COVID-19 Reporting from Our Writers
We knew that 2020 would bring new challenges, but we never anticipated how high the stakes have become. The COVID-19 pandemic – where health, economic, and social crises suddenly intersect – is altering the world in profound and unforeseen ways. And as we face those changes together, Type Media Center remains committed to our mission of supporting diverse voices and empowering independent journalism. We know that the pandemic will only deepen the broad inequities that our network of writers and reporters work so hard to reveal and remedy. Their work will be needed throughout this crisis.
Confinement and Contagion
In February, Tomiekia Johnson’s mother, father, sister, and daughter came to Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF).
By Justine van der Leun in The New York Review of Books.
The Immokalee Way: Protecting Farmworkers Amid a Pandemic
While some companies do everything to escape accountability, the Fair Food Program proves there’s an alternative.
By John Bowe in The Nation.
Local Economies Have Been Decimated by the Coronavirus—But This Is Just a Preview of What Climate Change Could Do
This summer has been a cruel one in the American Sunbelt.
By Mario Alejandro Ariza in Time.
DeJoy Says USPS Won’t Reinstall More Than 600 Removed Mail Sorting Machines
“There’s no intention to do that,” DeJoy testified. “They’re not needed.”
By Ari Berman in Mother Jones.
Could Wonder Woman Save Us From Covid-19?
Our leaders are as bad as any comic book villain. But even they might be no match for Wonder Woman’s Lasso of Truth—or Spider-man’s web shooters or Shuri’s brain.
By Elie Mystal in The Nation.
U.S. Capitalism Is in Total Meltdown
The COVID-19 pandemic is like Hurricane Katrina, but for the entire country. And things are only going to get worse.
By Sarah Jaffe in The Progressive.
There Are Literally No Good Options for Educating Our Kids This Fall
But the real scandal is that we shouldn’t be in this position in the first place.
By Elie Mystal in The Nation.
Evictions Aren’t Inevitable When Tenants Fight Back
As the housing crisis deepens, renters find strength in solidarity.
By Sarah Jaffe in The Progressive.
Neglected in Care
Long before the coronavirus devastated nursing homes, inadequate staffing in for-profit Texas facilities endangered residents, leading to injuries and deaths.
By Elena Mejía Lutz in The Texas Observer.
Prisoners Face ‘Undue Punishment’ as the IRS Claws Back Their Stimulus Checks
Legal experts say the IRS is illegally denying CARES Act payments to incarcerated people.
By Jordan Michael Smith in The Appeal.
Trump’s Rally at Mount Rushmore Will Move Forward Despite Risks
NPS cuts “health and human safety” section from environmental analysis.
By Adam Federman in Sierra.
How to Fight Coronavirus and Climate Change at Once
While millions of Americans all across the country are sick and out of work, there is no question low-income communities of color are being hit harder than others.
By Julian Brave NoiseCat in Crooked Media.
Thought COVID Wreaked Havoc on the Primaries? Just Wait Until November.
The primary debacles show just how much could go wrong in the presidential election.
By Ari Berman in Mother Jones.
Minority Exclusion at the Makeshift Morgue
Across the U.S., temporary facilities built in response to COVID-19 went up quickly and minority contractors were left out.
By Rebecca Rivas in The St. Louis American.
As States Struggle With Vote-by-Mail, “Many Thousands, If Not Millions” of Ballots Could Go Uncounted in November
The coronavirus pandemic has spurred states to boost vote-by-mail, raising worries that inconsistent policies could lead to problems counting mailed ballots.
By Richard Salame in The Intercept.
How the New York City School System Failed the Test of Covid-19
The city’s leaders bungled the closing of the schools when the coronavirus struck. Can they be trusted to reopen them safely?
By Sarah Jaffe in The Nation.
The Union Drive at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
“Amplifying our concerns about going back to work,” says museum educator Sarah Shaw, “is also a way of amplifying the concerns of other frontline workers.”
By Sarah Jaffe in Dissent.
Essential Business
Keeping the Bronx fed in the midst of a pandemic
By Rozina Ali in Harper’s.
