Elisha Brown

November 30, 2022 - A new book co-edited by economist William "Sandy" Darity Jr. and his colleagues at Duke University explores how the coronavirus pandemic worsened racial inequality. Facing South recently spoke with Darity, a leading scholar of reparations for slavery, about policies to address the racial wealth gap.

November 18, 2022 - Voters across the South weighed in on dozens of high-profile ballot initiatives in this year's general election, directly shaping policy on matters including reproductive rights, prison labor, and ballot measures themselves. In another election to be held next month, Louisiana voters will consider three ballot measures, including one to bar noncitizens from voting in local elections.

October 14, 2022 - A third of U.S. anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers are in the South, a region where dozens of abortion clinics have closed since the Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion in June. Over the past decade, Republican-controlled legislatures have given millions of tax dollars to these fake clinics that traffic in dangerous misinformation.

September 29, 2022 - Workers at dozens of Starbucks locations in Southern states have unionized despite the region's harsh anti-union laws and the coffee chain's intimidating tactics, which have included terminations, surveillance, and mandatory anti-union meetings. This week the company announced it would begin bargaining with Starbucks Workers United in October.   

September 15, 2022 - This November voters in Kentucky will weigh in on a proposed constitutional amendment that would deny any state right to an abortion, similar to the one that recently failed in Kansas. We look at the players and money behind Kentucky's anti-abortion ballot measure and the effort to defeat it.  

August 11, 2022 - Virginia as well as cities in Florida and North Carolina have rolled out programs that allow people in crisis to get help from mental health professionals instead of police. Advocates hope the efforts will reduce the number of people killed by law enforcement officers.  

July 20, 2022 - A watchdog group has filed complaints against several gun companies including Georgia’s Daniel Defense for donating to super PACS while under federal contract, which is illegal. The Federal Election Commission, known for its ineffectiveness, faces pressure to hold weapons manufacturers accountable.