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Laurence D. Fink, founder and chief executive of BlackRock, the world’s largest institutional investor, recently set the financial world abuzz with a letter to the CEOs of the world’s largest public companies . He notified them that henceforth BlackRock will be holding them accountable for more than profits. They must also contribute to society. Business Insider called it “a warning shot to CEOs across the world.” The New York Times suggested, “It may be a watershed moment on Wall Street.”...

Christina Garcés, a medical student at Temple University in Philadelphia, spends some of her time in the places where heroin users congregate. She’s one of a group of nurses, doctors and medical students who offer the users basic medical care, socks and the overdose-reversal drug naloxone; drive them to the hospital; and connect them to drug treatment and other resources. On Feb. 11 she was about to go home from one such encampment, near the Emerald Street Bridge, when a man in his 50s...

For the more than 3,000 students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Wednesday's mass shooting was terrifying and life-changing. But what of the tens of millions of other children, in schools across the country, who have since heard about what happened and now struggle with their own feelings of fear, confusion and uncertainty? For their parents and teachers, we've put together a quick primer with help from the National Association of School Psychologists and Melissa Reeves, a former...

The shooting in Florida isn’t only a gun regulation issue. It’s a systems change issue. All of our systems have to change their approach to changing behavior — whether it’s criminal, unhealthy or unwanted behavior — from a blame, shame and punishment approach, to one that is based in understanding, nurturing and healing….in other words, ACEs science.

For the past week, the East County Chamber of Commerce has been giving out wristbands to local homeless shelters and first responders. Their goal is to better connect homeless people to services and resources. "So that they can have them right on their wrist and quickly remind themselves what number to text to," said Eric Lund , the CEO and president of the East County Chamber of Commerce. People can text "ConnectEC" to 77453, which then gives them options for help covering basic needs such...

Dr. Suzanne Frank has known about the impact of childhood adversity on young lives for decades. She’s seen the fallout in the faces of young people huddled in beds at a children’s shelter where she worked years ago. She’s seen it as the regional child abuse services and champion for the Permanente Medical Group. And she’s seen it in hospital examination rooms where, as a member of the Santa Clara County’s Sexual Assault Response Team, she’s been called in to examine shell-shocked children...

Environmental and social justice activist Carl Anthony draws on decades of experience as an architect in his new book, “The Earth, the City, and the Hidden Narrative of Race.” The book, part memoir and part tutorial, grapples with questions of urban democratization and sustainability in the context of shifting social norms and changing environmental realities. Anthony joins us to discuss his life’s work and strategies for enhancing equity in a changing world. Guests: Carl Anthony , founder...

I remember the D.A.R.E. logo being plastered on posters hung in the hallways at school. At one point, I owned an oversized black shirt with the acronym in big red letters. I went to an assembly where a police officer told us some scary statistics about alcohol and drugs and gave us tips on how to “ Just Say No .” I just said no for a while, and then I became an alcoholic. Turns out, I’m not an outlier amongst D.A.R.E. participants. Beginning in the late 1990s studies uncovered disheartening...

Last month the nation watched, transfixed, as more than a hundred women stood before a Michigan courtroom to describe how Larry Nassar altered their lives with his abuse. They were heard and heeded. The judge listened, the media listened, the world listened, and those girls and women were told that their suffering mattered. Many women who are sexually abused get their day in court, but on a different side of the judge ― when they’re defendants in a criminal case. And their abuse, it seems,...

A spokesperson for the Department of Education told BuzzFeed News on Monday the agency will not consider or investigate complaints filed by transgender students against schools banning them from using bathrooms that match their gender identity. Although the department has not made a formal announcement, Liz Hill, a department spokesperson, responded to a BuzzFeed email that inquired about the agency's position on transgender students' restroom complaints. "Title IX prohibits discrimination...

Raising a child to be loving, resilient and respectful is a tough endeavor in the best of circumstances. But what if the child is emotionally scarred from early experiences of loss, betrayal or harm? This workshop will introduce the audience to the principals of successfully connecting with and raising a child who is emotionally distressed. It provides real-life examples and exercises in the 3 principles of the handbook Be Child Wise, namely, know yourself; know your child; and always work...

By Jessica Dym Bartlett As adults struggle with their own reactions to the school shooting in Parkland, Florida—the 29th mass shooting in the United States in the first two months of 2018 alone—young eyes and ears are watching and listening. This is an important time to talk to children about what they are seeing and hearing, even when they did not directly witness the event. While it can be difficult to know what to say, evidence from research and clinical practice can help us with these...