Provincetown, Long A Haven For Outsiders, Debates How Wide To Open Its Doors
A surge of COVID-19 cases could be especially risky for this LGBTQ destination. But shutting down the summer season would be devastating, too.
By Naomi Gordon-Loebl in HuffPost.
When Shelter Comes Down to the Luck of the Draw
As eviction moratoriums expire, lotteries determine who gets rent relief.
By Rebecca Burns in The Nation.
Fear, Illness and Death in ICE Detention: How a Protest Grew on the Inside
Detained men and women held at a facility in Georgia are trying desperately to raise the alarm.
By Seth Freed Wessler in The New York Times Magazine.
‘Inundated and Overwhelmed’: Black Undertakers Struggle Amid Pandemic
Black-owned funeral homes were already in decline. Can they survive Covid-19?
By Dax-Devlon Ross in The Guardian.
‘I’m pretty sure I should be going home’
As COVID-19 deaths mount in Michigan prisons, the review of questionable convictions has slowed, leaving prisoners vulnerable to the disease.
By Aaron Miguel Cantú in The Appeal.
Building Service Workers Strike
Workers at 75 Wall Street in New York are demanding management return to the bargaining table.
By Sarah Jaffe in Dissent.
Can Britain Survive Boris Johnson?
After Corbyn, after Covid, the Labour Party struggles to break through.
By Gary Younge in The Nation.
What Happened to Kroger’s “Hero Pay”?
Workers at the grocery chain are being asked to return emergency pay, even as company revenue and stock prices climb upward.
By Sarah Jaffe in Dissent.
Paying Off Your Paid Leave
Many workers who need more sick time than they’ve accrued end up having to pay back their employers and go into ‘PTO debt.’
By Sarah Jaffe in The American Prospect.
The Long, Strange History of Bill Gates Population Control Conspiracy Theories
How the billionaire philanthropist displaced George Soros as the chief bogeyman of the right.
By Kathryn Joyce in HuffPost.
Sephora Makes Plans to Reopen
“They have very unrealistic expectations of workers sacrificing their health so that people can buy makeup.”
By Sarah Jaffe in Dissent.
The Men Pushing to Open the Economy Clearly Don’t Need Child Care
There’s no way to send people back to work without providing safe, affordable child care, but the men in charge don’t seem to care.
By Elie Mystal in The Nation.
They Were Warned Not to Take Sick Days — Then Six Workers at Their Warehouse Died of Coronavirus
The workers also expressed concerns that delays in the provision of personal protective equipment like masks and gloves made an outbreak inevitable.
By Gabriel Thompson in The Intercept.
What It’s Like To Have Cancer In The Middle Of A Pandemic
Many cancer patients have had surgeries delayed and treatment procedures changed as the country battles COVID-19.
By Patricia Anstett in HuffPost.
Retail COVID-19 Testing Is a Massive Failure for Black Communities
Since the White House announced this “historic public-private partnership,” 63 sites have opened nationwide. Just eight are in black neighborhoods.
By Aaron Ross Coleman in Vox.
In Just Months, the Coronavirus Has Killed More Americans Than 20 Years of War in Vietnam
Born in controversy, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is now the most poignant monument on Washington, D.C.’s National Mall.
By Nick Turse in The Intercept.
He Sewed Masks In His Prison Cell. 30 Miles Away, His Mother Was Dying Of COVID-19.
Francisco Hernandez just wanted to say goodbye.
By Lisa Armstrong in HuffPost.
The Iraq War Paved the Way for Coronavirus Catastrophe
In early April, a video of an elderly woman in what looks to be a makeshift isolation ward in Iraq circulated widely on WhatsApp.
By Rozina Ali in Foreign Affairs.
U.S. Airstrikes Hit All-Time High As Coronavirus Spreads In Somalia
In the first four months of this year, U.S. Africa Command has conducted more airstrikes in Somalia than it did during all of Barack Obama’s eight years in office.
By Nick Turse in The Intercept.
The Last 16 Days Of Robert Beaupre’s Life
“Beau” is one of about 2,400 people who have died of COVID-19 in Michigan. Texts, diaries and photos detailed his last days in remarkable detail.
