Articles by Steven Gilchrist

C ANCER is a disease that affects people of all ages, genders, and ethnic and racial backgrounds.   In the United States, it is estimated that nearly ½ of all men and 1/3 rd of all women will battle cancer at some point in their lives.   Minorities and economically disadvantaged people are more likely to develop and die from cancer.   Each year, during the third week of April, National Minority Cancer Awareness Week is held to promote improved awareness about the prevention and treatment of cancer in minority communities. During the Awareness Week, doctors, researchers, and social workers make an extra effort to give minority communities information about the importance of cancer screenings and maintaining healthy lifestyles.   On April 8, 1987, legislation establishing the awareness week was signed into law when the U.S. House of Representatives Joint Resolution 119 was passed.   Often times, minorities might not go to see a doctor until they are ex...

H omelessness is a complex problem that occurs in cities and towns across the United States.   According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, nearly 700,000 people in the U.S. experience homelessness on any given night.   Furthermore, over 1.5 million Americans use a shelter or transitional housing annually.   There are several factors that cause homelessness including: alcoholism, broken families, drug addiction, mental illness, unemployment, and poverty; however, access to affordable housing is the main reason why people experience homelessness.   Scarce affordable housing is especially prevalent in urban communities.        A goal that the Obama administration has advocated for is to eradicate homelessness among veterans by 2015.   In 2009, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki promised that the administration would eradicate homelessness among veterans by 2015.   This goal is certainly a noble one and in order for ...

T he West African nation of Mali is one of the world’s 25 poorest countries.   Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and money sent home from Malians working abroad.   In the middle of the 19 th century, Mali was colonized by France.   In 1960, Mali gained independence from France.   After gaining independence from colonial rule, the people of Mali endured droughts, rebellions, and 23 years of military dictatorship.   In 1992, democratic elections were held.   Mali is a landlocked country with much of its territory covered by the Sahara Desert.   Mali has a population of about 15.5 million people and it is one of Africa’s largest producers of cotton and gold.   A March 2012 military coup in the Malian capital of Bamako led to chaos throughout the country.   As a result of the coup, Malian soldiers gave up towns to insurgent fighters. Last month, France became involved with Malian government affairs once again.   On Friday, Janu...

L ast Sunday night, millions of people around the world watched the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers compete in Super Bowl XLVII.   The game was one of the most exciting championship games in recent memory.   However, beneath the media frenzy, television commercials, and high-energy half-time show, there is an insidious occurrence that takes place at the Super Bowl.   In a February 4, 2013, Huffington Post article by Eleanor Goldberg titled: “Super Bowl is single largest human trafficking incident in U.S.: ‘Attorney General,’” the prevalence of forced prostitution during the annual Super Bowl is detailed.   In 2010, for Super Bowl XLIV which was held in Miami, 10,000 prostitutes were brought to Miami for the event.   “The Super Bowl is the greatest show on Earth, but it also has an ugly underbelly,” said Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott in a 2011 USA Today interview.   Human trafficking is currently the fastest growing criminal industry ...

D espite having immense economic prosperity, the United States has the 4 th highest rate of child poverty amongst the world’s developed countries, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.   With a child poverty rate of 21.63% the U.S. trails only Turkey, Chile, and Mexico.   Mexico has the highest rate of child poverty amongst developed nations with a rate of 25.79%. On November 20, 2012, a FRONTLINE documentary titled Poor Kids premiered on PBS.   Poor Kids offers a glimpse of how poor children in America cope with living in poverty.   Persistent hunger, stress, and constantly changing living conditions are common challenges that children living in poverty endure on a daily basis. In 2011, more than 16 million children or about 1 in 5 were living in poverty, according to statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau.   FRONTLINE and the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) at Columbia University’s Mailman School of P...

I n a Presidential Proclamation on October 1, 2012, Barack Obama declared the month of October as National Energy Action Month.   During his presidency, Barack Obama has encouraged federal agencies to make improvements in economic, energy, and environmental performance.   “As demand for energy increases worldwide, our nation must continue to lead the world in a rapidly evolving energy market by pursuing safe and responsible domestic energy production, promoting efficiency, and developing clean energy and renewable fuels,” President Obama said in his October Presidential Proclamation.   Energy consumption and sustainability will be an important topic of discussion in the future.   America has a vital role to play in creating energy resources not only for its own citizens but for the rest of the world as well.   With a population of approximately 315 million people the United States has less than 5% of the global population.   However, the U.S. cons...

BOSTON – O n May 22, 2012, a ceremony was held on the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway in honor of the victims of the Armenian Genocide.   During the ceremony, the Armenian Heritage Park was dedicated to honor the 1.5 million Armenians who lost their lives during the Armenian Genocide and all genocides that have followed.   The park consists of two main sections.   The Abstract Sculpture is a split dodecahedron that is perched on a reflecting pool.   This sculpture represents the varied experiences of immigrants to Massachusetts and to the United States.   The following inscription appears below the Abstract Sculpture: “Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have offered hope and refuge for immigrants seeking to begin new lives.   This park is a gift to the people of the Commonwealth and the City of Boston from the Armenian-American community of Massachusetts.   This sculpture is offered in honor of the one and one half million victims of ...