Hispanic Access Project News Today

Heart Mountain was an internment camp in northwest Wyoming where Japanese Americans were relocated against their will during World War II. It was the subject of a recent PBS TV special, and will also be featured in the Alliance for Historic Wyomings new Placed-Based Stories project. Dakota Russell, executive director of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation, said while the camp closed at wars end, many families who had lost everything they owned after relocation decided to stay in Wyoming. .....

This months guilty verdict in the Kim Potter trial has brought renewed attention to police accountability, but a Minnesota group says fatal encounters with law enforcement still happen too often, and it wants to help departments with their response teams. Potter, a former Brooklyn Center officer, was convicted in the shooting death of Daunte Wright. It followed this springs conviction of former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin. ...

Nine Texas residents now held in the Dallas County jail system will be bailed out this Thursday and met by reform advocates who say the bail system is not equitable. As in other states, many of those arrested in Texas remain in jail before their criminal cases are resolved and while still legally presumed innocent. Some with enough money to post bond get out of jail, while poorer inmates remain locked up. ...

The Hispanic Access Project is teaming up with the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest and Fish and Wildlife services, and other agencies to diversify staff by tapping college students and recent graduates for MANO fellowships. Michelle Neuenschwander, program director with the MANO Program, said fellowships provide Latinos valuable hands-on experience managing Colorados wildlife and outdoor landscapes, which can help them compete for good-paying permanent jobs with benefits. ...