Digital Commons Network^™

Childcare License Not Necessary, Jean C. Brannum

Capstones

Most childcare centers need a license to operate, but many states have loopholes that allow fitness center daycares to forego traditional licensing. The variation in rules lets some kids play in dangerous situations.

Marisa Kalil-Barrino Final Project, Marisa G. Kalil-Barrino

Capstones

Around the world, Black and Brown fashion designers are underrepresented in the media and fashion industry. Often, fast fashion companies like Shein, Zara, and H&M imitate or steal designs from Black and Brown designers who handcraft their clothes while factories mass produce them. Marisa Kalil-Barrino created 1202 Magazine, an arts and culture publication highlighting emerging artists, events, and concepts, especially her community, Black and Brown fashion designers.

The Matriarchs Of Ecuavoley Femenino, Mariana Martinez

Capstones

At Cancha Chavelita (Chavelita Court) in the Bronx, New York, generations of Ecuadorean women have come together to play ecuavoley, a male-dominated sport from Ecuador. Ironically, the court however happens to also be one of the few run by a woman, Chavelita herself. As the women embrace the sport, they’ve become more than just teammates on the court. The capstone project also documents the history of ecuavoley femenino (female ecuavoley) in Ecuador with an in-depth podcast featuring Mercedes (Meche) Mena, a professional ecuavoley player. A third component of the project also explores the rise of ecuavoley femenino on the internet …

Data Journalism Portfolio, Mrinalini Nayak

Capstones

I'm a data-driven business and economics reporter based in Manhattan, New York, with 16 months of graduate school experience. Through this program, not only did I learn that data analysis is at the core of most investigative projects in today's world, but I developed the confidence to back my reporting with data. Suppose you, like me, have felt like your voice as a journalist could be encouraged by solid proof in the form of data, ranging from salaries for public servants to energy units required to run large language models. In that case, you only need to learn Python for …

A Silent New Threat To The Trans Community: The Unregulated Use Of Ai Without Public Consent Raises Ethical Concerns, Eduardo Salazar Uribe

Capstones

Abstract:

The unregulated use of artificial intelligence (AI) without public consent has raised ethical concerns, particularly affecting marginalized communities such as transgender individuals. This project, based on interviews with 34 transgender people, explores the impact of AI on historically marginalized minorities, emphasizing the urgent need for an ethical and legal framework. This research reveals instances of discrimination and challenges faced by transgender individuals at various stages, from border control to airport security, highlighting the limitations and biases of AI in recognizing diverse gender identities. Trans rights activists, and AI experts remark the importance of inclusivity in AI development and regulation. …

Erasing Race, Emily Swanson

Capstones

Since the murder of George Floyd, the Minneapolis Police Department has increasingly lagged in its reporting of race data.

School Weigh-Ins Are Dreaded. They Also Don’T Work., Amanda G. Salazar

Capstones

Schools across the country have been screening their students for Body Mass Index for decades, based on the assumption that telling families about a student's weight would promote weight loss. Years of research has shown that BMI screenings don't actually have any impact on weight, but instead can be harmful to students' mental and emotional wellbeing. These harms can last for years into the future, in some cases. So, why are BMI screenings still such a common practice?https://schoolbmiscreenings.weebly.com/

Wave-Ing Away Stereotypes: The Rise Of Black Surfers, John J. Schilling Iii

Capstones

This article examines the growing prominence of Black surfers with a specific focus on Lou Harris of the Black Surfing Association East Coast Chapter in Rockaway Beach, New York. While the sport remains white male-dominated, a 2022 report from the Surf Industry Members Association and ActionWatch show that surfing has experienced a surge in diversity over the last decade with an increase in the number of Black surfers, female surfers and other surfers of color nationwide. In exploring this phenomenon, this article includes the historical background of Black people’s connection to the sport, dating back to enslaved Africans’ complicated interactions …

“Nadie Nunca Me Habló De Riesgos”: Madres Subrogantes En Eeuu Reclaman Protección, Carla Gloria Colomé Santiago

Capstones

Commercial surrogacy is a growing industry. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that by 2020, 90 percent of clinics in the country were offering gestational carrier services. In this report, several surrogate mothers speak of inefficient contracts, poor pay and lack of support, amid a landscape where business takes precedence over the treatment of women.

https://preview.shorthand.com/dN8XSDPrI83UIc8P

Understanding And Navigating Asylum In Nyc, Divya Murthy

Capstones

Between September 2022 and December 2023, I worked with the community of grassroots volunteers and organizations in New York helping alleviate the impact of the asylum-seeker crisis in the city. My work is a combination of reporting on the crisis through articles, video and audio as well as an application of engagement journalism techniques, like callouts, joining community groups and sustained conversations with community members.

Link: https://medium.com/@divyamurthy/understanding-and-navigating-asylum-in-nyc-646ab96d0ac1

College Senate Minutes December 14, 2023, Bronx Community College Senate

BCC Governance Archives

Minutes for the meeting of the College Senate on December 14, 2023.

