Over 1,600 book titles were banned during the 2021-2022 school year.
Over 1,600 book titles were banned during the 2021-2022 school year. According to PEN America, 41 percent of banned books center LGBTQ protagonists or themes and 40 percent contain protagonists or prominent secondary characters of color, leaving many feeling like identity censorship is the target in focus.
“What I want to be really clear about is the books are a pretext. (Book banning) is a proxy war on students who share the marginalized identities of the authors and characters in the books are under attack,� said Ashley Hope Perez, author of banned book Out of Darkness.
The PEN report claims that 50 groups, consisting of 300 chapters at the state, national and local level, participated in at least half the book bans implemented last school year. Many of these groups, including Moms of Liberty, a controversial, parental rights group, were newly founded during the school year.
“While we think of book bans as the work of individual concerned citizens, our report demonstrates that today’s wave of bans represents a coordinated campaign to banish books being waged by sophisticated, ideological and well-resourced advocacy organizations,” said Suzanne Nossel, Chief Executive Officer of PEN America.
While numbers in other states are on the rise, New Hampshire has had 0 successful book bans last school year, according to PEN.
But challenges have rolled in.
Last year a Milford High School parent complained about Maia Kobabe’s memoir “Gender Queer� and although a formal request was never submitted, Superintendent Christi Michaud removed the book for around 30 days, due to unclear directions regarding book challenge requests.
In response, Milford administrators have established clearer guidelines for parents to file a complaint and stronger procedures against informal complaints.The new policy states that parents or legal guardians must now submit a “Request for Reconsideration of Library Media and Instructional Materials� form to formally question material. The principal of that school will then create a review committee who must review, vote and issue a decision within 10 days, according to Seacoast.
Last school year, 6 books were challenged in the Bedford School District although none were approved.
The diverse panel of New Hampshire leaders at the “Community Conversation: Voting in the New Hampshire Midterms and General Election� event discussed the importance of staying informed and motivated to participate in local elections. They also shared ongoing efforts to make voting more accessible and explained how the NH elections will operate this year.
The free virtual event was moderated by Latino News Network (LNN) Owner and Publisher Hugo Balta. The panel included AARP NH State Director Christina FitzPatrick, New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan, Director of the NH Alliance for Immigrant and Refugees Eva Castillo, and Executive Director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics Neil Levesque.
Watch the recorded in-depth panel discussion HERE:
New Hampshire Latino News and AARP New Hampshire announced their collaboration earlier this month that would prepare New Hampshire residents for the upcoming 2022 NH primary elections on September 13 and the midterm elections on November 8.Â
Tuesday evening, panelists addressed ongoing local efforts to increase accessibility so all New Hampshire residents can vote informed and with ease.
“I think it’s important for voters to know that the legislature has made some changes over the decade that have made it easier for individuals to vote,� NH Secretary of State Scanlan said. “So, there are opportunities that are being created for individuals that would otherwise have a difficult time getting to the polls or even accessing the material they need to be able to vote. I see that as a big move forward as well.�
The Secretary of State’s Office is currently working to make its website ADA compliant so residents with disabilities can access election-related materials and information with ease, according to Scanlan.
He also shared that they now offer multilingual resources on local elections in Spanish, French, and Mandarin; these materials are online and will also be available at the polls.
“It really makes a big difference,� said Eva Castillo, Director of the NH Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees. “This allows for a unified place to get information… I work really hard for immigrant integration in New Hampshire and it is disempowering to always have to use someone as an interpreter or an ambassador to find something that should be so simple to find. This is going to be really empowering to people.�
The Hispanic-Latino population within New Hampshire has greatly increased over the past decade, according to the U.S. Census. Although more election-related resources are available in Spanish now, Castillo explained that inclusive efforts must go beyond language.
