Identifying Local Opportunities 5A

Identifying Local Opportunities

• “Hurricane season is here, and so are a new arsenal of warnings” by Jenny Staletovich, Miami Herald  
• Link: http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/16C3BEB4719052F0?p=WORLDNEWS
• Story: The article discusses the National Hurricane Center’s newer ways of informing communities of tropical storms and hurricanes. Recently, they begun utilizing social media to reach out to a plethora of individuals. However, they believe that they could do better by letting people know even earlier of the threat of tropical storms and hurricanes, possibly removing the ‘cone of uncertatinty’, and updating graphics. 
• Problem: People learn of possible hurricane and tropical storm threats too late and too many people do not take the threat seriously. 
• Who: Initially, the problem lies on the National Hurricane Center because they need to update graphics, warnings, timeframes, etc. Then, the problem lies on the people because some choose to stay when it is apparent that they need to evacuate. 

• “In a long-neglected Miami neighborhood, a new co-working space stirs to life” by Rob Wile, Miami Herald 
• Link: http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/16C3BEB4393318D0?p=WORLDNEWS
• Story: The article explains that there are innovation deserts (communities that lack resources for businesses), similar to food deserts (communities that lack nearby groceries). Felicia Hatcher created a space called Tribe that provides desk space, wifi, and coffee at a low cost for low income communities. On Fridays the center is free for anyone. Thus far, a few businesses have moved into and run their businesses in Tribe. 
• Problem: Although the main focus of the article is about innovation deserts, the part that stood out to me was the food deserts. I have learned about these in a previous course— these communities that lack nearby grocery stores and healthy food options. In low socioeconomic areas, there are a plethora of fast-food restaurants, however, a lack of nutritious food options, such as, farmer’s markets. Therefore, the problem is that some individuals do not have healthy food options close to them simply because they live in low income neighborhoods. 
• Who: Individuals that live in low socioeconomic areas. 

• “Florida school shooting suspect was ex-student who was flagged as a threat” by Connie Ogle, Nicholas Nehamas and David Ovalle, Miami Herald 
• Link: http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/16A14334B70309D0?p=WORLDNEWS
• Story: This article discusses Nikolas Cruz, the Parkland school shooter. It illustrates that he was a troubled student— he had been expelled from school, talked about guns often, and even had bullets in his backpack at one time. An email had been sent out a year before the shooting announcing to teachers that Cruz would not be allowed to carry a backpack on campus. His social media use was sketchy— he frequently posted pictures of guns and knives. 
• Problem: There have been way too many school shootings recently and this is a big problem for our youth and their families. Students have become afraid to go to school even having anxiety and panic attacks about it, while some parents are questioning whether or not they should send their children to school or enroll them in homeschool. People’s rights should not be taken away simply because there are psychotic people out there who abuse weapons. However, schools need to make this issue heard by teaching students about bullying and encouraging them to talk with adults about bullies or people being bullied. Students that are high-risk should be closely monitored. In addition, schools should be more difficult to get into and have more resource officers. 
• Who: The problem begins with schools but branches out to families, students, and society. 

• “At age 6, she weighs just over 13 pounds, as hunger plagues Venezuela” by Sheyla G. Urdaneta, Special to el Nuevo Herald asso
• Link: http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/16A1426714118708?p=WORLDNEWS
• Story: The article addresses childhood hunger in Venezuela. It discusses a young girl’s fight for survival, explaining that she weighed 22 pounds but dropped to 13 pounds in just one month. The girl lives in a house with her family, which includes 11 other children and 10 adults. Only two of the 10 have jobs. Therefore, it is extremely difficult for them to afford food for all of these people. They only eat one time, every other day. 
• Problem: The problem is that families and youth in Venezuela and all over the world, including the United States are suffering from hunger. Various families have a difficult time finding a job and feeding their children. It is especially difficult when the youth and elderly that cannot work, out number the working adults. 
• Who: Youth and adults all over the world

• “A group of women in India has been saying “Me, too” for 500 years” by Noel Yeatts, Miami Herald 
• Link: http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/16A14334A4774420?p=WORLDNEWS
• Story: This article discusses the recent Me,too hashtag trend on social media. By posting #MeToo on social media, women are declaring that they have been a victim of sexual violence. This trend has given women a new voice against harassment. Unfortunately, in countries like India, women have been dealing with sexual violence for centuries. Prostitution in India is a way of life. Cots sit on the porches of houses where women are prostitutes; when a woman is sitting on the cot, it means that the business is open. Men will line down the street to pay for sex. It is a tradition that the oldest daughter has to prostitute in order to pay for her brother’s dowries. Everyone in the family is involved in prostitution in some way— the mother teaches the child to prostitute, the father sells the service to people walking down the street, and the brothers benefit by having their wedding paid by it. These girls become mothers and get diseases and have almost no chance of breaking the cycle. The article explains that simple needs that are fulfilled can help these women get out of prostitution. For example, recently World Help (a Christian Organization) drilled a well in the village to provide water for the community. Even this small gesture helped the girls by introducing them to World Help and a program that could educate them. 
• Problem: Prostitution of young women and girls around the world, especially in India. 
• Who: Girls as young as 12 years old