by News Decoder | 24 Jun 2019 | China, Discovery, Future of Democracy, Ryerson University, Youth Voices
(All photos by Karen Longwell) By Karen Longwell Evening had come, but the heat of the day still lingered. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I made my way through the crowds. It was June 4, the day of a vigil in Hong Kong commemorating the 30th anniversary of...
by Jasmine Li | 21 Jun 2019 | Discovery, Eyewitness, Islam, Middle East, Personal Reflections, Student Posts, Westover School, Youth Voices
I used to associate the Middle East with violence, devastation and instability. On a trip to Israel, I discovered hospitality and generosity. Artwork by Banksy in Bethlehem (Photo by Jasmine Li) Sitting in the shade, I touch the sand in my hand, cold and moist....
by Gabriela Giraldo, Manuel Ortiz and Isabella Yunda | 14 Jun 2019 | Americas, Gimnasio Los Caobos, Student Posts, Youth Voices
Street dogs often suffer abuse. Some people find them a nuisance and a public health risk. We discovered a solution in an animal shelter in Colombia. A street dog at a temporary home at Voz Animal Animal abuse takes many different forms. Think of casual, intentional...
by Gilda Temaj Marroquin | 12 Jun 2019 | Americas, Immigration, Personal Reflections, Refugees, United States, Women's rights, Youth Voices
I was raised in Guatemala, where I was expected to grow up fast and told that women are not meant to go to school. But I had other dreams. Children attend school in northern Guatemala, 1 July 2014 (AP Photo/Luis Soto) I come from Guatemala, where education is not a...
by News Decoder | 5 Jun 2019 | Friends Seminary, Student Posts, United States, Youth Voices
By Malik Figaro and Aryanna Qusba I handed my last 10 dollars to the ticket agent. The sign read in bold, “$1 per bus ticket.” I needed these bus tickets to make it to a job agency. There, with a little luck, a good interview and an open position, I might have a shot...
by Raghda Obeidat | 3 Jun 2019 | Islam, King's Academy, Middle East, Student Posts, Women's rights, Youth Voices
Women leaders in Jordan fighting for equal rights offer hope that feminism can be advanced without sacrificing our unique culture. Former U.S. First lady Laura Bush, center, meets Jordanian women leaders (from left) Dr. Amal Sabbagh, Malak Ghazal, Reem Abu Hassan,and...
by News Decoder | 27 May 2019 | Student Posts, Youth Voices
Paw Paw Nocturne By Karina Pantoja I admit that when slithering pink-honeyed sky is replaced by breaking charcoal-stained night I swallow the busiest road in town and throw it up, its spine tangled among pink hydrangea petals, garage sale signs, wine bottles and...
by Alexandra Gray | 23 May 2019 | Students in the Spotlight, Youth Voices
Their students earned a record number of prizes and reported on Rwanda in a webinar. Westover School wins this month’s “Decoder in the Spotlight” award. News-Decoder founder Nelson Graves leads a workshop on interviewing skills at Westover School in April 2019....
by Raghda Obeidat | 22 May 2019 | Human Rights, Islam, King's Academy, Middle East, Student Posts, Women's rights, Youth Voices
For decades, Jordan has struggled to introduce reforms and prevent honor crimes — one of the uglier vestiges of colonialism. A Jordanian woman shows the name of her sister in a list of honor crime victims published by a human rights group in Amman, Jordan, 20 May 2000...
by Danielle Amir-Lobel | 20 May 2019 | Asia, Donald Trump, Human Rights, Islam, La Jolla Country Day School, Student Posts, Youth Voices
The war in Afghanistan is the longest military conflict in U.S. history. It has failed. The key to peace is diplomacy and the quiet work of diplomats. U.S. and Taliban negotiators at peace talks brokered by Qatar, in Doha, 25 February 2019 (Qatar Ministry of Foreign...