biden kicks off Tribal Nations Summit with order streamlining funding access
WASHINGTON - More than 100 Indigenous leaders gathered this week for the Biden administration's third Tribal Nations Summit, where President Joe Biden vowed to strengthen relationships with tribes and signed an executive order to improve their access to capital.
Little Amal, Queen of the Monarchs and symbol of human rights in 360
A November event in Inglewood, California, celebrated resilience and new beginnings with a powerful dance, music and spoken-word performance. Director and choreographer Debbie Allen created a kaleidoscope of swirling monarch butterflies, echoing Amal’s migration journey. Little Amal is a 12-foot puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee child that has become a global symbol of human rights, especially those of refugees.