On Thursday morning, approximately 750 Washington Post staff members walked out of the newsroom hoping to solidify a deal with paper executives. The workers seek higher salaries, additional job security, and fewer future cuts.

The last time the Washington Post Guild workers鈥� union organized a strike of this magnitude was in 1975. Forty-eight years have passed, and journalists are still dissatisfied with the trends they see in wealthy business people acquiring newspapers.听

Gillian Brockell, a staff writer at the Post since 2013, said today鈥檚 air is filled with equal doses of anger and pride.

鈥淲e鈥檙e out here saying that we鈥檙e sick of billionaires buying companies and then tearing them to shreds,鈥� she explained.听

Several protest signs donned phrases directed at Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon, who bought the Washington Post in 2013.听

One picketer hoisted a sign high into the air that read: 鈥淛effrey, you鈥檙e rich enough to pay us,鈥� as some onlookers raised their fists in solidarity when passing the picket line.听听

Money, or the lack thereof, is at the root of today鈥檚 strike. In October, the Post鈥檚 CEO announced that almost 10% of all staff must either agree to a voluntary buyout or face involuntary layoffs.

The paper is expected to lose around $100 million by the end of 2023, as its digital subscriptions dipped by over 500,000 in a year.

Hannah Good, a designer who curates comics and illustrations for the Post, said today鈥檚 strike affects the profession of journalism more broadly than just Post employees.

鈥淣one of us want to be here. We all want to be doing our jobs, because there are so many important stories to tell,鈥� she said 鈥淲e have so many people participating in the strike who cover international issues, wars, and civil issues. So, this affects us on the daily, not just with the strike, but because we can鈥檛 do our jobs as well when we鈥檙e distracted by just trying to pay our bills.鈥澨�

Gillian Brockell also explained how the issues brought forth in today鈥檚 strike impact the D.C. communities that rely on the Post for stories they can trust.听

鈥溩钚旅厶矣跋駃ngton Post is trying to gut the local section. There was a Pew study saying that people of color trust local news reporters more than national news reporters, and there鈥檚 a huge population of people of color in this community that we are not helping because the company is not focused on it,鈥� she said.

Jackson Barton, a breaking news video editor who has worked at the Post for nearly a year, said the day was all about solidarity, even from his editors tasked with running the newsroom today while their colleagues strike.听

Editors at the Post do not belong to the Guild, as their contracts are different. Today, those editors will serve as reporters, editors, publishers, and more to keep the news flowing.

鈥淭he editors on my own team were supportive. None of them tried to dissuade me from participating today, and I think they were probably prepared for something like this,鈥� Barton said.

Barton hopes that today鈥檚 strike will fit into a pattern of increased journalism labor union activity throughout the country.

鈥淭his is a historically large walkout. Labor unions in the media have been on the decline but are starting to make a big resurgence in the last decade. I really think this is a watershed moment,鈥� he said.

The walkout is planned for 24 hours, and the Post Guild has asked Post consumers to respect their picket line by avoiding all Post content for the duration of their strike.

Gillian Brockell feels hopeful that with today鈥檚 display of unity, change might come for the people of the Washington Post.

鈥淭he Post is amazing, and it鈥檚 amazing because of all of the people out here today. We are the ones who make the Washington Post what it is,鈥� she said, looking admirably over at her fellow 鈥淧osties鈥� marching together all at a different beat, for the same purpose.

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Cory Stowers, Executive Director of DC Murals, has been a graffiti writer for over 20 years. He considers graffiti an 鈥榚xternal art gallery鈥� and part of a vibrant community.听

鈥淚f I see graffiti in a neighborhood, I know there are artists and creative thinkers here. There are people here who think outside of the box and margins,鈥� he said.

鈥淚f I go to a place that鈥檚 really sanitized, it feels very stiff. Some people might like it like that, and that鈥檚 cool too, but I want to see graffiti because it tells me that something is happening in this community.鈥�

However, not everyone shares this opinion of the activity, as is evident in the number of graffiti removal requests submitted yearly to D.C.鈥檚 蝉测蝉迟别尘.听

最新蜜桃影像 reviewed all city service requests from 2019-2023 and studied patterns of highly requested services.

From 2019-2021, rodent control was the top request, while in 2022, bee and insect control was number one.听

In 2023, a new request topped the list, especially in the zip codes that encompass Columbia Heights: graffiti removal.

