Category Archives: advocacy

Jan 10 2020
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advocacy, California, city government, Government, Los Angeles, non-profit, Nonprofit, pets, politics Image

Dogs in Los Angeles: A five story package about the city’s canine culture

Dogs in Los Angeles

Keeping A “No Kill” Status: The challenges L.A. Department of Animal Services face in maintaining its save rate for dogs

By Josh DuBose

December 5, 2019

LOS ANGELES – In a glass paned visitation room, at the East Valley Animal Shelter, volunteer Jason Davila sits on the floor with five small, mixed breed dogs. Kahlua, a light brown Chihuahua mix that’s been at the shelter for eight months, is between his legs alternately shivering and playfully nipping at two of his roommates, Toby and Princess, both of whom want similar access to their visitor’s lap. Nearby, Milo and Bacon cuddle on a somewhat ragged yellow blanket in preparation for what looks like the start of a hard earned nap. read more

Dec 14 2018
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advocacy, California, drug addiction, drug and alcohol recovery, Drugs, Education, Government, Heroin, Los Angeles, politics, prescription drugs, prescription painkillers

Marijuana Legalization Continues to Grow: Three states approve new pot laws

written for Inspire Malibu

As the dust from the November 2018 election settles, voters in three states voted to approve new marijuana laws. Michiganders will soon have access to recreational marijuana, bringing the number of states that allow for recreational consumption to 10. Missouri and Utah voters cast their ballots for the use of medical cannabis. In total, 33 states in the U.S. now allow for some form of legal marijuana use. read more

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Sep 27 2018
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advocacy, California, drug addiction, drug and alcohol recovery, Drugs, Education, Government, Heroin, Los Angeles, Opioid Epidemic, opioids, politics, prescription drugs, prescription painkillers

Purdue Pharma Receives Patent for Opioid Addiction Drug: Are we handing the house-keys to a master thief?

written for Inspire Malibu

The stark reality of the opioid crisis in America is that more than 115 people die every day as a result of prescription painkillers, heroin and fentanyl. To put that tragic statistic into context, more people die in one year from opioid overdoses than American lives lost during the entirety of the Vietnam War. read more

Jul 17 2018
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advocacy, California, city government, Crime, gender, Government, Los Angeles, politics, Uncategorized, work

Battle Over Sex For Sale: Anti-trafficking advocates vs. sex-workers rights

By Josh DuBose

July 17, 2018

LOS ANGELES – Adult film performer Siouxsie Q. James’s style, a mash-up of the all-American pinup girl and classic dominatrix – call it Betty Boop turned Goth Mistress – stands in contrast to her effervescent personality and friendly laugh. She’s also dedicated to fighting for the rights of sex workers. read more

May 14 2018
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advocacy, California, city council, city government, Democrats, Government, Immigration, Jail, Los Angeles, politics, prison reform, race, Resistance, Sanctuary, sanctuary city, the resistance

The Gloves Are Off: Immigrants rights activist Jana Ivkovic has to fight

By Josh DuBose

May 14, 2018

LOS ANGELES – Jana Ivkovic is a self-professed pessimist. But the 37-year-old immigrants rights activist, herself a former Serbian émigré, doesn’t let skepticism stop her from challenging policies that threaten the city’s undocumented and documented immigrant community. read more

Jan 20 2018
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advocacy, Democrats, Education, Government, National Budget, politics, Republicans

Budget Holes, Hype and Horror: Grover Norquist, Neera Tanden and Bill Bixby speak at The Washington Center

By Josh DuBose

January 9, 2018

WASHINGTON – Positioning the United States as the center for global investment is where Bloomberg contributor Tyler Cowen believes establishment Republicans and “Trumpian nationalists” move past their first few awkward dates and climb into bed together. In Trump’s Economic Revolution Is All About Investment, Cowen parses out why the Republican held government is so insistent on lowering the corporate tax rate to around 20 percent. read more

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Jan 17 2018
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advocacy, Democrats, Education, gender, Government

Mark Lilla’s Mistake: How conservatives indulge “identity politics”

In The End of Identity Liberalism, author Mark Lilla argues that identity politics – the idea that meeting the different needs of individual cultures and groups bonds a broadly diverse electorate – will always lose elections because it creates, by its very nature, more discord than unity. read more

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Jan 16 2018
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advocacy, California, Crime, drug addiction, drug and alcohol recovery, Drugs, Education, Government, Heroin, Jail, Opioid Epidemic, opioids, politics, prescription drugs, prescription painkillers, Prison

Addiction and Decriminalization: Portugal’s success in coping with an epidemic of opioid drug abuse

written for Inspire Malibu

It’s easy to forget that not every country in the world approaches issues of drug abuse and addiction as if it were a war. In fact, federal and state laws on illegal drug use in the United States seem uncompassionate at best and barbaric at worst, when compared to some other developed nations. read more

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Nov 18 2017
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advocacy, California, city council, city government, Government, Immigration, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Unified School District, non-profit, Nonprofit, politics, race, restorative justice, Sanctuary, sanctuary city

Fighting “Trump’s Deportation Machine”: Advocates hold community forum to educate undocumented and native-born citizens on potential LAPD policy update

Attendees of the community forum view an immigration timeline exhibit and add their personal immigration stories with sticky-notes

November 15, 2017

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Police Department is considering changing a 40-year-old policy that forbids officers from asking residents about their immigration status. The department is drafting recommendations and will submit them to the L.A. Police Commission later this year. read more

Nov 01 2017
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advocacy, California, city council, city government, Education, Government, Immigration, Los Angeles, non-profit, Nonprofit, race, restorative justice, Sanctuary, sanctuary city

Citywide Sanctuary: Los Angelinos come out to support calls for an ordinance that protects undocumented residents

October 5, 2017

LOS ANGELES – About 300 people packed the basement auditorium of the Service Employees International Union building in Koreatown on Thursday to support a resolution that named L.A. a “city of sanctuary.” read more

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