Lena’s Recent Stories
Arts Feb 16
Universities look to the past to understand their relationships with raceIn the aftermath of the killings by police of George Floyd and other black men and women, American institutions of all kinds have looked to their past and present to understand their relationships to race and racism. That reckoning continues…
Nation Feb 03
Arizona community divided over border wall after Biden’s policy changesIn Arizona, people are feeling the impact of President Biden's order to halt border wall construction. While the wall's presence has already had a profound impact on border communities, its enduring legacy under a new president remains unclear. Amna Nawaz…
Nation Feb 01
Deported without their children, separated mothers hope to be reunited years laterPresident Biden is expected to sign a series of executive orders this week on immigration, including one setting up a task force to reunite families separated at the Mexican border under former President Trump’s "zero tolerance policy." Amna Nawaz reports…
Nation Dec 15
In Hawaii, trying to revive tourism while keeping locals safeHawaii’s success in keeping COVID-19 in check is not just about its geography -- it's had some of the firmest restrictions, including a statewide mask mandate and, until recently, a 14-day quarantine rule for all arriving tourists. But those restrictions…
Nation Dec 11
Frontline workers, communities of color bear the brunt of California’s coronavirus surgeCalifornia broke new records this week with the coronavirus, prompting officials to order restrictions in more than 90 percent of that state. Stephanie Sy reports on the situation in Los Angeles County, where frontline workers and communities of color are…
Nation Nov 25
Navajo Nation’s health care system strained by COVID-19The Navajo Nation, home to more than 170,000 Navajo, has been hit hard by COVID-19. More than 600 Navajo have died of COVID-19 in parts of three states, and daily positive cases are soaring. Stephanie Sy spoke with Dr. Daniel…
Economy Nov 11
Deemed essential, California farmworkers risk disease and deportationAs the United States grapples with the latest surge in coronavirus, some workers are trying to cope with illness and economic hardship while also facing the threat of deportation. In California’s Coachella Valley, agricultural workers deemed essential to the U.S.
Politics Oct 30
Why Arizona’s Latino vote could be making a ‘big change’ this yearArizona has emerged as a surprising battleground state in this year’s presidential election, considering President Trump beat Hillary Clinton there by 3.5 percent in 2016. Latinos make up a quarter of the state’s eligible voters -- and while polls indicate…
Nation Oct 07
Native populations could be decisive this election — as long as they can voteTotaling some 6.8 million people, American Indians and Native Alaskans could play a key role in the upcoming election, especially in Western swing states like Arizona and Nevada. But there are some obstacles in Native communities that make their residents…
Nation Oct 06
How the pandemic has complicated these immigrants’ path to citizenshipThe coronavirus pandemic has changed life for almost everyone in the United States. But it has also significantly disrupted the efforts of those seeking to become American citizens -- some of whom are eager to vote in the November election.