By Patricia Anstett in HuffPost.
FEMA’s Coronavirus Rumor Control Webpage Sidesteps Trump’s Lies
There are no medications approved by the FDA specifically for the treatment of Covid-19. But if you tune into President Trump’s daily press conferences, you could be forgiven for coming away with a different take.
By Nick Turse in The Intercept.
Where Have All the Flowers Gone?
My days have been spent inside mostly. But when I’m out for my daily walk, I delight in seeing flowers in the park by my apartment.
By Collier Meyerson in the Intelligencer.
Detroit’s Health Care Workers Ask: ‘How Many Lives Can We Save?’
Doctors and nurses in one of the nation’s poorest, blackest big cities are fighting a raging coronavirus outbreak and a flawed health care system. Here’s what life is like for them right now.
By Patricia Anstett, Jonathan Cohn, Tom Perkins and Anna Clark in HuffPost.
Joe Biden Needs to Start Acting Like a Presidential Candidate
Advice for the apparent Democratic nominee on how to behave like a leader—and defeat Donald Trump—in the middle of a pandemic.
By Elie Mystal in The Nation.
Trump’s Obsession with Reopening the Economy Ignores Public Health Experts
Almost since the moment he issued guidelines for combatting COVID-19 through social distancing, Trump has been pressing to reopen the country.
By Nick Turse in The Intercept.
Georgia Lawsuit Raises Concerns About Voters’ Language Access During Primary Season — And Come November
As states move to increase access to mail-in voting during the COVID-19 pandemic, a lawsuit in Georgia highlights a potential obstacle.
By Richard Salame in Type Investigations.
Evangelical Pastors Seize Political Opportunity in Coronavirus Crisis
The real reason some parishioners are being encouraged to hug in church.
By Sarah Posner in HuffPost.
Republicans Are Trying to Kick Thousands of Voters Off the Rolls During a Pandemic
In November, many swing state voters won’t get to cast a ballot. That’s by design.
By Ari Berman in Mother Jones.
Immigrant Detainees Stage Protest For More COVID-19 Protections: ‘WE ARE NOT SAFE’
People being held at a center in Georgia want vulnerable individuals released and better safeguards against infection.
By Seth Freed Wessler in HuffPost.
Workers Should Shape the COVID-19 Recovery
Giving workers control over what they produce will not only save lives but create a more humane economy.
By Sarah Jaffe in The Progressive.
The Lesson of the Coronavirus? There’s No One Left to Trust.
Almost all our leaders failed to act quickly enough to stave off the Covid catastrophe. So how can we trust them to tell us when the crisis has passed?
By Elie Mystal in The Nation.
Doulas Are Going Virtual
As the novel coronavirus continues to ravage New York City, doulas have had to adapt their methods.
By Collier Meyerson in the Intelligencer.
‘I Can’t Do Anything’: Doctor Detained By ICE Waits For Coronavirus Outbreak To Hit
Neysi Salvador-Aguiar, a physician from Cuba, says that the Irwin County detention center wasn’t taking enough measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
By Seth Freed Wessler in HuffPost.
As Coronavirus Spreads to Africa, Health Experts Warn of Catastrophe
Public health officials are raising the alarm that infection rates in Africa could soon boom.
By Nick Turse in Yahoo News.
I Never Felt Like a ‘Single’ Parent. Then the Coronavirus Hit.
Unpartnered parents like me rely on support from other adults in our children’s lives. We need public health guidance that works for us.
By Dani McClain in The Nation.
Trump’s Coronavirus ‘Experts’: A Field Guide
Here are the brave men who aren’t letting a lack of relevant training stop them from weighing in on how to solve the crisis.
By Collier Meyerson in Wired.
Welfare for Wall Street
As in 2008, the financial relief package leaves most Americans behind. It’s only a matter of time before it leads to an even bigger crisis.
By Nomi Prins in The Nation.
Lessons from Hurricane Katrina for the COVID-19 Recovery to Come
Most people in the midst of a disaster can barely see beyond today, let alone tomorrow.
By Gary Rivlin in The Appeal.