“If [candidates] don’t reach out to Latinos and immigrants in general they cannot expect us to feel like we’re going to be listened to [or] that it’s even worth voting,â€� she said. “But…New Hampshire is privileged in the fact that we have access to every single official here…you do not need to be anybody special to talk to your senators…and your congresspeople.â€�
Although state primary and midterm elections typically have low voter turnouts, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics Neil Levesque expects high voter participation across the state.
“I think we have the highest voter turnouts in America, we’re very engaged. A lot of that is … that New Hampshire is such a small state you really can participate, you really can get to know these elected officials,� Levesque said. “A lot of the time, individual issues will motivate people. There’s a series of issues out there that’s motivating people and I expect that we will have very high voter turnouts.�
As the New Hampshire primary elections are less than two weeks away, panelists pointed out the importance of preparing for election day ahead of time.
“The most important thing that people need to do is to make a plan to vote,� AARP NH State Director FitzPatrick said. “They need to think about it ahead of time and make sure you know where you’re going, what you need to bring with you, and how you are going to get there.�
AARP NH offers information on their website that could help residents make these plans; residents should visit AARP.org/nhvote (English) or AARP.org/nhvota (Español).
Another free online resource available to voters is AARP New Hampshire’s Voters Guide, which outlines important deadlines, when to apply for an absentee ballot, and what’s new in this year’s elections.
A brief survey was released two weeks before the community conversation to gather specific questions from the public regarding New Hampshire’s election and voting processes. The collected responses were integrated into the programming to help shape our event and tailor the panel discussion dedicated to residents.
NHLN and its sibling digital outlets under the Latino News Network have taken a collaborative approach to regularly incorporate community feedback and solutions-focused reporting across our work. Our newsroom recognizes that the communities we serve are more than just our audience but our collaborators.
NHLN and AARP NH will continue to provide a variety of free informational resources to New Hampshire residents regarding local elections. Stay updated on future events by signing up for the NHLN Newsletter HERE and visiting AARP NH’s website HERE.
About New Hampshire Latino News NH Latino Newsis part of the Latino News Network (LNN). LNN oversees an independent group of local news and information, English language, digital outlets with a statewide, Hispanic-Latino community editorial focus in New Hampshire, Illinois, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
AARP New Hampshire AARP is thriving in New Hampshire with nearly 215,000 members. AARP serves as a one-stop resource for the age 50+ population in the Granite State. We provide information about the breadth of local offerings, community engagement, volunteer opportunities, advocacy, and community events. We are focused on advancing age-friendly communities, celebrating family caregivers, protecting financial security, and making your voice heard. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/nh or follow @AARPNH on social media.
Elections are instruments of democracy. Through voting, people can voice their opinions, express their hopes and aspirations, and ultimately influence the direction of their local, state, and national governments.
Voting in the United States can often be an inaccessible process preventing eligible voters, particularly in marginalized communities, from casting their ballot. This is especially true for Hispanic Latinos. Many of them are new to the electoral process, either because they just came of age or in the case of foreign-born members of the group – they just became naturalized citizens.
The New Hampshire state primary election (September 8) and midterm election (November 8) are coming up. New Hampshire Latino News (NHLN) is committed to providing Granite Staters with the information and coverage they need to perform their civic duty.
This non-partisan event will feature a panel of industry experts who will explain the voting process in New Hampshire and share resources that can help residents engage and answer questions. Panelists include New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan and Executive Director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College, Neil Levesque.
NHLN and its sister digital news and information outlets under the Latino News Network are taking a collaborative approach to prioritize communities through solutions-focused reporting rather than problem-focused.
That change in newsroom culture begins with you helping shape the programming of the upcoming Community Conversation. A survey asking the public what questions they have about the elections is being shared ahead of the August 30 event. Our newsroom sees our communities as more than just our audience; they are collaborators. Please take the time to answer the short questionnaire at the end of this article.
NHLN is also working with Friends Vote Together, a grassroots organization dedicated to increasing voter turnout and civic action by rallying Americans to become more informed and educated citizens and voters.
Friends will help the Latino News Network provide voters with resources and information to better understand which seats are up for election and the impact the outcome will have on reproduction rights and voter access.
