Fights For Social Justice In Essex County: 2021 Year In Review

Newark NJ

23 December, 2021

1:18 PM

Description

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — All across Essex County, people rallied and battled for their beliefs in 2021, taking to the streets for issues such as racial and gender justice, workplace equality and fair wages, police reform and the environment. Catch up with some of the top stories involving social justice in Essex County that took place this year. Systemic Racism In NJ Added To Pandemic Deaths, Advocates Say A "return to normal" isn't good enough when it comes to coronavirus recovery in New Jersey, an Essex County nonprofit says. New Jersey Nurses Push For Hazard Pay, 'Safe Staffing' Amid Pandemic As the COVID crisis endures, thousands of NJ health care workers are falling back on another form of job protection: collective bargaining. Prison Hunger Strikes Continue In Essex County As ICE Detainees Fear COVID A wave of prison hunger strikes in New Jersey has spread to the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark. Women's March In Montclair Sees Large Turnout, Including Governor Rep. Mikie Sherrill, Gov. Phil Murphy and first lady Tammy Murphy were among the crowd at a march for reproductive rights in Montclair. Essex County 'Radical' Celebrates 50 Years Of Activism – By Protesting Larry Hamm was once the youngest school board member in the US. Half a century later, the NJ resident is still fighting for social justice. 2,500 NJ Security Guards Fight For Pandemic Raises – And Get Them Thousands of security officers across New Jersey were pondering a strike, their union says. Here's what got them to back down. Latina Workers In NJ Face One Of America's Ugliest Pay Gaps Latina workers in New Jersey earn less than half of what white men make. Here are some reasons why – and what can be done to fix the gap. Essex County Woman Helps Other Deaf Employees Find Equality In The Workplace For Nichelle Frederic, one of the biggest obstacles on the job has been the ignorance of others. Anti-War Protest Planned In Essex County: Ecuador, Haiti, US Militarism The rally protested U.S.-led military conflicts, "political prisoners" and deportations. Young Activists Protest In Essex County: 'We Want Counselors, Not Cops' As a big wave of federal funds arrives at New Jersey schools, these teens are demanding more counselors and mental health programs – not more cops. Outrage In Essex County: 'We Stand With The Asian Community' Broken hearts, dueling emotions and an outcry for change are sounding across Essex County after the recent spa shootings in Georgia. Push For U.S. Slavery Reparations Continues In Newark The group behind a massive George Floyd protest in New Jersey continues to demand reparations for slavery in the United States. Bloomfield 'Rocking Chair Rebels' Arrested At Climate Change Protest When faced with blocking a busy road or staying silent about climate change, which is the "lesser of two evils?" a Bloomfield senior asks. This NJ Police Department Will Let Muslim Officers Wear Hijabs It's a small change – but a big message, officials say. Systemic Racism In New Jersey Added To Pandemic Deaths, Newark Advocates Say https://t.co/Cr31sr2PJC— PatchEssexCountyNJ (@EK_Patch) October 6, 2021 Send local news tips and correction requests to [email protected] Sign up for Patch email newsletters. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site.