How Schools Engage Refugee and Immigrant Students | California Reparations Task Force Meeting | Pandemic through Photojournalism

A Sacramento County school district is helping immigrant children and families integrate with their new community. California’s Reparation’s Task Force is holding their next meeting in Sacramento. CapRadio’s Visual Journalist discusses his most poignant photos over the last three years covering the COVID pandemic.  

Engaging refugee and immigrant students

Over the past couple of years, we’ve learned or have been reminded that Sacramento is home to diasporas from all over the world. From Afghanistan following the chaotic and deadly U.S. withdrawal leaving the country in the hands of the Taliban. To Ukraine, which has just entered its second year of the war. And there are many other examples, from Syria to Latin America to name a few, of people and families fleeing their homeland for safety and abruptly uprooted as refugees. A significant piece of adjusting to a new country and way of life comes from schools which are far more than just a classroom. They are a hub of resources for students and their families and in doing so become part of their new community. Sawsan Morrar, who covers School Accountability and Culture for the Sacramento Bee, followed San Juan Unified School District in Sacramento County which has schools where the vast majority of students are English Language Learners, and many students who are also refugees-- a journey that often comes with trauma. Morrar joined Insight to talk about what she learned and shared how these schools are meeting the needs of students under extraordinary circumstances.   

Reparations task force meeting

California’s Reparations Task Force is closing in on a major milestone. A first-in-the-nation task force studying the legacy of harm caused by slavery as well as reparations to repair the generational damage caused. In its two years since being signed into law, the nine-member Task Force is finalizing a report and recommendations for Black and African Americans who are descendants of slaves. Over the course of two days, the reparations task force is expected to share its recommendations as well as hear community input. The meeting will be open to the public and takes place at the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) in Sacramento. KQED Reporter Annelise Finney brought us up to speed with the latest on California’s Reparations Task Force and what to expect from this weekend’s meeting. Insight also spoke with Dr. Jovan Scott Lewis, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Geography at UC Berkeley and member of the California Reparations Task Force. 

The pandemic through photojournalism

This week California's emergency declaration for the COVID-19 pandemic came to an unceremonious end. Many of the laws, regulations, ordinances, and recommendations in place for the past three years are now gone. While the most severe aspects of COVID may be behind us, the fact remains that COVID is still here among us. But when we reflect on the past three years, we will never forget all that we went through. Social distancing, virtual learning, bare shelves at the pharmacy, scrambling for toilet paper and paper towels, and long lines to get tested or get a vaccine. They're memories that will stay with our generation forever. Over the past three years, CapRadio's Visual Journalist Andrew Nixon has been documenting those moments and memories through his camera lens.  And if you are a visitor to our website you have no doubt seen his work, capturing the scenes of the pandemic. Andrew published his latest digital article and joined Insight with a retrospective of some of his work during the pandemic in the Sacramento area.