The bill aims to bring in funds from fossil-fuel extraction or refining companies that the NJ Department of Environmental Protection estimates to have caused over one billion metric tons of greenhouse-gas emissions from 1995–2024. The legislation also requires that 51 percent of those funds benefit overburdened communities, of which 5.2 million people reside. The money will be kept in a dedicated fund to be distributed in grants to municipalities.

Public Square Amplified Multimedia reporters AB Youssef and Karen Dinkins covered the 12-day, 103-mile march that started on Nov. 28 in Philadelphia and concluded on Dec. 9 at SCI Mahanoy in Frackville, PA, where Mumia is being held.

Supporters of political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal led a 12-day, 103-mile march demanding an end to medical neglect and elder abuse in prisons, as well as to free Abu-Jamal. 

The march began on Nov. 28 in Philadelphia where Mumia was a member of the city’s chapter of the Black Panther Party and ended on Dec. 9 at the SCI Mahanoy Corrections Facility in Frackville where he is now incarcerated.

With heavy weapons and a threatening presence, ICE is bringing violence into shared community spaces, including schools. High school students express fear, anxiety, and strength in a Q&A.

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.