Collaboration and inclusion are best practices our newsroom adopted from the Democracy SOS fellowship. NHLN is one of 20 U.S.-based newsrooms elected to participate in the Hearken and the Solutions Journalism Network (SJN) fellowship, committed to building understanding, trust, and engagement.
New Hampshire Latino News’ mission in covering the election and democracy is dedicated to building trust with our audience through collaboration, inclusion, and transparency. We will achieve this by:
Before making assumptions about what communities need to know, we commit to genuinely listening to them through surveys and in-person and virtual events in order to provide information that they’re missing.
We will partner with trusted organizations, that help us increase accessibility to the public, broaden the reach of our coverage and prevent misinformation.
Our reporting will not just revolve around the candidates or one day (Election Day), but rather voters and year-round with a focus on the work of policymaking process.
Collaboration is integral to the health of news and the health of democracy.
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About New Hampshire Latino NewsÂ
NH Latino News is part of the Latino News Network (LNN). LNN oversees an independent group of local news and information, English language, digital outlets with a statewide, Hispanic-Latino community editorial focus in New Hampshire, Illinois, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
About Hugo Balta
Hugo Balta is the Owner/Publisher of the Latino News Network. A 30-year news veteran, Balta’s experience includes leadership positions with NBC, Telemundo, CBS, and ABC News networks.
The twice-elected President of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), Balta has dedicated his career to championing the fair and accurate treatment of Hispanic Latinos and other marginalized communities in newsrooms and news coverage.
Welcome to another episode of New Hampshire Latino News Opinion+, where we talk about major issues the Latinx and other underrepresented communities face in the state of New Hampshire.
This week we spoke with Sarah Robinson, the Education Justice Coordinator of Granite State Progress. Granite State Progress works to engage citizens around issues that are of immediate state or local concern.
“What I’ve always valued about this organization is that it finds the things that matter to local progressive communities and helps to shine a light in the places where a little boost is needed,� said Robinson, who says that reproductive rights, abortion access, education justice, and gun violence are the group’s top issues at the moment.
Through Granite State Progress’ collaboration with other local groups, they found that some advocacy for public education was needed, especially given all of the changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re also focusing on keeping classrooms healthy. We had a real push against mask mandates in school boards this year, so we wanted to make sure that folks and communities had all of the information they needed to understand why having all the tools in your toolbox, including masking, was important to keep healthy classrooms,� she explained.
Robinson shared her concerns with people in power attempting to redistribute funds from public education and transfer them towards private and homeschooling, which she says takes resources away from the majority of New Hampshire’s students who attend public schools.
She also explained that specific concerns she has for public education come from outside parties stating that she’s always trusted that people in her community and elected officials had her children’s best interest at heart but that the pandemic highlighted the intensity of right-wing extremism infiltrated in local school boards. According to Robinson, often times these people are not even parents or community members and only travel to these events with the intention of spreading misinformation.
Robinson remains hopeful that building community and collaboration is the key to continuing to advocate for a fair and healthy education system.
“We get across the finish line together. We succeed when we build community on a micro and a macro level,� she said.
AARP New Hampshire (AARP NH) and New Hampshire Latino News (NHLN) announce a new partnership to give Granite Staters the tools and information they need to vote in the 2022 NH primary on September 13 and the midterm election on November 8.
The collaboration features a free, in-person event called Community Conversation: Voting in the New Hampshire Midterms and General Election at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics on August 30 at 7 p.m. that is open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 pm for networking.
“We are excited to team up with New Hampshire Latino News for this unique event that will explain everything Granite Staters need to know about voting in the upcoming election,� said AARP NH Interim State Director Erin Mitchell. “The age 50+ voting bloc is the largest in New Hampshire, and we want to ensure everyone understands all they need to know to vote this year.�
This event will feature a panel of industry experts who will explain the voting process in New Hampshire and share resources that can help citizens engage and answer questions. Panelists include New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College, Neil Levesque, and AARP NH Associate State Director of Advocacy, Jennifer Delaney. This in-person event will also be live streamed on social media.
