Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2024 i ScoopVizion

ZIGUINCHOR, SENEGAL (AP) — Mariama Sonko's voice resounded through the circle of 40 women farmers sitting in the shade of a cashew tree. They scribbled notes, brows furrowed in concentration as her lecture was punctuated by the thud of falling fruit. This quiet village in Senegal is the headquarters of a 115,000-strong rural women's rights movement in West Africa, We Are the Solution. Sonko, its president, is training female farmers from cultures where women are often excluded from ownership of the land they work so closely. Across Senegal, women farmers make up 70% of the agricultural workforce and produce 80% of the crops but have little access to land, education, and finance compared to men, the United Nations says. "We work from dawn until dusk, but with all that we…

While the Body Empowerment Project (BEP) is preparing to celebrate its Third Annual End of Year Event, Scoop USA spoke with its incoming Executive Director about the organization, the event, and its impact on the community. According to incoming Executive Director Clara Pritchett, she joined the organization a year after its launch. As fate would have it, Co-Founders Amanda Moreno and Christina Miranda were searching for someone to take over that position. “As someone who struggled with mental health, body image, and eating disorders all my life, getting to talk to students and teach them all the things I wish I had known when I was young means more to me than anything in the world,” stated Pritchett who grew up in Philadelphia. Pritchett further described how Eating Disorders (ED)…

In the realm of business, where logic and strategy often reign supreme, the concept of "following your heart" may seem out of place. However, embracing authentic leadership, grounded in values and passion, can lead to more meaningful and sustainable success. I want to share with the business community the importance of following your heart in business, the challenges it presents, and the transformative impact it can have on organizations and individuals. Authentic Leadership: Authentic leadership is rooted in self-awareness, transparency, and a genuine commitment to values. When you are a leader who follows your heart, you can inspire trust, loyalty, and motivation among your teams. By leading with authenticity, individuals can create a positive organizational culture that fosters innovation and growth. Aligning Passion with Purpose: Following your heart in business…

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 2024 – A new research brief from MissionSquare Research Institute compares the sentiment of younger public service employees by race and ethnicity. This research is published at a time when many state and local government officials are working to attract younger workers to public service careers while also strengthening diversity, equity, and inclusion in their agencies. The detailed insights are presented in the research brief, "35 and Under in the Public Sector: Comparisons by Race and Ethnicity." This brief comes on the heels of the in-depth report "35 and Under in the Public Sector: Why Younger Workers Enter and Why They Stay (or Don't)." Gerald Young, MissionSquare Research Institute Senior Research Analyst, said, "Building on the Research Institute’s earlier study of state and local government workforce diversity,…

Harriet Tubman, known as the "Black Moses" and revered as the conductor of the Underground Railroad, possessed a skill set that extended beyond her daring rescue missions. While history rightfully celebrates her bravery, it often overlooks her remarkable aptitude as an urban networker. Beyond her role as a nurse, Union spy, and community activist, Tubman's mastery of networking was pivotal in her efforts to liberate approximately 70 enslaved individuals, including her own family and friends. Born into the shackles of chattel slavery, Tubman's journey from bondage to freedom was marked by her determination to not only secure her own liberation but to extend that freedom to others. Her escape from slavery in the South was merely the beginning of her crusade against the institution that sought to dehumanize her and…

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 7.5 million student loan borrowers have enrolled in the U.S. government's newest repayment plan since it launched in August. President Joe Biden recently announced that he was canceling federal student loans for nearly 153,000 borrowers enrolled in the plan, known as the SAVE plan. Forgiveness was granted to borrowers who had made payments for at least 10 years and originally borrowed $12,000 or less. The SAVE plan was created last year to replace other existing income-based repayment plans offered by the federal government. More borrowers are now eligible to have their monthly payments reduced to $0, and many will qualify for lower payments--compared to other repayment plans. For Lauran Michael and her husband, the SAVE plan has reduced student loan payments by half. Since…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Download the mental health chatbot Earkick, and you're greeted by a bandana-wearing panda who could easily fit into a kids' cartoon. Start talking or typing about anxiety, and the app generates the kind of comforting, sympathetic statements therapists are trained to deliver. The panda might then suggest a guided breathing exercise, ways to reframe negative thoughts, or stress-management tips. It's all part of a well-established approach used by therapists, but please don't call it therapy, says Earkick co-founder Karin Andrea Stephan. "When people call us a form of therapy, that's OK, but we don't want to go out there and tout it," says Stephan, a former professional musician and self-described serial entrepreneur. "We just don't feel comfortable with that." The question of whether these artificial intelligence-based chatbots…