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Jan 18

The Power of the Pantsuit: The Women’s March on Washington

By Melissa Ooten | ARTICLES , COMMUNITY CHANGE , ECONOMIC JUSTICE , FEMINISM , IDENTITY , RESOURCES , SOCIAL JUSTICE

On January 20, Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States. The day after, many thousands will gather in Washington, DC to participate in the Women’s March on Washington. The march represents a long history of activists gathering in large numbers to pressure presidential administrations and Congress to either […]

Jan 02

Loving in Virginia: A Historical Perspective on One of 2016’s Best Films

By Melissa Ooten | ART FOR CHANGE , RACE

As Oscar season approaches, several films that address past and present issues of race and sexuality will vie for nods from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Here, I want to explore one of my favorite of these films this year: Loving. Loving explores the relationship between a white man, Richard Loving, and […]

Dec 21

Labor Day Blues: A Three Part Series on the Fight for a Fair Wage

By Melissa Ooten | ECONOMIC JUSTICE , RACE

Pt. III- And Justice For All In my last piece, I discussed the two million jobs exempted from the federal minimum wage laws. I also noted the Obama administration’s plan to significantly increase the number of workers eligible for overtime. That plan is now delayed and may never be implemented. Meant to take effect […]

Oct 03

Labor Day Blues: A Three Part Series on the Fight for a Fair Wage / Part Two: The Poverty of Exemption

By Melissa Ooten | COMMUNITY CHANGE , ECONOMIC JUSTICE , SOCIAL JUSTICE

Earlier this year, the Obama administration announced new rules that would significantly increase the number of workers eligible for overtime. Previously, the only salaried workers who could receive overtime, that is, one and a half times their salary for any hours worked over forty in a given week, made $23,660 per year or less. […]

Sep 06

Labor Day Blues: A Three Part Series on the Fight for a Fair Wage / Part One: Fight for $15 comes to Richmond, VA

By Melissa Ooten | RACE

Part I: Fight for $15 comes to Richmond, VA In mid-August, thousands of low wage workers traveled to Richmond, VA for the nation’s first Fight for $15 convention. The movement, begun in 2012 when a few hundred workers walked off the job at chain fast food restaurants in New York City, has gained momentum. And […]

Sep 01

Teaching Hurricane Katrina 10 Years Later

By Melissa Ooten | COMMUNITY CHANGE , NEIGHBORHOODS , RACE

Ten years ago, Hurricane Katrina crashed into the Gulf Coast, becoming one of the deadliest and costliest hurricanes ever recorded in the US. People around the world were haunted by images of thousands of desperate people that flooded the media in the days, weeks, and even years to come as so many people tried to […]

Aug 16

Is Netflix the Most Family Friendly Company to Work for in the US? Hardly.

By Melissa Ooten | ECONOMIC JUSTICE , FEMINISM , SOCIAL JUSTICE

As Netflix broadcast its new parental leave policy last week, new sources around the country lauded what they viewed as a shockingly generous leave policy. The policy? Unlimited, paid leave for parents (both mothers and fathers) during the first year following their child’s birth. The company, which generated over $5.5 billion in revenue in 2014, […]

Apr 17

Richmond Burning

By Melissa Ooten | RACE , SOCIAL JUSTICE

One hundred and fifty years ago this month, Confederate troops fled the Capital of the Confederacy, burning much of it….

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