“The partnership is about helping people with the mechanics of voting,� said Hugo Balta, Publisher of NHLN. “Things like, do you know where to vote? How to vote? What you need to bring to the polling station, and much more.�
A survey asking the public what questions they have about the elections will be shared ahead of the community conversation and will be included in the programming. “It is a best practice our newsroom adopted from the Democracy SOS fellowship,� said Balta.
NHLN is one of 20 U.S.-based newsrooms elected to participate in the Hearken and the Solutions Journalism Network (SJN) fellowship, committed to building understanding, trust, and engagement.
Another resource available to help voters is AARP New Hampshire’s Voters Guide. It includes information about what’s new in this year’s elections, important deadlines, and when to apply for an absentee ballot.
About New Hampshire Latino News NH Latino Newsis part of the Latino News Network (LNN). LNN oversees an independent group of local news and information, English language, digital outlets with a statewide, Hispanic-Latino community editorial focus in New Hampshire, Illinois, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
About AARP New Hampshire AARP is thriving in New Hampshire with nearly 215,000 members. AARP serves as a one-stop resource for the age 50+ population in the Granite State. We provide information about the breadth of local offerings, community engagement, volunteer opportunities, advocacy, and community events. We are focused on advancing age-friendly communities, celebrating family caregivers, protecting financial security, and making your voice heard. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/nh or follow @AARPNH on social media.
NHLN’s mission is to provide greater visibility and voice to the Hispanic-Latino community, amplify the work of others doing the same, develop competencies of journalists, and produce investigative reporting based on the principles of solutions journalism.
Welcome to another episode of New Hampshire Latino News Opinion+, where we talk about major issues the Latinx and underrepresented communities face in the state.
This week we spoke with Josie Pinto, the Co-founder and Executive Director of The Reproductive Freedom Fund of New Hampshire (RFFNH).
Pinto’s career in reproductive justice orginated with her sexual assault advocacy work while enrolled as a student at The University of Massachussetts Amherst. She said that while in college, she met and networked with people from within the reproductive justice community and became the president of her campus’ Planned Parenthood chapter.
When she moved to The Granite State, she noticed the difference in the amount of resources available for locals.
“I was pretty surprised to learn that New Hampshire didn’t have a single abortion fund and I knew that that had to be a huge need,� she said.
Through her previous work at Equality Health Center, Pinto understood that there was a stark demand for aid in helping people fund the abortion process.
“Everytime that money came up, usually at least once a day there was someone who wasn’t sure how they were gonna pay for their aborton,� she explained.
In 2019 she decided to start The Reproductive Freedom Fund of New Hampshire to help in-need people in the state afford abortions. She says she spent about two years planning and fundraising before launching because it was challenging to raise money without the legitimacy of being an established or well-known non-profit organization.
In May 2022 Justice Samuel Alito’s majority draft opinion leaked, in which it was revealed that the Supreme Court voted to strike down Roe v. Wade.
“I don’t think I was as shocked as most people because we have been anticipating this moment and we’ve known that with every new Supreme Court justice that has kind of been the reason that they were seated on the court, especially during the Trump era,� Pinto said.
In the days immediately after this New Hampshire Latino News Opinion+ conversation, the draft became a reality when the Supreme Court formally announced its landmark decision to overturn Roe.
13 states immediately outlawed or placed harsher restrictions on the eligibility to abortion due to trigger laws, which were already in place in the event that Roe was ever overturned.
Experts predict that people living in states with abortion bans will travel to neighboring states, like New Hampshire, to seek services. To help accommodate the influx of travelers, Pinto says RFFNH is expanding their focus.
“We’re looking at how we can scale up our funding to help cover those patients,� she said. She also mentioned the possibility of collaborating with organizations in other states to split costs for traveling people.
“We’re expecting to pay for about half the cost of people coming from out of state in addition to the full cost for all New Hampshire residents, which is what we’ve been doing currently,� she explained.