The Department of Public Works considers graffiti a public nuisance, stating on its website that it 鈥渃osts the District and its residents more than just money.鈥澨�

311 request data shows graffiti removal has the largest number of 鈥淥pen鈥� statuses in Columbia Heights as well, meaning DPW has not started or completed those work orders yet.听

One of the reasons for this may be that the individual requesting the removal must complete a detailed liability form before the department can remove the graffiti from private property.听

鈥淕raffiti tarnishes the appearance of our neighborhoods. Gang-related graffiti can threaten violence or identify turf boundaries,鈥� the online statement from DPW reads.听

Gang association with graffiti has been tied together for decades.

As a graffiti community member, Cory Stowers said this common misconception harms real artists trying to make their talents known.

鈥淚 can read it, so I don鈥檛 get scared by it. Most people who don鈥檛 know what it is automatically assume it鈥檚 gang-related, but nine times out of 10, it鈥檚 not. Even on the chance that it is, it doesn鈥檛 inherently mean that it鈥檚 something dangerous.鈥澨�

Victoria Kiechel, an architect and American University professor, believes graffiti is more than just words scribbled on a wall.听

鈥淕raffiti is both a sociopolitical statement and a form of expression of one鈥檚 personal identity. It鈥檚 a way for people to say: 鈥楾his is me. This is my voice. I鈥檓 here, and I matter, said Kiechel.听听

Keichel, who has lived in the District for several decades, remembers a time when D.C. wasn鈥檛 known as a 鈥済raffiti city鈥�.听

鈥淭here was graffiti in D.C., but it wasn鈥檛 a huge form of cultural expression like it was in New York City or Philadelphia. In recent years, however, I鈥檝e seen more of it, and maybe D.C. is getting on the map as a graffiti art city,鈥� she told the Wash.

There are many reasons for this uptick, as Stowers explained, mainly the lack of legal, government-funded graffiti art programs available for young artists to practice their craft.听

鈥淭he uptick of graffiti, I think, is directly attributable to the fact that there are no ongoing programs in the city that actually works to actively engage young graffiti artists,鈥� said Stowers.听

鈥淭here鈥檚 just nothing there that speaks to them from a cultural perspective that makes them want to stop writing their name on a block thirty times and instead devote their time to this one wall.鈥澨�

The D.C. government has attempted to rein in illegal graffiti by implementing street art programs, like Murals DC,听 that commissions local artists to paint murals on public walls.听

The program has resulted in colorful, eye-appealing street murals that many city residents and tourists alike appear to be fond of, but Stowers said the program still misses the mark in actually solving the problem.

鈥淭he program existed before DPW became a part of it, and sadly since they鈥檝e taken control of it, there鈥檚 been literally no outreach to the actual graffiti community. They instead prefer to employ professional artists,鈥� said Stowers.听

鈥淭he idea was to bring in young artists and lift them up to one day be the lead artists, but I can tell you that not one of them were promoted to a lead artist commission, and they were paid very little money for their participation. Murals DC would also not allow their names to be on the wall, so they took away all the reasons why these artists would want to participate.鈥澨�

DPW did not respond to 最新蜜桃影像鈥檚 inquiries by the provided deadline.

Stowers and Kiechel believe a viable solution for illegal graffiti could be to make designated public spaces available for artists to express themselves freely.听

Stowers touted the idea of identifying blank walls around the city where artists can practice. At the same time, Kiechel referenced Charlotesville鈥檚 Free Speech Wall as a prominent example of another city experimenting with areas for artistic expression.

D.C. resident Martin Zelada, agrees that artists need an area to express themselves, which would benefit both graffiti writers and residents like himself who don鈥檛 find graffiti visually-attractive.

鈥淚 think while a lot of graffiti is about self-expression, it鈥檚 also about receiving attention for your work or your struggles,鈥� he said.

鈥淭hey should have a space where they can write or paint that gives them the attention and recognition they鈥檙e looking for, while keeping it off of public buildings.鈥�

Cory Stowers still wants to challenge the way people perceive the graffiti they鈥檙e seeing in their communities.

