Newark, NJ - In 2003, Sakia Gunn was walking home in Newark with her friends when a man pulled up, made advances, and did not like the answer he got. She said no. He stabbed her in the chest.

She did not survive.

She was only 15.

More than 20 years later, I still think about how easy it is for a girl to lose her life over something like that. Saying no. Walking away. Existing in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong person nearby. 

Trenton, NJ - The New Jersey Food Democracy Collaborative commends state leaders and philanthropic partners for acting quickly when the first-ever disruption of federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits occurred this fall, helping coordinate emergency food access and stabilize many households. Yet this unprecedented event must result in more than short-term triage — it should serve as a turning point for how we think about food security in New Jersey.

Maplewood, NJ - Maplewood and its sister town South Orange are historic towns nestled between Newark and Millburn/Short Hills, filled with quaint 20th-century houses, lush parks, a downtown lined with eclectic mom-and-pop shops, a rainbow pride crosswalk in front of town hall, and a sea of lawn signs declaring, “Hate has no home here.” White Brooklyn hipsters in search of a “diverse” suburb to raise their kids often find it in this town, creating a paradoxical cycle of whitewashing. 

Edison, NJ - Growing up, my dad never stopped working. His office was our living room and his hours — stretched across time zones — never paused for dinner time or allotted breaks. Working on the weekend was the norm, and so was answering calls whenever they came. And, when the calls ended, the chores began — grocery runs, bills, paperwork for relatives in India.

Newark, NJ - Newark is one of only four sanctuary cities in the state of New Jersey. While there is no official definition for a “sanctuary city,” they are generally identified as municipalities with jurisdictions that limit voluntary cooperation between local agencies and federal immigration authorities to ensure residents' safety and well-being. 

Newark, NJ - U.S. Representative LaMonica McIver returned to court on Oct. 21 as she continued her heated legal battle against the Department of Justice. This ongoing case began after federal officers arrested Newark Mayor, Ras J. Baraka, during his oversight visit to Delaney Hall with McIver, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Rep. Rob Menendez Jr. on May 9.

Newark, NJ - What began as just another day waiting to start work had turned into what could be a life-altering sequence governed by the intersection of chance and systems that treat humans as capital assets.

He always said goodbye to his wife and children as if he might never come home. But today he was closer to that reality than he’d ever imagined, and his heartbeat thumped so loudly it seemed to silence the regular sounds of the day continuing around him.

Newark, NJ - On June 14, President Trump's birthday, the No Kings movement organized millions of people to draw attention to what many believed was the decline of US democracy and denounce the planned military parade on the Capitol. Over 2,100 demonstrations took place in all 50 states.

Newark, NJ - On Wednesday, September 10, Community Movement Builders (CMB), Newark, hosted a book event with the author of “Nobody Can Give You Freedom: The Political Life of Malcolm X,” Kehinde Andrews.

Andrews is a professor of Black Studies in the UK and co-founder of the Harambee Organisation of Black Unity. He has previously authored five other works.