The direct cost of performing abortion procedures is not the only barrier. Pinto says that affording rides to and from appointments is also essential because people who get abortions are medicated and unable to drive themselves.
Pinto discussed her feelings about the backlash she faces as a reproductive justice advocate, but she says that knowing that 70 percent of the country supports abortion helps balance out the negativity.
“Even if the other side is loud, I know that they are the minority,� she said.
The latest U.S. Bureau of Labor report for May 2022 shows New Hampshire’s unemployment rate was 2.1 percent, ranking fourth in the nation with the lowest unemployment rate. Yet, some industries are still struggling to staff their businesses.
Montessori Schoolhouse of Cheshire County, a preschool in Keene that has operated for 33 years, is experiencing a staffing shortage that is threatening their ability to care for their students.
School officials say they need two lead teachers, four assistant teachers, an administrative director, an office assistant and four board members. In a small school like Montessori these eight positions make a difference in the number of children they’re able to serve and the shortage has caused more families to be left on the waiting list for childcare.
“If we’re not able to retain and hire the staffing we need, we are faced with the decision to permanently close which is a devastating thought for everybody in our community,� Katie Kurowski, co-president of the board of directors, said in an email to the Sentinel Friday.
Because low pay was a common factor in people quitting their jobs, the average weekly wage is increasing. To compete, the school has raised tuition with hopes of using higher pay rates to attract employees. The 2022-2023 school year tuition increased by 6 percent.
The healthcare industry is also experiencing continued staffing shortages.
In December 2021 NHPR reported that New Hampshire’s largest healthcare system, Dartmouth-Hitchcock, advertised 1,129 job openings at once, including 100 physician vacancies.
“In this state, we address problems often in very siloed ways,� Kim Firth, Program Director at the Endowment for Health, told The New Hampshire Bulletin. “We want this to be action oriented. We don’t want this to be a plan that sits on a shelf. We actually need to work together to implement it.�
The plan’s suggestions are categorized into four sections– recruiting and retaining healthcare workers, rethinking policies that stymie workforce development, collecting and using data to drive decisions, and creating a public or private group to move the plan forward.
The organizations say that many aspects of the plan can be utilized in any industry, not just healthcare, and with education and healthcare so crucial to the success of the state, it is important to decrease the shortages now.
A new law taking effect in August is set to help students with disabilities get assistance in voter registration.
According to the Associated Press, the law requires discussions about registering to vote between school officials, parents, and students with disabilities aged 17 or older as part of their special education curriculum preparing for life after high school graduation.
Rep. Mark Paige was the law’s main sponsor. He said that the it uses framework already in place for students and that he introduced the legislation after parents expressed concerns about wanting their children to graduate prepared to be civically engaged in their communities.Â
“Just having that conversation about registering delivers an empowering message to the student,� said Paige. “It says: we need you involved; your voice and vote matter, and when you use them, you can have an impact.�
5.4 million Hispanics in the United States, about nine percent of all ages, have some form of disability, according to an analysis of census data by the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability.
The U.S. Election Assistance Commission reported that in 2020 about 62 percent of people with disabilities voted, an increase from 56 percent in the 2016 election. That same report stated that an estimated 1.95 million people with disabilities had trouble voting in 2020, around 11 percent.
The state of New Hampshire already has accessibility measures in place at the polls.
Polling places are equipped with the “one4all� system, which prepares each polling place to help voters with disabilities vote in a way that still grants them privacy. This includes audio or enhanced video interface on tablets, with ballots that look the same as all other ballots available on Election Day and are also counted the same way.
The program is implemented statewide for general and primary elections however it is not yet available for local or town elections.
Seeking healthcare in the United States is complex for many new citizens and immigrant groups.
