21 Fights For Social Justice In Essex County: Year In Review – Patch.com
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — In Essex County, the fight for social justice endured in 2020.
Across the county, people found a litany of reasons to rally and battle for their beliefs, taking to the streets for issues such as racial and gender equality, police reform, environmental justice and immigration.
Here are some of the top stories involving social justice in Essex County that took place this year. Click the headlines to read the articles.
Newark Will Take $12M From Police, Reinvest In Social Services
It may not be the police “abolishment” that some Newark advocates are calling for, but according to others, it’s a big step forward.
NJ Launches Suits Vs. ‘Polluters’ In Orange, South Orange, Newark
The locations include a former pharmaceutical production site and three gas stations in Essex County, prosecutors said.
The Color Purple: Newark Residents Fed Up With Incinerator Smoke
In the Ironbound section of Newark, where an incinerator burns trash from 22 nearby Essex County towns, purple is the color of desperation.
New Jersey ‘Baby Bonds’ Could Shrink Gap Between Rich, Poor
A baby born into a family earning less than $131,000 would get a $1,000 bond. New Jersey would be the first state to pioneer the concept.
Essex County Man Boycotts Whole Foods After He’s Accused Of Shoplifting
A man says he was falsely accused of shoplifting. Now he’s leading a boycott against Whole Foods AND Prudential – here’s why.
Maplewood Black Parents’ Group Discusses School Suit Settlement
The district will have to undertake new efforts to integrate the schools. The parent group hopes change comes by fall of 2021.
Candidate In NJ-8: Let’s Fight Wealth Gap With Affordable Housing
Hector Oseguera says affordable housing is a “human right,” especially in the 8th District, where more than 70% of people rent their homes.
Transgender Woman Will Lead Gender Studies Program At Rutgers
Rutgers University: Catherine Fitzpatrick may be the first openly transgender woman in the U.S. to lead a women’s and gender studies program
Black Students At Caldwell Prep School Demand Change – And Get It
Here’s a small taste of what it’s like to be a Black student at Mount Saint Dominic Academy in Caldwell, dozens of female alumni say.
‘Guaranteed Income’ For Every Newark Resident? Here’s The Plan
Wages are plummeting. Rent is skyrocketing. But Newark has a plan to help residents cope: guaranteed income.
NJ Inmate Couldn’t Get Doc Visit, So He Cleaned Wound With Bleach
There are other ways to die in New Jersey’s prisons besides the coronavirus, an inmate’s family members say.
Trump Is So Bad It Made Me Stop Eating: NJ Man On Hunger Strike
The 2020 election is giving people stomachaches across the United States. This Bloomfield resident is taking things a step further.
NJ Advocates Demand COVID Aid For Immigrants, Find Ally In Church
A movement demanding coronavirus relief for undocumented immigrants in New Jersey has gained a new friend: the archbishop of Newark.
Public Art In Newark Tells Powerful Stories About Social Justice
A wave of murals in Newark are shedding light on racism, xenophobia, Black Lives Matter and the “invisibility of Black girls.” (PHOTOS)
West Orange Doula: 5 Stigmas Pregnant Black Women Face
Some women are asked insensitive questions such as “Do you know who the father is?” Others face more sinister stigmas, a mother of two says.
Ramy Wins Golden Globe; ‘Allahu Akbar,’ Rutgers Student Says
Ramy Youssef, who grew up in Rutherford, gave a proud nod to his identity as an Arab Muslim when he accepted his award.
As The Nation Confronts Anti-Black Violence, Newark Is Revamping Its Black History Curriculum
“Police violence against black Americans stretch all the way back to slavery, yet many students never learn that history.”
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