• California Health Report: July 21, 2020

    Cannabis Tax Revenues Are Going to Police Budgets, Not Communities

    In their op-ed in California Health Report, Sarah-Michael Gaston of Youth Forward and PI's Juliet Sims explain how cities' taxes on marijuana are going toward funding for the police instead of the communities most harmed by the War on Drugs. They offer recommendations for how cities can shift these funds from the criminal justice system back into the communities they were intended to benefit in the first place.

    Read more

  • The Hill: May 15, 2020

    Bankruptcy and privatization will not lead us to recovery

    In her op-ed in The Hill, PI's Rachel A. Davis makes the case that if states and local governments begin to declare bankruptcy—as recommended by some members of congress—or privatize services, this would endanger all communities, and particularly vulnerable communities, by slashing funding for public resources, exacerbating inequities, and reducing transparency and accountability.

    Read more

  • California Health Report: May 7, 2020

    Opinion: Society Designed the Systems That Created COVID-19 Inequalities — We Can Redesign Them

    In their op-ed in California Health Report, Chrissie Juliano and PI's Rachel A. Davis applaud legislation introduced by California Senator Kamala Harris and Congresswoman Robin Kelly of Illinois to address the root of the reasons COVID-19 is taking a heavier toll on low-income communities and communities of color. They champion a system-level transformation of community conditions that we can redesign through policy and advocacy. "The data tell us that the systems that shape lives and determine the opportunity to be healthy — from housing and transportation to education and economic...

    Read more

  • Healthy Living, Healthy Planet Radio: May 4, 2020

    Podcast: Sustainable Communities

    PI's Manal J. Aboelata joined Amanda Eaken and Jason Babbie from NRDC for a conversation on Healthy Living, Healthy Planet Radio about how we can sustain healthy and resilient communities during COVID-19. Listen to Episode 30 to hear their discussion.

    Read more

  • STAT: April 20, 2020

    Farmers markets provide healthy food and support local economies. Keep them open during Covid-19 lockdowns

    In her op-ed featured in STAT, PI's Leslie Mikkelsen explains the many reasons why it's crucial to keep farmer's markets open during COVID-19. "As a nutritionist and advocate for sustainable local food systems, I believe that we need to do everything we can to ensure that all members of our communities can access fresh and healthy food, support their local food economies, and keep the vision of a sustainable food system alive in spite of Covid-19."

    Read more

  • CalMatters: March 31, 2020

    If we can safely distance at the grocery store, surely we can do the same at parks

    CalMatters features PI's Manal J. Aboelata's piece, which explains why it is especially important to keep public parks open as we respond to coronavirus. 

    "With many outdoor recreation facilities now off-limits, I fear that the health protection and police powers of the state are set to converge in ways that could be especially dangerous for boys and men of color — the people most likely to be over-policed in public spaces."

    Read more

  • Los Angeles Times: March 24, 2020

    Letters to the Editor: Closed parks and closed schools -- what could possibly go wrong?

    A letter to the editor by PI’s Manal Aboelata ran in this week’s LA Times calling for safe management of parks and other outdoor recreation, rather than closures and criminalization of use: “My teenage sons, like other Los Angeles Unified School District students, are stuck at home. They don’t just want to go for a walk. They should be able to go to one of our local parks to exercise."

    Read more

  • Meeting of the Minds: February 25, 2020

    Stormwater Management is an Equity Issue

    In their recent article featured in Meeting of the Minds, PI’s Manal J. Aboelata and Elva Yañez write about stormwater management as a health equity issue, and the need to clean and save stormwater for future use.

    Read more