It's hard to get a consensus on anything in the United States these days. But one issue unites the whole country.
According to " The State of Kids and Families in America 2024 ," a report from …
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By Eric Ortiz
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4/17/24
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Mexico City is 2,106 miles from Minneapolis. But you don't have to travel that far to experience authentic Latino culture. The Mercado Central , or Central Market, is a few minutes from any …
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By Eric Ortiz
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3/26/24
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Todos tienen una voz, pero no todas las voces son escuchadas hoy. Este no es un problema nuevo.
Mis abuelos paternos, ambos mexicano-americanos de primera generación que crecieron en Los …
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Por Eric Ortiz
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2/14/24
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T he world has changed. Our education system has not. As a result, school is broken .
It's so bad that many kids don't go to school anymore. Chronic absenteeism was an issue before the pandemic. …
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By Eric Ortiz
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2/14/24
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Happy New Year. Welcome to 2024.
Are you happy to be here? Have you already started writing an inspiring 366-page book this leap year (one page for every day)? Or are you still recovering from …
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By Eric Ortiz
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1/18/24
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Be a kind human. That has been Marissa Bader's life goal since her dad taught her that how we treat others matters, that no human is less or more important than any other, and to always treat …
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By Eric Ortiz
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12/14/23
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Giving Tuesday was on Nov. 28 this year, and it was a rough one. Rough, of course, is a relative term.
Giving Tuesday 2023 raised an estimated $3.1 billion in donations to nonprofits, according …
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By Eric Ortiz
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12/14/23
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Ask 10 people what they think about guns. You might get 10 different answers.
Gun ownership is a fundamental right. We need stricter regulation. There are too many guns. There aren't enough. …
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By Eric Ortiz
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11/30/23
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Everyone has a voice. But not every voice gets heard today. This isn't a new problem.
My grandma and grandpa on my dad's side were both first-generation Mexican-Americans who grew up in …
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By Eric Ortiz
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11/16/23
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I am reading an excellent book. It is called "Until We Reckon" and was written by Danielle Sered, the executive director of Common Justice , a unique program in New York City that offers alternatives …
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By Eric Ortiz
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11/2/23
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'Nonviolence is the most effective method to work for rights.'
The only constant is change. Life either gets better or worse. These days, the world is on fire. Metaphorically and literally. And …
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By Eric Ortiz
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10/19/23
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We have a crisis. Mental health issues for young people are skyrocketing, and the need for mental health treatment is not being met. According to the National Library of Medicine, nearly 20 percent …
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By Eric Ortiz
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10/5/23
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Read any good books lately? If you’re like many Americans, the answer is no. According to a 2022 Gallup poll, Americans are reading fewer books than in the past. The average number of books …
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By Eric Ortiz
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9/21/23
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Learn something new every day. This isn't a new concept. Many smart people have espoused the virtues of learning.
"Education begins at the level of the learner," said Aristotle, who believed …
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By Eric Ortiz
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9/9/23
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Everything begins with a story. Joseph Campbell believed this, and he knew a few things about stories. Campbell lived from 1904 to 1987 and was considered one of the world’s experts on …
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By Eric Ortiz
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8/1/23
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Youth need more positive opportunities than ever. The opportunity gap is increasing, especially in public schools and marginalized communities across the United States. While some youth are thriving, …
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By Eric Ortiz
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7/21/23
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Every community in the United States needs local news. But today, over 70 million Americans live in a county with no newspapers or only one, according to a report by the Medill Local News Initiative. …
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By Eric Ortiz
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7/6/23
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Everyone loves a redemption story. After a few rough years, Minneapolis has a chance to write one. The city is in recovery mode and charting a new path forward, but not everyone is convinced we are …
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By Eric Ortiz
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6/14/23
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The Bells are not your average social media influencers. They are a family of 10 with seven adopted children. Heather Bell is the matriarch and keeps everything running with her husband, Luke, in the …
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By Eric Ortiz
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6/2/23
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Everyone has a gift. That gift is a talent or passion. But not everyone gets to use their gift, talent or passion. Sometimes, people are not invited to share their gifts. We see this a lot.
There …
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By Eric Ortiz
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4/6/23
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