Democratic Reforms Needed for Your Vote to Count
Former Bloomington Mayor Tomi Allison and Indiana University Professor Emeritus Jim Allison say our democracy is in urgent need of reform to give voices back to the majority of Americans. They suggest starting with three key efforts: instating the popular vote, eliminating gerrymandering, and creating a rank-choice voting system.
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Standing Rock Protestors: ‘Water Is Life’
Protestors at Standing Rock in North Dakota have a simple message: “Mni Wiconi” — Water is life. Or as Laura Martinez, a Bloomington resident and citizen of the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas, writes, "Life cannot exist without water. We can survive without oil by investing in renewable energy, but we cannot sustain life without clean water."
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More HOPE for Youth in School-to-Prison Pipeline
HOPE, a program started by IU professor Theresa Ochoa, is designed to help youths in juvenile-detention facilities across Indiana. Anne Georgescu follows up her first article on HOPE, showing how the only mentorship program of its kind in the country continues to help break the school-to-prison pipeline for juvenile offenders.
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‘Places, Things, People’ 4×5 Photo Gallery: Part 1, Places
In this three-part photography series titled “Places, Things, People,” Adam Reynolds roams the southern Indiana countryside with his new 4x5 “large format” camera — a style that was popular until 35mm film began to hold sway in the mid-1900s. Making pictures with this camera, Reynolds says in his artist's statement, “is a slow, almost meditative, affair.” The results can be striking.
Click here to read Reynolds' artist's statement and to see a gallery of his 4x5 photography.
‘Dear S—’: A Letter from Women’s Marcher to 11-Year-Old Girl
On Saturday, January 21, Ruthie Cohen and two busloads of people arrived in Washington, D.C., after an all-night trip from Bloomington, to participate in the Women’s March on Washington. Afterward, in Bloomington, Ruthie penned a response to a friend’s 11-year old daughter, “S—,” who is skeptical about the march making any difference in the world.
Here is her letter.
For Some, Winter Means Outdoor Adventures
Wintertime gives outdoor enthusiasts an experience that fair-weather campers often only pretend to enjoy — seclusion in the great outdoors. In frigid and even subfreezing temperatures, when most people are staying warm inside, campers usually have the forests to themselves. And with the right equipment and preparation, winter camping can offer the best of the outdoors.
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