鈥淭hink about someone鈥檚 name written on a trash can beside a painted wall mural,鈥� Stowers posed. 鈥淎 lot of people will say they really love that mural but hate the graffiti on the trash can. What I would say to them is this: without that graffiti on the trash can, you don鈥檛 get the mural.鈥澨�

鈥淭hat kid who wrote their name on the trash can is going through a process of building their skills and repertoire to be able to one day paint a mural like that.鈥�

The post Graffiti complaints in the District reach five-year high first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

Harmful content has pushed educators to devise a plan to put a stop to disinformation.听

This podcast was reported and produced by graduate journalism students of American University鈥檚 School of Communication: Alex Angle, Daniela Lobo, Julia Mouketo, Lauren Spiers, and Nicole Wiley.

Thank you to the experts who shared their time and knowledge with the reporters of this podcast:听

American Hospital Association; Public Service Announcement

Kurt Braddock, American University School of Communication & Faculty Fellow Center for Media and Social Impact听听

Andres Ilves, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Director Near East Region听

Jakub Tesar, Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty, Fellowships and Academic Relations Officer听

Anita Varma, The University of Texas at Austin School of Journalism and Media听

Damika Walker, PHARMD, & Chair, Immunize DC听听

Valerie Wirtschafter, Brookings Institution, Fellow-Foreign Policy, Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative听听听听

Supervising Faculty: , SOC Professor 听

The post The Fog of Disinformation: A podcast on the spread of disinformation in the age of social media first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

Some Ward 1 residents are concerned that the Addressing Crime Trends Now Act bill includes legislation that might make their communities less safe.

Andrew Ferguson, an American University鈥檚 Washington College of Law professor, says the bill does little to address the growing crime rate鈥檚 root causes.

鈥�People are angry about crimes that arise from poverty, community neglect, and substandard educational opportunities, and instead of addressing those root causes, the Mayor is just trying to police them,鈥� he said.

鈥淲e do not need police with more power.听 We need investment in the young people of D.C. that are living in poverty and see few economic, social, or educational opportunities to escape that reality,鈥� Ferguson said.听

Bowser鈥檚 new bill brings back some of the department鈥檚 most controversial former policing practices, which were outlawed in the wake of George Floyd鈥檚 murder by Minneapolis police officers, including:

• Allowing officers to use neck restraints during arrests.
• Allowing police vehicles to pursue other vehicles at high speeds.
• Enhanced sentencing for committing a crime while wearing a mask.听
• Allowing officers to review their own body camera footage before writing a crime report.
• Creation of drug-free enforcement zones.

Neck restraints

The proposed bill would loosen restrictions on what is considered 鈥渆xcessive force鈥� during a neck restraint.听

Under the new legislation, officers can restrict someone鈥檚 movement by their neck without it being considered an excessive use of force.听

Previously, the law prohibited restraints restricting one鈥檚 鈥渕ovement, blood flow, or breathing,鈥� but the new legislation strikes 鈥渕ovement鈥� from the clause.

A restraint by the throat is still prohibited.

Thomas Roades, a Ward 1 resident, says the difference between 鈥渢hroat鈥� and 鈥渘eck鈥� makes little to no difference.听

鈥淭he exception to the ban on chokeholds, as I understand it, is intended to allow officers to grab a person鈥檚 neck to restrict their movement, but not their breathing,鈥� he says.

鈥淚 cannot imagine how an officer could do one of those things without the other. This is dangerous, allows unnecessary police brutality, and would not do anything to improve public safety.鈥�

In 2021, the American Academy of Neurology adopted the that the use of any neck restraints by police should be considered, at a minimum, a use of deadly force.听

鈥淔urthermore, because there is no amount of training or method of application of neck restraints that can mitigate the risk of death or permanent profound neurologic damage with this maneuver, the AAN recommends prohibiting the use of neck restraints,鈥� their statement reads.听

Using chokeholds has been limited since 1985 with the Limitation on the Use of Chokehold Act, which Bowser鈥檚 new proposed legislation will amend.

In May 2022, President Biden signed an Executive Order that required all Federal Law Enforcement Agencies to adopt policies that banned chokeholds and carotid restraints unless deadly force is authorized.

Since 2020, 24 states have restricted or banned the use of chokeholds.听

最新蜜桃影像 contacted MPD for a comment on neck restraints multiple times through email and phone calls. Each time, the department declined to comment and directed all questions to the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice.

