Today, the Social Work Policy Network offers a glimpse of their weekly e-update.
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REDISTRICTING 101: REDISTRICTING & GERRYMANDERING
The redistricting wars, Vox: "The battle lines for the next decade of US politics are about to be set. Gerrymandering is by far the most effective modern tool for a party seeking to swing election outcomes in the US. Instead of attempting to change which people turn out, they can, usually once a decade, [legislators] simply change the district lines so that some votes will matter more than others. Barring an immense change in voting patterns, a well-executed gerrymander can nearly guarantee a party’s dominance in a congressional delegation or state legislative chamber."
But, What Is Gerrymandering? How does Gerrymandering harm our democracy?
Watch this video on Gerrymandering to learn more.
UPCOMING EVENTS
4th Annual Environmental Health Summit - Virtual Seminar Series
Maternal and Child Environmental Health and Justice
December 1 (10:00 AM - 11:30 AM EST) via Zoom. Free. Registration Required
Health Effects of Pesticide Exposures for Infants and Children: How We Can Protect Our Homes, Our Schools and Our Children. Presenters: Brian Buckley, Ph.D. Nancy Fiedler, Ph.D. Amy Goldsmith
Social Workers: Unique Leaders of Social Justice with Rutgers School of Social Work
December 8 (5:30-7:30 PM EST) via Zoom. Free. Registration Required.
"Join Rutgers School of Social Work as we honor Ericka Deglau, Professor of Teaching and Director of the Intensive Weekend Program, and celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Intensive Weekend Program, with our panel discussion, 'Social Workers: Unique Leaders of Social Justice'. Panelists include former SSW Dean, Dr. Richard Edwards, former NJ Commissioner of the Department of Children & Families and Executive Director of the SSW Institute for Families, Dr. Allison Blake, and Intensive Weekend alumni Dr. Helena Lewis and Janine Fabrizio."
LOCAL & REGIONAL UPDATES
NJ Renters Have 2 Weeks To Apply For Rental Aid As Eviction Moratorium Sunsets, The Gothamist: "New Jersey residents who missed rent payments due to the pandemic are running out of time to apply for state assistance as the eviction moratorium comes to an end. Tenants have until December 15th to apply to the state’s rental aid program and will be entered into a lottery to fairly distribute the remaining federal dollars. But individual counties, along with municipalities like Jersey City and Newark, are also distributing funds, though some of those programs are no longer taking applications. Newark’s remains open through January 7th; Jersey City closed its application last month."
‘Another door that doesn’t open:’ Hurdles for applicants to N.J. excluded workers fund, NJ Monitor: "When applications finally launched for the Excluded New Jerseyans Fund in late October, residents and immigrant activists rejoiced and began filing applications immediately. The fund was intended to help undocumented immigrants and other workers who were ineligible for other types of pandemic-related financial aid. But nearly a month after the program started, immigrants say they’re facing hurdles getting their applications through — let alone approved..."
NATIONAL UPDATES
Fetal Viability, Long an Abortion Dividing Line, Faces a Supreme Court Test, NY Times: "In 1973, in Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court drew a line. The Constitution, it said, did not allow states to ban abortions before the fetus could survive outside the womb. On Wednesday, when the court hears the most important abortion case in a generation, a central question will be whether the court’s conservative majority is prepared to erase that line". Also - As the Supreme Court considers Roe v. Wade, a look at how abortion became legal.
Dems’ $1.7T spending bill clears House, but Senate changes loom, Politico: "The House passed a sweeping $1.7 trillion spending bill [in mid-November], a major step forward for the health care and climate package before action turns to the Senate, where an uncertain fate awaits. The behemoth bill is the most significant restructuring of the social safety net in decades, touching nearly every aspect of American life from universal pre-K to college assistance to elder care".
PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Digital Organizer, New Jersey Citizen Action (Highland Park, NJ)
Policy Director, New Jersey Consortium for Immigrant Children (Jersey City, NJ)
Director of Development, New Jersey Institute for Social Justice (Newark, NJ)
Legal Assistant - Program Support and Data Systems, New York Lawyers for Public Interest (NYC)
The Social Work Policy Network's e-newsletter is created by:
Brittany Libby, MSW Graduate Student, Network Research Assistant
Dr. Lenna Nepomnyaschy, RU Associate Professor, Network Founder
Are you aware of any policy updates, events or academic articles that you wish to see in this newsletter? Submit your contributions to us via russwswpn@gmail.com
