Twenty-one years ago this month, a gay University of Wyoming student by the name of Matthew Shepard was brutally murdered. His story brought national attention to anti-LGBT hate crimes and spurred a popular movement for hate crime legislation. Since then, the LGBT community has won major advances and become more visible than ever - but hateful attacks are on the rise. Professor Liz Coston explores why these crimes keep happening, what they look like in 2019, and what can be done to protect and support the LGBT community in the years to come.

For more on this topic:

• Check out Liz’s SSN brief, Understanding and Handling Hate Crimes against Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People
• Read the Virginia Commonwealth University’s write-up on their research and public outreach

America is the richest country on Earth with some of the most advanced healthcare services you can find. And yet, every year, hundreds of women die during childbirth, an issue that particularly affects black women. One of the potential solutions that’s being offered: returning to the centuries old practice of community midwives. Rachel Applewhite lays out what research can tell us about the effectiveness of midwives and doulas, how they help serve communities left behind by our healthcare system, and what can be done to expand access to their potentially life-saving services.

For more on this topic:

• Check out the organizations mentioned in the episode: Roots of Labor Birth Collective and Alabama Prison Project
• Read about Professor Monica McLemore’s research mentioned in the episode

Despite an ongoing impeachment inquiry, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has been signaling that a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada is in the final stages of negotiations, and Congress could be ready for a vote in the near future. In this archive episode, Professor Alyshia Gálvez dives into the often overlooked consequences of this trade agreement on food and health in both the U.S. and Mexico. 

For more on this topic:

• Check out Alyshia’s SSN brief, How the North American Free Trade Agreement Contributed to Health Setbacks in Mexico
• Read her book, Eating NAFTA: Trade, Food Policies, and the Destruction of Mexico

With a global climate strike on September 20th and waves of protests surrounding the UN summit on climate change, public interest in science seems to be on the rise. And scientists are answering the call, with more researchers than ever taking to social media to share their work with the public and each other. Professor Sara Yeo discusses how different audiences perceive science communication, the ways in which emotions can factor into it, and how scientists can make the most of engaging online.

For more on this topic:

• Check out Sara’s SSN brief, Adapting Science Communication to the Changing Media Landscape
• Read her pieces for The Scientists and The London School of Economics blog on academics’ use of social media

America’s schools are supposed to treat all students fairly. But we know that all too often, black students face racial discrimination, stigma, and stereotypes in their schools. And for black girls in particular, that can be compounded by their gender as well. Professor Seanna Leath explains how do these experiences affect the lives and development of black girls, what broader stereotypes and stigmas exist around mental health for black women, and what can be done to improve the situation.

For more on this topic:

• Read Seanna's SSN brief, How the Expectation of Strength Harms Black Girls and Women