“My Father Was the First Federal Prisoner to Die of COVID-19. He’d Been Trying to Get Out for Years.”
Christopher Walker’s father, Patrick Jones, died on March 28—the first federal prisoner to die from the coronavirus.
By Seth Freed Wessler in Mother Jones.
I Moved Into a Domestic Violence Shelter and Haven’t Seen My Son In Weeks
Nathalie K. is a 32-year-old mother living in a domestic violence shelter in Benton, Arkansas.
By Sylvia Harvey in Gen.
As Coronavirus Spread, Financial Services Contractor Told Warehouse Workers They Aren’t Allowed to Get Sick
In a Long Island warehouse, immigrants work long hours doing mailings for a multibillion-dollar financial services company. Now they’re getting sick.
By Gabriel Thompson in The Intercept.
Misinformation Hampered Ebola Response. The Same Thing Could Happen With Coronavirus.
In Congo, wild rumors and misinformation about Ebola led to attacks on hospitals and health care workers.
By Nick Turse in The Intercept.
Renters In Turmoil As Federal And State Relief Measures Fall Short
“I can’t be out on the street right now,” a woman in Jackson, Mississippi, said.
By Rebecca Burns in HuffPost.
Texts From Politicians Could Be More Dangerous Than Ever
With rallies and canvassing on ice, 2020 election campaigns are rapidly turning to peer-to-peer texting, which isn’t the panacea it appears to be.
By Collier Meyerson in Wired.
Man Who Died In Sing Sing Prison Tested Positive For COVID-19
The medical examiner hasn’t announced the cause of death for a 58-year-old man who died Monday, but confirmed to HuffPost that he tested positive for COVID-19.
By Lisa Armstrong in HuffPost.
The Abortion Provider Who Was Forced to Turn Away Women Halfway Through the Process
Kathy Kleinfeld is the administrator of Houston Women’s Reproductive Services, a small clinic that specializes exclusively in medication abortions.
By Lindsay Beyerstein in Gen.
The Coronavirus Has Spread to the US Marshals’ Detention Empire
Exclusive reporting reveals five people in federal detention have tested positive for COVID-19.
By Seth Freed Wessler in Mother Jones.
In the Pandemic, Iowans Can Have Guns but They Can’t Have Abortions
Welcome to Iowa, where in the middle of a global pandemic you can still walk into a Hobby Lobby, but you can’t access constitutionally protected health care.
By Lyz Lenz in The Gazette.
Police Are Trying To Free Inmates At Risk Of Coronavirus. Why Are Judges Blocking Them?
Judges are dangerously behind the curve in supporting compassionate release and other plans to reduce the jail population.
By Dax Devlon-Ross in HuffPost.
The Coronavirus Will Test Whether We’ve Learned Anything From 9/11
Many of us would be happy to exchange some basic rights for safety right now, but we have to be vigilant about protecting our liberties.
By Elie Mystal in The Nation.
How Black Expectant Mothers Can Prepare for Birth
Changes at doctor’s offices and hospitals are forcing Black moms-to-be to seek alternative ways to welcome their newborns.
By Dani McClain in Zora.
Darling, Let’s Do Coronavirus in the Hamptons This Year
The rich continue their tradition of escapist virtue signaling.
By Kate Aronoff in The New Republic.
The Home Health Aide Who’s Scared Their Elderly Clients Won’t Survive
An anonymous home health aide in the Buffalo, New York, area talks about losing work due to the pandemic and the toll it’s taken on her clients.
By Nina Zweig in Gen.
The Stimulus Halts a Corporate Trick That Gouges Workers. But it Comes Too Late.
Stock buybacks enriched companies and their leaders — at everyone else’s expense.
By Gary Rivlin in The Washington Post.
Millions of Americans are About to Lose Their Health Insurance in a Pandemic
Americans are about to learn something horrifying: how irrational it is for health insurance to be linked to your employment status.
By Wendell Potter in The Guardian.
Congratulations, Your Kids Are Now Your Coworkers
Tips on how to survive the lockdown with your children and sanity intact—by a veteran of working from home.
By Elie Mystal in The Nation.