New Hampshire is experiencing an influx of Brazilian immigrants. In 2019, the Migration Policy Institute reported that about 4.7 percent of foreign-born people living in New Hampshire were originally from Brazil, about 4,115 individuals. The Granite State has longtime been a majority white populated state. The latest U.S. Census reported that 93.1 percent of the population identifies as white only. In an area that lacks ethnic diversity, it can be especially difficult for immigrants to navigate a system that is not only new to them, but also does not understand their cultural nuances.
As with other Latino populations, language creates a major barrier for Brazilian immigrants seeking medical care.
“It makes a big difference when trying to communicate with your provider,â€� said Watila Burpee, a Brazilian therapist at the Greater Nashua Mental Health Center. While Brazilians speak Portuguese, Burpee told New Hampshire Public Radio that many medical providers assume that they speak Spanish.
“But Brazilians don’t say anything because they don’t want to bother; we feel bad to correct somebody,” Burpee continued.
To provide better support to the Brazilian-immigrant community, Ascentria Care Alliance recently hosted a training for medical providers to address and combat these issues.
The speakers explained the Brazilian culture’s emphasis on socializing and showing affection, even to their doctors. It is another thing that Burpee says medical providers should be aware of in order to better serve this community. Brazilians often greet others by hugging or kissing, which might seem unusual to physicians in the United States. Burpee says that it is important for doctors to be sensitive in reacting to this behavior in order to not inflict a feeling of being “less than� on the patient.
One group fighting to overcome barriers for Brazilian immigrants is the New Hampshire Brazilian Council, a sector under the United Way of Greater Nashua. The council originated in an effort to assist undocumented immigrants obtain driver’s licenses in the state.
Founder of the New Hampshire Brazilian Council, Bruno D’Britto, explained that accessing health care in general is the initial challenge presented due to the high cost of health insurance and medical costs.
“We need affordable care, more services for low-income people,” he said.
Thought leaders at the event called for language-inclusivity and continued training for medical providers as the key to supporting the growing number of Brazilians moving to New Hampshire. They say that as this population grows, so should the number of interpreters available, medical outreach in other languages and culturally competent medical personnel.
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Hispanics-Latinos are the largest minority in New Hampshire, with nearly 60,000Â residents, just over 4 percent of the population.
Like any community, education is key to their success, be it foreign-born requiring assistance in learning the English language or U-S born navigating through the dynamics of a bicultural (and at times) bilingual household.
SAU 16 became the first public school district in New Hampshire to hire a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice, or DEIJ, Director when Andres Mejia was hired by the Exeter Region Cooperative School District last August.
Mejia was this month’s guest on the Latino News Network podcast, “3 Questions With…â€�. “I work on how to navigate our spaces with an equity lens,” Mejia said about his responsibilities in leading and collaborating with educators about how a student’s identity is integrated into all aspects of their school experience.
Mejia self identifies as a bisexual, Black Latinx, Dominican and Puerto Rican Cis-man. “I’ve worked with students who, for the first time ever, are speaking to an educator of color,” Mejia said about the lack of diversity and representation across schools in New Hampshire. “They have never ever had someone that had their skin color or had their experiences of being the only one or dealing with racism.”
Mejia also shared insights about personally participating as part of a broad coalition of educators, advocacy groups, and law firms that filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s ‘banned concepts’ law. The law prohibits teaching so-called “divisive concepts” related to race and gender by public schools, state agencies, and contractors.
“It’s hurtful to see this law get passed,” he said. “Students from historically marginalized backgrounds are especially robbed of the right to see themselves and their lived experiences reflected in their education.â€� Mejia and advocates criticize the law for creating fear among teachers who don’t teach anything related to race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other identities for fear of losing their license.
One of the books Mejia said an educator questioned presenting in class was about a Mexican grandmother teaching her grandchildren how to make empanadas. “Just because the book was about a different race, a different heritage, a different nationality, that wasn’t white.” He doesn’t blame teachers, but an ambiguous law that doesn’t provide guidelines on what is permissible and what is not.
Do you have a suggestion for a guest to be featured on “3 Questions With…�? Send us your ideas to Info@latinonewsnetwork.com.
