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Who Is Opal Lee? Meet the Grandmother of Juneteenth
On June 19, 1939, a home on Fort Worth’s south side was vandalized and burned. Angry that a Black family had moved into the neighborhood, a group of 500 protesters dragged furniture into the yard, smashed windows, and set the home on fire. Otis Flake and his family were forced to run. Among them was 12-year-old Opal Lee. “I’m not…
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‘Grandmother of Juneteenth' Opal Lee on the Journey to Get the Holiday Nationally Recognized
Opal Lee is known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.” But how did she get there? It started with a walk from Forth Worth to Washington DC and ended with President Joe Biden signing a bill officially recognizing the day as a national holiday. Lee chatted with LX News storyteller Beth Peak about her journey to that point.
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Why College Students' Activism Matters Far Beyond Campus
We’ve seen a lot of protests this year, from masks to women’s rights and climate change. They’re a regular occurrence on college and university campuses, and they’re influencing our country more than you think. “In so many ways, student activists have changed what the student body looks like and what colleges are teaching,” said Kate Cude, senior research analyst...
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Do Student Protests Actually Make a Difference Beyond Campus Life?
Student activism has been around in the U.S. since the 1700s, when attendees of Harvard College arranged a walkout over the quality of the school’s butter. In the two and a half centuries since, protests on college campuses have addressed a range of more serious issues, from racial justice to sexual assault and more. NBCLX storyteller Jalyn Henderson — a...
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Volunteers in the Sky Watch Over Migrant Rescues by Sea
A humanitarian effort seeks to monitor human rights violations and assist in the rescue of migrants fleeing Libya to Europe by boat on the Mediterranean Sea.
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7 Years After Michael Brown's Death, Activists' Work is Not Done
“Lord knows, there’s way more to go,” says activist DeRay McKesson. Since a police officer shot and killed Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri seven years ago, a lot has changed for activists calling for structural change to U.S. policing. McKesson says the technology has improved capabilities to broadcast the movement live, and perceptions have changed about police use of force....
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Survivors of Acid Attacks in Mexico Unite to Push for Change
Elisa Xolalpa has had three daughters and found a job she enjoys since a former boyfriend tried to destroy her life by tossing acid on her when she was 18
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Meet the Disability Activists Schooling Their TikTok Followers About Ableism
Isabel Mavrides-Calderon and Britt Dorton are young disability activists who want to make the world a more accessible place. They’re using TikTok to show their followers what life is like through their eyes and why disability isn’t “the end of a person’s world.”
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6 Times Boycotting a Sporting Event Got Results
Athletes speaking up for social change have boycotted sporting events before – here are 6 famous times from sports history.
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Six Times Sports Boycotts Got Results
Athletes speaking up for social change have boycotted sporting events before – here are 6 famous times from sports history.
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How Athletes and Sports Leagues Work Toward Social Justice
Shut up and dribble? Harrison Barnes of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings says athletes are human beings first, who are learning better ways to fight for social justice.
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Not ‘Sticking to Sports': Athletes Are Fighting for Social Change
Shut up and dribble? Harrison Barnes of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings says athletes are human beings first, who are learning better ways to fight for social justice.