Michelle Zacarias, PeoplesWorld

Michelle Zacarias

PeoplesWorld

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Past:
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Past articles by Michelle:

Former Dallas police officer gets 10 years after shooting neighbor in his home

A former Dallas police officer, Amber Guyger, was sentenced to serve ten years in prison on Wednesday afternoon. Guyger was arrested in September 2018 after she shot and killed Botham Jean, 26. → Read More

Democrats host historic LGBTQ presidential forum

Last Friday Democratic candidates took the stage at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to attend the first LGBTQ presidential forum. The gathering was historic in that it was the first time that Presidential nominees got together to discuss the prevailing issues affecting LGBTQ communities across th... → Read More

Chelsea Handler’s new Netflix white privilege documentary misses the mark

Editor’s note: Spoilers ahead. What happens when a wildly successful rich white woman comedian realizes she’s had access to immeasurable opportunities throughout her life? She makes a documentary centering herself. Chelsea Handler’s newest Netflix documentary, Hello, Privilege. → Read More

Marca Bristo leaves behind a legacy of disability justice – People's World

After a long battle with cancer, disability justice pioneer Marca Bristo passed away this week. The veteran community organizer was one of the key players in drafting and passing the Americans with Disabilities Act, civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination against people with disab... → Read More

Prison documentary Stateville Calling: What if rehabilitation was a human right?

What if prisons moved past archaic notions of “punishment” and shifted instead towards rehabilitation models? Stateville Calling explores the possibility of restoring incarcerated people’s lives, highlighting the personal narratives of elderly prisoners. → Read More

Video games become the latest target in mass shooting outrage

Last week Walmart ordered the removal of video game displays that depicted any form of violence from stores nationwide. The internal memo asked that employees strip any violent marketing material, unplug Xbox and PlayStation consoles that show violent video games and turn off any violence depicted o... → Read More

Wanda Vásquez, Puerto Rico’s third governor in a week, facing criticism

After public outcry and protests brought on the resignation of Governor Ricardo Rosselló, Puerto Rico received its third governor in less than a week. → Read More

Immigrants scared to seek medical help after mass shooting in El Paso

Saturday morning, a gunman opened fire at a Walmart in in El Paso, Texas, killing 31 people and injuring several others. The man, whom officials have identified as 21-year-old Patrick Crusius, drove 650 miles from Allen, Texas, to carry out his attack. → Read More

Indigenous youth fight to replace Columbus Day in Chicago

CHICAGO—Native youth are taking a stand and calling for the replacement of the nationally-recognized Columbus Day celebration. Afro-Indigenous organizer Anthony Tamez-Pochel, alongside local elected officials, is heading up the effort for legislation establishing Indigenous People’s Day as a hol... → Read More

Parent fights to protect trans child from abusive father, lax custody system

CHICAGO—At 2-years-old, Noella started vocalizing her desire to be acknowledged as a girl. “People would say, what a cute little boy you have, and she would correct them and say, ‘No, I’m a girl,” says Dee Beth (they/them), Noella's parent and primary guardian. → Read More

Five years after Eric Garner’s death, no charges will be filed

The Department of Justice announced on Tuesday, July 16, that it will not pursue federal civil rights charges against Daniel Pantaleo, the New York City police officer who placed Eric Garner in the chokehold that killed him. → Read More

Five trans women making Pride history

June marks the month-long celebration of Pride, a global acknowledgement of the social progress made by LGBTQ communities. The history of Pride is largely rooted in the work of Black and brown trans women, and the festivities serve as a commemoration of the Stonewall riots that sparked the gay right... → Read More

CPUSA encourages building unity from the ground up in anti-oppression panel

CHICAGO—Hundreds gathered here this past weekend to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party USA (CPUSA). The party’s 31st National Convention was held at the University of Illinois campus in Chicago and ran for three consecutive days. → Read More

Trans communities are being left out of abortion debate

Trans men and non-binary individuals are being left out of reproductive rights conversations. During the last four months, a number of draconian bills have swept the nation. States like Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, and Ohio voted on and passed near-total abortion bans. → Read More

Chicago teens overturn high school hoodie ban

CHICAGO - Students at Uplift Community High School in this city’s Uptown neighborhood overturned a hated rule that banned hoodie sweaters on their campus. Their victory came as a result of their “Hoodies, Harmless or Hated” campaign. → Read More

Mortgaging their future: Millennials drowning in student debt – People's World

Presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren recently made waves after she announced her idea to eliminate student loan debt and make all public colleges free. → Read More

Intersex justice activists call on hospitals to stop unnecessary surgeries on infants

CHICAGO—Intersex activists and allies gathered last week outside of the Marriott Marquis hotel to protest the continued performance of medically unnecessary genital “normalizing” surgery on intersex infants. → Read More

Gay and trans workers may soon lose work-place protections

The U.S. Supreme Court will soon determine whether federal employment law prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. → Read More

Illinois House votes to block immigrant detention center construction

A proposed $20 million ICE detention center in Dwight, Illinois will not be built if, as expected, Illinois House Bill 2040 passes the state Senate. Private for-profit companies will be prohibited from operating civil detention facilities in the state as a result of the legislation passed earlier th... → Read More

‘FOBia’: A real-life immigrant tale on and offscreen

CHICAGO— This week, April 10, The Museum of Contemporary Art hosted a special screening for the first episode of FOBia. The premiere was streamed through OTV, an intersectional production platform that has been at the forefront of independent media in Chicago, and is now releasing the much anticip... → Read More