Pursuit of vehicles

Other new policies include allowing officers to engage in some vehicular pursuits, commonly known as police chase, and making it illegal to wear a mask while committing a crime.听

Izzy Johnson, a Columbia Heights resident, said allowing vehicular pursuits is a public safety issue.听

鈥淚 worked for Vision Zero at DDOT, and I confidently believe that police chases would only lead to more serious and fatal crashes. DC already has a high traffic fatality rate per capita, and this will only make it worse,鈥� she said.听

Johnson also says the anti-mask measure does more harm than good.听

鈥淥utlawing wearing a mask while committing a crime is an inelegant way to increase prison and jail sentences for nonviolent crimes,鈥� she says.听

鈥淗arsh sentencing is not a research-supported crime deterrent. All this does is keep teenagers locked up long enough to become career criminals.鈥澨�

Some residents expressed the belief that these policies are enacted to help police officers rather than the general public.

The MPD is facing its most significant employee shortage in 50 years; the department and the police union have voiced their concerns that the stricter policies enacted after Floyd鈥檚 murder limited them in their jobs.听

Bowser鈥檚 new bill gives leeway to some of those policies, hoping to make the department more attractive to potential recruits.听

At a press conference last Monday, the mayor spoke about these attempts.

鈥淲e have to have a policy environment that allows us to recruit and retain officers and not lose our officers to the surrounding jurisdictions because our policy environment makes them scared to do their job,鈥� she said.

Review of body cameras

The proposed legislation will also allow officers to review their body camera footage in most cases before writing a report, increasing the likelihood of someone getting prosecuted for their crimes, according to the MPD police chief.

The American Civil Liberties Union has heavily criticized this policy.

The organization states that allowing officers to view footage before writing reports is a bad investigative practice and presents a double standard to how officers expect witnesses to testify before viewing evidence.

They also state that it enables lying, undermines the legitimacy of investigations, and allows cross-contamination of evidence that might hinder the search for the truth.听

The ACLU鈥檚 complete statement can be viewed

Drug-free zones

The bill also allows the police department to implement temporary drug-free zones in attempts to reduce the number of 鈥渙pen-air drug dealing.鈥�

When 最新蜜桃影像 inquired about the scope of what officers can do inside one of these zones, MPD refused to comment three times, referring questions to the deputy mayor’s office.听

The deputy mayor鈥檚 office responded to questions by providing a link to the bill draft.

A drug-free zone is an area that prohibits congregating in a group of two or more individuals for the purpose of using, purchasing, or selling illegal drugs.

In order for an officer to ask people to disperse from the area, they must 鈥渞easonably believe the person is congregating for the purpose of participating in the use, purchase, or sale of illegal drugs.鈥澨�

The bill says officers can reasonably assume this behavior based on the following circumstances: a person鈥檚 conduct, information from a reliable source, a person is identified as a member of a gang, a person has 鈥渘o other apparent lawful reason鈥� to congregate in that area, or a person and/or their vehicle is known to police to be an unlawful user or seller.

According to the draft, the Chief of Police can declare any public space a drug-free zone for 120 consecutive hours.听

The mayor鈥檚 new bill only needs seven council votes to pass.

The post Mayor鈥檚 proposed anti-crime bill raises red flags for some District residents first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

Hispanic and Latino students are a fundamental focus of their new plan.

最新蜜桃影像 reviewed four years of assessment reports and found that while OSSE and DCPS have acknowledged different demographics, this is the first year where culture is at the forefront of the agencies鈥� future plans.

In the last two statewide assessment results from 2019 and 2021, the agency emphasized the need for extra attention to students with disabilities and economic disadvantages.

Race and culture were largely missing from the public conversation until now.听

This year鈥檚 assessment includes initiatives considering culture, such as DCPS鈥檚 Math Strategic Plan, which 鈥渆xplores culturally responsive math instruction.鈥澨�

This fall, the first Math Teacher Bootcamp started, which trains over 200 teachers on foundational math skills that students lack. Also, beginning in FY 23-24, D.C. schools will receive $335,000 for High Quality Instructional Materials.听

Additionally, DCPS has implemented new reading books that showcase a variety of backgrounds and identities. The reading series will also be published for the first time in Spanish in the 2023-24 school year.听

Students enrolled in DC Public Schools, Ward 1,听 increased their standardized test scores last year by 2.6 percent, although it still ranks second to last among the Wards for score improvement.听

Hispanic students, who make up the majority of those enrolled in Ward 1 K-12 schools, also saw an increase in scores despite having a lower percent increase than other racial groups.听

Besides implementing new learning methods and materials, the OSSE also looks at teacher diversity in its schools.听

The most recent demographic information from 2022 shows that only 10 percent of DC鈥檚 teacher workforce identifies as Hispanic/Latino, while Hispanic/Latino students make up 19 percent of all enrolled students.听

In Ward 1, where Hispanic students make up a more significant proportion of the student body at 59 percent, only 23 percent of teachers share the same ethnicity.听

Michael Hansen, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute, said, based on his original research, increasing racial matching of students with teachers is beneficial for reasons both inside and outside the classroom.