Maui Wildfires: A Case Study In Local Government Crisis Communication Response, Joshua A. Voda

Student Theses and Dissertations

When wildfires swept through the island of Maui in Hawai‘i in August 2023, the communities of Olinda, Kula and especially Lahaina were devastated. Thousands of people were displaced, and nearly 100 people were lost. Just like the speed at which the fiery winds consumed these towns, accusations of emergency mismanagement and a host of misinformation spread by word of mouth and online. The primary local government authority for these communities is the County of Maui, currently led by Mayor Richard Bissen. This case study examines the first month of communication from the County of Maui to the affected communities via …

Embodying Compassion: Striving Towards Sensitivity, Inclusion And Synergy, Arva N. Anees

Student Theses and Dissertations

Inspired by the author's experience as the sole Muslim woman in a company of over 100 employees, the capstone project addresses the observed lack of prioritization for minority inclusion in the workplace. The capstone project outlined aims to address this issue by developing a cultural sensitivity and inclusion workshop that surpasses superficial efforts and encourages participants to internally reflect on their daily workplace interactions. The workshop, designed with an experiential approach lasting 1.5-2 hours, seeks to foster practical knowledge and instigate changes towards a more inclusive, equitable, and diverse working environment. Emphasizing increased awareness, engagement in reflective and collaborative activities, …

Our Weird Living World, Saugat Bolakhe

Capstones

The series of articles featured in this portfolio dives into the weirdest and most unique natural phenomena that power and sustain our living world. It features the eccentric worlds of microbes that have a chemical trick for making oxygen that could sustain entire underground ecosystems, birds that go on to choosing vocal coaches based on sounds they hear as embryos, moths that keep on blinding children in Nepal, algae and their cost of adapting in warming oceans and female insects that hide cryptic sex for their survival.

Link: https://saugatbol.wixsite.com/saugat-bolakhe

Human Rights Gone Wrong, Frances E. Perozo

Capstones

My community is made up of people who are victims/survivors of human rights violations. The two communities I worked with Mott Haven arrestees who were beaten and abused by the NYPD in July 2020 during a protest against police brutality, and newly arrived migrants coming into New York City from the southern border in the last eighteen months, The New New Yorkers. On June 4, 2020, 300 people were peacefully protesting in Mott Haven, a low-income neighborhood in Harlem, when they were kettled and arrested by the NYPD ten minutes before 8 pm, which was the time of a temporary …

The Pima County Jail In A “State Of Full-Blown Crisis”: Inmate Deaths Four Times The National Average, Natalie Robbins

Capstones

Last year, 12 inmates died in custody at the Pima County Jail in Tucson, Arizona. With a 10-year average jail population of 1,827, that is a per capita rate of 656.8 deaths per 100,000 inmates.

According to the most recent data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the 2019 national local jail mortality rate was 167 deaths for every 100,000 inmates, making the Pima County Jail’s 2022 per capita death rate nearly four times as high as the national average in 2019.

In a December 2022 memo to the Pima County Board of Supervisors, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos wrote …

Local Composters Carve New Path Amid Budget Cuts, Nicolas J. Magrino

Capstones

This piece focuses on how New York City’s composting programs have adjusted after losing funding from the city government at the beginning of 2024. While there has been coverage about the issue at a larger policy level, there has not been a lot of attention paid to the small local gardens who are just as affected by this change as the larger organizations. The piece interrogates the issue from the bottom up, starting with small community gardens and ending with the larger organizations that support their work. It also looks at the issue from the perspective of the Department of …

Exodus: The Cost Of Leaving High-Control Religion And Life After Breaking Free, Hannah-Kathryn Valles

Capstones

There are many names for those who leave their faith community—apostate, heretic, dissenter. While there is no singular path to parting with one’s religious beliefs, the experience can be fraught and intensely painful. For those in high-control religious environments, the price of leaving is even steeper.

When identity, social connections, finances, and family structures are dependent on conforming to strict religious and ideological norms, the decision to leave can have far-reaching consequences. For those who do make the bold decision to leave, it’s hardly the end of the road. In many ways, leaving is just the first step toward finding …

The Backdoor Lobby: Israel Interest Groups And Middle East Policy, Andrew Ancheta

Capstones

The 2023 Gaza war brought new focus to the special relationship between the United States and Israel. While the scale of direct support for the Israeli military is well-known, there has been less attention on less direct ties, such as those between U.S. nonprofits and settlement organizations, or the use of generous gift travel as a form of lobbying. This project consists of three Op-Ed articles on these aspects of the Israel lobby and its effects on U.S. politics, supported by photography and data research.

Elderly And Disabled New Yorkers Negatively Impacted By City-Implemented Street Changes, Asar John

Capstones

This final practicum focuses on the community of elderly and/or disabled seniors who are negatively impacted by city-implemented street changes. This includes, but is not limited to Open Streets, traffic calming and bike boulevards on different New York City streets. The final product produced for this community was a four part video testimonial from people in different geographical communities, talking about how they and other folks in that community are hindered by street changes.

