What a Week: May 8th–12th

1. Princeton’s First Black Valedictorian 

   • “Princeton University has announced its first black valedictorian in its 274-year history. Given Princeton’s troubled history with slavery, the valedictorian [Nicholas Johnson] said he hoped the achievement ‘serves as an inspiration to black students coming up behind [him].’“

2. Conspiracy theorists, far-right extremists around the world seize on the pandemic

   • Just as civil rights advocates predicted, the COVID-19 pandemic has provided an opening for conspiracy theorists, far-right extremists, white supremacists, neo-Nazi groups, and other radicalized groups to bolster their global presence and recruiting efforts.

3. CSU Plans to Cancel Most In-Person Classes and Go Online This Fall, Chancellor Says

   • While “the vast majority of [Fall 2020] classes across the 23-campus Cal State system will be taught online… with some limited exceptions that allow for in-person activity…”, University of California officials “are expected to announce [their] plans in June or July.”

4. Even in a Pandemic, This Public School District Developed a New LGBTQ+ Studies Initiative 

   • “Ten high schools in the Montgomery County, Maryland public school system will be offering a pilot course on LGBTQ+ history and culture next school year[...]The Montgomery County school board writes, ‘the course aims to bring acceptance, support, and a stronger sense of shared community among our students of all sexual and gender identities.’”

5. Deforestation in the Amazon is accelerating despite coronavirus

   • The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, without a doubt, “has slowed the global economy, but deforestation in Amazon is speeding up” due to little or no regulation during this global crisis, prominently affecting our global environment.