Voices Stories by Cyril Josh Barker
Charter schools: moneymakers for hedge funds
With charter schools already catching the ire of local parents and educators, new reports show that hedge funds are turning huge profits by playing with Department of Education money.
Parents, faculty rallying to keep Rice High School open
Harlem's Rice High School will close on June 30. Efforts to save the 70-year-old mostly Black and Latino, all-male, Catholic high school continue as parents take the lead to save the high-achieving school known for both academics and basketball. more>
Love raps: NYC domestic violence called highest in nation
In a report released last week, NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said that "police officers respond to over 700 domestic violence 911 calls each day in the city." This number puts New York City at the top of the list of all urban cities for domestic violence. more>
St. Nicholas Houses debate charter school being built
The saga of the charter school slated for construction in the St. Nicholas Houses project in Harlem continues. The drama over the school, slated to open in 2012, has sparked a firestorm between residents of the complex and the New York City Housing Authority. more>
Gay bullying and suicides hit Black community
LGBTQ youths of color, along with several elected officials, gathered on the steps of City Hall to speak out against anti-gay bullying and the recent suicides. The rally was led by Fabulous Independent Educated Radicals for Community Empowerment (FIERCE). more>
Almighty debt too typical in Black community
CNN's latest installment of "Black in America" puts faces of color on the economic crisis. As more Black Americans lose their homes and their jobs at rates much higher than whites, debt is also a leading problem when it comes to finances in the Black community. more>
Poverty in NYC on rise while proposed food stamp cuts loom
"I do not need to repeat what we already know. It is impossible to still eat a healthy, balanced diet off $4.33 per day, the amount a low-income individual might receive off food stamps," said Ydanis Rodriguez, Washington Heights City Council member. more>
Video
AudioFear factor: Does NYC have a mob problem?
Recent violence in the city has officials and community residents questioning if the practice of flash mobs are on the rise. Coupled with the recent news that crime in the city is on the rise, activists are also questioning how the alarming trend is being handled by the city more>
No shelter: Homeless left out in cold
Although homeless rates among New Yorkers are on the rise, human rights organizations and defenders fight to keep drop-in centers open, which are threatened by budget cuts.
AUDIO :: At the end of last month, WNYC's Brian Lehrer spoke with Coro Fellow Sophia Tu who took part in New York City's annual count of the homeless. more>
Gun violence: outrage and tears in community
VIDEO :: From California to Illinois to Georgia, protests against gun and youth violence, spear-headed by Reverend Al Sharpton's National Action Network. more>
Bloomberg’s policies fail when it comes to poverty
According to executive director of New York City Coalition Against Hunger Joel Berg, anti-poverty programs initiated by Mayor Michael Bloomberg aid only 3 percent of New Yorkers in poverty.
VIDEO :: In its latest report, the Census Bureau says the Bronx continues to be the poorest urban county in the nation. NY1's Dean Meminger reported.
Obama Blacklash already? Disturbing incidents across Gotham
In Staten Island, reports indicate that on election night, a carload of white men beat a Black Muslim teenager. Ali Kamara, 17, told police that his attackers shouted Obama prior to beating him with a baseball bat. more>