鈥淲e do have reason to believe that test scores would increase by hiring more teachers that match the race of the students they teach,鈥� he said.听

He said cultural understanding plays one of the most significant roles in reaching this conclusion. A large reason for absenteeism in school, especially among Hispanic/Latino and Black students, is suspension, specifically suspension due to insubordination.听

Hansen said we have to consider these statistics as a possible result of teachers of different races’ lack of cultural understanding.听

鈥淗ow a teacher perceives a student’s actions is important, and with a teacher of the same racial or ethnic background, they can translate some of those cultural differences,鈥� he said.

鈥淚f students of color are getting suspended more than White students, we have to ask how White teachers are viewing insubordination versus a teacher of the same race.鈥�

Emily Gasoi, former Ward 1 representative on the Board of Education, sponsored a 2020 resolution in support of measures that would incentivize the hiring and retention of more Hispanic teachers in DCPS.

鈥淚 was aware that I represented the ward with the largest number of Latino families and children, and I wanted to be accountable to my constituents on this issue,鈥� Gasoi said.听

She said although the resolution wasn鈥檛 binding in any way, it was still an important advocacy document that the Washington Teachers Union now uses as an outline for framing their recommendations.听

Since the document鈥檚 release, OSSE has begun sponsoring H-1B visas for teachers once they are selected for hire. This visa provides immigrant teachers more benefits and security than a J-1 visa, getting them one step closer to acquiring a Green Card.听

Additionally, DCPS has updated its licensure policies to be more inclusive of Spanish speakers. OSSE now accepts passing scores on the PCMAS test for native Spanish speakers instead of the English Praxis 1.听

The PCMAS is also known as the Puerto Rico Teacher Certification Test.

Addressing the cultural issues, OSSE emailed 最新蜜桃影像 writing, in part,听鈥淲e are familiar with the research about teacher and student demographic alignment having a positive impact on student learning, and have led, supported and will continue to support initiatives aiming to diversify the profession.鈥澨�

The post Despite improvements, DC still lacks diversity in the classroom that could help Hispanic students first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

The only time she鈥檚 not at the weekend market is when it鈥檚 too cold, she said, clutching the second-hand cardigan she was gifted last week from a woman at the shelter where she often stays.

Coleman, 58, has been experiencing homelessness for five years after her husband of 17 years died from cancer. After his death, she said she struggled with drug addiction and her mental health, leading to the loss of her job and apartment.

Life on the streets has been hard for her, but programs like Produce Plus have given her small reasons to keep on living, Elaine said.听

鈥淚 started with the program a year ago, and it helped me get on my feet,鈥� she said.

Produce Plus, an initiative funded by DC Health, provides $40 per month from June to November that recipients can use at select farmers’ markets in the District. In 2022, 6,000 D.C. residents were enrolled in the program.

The program also benefits the farmers who sell at the market since they keep 100% of the money spent through the assistance programs. In 2022, 44 local farmers participated in the program.听

Dottie Hare, co-owner of Country Vittles from Critter Hill Farm in Maryland, has sold farm-raised goods at the Columbia Heights Farmers Market for 13 years. She has witnessed firsthand the impact Produce Plus has had on the market.

鈥淵ou can tell when the program is not running because the market is a lot slower.When it鈥檚 up and running, it鈥檚 busy, but once it stops, the crowd isn鈥檛 near as much,鈥� she said, waving a stack of used Produce Plus and Fresh Match coupons.

The coupons are distributed by FRESHFARM, an organization focused on building a more sustainable and accessible food network across the DMV by partnering with local farmers, non-profits, and governments to help people lacking access to healthy food.听

Columbia Heights is one of their 30 farmers’ markets around the DMV. It is also a market that accepts SNAP benefits (formerly known as Food Stamps), Produce Plus, and Fresh Match.听

While SNAP benefits are essential for many low-income individuals and families, there are still areas where the benefits fall short. While benefits are adjusted yearly to reflect the difference in grocery costs, the maximum allotment for recipients is the same across the country, despite some areas having a much higher cost of living than others.

