Race and Equity

This article and others forthcoming on this topic are being produced as part of a project for the University of Southern California Center for Health Journalism’s National Fellowship, in conjunction with the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

Program participants at a drum and dance class speak about what wellness means to them and how culture is part of their efforts to decrease stress, engage in their community and maintain sobriety.

Protesters carrying swastikas and shouting words of hate are disturbing. But the construction of a community that puts people at increased risk for poorer health and a shorter life expectancy is equally troubling and must be addressed.

Instead of strictly asking about medical providers, Dr. David Carlisle, an expert on health disparities, urges reporters to examine the availability and diversity of dentists, psychologists, pharmacists and optometrists in their community.

Buffalo News reporter Tiffany Lankes shows how data can create a story framework that comes alive with personal experiences to help readers understand the importance of addressing violence.

Differences between the two sides of Coachella Valley in California are stark, but one has a particularly harsh health impact: access to clean water. While westsiders have pools, golf courses and sprawling lawns, parts of the east have up to ten times the safe levels of arsenic in the water.

Birth attendants can positively affect outcomes for mothers and infants. But access to them is often out of reach for low-income and minority women, who have the highest rates of infant and maternal mortality.

Research shows that working in retirement presents both financial and health advantages. What keeps some people from reaping these benefits and can companies do more to retain older workers?

Reporters Kameel Stanley and Ed Williams discuss ethics in journalism, with a focus on communities in crisis. They emphasize how taking the time to understand a community can lead to more compelling reporting.

A group of reporters visits L.A.’s Homeboy Industries and learns what second chances mean for young survivors of gang life.