In West African Coronavirus Hotspot, War has Left 700,000 Homeless and Exposed
Burkina Faso has endured poverty, drought, hunger, and coups. Now experts fear that COVID-19 could decimate entire settlements.
By Nick Turse in The Intercept.
‘Horror Story After Horror Story’: A Frontline Nurse Discusses the Crisis
Zenei Cortez, a nurse and union leader, says not giving medical workers protective gear is like giving a firefighter a squirt gun.
By Sarah Jaffe in The Nation.
Abortion Foes Use the Pandemic as an Excuse
Officials hope to achieve their goal of effectively banning the procedure.
By Katha Pollitt in The Atlantic.
Why ICE’s Coronavirus Response Is So Dangerous
As the world braces for the worsening coronavirus pandemic, is ICE really protecting public safety?
By Alina Das in QZ.
Public Access to Information Suffers Under Coronavirus
The pandemic has dealt a blow to transparency.
By Richard Salame and Nina Zweig in Type Investigations.
Donald Trump Says America’s Ventilator Shortage was “Unforeseen.” Nothing Coule be Further from the Truth
In recent days, Trump has defended his administration against the suggestion that the government is failing to secure enough ventilators.
By Nick Turse in The Intercept.
The Skies Are Emptying Out
Mourning the world I thought I grew up in, and the birds I thought I knew.
By Tom Engelhardt in The Nation.
We Can Build a Better World After COVID-19
When the crisis is over, the question should not be, “How do we get everyone back to work?” but “Why weren’t we valuing our workers to begin with?”
By Sarah Jaffe in The Progressive.
What The Pandemic Tells Us About Our Politics
When Americans are confronting the most threatening national crisis in a generation, it would be uplifting to offer a few encouraging words about the president.
By Joe Conason in The National Memo.
NYC’s School Closures Are a Crisis of Their Own for Disadvantaged Families
There are 1,100,000 students in New York City’s 1,722 public schools.
By Collier Meyerson in the Intelligencer.
Italy’s Coronavirus Nightmare Could Happen in U.S. Within Days or Weeks, Ex-CDC Chief Says
The Italian health care system is buckling under the weight of the pandemic.
By Nick Turse in The Intercept.
The Democrats Screwed Up
Nancy Pelosi and other party leaders have been outflanked by opponents embracing big spending ideas to address the coronavirus recession.
By Kate Aronoff in The New Republic.
The Media Is Helping Spread Trump’s Coronavirus Racism
It’s time for every major media outlet to stop disseminating Trump’s hate—and stop repeating his racist nicknames for the virus.
By Elie Mystal in The Nation.
A Tale of Two Plagues
Tips on self-isolation from Daniel Defoe and Giovanni Boccaccio
By Katha Pollitt in The Nation.
Amid a Pandemic, Target Employees Work in Fear
Target and many other big retailers have yet to provide paid sick leave, endangering workers and customers.
By P.E. Moskowitz in The Nation.
Green Jobs Are the Answer to the Coronavirus Recession
The climate case for making the government the employer of last resort.
By Kate Aronoff in The New Republic.
Sara Nelson Says People Are Ready for Solidarity
The president of the Association of Flight Attendants tells Sarah Jaffe that the pandemic reveals what unions already know: “An injury to one is an injury to all.”
By Sarah Jaffe in The Nation.
Trump Won’t Steal the Election, but Your Governor Might
There are lots of ways to prevent people from voting besides canceling the election, and the coronavirus provides the perfect excuse.
By Elie Mystal in The Nation.
The Reality of American Denialism
This pandemic didn’t sneak up on us. It came with us watching and refusing to believe what we saw.
By Lyz Lenz in The Gazette.
Trump Isn’t In Charge—So Who the Hell Is?
In the absence of a serious federal response, it’s up to the 50 state governors, and numerous localities, to figure this out on their own.
By Elie Mystal in The Nation.
Our Capitalist, Corporatist Country Is Drastically Unprepared for the Coronavirus
Stemming the tide of coronavirus may require lots of people to stay home from work. The problem is, that’s a luxury many workers can’t afford.
By Elie Mystal in The Nation.