The District is one of the most expensive places in the country to live, with housing costs over 50% of the national average and groceries at 5% over the average.

Sarah Weisbecker, Senior Market Operator at FRESHFARM, said the Fresh Match program benefits both district residents and local farmers. People with SNAP benefits can 鈥減urchase鈥� a market coupon worth double the amount they bought it for.听

鈥淚f we take ten dollars off their card, we will give them twenty dollars that they can spend at the market on SNAP-eligible products,鈥� she said.听

Elaine Coleman also utilizes the Fresh Match program when she attends the farmers market.听

鈥淭hese people really take care of me. When I want to buy something, they double it. It helps, because my benefits go as fast as I get them. This makes them last longer,鈥� she said.

The Columbia Heights Farmers Market is open for business every Saturday, January 7- December 30 and Wednesdays May 3- November 22.

The post Local food market helps both the community and the farmers that feed it first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

The outside looks more like a sanctuary than a place of learning, but for the students who attend classes there, those two concepts are the same.听

The school opened its doors in 2018 to serve adult residents of the District who want to improve their English. These language skills provide the students with better income and career opportunities, as well as the ability to become more active members of their communities, according to the school鈥檚 mission statement.听

is one of ten Adult PCSs funded by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education.听

Each school has a different focus, but teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) is a primary objective of six schools due to the needs exhibited by those in attendance. The Family Place Adult PCS alone has eleven different ESL classes.

Latino residents are highly represented across D.C.鈥檚 ten Adult PCSs. They comprise 55% of the Adult PCS population and around 95% of participants at The Family Place.

From El Salvador, Maria Rivas has been a student at The Family Place since the school鈥檚 conception.听

鈥淚 never want to leave. I always want to be at the Family Place because I love everything about it,鈥� she said.

Maria Herrera, from Ecuador, also started studying at The Family Place in 2018. She chose this school for its amount of available classes on multiple days of the week.

鈥淚 like this place because of the very nice teachers. I feel very comfortable here,鈥� she said.

The school has a current enrollment ceiling of 183 students but actually served 202 last year. The school requested to amend its enrollment ceiling to receive funding for the additional students. The DCPCSB voted last month to raise the ceiling to 225 for the next school year.听

This new ceiling will provide the school with additional funds of around $498,600.听

鈥淭he idea is to possibly impact the community. We are doing this to make it better,鈥� said Fernando Salda帽a.

The Family Place non-profit was created in 1980 with the primary mission of helping immigrant mothers. They still serve this purpose, but their duties have shifted to better fit the needs of the community.听

Yinz煤 Nairouz, Director of Family Services, said finding steady employment is an issue for many of the people they serve, especially in Columbia Heights.听

鈥淎round Columbia Heights, there are a lot of low-income families that make only the minimum wage per hour, and it鈥檚 hard to have a family, pay rent, and find food with that amount. Also, in general, they have jobs that are not permanent but only temporary.鈥�

Nairouz cited language and cultural barriers as two reasons why many need help acquiring employment.听

鈥淭here is always a cultural barrier, especially with the people that have been arriving at the border in the last year and a half. There is always that culture shock,鈥� she said.听

To help mitigate these challenges, the school offers a variety of classes in three categories: English as a Second Language, Foundations of Literacy, and a Child Development Associate accreditation program.听

The school accommodates its busy students by offering small class sizes and meeting times. Fernando Salda帽a, school staff member at The Family Place, said the programs must stay flexible because they serve a large number of single mothers and people working one or two jobs.

Retaining students is a priority for the school, so they have taken steps to ensure that students get personal support as well.听

In one of the classrooms, dozens of students mingled with school case managers in an event called 鈥淐offee with a Case Manager.鈥� Students snacked on coffee and pastries while speaking with staff about resources they may need, including assistance with immigration paperwork, mental health, and medical insurance.

The organization has adapted to keep up with the unique short-term needs of some migrants and asylum-seekers that arrived among the 180 busloads of people to D.C., many of whom were sent by Texas and Arizona鈥檚 Republican governors in protest of President Biden鈥檚 border policies.

The school partners with D.C. Central Kitchen to provide daily packaged meals for students to promote their well-being and success.

The post Columbia Heights鈥� adult education program helps immigrants say 鈥渉ello鈥� to new opportunities first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.