Nyc Local Law 144: A Failed Attempt At Regulating Ai In Hiring, Christopher Janaro

Capstones

New York City recently passed a law that aims to regulate the use of automated AI tools in hiring. The Problem? Big business helped write it.

Archiving A Generation: Filipino Artists And Cultural Workers In Queens, Kimberly Izar

Capstones

While census data shows roughly 86,000 Filipinos live in New York City, data on Filipino artists has been sparse. Art is an expression of one’s being and more often than not, broader social resistance — but it’s also work that has left artists criminalized, ostracized, and even killed.

Over the last year, journalist Kimberly Izar collaborated with Filipino artists and cultural workers across Queens. Queens boasts the largest population of Filipinos compared to any other borough, but this enclave has gradually declined in numbers due to waves of gentrification and migration. Through in-depth coverage and a mix of engagement tools …

Nyc Students And Mental Health, Ashlee B. Brown

Capstones

Mental health and trauma is affecting students in NYC schools; yet according to New York State comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s report, schools are not equipped to provide them with the support they need. For my practicum, I created three videos that all have one thing in common - NYC public school students and their mental health. Two videos feature DOE officials, and one features community members and a therapist. The videos were shared with community members and DOE officials upon completion.

Link to project (medium post): https://medium.com/@ashlee.brown76/nyc-students-and-mental-health-f50c4f1d0b81

Building Bridges In The Bronx, Hari Adivarekar

Capstones

Exploring information and advocacy needs in The South Bronx.

The Bronx is one of the most poorest districts in the whole country. It is also severely neglected by city agencies compared to other boroughs in New York City. Often Bronxites are left to fend for themselves. But they never crumble in this crucible of music and culture.

My project used performance and cultural education to connect with South Bronx communities and understand their advocacy needs. This was executed through a multi-pronged approach, done in collaboration with The Bronx Music Heritage Center. and their parent organization, WHEDCO (Women's Housing and Economic …

The Next Phase Of Public Health: Innovations From The Private Sector To Build Health Equity, Collaborations, And Resilience, Susan Garfield, Amy S. White, Frances Garfield, Rick B. Siegrist, Natasha Eslami

Publications and Research

The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted foundational challenges in managing the public's health and the persistent health inequities in our communities. Within the private sector, companies witnessed how adverse health events impact the economy at large, their employees, and their customers. As a result, many companies have begun to see that they have a critical role in improving the long-term well-being of the communities in which they work and how health equity can build resilience. This recognition has driven many to action. Either on their own or in collaboration with established public health players, companies are deploying private sector points of view …

Gun Violence In The Deadly Mississippi Delta, Gerard L. Edic

Capstones

The Mississippi Delta boasts some of the nation's highest rates of fatal shootings yet it often is not included in the national narrative of gun violence. This piece looks at the costs of gun violence in one Mississippi Delta county, Leflore. It incorporates my own anecdotal experience, having covered homicides when I worked for the local paper, as well as interviews with residents and a sociologist who wrote a book assessing the cost of fatal shootings.

The Cost Of The Crunch: Ethical Chocolate In New York City, Rachel J. Goldman

Capstones

Within the past few years since the Supreme Court ruled in favor Big Chocolate companies, awareness about the ethical problems with industrial chocolate continue to penetrate public consciousness. There is a rise in boutique chocolate manufacturing around New York City, but how viable is it for every New Yorker?

The Cost of the Crunch: Ethical Chocolate in New York City | by Rachel Goldman | Dec, 2023 | Medium

Where Did All The Bed Bugs Go?, Lauren Friedman

Capstones

In the early 2000s in New York City, everyone was talking about bed bugs. The disc-shaped, bloodsucking pests had been a common domestic nuisance up to the World War II era, but in the decades since, they’d mostly faded into obscurity. That was until bed bug infestations, which are often psychologically distressing and sometimes impossible to overcome, suddenly became routine across the five boroughs, driving people from their apartments and stoking fear about everything from upholstered theater seats to thrift stores.

But then, just as quickly as bed bugs had invaded, they seemed to fade away. In a 2022 study …

How The 2020 Protests Raises The Issues Of Policing Tactics, Brianna Knibbs

Capstones

With the 2020 Racial protests spreading all across the United States in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, the issues of police tactics used against protesters have raised a lot of questions on how it plays a role into the systematic police racism. In addition to the challenges for those who try to sue police departments.

“Once That Ball Goes Flat, What Are You Gonna Do?” How Being A Student-Athlete Uniquely Affects Black Men, Amaya S. Mcdonald

Capstones

With less experience in the world outside of sports as compared to their non-athlete peers, student-athletes are often left to find careers in other fields where they may be unprepared after college.This trend disproportionately affects Black male college-athletes, who make up a majority of the student-athletes on revenue sports teams, like basketball and football, which generate billions of dollars for academic institutions.

Interviews with former student-athletes, activists and educators reveal the source of this disparity and how the student-athlete role can affect a student's college experience, their own self-perception and their transition into a life without sports post-graduation. https://medium.com/@amayamcd24/once-that-ball-goes-flat-what-are-you-gonna-do-1f0baaa14cf4